Throughout history, diabolical "cult of personality" type leaders usually take us by surprise. They come from relatively obscure, innocuous backgrounds and their power is hard to understand. Their draw seems almost cartoonish (the Cartoon Villain.) This song is about the absolute love affair these people have with their followers; it's tangible, deep and irrevocable.

LYRICS:

He gone away from Kalamazoo, dog makin’ his move
Back to Batchawana
Spare no expense on civil defenses
Mind over matter
No consequences 

He’s on time and feeling divine
Speaking in tongues while he’s toeing the line
He’s all debt and no regret, he jet-set his way into you mind

Illumination of the Cartoon Villain
‘cause he was so hard to see

Semination of the Cartoon Villain
‘cause he was so hard to conceive
And if you would dance in the dulcet moonlight
And revel in merciless virtue
Divining ears, strident to hear:

(and he say…)

“Stand by, don’t believe, everything that your read
Or anything that you see
For you are, my Bloodwood Tree
And you are, my Amnesty”

“Hold firm, don’t try to breathe, leave everything up to me
Destroying all that you see
As you charge the Hill for free
And give me sanctity”

For you are
You are, you are
You are, you are
You are, you are

You Are

Batchawana

Musicians hope to inspire with their unique perspective on the world.  When our message is misunderstood or not heard at all, we retreat, sometimes into darker places.  Those dark places are frequently where we generate our inspiration for more material.  It can be an exhilarating ride, but it can also be lonely.  The hope is that this song encourages the positive end of this spectrum.


LYRICS

"Welcome to my confusion
I'm a visionary of circus illusions

I hope that it don't rain on my parade

The anguish you cannot lessen
In this fortress of wanton, and endless confessions

I hope that it don't rain on my parade

Marked in the pages of time and space
We've all got something to give to this place
The gifts we besiege upon you - will last

And if there should ever come a day
When this song can't clear your skies of grey
I hope you'll join me, in here; way down in here, oh"

Rain Parade

The breakup.  Everyone's been there.  You want to wish the other person well, but maybe you want them to suffer a little too.  Left without answers, we can reel around in self-pity and blame.  You'd like to think you're getting smarter or better at relationships, but it just isn't that simple!  This is my take on the corny broken-hearted love ballad of days gone by.

LYRICS

"Every day I cry, a little song to myself
and every note I weep brings me back to you

Every second drags by slow-as-hell
I wish I could just sing this song for you

I don't know why you went and left me dear
I'm sure there was a reason why

I guess we're all alone in this nasty, nasty world
but it hurts for me to say - goodbye

Goodbye Sunshine
I hope you find a home
I hope you will remember
how you left me all alone

Sunshine

LYRICS

They say its on the horizon, that seems a bit too far
My character has callused, my soul has come up sore

And I feel like flying

They say the shortest distance is the straightest line you see
I've no sense of direction - my senses have all failed me

And I feel like Flying

When you break from the illusion of that you're here at all
and lose all apprehension, all fearing of the fall

and you'll feel - like Flying

All you have to do is spread your wings, and leave the ground 
(Can I teach you fly?)

Flying

It seems so many of us are in perpetual pursuit. Money, fame, beauty, love, education – the list is endless. Sometimes we can’t even define what it is we are striving for. And while the human ego absolutely thrives on this chase, it can also grind our souls. I think what we are really seeking is contentedness. Contentedness that we believe will be achieved through conquest or acquisition. In truth, it seems the whole endeavor is a folly; like chasing the wind.

Lyrics:

Searching for direction
To place in our minds
With traffic stops and course corrections - to what, we can’t define

Now that I’ve found you, I’m never letting go
‘cause only once in a lifetime could this story be told

It feels once again like we’re chasing the wind
Exposing our backs to the fact that we’ve sinned
It feels once again like we’re chasing the wind, chasing the wind again
Chasing the wind

Chasing The Wind

The powers that be - will be
Its really not too great to see
We're all put here for a reason, even if the season
Of days gone by has made you cry and your love grows cold with the wink of an eye

Pictures say 1,000 words
And those words sometimes fly like birds
And you know birds of a feather all sing together, the flames of Hell burn in any kind of weather
Oooh babe you'll see

The truth behind Reality TV
Is the casting couch was made for you & me
We're all unsuspecting victims
In a satire soup, with a plot that thickens
Thats how we were made to be
Sing Glory Be

He came and you followed
Chokin' on the pill that you swallowed
He's here now - to stay 
He came and you followed
Chokin' on the pill that you swallowed
Lo hiciste, por que? 

Its an ugly aberration
A TMZ and Fox News nation
Modern Manifest Destiny
In the land of the free

He came and you followed
Chokin' on the pill that you swallowed
Lo hiciste, por que? He came and you followed
Chokin' on the pill that you swallowed
He's here now - to stay

The Pill

Suffering and loss are serious motivators for artistic creation.  But the "piece de resistance" of inspiration is true deep spiritual love.  I'd never before written a song purely out of love and admiration for a specific human being - until 
I Found Whitney Michelle Cash.

I Found You

After many years of recording, gigging and traveling with bands, I'm creating this "solo project."  While I will lean on the input of valued friends and seasoned musicians, I am driving my own musical destiny by writing and recording songs/sounds that appeal to me:  spacey, atmospheric textures, simple structures and emotional lyrics.

Backstory: In May of 2017, I attended the concert of one of my hero's in music, Soundgarden.  Chris Cornell was roughly my age when he took his own life shortly after being on stage in Detroit - I was there to witness his final notes sung.  His death touched me and sparked my creative soul in a way I cant explain.  I decided I needed to get back into music, sing the songs in my heart and perform live again, because...you never know.

I started by contacting my cousin Brent Kirby (https://www.brentkirby.com/) who connected me with Guggy (https://www.facebook.com/pages/C-Town-Sound/252734774828972)  What resulted are the songs you hear here on Soundcloud.  

I knew that these songs needed to be heard by a larger audience, so (after posting on SoundCloud) I submitted to the Arts, Beats & Eats festival; this is the third largest festival of its type in the country.  Out of 500+ submissions, I was selected to be one of the 180 performers for 2018.  Small problem - I DIDN'T HAVE A BAND!  Because I truly didn't expect an unknown artist, with no gigs, no CD's could possibly get accepted.

The band I hand selected consists of dear friends from my Church Community - Rob Dawson - keyboards
- Matt Walsh - Bass
These are some of the finest musicians around, and I consider them brothers (especially for taking this leap with me!)

The other two members are Bill Solomonson - guitar and vocals and Robert Christie - drums.  Bill and I have been making music together since 8th grade. Bill is truly my best bud and I am so thankful for all the years of music we have had together.  Robert and I have been bandmates and close friends for nearly 20 years.  "Shotgun Bob" is one of the most intuative and musically talented people in the entire Detroit scene.

The songs that folks will hear at any of our live performances are an accumulation of these SoundCloud recordings, songs Bill wrote for our band Letterbox as well as a few songs from our college years, mostly penned by myself and Billy.

Having taken my "mini dream" this far, my next goal is to get on a national stage - somewhere, somehow - and play these songs of my heart. 

Thank you for learning my story - I hope it don't rain on your parade!

Church Mice

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