another blast on this beautiful theme and a very tasty one. It was a great job from both of you.

hi lee, been a while. are you still making music??

hey my friend - this is a berautiful ballad - great to be back here, hjope you are well:)

Intimate melody with a heartfelt voice, ideal for a day like this.

Gorgeous & tender folky vibe.. enjoyed muchly, kudos to you both!

Continuing my journey below the surface, peeling back the layers, and finding more surprises.

This time, I dug so deep that I hit 1975.

Image Copyright: <a href='https://www.123rf.com/profile_fedcophoto'>fedcophoto</a>

The Deep

Paco https://soundcloud.com/sonido-reflexivo shared these beautiful and evocative melodies with me and I couldn't help but want to collaborate with him again. He is most generous and encouraging, and his music is full of structure, energy and emotion. Thanks for this great opportunity Paco and thank you for listening. I'd like to dedicate this to David, Emily and Steven.

Whatever it is you want from life,
You better be ready to go and get it.
For time always flies,
No matter how much you think is left.

Make sure that you don’t take a moment for granted,
Coz you only get this chance to shine.
When you’ve got something more to give than you take,
Only then have you truly found the reason to live. 
  
Time flies, oh how time flies 
How time always flies,

Whatever it is you want from life,
You better be ready to go and get it.
For time always flies,
No matter how much you think is left.

Time flies, oh how time flies 
Time flies, oh how time flies 
Time flies, oh how time flies 
 
Whatever it is you want from life,
You better be ready to go and get it.
For time always flies,
No matter how much you think is left.

Time Flies (Midisound & Mark J Bennett)

Coming Home.

So pull up a chair, I’ll buy you a beer  
Tell me your news, kick off your shoes,  
It's been years since I've heard anyone from home.  
And how's the old pair, are they still there?  
Mam in the kitchen, and Dad in his chair,   Reading the paper and putting the world to right.

Send my love to them in the morning,  Please tell my Mam that I'm coming home.

And how is young Mary, is she still contrary?
  I remember her smile, the sweetest in Kerry,  
I wonder if she ever thinks of me?  
I swore I'd send for her, when I had the money,  
I'd bring her to Brooklyn, we'd marry in Joseph's,  
And live the good life, in the heart of New York City.

Send my love to her in the morning  Tell her I think of her night and day.

I came here in '90 with nothing but hope,  
A second-hand suitcase tied up with rope,  
With the name of someone who was a friend of a friend of a friend.  
He got me a job washing down trailers,
In a meat packing plant, down near the Hudson, 
The smell was God-awful, but the money wasn't too bad.

Let's raise a glass to him in the morning,  And tell my Mam that I'm coming home.

I drank in the night-time, I drank in the day,  
I fell in with low-life's, the lost and the strays,  
We banded together in low-lit bars and Inns.  
Then I lost my job in the meat packing plant,  
Too many absences, and nights in the tank,  
The friend of a friend stopped taking my calls since then.

Let's raise a glass to him in the morning,  And tell my Mam that I'm coming home.

Tell them, I’m coming home

Picture of Time's Square 1980's courtesy of Douglas Corrance.

Coming Home (with Mark Bennett)

A song based on an original composition by Tom https://soundcloud.com/tom-r-gnier and Jussi https://soundcloud.com/juswel
https://soundcloud.com/tom-r-gnier/evocation
Lyrics and Vocals by https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett

We were very keen to work on another collaboration and after several rounds of selections and revisions, I'm glad to be able to share this beautiful song. I feel eternally grateful to Tom and Jussi for their inspirational music and skilled playing (and their patience). I hope we will get to make more music together in the future.

The picture is by Douglas Corrance of the Old Stockbridge Market in Edinburgh.

Everytime I look at you,
I need to recognise that
It is only you who can make me happy. 
Everytime I look at you,
I realise that I do.

Everytime I’m close to you,
My heart races,
I feel like a fool,
And you seem so cool
It’s because I think that I love you,
Everytime I’m close to you,
I realise that I do.

Ainsi va la vie,	
Quand il s'agit de t'aimer.
(Such is life, when it comes to loving you) 
Everytime I look at you,
I realise that I do.

I’m looking for a sign,
That shows just how much you do. 
Everytime you look at me,
I realise that you do.

Ainsi va la vie,	
Quand il s'agit de t'aimer.
(Such is life, when it comes to loving you)
Everytime I look at you,
I realise that we do.

Ainsi Va La Vie - Tom Régnier/Jussi Welin/Mark J Bennett

Rodolfo https://soundcloud.com/rplanes first shared this beautiful piece with me 2 years ago, which has had a gradual development since I first wrote the lyrics back then. More recently Ce Mastro https://soundcloud.com/cemastro added some exciting backing vocals which transformed the chorus and then even more recently we invited Dave McKeown https://soundcloud.com/dave-mckeown to contribute some lovely sax that we believed was just what the song needed. Rodolfo's song has such a feeling of romantic innocence yet with a wonderful rhythmic flow, that I hoped the words might feel from a simpler time. We hope you all enjoy our song of innocence (and inexperience) which thankfully is a work of fiction. Thanks again to Rodolfo for sharing this magical piece and his great skills as well as Ce and Dave's unique gifts to make this one happen. 
We thank you all for taking the time to listen.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix.
Ce Mastro - Backing vocals
Me - Lead vocals and lyrics
Dave McKeown - Sax solo and fills

Almost Lovers (by Rodolfo Planes / Mark Bennett)

Once we were almost lovers, without a care.
We weren’t like all the others, somehow we just didn’t dare.
We never faced the fact,
What we had wasn’t real,
Didn’t have to deal,
With the truth while we were putting on an act
We’d have to pay,
And quite how that would feel.

The moment when I discovered, not wanting to share,
You with any of the others, that I just couldn’t bear.
But when my back was turned,
You made out with a guy,
I thought was my friend.
Then I knew that my world had been overturned,
Put out to dry,
And what a way to end.

It’s not the way that I’d hoped this scene would play out,
Leaving the stage in the first act. 
It was cruel but at least I was left in no doubt.
C’est la vie, as a matter of fact.

Were never really lovers, just make believe.
Like sister and brother, with only ourselves to deceive.
I should have known right then,
I’d be out on my ear 
Instead of in love.
Waiting for the finale, not knowing when,
I’d disappear,
When the push comes to shove.

It’s not the way that I’d hoped this scene would play out,
Leaving the stage in the first act. 
It was cruel but at least I was left in no doubt.
C’est la vie, as a matter of fact.

Almost Lovers - Continental Collision featuring Ce Mastro and Dave McKeown

When Tom approached me with this piano melody, the initial arrangement and the title to which he hoped I’d add lyrics and vocals, I thought it was almost unnecessary as the piece already said everything required. Shortly afterwards, Jussi had added sublime guitar which offered a hopeful balance in the mood. Knowing what Tom was referring to without discussing it openly I wrote these words from a similar position of experience. I contrasted the first verse of a woman at her peak with the second verse of a woman in decline to heighten the emotion. I found that the spoken word approach allowed more emotion to flow from both the music and the words. Tom had the great idea to ask Hidefumi to complete the song with a phenomenal solo. Thank you to everyone who helped make this come together, and a very special thanks to all of you for listening.

Music composition, piano and other instrumentation - https://soundcloud.com/tom-r-gnier
First guitar and guitar arrangement - https://soundcloud.com/juswel
Lyrics and vocals - https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett
Final guitar and guitar arrangement - https://soundcloud.com/boon-suzuki

Image of a painted door in Funchal, Madeira - Douglas Corrance (https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCorrancePhotographer)

She knows just what it feels like now.
I think she’s losing it, I think she’s losing it. 
When she is almost ready, 
She will lose her reserve 
And her inhibition too.
Then she’ll lose herself in herself and then she’ll be free,
To be what she wants, what she wants to be.

She knows not who she feels like now.
I know she’s losing it, I know she’s losing it. 
As if she's gone already, 
She has lost her reserve 
And her inhibition too.
Already lost herself in herself and now she’s elsewhere,
Knows not what she wants, nor who she used to be.

She's Losing It - Tom Régnier/Jussi Welin/Mark J Bennett/Boon-Suzuki

Rodolfo https://soundcloud.com/rplanes gave me this piece and title to write a lyric around. I was drawn to man's not unnatural obsession with the cosmos from the earliest days, through using it to navigate the world and gain power, to now potentially using it as a last ditch escape from our polluted and depleted home. I particularly enjoyed this song as I get to sing in Spanish and also a good proportion of this song is instrumental. So sit back and let this journey wash over you. Many thanks to Rodolfo for all his great work and a special thanks to you for listening. Mark

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix.
Me - Vocals and lyrics

Southern Star by Rodolfo Planes and Mark J Bennett

It’s written in the stars,
When seen from Earth,
Venus… even Mars.
Whatever it’s worth.

The Southern Star 
The Southern Star 

Is that ‘Pie in the Sky’? 
Take the bait,
Maybe just a lie,
Trust in fate?

The Southern Star 
The Southern Star 

Estrella del sur
Estrella del sur
Estrella del sur
Es la clave,
Del rumbo del destino
Del rumbo del destino.
(Southern star, it's the key from the course of destiny)

Man’s knowledge and skill,
Charts land and sea.
In order to fulfil,
Destiny			
 
The Southern Star 
The Southern Star 

Celestial sphere,
Obscured now by,				
Tears and fear.
The end is nigh.		

The Southern Star 
The Southern Star 

Estrella del sur
Estrella del sur
Estrella del sur
Sin la clave,
Nos niega el destino
El curso del…
El curso del	destino
(Southern star, without the key, fate denies us the course of destiny)

 
Need and hunger, 
Has our innocence
Rent asunder, 
By its wickedness
 
The Southern Star 
The Southern Star 

Escape to stars.
Throw right off of your
Shackles and bars.
We need to endure.

The Southern Star 
The Southern Star 

Estrella del sur
Estrella del sur
Estrella del sur
Sin la clave,
Nos niega el destino
El curso del…
El curso del destino
(Southern star, without the key, fate denies us the course of destiny)

Southern Star - Continental Collision (Rodolfo Planes/Mark J Bennett)

A modern Christmas carol for you all. The lovely Mark J Bennett has provided the vocals (and artwork) - all at rather short notice too which is typical of his generosity.

We hope you enjoy it and that it encourages some thought about the Christmas message (which, let's face it, seems to have got a little lost in recent times....)

May the deep peace of the running wave be yours.

Music (based on trad tune)/Lyrics/Backing Vocal - enlimila
Vocals - Mark J Bennett.
[Audio-clip of children playing courtesy of garuda1982]

THREE BOATS
I saw three boats come sailing in,
Come sailing in, come sailing in.
I saw three boats come sailing in,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

One of those boats won’t sail again,
Not sail again, never sail again.
For that boat sank with all its men
And all its women and children.

The second boat its engine died,
Its engine died ‘cos the smugglers lied
And the waves crashed down on the folk inside
That little boat in the morning.

Those desperate folk held hands and prayed,
Held hands and prayed, as the sea it sprayed
’Til at last they sank beneath the waves
On Christmas day in the morning.

The third boat managed to reach the shore
And the folk inside all prayed some more.
Then the politicians began to roar
With rage on Christmas morning.

“How dare these strangers reach our land
Expecting us to lend a hand?
Our inn is full and we have no room.
Let them go home and face their doom.”

They went to church to sing and pray,
To sing and pray, to sing and pray,
And watch their kids in Nativity plays
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Three Boats

My friend and close collaborator @rplanes offered me this great arrangement and the title and theme that he thought might make an interesting subject matter. Initially, I was scratching my head as the topic seemed too vast but then the ideas started to attach themselves to his melodies and I was hooked. Humans en masse appear to be taking wrong-turnings and making things worse rather than better. This is me letting off a little steam with Rod's help. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix.
Me - Vocals and lyrics
Photograph - Courtesy of Douglas Corrance

Reverse Entropy (by Rodolfo Planes and Mark J Bennett)
We drift from order to chaos,
Like it’s the norm.
Without a sense of pathos,
To see the storm.
Following your safe instinct,
Where it may go,
Or go where you are told.

We let others cloud our vision,
Like they know best.
What happened to our ambition
Never addressed.
Following your safe instinct,
Where it may go,
Before we get too old

You have the choice,
When you have the will,
And it’s backed with the,
Knowledge, and fulfilled by skill.
 
We fall for the theorists,
Like it’s gospel.
Go find yourself some realists,
Who’re less hostile.
Following your safe instinct,
Where it may go,
While you still have a hold.

We’ve been duped at every turn,
By those we trust.
Without alarm or concern,
Now we are bust.
Following your safe instinct,
Where it may go,
If you can still feel bold.

You have the choice,
When you have the will,
And it’s backed with the,
Knowledge and fulfilled by skill.

All our futures are in your hands
With all that it commands
Focus on how it now all stands
Before making your demands.

Reverse Entropy - Continental Collision (by Rodolfo Planes and Mark J Bennett)

Rodolfo Planes offered me this great arrangement and suggested the title of 'Professional Liars' as a starting point. I changed the title to Career Liars as it scanned better with the melody and although we didn’t discuss the subject closely we both had our own ideas who these usual suspects might be. You all may also have your own choices other than these potential ‘Comeback Kids’. 

This was first written in 2022, but has developed gradually over the last two years with Ce Mastro’s spectacular chorus harmony arrangement lifting the song to astonishing new heights, then lastly Georg’s additional sax work giving a renewed energy and power. Thanks to everyone for their valued collaboration on this. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix - https://soundcloud.com/rplanes 
Me - Vocals and lyrics
Ce Mastro - Backing vocals and chorus vocal arrangement - https://soundcloud.com/cemastro 
Georg Boehme - Sax solo and fills - https://soundcloud.com/georg-boehme

 Career Liars by Rodolfo Planes and Mark J Bennett

How are you ever able to live with yourself? 
What do you really care about? 
You can cope just as long as you’re not left on the shelf, 
Hear me out. 

Are you ever conscious of the harm that you do?
 Or is all fair in love and in war?
And there is no depth that you and your crew won’t sink to. 
We’re done for.

Career liars, 
Truth deniers,
Big high flyers,
 Falsifiers.

Making all of your deals with your old cronies,
I think that is all that you’re good for. 
Nothing is ever sincere coz you’re real phoneys.
 Show them the door. 

Lying for a living, as long as we’re forgiving,
 We’ve been truly hood-winked this time for sure.
 We’re learning a lesson about the true cost of living 
Now we’re all poor.

Career liars, 
Truth deniers,
 Big high flyers, 
Falsifiers.

Career Liars - Continental Collision featuring Ce Mastro & Georg Boehme

Well having heard a most beautiful little acoustic guitar ditty by Philip Bridle the other day, both his music and the title of Kintsukuroi instantly inspired me to write some lyrics and sing along to it. 

Kintsukuroi is a Japanese form of art of mending broken pottery in an artistic way. The end result of how it is mended had many people breaking their valuable pieces just so it could be repaired with its new artistic look and appearance.

To make Phil's great music work for the way I wanted to approach it. I decided to chop it up a bit and glue it back together in my own artistic way so I could make it more comfortable for the verses to work as a song. 

Because I liked the subject matter that much I very much decided to keep the title and write the words around it all. I have to admit my pronunciation of the word "Kintsukuroi" is not how it is supposed to be, but it worked better for me in a folky way. So I apologise to all my Japanese friends.

I would like to thank Phil for igniting the spark with his beautiful piece of music and I hope you all enjoy....

Kintsukuroi.  (Music by Philip Bridle/Words by Lee Lucas).

Lee Lucas - Vocals - Artwork & Mix.
Philip Bridle - Acoustic Guitar.

You can find more of Phil's great music here: https://soundcloud.com/philipbridle/tracks

The song has been made available as a free digital download  @ Bandcamp here: https://leelucas.bandcamp.com/track/kintsukuroi

The lyrics are as follows:

The broken pieces shatter
and crumble on the floor
that precious piece held history
from where it stood before

Somewhere in that moment
there's a spark that lights a flame
a certain passion, creativeness
ignites inside her brain 

She gathers up the pieces
to rebuild them once again
assembling generations
with every piece she starts to mend

She sprinkles in some gold dust
adds her own artistic touch
mixes it with lacquer
and applies it with a brush

(Break)

That little piece of history
now stands back on the shelf
restoring generations
she did all by herself
By herself.

Kintsukuroi
Kintsukuroi...
Oh Kintsukuroi...

Please find time to leave comments to which are always very well appreciated and many thanks for listening.

Lee Lucas & Philip Bridle - Kintsukuroi

I very much started out playing instruments very late in life, and spent much of my earlier days listening to it, rather than playing it. I am very much a self taught musician and regard my instruments very much like implements, tools or devices to write with, rather than being anything remotely near a good playing musician of any great technique. 

I guess I really got into instruments more back in 1994 when I got into my first band (though I did learn to play the Harmonica when I was 8 years old) it was around this time I wrote a song on the Guitar entitled Oldtime Street. The song is very much even today one that contains some of the finest lyrics I have ever written, and very much perhaps inspired me to carry on.

Though the band back in 1994 was a very short affair, it was not long after I got into a R&B band performing Rock & Blues in various pubs around my own town Birmingham. I was very much the lead singer in this outfit which lasted some 6 years. Though during these years the band had gone through several line up and name changes and came to a stop in 2001. I suppose it was a bit of relief in a sense, because it's quite easy to put a band together, but murder to keep everyone happy, and keep it going.

Even though I only really did Vocals and played my Harmonica in the band, I still found time now and then, for my guitar, and my keyboards at home, and I also contributed in a big way to our own compositions in the band.

My tools are as follows:

Studiologic VMK-188 Plus 88 Key Midi Controller Keyboard.

Yamaha PSR E303 61 Key Keyboard (Used Via Midi)

Yamaha F310 Acoustic Guitar.

Yamaha ERG121 Electric Guitar.

Encore E4 Bass Guitar.

Various Harmonicas in many Keys.

Alesis Performance Pad Pro Drum Machine & Pads. 

Audio Technica AT2020 USB Microphone.

Vic Firth Drum Sticks.

Various VST Software for Keyboards, Guitars & Mixing.

Cubase 5.

Ableton Live 8.

Steinberg Wavelab.

Influences are from mainly 70's Prog/Rock/Blues/Traditional Folk/Electronic Music.                    

Lee Lucas & Philip Bridle - Kintsukuroi

Lee >>> Lucas

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Likewyse Productions

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