Cats on drugs man! Before any animal rights people (good on you by the way) get angry, they are not really on drugs and this cat is our cat and he's just a doofus and looks like that. A novelty joke track.

Salvage Plan

Cats on drugs

People who wear befitting clothes as they age; do they realise they do this?

This is what I wear

Common Road 1997 track 6

About addiction to keeping up with 'the news' even though it is mostly negative and can impact mental health. I sampled the news clips at random while working on the track. No disrespect meant to anyone and in the unlikely event someone hears themselves and objects, I'll happily take out that sample. Thank you.

Misery fix

Misery Fix

Common Road 1999 track 1

A very simple repeating lyric; this is a mash up of alternative rock and dance music. I used a clip from YouTube for the sample. It's from a 'delivery driver fails caught on ring doorbells' thang. No disrespect to the guy involved but that's a very sample-able voice! I just thought it somehow fits, (as he's trying to do a good job but slips on the ice again, the way a job can be bruising) and lightened the mood.

Temporary job

Temporary Job

A track about people not understanding how or why you gave up the rat race. Inspired by my perception that some people have been so socialised and conditioned to be 'an employee', that they can't imagine how they would fill their days or keep functioning without a job, this side of 'retirement'.

Money tree

Money Tree

Includes a sample from the film Desperado

Common Road 1999 track 2

Excuse the tape hiss and bad keyboard sounds  - this was the 90s!

Common Road 1999 track 3

This is another song about societal expectations about employment, the need for money which is often driven by consumerism and feeling trapped in the rat race. One of several songs in a similar vein on the upcoming album 'Regular Fit' by my side project,Bin day! Enjoy!

Rat race

I wrote this whilst in hospital receiving a stem cell transplant, one of my brothers being the donor.  I was able to refine it with the help of Neil Foster, who worked in the hospital as a music as therapy teacher.  I was feeling particularly down at the time, full of chemo drugs and missing my wife.  It was certainly good therapy for me.

Sunshine on my Window

Alan McGain was born in 1946 and began playing guitar as a teenager; a passion he retained his whole life. He learned numerous styles of guitar playing as well as mandolin and always retained a knack for writing an (often comedic) song. Later branched into playing keyboard. Account maintained by his son Matt.