“What you leave as a legacy is not what is etched in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”
— Anonymous
"So many who were remembered already forgotten, and those who remembered them long gone." 
— Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor and a Stoic philosopher)

This reflection on the sobering fact that our time on earth for most of us will not impinge upon the memories or future historical knowledge of generations to come, was inspired by a chance remark by my grandson who described an old photo of his younger self as not looking like him at all, and that he suspected his parents had just hung up a photo on the wall of some random boy. He was speaking in jest of course, but what we say can have consequences, and this song is one!

Lyrics:
He was just a random boy in a picture on the wall
No one claimed to know him, or if he was real at all
He was just a random choice to put in that wooden frame
And one day he’ll be replaced by another with another no name

Oh, just a random boy! Just a random boy!
From here or some distant place
But maybe somewhere, maybe sometime
He was more than just a face

Will there ever be some random picture of me on somebody’s wall as well?
Will they dine & drink, make love, take drugs, while I stare, stare but never tell?
I have a name and I have a life, but if they should glance at me
They’ll think I’m just a random boy, there’ll be nothing, nothing else to see

Oh, just a random boy! Just a random boy!
From here or some distant place
But I know somewhere, I know sometime
I was more than just a …

(Random boy) Oblivious (A random boy) Indifferent
(Just a random boy) You stand in a world of your own
But the random boy staring back at you was cast . . .
in flesh and blood and bone ……
In flesh and blood and bone ……
In flesh and blood and ……

Credits:
Music, lyrics & vocals: Michael Sellers 
Guitars & bass; keyboards; drums: Sergio Aguilar
Production, musical arrangement, mixing & mastering: Sergio Aguilar
Cover design: Michael Sellers
Track cover photo: Gabriel Moreno Fortuny

One Singer Left To Mourn

Random Boy

Buy at Bandcamp

cum lumine

Ode to Gabriela Mistral © 2025 Pamela Illanes - Tatsuoka
October 13 will be a special day, Oda a Gabriela Mistral!

Piano: Pamela Illanes - Tatsuoka
© 2025 Pamela Illanes - Tatsuoka

Ode to Gabriela Mistral (Live)

  we’ve been everywhere


   get up here, get up on your feet
the tide will turn for those who resist defeat
    we’ve been there, we know it too well
  the weight of the world must carry itself
     we don’t care, Laissez-faire
         we’ve been there

   horizon, the promise of a distant shore
 no longer troubles me, it holds no allure
   body enraptured, still, my heart escapes
     with no fucks to give, I need not relate
       we don’t care, Laissez-faire
           we’ve been there

   there’s no going back to the shiny and new  
    so easy on the naked eye, and useful too
            we’ve been everywhere

 dragging y' dog through the most unrelenting pain
    it’s sure to end in tears and in shame
       we don’t care, Laissez-faire
            we’ve been there

 now what we have lost here had tactile value
    all novelty aside for the tested and true
            we’ve been everywhere
                   we’ve been everywhere

              _______________________________
                 Rightly

we've been everywhere

https://youtu.be/dLLddlqKIHc?si=wT5hmEY_W3Fp5ZvI 

This is my attempt at performing this song in a single take with just me and my guitar (Taylor 114 ce)
Also to compare and contrast, here’s a  link to a more polished full band version of this song that I recorded with the help of the Eclectic Collective 
https://soundcloud.com/josh-clary-1/ai-sucks-the-eclectic?si=67d29d363d2a419dacbf860fa471165e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Many thanks to SoundCloud musician Michele Ansani  https://on.soundcloud.com/A24Cig19AVNqQmCk8 who's lyrics inspired me to write this song and collaborated with me to help bring this song to life.
***
Lyrics
When I was thirteen I picked up my first guitar
it was my mother's, it only had one nylon string 
I tried to play it like a rock star
I learned to play the Coca-Cola jingle
So I could teach the world to sing
When I was fourteen, I put on six new strings
I learned to play Beatles, I learned a Bob Dylan song
I sounded out of tune but I tried to carry on
At fifteen I wrote my first original tune 
So bad it sounded like it might have been written by a baboon
When I was sixteen, I got a new guitar for my birthday
The metal strings sawed through my fingers but I continued to play
And as the calluses formed and every day I learned a brand new chord
I was obsessed with that guitar and I never grew bored.
I wrote songs every day and most of them were a mess
But I believed that through hard work, I could achieve success
Malcom Gladwell wrote a book that said it takes ten thousand hours
To become and expert at your craft
And now all it takes is two commands and an enter
And in two minutes you have ten versions of the same damn new song,
You just have to choose the type
folk, rock, rap, pop, metal, jazz, trap or blues.
You don't even need to write the lyrics, 
your push a few buttons let the AI choose.
And people will think your songs are great 
even though you didn’t write or play a single note.
When I was 20, I did my first concert, it was time
it occurred in a village square
there were four cats all friends of mine
I was still using the plectrum and sometimes I got the chords wrong
at thirty I finally wrote what I thought was a decent song
It had a very well thought out structure and a catchy vibe and beat 
It was overly verbose but when I played it people tapped their feet
In my forties I stopped wasting my time
Work was more fun I was doing just fine
I had a steady paycheck that could feed me 
And the record companies didn’t need me
In my fifties once again my musical juices started flowing
I bought the necessary equipment I was eager to get going
I recorded all my strumming and saved it onto my PC
The internet and technology were advancing rapidly
I took those special songs I’d written of which I was most proud
Posted them Instagram, You Tube, Tik Tok and SoundCloud
I asked myself if a tree falls in the forest and no one’s around
Does it make a sound?
But now all it takes is two commands and an enter
And in two minutes you have ten versions of the same damn new song,
You just have to choose the type
folk, rock, rap, pop, metal, jazz, trap or blues.
You don't even need to write the lyrics, 
your push a few buttons let the AI choose.
And people will like your songs even though you didn’t write or play a single note.

AI Sucks Acoustic Live Version

(Written by Terry Reeves)
Terry Reeves: Vocal
Gary Reeves: Toms
Hans Albers: All other instruments, Arrangement & Production

Photo of Max from The Albers' Archive

What to say about Maximilian?
There are so many things to be told: a lifetime of 24 years, full of special moments, joys, fears, sorrows, worries, hopes, dreams, ups, downs, progress, regress, searching, finding, winning, losing, restlessness, peace...
His life had begun with an extremely difficult birth, almost as if the world didn’t want him. They told us he had a life-threatening infection, there were probably holes in his lungs and he obviously had no kidneys. In total, his chances of surviving were exceedingly slim. However, after endless weeks of both despair and hope, he overcame the infection, the diagnosis of holes in his lungs turned out to be totally wrong and they even discovered a kidney.  Just one maybe but at least it worked perfectly.  His journey into existence had begun.
As he grew, so did the never-ending nightmare of problems, challenges and battles, until we began to wonder what could possibly happen next.  Through it all, Max took every opportunity to accumulate extreme experiences - never hiding, always   seeking.  For that, we loved him even more…and even more it broke our hearts that we couldn’t help him find what he was looking for.
But suddenly, as the Summer of 2011 dawned, his troubles seemed to merely fade away.  Was he just arriving in life, coming of age, finding his place in society?  To be honest, we hadn’t the faintest idea.  But it was abundantly clear that, having always been an underdog, that same unwelcoming world had simply started to like and respect him.  He began to realise his many talents, enjoying his job as never before, finally becoming something he had never been - happy.
Fast forward to the gorgeous Summer evening of June 28th, the eve of a 4-week vacation to which he had been looking forward so very much.  A smile on his face, he said he was in the mood to go jogging, something he loved. Sometimes, he ran and ran for ages.  He’d been gone about 3 hours, quite a long time even for him, so Carina called his phone and he answered, cheerfully telling her not to worry and assuring her he’d be home very soon.  Seconds after the call, out of the blue, he collapsed.  A pulmonary embolism.  They told us he died instantly. 
Max, we have no words for what happened, nor for the eternal gratitude we feel for every single second of your life.  We do know we will never stop loving you.”
(Hans & Carina Albers)

Small chance of survival, words from the first day
Stretching all emotions not a single which way
Asking whys and reasons, a chance to breathe long
Heartbreaking moments, hopes remained strong

Such a short distance, but a life running miles
Bring every sensation, fear to a million smiles
Experience not forgotten, continuous hug of care      
Born with fighting spirit, giving back more to share

24 years of love, no single regret
24 years of love, never to forget

Every challenge building, inner muscles to be felt
Secret ways to be happy, never question hand dealt         
Complication of thinking to find a new sentence 
Pathways to friendships, dreams of acceptance

24 years of love, no single regret
24 years of love, never to forget

A vision full of truth with strength to admire
Finding a hidden talent, past helping to aspire 
No journey of distance could prevent direction
A phone call assurance became last connection

It’s hard to find words, express feelings remaining 
Deep down inside shell, empty, sad, self-complaining 
But we will never forget our boy hero from birth
Brought love and kindness, past and future unblurred

24 years of love, no single regret
24 years of love, will never forget
24 years of love…

MAXIMILIAN - CRIPPLE CLUB  (Please Read Description)

kleiner Prinz ( Deutsch )

Archy has finally reached the elusive land of his dreams. But is it really all what it seems? Is there something evil in the air? Is there dark clouds at the horizon? Archibald Whim may step ashore, but what awaits him in this ever changing America?
This track was recorded in corporation with the ever so talented BribedAnt, that supported with bass and solo guitar along with a critical input in the mix and master process. Do look up BribedAnt on Soundcloud - it's a blast.

America – Archibald Whim X

portrait of a beautyful lady

Original composition and drum programing (Addictive drum) by Neno J.
Electric guitar Yamaha SG, recorded directly using multi effect Hotone Ampero 100, Valhalla effects, Bass guitar Ibanez
July, 2025.

Jazz meditation

Dear friends - Chlorophyll is also our friend - it absorbs carbon dioxide and uses sunlight to make wood. Scientists are increasingly emphasizing the importance of preserving the greenery on Earth. Trees also provide shade, coolness and retain moisture in the soil. Trees are the climate's friend! At the same time, I would like to tell you what my grandfather taught me: chew each bite at least ten times so you don't get fat and have no stomach problems - and - save on electricity!!

Quietly the River Flows

Quietly the river flows under the green embrace 
of the willow trees whose leaves are moving with the wind
and birds like to catch all the flies swarming around here
and under the trees a lot of children have
gathered here to learn
all to know about our nature

They all lose their breath when they see the greenery
over the stream that sparkles by the morning sun
they enjoy their life and they can’t understand why
that not everyone are able to see this 
wonderful show
that are created for all of us

And they listen to the words given from their teacher
that say how it is when everything is falling down
how nature react - during the years that lie ahead of us 
it is magical how - nature swallow all the
carbon dioxide 
that we people have let out in the world
It is a magical sight to see these green leaves here

Lyrics in Swedish

Tyst flyter floden

Tyst flyter floden under den gröna famnen
av pilträden vars löv rör sig med vinden
och fåglar gillar att fånga alla flugor som svärmar omkring här
och under träden har många barn
samlats här för att lära sig
allt att veta om vår natur

De tappar alla andan när de ser grönskan
över bäcken som glittrar i morgonsolen
de njuter av sitt liv och de kan inte förstå varför
att inte alla kan se denna
underbara show
som är skapad för oss alla

Och de lyssnar på orden från sin lärare
som säger hur det är när allt faller ner
hur naturen reagerar - under de år som ligger framför oss
det är magiskt hur - naturen sväljer all
koldioxid
som vi människor har släppt ut i världen
Det är en magisk syn att se dessa gröna löv här

kleiner Prinz ( Deutsch )

Axel Kroll

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Morgengrauen

Bengt Erik Roth User 188944807

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