Colin Hilton & Velvet Krush Arts Collaboration Shows (2025)

Colin Hilton & VELVET KRUSH (Live October 2024)

Written, performed and produced by Colin Hilton
© Copyright 2019



Bass                 Freddie Washington 
Keyboards      Jeff Young
Guitars            Colin Hilton 
Voices             Colin Hilton
Voices             Brit Savage
Strings            Kate Frampton
Percussion     Susan Temperly



The song paints a vivid, cinematic picture of an urban nighttime setting, exploring disconnection, nostalgia, and life’s harsh realities. It features symbolic and cryptic imagery, such as “a blind man polishing shoes” and “evening’s lady,” representing overlooked or marginalized individuals. The “scarlet lights” symbolize darker life aspects, potentially hinting at a red-light district’s hidden desires and sorrows. Contrasts like “damp matches failing to light” against vibrant “scarlet lights” depict the clash between hopelessness and the lively, possibly seedy nightlife. The refrain suggests a quest for meaning through art, reflecting the deep emotional and existential struggles against a backdrop of urban decay.



SCARLET LIGHTS

I was half awake when the train arrived 
And i left the carriage drunk behind 
A sirens' deafening tune
Was casting a monochrome blue

Fashions wore a cryptic clue that 
The century'd skipped a beat or two
Baker boy capped news
And a blind man polishing shoes

Evening's lady props up the wall
eye lashes blacker than night 
A sweet Martini might break her fall
Damp matches are failing to light
As she cries and turns towards 

Scarlet lights 
Faces paint the canvass of their lives
Handed down from brawn to brawn but
Poetry might
Wrestle with the grief behind their eyes
Will shutters lift and gift the dawn?

Marketeers stand cast in clay as the travelling boys dance and play their
Penny whistle flutes
To the rhythm of tambourine shoes

Townsman throws back his head and laughs
While a widow takes candid photographs 
Capturing innocent youth in 
A tapestry of fear and abuse

Evening's lady props up the wall
eye lashes blacker than night 
A sweet Martini might break her fall
Damp matches are failing to light
As she dies and turns away from

Scarlet lights
Perfumed bodies laced and pulled so tight
Faces pressed against the glass as
Madam Sneijder
Clicks her fingers calls a surrogate bride
Serves a glass and pumps the brass for 

Scarlet lights 
Faces paint the canvass of their lives
Handed down from brawn to brawn but
Poetry might
Wrestle with the grief behind their eyes
When the shutters lift the dawn's their only gift

Colin Hilton 
© August 2019

Scarlet Lights

The song is a critique of contemporary societal and political issues, touching on themes of racism, the erosion of truth and decency, the influence of money in politics, and the dangers of extremism. It uses vivid imagery and allusions to critique leaders who manipulate and divide, the spread of misinformation, and the societal divisions based on race, religion, and ideology. The repeated references to "gaslighting," "the Klan," and "Wicker Man" suggest a condemnation of creating fear and division for power. It also highlights the impact of these issues on real lives, mentioning gun violence, the media's struggles with truth, and the manipulation of patriotic symbols for nefarious ends.

Live Masters

Mr Strong (Live September 2024)

The song is about personal transformation and challenging societal norms, using the character of Mary Magdalene as a metaphor for breaking away from traditional gender roles and expectations. It celebrates the strength found in vulnerability and the profound connections that can happen even in moments of despair, such as a 4am call to a trusted friend. The lyrics intertwine themes of resilience ("Pride absorbs the pain") and self-realization ("Tungsten blasts of yellow cast the woman within"). The repeated references to vaudeville and theatrical imagery ("Tap your stick hand on the till, You reinvented vaudeville") suggest a reinvention not just of self, but of performance art, highlighting how the persona onstage can reflect deeper personal truths and transformations. The song is both a tribute to enduring friendship and a provocative challenge to rethink identity and performance in life's grand stage.

The Rules In Your Brain (Live October 2024)

The song addresses themes of memory, loss, and time’s passage, illustrating a longing to reclaim fleeting moments. It uses vivid imagery, like photography, to depict the challenge of preserving memories that fade. A recurring motif of a swinging clock weight highlights time’s relentless progression. The lyrics reflect on relationships and life’s fleeting nature, questioning destiny and the possibility of final goodbyes. Overall, the song portrays the acceptance of transience and the search for meaning amid loss.

Clock Weight (Live October 2024)

The song “Now Voyager” delves into themes of personal transformation and liberation from societal norms. It portrays Charlotte Vale, initially confined by rigid societal and familial expectations, as depicted through her conservative upbringing and attire. The lyrics suggest her journey towards self-discovery, symbolized by questions like “are you lost at sea?” Transitioning through phases of psychiatric counseling and embracing fashionable lifestyles indicates her break from tradition. Ultimately, the song celebrates her newfound independence and defiance against social conformities, encapsulating her transformation into a free, autonomous individual, metaphorically represented by an ocean that is now free

Now Voyager (Live October 2024)

The song delves into themes of identity, the pressures of fame, and existential contemplation. The lyrics depict a character who has been transformed by the entertainment industry, possibly a reference to an actress (as suggested by the mention of “Dorleac” which could be a nod to actress Françoise Dorléac) and draws comparisons to being someone’s muse, heavily critiqued and objectified.

Throughout the song, there’s a sense of struggle with self-identity (“Is it really you?”) and dealing with external perceptions versus internal reality. This is emphasized by references to looking good on the outside (“Lazy beads and Armani jeans”) but perhaps losing touch with one’s true self internally (“Was your soul driving the Renault 5”).

The lines involving “cruel journalists” and accusations of suicide suggest a storyline involving scandal or tragedy, hinting that public figures often face harsh scrutiny and misrepresentation, which can deeply affect their personal lives and even lead to their demise.

Overall, the song narrates the bittersweet reality of a glamorous yet hollow life, where material success and public adoration can coexist with personal desolation and confusion.

Sorrows Sibling (Live October 2024)

I was sitting on the breaker wall listening to tunes in a modern way
With my shoulders back i closed my eyes i smelt the salt and let my body feel the oceans spray
The distant screams of children's laughter melted into gulls that swooped and dived on junk food prey
But every time i thought I'd caught your smile a wave would flip your hip and our footprints would catch the wash and fade away 

And when you're at sea what do you dream about?
When your hair caught the breeze and i saw you laugh out loud 
I wouldn't believe there's a song about it 
would not bring a new dance to town 
cause you rock in Pebble Bay 
when the moon is up and the surf don't bring you down

The waves began to fall in time with every breath and sigh I couldn't hold
Maracas stones and shaker sands
Waded up to my waist my heart began to sink so in I rolled 
Beneath the waves there's clarity 
Where women are half women and the other half have tails 
The sirens scream emotional wrecks
While the mermaids just sit and paint their nails bright red

And when you're at sea what do you dream about?
When your hair caught the breeze and i saw you laugh it out loud 
I wouldn't believe there's a song about it 
Would not bring a new dance to town 
cause you rock in Pebble Bay 
when the moon is up and the surf don't bring you down

And your phosphorescent glow
Would un-cripple Freda Karlo
So paint your pallet blue
Paint your pallet blue

Copyright Colin Hilton 2020

Pebble Bay (Live October 2024)

Written, performed and produced by Colin Hilton
© Copyright February 2019


Vocals         Colin Hilton
Drums          Ricky Lawson
Bass             Freddie Washigton
Guitars         Greg Moore
Guitars         Colin Hilton
Guitars        Brent Mason
Keys            Jeff Young


The song explores themes of artistic struggle, identity, and emotional turmoil through vivid imagery and cultural references. It portrays an artist grappling with modern fame and traditional craft, set against a backdrop of solitude symbolized by minimalist settings like backstage with a cigarette. The song incorporates nods to Alphaville and Donny Hathaway, highlighting timeless musical expression and personal challenges. Through metaphors like “flex like a Moscow mule” and “sorrow’s an unhinged Salome,” it conveys feelings of rigidity, intoxication, and chaotic sorrow. It delves into personal relationships, incompleteness, and intimate yet troubled interactions, culminating in an introspective chorus that reflects on lost identity and fate.



DEALING THE CROUPIER 

I'm waiting in the wings of a viral click
Where my only prop is a cigarette
And the words in my mind
I'm growling out the lines like Alphaville
And wondering if poets still take pills to
Make their words rhyme 
Lets call it a payment in kind
While I work on your mind . . .

I'm not Donny Hathaway 
I've lost my soul to luck
Its not just your face that says you can't dance
You flex like a Moscow mule
Your sorrow's an unhinged Salome
I'm dealing the croupier and boxing the cards

She can smile with Mona Lisa's charms
A lost embrace in Milo's arms
A suffering muse
She's the final call in a glass of gin
A guilty glance and a naughty grin
Smoking for two
As she tries on her mistress' shoes 
I can't have love in your mind . . .

I'm not Donny Hathaway 
I've lost my soul to luck 
Its not just your face that says you can't dance
You flex like a Moscow mule
Your sorrow's an unhinged Salome 
I'm dealing the croupier and boxing the cards

© Copyright Colin Hilton 
February 2019

Dealing The Croupier

Words and Music Colin Hilton
© August 2019


Bass                    Freddie Washington 
Guitars                Michael Thompson
Guitar                 Colin Hilton
Guitars                Jack Pearson
Keys                    Jeff Young
Saxophones       Eric Marienthal
Vocals                 Colin Hilton



The song delves into the complexities of trust, portraying it as both foundational and perilous in relationships. It begins by highlighting trust as essential, yet potentially infinite, guiding like a parent’s hand but also capable of leading to deception when misused (“Trust can be a drunken fool”). The lyrics reflect on the impact of trust on perceptions of truth and the passage of time, noting the nostalgic pull of memories and the fleeting nature of youth. Overall, the song grapples with the dual nature of trust—its power to clarify or distort reality, and its significant yet ambiguous role in shaping life’s experiences.



TRUST
Trust is a beginning
A means that never ends
Breathe it in and hold in deep
Before you choose your friends
Trust removes the blind fold
holds a mother's hand
The middle distance stares at me
And kneels to take a stand

Truth I'm falling through the memories of my life
Youth just look at you a born and natural high

Trust can be a drunken fool
Loose with many ties
Drive a couch and horses through
A perfect storm of lies
Trust will have its way with you
Its innocence a curse
Rhyme and rhythms magnify
The faith you lost at birth

Truth a body lost in time goes hand in hand
Youth your hour glass will slave
to falling sand

© Copyright Colin Hilton August 2019

Trust

Singer, song writer, musician, performer and producer