produced by beatsbynar

Sorry for the novel length post, feel free to ignore. But it’s going somewhere, I think. 

So I’ve been reading a book called “Messy” by Tim Harford. I’m not too far into it but I have been digging it. There’s an anecdote about (and I may screw up some details here) how Bowie used to have a box of cards with him in the stu with random stuff written on them. When hitting a creative roadblock or needing an idea (I’m sure I’m screwing this story up, don't come for me), they’d pull a card out of the box & have to deal with it. An example being “Drummer Plays Guitar” or something. A kind of “paint yourself into a corner and create yourself a way out of it” sorta deal. This is all stuff that appeals to me as someone who is 137 years old and has been making music forever. I’m sure many of you can relate to the difference in vibe between the first 3-5 years of making music as compared to what it’s like 10+ years in the game.

It’s hard to describe, and frankly kind of depressing. As a younger person, I recall seeing it happen to the older heads and remember wishing I’d never lose the feeling I had then. Well, I did, a long time ago. I think everyone might. I think the lucky ones find a different fuel to keep them going, and ride on that as a replacement for the initial excitement they used to have.

Maybe this isn’t as universal as I’m making it sound. But I think it’s a pretty widespread thing. It’s why we don’t hear from MC XYZ anymore. Part “life gets in the way”, & part “I’m just not feeling it anymore”. And that feeling sucks.

So I’ve been thinking a lot about Bowie’s box of cards. Now we’re about to take a sharp left into sillytown. I recently received a text from DJ Addikt’s ladyfriend, and it contained within it the following bar: “I’m the snack captain, I make the snacks happen”. Which I found hilarious. And I couldn’t help but come up with the next bar. Then the next bar. Then the next bar.

Then I realized I was pacing around the room jotting down a grip of bars and rearranging them and really into the shit. I was having fun. I was having a blast writing about snacks. I don’t even like snacks.

Then I thought about Bowie’s box of cards, and decided I wasn’t going to sleep until I’d written and recorded a song called Snack Captain. I was going to send it to Addikt and Co, and leave it at that. I found a beat on YouTube I liked (Smokescreen, Prod by @beatsbynar), finished writing, and recorded it. It was THE most fun I’ve had making music in forever. Not that I don’t find making music a satisfying and crucial part of my life, but I had FUN.

It was a blast. I think partly because I’d intended this silly song to only be heard by two close friends, and partly because I just followed what I was feeling at the time and had to keep the topic on snacks. Which is ridiculous.

I ended up really liking this silly little experiment and found myself feeling like I used to when it was me and my buddies and cooledit96. I also think I accidentally made a banger. 

Anyways, here’s Snack Captain.

Snack Captain

Songs used:
People Under The Stairs - Step Bacc
dj honda - Disco T-E-C

all production and art design by east coast slop (except songs listed above)

Fresh Is Forever

Mashup #4 - Fresh Is Forever (People Under The Stairs x dj honda)

Amigos

Little Stranger

Coffee & a Joint (Live at Sugarshack Sessions)

Red Rover (Live at Sugarshack Sessions)

Kama Sumatra

High Roller

Big Slick

Anybody Home

Anybody Home (Edit)

maybe don't talk shit about my friend. video available https://youtu.be/28BbJPBw9E0?si=jE0Dtu4xDVSPR-j8

Frank Can Be My Manager

Appears on LP "FACES UND LACES 10th ANNIVERSARY". WINTER 2016.

Mashup #4 - Fresh Is Forever (People Under The Stairs x dj honda)

east coast slop

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