Spending summer by the lake in the forest


Forest Lakeside

My Endorphins Are Smilin' How 'Bout You? (A Love Song-sorta!)

Cast of characters:

Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Telecaster electric guitar, mix, production, and composition

Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – synthesizer, vocals, and lyrics

K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums

Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four string bass

TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson cutom T electric guitar, sometimes with an ebow

J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – synth


This song began as an idea Tez came up with on his guitar while on holiday not far from his home in Wales. It had such a solid form, it inspired Mark to write lyrics and come up with vocal melodies within a few days of hearing it for the first time. The two of them have written several songs like this, making them a solid songwriting source for Eclectic Collective.

Once the song had a even more solid form, Ken took added his dynamic, bouncy-groove drums to it. As soon as Ken had the drums down, Josh took his turn, adding the fretless bass and solidifying the groove. Now that the basic framework was done, Stephen added his thrilling electric guitar. Last, but certainly not least, JJ added his really cool psych synth part in the two bridges. Mark also added some awesome backing synth to it, as well, filling out the sound. At the very end of the process, Tez also dropped in the hot intro and outro solos, as well.

Once we had it all in the can, it was time to turn it over to Tez for his expert production and mix. He came up with the idea of adding reverb to the drums, as well as some other compression tricks, which he employed with subtle style.

This, as mentioned, is a great example of what Eclectic Collective can do in house with the composition and songwriting skills of Tez and Mark. The rest of us really had fun working on this one, too, of course. We hope you enjoy listenig to this as much as we enjoyed making it.


Original lyrics by mistermark:


There’s something I’m seeking that I’ve never found

but the seed that you planted went deep in the ground

there’s a journey that I’m on and the path is uncertain

the magic fades when you pull back the curtain


Wherever you go I will follow

there’s always another tomorrow


There will never come a time when I do you harm

cause my soul is steady when I’m in your arms

and never have I heard music like your Voice

when you call me to you I have no choice


Wherever you go I will follow

there’s always another tomorrow


Like a puzzle on the table all the pieces fit

like I’m standing in the dark and a match is lit

and what it all means man I just don’t know

but it’s a powerful feeling and it’s starting to grow


Wherever you go I will follow

there’s always another tomorrow

Wherever U Go (Eclectic Collective)

Arm-in-ARM, America moves on!  
www.americanrosiemovement.org  
Additionnal Vocals Barbara Browning

ROSIE THE RIVETER ROSIE THE RIVETER
RIVETING INSPECTING WELDING CONNECTING GETTING ALONG AND PULLING TOGETHER
ROSIES THE RIVETERS ROSIES THE RIVETERS ASSEMBLING PERFECTING ERECTING PROTECTING NEVER ALONE COS PULLING TOGETHER
JUNE ROBBINS ROSE SHELENGIAN GLADYS REESE BUDDIE CURNUTTE DOT FOSTER PAULINE ADKINS I COULD NAME THEM ALL
BUT THEY ALL ARE ONE
BERTHA GLAVIN NEVA REES KRISTINE VROOMAN MARY ANN DIAMOND THE GOODYEAR AIRCRAFT SQUADRON
I COULDN’T NAME THEM ALL
COS THEY ALL ARE ONE
ROSIE THE RIVETER ROSIE THE RIVETER PROTECTING COMBINING UNITING PRODUCING GETTING ALONG AND PULLING TOGETHER BELIEVING
RIVETING RIVETING
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISPANIC WHITE AND ASIAN PULLING TOGETHER THREE SHIFT ROTATION
ALL AROUND THE CLOCK COOPERATION
OH ARM IN ARM FREEDOM IS THE KEY
GETTING ALONG NEVER ALONE
ALL AROUND THE CLOCK WHATEVER THE LOCK FREEDOM IS THE KEY
ROSIE THE RIVETER ROSIE THE RIVETER RIVETING INSPECTING WELDING CONNECTING GETTING ALONG AND PULLING TOGETHER ROSIES THE RIVETERS ROSIES THE RIVETERS PULLING TOGETHER
GETTING ALONG AND PULLING TOGETHER
RIVETING INSPECTING WELDING CONNECTING ASSEMBLING PERFECTING ERECTING PROTECTING COMBINING UNITING PRODUCING
BELIEVING
COS IF YOU CAN USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER
YOU SURE CAN OPERATE A DRILL
DOING THE BEST QUALITY WORK
ARM IN ARM THE AMERICAN ROSIE MOVEMENT
FREEDOM TAKES WORK TO GET AND KEEP
RIVETING RIVETING RIVETING RIVETING
SHARING THE CHORES OF COOKING CLEANING AND BABY-SITTING DOING THE BEST
SQUARE DANCE ON THE SATURDAY NIGHTS IT WAS DIFFERENT TIMES
BELIEVING
WHATEVER THE LOCK FREEDOM IS THE KEY BELIEVING
RIVETING RIVETING RIVETING RIVETING

ROSIE THE RIVETER (Lyrics) + B.Browning. Song for the Rosie Team

“Stroll-N-Keys”  by Luke

As promised here’s the sequel to “180 Bars of Solitude”
my favourite sequel, it’s very detailed with lots of depth…
I will reply to all the comments after I return from my family emergency… 

Keys & Piano & Synthesizer & Guitar & Drums  by Luke
Created & Composed & Produced by Luke
Music & Track & Album Photos by Luke
Photography by Luke
I use Open A.i for Album art pictures 

                           Beats by Luke©️
                         S c h ü ß m a n n©️

“Stroll -N- Keys”  by Luke

Cast of characters:
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — Ovation guitar, lead vocals, lyrics, and compostion
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four-string bass
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –- VST timbale, production editing
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen — Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, production, mix, and mastering
J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – electric piano and synth
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Telecaster HSS electric guitrar
This song began as Carl's tribute poem to our drummer, Ken. Carl came up with the chord progression and started a project, to which he invited the rest of us. This is the third song Eclectic Collective has done that is a tribute by Carl to one of our members.  We couldn't feel more honored than to be the subjects of his wild and boundless creativity.
  Fittingly, Ken was first in line to add his magnificent drums. Once we had drums, Josh had something to work with to add his bass, which he did shortly after the drums were up. Mark paid the project a visit next, helping out with a bit of production editing, and dropping in a mad percussion solo using his VST timbale drums.
 Stephen jumped in soon after, adding the melodic electric guitar riffs that appear throughout. Not to be outdone, JJ added some sonically thickening electric piano, as well as the throwback psychedelic synth that pops up towards the end. Finally, Tez came along and added the electrifying solo that appears about a third of the way in, as well as the one at the end. 
  Once the recording was finished, we turned it over to Stephen to mix in his always professional manner. 
  This song is all about our very talented teammate and brother, Ken, and it is well deserved, too. As mentioned, this is the third song from Carl about one of us. It's hard to describe the feeling of having someone who you respect take the time and energy to think about you in such a positive way as to produce a song about you. Then to have all your buddies join in to amplify it to a solid song is just mind-blowing. We are all very grateful to Carl for not only sharing his music with us, but for his thoughtful consideration of each of us as subjects. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by The Perfect Dark:
Karakoram human
You decorate good future
As many lose their Gods
You stand tall as suture

Rhythmic mountain maestro
Each day, graft, working hard
So kids can eat
Bruised back sees very best of yard

Still, beats get born of evenings
Deep love finds joules to jam
May generation X soothe meaning
Let's teach the younger pussies what we can

To Ken, from pen, to page, to Music
To friends, Now is when, Good sage soup soothes us
Honest and brave, To Jesus he save
Kudos our maestro of percussive wave

Karakoram human
You decorate good future
As many lose their Gods
You stand tall as suture
Sticks in hand
Cymbals a floating
Snare and bass backbone gland
Tom'ed Ringo Star man keep quoting
Keep life steady paced by hand

To Ken, from pen, to page, to Music
To friends, Now is when, Good sage soup soothes us
Honest and brave, To Jesus he save
Kudos our maestro of percussive wave

Rhythmic Mountain (Eclectic Collective with The Beautiful Dark)

I have been hearing so much AI music lately on SoundCloud and these  thoughts have been percolating with me for a while and finally they coalesced into a song. (created without the use of AI).
***
Vocals & Back Up Vocals: Joe Stroffolino
Guitar Strumming Track:  Joe Stroffolino Taylor 114CE
Drums: EZ Drummer 3
Bass: PG Music Real track
Piano:  EZ Keys2 
Synth Bass: Logic Pro 
***
You got tired of struggling so hard to write a great original song
And then this amazing newfangled technology came along
Now you’re using AI to create music, and it’s a much easier process
And you’re convinced you found the ticket to achieving great success.
You tell yourself you’re a great artist because prompting takes a lot of skill
But deep down you know the AI did most of the work and you swallow the bitter pill
People complement you on your guitar playing and they tell you your voice sounds great
It makes you feel so good but you don’t ever set them straight
Those classic rockers used to write 10 or 12 good songs every couple of years
Now you’re posting two or three songs a day and hoping for a bunch of cheers
You’re rolling the musical dice, hoping you’ll come up with a catchy viral hit 
But there’s so much music flooding the internet that no one gives a shit
You tell yourself you’re a great artist because prompting takes a lot of skill
But deep down you know the AI did most of the work and you swallow the bitter pill
People complement you on your guitar playing and they tell you your voice sounds great, it makes you feel so good but you don’t ever set them straight
Some people believe we’re living in simulation and none of this is real
We’re just digital creations in a computer with the ability to feel
But even if that’s not the case, we’re quickly, heading to a place where no one’s going to be able to tell the difference.
You used strum your guitar, trying to capture lightning in a bottle and the songs that emerged came from you.
And now the songs you write with AI, what they’re saying, you don’t have a clue.
Music used to feel therapeutic, it was a window on your soul that you could share.
But now something feels missing because your songs no longer lay your heart bare.

Prompting Takes A Lot Of Skill

Cast of characters:
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four-string bass, composition
J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – organ and synth
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken — drums and percussion
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –- clavinet, VST saxophone solo, VST horns, effects, production editing
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen — Tom Anderson Custom T electric guitar, production, mix, and mastering
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Telecaster HHS electric guitrar
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — vocals and lyrics

This song began back at the beginning of the summer, when Josh was messing around on his electric piano and found a structure to which to add his bass. As soon as he opened the project to the rest of Eclectic Collective, JJ jumped right in, adding his thrilling organ and ethereal background synth. Thus, Josh dropped his original e. piano part in favor of JJ's new parts. Ken was next up, adding the drums in reverse order from how he and Josh usually do it. Ken is very skilled at being able to add drums to a pre-existing bass line, which he displays in here. He also added the clever auxilary percussion you hear throughout. Mark was next to the trough, adding his funky clavinet, as well as his sax solo you hear lighting it up in there. He also added some well composed horns toward the end, not to be confused with JJ's synth. 
  Then it was time for the guitarists to do their thing. Stephen added the strong, melodic solos in the first two breaks with his guitar and wah pedal. After Tez added his thrilling solos at the end, Stephen went back in and added the funky rhythm guitar part. Tez also added the funky guitar riffs throughout the verses.
  All that was left was to get Carl in on the action, as he is the newest core member of Eclectic Collective. He wrote a poem and sung it in his signature, wild style for us.
  This is Eclectic Collective at its almost full strength, pulling six musicians from two different continents and four different countries together to create a song. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
   On a side note, this will be Eclectic Collective's last song for two weeks. As most of you know, we release a song every Thursday at midnight. Due to vacation and travel at the end of summer, we'll be skipping  next Friday, the 15th, but should be returning the following Friday, the 22nd. We may also put something out this coming Tuesday, the 12th, so please stay tuned. Can't thank enough those of you who tune in regularly and support us every week. 
Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark:
Hey Human
It's official
The get down on fire funk
Future sizzle
All members agree
Gotta collect that love
Then give it back and well, we see
Fuel for that musical party

Initition ceremony
Transcontinental spanking machine
Uh oh it's a musical tri sexual
Try anything that melody mentioning
Do it for the song
We gonna right some wrong
Rolling rhythm unkown
The human touch
The get down

The get down
Friends don't frown
We got each-other man
Music
Keep that campfire warm
Ooo Ooo
The get down
Friends don't frown
We got eachother man
Music
Keep that campfire warm
Ooo Ooo

Aw man, I'm feeling back tingle
Lads, go tell Fiona Apple I'm single
Llanspych, nudge PJ Harvey
Jamming that genius soul new wave!

The get down
Friends don't frown
We got each-other man
Music
Keep that campfire warm
Ooo Ooo
The get down
Friends don't frown
We got eachother man
Music
Keep that campfire warm
Ooo Ooo

Thrust that rush
Sine waved funk
Flying musical J's
Aw man it's Mike like dunk
Thrust that rush
Sine waved funk
To musical 24
You get a song
Drained 81 now on this floor

The get down
Friends don't frown
We got each-other man
Music, keep that campfire warm
The get down
Love legends loud
Rest in peace good Kobe one
This one's for you
Good G.O.A.T of stun!

The Get Down (Eclectic Collective)

This is a remix of a song I did with Jeff Roberts and Rekha-Iyern [Fe] a few years ago.  I'd always felt it could've used a better mix since I didn't know jack shit back then about mixing.

Was lucky enough the first time around to have the great Jeff Roberts on bass and this second time, my EZDrummer 2 hacking was replaced by the mighty K2 and the Three- Ken Karasek on the drums. So thanks again to both those guys.


Bass, synth, a little rhythm guitar and all the groove you can handle - Jeff Roberts
Vocals, Lyrics - Rekha-Iyern [Fe] )
Lead and rhythm guitar, talk box , synth, music composition, mix, production - TexMex Shaman
Drums - K2 and the Three - Ken


Lyrics - REKHA-IYERN [Fe]
Give it Up '25

Oo Yeah
Ahn Yeah
Hey Hey
Hey Hey

Give it up Baby
Don't ya say maybe
Cuz' you know
It makes me
Totally crazy
And

You want
To give me
All of your love
You know it's true
You do me so
You do me so good
Baby I need
Your love

Give it up, Baby
Never say maybe
Cuz' you know it
Makes me feel
Totally, crazy good-good
Oh, Yeah-Yeah

You know you want to
Give me, your love, love, love
It always, makes me feel
So good, good, good
You touch my woman

Oh, Eh
Hey, Hey
Hey-Hey
Hahn, Oh
Ho, Ho, Oh

Babe, I need
Your good love
Your man-man in my
Woman-hood
Oo-Oo-Yeah

Give it Up '25

CROSSROAD.

======================


November 2024.

This is a more electronic composition with a small piano touch at the end.

I try to capture in music the decisions we must constantly make in life to follow our path. I've made some wrong decisions in my life... who hasn't? But at least I can say that I made them on my own and they weren't induced, even the wrong ones. That allows me to overcome, for the time being, any regret or frustration they may cause. I believe most are irreversible because they can cause unforeseen damage, even to other people, if you backtrack and choose another path.

Happy summer, everyone.



Cover art by Vilkasss (Pixabay)

Hardware. iPad 
DAW Music Studio 2
Mix…. Yes…yes… my car 🚘

24 Tracks MS2 and Old Forum Xewton
1 Track XPad
2 Tracks flowtones
2 Tracks Sunrizer
1 Track FM player


Next….First eclipse on mars.

Crossroad

Photo from left to right: JJ, Josh, and Ken
Cast of characters:
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — Ovation guitar, lead vocals, lyrics, and compostion
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –- VST Chinese gong and VST cello
J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – light VST Latin percussion, synth, and piano
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four-string bass, chant vocals at the end 
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen — ebow, production, mix, and mastering

 This song is the fourth Carl has written and composed with a member of Eclectic Collective in mind. This time JJ is being honored, and we all agree that he deserves it, too. Carl is a wonderful singer, songwriter, composer, and musician, and we're all grateful that he's joined our collective. 
  Here's what Carl had to say about it. "The music for this was a personal song written to myself which I never really released as I was trying to say goodbye to my own ego in the song. From that point of view I have always seen the piece as a great bit of personal therapy for me. None of the original lyrics survived and JJ gets painted by the new words .. But I thought it would be nice to reuse the composition for this. There was no big reason for it only when I decided to start a 60bpm song for JJ on piano .. I started playing Goodbye Ego and the rest is history..."
  We tackled this song like we would any other, though. Mark was first up on this, adding his VST magic in the form of a Chinese gong, as well as the cello you hear throughout. The subject of our adulation came next, with JJ adding not only his hot, yet minimal Latin percussion and essential piano, but moody synth, as well. Ken added his spicy drums after that, and once they were down, Josh jumped in with his four string fretless bass to complete the rhythm section. Josh also added the vocal chant at the end.
  All that was left was for Stephen to mix it all down for us, which he did in his always pro manner. But before he did, he also added some subtle, yet stirring ebow on his guitar. 
  As stated above, this is a continuation of our songs about us. Hope no one thinks it's arrogant. When Carl presents us with these little treasures, it's hard not to run with them, though. Always a ton of fun to make music together. We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark:

Praying hands
Whatever cause
Once our greater good not lost
Bored children create their fun
We shelve French horn for this fine one
"Nice one lads" We read it all!
Vacation taken
To JJ calls
Neighbour to good Mickey Moore
Find Michigan piano pure

JJ calls
Just for us
Love lit up
Just for us

Down the road city of cars
To Howell front deck
Dad and Guitars
We jam that love then tell the world
Love and service human highway knurled
Good bi-product of happiness sought
With Croatian fun to cloud we court

Terrell Terminator in Jungle
Predator for good
Keys like Mr Bungle
Faith in more like we could
He Thanks you
It's lifestyle
Built from a porch
Good collective friend
Keep lighting that torch

Some moments sealed, marked and moulded
Pure intention
Dark blindfolded
Howl from human to Howell good soul
Keyed keystone as collective role

JJ calls
Darkness falls
Love lit up
Just for us
Love lit up
Just for us
Love lit up
Just for us
JJ calls

JJ calls
Just for us

JJ Calls (Eclectic Collective)

"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. More recently, we've been joined by Carl of The Beautiful Dark fame. 
  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, Steve Lukather, Michael McDonald, 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

Wherever U Go (Eclectic Collective)

Entheogenic Psychonaut (Josh Clary)