Written in a basic form in 2003 or 2004. The lead guitar line suggested the words. We were living in Treforest outside Pontypridd in Wales, in student squalor in a Victorian semi detached. There's a lot of weather in the valleys. The title was cribbed from a T.S. Eliot poem. I don't remember why I used it but it's the kind of thing I used to do way back when.

My favourite bassline I've managed yet. And a flavour of Syd Barrett in the lead guitar.

Apprentice Green

What The Thunder Said

This track was inspired by my fav film 'The Warriors', it's old now but I found it, posted it.. see how it goes

Not Coming Back

The Winter Keeps Us Warm

An ode to treasured summers past/future. 
Hopeful
Longing

My heart belongs to the beaches it's a little bit like saying goodbye
To your soul yesterday I've reached through the old leaves of time for a while
The blue throats now will leave us Following the sound of your melody
Blowing in the cool winds of this stone

If we could fly, oh how we'd follow there'd be no mistake, no goodbye
To your soul, walk out and swallowed the cool breeze of time of tomorrow
The field fair now will join us from the other side of the satellite
Fleeting in the cool guidance of gold

My heart belongs to the beaches it's just a little bit like saying goodbye
To your soul yesterday I've reached through the old leaves of time for a while
My heart belongs to the beaches it's just a little bit like saying goodbye
My heart belongs to the beaches it's just a little bit like saying goodbye

(My Heart Belongs To...) The Beaches

https://dominiquelebars1.bandcamp.com/track/lia

Je bat mon créateur sur son propre terrain 
J'inventerai les règles, je choisirai la fin
Et quand lui joue sa vie, moi je ne m'encombre pas
D'amour et d' égo
Demain je règnerai parmi tout les drapeaux
Lui si grand, si petit, le poète du monde
Le peintre de la vie, l' inventeur de la bombe
Le vivant achevé dans les pas de son Dieu
Appelant au secours
Demain sera trop tard, sera son dernier jour

Lia ( Extrait )

just a simple one mic, spontaneous performance,  me, some words, and a guitar.

Bay Of Pigs Lullaby

this track was inspired by reading The Wager, a great true adventure story by David Grann. 

lyrics

meet me in the portrait 
down beneath the shade of tree
pack me in a suitcase
hollow out a chest built out for tea

I could be the border 
maybe you could set my scene
a painting like a raincheck 
trapped inside a submarine 

somebody is following
you better watch your back
once you lost your mind it's gone
and your incurring 
wager islands wrath 

so meet me in the rainbow 
down by the waterfront cascade
where beaux jack a dandies 
stole all the hearts from those who prayed

we could be important 
when our discoveries unveiled 
hook me up to morphine girl 
and I'll put up the bail

somebody is following 
you better watch your back
once you lost your mind it's gone
and your incurring wager islands wrath 

so meet me in the portrait 
we'll set sail at crescent moon
you can be the cannon
ball and I'll provide the boom

look out for me this summer 
when all the seas have frozen cold
you can be the treasure map
and I'll provide the gold


thanks for listening, greatly appreciated as always.


Wager Island (Acoustic)

Blissfully vacant is the 2nd track from my 2025 album Second Skin.
Release Date to 4th April 2025

Second Skin

Blissfully Vacant

BLISSFULLY VACANT

This is the title track of my new album Second Skin. Out Now on bandcamp: https://lolademo.bandcamp.com/album/second-skin
and available everywhere else in the digital wonderland on April 4th 2025.
You can see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeOYHXErBfc

Bandcamp

SECOND SKIN

they're there

Hurt Me

'A tonic for the times' Chris Hawkins BBC 6 Music 

So here's a story that you may need to grab a cup of tea and the biscuit barrel for, are you sitting comfortably? Then, let us begin...

Gorstey Lea AKA 'The Gorstey Lea Street Choir' formed one cold winters night in 2016. Two friends on a life long journey. 

Michael first met Russ in 1985, Michael was 15, Russ was 19. Russ played in 'the' up and coming local band ‘Soul Exit’. Michael admired his musical craft and ended up following the band around the country. A gig in Manchester was planned. Michael needed to go and went to Russ’s house (on Gorstey Lea) with a gift, a tape in hand. On one side The Pale Fountains ‘… From Across the Kitchen Table’ on the other Dexys Midnight Runners ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’. Russ welcomed Michael in and he attended the gig travelling in the bands van. 

The future was cast... the following year Michael formed his first band ‘The Great Divide’ inspired by what he had seen and the world of endless possibilities and free expression.

Fast forward some 31 years to August 2016 and a big birthday bash for Russ. Michael attends Russ's party. Talk turns to days gone by and Russ pops the question... “It’s about time we got together and did some music Michael, what do you reckon? No pressure. I have converted my garage into a recording studio, you should come round and we’ll have a play”. 

Michael was not sure, for 15 plus years he has not played an instrument, not sung a song, not written down his thoughts. The conversation was left. A mutual friend then messages Michael 4 months later to tell him that Russ is doing a gig and he thinks it would be good if they did a couple of their favourite cover versions together. 

Messages are exchanged and the meeting is arranged at Russ's new house in Gorstey Lea, 4 houses up the road and 31 years since that first knock on the door. Without any rehearsal the two friends agree to play together for the first time on that Friday evening… 

The reaction from the crowd and the landlord is overwhelming 2 songs turn to 2 hours and at the end of the evening the landlord books the duo to play the following month. ‘What’s your band name boys? ‘The Gorstey Lea Street Choir’ is quickly retorted an amalgam of that first meeting point and Van Morrison’s LP ‘His Band And The Street Choir’ … a door is unlocked, a journey is born.

So, to the ‘here and now’. The duo release their first track in October 2019 'The British Isles' which picks up national radio play from 6 Music, BBC Introducing and great digital stations such as Brum Radio, with the wind in their sails a double A side limited vinyl 'Lions' and 'Somedays' follows in January 2020 and in December 2020 their debut EP snazzily titled 'extended play one' hits the digital shops... 

Summer 2021 - the boys release an 8 track mini LP ''...from Prince's Park to Farsley (Volume I)' a tale of new found collaborations and two towns... aided and abetted by Gavin Monaghan, George Shilling, Choque (Black Star Liner) and Mark Gardener... Volume II will be a long before you know it!!!!

Well it should have been... Covid came and went, then Russ and Michael regrouped and decided to put the 5 piece 'live version' together. 
Joining Russ and Michael are:

Martin Betts on Bass
Sean Bradnick on Drums
Swiss Harris on all manner of musical gadgets

New songs are been written and recorded sporadically. Live dates are just  been announced (see Bands In Town Link) 

The first fruits of this new harvest are now available in their latest release '(My Heart Belongs To...) The Beaches'... just like buses there will be more along very soon

Stay safe, be well

The Flat White Kid

(My Heart Belongs To...) The Beaches

Gorstey Lea AKA

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mikaela mae

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