Cast of Characters:

Roy Roy – @user-967672349 – Roy – foundational guitar, composition, and arrangement
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ, electric piano, synth sax, synth strings, synth brass, production, and mix
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– whah guitar, and mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, percussion 
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – 4-string fretless bass

This song began as a well developed, funky disco idea Roy came up with on his guitar, and shared with JJ. JJ added a wonderfully complex orchestration of various keys, including brass, strings, and the sax solo you hear towards the end. 
  JJ invited Stephen Stephen first, who came up with the funky ass wah guitar that also carries the groove. Of course, JJ realized that this is a disco song, so he enlisted Ken to come up with one of his awesome beats to carry it along. JJ had a rudimentary bass line that he played himself, but decided to get me to do the honors instead. So, I came up with a totally new bass line designed to shake your cheeks.
Once it was in the can, we decided to ask have JJ mix it for us. This is a first time JJ has mixed a song for The Eclectic Collective, and we were all impressed with his work. Stephen mastered it, as he is a master masterer. 
  We're all really impressed and delighted with the experience of working with Roy and his music. He is a very talented artist with a lot of great music to check out on his page, too.
  We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it, and that it makes you shake your hips while you're doing the dishes, too!

Shag Carpet (Eclectic Collective with Roy Roy)

Cast of Characters:

J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ, electric piano, and seed idea
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – electric guitar, production, and mix
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– electric guitar
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – 4-string fretless bass
The Eclectic Collective -- composition
 
This song started with JJ during one of his late Saturday night composition sessions, where he came up with the idea on his synth. He laid down some great organ and electric piano for the rest of us to play with. Ken was first up with his lively, raucous drums. He and I did our back and forth with the rhythm section until it was solid, though. Then Stephen laid in his dirty, rawkin' rhythm guitar to give it an extra foundation. Finally, Tez put the icing on the cake with his monster soloing throughout. 
  Of course, every great song needs a great producer. In this case, Tez did the honors in a very expert manner. We wanted Stephen (Texmex Shaman) on this, too, of course, but he is just now getting settled into his new abode, and was in flux while we were making this one. He'll be back with The Eclectic Collective next week, though. 
  This is an example of Eclectic Collective teamwork. It came together relatively quickly, which means we were all having fun doing it. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Avalanche (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, vocals, lyrics, and seed idea 
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– electric guitar, mastering, and seed idea
Mistermark – @user-432503709 – Mark – all instruments in the break, including clavinet, organ, bass, and drums, as well as production, editing, and mix
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – electric guitar
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – 4-string fretless bass 
The Eclectic Collective -- composition

This song began its life when Ken came to with a series of drum skeletons about half a year ago with the intent of starting several McDonald's themed songs that The Mysterious Decibel was writing for the group. Well MD had some life getting in the way and then decided to pursue another project full time, leaving us with four solid songs, but without vocals. Ken ended up supplying the solid lead vocals and harmonies you hear the whole way through, with original lyrics that he also wrote.
  But before any of that happened, we got this song together. Stephen was first up, coming up with the main guitar riffs that carry the whole way through. Josh responded quickly to the his guitar parts with some matching bass to go along with it. 
  About this time, Mark heard the funky break in there, and so installed every part of it all on his own, including the clavinet, organ, bass, and drums. Although, Ken is also still playing in the break, as well. When we had it pretty well set, Tez came along and added some fiery guitar to go along with Stephen's. 
  Once we had it in the can, we turned it over to Mark for his expert mix. Stephen mastered it for us, too, for the final, winning touch.
  This ended up being a satisfying product of The Eclectic Collective's teamwork. We hope you enjoyed listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original Lyrics by K2 and The Three:

I built my library, by burning it to  the ground
I live my life, through all this singing sound
Can’t remember, what then we should’ve done
It’s up to you, now, you’re the chosen one

Scaling the riverbank
Scaling the riverbank
Scaling the riverbanks
Scaling the riverbanks

Till we reach solid ground
Pit for play dirt(pay dirt)
Muddy water all around
Sift the sandbox
There’s gold in them thar hills
Treasures lying
Skills to pay the bills

Hanging on and on
…. and I, can’t find my way up!

New to you
It’s goo to you
New to you
It’s goo to you
New to you!

Scaling the River Banks
Scale the riverbanks
Scaling the riverbanks till we reach solid ground
Scaling the riverbanks till we reach solid ground

Hanging  on and on
And I can’t find my way up!

Scale the River Banks
Scaling the riverbanks!

Scale the riverbanks!

Scaling the Riverbank (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:

Mistermark – @user-432503709 – Mark – drums, VST upright bass, electric vibraphone, horns, high organ in the last section, percussion (shaker, hand claps), production, editing, mix, and composition

TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Fender Custom Shop Tele Thinline electric guitar and mastering

J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ, electric piano, synthesizer

Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – PRS semi hollow body electric guitar


This song began its life some 20 years ago recorded on Mark's old skool keyboard workstation as a bass line and drum beat, accentuated by a synth melody playing over some electric piano. It sat as that basic version until just recently, when Mark had gotten into horn arrangements, and wanted to try some out, thus creating the impetus for reviving this old tune. Plus, he wanted to get the Eclectic Collective to play the guitar and keys parts on it for a little extra jazzy pizzazz.
  He turned it over to the rest of the EC gang with a pretty clear vision of what he wanted structurally. Stephen was first up, adding his driving guitar to the fist part of every verse. Josh deftly chimed in with the response line in every verse. JJ then came into the mix last and sprinkled his magic electric piano and other keys throughout. After all of our parts were in the can, Mark went to work dutifully editing and mixing what you hear as the final product. Stephen then did his pro mastering work on it to add a little bit more shine.
 This was a lot of fun to put together. It doesn't feature all of the EC, but the other guys will be on many upcoming creations. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.



Clyde's Glide (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of characters:
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick four-string fretless bass, Roland Phantom 6 synth, vocals, lyrics, arrangement, composition
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ--  Yamaha Genos 2 and Yamaha MoXF8 
synth, organ, electric piano, and vocal harmonies
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – clavinet     
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaser through a VST synth FX device
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen–  Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, Fender Acoustasonic acoustic guitar, Gibson Earl Scruggs Mastertone banjo, mix, production, and mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums and percussion

This song started when as a vague idea Josh came up with while listening to Lionel Richie's All Night Long followed by Michael McDonald's song Sweet Freedom. He wanted to create a song that uses that same basic structure because those are both perfect pop songs in his opinion. He came up with a rough structure on his bass and piano before enlisting the help of his team of musical superheroes. 
  Ken was first up to bat, adding his magical drums and helping Josh find a groove on his bass. Ken later added the hand percussion that adds a spicy drive to the song, too. Next up was Mark, who added the funky clavinet throughout. Stephen threw down after Ken, adding some foundational guitar to the stew. He also added the awesome banjo you hear trickling throughout. Very shortly after, Tez came through with the trippy guitar solo at the end. JJ followed with the breathy organ that lifts the whole thing aloft.
  Now that we had a solid foundation to work with, Josh added the synth "horn" part in the middle, as well as the vocals, including the third harmony part in the choruses. JJ added the fifth harmony part in the choruses soon after. He also added the synth hooks throughout and synth solo at the end. Not stopping there, he also added the electric piano intro, with Ken's drums, and Stephen, who added the electric guitar in that part, as well.
  Now that the whole thing was in the can, it was time for a mix. One of our resident production experts, Stephen, did the honors, as well as the mastering. 
  This is an example of everyone in the Eclectic Collective adding just the right puzzle piece to form the bigger picture. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it. 

Original lyrics by Josh Clary:

Got a little baggie
Got a tank of gas
Now what I need from you 
Is to light a fire under my ass

Let’s put down our phones
And turn up the tunes
By now you know there’s nothing 
That we can’t get up to

Wherever we go 
That’s where I want to be
Just as long as 
I know I have
You there with me
Because
I’m down for anything x2
And you know that’s true
You know that’s true

Whatever you wanna do
Whatever we get up to 
I’m down for anything
Anything

With you I love to eat
But I never want to sleep
Because I don’t want to miss out 
On spending any time with you

When I hear you laugh
Or get excited with a gasp
You make my heart feel like
I just ran a lap

Let's go on a run 
Or figure out some fun
Or jump in the car and drive to where 
The ocean meets the sun

Chorus repeats/Chorus reprise

When you hit me with those eyes
You know you hypnotize me
And just when I think you won’t 
You can still surprise me 

We’ve done it all before
Now let’s go do it all some more
Every day is a reward 
When I feel like I just scored

Down for Anything (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of characters:

Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – Takamine acoutic and Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, composition, lyrics, mix, and production
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – jaw harp. vocals, production, mix, and editing     
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- Yamaha Genos 2 for voices that include bagpipes, Celtic flute, and Hammond B3, along with the bagpipe and "off with her head" outro
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums and percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – four string Fender Precision bass

This song started as a rough recorded by Tez on his acoustic and electric guitars. He also wrote the lyrics right off the bat, and introduced them to the rest of The Eclectic Collective by singing them as a rough, too. His vision for this was to create a song that sounded like it could've been recorded at Headly Grange. He also wanted it to feature instruments that wouldn't sound out of entirely out of place in Feudal Age Britain (between 1000-1600 C.E.) to carry the spirit of his lyrics.
  Tez always writes songs that are fun to learn and have cool changes, so the we all jumped in with both feet. Ken was first up with his Bonham like big, bad beat. To that, Josh added his P-bass, which he used a plectrum on, something he rarely does, trying to sound like JPJ to match his Ken's energy. JJ came along next, adding his colorful mix of raucous organ, time period relevant Celtic flute, and outro bagpipes. He did the entire outro, in fact, including the "off with her head," line, too. 
  Once the music was all laid down, Tez tapped Mark to sing the humorous lyrics. Mark came through with flying colors on the vocal performance, as always, too. Mark also added the textural, boingy-sounding jaw harp in the chorus sections.
  Now that it was all in the can, Two of our master producers Tez and Mark mixed it, then asked the third, Stephen, to do the final mastering. It should be noted, too, that Mark also contributed significantly to the production, too, with his masterful editing skills.
  This was a really fun tune to put together, as we always have fun working on Tez's seeds. He is telling the tale of lust between two Feudal era peasants. Of course, it's rife with ribaldry, being as Tez is British. We hope you enjoy listening to this a much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by Llanpsych:
Verse 1
Working in the fields
All summer long
Glowing like the sun
Oh so fit and strong 
Feudal Woman
I like the way you move
Feudal Woman
I want to plough your groove
Verse 2
Loving in the dusk
Lying in the hay
Drinking hot cider
Till the end of the day 
Feudal Woman
I like the way you move
Feudal Woman
I want to plough your groove

Feudal Woman Blues (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:

MJ-Brewer @user777114915  -- bass guitar
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– guitars, drums, production, and mix
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – vocals
This is a little holiday treat for everyone. Stephen came up with this instrumental with his friend MJ, with the intention of making it an open collab. I've literally never played a Christmas song before, let alone sung one for a recording. This was a lot of fun, though, singing the familiar melody and words of this classic. Big thanks for Stephen and MJ for sharing this with me, and all of us. Happy holidays to you, whether you celebrate Christmas, a different holiday, or no formal holiday at all during the winter solstice, I hope you enjoy this time of year. I am so grateful for all my SoundCloud friends and the SC community at large. This is definitely my happy place. Thank you all for making it so.

Jingle Bell Rock (with Texmex Shaman and MJ Brewer)

Cast of characters:

Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – backup organs (Wurlitzer and B3), VST steel drums, vocals, lyrics, composition, production, mix     
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- Yamaha Genos 2 electric piano voice and lead organ
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Fender Custom Shop Telecaster electric guitar and mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums and percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Fender Precision four string bass

This song began with Mark, who fleshed out the entire thing, from the rhythm section, to the organ that you hear in there, to the lyrics and vocals, before he laid it on the rest of us. We all got a chuckle from the tongue in cheek humor of the lyrics, and were excited to work on a song about an anachronistic adventure of a soulful caveman. 
  Ken was first up with his version of the the beat, finding the soul in the rhythm. Josh was next up, of course, using his "normie" bass for the his version of the line. Once the rhythm section was in place, it was JJ's turn to shine, adding his slick, soulful e. piano to the mix. 
  Now that they had a solid foundation on which to play, Stephen and Tez added their guitar magic to the mix. Stephen with the rhythm and the fills, and Tez with the ripping solo at the end. Mark also added the festive VST steel drums that you hear throughout at this point, too. Now that the music was laid down, he perfected his awesome vocals to complete it.
  It was in the can at that point, and just needed Mark to throw a pro sounding mix on it. Then, Stephen mastered it in his always expert way to finish it off.
  Mark wanted to record an old skool classic Soul song (a la Al Green), which he did, all on his own. But then, once he unleashed it onto the EC gang for their interpretation, they ran with it in a whole new, almost tropical direction, and it was decided to release 2 versions of the song, both of which you can find on Mark's page. Stephen does double duty on guitar for both versions. 
  This was a real team effort, even though it's really Mark's baby. The Eclectic Collective has many different methods of creating music. This one was a great exercise in trying to bring about Mark's vision. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by mistermark:

Walking through this concrete jungle
I’m just trying to stay out of the way 
just me and ol’ Rex, my furry companion 
we been fielding funky looks all day
then somebody saw me kicking rocks with my bare toes
he said buddy have you lost your way?
then I sat right down and I started to cry
and this is what I had to say…

I’m a caveman, I can’t catch a break
everybody says I’m so passé 
I’m a caveman, it’s too much to take
I’m ancient history or so they say 

Sittin’ in my man cave watching the clock crawl
there's nothing good on my tv 
my big grubby hands can’t flip thru the channels
i cant even hold a cup of tea
I was chatting on the phone making plans with a lady
a little bit of company
but my date split QUICK when I opened the door
man I wonder what’s wrong with me

I’m a caveman, I can’t catch a break now
the ladies say I’m so passé 
I’m a caveman, it’s too much to take
I’m ancient history or so they say

The big city’s fine but something’s on my mind
I feel a little incomplete
I miss my old club, for rustling up some grub
and the touch of grass below my feet
I’ve been around longer than all your creation, 
like the rocks and trees and streams
I wanna get back home, where forever I’ll roam
even if it’s only in my dreams

I’m a caveman
I can’t catch a break 
everybody says I’m so passé 
I’m a caveman, it’s too much to take
I’m ancient history or so they say

I’m a caveman, 
must be come kinda mistake
everybody says I’m so passé 
well I’m a - a caveman
It’s too much to take
but I’m gunna get back some day

Caveman (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of characters:
Tea R. Sea @tea_are_sea -- Terry – Synthesizers, beats, composition
Llanpsych–@llanpsych –Tez– Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, mix, and production
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson Top T Classic
 electric wah guitar
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- Yamaha Genos 2 electric piano, tambourine, and triangle
K2 and the Three [and the Four] -- @k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1– Custom five-string fretless bass

This song started as a basic, yet melodically very strong composition by Terry involving him playing a synthesizer over a beat he created. He first shared it with Stephen, as they are regular collaborators in their project, Texas Tea, which are worth checking out on both of their pages, as well. Stephen then turned it over the the Eclectic Collective to work our magic on it.
  I was first up to the plate with this one, adding my deep, five string fretless bass to Terry's rudimentary beat. Ken was next up, however, adding the driving drum beat you hear, for which he used Terry's beat as a template and augmented a full kit sound to it. Stephen followed Ken, adding his striking wah guitar part to the whole thing. Tez was up soon after with his searing guitar soloing towards the end. Last, but certainly not least, JJ added the soulful electric piano you hear giving it a funk throughout, as well as the tambourine and the cool triangle dings. 
  Now that it was in the bag, we decided to ask Stephen to produce and mix it for us, which he did in his typical expert fashion, as well as the doing the mastering, too. However, Tez also did a production and mix that some of us are choosing to use instead, as a matter of taste, not quality. That is the one you'll find on my page.
  This is our holiday offering to all our fans, friends, colleagues, and peers. While it's not particularly a holiday song, it's a good display of where we are musically, and shows some of the flavor we want to add in the new year. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it. Happy holidays to you, and many happy returns!

Tree Tops [alternate Llampsych version] (Eclectic Collective with Tea R. Sea)

Cast of Characters: 
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Taylor acoustic guitar, mix, production, and mastering
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- Yamaha Genos 2 piano solo
K2 and the Three [and the Four] -- @k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1– Warwick 4-string fretless bass, Korg piano, Collings mandolin, and vocals

This song is an old Jerry Jeff Walker song from a live album that Josh's dad played countless times while driving around in his his old pickup truck while he was growing up. Josh decided this year's musical gift to his father would be a recording of this song, which his dad has always loved. When he asked his bandmates in the Eclectic Collective to help him with it, they all generously and enthusiastically agreed to do so.
  Josh began the song by laying down the piano you hear throughout. He then added the bass before asking Ken to lay down the drums. Ken learned the song very quickly, and added perfect drums to it. Stephen then added his solid foundational guitar. Then, Josh went back in and added the mandolin before singing the whole thing. Before it was done, however, Josh tapped JJ to add the piano solo after the first chorus, which he did with grand style and flourish.
  Once it was in the can, Stephen was kind enough to mix and master it in his always professional manner. 
  Josh is very grateful to his bandmates for helping him give the gift of music to his dad once again this year. His dad has alwasy supported him with his music, from the time he was a little kid, and is very proud of his musical skills to this day. We hope you enjoy listening to this gift as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

The Pickup Truck Song by Jerry Jeff Walker (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:
Cgmaness – @user-419254289-15129531 – Chris – bass,  acoustic guitar, drums, and composition
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen–  mix, production, and mastering
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 – mandolin and lap steel
This song began as an idea that Chris came up with on his acoustic guitar, and shared with Josh. Josh, loving everything that Chris writes, jumped at the opportunity to work on it. 
  Josh first added the melodic lap steel you hear throughout. Then, in the same session, came up with and recorded the mandolin track. He believes Rick Rubin's mantra, when it's flowing, keep it going. This song was the first of about half a dozen that Chris shared with the Eclectic Collective back at the beginning of summer. So, it sat dormant for about five months, until Chris revived it by adding the impressive rhythm section of bass and drums to complete it. Chirs is always a multi talented part of the team. 
  When it was all in the can, we asked Stephen to mix it for us, because his mixes are always so pro sounding. He also mastered it for us, too. 
  This is the fist song that Chris and Josh have recorded as a duo in almost a year. However, they love recording together and feel this is a great way to start the New Year with some magical music. We all hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Dance of the Tryptamines (with cgmaness, produced by Texmex Shaman)

Cast of Characters:
~Mark F-- @mark_f_2019 -- Ibanez EBH1005MS modified three string bass guitar, composition
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Gibson Les Paul electric guitar end solo, production, and mix
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Fender Telecaster foundational rhythm electric guitar
J.J. Terrell–@j-j-terrell – organ and synth
Cgmaness – @user-419254289-15129531 – Chris – electric guitar
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums and percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- PRS SE semi hollow body wah guitar, and ooh aah vocals at the end
This song began as a bass composition recorded as a stem by Mark. He named it after a hang out spot he and his friends used to go to as teenagers to drink beer and smoke bowls. He shared it with JJ, who turned it over to the Eclectic Collective so that we could have our way with it. However, Mark didn't use a click track to record it, so when he sent it to us, Ken had to come up with a drum beat based on Mark's structure, to which Mark then redid his bass part. That takes a lot of imagination on Ken's part when we do something that way.
    The first one of us to lay down a part for it was Chris, who added some really freaky textural guitar. Ken was next up, completing the rhythm section with his mighty drums. Ken then redid his part to better match the bass, thus completing the rhythm section with his mighty drums. Then, Stephen laid down the gritty, underlying rhythm guitar that runs throughout. Josh was up next, adding his melodic wah guitar to the mix. JJ came along soon after and laid down the magical synth that runs throughout. Last, but not least. Tez dropped the fiery solo towards the end. 
  Once the music was all laid down, we thought it could use some oohs and aahs at the end, so Josh recorded them as a five part harmony. However, choosing to only use the highest thee parts in the song, our expert producer on this one, Tez, decided to make a coda out of all five. So, stick around for a treat at the end!
  This is the third song the Eclectic Collective has done as a collab with Mark F. He's a very talented solo bassist, whose other music worth checking out on his page, as well. We hope you enjoy listening to this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Pryer Manor (Eclectic Collective with ~Mark F)

Cast of Characters:
Stonerjazz-- @user-911083679 -- narration of questions
Surfers Like Us– @user-411502040 –Artur– guitar
mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark—synth effects, synth strings and flute, lyrics, and vocals
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – guitar and production
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– guitar, banjo, slide, sitar, and production
J.J. Terrell–@j-j-terrell –electric piano, organ, synth, bass, drums, vocals, and production
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums, percussion, and vocals
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- guitar, bass, madolin, keys, banjo, lap steel, sitar, and vocals
Huge thanks, too, to the other featured musicians to whom we're very grateful to for sharing their music and talents with us this past year. They are the fuel that drives the EC into new musical realms. They include:

(especially) CGMANESS-- user-419254289-15129531
TEA R. SEA-- @tea_are_sea
STEVE'S PLANET-- @steve-vervaet
JOHN ANTHONY-- @john-anthony-871225464
JEFF ROBERTS-- @jeff_roberts
ELPIVERSE-- @elpiverse 
SCOTTY (ONE MAN VERITY SHOW)-- @one-man-verity-show 
ROY ROY-- @user-967672349
MARK FOSELLA-- @mark_f_2019 
FRANS BEELAARD-- @user-936947521 
THE MYSTERIOUS DECIBEL--  @themysteriousdecibel 
DAVID MARCONI-- @david-marconi-917184705 
RON LEWIS--  @ron-lewis-779503933 
JAMES TOBUREN (WITCHES OF THE ALAMO)-- @witchesofthealamo 

  Well folks, it's that time of year again. It's time for the Eclectic Collective to take stock of the fruits of the year previous, and reflect on what making music together means to all of us. We hope you all take a chunk of time and indulge in our gift to you. We wanted to address every one of our SoundCloud friends with our voices as an intimate way to connect with each of you.
  This has become a tradition within the EC now that we've made it to our second (and a half) year of making music together. For the second time, JJ asked our friend and sometimes collaborator Jeff (Stonerjazz) to ask some interview questions of us. Then, we all came up with the answers and sent them to JJ to assemble the project.
  This mighty music machine we've created, that manages to release a new song every Friday, wouldn't mean anything if no one was listening to us. Which is why we want to extend our very sincere thanks to you for tuning in and supporting our efforts. If one other person gets joy from our music, that's such a huge accomplishment. However, it really feels like a bunch of people whom we really respect are digging what we're doing, which feels truly humbling and fulfilling. 
  With that, we hope you enjoy hearing us voice our thoughts over the highlights of our musical year as much as we enjoyed a year rich in music and comradery. Happy New Year!
 Here's a breakdown of the time stamps for each of our individual questions and answers, in case you want to skip ahead or want to hear someone more than once. 
1:28 TEZ Q1
2:20 TEZ Q2
2:37 TEZ Q3 
4:42 KEN Q1 
7:36 KEN Q2 
13:04 MARK Q1
18:42 STEPHEN Q1 
23:21 JOSH Q1
27:36  ARTUR Q1  
32:00 J.J. Q1

The 2024 Eclectic Collective Rockumentary

Cast of Characters:
E Ruizzo-- @ruizzoidman21centurions --Manuel-- composition, lyrics, Squier Stratocaster electric guitar, vocals, mix, and production
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- piano, accordion, and horn
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Jose Ramirez nylon stringed flamenco style guitar, and mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – four string Fender Precision Bass bass

This song began all the way back when Manuel was 16 and found love that summer with a girl named Carmen. He remembered her, though, and wrote this song about her all these years later. The title of the song means "Your name has the song," and the lyrics spell out the girl's charms using the letters of her name. Check out the lyrics and the translation below. 
  Using that inspiration, Manuel came up with the song structure and the vocal melodies to a rudimentary drum track with his electric guitar. He then asked Josh if the group would be interested in taking it on. Josh, never being one to refuse a challenging piece of music, and always on the lookout for interesting musicians with whom to collaborate, accepted his kind offer and created a project for the rest of the Eclectic Collecitve to join. He started the whole thing off by adding his bass, to which Ken added his innovative drums, to which Josh redid his bass, as is the typical process in the EC.
  Next up was JJ, who you'd think he'd grown up with Spanish music the way he added the horns, accordion, and piano. Then Stephen stepped in and added his psychedelic and intricate acoustic guitar to the stew. 
  It was all done, except for the mix at this point. Manuel did the honors, and did it very expertly. Stephen mastered it to give it more volume and dynamism, too, as he always does. 
  This was the first, but we hope not the last, time the EC has collaborated with Manuel, although we're all fans of the incredible music on his page. He was a true delight to work with, giving honest, encouraging feedback and helping us shape his song to meet his vision. We hope you enjoy listening to this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by E Ruizzo:

TU NOMBRE TIENE LA CANCIÓN  /  YOUR NAME HAS THE SONG

Qué es una lágrima en el desierto?  /  What is a tear in the desert?
Cae sin ruido, se evapora y se olvida.  /  It falls without noise, evaporates and is forgotten.
No tiene tiempo de brillar, su vida  /  It has no time to shine, its life
es corta y su camino tan incierto…  /  is short and its path so uncertain...

Ce del calor del desierto y su sol,  /  ‘C’ for the heat of the desert and its sun,
a del adiós por el que lloré tanto;  /  ‘a’ for the farewell for which I cried so much;
erre del río que forma mi llanto;  /  ‘r’ for the river formed by my crying;
eme de miedo, de magia y de amor.  /  ‘m’ for fear, for magic and for love.

E de esperanza, de espacio rosado,  /  ‘E’ for hope, for pink space,
de espina clavada, de suelta emoción;  /  for stuck thorn, for loose emotion;
ene de noche de un tiempo pasado.  /  ‘n’ for night of a past time.

Carmen, tu nombre tiene la canción  /  Carmen, your name has the song
de todo aquello que has significado:  /  of all that you have meant:
Carmen de luz, de sonrisa y de adiós.  /  Carmen of light, of smile and of goodbye.

Tu Nombre Tiene La Canción (Eclectic Collective with E Ruizzo)

Cast of characters:

Saskiagoethals-- @saskiagoethals --Saskia — vocals, lyrics, and production
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – guitar, bass, VST melodica, beats, mix, production, and composition
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- piano, organ, and composition

This song started with Tez coming up with a heavy riddim and monster bass to go with it, over which he laid his clockwork rhythm guitar. He shared it with Josh, who came up with the piano and organ parts. It was pretty much done, but we wated vocals on it, so it languished on the digital shelf for almost half a year. 
  That is until Saskia heard and worked with Tez on a different open collab on his page. He then offered her this one. She downloaded it, added her superb vocals, and sent it back to the other two to review. They were blown away by her creativity and skill as a singer, and are very grateful to her for reviving the project. 
  When it was all laid down, Tez mixed it expertly, as always. Saskia took his mix, sped it up and adjusted her vocals, too. She is a very competent producer, as well.
  Tez and Josh are big dub fans from way back, and this is the latest in a couple year running series of collabs in the genre from the two of them. They are very grateful to Saskia for doing such a wonderful job of completing the song. Look for her in future collabs, both with Tez and Josh, as well as with their band, The Eclectic Collective. We all hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it. 

Original lyrics by Saskiagoethals: 

I went to the love doctor
to shine his light on my loneliness
he promissed to fill the emptiness
corse
my love is gonne and since then i stayed alone
my bed is empty my feet are cold
and i don’t wanne feel already old
The love doctor said come with me
the night is young and so are we
So he kept his promise
And he warmed me with his kiss
inject me with your love
i don’ want my love back
i don’t want a quick fix i want my love doctor

Love Doctor (with Llanpsych and Saskigoethals)

Cast of Characters:

J.J. Terrell–@j-j-terrell – piano, organ, composition
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitar
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Suhr electric guitar, mix, and production
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- four string Fender Precision Bass

This song began one creative Saturday evening several weeks ago with JJ coming up with it on his organ, piano, bass, and drums. He wrote it with the Eclectic Collective in mind and immediately shared it with the rest of us.
  Ken was the first to jump on it, adding his strong, Masonesque drums. Josh excitedly dove in once he had a beat to play off of. Then, it was time for the guitarists in the band to show off their skills. Stephen laid down the psychedelic, textural guitar you hear throughout, as well as the thrilling solo in the middle, starting around 1:25 and ending around 1:50. Tez did his best Dave Gilmour impression, adding rest of the fiery lead solo you hear throughout, as well. 
  Once it was in the can, we needed a mix, of course, and Stephen was kind enough to work his magic on the production.
  This is a perfect example of a JJ seed that took bloom with the EC. We all love working on his songs. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Desert  Moon Flower (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of characters:
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick four-string fretless bass, PRS semi hollow body electric guitar, seed idea
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums 
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- Yamaha Genos 2 organ
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen–  Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – Squier Custom Telecaster electric guitar processed through a Line 6 interface to sound like a synth, mix, and production
Eclectic Collective -- composition
This song started around the New Year holiday, when Josh was playing around with a looper beat on his bass. He came up with the bass line and structure for it before turning it over the the rest of the Eclectic Collective to work with. 
  Ken was first up, giving the beat its due as a real drummer, and making it his own, expertly, as always. JJ was up next with his dynamic, lush organ, propping up the groove and adding sonic flavor throughout. Stephen came through after JJ with his foundatoinal, gritty, groovy guitar. It was sitting there ripe for a melody at this point, so Josh heard and added a melody vaguely inspired by the Simpson's theme and added it with his electric guitar. Tez wrapped the whole thing up with the exciting "synth" part you hear in the middle with his custom Tele, which he processes through a Line 6 interface.
  Once it was in the bag, Tez did the honors of producing and mixing it for us, and he did so exactly as we wanted it.
  This is an example of a song Josh started with a groove and set loose on the rest of the band. It is also a good example of what happens when we're all moving towards the same vision. We hope you enjoy hearing this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Sugar Britches (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:
Cgmaness – @user-419254289-15129531 – Chris – acoustic guitar, drums, lyrics, vocals, and composition
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ and piano
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 – four string fretless bass
This song started all the way back in October, when Chris came up with lyrics and a vocal melody to go over his acoustic guitar composition. He also added the drum beat that carries it along, and contrasts Josh's bass part, which he added next. JJ came along shortly after and added his twinkling piano and ambiance thickening organ. 
  We had all these parts down, but for some reason this sat on the shelf for a few months. Finally we decided to dust it off. Chris mixed it for us expertly, as always, and we decided to put a ribbon on it. 
 This is an example of Chris's brilliant songwriting, shared with a couple of other musicians who are mutual admirers of his work. This is also a trio within the Eclectic Collective family, as we sometimes do side projects with different iterations of the group. We all hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.  
  
Original lyrics by cgmaness:

Let the night tuck you under,
When you feel you can't go on.
When you want to be happy,
I will be what you want...
And, it's you that makes me happy.
When I'm down on my bad sign.
Washing out all the tie-dye from the blue sky.

Let The Night (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:

Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick four string fretless bass, vocals, lyrics, and seed idea
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums 
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson custom T electric guitar
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – clavinet and VST sax     
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, mix, and production
Eclectic Collective -- composition

This song started its life as one of a batch of bass lines Josh came up with around the New Year holiday. He recorded it to a rudimentary drum loop, which Ken replaced perfectly with his own beat. Stephen joined the project next, adding his chordally flavorful, foundational guitar you hear underlying the entire song. Not to miss out on the guitaring, Tez came up with the ethereal guitar fills that float around in there. Mark came after Tez with his textural wah clavinet, also adding the wonderful sax solo you hear in the middle. 
  After it was done musically, Josh went back and wrote some lyrics and sang them, too.
  Once it was in the can, we asked Tez to do the honors of mixing it for us, which he did in his always expert fashion. 
  This is a fine example of the Eclectic Collective coming together to create a heartfelt song.  We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by Josh Clary:Sometimes I think about 
Things we used to talk about
Now I have to go without
Ever looking at your face x2
 
But I want you near me
Wish that you could hear me

What if we could ever reach
Out to the other each
But what would we say?
Is it just another routine day? x2
  
It makes my heart hurt bad
When I think of what I had
Now you’ve slipped away
Seems I saw you just the other day
 
Life can be really cruel
And I can be a fool
But I wish there were a way
I could hear what you would say

Loss (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:
Joe Stroffolino-- @joseph-stroffolino -- Taylor 114ce acoustic guitar, main vocals, harmony vocals, lyrics, composition 
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender HSS Telecaster electric guitar
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, mix, mastering, and production
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – piano
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- four string Fender Precision Bass with a plectrum 
 
This song began as one of Joe's, lyrically centered songs, which he wrote and filled in with VST instruments. He came up with the lyrics by sharing ideas with fellow SoundCloud musician Michele Ansani.
   Knowing that Josh is a fan of his work, Joe offered this song to him in hopes that he'd share it with the rest of the band. Of course, Josh jumped at the opportunity to work on his song, and immediately shared it with the rest of the group. 
  Ken went to work first, adding his driving, excting drums. Josh was having a hard time coming up with a good bass line for it, until Ken suggested that he use the power of the 1/8 note to propel it. Tez was up next with his clever fills you hear throughout the first half of the song. Stephen came along right after and matched Tez's energy for the guitar fills in the second half of the song. 
  It was still missing a solo in the designated spot, though, so Mark stepped up with his innovative piano solo you hear in the middle. If it sounds a little mechanical, that's because he's using an arpeggiator to achieve the effect. We thought it sounded good in a song about AI, though. 
  Once all the parts were dialed in, and Joe had gotten all his vocals tuned up, we asked one of our resident pros, Stephen, to mix it for us. He did that and mastered it, too, expertly, as always.
  This is the first song we've ever done with Joe, and don't expect it to be the last. We all really enjoyed putting together, in no small part because Joe is such a competent, receptive, and gracious collaborator. We all hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it. 
Original lyrics by Joe Stroffolino (and Michele Ansani):
When I was thirteen I picked up my first guitar
it was my mother's, it only had one nylon string 
I tried to play it like a rock star
I learned to play the Coca-Cola jingle
So I could teach the world to sing
When I was fourteen, I put on six new strings
I learned to play Beatles, I learned a Bob Dylan song
I sounded out of tune but I tried to carry on
At fifteen I wrote my first original tune 
So bad it sounded like it might have been written by a baboon
When I was sixteen, I got a new guitar for my birthday
The metal strings sawed through my fingers 
But I continued to play
And the calluses formed and every day I learned a brand new chord
I was obsessed with that guitar and I never grew bored.
I wrote songs every day and most of them were a mess
But I believed that through hard work, I could achieve success
Malcom Gladwell wrote a book that said it takes ten thousand hours
To become and expert at your craft
But now all it takes is two commands and an enter
And in two minutes you have ten versions of the same damn new song,
You just have to choose the type
folk, rock, rap, pop, metal, jazz, trap or blues.
You don't even need to write the lyrics, 
your push a few buttons let the AI choose.
And people will think your songs are great even though you didn’t write or play a single note.
When I was 20, I did my first concert, it was time
it occurred in a village square
there were four cats all friends of mine
I was still using the plectrum and sometimes I got the chords wrong
at thirty I finally wrote what I thought was a decent song
It had a very well thought out structure
And a catchy vibe and beat
It was overly verbose but when I played it people tapped their feet
In my forties I stopped wasting my time
Work was more fun I was doing just fine

AI Sucks! (Eclectic Collective with Joe Stroffolino)

Cast of Characters:

Mahan Mahan -- @mahan-mahan — Mahan — Washburn acoustic guitars, composition
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- vocals, vocal harmonies, lyrics, four string Warwick fretless bass, Collings mandolin, and Korg piano, Roland Phantom VST strings, and arrangement 
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitar
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Earl Scriggs custom banjo, mix, mastering, and production
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – mellotron, sound effects, editing production

This song began with Mahan writing a chord progression on his acoutic guitar in hopes of doing something different than his usual punk influenced raucous experimentation. He shared it with Josh after they found each other on the Cloud a couple months ago, and discovered they liked each other's music. Originally, Mahan asked Josh if he'd add some vocals. So Josh, thinking that was as far as he was going to go with it, came up with the lyrics, vocal melodies, and harmonies. Then Mahan encouraged him to add some more parts, if he wanted. So, Josh laid down a piano, mandolin, and bass part to go with it. At that point, it was sounding like a much bigger production than what either of them had accounted for. 
  That's when Josh got the rest of the Eclectic Collective involved. First in was Ken, who added his awesome drums to the mix. Josh and Ken went back and forth a couple of times, as they usually do when trying to dial in the rhythm section. Tez jumped in next with his dynamic electric guitar solo at the end. Then, Mark came along and added the cool, proggy melotron at the end, too, as well as did some expert editing. At this point, it sounded so big that Josh decided to add the symphonic strings you hear throughout, too.
  Once it was in the can, we turned it over to Stephen who not only mixed it brilliantly, but also added a trippy banjo you can hear in the second to last section. 
  We had so much fun recording this, in no small part because Mahan is such a brilliant and desirable collaborator. He really set us up with some magic, and we ran with it. All of his music is exciting and worth a listen on his page. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by Josh Clary:

I've been high
And I've been low
Been making plans 
For when I go

Time moves by painfully fast
Everything goes and nothing lasts 


We're only here for a very short time 
You live your life and I'll live mine 
Might as well have fun
Might as well go for a run
Hug my kids, my wife, and folks
Before I go x 2

Into forever dreamless sleep
Wish I had a soul to keep
Time’s like water in my hand
Can't stop the clock's 
Relentless plans
 
When it all comes ‘round
I don’t let it get me down 
‘Cause in the end, 
I won't make a sound
This life is very short 
And we're all very small
Everything’s in motion 
On this spinning ball 
Time flows only one way
I wish it were not so
I’m busy making plans for
When it’s time to go
Take the time to wonder
Make time to wonder 
Wonder at it all.

Wonder (Eclectic Collective with Mahan Mahan)

Cast of Characters:
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick four string fretless bass, Sigma acoustic guitar, PRS SE semi hollow body guitar, composition
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums and percussoin
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ 
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – VST horns - trumpet, bone, & sax, latin drum ensemble, and editing production 
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Production, mix, and mastering


This song began in the dead of winter on a cold night with Josh sitting in his studio with his acoustic guitar playing along to a looper beat. He loves bossa nova music and wanted to write a song in that style. Of course, he wrote it with the Eclectic Collecive in mind. 
  Josh also came up with the bass line to the looper, but changed it once Ken weighed in with his perfectly suited drum kit. He also added the funky main percussion you hear throughout. Then JJ got involved and laid down that wonderfully melodic organ part you hear in there. Josh, having not laid down a lead guitar part yet, used JJ melodic idea for the first verse, too, because it's so strong. Mark was last to the trough, but added several really stunning parts that added a lot of depth to the whole thing. He's responsible for the horn arrangement that accompanies JJ's organ solo, as well as the horn arrangement and entire break section at the end, which he not only drumed on, but edited and inserted seamlessly, as well. He also added percussion to Ken's percussion throughout the entire song, as well. He still gets paid the same as the rest of us, though 
  This is an example of us Josh introducing an unfamiliar type of music, and it being picked up on and carried through expertly as a group unit. We all love a challenge in the EC, and this fit the bill. We hope you enjoy listening to this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Meet the New Bossa (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Chracters:
 Sean Smith /|||||| Orange Paperbacks -- @the-orange-paperbacks — acoustic guitar and composition
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –-  four string fretted bass and organ
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – electric guitar
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– electric guitar, mix, mastering, and production

This song began when Sean, who is a superb writer of catchy pop songs, was inspired by the classic surfer movie, The Endless Summer. He wrote it on his acoustic guitar with a mind to sharing it with Eclectic Collective. He first shared it with Ken, who promptly provided driving drums and invited the rest of us to play on it, too. Josh hopped on first, adding his bass and completing the rhythm section.
  About this time, Tez got involved, laying down the Ventures-esque melodic electric guitar you hear throughout. Right after Tez did his thing, Stephen came along soon after and completed the lead part with his fuzzy, adventurous guitar. 
  At this point, it still felt very stringy, so Josh decided to lay down the organ part you hear in there, too. Once it was cooked, we tapped Stephen to do his expert brand of production, mix, and mastering to get it ready to serve. 
  This is the second time Ken and Josh have collaborated with Sean, the first being almost two years ago on a song called Diamond Marigold. When Sean approached Ken with a second song, not only Ken was thrilled, but Josh and the rest of the gang were, too. Sean has a lot of great, catchy, accessible music on his page that is all worth putting in your ears.
  We dedicate this song to Artur of Surfers Like Us. Although he didn't play on this one, he spirit lives inside of all of our music, especially the surfer kind. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Favorite Pair of Sandals (Eclectic Collective with Sean Smith /|||||| Orange Paperbacks)

Cast of characters:
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Taylor T5z acoustic guitar, Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, Gibson Earle Scruggs banjo, Eastwood MandoCaster mix, mastering, production, and composition
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- organ
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums 
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Fender Precision four string bass, played with a plectrum 
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – harmonica, jaw harp, timpany, hambone percussion, and production editing     
This song began with Stephen, who recorded it on his acoustic guitar and bass to a programmed drum track a few months ago. We were all thrilled to work on it, even though it sat in BandLab as a project for almost a month before Stephen separated the tracks, thus allowing us to trickle in our parts. JJ was first to jump on it, because he could before the tracks were separated, as his part is completely his idea. He added the organ that really set up the entire sound of both dominant sections of the song. 
  Ken was first up to the project once the tracks were replaceable, making the wild, driving beat his own. Inspired by both JPJ and Michael Ivins, Josh laid down his bass line, trying to match Ken's energy. Last, but not least, Mark jumped in with the rumbling timpani. He also added the flavorful harmonica, and unique jaw harp you hear throughout, as well. 
  At that point, Stephen also got the idea to add the hambone percussion at the very end of the song, which we all consider a treat, and after showing us how it's done, Mark volunteered his percussion skills to give it a go. Stephen wasn't done with it, though, and still had some magic to sprinkle. He went in and added the howling electric guitar you hear prominently in the second main section. Also, he added the tempting intro with his acoustic guitar and electric mandolin that looks like a Telecaster guitar. 
  Once it was in the bag, we thought it appropriate for our master mixer Stephen to put it to bed, which he did in his always expert manner. Mark did help with the production, though, as he's very good with editing and spotting mistakes that need to be corrected.
  This is a gift from Stephen to all of us, and you, too. It took a lot of teamwork to make the dream work, as always for Eclectic Collective. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Country Ham (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of characters:
Jonathan Beckenstein — @jonathan_beckenstein — acoustic guitar, composition
Cgmaness – @user-419254289-15129531 – Chris – bass, vocals, and lyrics
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, percussion, and vocal harmonies
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Roland FP-10 piano and Collings mandolin
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson custom T slide guitar, production, mix, and mastering
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – harmonica, edited fiddle samples, and jaw harp
This song began when Jonathan wrote it on his acoustic guitar several months ago with the intention of developing it into a larger song. When Josh approached him about doing a collaboration, Jonathan thought this one would fit the bill. I should say at this point how much we all admire Jonathan and enjoy his music. On the unlikely chance you aren't already familiar with his music, I suggest you go hop on his page and check it out. 
  All that to explain the level of excitement that ran through Eclectic Collective when Josh shared the project with the group. Chris was first to jump on it, coming up with his intricate bass line even before Ken added his moving drums, although they went back and forth a couple of times to create the rhythm section. Josh jumped on right after that part was complete, adding his mandolin and piano to the mix. Steven was next up, adding his howling slide throughout. Last, but certainly not least, Mark came up with the driving harmonica and twangy jaw harp, and the raspy fiddle, adding them all to complete the instruments. 
  At this point, we had a pretty good instrumental song on our hands. However, Chris decided to give it the extra kick by adding the vocals, the lyrics for which he wrote himself. Our multitalented drummer, Ken, added the vocal harmonies shortly after, too.
  Now that it was in the bag, we needed some production for it. So, we turned to Stephen, who mixed and mastered it in his alwasy expert fashion. 
  This song is a real treat for everyone in the band, as I mentioned earlie. We are all very grateful to Jonathan for sharing this song with us, and had a wonderful time helping bring it to life. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by cgmaness:
 Come on now let's break a leg,
We've got it made in the shade.
One more day, go out and play.
I guarantee we've got it made.
Oh, we've got it made.
Happy to be with my friends today.
Fill up your drink whatever it may take.
I guarantee we've got it made.
~Gibberish~
Don't need a reason,
Or wait for the seasons to change.
That's what I claim.
Go out on this limb with me,
And realize, we've got it made.
We got it made in the shade.
Can't you see we got it made?
Oh, we've got it made.
Happy to be with my friends today.
Fill up your drink whatever it may take.
Can you believe that we've got it made?
Come on now let's shake a leg.
We've got it made in the shade.
Don't need a reason,
Or wait for the seasons to change.
That's what I claim.
Go out on this limb with me,
And realize, we've got it made.

Weve Got It Made (Eclectic Collective with Jonathan Beckenstein)

Cast of characters:

K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–piano, drums, and composition
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, mix, mastering, and production
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four string bass, mandolin, and synth
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitar
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – VST flute and symphonic VST horns, bells, 'wind' vocalization

This song began on the last day of the cold January of this year, when Ken sat down at his piano and recorded an improvisational jam. This is the first song Eclectic Collective has done where Ken started it with a piano, so we were all very excited to work on it.
  Josh was the first one to add a part, adding his fretless bass guitar, and going back and forth with Ken, while he added the drums to match the groove up right. Josh also added the mandolin after the guitars were laid down, as well as the descending synth blasts you hear throughout. Before all that, though, Stephen recorded the first half of the thrilling guitar you hear in there. After Stephen had his part down, Tez came along and finished the guitar work in the second half. Last, but certainly not least, Mark added the amazing symphonic elements, specifically the horns and flute melody. He also added the cold January wind sound, created using his breath and some tinkling bells.
  Once it was all wrapped up, we asked Stephen to put a bow on it with his expert production, which he came through with, as always.
  As mentioned, this is an extraordinary offering from EC, staring Ken not only on drums, but on the keys, as well. It felt like we were jamming all together in the same room, and hope it comes across that way. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Check out the original piano track of Ken playing solo, where this song evolved from:
K2-kara – January-epiphany-solo-piano

January  Epiphany (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of characters:
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, mix, production, and composition
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – synthesizer, claps, shakers, vocals, and lyrics
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul electric guitar
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums, percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Fender Precision four string bass
This song started as a guitar composition Tez came up with while on holiday recently. He wrote it with Eclectic Collective in mind, inspired by ZZ Top, and shared it with the rest of us as soon as he was able to return home and record it.
Stephen was first to the trough with this one, adding his thrilling guitar fills and solo. Being from Texas, too, he's no stranger to Biily Gibbons. Mark came next with some synth, and later added some claps and shaker. Ken put his rocking drums in after Mark, laying the groundwork for the groove. Josh completed the rhythm section with his bass soon after, though. Mark decided early on that he was going to add some vocals to this, and Stephen had to adjust his part to suit them. We're all really happy with not only Mark's lyrics, but especially his vocal performance, as well. Eclectic Collective now has a go to member of the band who know's what he's doing with his voice.
Once it was in the can, Tez decided to mix it, as it was his song to begin with. He did his always expert job with the task, too.
This is an example of Eclectic Collective getting down and dirty for a rocker that has the flavor of all of us firing on all cylinders. Special attention to both Tez and Mark for their inspiring generosity and hard work in conceptualizing this one, too. We all hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by mistermark:

I got the top down, driving around
Burnin’ down the road, no prisoners
Everybody knows that I’m on the run
I’m gettin’ outta here do or die
Black Jack paddy whack listen to me
ain’t giving no dog no bone
What’s mine is mine and what’s thine is thine
But if you want me just pick up the phone
If you need my number I’m # 1
Mama raised me alone ‘cause I’m a son of a gun
Now I’m paying my dues but I’m almost done
So if you want a piece of me
Come and get me
Come and get me
Well, hey baby baby now what you say
You hitch a ride with me I’ll take you all the way
she said hey there baby just step on the gas
I got places to go I wanna get there fast
Well somewhere at around mile 103
I heard a rattling sound I had to check and see
We stopped right there on the side of the road
Then what happened next it made my mind explode
The girl started laughing as she locked the door
She put the pedal to the metal couldn’t push it no more
Way off in the distance half a mile away
My baby called out to me as I heard her say…
Come and get me
Come and get me
My feet got draggin’ in the desert sand
But as she waved goodbye something fell from her hand
I picked up the paper it was plain to see
My baby wrote down her number and she left it for me
I been ‘buked & scorned I been thrown some shade
I wanted revenge cause I gotsta get paid
I called her up but I just got the machine
And wattaya think that the message said…

Come and get me

Come and Get Me (Eclectic Collective)

Cast of Characters:
Joe Stroffolino-- @joseph-stroffolino -- Taylor 114ce acoustic guitar, main vocals, harmony vocals, lyrics, composition
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums and percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- four string Fender Precision Bass, and Roland organ
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, mix, mastering, and production

  
This song began when Joe, feeling a bit nostalgic, wrote the lyrics and composed it on his acoustic guitar. He recorded it and sang it with expert harmonies, then decided to share it with Eclectic Collective. We were all very excited to get work on our second song with Joe, as we all admire his songwriting.
  First up was Tez this time, oddly enough. He was able to identify all the fill spots and light up the solo without the rest of us even adding anything yet. Next came Ken, who usually goes first, adding his steady grooving drums and tasty percussion. Once the drums were down, Josh completed the rhythm section by adding his fretted bass. He also worked out an organ part to give the whole sound a bit of thickness. Also adding some thickness and texture, Stephen added a clean electric rhythm part, as well. 
  Once we had it in can we asked Stephen to mix and produce it for us, which he did in his always expert fashion. 
  This, as mentioned, is Eclectic Collective's second song with Joe, and we all enjoyed bringing it to life with him. He's a wonderful collaborator and an all around good dude. Do yourself a favor and go check out his page, which is rich in great songs. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed making it.

Original lyrics by Joe Stroffolino:

If you find yourself in trouble and you think you've lost your way. 
Here's hoping that you find a path to a better day.
I sure hope that you're happy.  I'm wishing you the best.
I hope you find what you're looking for as you continue on your quest.
I hope you find all the answers to all those questions vexing you.
I hope you can find a way not to bite off more than you can chew.
I sure hope that you're happy.  I'm wishing you the best.
I hope you find what you're looking for as you continue on your quest.
You spread your wings and you flew so far away from me.
I hope that you're enjoying your new reality
All those places that you said that you wanted to see.
I hope they're as good as you expected them to be.
I want you to know that you hold a special place in my heart.
I think about you often even though we are apart.
They say that when you love somebody sometimes you gotta be willing to let them go.
You gotta let them spread their wings and fly wherever the wind decides to blow. 
I sure hope that you're happy.  I'm wishing you the best.
I hope you find what you're looking for as you continue on your quest.
I hope that you're happy. I hope that you're doing well.  I sure hope that you're doing swell.You spread your wings and you flew so far away from me.
I hope that you're enjoying your new reality

Hope That You Are Happy (Eclectic Collective with Joe Stroffolino)

Cast of characters:
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — VST orchestration, vocals, lyrics, and compostion
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums, percussion
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four-string bass, Fender Precion four-string fretted bass, and Roland Phantom synthesizer
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson Custom T model electric guitar
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – VST string arrangement
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitrar, mix, and production

 This song began as a musical letter written, composed, and sung by Carl to Eclectic Collective. Carl and Josh had been sniffing around each other's pages, admiring each other's work and collaborators. So Carl reached out with this friendly, uplifting song, as a gift to the band. 
  Ken was first in line, adding his awesome, driving drums to give us a heartbeat to build upon. Josh came along next and completed the rhythm section with his trusty four-string fretless bass. Stephen was next up to bat, adding his dynamic raspy guitar, which almost sounds like an electrified fiddle. Next up, Mark added the tasteful VST strings arrangement in the second half of Carl's original composition.  
  We had it pretty much done sounding, but wanted to spice it up a bit, so we came up with the idea for a coda. Josh added his bass and synth for it, and Tez came up with the thrilling guitar part of it, as well. Tez also added the thrilling guitar intro, too. 
  Once it was in the can, we asked Tez to mix and produce it for us, which he did in his always expert fashion.
  This is the first song EC has done with Carl, but we know it won't be the last. We all admire him for his creativity, proficiency, and prolificacy. His page is worth a stroll, too, as it contains a lot of gems.
  We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark: 

Hey Collective Seeds,

Let's work things out across that water
There's a cable under sea,
We can send all sorts of...
Music/Words/Sounds - It's insane!
Look Lads,
That's life in the fastlane!

So it's ones and zeros
Mine and yours and theres
We are all heroes...

Watching the fire,
From a distance we're warm
But not from their mire,
From this musical charm.
It's a bonfire,
An inferno.
Earth got plenty to turn off...

So we can sing to love
And we can play for more dove.
Let's combine our powers. Collective!
A Paddy/Yankee toasted sandwich

Tex festival streak
Psyched for more free
K2 to peak
Mistermark chimes ' found life fought
Give, You Entheogenic Psychonaught
Collective lands
Psyched for more free

Dear Collective (Eclectic Collective with The Beautiful Dark)

Cast of Characters:
Steve's Planet -- @steve-vervaet — Steve -- acoustic guitar, vocals, lyrics, and composition
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara -–Ken–drums
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Stratocaster electric guitar
Mistrermark -- @user-432503709 — Mark — organ 
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)–@josh-clary-1 –- four string fretless Warwick bass and Roland electric piano and organ
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– mix, mastering, and production
  
This song began with Steve, who wrote it on his guitar and sang it, before sharing it with Eclectic Collective about half a year ago, back in the fall. Always grateful to Steve for sharing his amazing music with us, we kept it alive even though it had stalled out on us for whatever reason. 
  We had a decent skeleton from our original go at it, but decided to scrap it, and start fresh. Ken, being the one who actually revived it, added his solid drums first, providing for a groovy foundation. Tez came next, surprisingly, adding his hooky guitar fills throughout. Mark hopped on shortly after, adding the organ you hear coming in around the 2:00 mark. Josh took his turn after that, even though it was only a couple of days between, by adding his fretless bass to complete the rhythm section. He also, in the same recording session, added the electric piano you hear throughout, as well as the organ in the first half. 
  Once it was in the can, we asked Stephen to mix it for us, in his always professional manner. 
  We all love working on Steve's songs, and admire him as a musician, singer, and songwriter. This makes almost a half dozen songs on which the EC has collaborated with Steve, and we're sure to add many more. We hope you enjoy listening to this song as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by Steve's Planet

Please Come Home (Eclectic Collective with Steve's Planet)

Cast of characters:
K2 and the Three [and the Four] -- @k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, acoustic guitar, song and vocal melody composition
Joseph Shenton -- @joseph-shenton -- lyrics
Gaz Brownie — @user-755327533 — Gaz — vocals, vocal harmonies, and lyrics
one man verity show – @one-man-verity-show – Scotty – electric guitar intro
TexMex Shaman–@texmex-shaman –Stephen– Les Paul Custom electric guitar, mix, production, and mastering
Llanpsych–@llanpsych –Tez– Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar
Tea R. Sea @tea_are_sea -- Terry – low synthesizer
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 – Fender Precision bass and high synthesizer


This song began a few months ago as an idea Ken had to make the quintessential Gen X song. He structured the chords, beat to appeal to anyone of a certain age group, of which most of the folks in the band are a part. He even played wrote it on his acoustic guitar and came up with the vocal melody, which Gaz put a shine on for the final version. Once he had the form of the song down, he tapped the incredibly talented Joseph Shenton to write the lyrics. Gaz not only superbly sung four part harmonies for this, but the came up with the lyrics for the break parts, too. 
  When he first envisioned it, Ken thought it would be fun to invite as many musicians as we could onto it. However, for whatever reason, it stalled out and sat untouched for a couple months, with just Stephen's foundational guitar, Scotty's thrilling guitar intro, Terry's lush, low end synth, and Josh's bass to hold it down. Then, Ken had the great idea to invite Gaz to sing it for us. His awesome vocal track inspired us to heat up the kiln again, and put some real effort into bringing it to life. On that note, Josh redid his bass part to match Ken's rocking drums, as well as added the high, melodic synth you hear throughout. Tez came in last with the fiery guitar fills and solo, which you can hear throughout, as well. 
  Once it was all in the bag, we tapped Stephen to produce and mix it, which he did in his always pro manner. 
  This is the first collab Eclectic Collective has done with Gaz, but we all hope it won't be the last. He is one of the finest singers on the Cloud, and we're honored that he would sprinkle his magic on this song with us. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by Joseph Stenton:
Where were you on those days gone by
Were you out by the tracks where the lone train whistle cries
Or kicking up rocks on those dusty roads of dirt
Or skating on streets paved with gold
Or wrestling upon the grass beneath endless sky

On days gone bye
On days gone by
To be back there again
For all its lows and for all its highs 

Where were you on those days gone by
Were you tugging at the stars too
In an attempt to release their light
Bonded by hours
To a brotherhood we believed would never die

On days gone bye
On days gone by
To be back there again
For all its lows and for all its highs 

Where were you on those days gone by
From within this dull petrification of time
Comes a crystalline memory
Of those long lost moments, now born free 
Of come what might, come what might be

On days gone bye
On days gone by
To be back there again
For all its lows and for all its highs 

Where were you on those days gone by
With a tape in the walkman
Playing the soundtrack of passing time
To these moments of our lives
That once burned bright but never died

On days gone bye
On days gone by
To be back there again
For all its lows and for all its highs

Generation X (Eclectic Collective with Gaz Brownie, One Man Verity Show, and Joseph Shenton)

"Magic is what we do. Music is how we do it." -- Jerry Garcia

Welcome to my page, my peers, associates, friends, and musical family. I'm a lifelong, multi-instrumentalist musician who records prolifically and joyfully. You'll hear me play guitar, bass (regular four string, and four and five string fretless), mandolin, banjo, keys (piano, organ, synth), lap slide, sitar, and sing on my recordings here. I've been in a few dozen bands in my life, playing everything from bluegrass, jazz, rock, jam band, reggae, funk, afrobeat, Middle Eastern, traditional Irish, singer/songwriter, pop/covers, to experimental/avant garde. 
  Since I found SoundCloud a couple years ago, I've found many talented, creative people with whom to create music. However, in the summer of '23 I formed a band called The Eclectic Collective with some of my favorite musicians I've met through here. It started as a loose collective of musicians and coalesced into a core group of musicians who find other musicians with whom we'd like to make music, then run their songs through our process, and in effect add a full band. That core of The Eclectic Collective includes Tez (Llanpsych), J.J. Terrel, Ken (K2 and the Three), Stephen (Texmex Shaman), Chris (cgmaness), and Mark (mistermark). A couple of other musicians are frequent collaborators, as well, including Artur of Surfers Like Us, and Steve Vervaet of Steve's World. 
  The magic of music is amplified exponentially by each person adding to it. So, we really try to add our sorcery all kinds of music from all kinds of artists. Sometimes, we keep it within the group, but a lot of what we do is collaboration with other artists. Therefore these days, 100% of what I do is collaboration, within the group or with other artists on the side.
  I, and we, are also available for hire if you have a song or lyrics and you really want to add bigger instrumentation or a band and good production to it. 
  A small sampling of the artists whom I consider primary influences, and whom you will hear coming through my fingers include Phish, The Flaming Lips, The Grateful Dead, Radiohead, Rye Cooder, Steve Earle, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, Arcade Fire, Mikey Dread, Yellowman, Purpleman, The Meditations, Michigan and Smiley, Lee Perry, Dillinger, Django Reinhardt, Impossible Recording Machine, The Allman Bros Band, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Bela Fleck, Les Claypool, Sam Bush, David Grissman, John Prine, Talking Heads, Beastie Boys, MMW, Moe., Morphine, Ween, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, John Scofield, Victor Wooten,  Cannonball Adderly, Thelonious Monk, Flea, Parliament Funkadelic,  Frank Zappa, Prince Paul, Pete Rock, Thievery Corporation, Amon Tobin, Chet Baker, Joao Gilberto, Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto, Carol Kaye, Tame Impala, Mumford and Sons, Japanese Breakfast, LCD Soundsystem, Beach House, Sean Lennon, and Billy Strings, but of course there are many more. I also really like and am influenced by traditional Iranian, Palestinian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Sudanese, Mauritian, Somalian, Egyptian, West African, and Syrian music. I welcome anyone who plays non-western music to contact me for a collaboration, too.
 I'm overjoyed to have found my community on SoundCloud. This is a truly unique forum where everyone is sincerely trying to build each other up. The profoundly supportive and positive SoundCloud community has really opened up an exciting new world of collaboration for me. That is the main reason I'm in the Cloud, actually, to connect with other musicians and make music that I enjoy listening to, and hopefully others do, as well. I am ALWAYS looking to collaborate with interesting musicians, mostly though BandLab, which is where I record almost exclusively. It's a solid, free digital audio workstation hub where you can share recording projects, even if it's not where you make your recordings.
  Everything I do is live instrumental, not programmed, and using no computer beyond my phone. That's not to say that I would be opposed to using that kind of tool, it's just not my preferred medium with which to paint. If you like my music, please share it. If you want to collaborate, my BandLab handle is @bingo_pajama. Feel free to contact me at cornbreadband@hotmail.com, as well, even if you aren't on BandLab.
  If your music is primarily AI, please don't come around my page, as I'm not at all interested in complimenting a machine.
  Here's a link to music I've recorded live with a group of musicians here in Pittsburgh called The Northumberland Street Ramblers.
Check out The Northumberland Street Ramblers on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/fU4Me

Popular tracks by Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)