Written Recorded and Performed by NorthernBandit/Burt K. Arthur Copyright: October 2023 All Rights Reserved. This track is a dedication to the soul of Rock and Roll. Meant to be played loud...be proud, Rock till you drop!
Only Soul
Copyright: NorthernBandit/Burt K. Arthur; October 2023 All Rights Reserved

Seattle to Traverse City
Halfway across this land
Takin time all It takes
To get to know just who I am
Packed up everthing I own
Heading down this lonely road
Travelin cross this country
Lookin for that pot of gold

Rock and Roll
Is the only soul I know
Take it or can leave it
One thing is true for sure
Drive a fast car
Find you one true love
Head off into that sunset
Nothin like playin guitar
In a real Rock Roll Band
Rock and Roll...

Never said goodbye forever
Had to do just what I must
Never forgot one single thing
Everything we'd ever done
Livin life and lovin you 
Was never that far apart
The beat of our hearts and Rock and Roll
Was the road that brought us this far
Rock and Roll...( repeat chorus )

Only Soul

Only Soul (remastered 2023)

Here it is folks...A brand new song from that ol Rocker Burtum Redneck Arthur. Turn it up to 12...Yeah I am one of them...The Seattle SeaHawks Forever! Rockin!


New Song Old Song 01/29/2015 Copyright Burt K. Arthur/NorthernBandit

Gook Luck
Written By/Copyright By Burt K. Arthur/ NorthernBandit 2015/2006

Rollin down the line near Santa Fe
The Box cars sway to and fro
Can you guess my middle name
no one knows me that's for sure

I hear that engine whistle callin me
The Drivers rhythm hard and strong
In towns between here and there
people greet those that they don't know
With a sign that tells us all
Hello, Good By and Good Luck

lookin out across the Desert sand
a thunderhead in the sky
Vultures circling in the dimmin light
think about all the reasons why

I've never felt more at home
then being here on this train
Not ever havin any family ties
it is something that will never be
As that lonely whistle blows...
Hello, Good bye and good luck

Be of good luck 
that's what they say
You can never have enough
When it's all done
at the end of the day
All you got is what you got

2015 Good Luck Copyright 2006 Burt K Arthur NorthernBandit

Cool Victor Snow! Initially it was just the EJ200...you inspired me with the acoustic track on 'One More Day' that you came up with so thats what I was trying to emulate...the rhthym was just a Led Zeppelin inspired riff...but the more I played it reminded me of bagpipes of sorts and then as I was recording the Bass 'The Who' popped in there, Thats where I came up with the power chord intro. I don't have much of an arsenal of drum effects and I wanted a Gong but none of the cymbal sounds I had could tune down or come close to the sound and then I remembered how the ocean has a simular shape and well thats what you hear...I like the texture of the jangle of the acoustic and the Bass and Drums...The tabourine adds a nice percussiveness I think. The really hard part was the vocal and I probably could have done it a bit better but I went wuith what came about after about 20 takes...trying to get the lyric to measure properly...theres a couple of errors but not one will really know...cause it is only Rock and Roll right? The Lead was pretty easy, I am so glad it came with no restriction. I just played to the whole song and edited on the final premix. A nice Rocker I'd say...so glad you agree!

Come What May Copyright May 112 2015 By Burt K Arthur NorthernBandit


This new song in recognition of my South American music friends I have come to know and respect and am a fan of their Andean sound...
 Quichua Mashis !

The influence of their sound is at the start of this Sonata and throughout, I used a 13 note mouth flute built in the Andean tradition...airy and mystical. 

As I began today, writing, recording, producing and engineering this song...my thoughts were of simplistic and of deep seated feelings of freedom like being in the mountain air or traveling through the Southwestern deserts...taking in the open natural environment and the great expanse of our uncluttered wilderness.

I hope you will enjoy this song...Dedicated to Quichua Mashis!


Red Canyon Sonata Coyright Aug 30 2015 By Burt K Arthur NorthernBandit

...a Blues song 
 Presenting the lyrics in three quatrains...For your viewing pleasure.

Nothing but the Blues (part II)

Featuring: Mississippi Fats/Burt K. Arthur

Written and copyright By: Burt K. Arthur 01/23/2016

This life has been a journey one I would gladly live again
 There have been so many stories it would be hard to tell you everything
 It’s not that you are not worthy this time is meant to share 
 Sometimes the pain of living cannot be offset by simply screaming out in vain

From the moment I was born unto the present day
 Every inkling moment seemed like the end before it began
 I have never been one to lay down give into a life of shame
 But you know I’ve been crying on the inside and I will be crying till my dying day

As many friends as I might have had I am still a lonely soul
 It is not one single person’s fault it is the price I have had to pay
 If I seems I’m in a distant place feel free to call it what it is
 There isn’t any denying the truth I suffered every single moment that I’ve been here


'Nothing But The Blues' Copyright Jan 28 2016 Mississippi Fats Burt K Arthur

This is a brand new release which features a version on youtube in Video format. Be sure to also watch the video interview with me describing some of the insight to the making of " I'm Going Home " a the other clips that follow...thank you for listening!

Remix of an old Christmas standard Jingle Bells Feat. me and my young son Ryan in 2012...

Jingle Bells Ry And Dad 2012 Version 2

Brand New Release from NorthernBandit/Burt K. Arthur

Backs Against The Wall " World Premier "

     Anatomy  
                       Of Writing and Recording  
                                  ‘On That Day‘ 
                   Interview with NorthernBandit  
                                   January 2014 
                              By: Burt K. Arthur
*This interview was concocted solely in the mind of the writer…any similarity to interviews by other well know artists is completely inconsequential.

BKA: Let me start off by saying I have listen to your new track and I find it reminiscent to sounds I remember from my younger days, we seem to coming from the same age of Rock music that was shall I say ‘ground braking’ taking Blues and infusing it with a heavier element…what was your take on the idea?
NB: Well thanks for the correlation to my favorite era of Rock, yes I agree completely, I haven’t been able to let go of those days. Some might say I am stuck in a rut and then so be it, I learned a long time ago, if you forget the past you’ll will not understand your future, perhaps that is why I return there…there is no hidden meaning here just a reference to where I come from.
BKA: Interesting I must say, but what about this new song…can you start off by giving the reader some basis for the reasons behind recording such a aged idea in such a modern time?
NB: Yes definitely, some might know that 2013 was a sad year for a lot of us. So many great Performers and Songwriters passed on leaving the music world with a greater sense of how much each of them impacted our lives and because of their energy what some of us might consider to do to continue on. For me one individual in a Blue Rock Group that I will never forget was John Lord, Keyboard Wizard, and leader of the Hard Rock Band ‘DEEP PURPLE’.
BKA:  I agree with you, absolutely!
NB: So back to your question…I have never been one to sit still for very long and some just might say that I’m a little over excited when it comes to my Soul Hobby, and I mean Soul because music has always affected me so severely. John Lord’s style along with the other members of DP connected with me therefore the reason I produced this song. 
BKA: Can you lead us through a snippet of what you were thinking as you began this process?


NB: You bet…I love to play guitar, Bass guitar is what I started with back in 1973, Since then  I’ve learned to play by ear and by endeavor producing all of these things record… the Drums, Harmonica, Synthesizer, I could go on here for quite awhile but I more recently acquired an older Roland D5 Muli-voice Keyboard and that gave me the desire to create this idea though I have to admit I actually started out with the Les Paul.
BKA: What makes playing a guitar, draw you to the keyboard?
NB: Funny thing about that is it just didn’t go from guitar to keyboard…you’ll have to remember I said earlier I love to play guitar so in most cases that’s what happens, I just start jamming away which leads to other things…in this case it lead to the Bass at which in this point and time I started recognizing the undercurrent of emotion and a Heaviness to what I was jamming on which literally made me go get a pen and paper and strike the lyric.
BKA: I am starting to get a feel for where you were headed…obviously this takes some time…Months could go by I’m presuming, in this process, what was your time schedule?
NB: It might seem strange to some that you would ask that question but a good one to address…The total time in days from beginning to end was about three weeks, now I didn’t or could not have buried myself in this process continually…I don’t know if I mentioned this but I took the advice of my parents many years ago and “Kept my Day Job” so I have a regular job five days a week and my Family. With everything fitted in with no drama (laughs) at most I spent maybe three hours at any given point and as little as an hour over that three weeks in this process.
BKA: Wow, I was thinking there was lot more time involved?
NB: Really?…I suppose there is if you take in to account the hours I spend in my own head working out the details, being consumed but thoughts like ‘how is the song going to start…full on rockin or is it going to build slow like a simmering pot of mush? Mostly it comes down to reaction and my experience with the sounds I love. 
   So getting back to the Keyboard…I was reading and also listen to a great interview by “YES” Keyboard man Rick Wakeman with John Lord and one of the cool things I found out was that in those early days…he would have trouble hearing and being heard when they played live. Richie Blackmore always played threw a couple of Marshall stacks and that was the problem, he was always louder then everything else ( Ian Gillian many times would profess too )…so John had this brilliant idea to get his Tech to wire up his Hammond B3 to the new Marshall Amps that he got, things changed dramatically and for the better for him, the sound and the reputation of Deep Purple.

BKA: I guess then what you are saying is that you were influenced by his Hammond sound?
NB: Most assuredly, so after messing around a few nights playing the Roland found the Leslie sound that I was looking for and in turn ran the keyboard threw my guitar amp with a Marshall Amp Sample sound to get the tone and texture I wanted.
BKA: This all seems quite complicated…how do you keep it all straight?
NB: …It all comes in bits and pieces I guess…I usually see and hear the whole sound…I’m fated that way and maybe it’s not a good thing for all creations in music, they used to say…”Close enough for Rock and Roll” so I’ll leave it at that, my problem is that I wouldn’t make a very good Jazz Musician…my mind doesn’t think or feel that flowing attribute but I can lock on to a beat and a rhythm with determination…
BKA: It has been said that Deep Purple was a Jam Band even though they produced some really great songs, this track is a little over three minutes long and most of their tracks are from five to seven minutes in length…that’s a big difference? 
NB: I understand what you are saying and yes you are correct…for my purposes in recording this song in a shorter time frame was mostly due to time management…what DP could afford was to elaborate the window of opportunity by reaching into solo’s for each of the members…me on the other hand need to be conservative due to the nature of the writing process….when you listened to the song, speaking of the last measure and ending, did you get a sense that the song could or would continue? I did that on purpose because the way the verses and the bridge changes it leaves an open end to continuing or stopping, fading out or with a finale. I think it would be a Great live song to perform!
BKA: Ian Paice, the world renowned Drummer for DP…this brings up the question of drive, the energy of the song…The Power. Seemed like there could have been more percussion…tell us about what you were attempting.
NB:…I will let you in on a little secret, I don’t own a Drum Kit…I have to improvise with things so in saying that I’m going to leave it at that. Percussion is one of the great thing in a Rock song…in remembering Ian all you have to do is remember Keith Moon, Tommy Aldridge, Ringo Starr. all a vital component in the history of a great song.
…I can’t say that what I do is great but it does excite me to create and produce original ideas that I hope others might like and if they don’t I am ok with that too!




BKA: I know you have other things to attend to but before you go I’d like to ask one final question.
NB: no problem, fire away…
BKA: If you had the chance to do what you do all over again and I don’t necessarily mean record this song but be where you are at in you musical life, would you want it any different?
NB: Wow…heavy though but easy to answer. My answer is no. My Karma has me going in the right direct, sometime I’m envious of what others have done and what toy’s they get to play with but you know it’s not about having the most of anything and in the end bragging about it…it’s about using what you have resourcefully and sharing what you can give to others. I can only hope that that is what I have done.

*Burt K. Arthur has a long time affiliation with NorthernBandit…dating back to their beginning in 1953, in 1964 things changed dramatically for both as a result of the influence of the British invasion and ‘THE BEATLES’ who played a positive and everlasting effect in their lives. You can listen to and check out all of NorthernBandits songs by visiting http://www.facebook.com/burtk.arthur    , and http://www.reverbnation.com/NorthernBandit
 


Burt K Arthur

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