Improving a classic: Pete Alderton's Living on Love remastered

track from the Ozella Music/Songways album: Living On Love - remastered edition

Pete Alderton - (She Said That) Evil Was Her Name

(Verse 1)
In the shadows of what's left behind,
Silent whispers of a tired mind,
Echoes fade into the night,
Broken dreams in the fading light.

(Pre-Chorus)
Hold on to the breath of the past,
But the moments never last,
Ashes swirl, the memories cast,
In the heart where they're amassed.

(Chorus)
From the ashes of yesterday,
I rise, I break away,
No more chains, I'm not afraid,
From the ashes, I'm remade.

(Verse 2)
Look through the ruins, piece by piece,
Finding strength in a quiet release,
Every tear that had to fall,
Now a fire, standing tall.

(Bridge)
Burning brighter, out of the dark,
Every spark a new start,
Reignite the inner part,
Yesterday's end is where we embark.

(Chorus)
From the ashes of yesterday,
I rise, I break away,
No more chains, I'm not afraid,
From the ashes, I'm remade.

(Outro)
In the silence after the blaze,
New horizons, eyes ablaze,
Yesterday’s ashes, today's stage,
New battles, new wars to wage.

Ashes Of Yesterday

The Genius Wave - The Mental Miracles Soundwave.mp3

I’m a bug in your ear sounding like a hero
And you think you can hear me 
but you’re only hearing ones and zeros
Skip over me, give yourself a break

Cuz this song isn’t real and 
everything’s fake yeah (yeah) 
everything’s fake

[chorus]
This intensive care unit
For all the headless ones
I suppose that we blew it
At least we all had fun
Now the doctor is out
And the crazies come to take
But everything’s a lie
And faker than fake
(Yeah yeah) faker than fake

[verse]
It’s a technical effect and an oxymoron
And the rocket is leaving but 
we will try to get everyone on
to planet Mars, if we all don’t die

But the universe is burning and
It’s all a lie
Yeah (yeah)
It’s all a lie

[chorus]

Fake

I’ve got a deal that’s so bad (yeah)
Don’t you wish you were in my shoes
It’s the worst I’ve ever had 
The lucky ones don’t have to choose
  Don’t you wish for my bones (why)
 It’s not a place to call your home 
Didn’t you want to be all one?
Where am I going - what have I done 

[chorus]
 When my love failed 
Your forgiveness prevailed
Redemption sails 
To the ones who can heal   
(yeah yeah - yeah yeah)  
You know me well 
And from what I can tell 
I rang your bell
To save me from hell  

[verse] 
I’ve got a lover, so sad 
Don’t you wish that I was dead
That was the first time you went mad 
Now I gotta get you outta my head
  Reverse your charade and you got it made 
Goodness is something you have to choose
 Initiative comes to those who wait 
Don’t you wish you were in my shoes?

  [chorus]

  [bridge]
I’ve got a deal  I’ve got a deal
I’ve got a deal for you  Yeah yeah yeah yeah!   
I’ve got a deal   I’ve got a deal
I’ve got a deal for you  Yeah yeah yeah yeah!

You're The Worst

Always You.mp3

[VERSE]
You showed up late, looking all hungover
Mustard stain on your shirt
There’s no debate, you’re getting demoted
Unless you prove your worth 

 I checked the quality of your work 
I would give it a solid “D”
Now I have got to be the jerk
Who reports you to the team

  [CHORUS] 
cuz your not good at your job
You’re not good at your job  
Why do we pay you anything 
Cuz you’re not good at your job (haha)

 [Verse]
 Nothing was cleaned and nothing was kept
You didn’t put back the tools 
Texting your boo to complain about stuff
Acting like the fool

 I guess the more you mess things up
You can make some overtime,
That won’t matter cuz the camera showed
You stole from the till — that’s a crime! 

[BRIDGE] 
‘cuz your not good at your job (you really messed it up)
You’re not good at your job (did you even try?) 
Why do we pay you anything
Cuz you’re not good at your job!

 [CHORUS]

You're Not Good At Your Job

Composed by AJ Nicholas Wagener

This melody transitions from a 3/4 to a 4/4 count... listen carefully and see if you can find the moment where this happens.

Buy Track Now

Murder In The Cathedral

FM LAETI - Sunken Dream

WARNING:   loud opening.  

I made this song in college, as a project for a music class.  It was my first time mixing music.  Our objective was to create a track using only "found sounds" which are noises, effects, and things you would hear in nature or urban environments (no regular instruments were allowed to be used in the composition, except for percussive instruments AKA drums). 

A friend of mine who is a DJ christened it "dubstep." Interestingly, I mixed this just  before the dubstep genre became popularized in 2005, so to me it's really more "experimental" than dubstep. 

Sounds mixed include:  police sirens, spoken word, wrench hits, airplane wooshes, dial tones, live drums, screams, and a barking dog.

US Copyright and ISRC registered - portions of this song have aired on Santa Maria Community Television (CA)

Master of the Game

LISTEN / GROOVE / SHARE

Social Media - 

x.com/ajnicholasmusic
instagram.com/ajnicholas.music

[May 2025]  Taking a break from music to get my first $1M and I'll be back later.

[Feb 2025]  New album "Intensive Care Unit" is out on Feb 11th.  It has love songs, fun songs, and sad songs -- you can hear it on iTunes and anywhere digital music is played.  Pre-releasing some songs that will go on the next album, including "My City Is The Desert"

[Jan 2025] Pre-releasing three new tracks:  "Beverly" about unrequited love, "Best Show on TV" about the UFO scandal, and "Sand Castle" about life in the desert ... be the first to hear them.

[Dec 2024]  Finished new album "First Universe" ... follow me on "X" to join the CD release party and get a free copy.  Final version of Truth Teller getting done. It went through a lot of changes, and released a new one about the absurdity of shop-lifting in California... have a laugh and listen to Five Finger Discount.    Stay tuned...

[Nov 2024] Publishing new tracks "Injection 25" about medical freedoms, and "Slow Drag" about the tragic death of Kurt Cobain, who was one of my musical heroes when I was in high school.  Also, our new track "Insanity" is a musical kick to the face (the good kind).


[Oct 2024]  Writing new content with a little help from my Roland vocal transformer.  Contracting with Kung-Fu world champion Andrew Wilson to write a new song "Message from Above" to be used in his upcoming documentary film.  

[Sept 2024]  New track "Fight the Power" is out with the Headless ønes ... you're going to love it.  Instant hit.

[Aug 2024]  Released a piano instrumental version of "In Love Again" 

[July 2024]  I revisited "Truth Teller" to make some changes and additions. I have an updated version printed now.

[June 2024]  I'm recalling a chord progression I developed in my teen years and I'm putting together a new track called "Soul Sister".  Not done yet.

[May 2024]  "Truth Teller" got some major edits and a new version is now bumping across social media from my fans sharing it out.  You know who you are... thnx!  Also, former Kung-Fu World Champion (my friend Andrew Wilson) hit me up to compose another song, for his next documentary film.

[April 2024] Learning how to master my songs.  I'm going to revisit many of them, and I will be re-releasing some tracks after juicing them up.

[March 2024] - released "Truth Teller" and an instrumental version.  Made a few additions to "In Love Again".

[Feb 2024] So the inner conscience is a very weird thing.  I recorded a track titled "the Face of Darkness" exactly 2 years ago, forgot about it, and then last night, my brain reminds me to put it out, and won't let me sleep.  It needed some work, so I spent another day on it. Check it out, in all its shadowy uniqueness.

[Jan 2024] Just got a call from ASCAP, and found out that my music has been used internationally on radio and television shows.  They were trying to deposit money into my bank account, but I needed to update it.  No longer a hobby; officially a paid/professional musician.

Cleaning up my music files, I came across a two-years old demo of "My City Is The Desert" and it's time to do it justice.  Might add bass+drums.

[End of 2023] Whipped out "In Love Again" in under one day.  Sudden moments of inspiration.  Let's rebound.

[2023 - Dec]  Thanks to my "X Fam" and Lucius Knight for the advice, as I finished "A Hero Returns".  This features frequencies from the 11th harmonic, which are now proven to heal the body.  I'm not kidding.

HERE IS THE SOUND SCIENCE -https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0IkbDktUJX/

[2023 - Nov]  published "Injection 24" in hopes of waking up a few people, going into next year.  I kept the original lyrics, but added real guitar and checked EQ and instrument blends, to master the final product.  Possible alt lyric version coming.

[2023 - Oct] Reworking "Injection" and adding real guitar to sweeten the opening and various parts, other ingredients going in are confidential and you'll need to sign a waiver to find out what they are.  ;)

[2023 - Sept]  "Murder by injection" got a new formula, and published, now with only the warning label of "Injection" to simplify the title.
[2023 - May]   Some ideas still brewing... probably something to celebrate my mother

[2023 - April]   Developing a new piano comp "A Hero Returns"

[2023 - March]  Publishing new single "Insanity"

[2023 - February]  Publishing third album "Swimming With Dragons" and some new singles

[2022]  Finishing masterclass with music producer, Kygo, and releasing new albums and singles.  Mostly piano and vocals this year.

[2021]  Developing music studio in the desert.

[2020]  Too much work, setting up a new business... thoughts of suicide... definitely time to get back into music!

[2019]  Mostly work and no play.  Not good.

[2018]  Left my hometown of Los Angeles for a new life in the mid-west, got a pet lizard named "Baby Dragon" and she's amazing.

[2017] released "Love & Hate in Los Angeles" for digital distribution.  Hard copy CDs also available on www.CDBaby.com search for AJ Nicholas

You're The Worst

AJ Nicholas

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