Related tracks: Overkill  ft. AZUL

Eternal Music

method: basic sequence on a minilogue xd, adornments via vc 340, further adornments created by sounds in front of microphones, incl my voice, an interview sample and a field recording taken at a supermarket parking lot .... and then Jeff picked up his guitar ....
narration: there are literature tourists following the traces of the likes of Shakespeare and Kafka. some places consider those travellers in two worlds a good source of income. There is also a different kind of tourism on the magic-realistic tracks of the likes of Borges ;-)
image: copyright jo richter

poem / copyright jo richter:

sleeping on rocks out in the desert
imagine time and no way to clock it
events settle as smell on the tongue of a lizard
I took hidden notes inside of my pocket

doubling-up life in another attention
sit in the wind and learn not to block it
jenga sticks and the law of cohesion
I took hidden notes inside of my pocket

field notes

field notes - the stonerjazz version: re-release

lyrics

life is so short
why would leave me 
life is so short
it's time bereave
life is so short
why do you insist
on living without me

short, so short
it's napoleon 
it's napoleon
it's napoleon

life is so short
why would you waste your time
waste your time
waste your time without me

no more

life is so short

Special thanks to Cecilia for her a cappella ...of which I modified the tone in order to fit perfectly with my arrangement and atmosphere

EQUALITY FOR ALL.  🎧

This is the lyrics version of my piano piece (https://soundcloud.com/konrad-spittelberg/the-clap-of-one-hand). (Roughly) same melody, but now with lyrics. 
If the melody left you puzzled about the title, maybe the lyrics will connect the dots. Hope you enjoy it — drop me a comment, I’m curious what you think!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Clap of One Hand - Lyrics
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The high priest looked the monk straight into the eyes 
“You search for wisdom, want to see through disguise 
Then hear the clap of only one hand, 
Imagine tasting the kiss of only one lip!”

The monk was puzzled, did not know what to make of this question 
His mind was racing without the slightest suggestion 
The meaning was hiding so deep 
He could as well go to sleep

And as he lay down he thought and he thought some more, 
And soon he’d snore a Monkish snore 
Deep in his dream he saw the cosmic law 
As it is and will be and has been before

To find the truth you need to see the world through different frames,
As place and motion, time and energy play Heisenberg’s games
The one single truth, the clap of one hand deceives the ancient lore

And then his dream shifted to our world
Where flags of dogma are unfurled
Where it’s en vogue to scorn the views of those 
Whose minds are differently curled

They yell their slogans convinced that it's only their kind who knows truth
They silence doubt and debate to keep everything smooth
They vote in blocs convinced others mean harm
They don't want to discuss they don’t want to disarm
They spit poison and phlegm - 
Them is us, us is them

The monk awakened quite surprisingly rested – and something like pride filled his chest 
The dream had opened his eyes and he knew the deep meaning that the koan expressed 
And so as fast as his feet could carry him he ran to the temple ground Requesting to see the high priest and as soon as he met him he told him the solution he found:

“Avoid the clap of one hand 
'Cause you can not understand 
The world in all its true colors if your mind cannot bend 

Every Current or Tide 
Must with others collide, 
A single stream is quite boring, nothing happens inside.

Seek out the voices that are not like your own – 
Don’t guard your comfort like a dog protects its chewed upon bone 
Be cautious if all of your friends do agree – 
You might discover greeater insights without cheap harmony

A field of only one crop may spark in sunlight like gold, 
But slight disease might turn these fragile monoculture to mold 
No coral alone can just survive with it’s kind – 
Reefs only thrive when hundredthousand curious creatures entwine

Don’t flatten the ground so that your pace can be faster –
'Cause if you don’t train your balance each false step means disaster 
All life, all vision needs to ripple and bend – 
Not frozen in uniformity but free to transcend”

The monk fell silent, his speech was complete - 
He wanted praisal, but the priest kept his seat. 
An awkard silence filled slowly the air, 
The priest just sat there with a calm, timeless stare

“I like your thinking—it rings wise, it rings bold, 
It has reason, it's crafted, it's gold. 
But, dear monk, there might be one subtle twist: 
There is one aspect that you seem to have missed.

You see the truth where opinions compete, 
That wholeness only grows where none is complete. 
But if no single view should stand out alone 
Then even your own view must be overthrown

You praise duality, the joining of two - 
But what if your view in itself is not true? 
What if the world isn't built as you claim? 
What if we’ll never know the rules of the game?"

Hear the clap of one hand 
Avoid the clap of one hand 
Hear the clap of one hand 
Avoid the clap of one hand 
Hear the clap of one hand 
… Reflect on the clap of one hand

The Clap of One Hand (Piano Poetry)

This was a 'One Mic... One Take' Improvisation by guitarist Tim Elliot and myself! 

I was playing his ancient Upright Grand Piano and he was on his Telecaster with Fender Tube Amp.  

So remember, this is a Live recording of us 'Falling off a Cliff' together whilst playing our chosen instruments and Listening to each other as if our lives depended upon it!  ;-D

We can only hope that you too, will dare to simply Let Go... and enJOY!

© Gary Courtland-Miles & Tim Elliot 2023 2025
℗  Gary Courtland-Miles & Tim Elliot 2023 2025

Under The Heavens *

Stradi-various (2025)

Azul:  Vocals
Ben Juul:  Drums, Mix & Master at Tone Hill, NY
Dirk Taubenheim:  Guitars, Bass, Keys, Vocs

This song is more relevant than ever, even though it was released in 1983.

Original version by Men at Work. Thanks for your attention!

Overkill  ft. AZUL

Cast of characters:
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four string bass, Collings mandolin, Rogue banjo, Roland electric piano, and composition
K2 and the Three [and the Four]-- @k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken — drums and percussion
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitar
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson custom T model electric guitar, Taylor T5z acoustic guitar, production, mix, and mastering
This song began with Josh coming up with it on his electric piano and fretless bass, to which he added some banjo, then mandolin. Once he had a solid basis for the song, he shared it with the rest of Eclectic Collective for them to add their parts. 
  Ken was first up, adding his drums in an such a creative way that matched Josh's bassline perfectly. It was originally recorded to a looper disco beat, but that was blown out of the water by Ken's creative drumming. Tez jumped in next, adding his thrilling guitar to the second half of the song. Not to be outdone, Stephen batted clean up, adding his textural and melodic guitar to the first half. He also added some subtle, but brilliant acoustic guitar to the first half, too. 
  This is a great example of Eclectic Collective coming up with an original band sound out of one of Josh's seeds. We're always pushing boundaries and trying to find fun and exciting ways to build a song. Lots of teamwork in here, too, of course. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it.

The Plot Thickens (Eclectic Collective)

After 18yrs of releasing a new song, Hostal Handshake are BACK!
Maybe just a single, maybe just an EP or maybe...an album? But we are Back! :D
#ripOzzy

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYcakJJnz1E
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
lyrics:
This is not a drill!

Give me something to break it in two
give me glory to rule the fools
take me in your house on a big flat screen
Ready to sink you on a dark black dream

Are you ready to become a slave of me?
Corrupted government ain't gonna set u free
All these righteous pre-election pigs
are now pointing the finger for you to pay the fee

Now it's the time, this is not a drill
ain't got no privilege , got nothing to feel
Your heart is gray from the news today
only your soul left in the end to pay


(p) & (c) 2025, Hostal Handshake.

This is not a drill! (new song 2025)

I can't seem to put down the guitar now that I've picked it back up! Played around with layering some kind of simple repetitive loops to create a hypnotic atmosphere on this one.

Image by Paul Bica (CC BY 2.0)

Sky Above Clouds

Thank you for listening.
Already registered on each distribution site
compositions/ sdmk 
arrangement /sdmk
Sample Sound / sdmk
 Instrumental  Mastering / sdmk

Fragments of life

So nice that my longtime collaborator friend @dough-factory has returned to SoundCloud after a break of a couple years! This is our first track working together since then and it came together in a really cool way. I was inspired by Ryan's electronic drums and bass to lay down some rhythm guitar as well as a few synth leads. Then he came up with some awesome lyrics/vocals that I think captures the vibe of this piece quite well.

Keep an eye out for more from us, we are thinking of pulling together a whole album or EP over the coming months.

Dive

this is the cover song for the Movie "the ninth gate"
one of my favorite movies in the "psychological thriller" genre 🎞️

Mix & Mastering by @bahram-dashtii 🙏

The Ninth Gate

Set Free  by Glenny G ( August 14th 2025 )
A reflective journey exploring a vast length of time that has passed. I thought I would release this one today as food for thought and comments. Cheers from Glenny G

Set Free (Original)

Giving and Taking (open invitation for a collaboration from IPG1) 
https://soundcloud.com/ipg1/giving-and-taking-vox-90-bpm
Paploviante: E-Bass, Music, Composing, Arrangement, Mix and Mastering
Lyrics IPG1:
Cloud Stepping (Chorus) Life is relative, 
to the one that’s living it Inside outlook, 
to giving and taking it 
Experience god’s works, all senses 
We were given just a little bit 
We couldn’t handle it all  the few we have 
can nearly fit the few 
we have can nearly fit
(Verse1) 
If we knew it all, and all, and all 
Then nothing would matter It’s all a puzzle to be solved 
We have always been the answer 
The plan of god without reward 
Evolves in different ways 
We are all awake in different dreams 
To let the devil play
(Verse2)
 Who amongst us hear the screams 
Of millions of lives lost,  and don’t look on it as savagery
 And wonder what’s the cost 
What’s the worth, and what’s the cost 
Are we listening or not 
Are we listening or not
(Chorus)
 Life is relative, to the one that’s living it Inside outlook, to giving and taking it Experience god’s works, all senses 
We were given just a little bit 
We couldn’t handle it all  the few we have 
can nearly fit the few we have can nearly fit

Giving And Taking IPG1 and Paploviante

Heavy Punk Rock 'n' Roll band turns into Synthwave nowadays! Brand NEW album "Ultraviolet Cosmos" available NOW!
https://shockthealgorithm.bandcamp.com/album/ultraviolet-cosmos

There's no doubt about it, Music animates my Soul, and as an enthusiastic student of Life as well as a passionate Improvisational Pianist &  Composer, as far as I'm concerned, our lives would be impoverished without it ! :)  Composing is all about 'Sharing the Joy, Passion and Angst' we experience in Life, as well as connecting with Musicians and 'Creatives' worldwide. This makes it even more wonderful!  That willingness to engage in whatever way makes SC an ever-expanding Movable Feast that nourishes and inspires on so many levels. 

Music Communicates the Emotional and Informational Content and Context of Heart, Mind, Spirit, and Soul. And 'Letting it Flow' is 'Where Its At' as I hear it!  

Over the past few years since becoming part of the SoundCloud Family, my 'Joy in and Passion for' Creative Musical Expression has increased exponentially as has my appreciation of all the wonderfully passionate Musicians and Creatives worldwide who have devoted themselves to Letting It Take Form! 

Here's a bit of a bio, if anyone is interested.  

Somehow, my MUSE got my attention at a tender age. About the time I was completing my Royal Conservatory training. 

My memory being poorer than most, I began improvising in the passages I had forgotten. And while the audience seemed unaware, my teacher chastised me indulgently, saying, "it appears I have a budding composer on my hands"!  And thus began my Odyssey into the wonderful Vibrational world of Sound!:-) In-deed, I have been an ardent, attentive and appreciative acolyte of my Muse ever since. 

During the early 1970s I had the pleasure and honour of a three year friendship and Master Class with the then Octogenarian Composer Manoah Leide-Tedesco , one of Tone Poem giant Richard Strauss` favorite pupils and friend of Maurice Ravel and other 20th century composers such as Stravinsky (whose music he helped popularize). Since then, whether Improvising, listening, studying composition or devoting myself wholly to the visual arts for years at a time, I have been deeply aware that sharing my musical insights , teaching, and or mentoring young aficionados came with the territory!   I love it, although I am afraid that as my consciousness expands...that I know less and less each year! :-)  

The Tonal Oasis called SoundCloud is a fine and wondrous place in oh so many ways.  And with your support and appreciation, I de-Light to share my music with an ever widening audience. I call what i upload ' Sound-Seeds'.  Most of these 'bed tracks' call out to be fleshed out by passionate soloists who somehow Resonate with my Soundz and Ideas.  So please drop me a line, as i am most interested in letting them bear more fruit through collaboration, interpretation, re-mixing or use in other media.    

And on a personal Note, a Huge Thank-You to each and all who listen, inJoy, and Re-Post onwards what finds it's way thru me! :) Bless y'all.  It's my Joy to simply 'Let' the Creative Spirit find expression through this instrument of Body, Mind, and Heart!  I hope you will find some peace, joy, and rest, in at least some of my improvisations, compositions, or soundz. 

Insofar as playing, and composing  ... as you continue on in Your journey into  the infinite 'Cave of Wonders' we call Music, I wish you all the very best in all Your creative endeavours. 

So Be Kind to yourSelves and one another. Be Audacious, Ready to Play, and above all, share the Joy of being able to express whatever you're feeling. 

In-deed, may The Muse continue to 'Sing on and Play on' through each of us !   For this is one way this 'ol world is lifted up, and Changed for the better - note by note, and smile by smile .  

 Yes, may we simply Let our Creativity flow forth without concern for results.
                                   Peace

                                    Gary *+*

Banner Pic- BLUE SKIES ON PLUTO
                       Pluto's atmosphere as seen recently by Horizon Spacecraft

Under The Heavens *

Anomon

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