For a variety of reasons, the songs have slowed a little bit. Partially because I’ve been working on the songs that are “complete” before I’m ready to record them and partially because the tone has turned a little bit and the material is more difficult to work through. The song below is about the anxiety I have regarding raising my little girl and my stepson Nick’s job as a police officer, and how that ties in to the loss of my youngest stepson Garrett by suicide in May of 2008. The music is a work in progress, but I think the lyrics are done for the most part. Yet another song that I’m not sure will make the album, as this one is very personal, but I promised to share the process with you, so…
Until we meet next time….
Loss
Eyes are blurry, thoughts muddled in his head
He turns off the TV, and ambles off to bed
Head hits the pillow and his eyes start to dim
But he can’t fight this feeling that’s come over him
So he tussles with the pillows and adjusts the sheet
Thinks of his son working graveyard on a West End beat
Tries to get some rest, but his thoughts they roam
The sad truth is sometimes they don’t come home
He fights the Sandman and the dreams he brings
Cause the thoughts in his head aren’t always pretty things
Afraid the other shoe will drop, he just doesn’t know when
He’s lost before, he can’t lose again
In the daylight thoughts turn to his precious little girl
Eyes big as saucers, she lights up his world
But he fears everyday he’s not up to the test
So beautiful and pure, she deserves the best
Night comes again and his thoughts they ride
Over a landscape of images he cannot hide
He went to bed early and he got there late
Did he fail his family, or was it just fate
He fights the Sandman and the dreams he brings
Cause nightmares aren’t such pretty things
He’ll never be the man that he was back then
He’s lost before, he can’t lose again
I couldn’t be more excited to share this bit of news with all of you – my longtime friend, and one of the most creative people I know, Kymberlie Birkenkamp has agreed to do the photography for The Wabash Cafe. I first met Kym in the early 90’s at a Mass Communications class at Meramec Community College. It was a night class, and a small group of us began to hang out at the old Big Bend and 44 Denny’s, discussing a million different things and generally flexing our intellectual and artistic muscles. Those nights were truly captivating, and along with our friend Deidra, created a deep bond between us that neither years nor distance has eroded.
When I first met Kym, it was as a writer, but in the last several years she has turned her creative eye to photography. Although I do miss her writing, I am truly inspired by the work she is doing now, and couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to have her bring her skill, creativity and passion to this project. Please take the opportunity to check out her website, www.misfithue.com, to see just some of the amazing work she has done.
I am so happy to have Kymberlie aboard.
Until next time…Brian
Those of you who know who Bruiser Brody is might wonder what exactly I’m about to write about now. Those of you who don’t almost assuredly are wondering what/who the hell I’m talking about.
Bruiser Brody was one of the best professional wrestlers ever, and he’s the subject of a song I’m working on now. His heyday was from the late 70’s to the mid-80’s, and he was one of the biggest draws in the world. At 6 foot, 5 inches and 300 lbs. he was an imposing figure in the ring, and he brought a ferocity and athleticism to the show that made this 8 year old kid believe it was all real. I used to go see him wrestle at the old Kiel Auditorium on the St. Louis Wrestling Club shows until Vince McMahon came along and blew up the old territories. Brody never signed with the WWE (WWF at the time), instead becoming a superstar in Japan and a huge success on the independent circuit in the states. He also became a top player for Carlos Colon’s WWA promotion in Puerto Rico. It was there that he would meet his end, stabbed to death by the star of the promotion – Jose Huertas Gonzalez (Invader 1). Gonzalez was found innocent in a sham trial on the island, and all that was left were the memories of all the fans who had loved to watch Brody perform.
I’m not sure if this one ends up being an album cut. Although I’m writing it on acoustic guitar like I do all of my songs, I’m really hearing a full-on, scorching Austin blues style rocker – and I’m not sure the style or theme will fit with the rest of the record. Either way, I’ll be sure to share it with you all when it’s done.
Anyway, I’m still trying to put down some rough cuts of the three songs I mentioned in the last post so that I can share them with the musician’s I’m hoping to have play on the record. Probably going to buy a Tascam DP-004 Digital Pocket Studio so that I can do rough demos at home. Hopefully, I’ll have something else for you all to hear soon.
Until next time…Brian
Hey gang, just a couple of quick notes…
First, for anyone who needs to contact me, you can find an email form under the “Contact Me” link I just added. You’ll find it to the right, under the About Me header. Please feel free to drop me a line anytime.
Second, I’ve got three songs I’m ready to go into the studio with soon. You’ve already seen the lyrics for “Choices We Made” and heard that the title track was done, so that’s two of the three. The third is called People That I Know, and it’s a (hopefully) humorous look at how important Facebook has become in my life. If you’re on my Facebook Friends list, you might just hear a little something about someone you recognize in this one.
Anyway, that’s about all I’ve got right now. Oh yeah, I almost forgot one last thing…you might just get your first chance to hear the new stuff live in May. Working on a possible gig – I’ll let you all know soon.
Til we meet down the road – Brian
I’ve been working really hard on it, and I think the title track to the album just might be done. Of course, by done I mean that I have the words, the melody and the chords – I haven’t recorded it yet. I think it is likely I will ask a couple of old friends to play on this one (at a bare minimum, I hear piano on this, and maybe a mandolin – and this one needs live drums). One of the real exciting things about this project for me is that I expect I will reach out to several old friends for their help. It’s one of the themes of the album, and one of the things that makes this a labor of love for me.
I’m glad to have this one written. After a rush of stuff coming to me, I’d really hit a wall the last several days. Maybe I put a little too much pressure on myself, moving from “hey, I’ve got a song” to “hey, I’m going to do an album” before I really had more than one song and a couple of good ideas. That said, I know how I am, and putting the pressure on myself is the best way to ensure that this project will roll on.
Til we meet again – Brian
