Gary, of Mountain Songs (https://soundcloud.com/mountain-songs)
contacted me about 2 years ago and offered me a baseline stem from an Alpha Roots collaboration he was working on with Joerxworx. About 2 years ago, that is crazy! I, of course, said I would take the stem. I needed to finish some other songs that were in the works before getting to play with Alpha Roots’s baseline. By the time I was ready to connect with the vibe, Russia had invaded Ukraine, unfathomable tragedy had begun, and the world was changing again. My song writing reflected the horror of what was going on. By the time all the stems were gathered, vocals were recorded, and the song was mixed and mastered, another war had broken out and the horror continued. 

Massive thanks to Mountain Songs for  trusting me with these blessed Alpha Roots stems. So glad Jamie, Jonathan, Joerxworx, and Russ got a chance to work with Alpha Roots again. Alpha Roots lives on. 

And the song is ready just in time for Halloween! 

Track Credits:

Alpha Roots: Bass
https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots
Jamie Rhind: Organ
https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind
Jonathan Beckenstein: Guitar
https://soundcloud.com/jonathan_beckenstein
https://fictivesisters.bandcamp.com
Joerxworx: Sax
https://soundcloud.com/joerxworx
the Couch King: Lyrics, vocals, and production
https://musiciselation.bandcamp.com
Russell Sinfield: Mix and Master
https://soundcloud.com/russell-sinfield
https://soundcloud.com/the-exe-stencilists
The Chaos Cookhouse: Studio
https://chaoscookhouse.bandcamp.com

Lyrics: 

Sleep walker doing bidding in the night
Night stalker, half asleep, right now, while you fright, wow
Sleep walker hypnotized prowler by the moon
Moon shocker, mindless rocker, from the tomb eww

Dr. Caligari caught cha sleepin’
Day dreamin’ though you woke
Never thought what you were thinkin’
Now you only speakin’ what he spoke

It’s a somnambulist break in
Break in
Gonna stab them in the bed now
It’s a somnambulist break in 
Break in
Fillin’ ‘em with dread ya

Sleep walker doing bidding in the night
Night stalker, half asleep right now, while you fright, wow
Sleep walker hypnotized prowler by the moon
Moon shocker, mindless rocker, from the tomb eww

Dr. Caligari gonna open
The coffin where you’ll rest
On his order you awaken
Now you answerin’ without questionin’ his behest 

It’s a somnambulist break in
Break in
Gonna stab them in the bed now
It’s a somnambulist break in

Sleep walker doing bidding in the night
Night stalker, half asleep right now, while you fright, wow
Sleep walker hypnotized prowler by the moon
Moon shocker, mindless rocker, from the tomb eww

Dr. Caligari caught cha sleepin’
Day dreamin’ though you woke
In the shadows see you creeping
His knife hidden inside his cloak 

It’s a somnambulist break in
Break in
Gonna stab them in the bed now
It’s a somnambulist break in 
Break in
It all turning red now

Somnambulist Break In

Alpha Roots, Jamie R, Jonathan B, Joerxworx, Russ & the Couch King - Somnambulist Break In

Modern Blues

(Free WAV Download available here under '••• More'; and eventually as part of my Foul Weather Friends album)

Greetings to the music community. I’m glad you stopped by. Today, I have the privilege of sharing another collaboration (#8 in fact) with our ever inspiring friend, Carlos Vivanco (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com). I always get stunning results, working with this fellow. :)

But first, the haiku that inspired the title:

O snail,
climb Mount Fuji,
but slowly, slowly
- Kobayashi Issa

I literally discovered ‘O snail’ as Carlos was sending me his guitar elements. The timing was too coincidental (thus the title).

As you may well imagine, the haiku of the Snail climbing Mount Fuji implies patience, perseverance, and remembering to enjoy the journey. But we never understand the trials of the snail; only his speed limitations. I feel like it’s good to face some truths about ourselves that might be interfering with our journey; and hearing someone else share their challenges has often helped me not feel so overwhelmed by mine.

For example, I have a strangely persistent ‘low self-esteem’ issue that has been with me for as long as I can remember. There are numerous childhood experiences keeping that thinking alive. But if I’m being completely honest with myself, they are all just part of my story… and the majority of them are not even happening to me any more. Yet despite 55 year old Justin’s accomplishments, that dark little fellow shows up from time to time, to… I don’t know… put me back in my place? Or something?

And here’s the annoying thing. There is an abundance of evidence indicating I’m a good person, living a worthwhile life, doing good things. I’m a highly logical person; and the math on this is pretty solid. This should be a breeze to overcome.

Surprisingly, it’s not. 

So clearly, there are certain perspectives that simply defy logic. And I suspect many of us carry similar thoughts and feelings deep inside; those annoying little clingers-on that defy reason, and fight to keep us down. That part of us that always wanted to be accepted by and fit into something that never really matched our shape to begin with. 

This is ultimately about us realizing that we are ridiculously amazing beings. Higher minded Justin truly believes every one of us is fundamentally perfect (and perfectly capable), because we are here right now… living this. I believe we are all in a very advanced class (or at the very least, approaching finals on a very rigorous curriculum), and we wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t met the prerequisites. We stand here right now (although I'm sitting as I type), with purpose and opportunity coming at us full steam. It’s going to be an amazing, sometimes horrifying, sometimes beautiful beyond words experience. And we all get to do it together. Wild ride, right?

The bottom line is… it’s time we gave ourselves a break, and loved and accepted ourselves… as is. That is so key to the rest of it working out for us, and it’s truly worth prioritizing. 

Also, what if we try our hardest to honor and respect each other’s paths. Every path is sacred… even if some seem harder to understand. And they all combine to make up this story, which would not be so poignant (or easy to learn from) if not for the extreme light and extreme dark elements giving us such wide angle perspective.

Carlos and I hope you enjoy ‘Climbing Mount Fuji With My Snail.” :)

F.W. Friends

Climbing Mount Fuji With My Snail | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

J'déprime   (Translation after the French text )

Texte      : Hedi Maindor
Chant     :  DidWilcops
Musique : Alain Illos

J’ai c’qu’on appelle du vague à l’âme
Une dérive passagère
Avec le cœur au bord des larmes
Et dans les yeux un peu d’hiver
S’il ne faut pas que je m’alarme
Me disent tant d’amies sincères
Et si mon mal n’est pas un drame
Faut pas le prendre à la légère 


Rien ne m’attire ni ne m’enflamme
Dans cette vie trop ordinaire
Où plus j’avance et plus je rame
Navigatrice solitaire
En dépression je fais mes grammes
Le chocolat les somnifères
Les bourre et bourre et ratatam
A la lumière du frigidaire

J’déprime, j’déprime
C’est pas ma vie, c’est pas mon film 
J’ai pas signé pour ce nanar
J’déprime, j’déprime
C’est pas ma vie, c’est pas mon dream
Faut pas en faire toute une histoire 


La nuit je triche avec mes charmes 
Sur un « meetic »  point fr.
Que hantent tant de jolies dames
A l’aventure d’un partenaire
Et là je suis sans état d’âme
Avec des hommes sans mystère
Leur appétit de macadam
Réveille en moi un goût pervers

 
J’ai c’qu’on appelle du vague à l’âme
Une dérive suicidaire
Avec le corps qui se désarme
Et dans le nez un petit verre
Sous les regards qui me blâment
Des conventions je me libère
Je ris je pleure et je me damne 
Toutes mes amies se désespèrent


A l’hôpital patiente et calme
Je me retrouve un soir d’hiver
Quittant la vie sans faire de drame
On m’a posé un cathéter
Bientôt la mort mais non Madame 
Me crie l’urgentiste en colère
Il vous faut un supplément d’âme
Et moi je suis célibataire



I'm depressed

I've got what's called a "vague à l'âme "
A momentary drift
With my heart on the verge of tears
And in my eyes a little winter
If I shouldn't be alarmed
So many sincere friends tell me
And if my pain is not a drama
Don't take it lightly 

Nothing attracts or inflames me
In this too ordinary life
Where the further I go the more I row
Lonely sailor
In depression I do my grams
Chocolate and sleeping pills
The stuffing and stuffing and ratatam
By the light of the fridge


I'm depressed, I'm depressed
It's not my life, it's not my movie 
I didn't sign up for this
I'm depressed, I'm depressed
It's not my life, it's not my dream
Don't make a big deal out of it 

At night I cheat with my charms 
On a “meetic” dot fr.
Haunted by so many lovely ladies
In search of a partner
And there I'm with no qualms
With men without mystery
Their appetite for tarmac
Awakens a perverse taste in me

I've got what's called a vague à l'âme
A suicidal drift
With my body disarmed
And a little drink in my nose
Under glances that blame me
I free myself from convention
I laugh I cry and I damn myself 
All my friends despair

In the hospital, patient and calm
I find myself on a winter's evening
Leaving life without drama
They put in a catheter
Soon to die, but no, Madame 
An angry emergency doctor shouts at me
You need a little extra soul
And I'm a bachelor

J'déprime avec Did Wilkops

Paul McCartney happens to be touring around these parts so, before Beatlemania takes over my city (again), I thought of making another one of my remixes. To be honest, I'm quite surprised by this one. Maybe I'm amazed by how, even after so much cutting, there's still warmth in its sound, like an old record. Must be the piano, I don't know.
Anyway, I'm listing the sampled songs down below, but why not have some fun and try to guess as many as you can?

†ॐ

Sample sources, in order of appearance:
1. Martha My Dear - The Beatles
2. "Paul - Pop Profile" (from On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2)
3. Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney
4. Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me) - Wings
5. The Fool On the Hill - The Beatles
6. Junk - Paul McCartney
7. Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
8. Band On The Run - Wings
9. You Never Give Me Your Money - The Beatles
10. Silly Love Songs - Wings
11. For No One - The Beatles
12. With A Little Luck - Wings
13. Mother's Nature Son - The Beatles
14. Jenny Wren - Paul McCartney
15. Yesterday - The Beatles
16. Dear Boy - Paul & Linda McCartney
17. Your Mother Should Know - The Beatles
18. Uncle Albert/Almiral Halsey - Paul & Linda McCartney
19. Michelle - The Beatles
20. Honey Pie - The Beatles
21. Hey Jude - The Beatles
22. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
23. Listen to What The Man Said - Wings
24. She's Leaving Home - The Beatles
25. The Cliff That Time Forgot - Keiichi Suzuki & Hirokazu Tanaka
26. When I'm 64 - The Beatles
27. Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
28. Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
29. I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
30. Golden Slumbers - The Beatles
31. Let 'em In - Wings
32. A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles
33. Beware My Love - Wings
34. Let It Be - The Beatles

Remixed by Thomas O'Higgins Horna
Produced at Kolima Forest Studios.
Cover art by broadacre.

DISCLAIMER: I earn no money from this track. If you happen to represent Paul McCartney and, for some reason, want this track removed, please, please me and let it be. Or, let me talk to Mr. McCartney himself, I know we can work it out!

Mr. Cut anyPlace

This iteration of Sleeping House is Limited Bob (@bob-bowden), Necrogurgitron (@necrogurgitron) and Mesmo

Sleeping House "Korgum Molasses"

The latest from Texas Tea.  Terry had come up with this sunshiney track a while ago and recently redid a few things.  I jumped in and added the counter melody guitar lines and Terry mixed and produced it all.  Static Glow


check out the Texas Tea playlist here:  https://soundcloud.com/texmex-shaman/sets/texas-tea-sea

Static Glow - w/ Tea R. Sea.  A Texas Tea Production

LANDS OF FOOLS 2024.

Cast of Characters:

David Marconi — @david-marconi-917184705 — electric guitar, bass, foundation synth plus midi percussion and assorted traditional voices, production, mix, and composition
Elpiverse — @elpiverse — Elpi -- vocals, vocal composition and production
Ron Lewis — @ron-lewis-779503933 — synth
TexMex Shaman -- @texmex-shaman –Stephen– sitar and mastering
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – electric guitar
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- synth flute and ambient synth
Mistermark – @user-432503709 – Mark – talking drum, jaw harp
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums and percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – 5-string fretless bass
AliasZen (Elpi's husband) — artwork (created with the help of AI)

This song began with David, who wrote it on the guitar, synth, and bass over a programmed beat he created. He and Josh met more than two months ago and decided to do a collaboration, based on mutual enjoyment of and respect for each other's music. Dave had this song pretty much fleshed out, although it was still a skeleton when he offered it to Josh, who, of course, got the rest of the Eclectic Collective involved.

Dave asked us all to compose our own parts for the song, so we all got to work right away doing that. We all realized that the first order of business would be to get a real beat on this, so Ken accomplished that task with some dynamic, Eastern inspired drums and percussion, which he plays throughout the song. JJ then stepped in and added his best eastern flute magic. Stephen was next with the perfect-vibe sitar you hear in the first two sections.

Josh came next to add his five-string fretless bass to the mix, augmenting David's high, staccato bass with his deep, low tone bass. Then, for the third section, where David's Gilmore-esque guitar solo resides, Josh drops out, allowing for Dave's awesome bass playing in that section. However, Josh does come in again towards the end, in the final section, too. Also, in that section, Tez dropped an augmented, harmonic, electric fire, complementary guitar part. Then, David's frequent collaborator and friend Ron added some well blended, ethereal synth to the first section, too.

Once we had the instrumental parts pretty much laid down, we began to discuss getting a woman to sing on this, as David was inspired by The Great Gig in the Sky, by Pink Floyd, and we all agreed. Who we found to do it actually blew all of our minds. JJ, being familiar with her music, contacted Elpi first, and we were all lucky enough that she agreed to do it. Having heard Mediterranean music all her life in Greece, she tapped into what her husband said were her "ancient Greek roots," for her spectacular vocal performance. She finds all the modal notes and places them perfectly throughout her sections.

But before we were done, Mark came through with some really striking talking drum parts in the first two sections, too. Once we had everything in the can, David took over, both with some masterful editing and production, and with the balanced, dynamic mix. The mix was a formidable task, but he did it with considerable skill, also taking everyone's opinions into account, which is a talent in and of itself. When he was done with the mix, he turned it over to Stephen for the mastering, which the latter did to everyone's satisfaction, as always.

This is the first song the Eclectic Collective has done with David, Elpi, and Ron, and we all hope it's the first of many, as we welcome them into the EC family. They all have some wonderful music on their pages, too, so do yourself a favor and check out all of them, as well. We hope you enjoy listening to this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

The Siege (by David Marconi, featuring Elpiverse, Ron Lewis & The Eclectic Collective)

Original score inspired by the Tim Lebbon novel Among the Living

Kelland

What would you like to drink ?

(Jan 9th, 2025) Just a quick message to let you know I'm not going to be active here for a while. If you need to reach me, you can always message me at GrevusAnjl@mac.com. 
__________________

Welcome to my sonic playground. I don't consider myself a skilled musician. I just sculpt sounds to quiet my mind... often with surprising and humorous results. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit. :)