Straight synopsis
This is the theme song for my YouTube reality series Bencasso Media.  It was orignally written by myself, Benjamin Barnes in 1998.  I was recovering from cocainne addiction, and spent many hours alone with my guitar.  The song and lyrics have developed since 1998.  It is differnt form the Deadweight Halfwit Anthems "Straight", and the electric Swindlefish "Straight" from Portlandia, and the acoustic Swindlefish "Straight from a Loser's Mouth" on "Unlucky", and the Street Preacher Benji religious hymn "Straight from a Loser's Mouth".  This is a Bencasso "Straight from a Loser's Mouth".  Please let me know which version you like the best.  To me, all my creations are maleable, and develop for better or worse over the years.  It'a all about keeping a "new" perspective" on my life and the paths I chose.

Straight From A Losers Mouth Oz

This is a recording I made at The Chop House with the help of former bass player of Metallca Jason Newstead. I had made a four track recording of some of my originals songs, and brought it to Jason to see what he thought, ask for advice.  I was incredibly self conscious from six years at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where I was not the best player, or even in the upper 50th percentile of violinists, and had had to switch my major to viola because I had failed a jury as a violinist, and the faculty allowed me to pass the jusy if I switched my major to viola.  My scholarship was on the line, so I made the switch, but I demanded more scholarship, and was given an extra 2500 a year.  

Jason offered to record the demo on his 32 track analogue system.  I was honored that he gave me the opportunity, and I brought my cellist from Rilke String Quartet into the sessions.  We had been forming a rock band which was a power trio of electric violin, electric cello, and were auditioning drummers.  Paulo, once on the cover of Drums magazine, had not joined the band yet.  Sam did a great job playing cello like an upright bass, and his solo in the mid section insturmental bridge of the song was to die for.  

Jason asked what I wanted to call the band, and I rattled off a list of names; and finally came upo with with "Deadweight".  Jason gave his approval, and the name stuck.  It was 1995, and the beginning of the first violin and cello rock band in history.  We went on to win band competitions, peform at Fuji Rock Festival, tour Japan and the United States several times opening for Les Claypool, Hank III, playing large venues and partying our asses off.  Life was good.  We were played on radio, TV, and finally in a documentary film about my life.  Nippon Columbia, Nutsactor 5, and Alternative Tentacles picked us up.

Opus 1

Dream Within A Dream

This is the first recording of my song Straight.  I recorded it with Deadweight the San Francisco Hard Rock Progressive Power Trio of Electric Violin, Electric Cello, Drums and Vocals.  I wrote the song on guitar, and since the band wasn't writing very much, I lended five songs to the album Halfiwit Anthems which I had written on guitar.  We transcribed the guitar part and arranged it for violin and cello.  Sam and I were in the throws of a nonstop party playing with characters like Eric McFadden, Les Claypool, Mr. Bungle, and Jason Newsted.  Cocainne was everywhere, and I had had a manic episode and was homeless for almost a year.  I eventually started living with my brother.  I wanted to  be a cop, and had not done any drugs except for pot and LSD in high school.  I was staying on my brother's couch in a shitty apartment.  Josh and Seyt were coke dealers at the time, and I was curled up on the couch in morbid depression all day and all night in a bad area of town.  Seyt every day would offer me a line, and I would refuse.  I declined the powder for several months, and finally, one day after several months of crying nonstop for hours everyday, feeling hopeless, and living in utter filth (Josh and Seyt are hoarders, and the apartment was trashed and had a large grow closet which was made right in the living room, sho there was a moldy mist which left a damp residue on everything.  The grow lights were so hot next to the couch, and I just floundered in my dirty clothes I slept in, no longer feeling anything.  Well, I tried it, and it brought me out of the morbid depression.  Sam started to rehearse with me again and started buy-in gcoke from my brother and Seyt.  He started sharing it with me when we would rehearse.  It had a strong effect on creativity, and the whole album is infused with funky licks Sam and I would write after playing along with P-Funk and Sly and the Family Stone.  and Bitches Brew.  Well, I'm glad I came out of my depression.  I wouldn't have in the surroundings I was jailed in unless I started to self medicate.  When I finally got a place to I've with my friend Kevin, I tried to stop, but cocainne was everywhere in the '90's,  and everyone knew always had a Bindel they shared with me. I never had to buy it, I couldn't I lived in abject poverty, my SSI benefits not enough to pay my rent, and what little I made busking every morning and afternoon in the BART stations went to buying food and strings for my electric violin.  It was what it was.  I was living with junkies in a crappy flat.  ;My room mates were a mean butch woman, Bon, Kevin and his wife, both junkies, and the guy in the back room who one time shot a hole in the wall and lamp hit our neighbor while he was in bed.  All I knew is Indian' want to live that way, but it was the only option I had.  So I gladly partied to get out of my reality.

Half-Wit Anthems

Straight

This is a song I wrote for Diane Feinstein and all polsiticians.  "I've heard so many things that weren't true, I've said so many things that weren't true, I'll say them all again because I know I'll have to". Politicians and the lies they've convinced themselves to believe.

if i had the time to care i wouldn't stare into the sun
take my hand tell me when it's over when its done
no don' t judge my pride and I won't deny my faults
raise you glass praise the good times come and gone

Stroking The Moon

Stare At The Sun

This song was inspired by Sly and the Family Stone who were a favorite of Miles Davis who is featured as the image for this song.

We make a step in. a new direction
mending everything might need correction
taking time with our self control
knowing only the things we know
Years travel by slow or quickly 
faces fade past delicately
memories play their part with your soul
another role you know by now
ignorance is just another sign of this 
take my advice thing nothing on bliss
all these prayers soothing religious souls
make no difference in this life I know
winding our ways through these curves we call life 
trying in vain to make it alright
celebrate the good times you get
selfish pleasures are nothing to forget

Ignorance

Straight from a Loser's Mouth MP3

A song whose lyrics I have reused for three different projects.  Lyrics:
Some sister told me she caught a glimpse of your fair shape waltzing in grace under solar eclipses denying the daylight while stroking the moon.  Piss on a star so those wishes sound clear spreading softened red lips to your lover's deaf ears, it always seems everything good is untrue especially to those who'd play nasty, stumbling shit sad or sweet years behind time has left you so divine.  Some brother told me he wished he could cheer but his mouth was sown up like your lovers deaf ears so he'll have to settle for your legs spread wide and try to speak through those stitches he hides.  It always seems everything good is untrue, especially to those who'd play nasty.  When stumblish shit sad or sweet years goodbye, time's made you so damn divine.