Changing Lanes is an atmospheric Tex-Mex blues soundtrack conjuring up tumbleweeds rolling across the screen as a '57 Chevy rolls off down a desert road... The song itself is about the double lives humans lead…
 
Recorded online during the pandemic with musicians from over 10 countries worldwide. We think this is ideal soundtrack material. Our marketing agency created the video as an open-ended interpretation for the listener. Many thanks.

Changing Lanes - Kev Gray And The Gravy Train

Laissez-Faire

Letters From Tijuana

A fun country and western jig about a love of BBQ. Inspired by the humorous lyricism of Hank Williams, its about failing suitor who finally finds love after learning to cook. 
Uses BBQ jargon to weave the story into a fun summer song. 
Let's get to cooking!

LYRICS

FALLING OFF THE BONE 
I met a girl named Lilly 
I gave her some of my chilli 
She shook her head
Said this I can’t believe 
She said the only thing that'll fix it 
Is a big ole ten-pound brisket 
But first you Gotta go see Malcolm Reed 
 Falling off the Bone Falling off the Bone, You are not in heaven til its falling off the bone
And you will be alone Til it’s falling off the bone You gotta learn to barbecue right 
 Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)
Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)
Cooking through the night
Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)
Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)
You gotta learn to barbecue right 
 And then she said to me 
Where the hell’s the SPG
Now rub me down so tenderly 
I see your eying that piece of skirt I’ll shank you’re flank, sure gonna hurt A sharpened knife is all I need 
 Oh Let’s get the cooking
Let’s get the cooking 
And let it all hang out 
 Let’s get the cooking 
Let’s get the cooking 
You gotta learn to barbecue right 
Falling off the bone Falling off the bone You are not in heaven til its falling off the bone, 
And you will be alone Til it’s falling off the bone You gotta learn to barbecue right 

145° And then she said to me 
Is your bark bigger than your bite?
 With a sizzle in her eye
And a crackle in the fire 
She Carved it open, said “Oh my my!” I know what we’ll be doing tonight 
 Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)
 Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)

You gotta learn to barbecue right 
 Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)

Lazy Suey (Lazy Suey)
Cooking through the night 
Now it’s Falling off the Bone Falling off the Bone, You are not in heaven til its Falling off the Bone
And you will be alone til it’s Falling off the Bone You gotta learn to barbecue right …

Falling Off The Bone (The BBQ Song)

"Time to Live Again" - written on a beach in Thailand during lockdown, Time To Live Again is a post-pandemic feel good anthem to get people living and loving again. An 80s inspired pop funk tune to kick in the doors of Covid boredom and turn on your inner light. Recorded/produced online during pandemic with a world-wide team of top musicians, including drummer JR Robinson of Michael Jackson fame. In a world of separation, our message is MUSIC UNITES US. Time to Live Again!

Time To Live Again - Kev Gray And The Gravy Train

Kev Gray: genius? Quite possibly. His mastery of the art of storytelling is such that "One More Chance" - a tale of Sunday football woe, a lost romantic opportunity and subsequent mishaps in the pub, among other things - will have you hanging on every line, feverishly anticipating the next clever twist yet always being wittily outmaneuvered by Gray's charming turn of phrase. If Kev Gray offered to read bedtime stories to the Emperor's children, old tennoh would immediately ask to see his rirekisho. And then, after hearing "One More Chance", he'd say, "Kev, you've got a job for life; pack your things." 

-  Jonti Davies - Japanzine, June 2009

One More Chance

Chill Beauty

I feel like I should be on the beach! This is beautiful & very chill. The melody rocks. The mood... it's perfect afternoon music or beach music. I definitely want to download this song

Reviewed by: loveandsunshine from Woodside, California

Bald Headed Blues

Blues track about a man who escapes from prison to see his sweetheart one last time... but, of course, he's gets back just too late...

Look Who's Calling

Deep house track made in Ko Phangan on the Russian Hollystone Label. 

A global music collaboration between Russian DJ, Pasha Vabulkar; Chilean guitarist, Ale, and Russian guitarist, Gera Dzhio.

Vocals, lyrics and melody by Kev Gray.

Feel free to share.

Downloadable link is on Hollystone Soundcloud: 
https://soundcloud.com/vakabular/telling-me-lies-feat-kev-gray-ale-gera-dzhio-extended-mix/s-aVtis?fbclid=IwAR010IabGyODP6CvxPdUe9hwiyNPyGbAthjArmju5dAYki6ZEv8RKCKaFh8

DJ Vakabular (Ft. Kev Gray, Ale & Gera Dzhio) - Telling Me Lies (Extended Mix)

One-off folk gospel song from when I first started song-writing. 
Basic recording, can barely play the guitar, but I uploaded for the melody and harmonies.

Reminds me of my voice before my accident. Was more silky back then.

If it gets any attention, I will try to record it with keyboards and choir.

Cheers

Jordan River - Kev Gray & The Gravy Train

Easy listening ballad about a couple I knew, where the girl was chasing a playboy.  To her credit, she finally won him over - he's gone from beach dog to puppy dog. Go girl! 

I never see him anymore LOL but hey, they are happy!

Female vocals from Kiwi singer, Christy Strothers, who starred on Japanese TV, The Human Jukebox, where audience requested songs from different genres each week.

I was just starting off and had no money to record, so she dropped her fees on one condition - I go to church for a month... Nice people but not for me.

Sax outro from New York saxophonist, Arnie Baruch.  Heard it once and banged this out.

Thanks for listening. Feel free to share.

Kev Gray & The Gravy Train - Fighting The Tide

This was a song written for a legendary character of the arts scene in Tokyo, Tom Walker, who after a life of rock 'n' roll left us for his next party, aged 77 in January 2020.  

The song was written after I visited him in hospital after he broke his leg falling down the stairs while on a date aged like 70! I sat down and he smiled and said "Kev, nice to see ya.... got a question for ya - When was the last time you had a threesome? 

Love that bloke!

Recorded on iphone so quality is inversely proportional to the feeling and love felt for this wonderful man.
Thanks Tom.

The Ballad Of Tom Walker

Captain Tom, sat on his bed,
poetry as his medicine to mend his broken leg
Captain Tom, just sat there and he purred
talking about sweet ladies and singing like a bird

Captain Tom, tapped and he laughed
he said its all about the diamond you thought you’d never have

But I always knew I’d meet gems who feel the same
who think sitting there and waiting is really quite insane

What The Dickens! - he said, I’ll never understand them
A blessed life is what you get if you demand it

Sundays can be your Saturdays - believe it!
Sometimes it’s better just to love and leave them
But be sure to end it with a poem

Captain Tom, just sat there and he purred
talking about sweet ladies and singing like a bird

Captain Tom, just sat there and he laughed, he said
it’s all about the times you thought you’d never have
It’s all about the times you thought you’d never have

The Ballad of Tom Walker

Original country bluegrass song about two best friends falling for the same femme fatale. You know it can't end well...

Played only once, and recorded live. Raw but I love the feel, and the band had never heard it so it captures that raw energy of music. 

LYRICS
I Remember The Day - Kev Gravy & The Gravy Train

Here’s a little story about a friend I used to know 
here’s a a little story ‘bout a girl I used to love 
she was the sweetheart of my best friend 
the girl who lives next door 
but Lord help me … how was I don’t know

Oh Mountain Rose 
you hid your thorns 
Oh Mountain Rose 
I was just a pawn
In the game that left me 
bereft and all alone
Mountain Rose - did you ever care at all….

I Remember The Day
the day he went to war 
I Remember The Day
the day I stood and swore
that I protect his sweetheart 
from enemy and foe
but Lord help me … how was I to know

I Remember The Day the day when he walked through the door 
I Remember The Day when he walked through that door
what could he do but stop and draw 
it was the day I killed my best friend
became an enemy of the law
but Lord help me … how was I to know

Oh Mountain Rose 
you hid your thorns 
Oh Mountain Rose 
I was just a pawn
In the game that left me 
bereft and all alone
Mountain Rose - did you ever care at all…
Now I know that you never cared at all

Live in Tokyo

I Remember The Day

I Know Nothing - Kev Gray & The Gravy Train

Based on my highly-educated friend who was consistently crap with women. 

Album: Bootlegs and Demos

I remember first day at the nursery
Told my teacher how to spell karate
Land of glory. Jackanory
Bad old Tories. same old story
But my whole life was still ahead of me

Learned 'la plume de me tante' en francais
Soon headed off to I'universitie
Marx and Engels talked of struggle
But never told us that girls wanted cuddles
Yet dialectics made a man of me

Russian History
I've read Ulysses
I can build a fire when you're cold
I've crossed the mountains and the seven seas
But I don't know a single thing about love

Don't know why my heart's a little faster
When you ask me to stay a little longer
It's in the magic book we never see, we never see

Schopenhauer tried to put it warmly:
The pursuit of love is nothing but futility
Unrequited, uninvited
Opening lines too well recited
A two pump chump could outdo easily

Russian History
I've read Ulysses
I can build a fire when you're cold
I've crossed the mountains and the seven seas
But I don't know a single thing about lurv

Russian History
I've read Ulysses
I can build a fire when you're cold
I've crossed the mountains and the seven seas
But I don7t know a single thing, never learned a tiny little thing
So Never ever ask me about ohh la la la, ooh la la…
Never ever ask me about love

Prisoner in Paradise Demos

I Know Nothing

GENE THERAPY - KEV GRAY 6 THE GRAVY TRAIN (LIVE@PASSIM, BOSTON)

NOTES: Written in response to some drunk audience members havinga  go musicians for being a bunch of "fancy Dans". Felt sorry for them and song is about the reasons for hating strangers due to the sadness in your own life, and how you are lucky not to carry hatred in your heart.

The Loser from the bar, came by today
With his usual lack of charm
And his disdain

Did he ever wait, for a change of fate, or just take on it the chin
Did he have chance, to change his circumstance, or was it written in the genes

Who’s the loser on guitar? - He aims at me
Well fancy that, Ole Fancy Dan - he’s back again

Does his sad face, shed tears of pain, when no-one there to see
From an early age, hobbled in his cage, they threw away the key

Was he God`s great mistake or do I need him
To make my life seem so much better
Is that why God made him,
To make my pain seem all the lesser
Some form of therapy

And my rage turns to pity 
When I thank my lucky stars it wasn’t me
But its too late; yes, its too late 
For my fake sympathy

From the boozer to the bar and back again
With a bruiser by his side just in case

Does his sad face, shed tears of pain, when there`s no-one there to see
From an early age, crippled in his cage, 
they threw away the key

Was he God`s great mistake or do I need him
To make my life seem so much better
Is that why God made him,
To make my pain seem all the lesser, 
To stop my self-sympathy

And my rage turns to pity 
When I thank the Lord it wasn’t me

So…to the Loser, on the bar,
This one`s on me

Passim

Gene Therapy - Live@Passim, Boston

"Walter Mitty" was a song I wrote to cheer up my female pal who was being messed around by some semi-boyfriend rotter type who kept insinuating he was a spy to add mystery to his shifty persona. She eventually found out he was married - but only for a few months, meaning their ‘relationship’ had lasted all through the engagement and into his first year of marriage. His loving phone calls from holiday were actually on his honeymoon. Intriguing stuff. Watch out, Girls!

WALTER MITTY

Album: I Should Have Stopped There

Where's the wedding ring from your finger 
Did you hide it once again? 
Was it specially made
To disappear on each mission

You see, it`s Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty Time again
Walter Mitty Time again
And now you'll see you need your friends

So you ring her from the Seychelles 
Praying she was there 
You were on your secret honeymoon 
For your bride, you'd not a care 

Walter Mitty Time again
Walter Mitty Time again
Just another lyin` swine, my friend

So call the men in white coats 
Call the men in white coats
Call the men in white coats
Come in, your time is up No.10 
Call them in…

I Should've Stopped There

Walter Mitty

The Arrival Of The Prince – Kev Gray

The Arrival of the Prince, took your love from me
Nine months we had waited, for you to set him free
From the womb his first cry was my death knell
In the tomb of our love

A new woman was born that day, one I did not recognize
A mother not  a lover, a stranger in disguise
Her love
She transferred to another man 
She’d never known before
Just one look in his eyes

What has he done for you, 
What will do he do for you
Make your life complete
How can you say love someone that cannot yet even speak

An unformed mass of tissue, born before its time
It’s head as soft as plastercene, more monkey than superman
Yet the prince who in one smile took me from my throne,
The prince who by law now owns my house, my home

Vehicles for DNA is the side I’ll have to take
to keep my sanity from jumping from the bridge, the cliff, the lake
To leave Nature in its time of triumph would deprive it of its fun
even though it no longer needs me, the battle already won

And so I laugh at the way it’s all panned out, how my lost love came to be
for a little man who just cries then smiles, and yet more and more..
You see more and more everyday
He’s just like me



Notes on Arrival of the Prince:

This song is about the male confusion about the temporary loss of love when the first child is born. Based on the experience of my Japanese friend: In Japan, your wife stops loving you when the prince comes...

So sad, but I'm sure its just temporary and not that common.

The protagonist finally comes to see that this is Nature and he must accept it as he finally warms to his unintentional rival.

The Veil Has Been Lifted

Arrival of The Prince (Boo Remix)

HELP ME FINISH THIS RECORDING BY CHECKING OUT MY KICKSTARTER PROJECT:
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COOL DUDE - Kev Gray & TEFCO

Funk Revenge song about a boy who finally tracks his father’s killer, the hitman knowns as Staccato.

Melody and Lyrics by Kev Gray, Music by TEFCO (German-Japanese funk band)

LYRICS - COOL DUDE

A knife through the heart of Chicago
A life torn apart by Staccato
New York, Detroit, Key Largo
Tonight we’ll see blood as the stars glow

Laughing 
I see them laughing 
I hear them laughing
they call me a fool

Laughing
I hear them laughing
Ohh you never thought you'd hear then say:
such a cool dude

CHORUS 

One we thing we learned in my neighbourhood
A man ain’t a man til he done what he should

Day after day Mama did what she could
Little by little I followed my blood

One we thing we learned in my neighbourhood
A man ain’t a man til he done what he should

Waited for the day since I was ten years old 
Revenge is a dish you better serve cold

VERSE

A knife through the heart of Chicago
A life torn apart by Staccato
New York, Detroit, Key Largo
Tonight we’ll see blood in the stars, Boy

Laughing 
I hear them laughing 
I see them laughing
They call me a fool

Now you're not laughing
Down in your coffin
Ohhhh, signed, sealed, delivered, 
Love,
The Cool Dude

CHORUS 
One we thing we learned in my neighbourhood
A man ain’t a man til he done what he should

Day after day Mama did what she could
Little by little I followed the blood

One we thing we learned in my neighbourhood
A man ain’t a man til he done what he should

Prayed for that day since I was ten years old 
Revenge is a dish you better serve cold
You better serve cold!

(New York) Never though that i would come
(Detroit) Saw me there and you shouldda run
(New York) Now at last the day has come
( …Detroit and Key Largo) Come and listen to your final pump….

Guitar Solo

Laughing 
I hear them laughing 

Now you’re not your laughing
Down in your coffin
Signed, sealed, delivered,
Love,
The Cool Dude


A life for a life in Chicago
A knife through the heart of Staccato
Prayed for the day since I was ten years old 
revenge is a dish you always  serve cold

CHORUS 
One we thing we learned in my neighbourhood
A man ain’t a man til he done what he should

Day after day Mama did what she could
Little by little I followed the blood

One we thing we learned in my neighbourhood
A man ain’t a man til he done what he should

Prayed for that day since I was ten years old 
Revenge is a dish you better serve cold
You better serve cold!

Cool Dude - Kev Gray & TEFCO

BUSTY - Kev Gray & TEFCO

Melody and Lyrics by Kev Gray,  Instrumental music by TEFCO
Produced by Thomas Hilse

Written about a femme fatale called Busty… as Bassist Konstantin would introduce* You know who you are

( Busty was the working title - TEFCO would send me the music with a title and I would craft the lyrcis and melody around it. Whatever works!)


BUSTY 
V1
Busty, when you gonna sell my soul
 
Dear Busty, Always wanna rocknroll
 
Busty, (think) its time we had a talk
 
Sweet Busty, this time I'm gonna walk
 
CH
If you believe that time it never passes
 
then you believe your time will never come
 
That woman she's as smooth as molasses
 
She'll eat you up when she has had her fun
 
 
Yes, you believe that time it never passes
 
Yeah, you believe your time will never come
 
You'll be on whisky, sinkin’ twenty glasses
 
You meet Busty … I swear you'd better run
 
V2
Busty, Gonna bust your heart in two
 
Sweet Busty, You know I'm still in Love With You
 
Mean and musty, that woman got her jelly roll
 
Busty, that woman gonna sell your soul
 
CHORUS
 
If you believe that time it never passes
 
then you believe your time will never come
 
That woman she's as smooth as molasses
 
She'll eat you up when she has had her fun
 
 
Yes, you believe that time it never passes
 
Yeah, you believe your time will never come
 
You'll be on whisky, sinkin’ twenty glasses
 
You meet Busty … I swear you'd better run

You’d better run!

Funkwire

Busty ( Funk Version)

Remix of soul funk tune, Swing Down, with German-Japanese funk band, TEFCO.

Produced by Thomas "Hitman" Hilse

HELP ME FINISH THIS RECORDING BY CHECKING OUT MY KICKSTARTER PROJECT:
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Swing Down (Funk Soul Remix)

Original Song of The Day - Bossa 65 ** This is a bossa nova latin salsa song i originally wrote for my footy legend mate when he had his first kid aged  like 90,  which was a wonderful, unexpected surprise. The original version was a dirty laddy song about someone knocking up their missus, so I cleaned it up and we loved playing it live as it was great to dance to.


This is a raw, bootleg live recording, a bit rough but captures the feel perfectly. I still dream of having a proper recording of this one. Features awesome mandolin by Robert Moreau; Forrest on bouncing bass; Shokei Konno on drums, and the marvellous Mami Horano on keyboard. What I love about is that most of them had never heard the song and just got into it with such feel. Real music. 

It also sees the start of my mouth trumpet as an extra instrument. ( I added the dirty rough version with Chris Cooling on funky guitar if you fancy a giggle). This song is great to dance to if you like salsa and so on, so take a listen if you get time.

Big Love to Mura-san from Timeout Bar in Meguro who made this possible. We miss you and love you and we keep your memory alive with these treasured moments in our life. Thank you RIP

Timeout Rehearsals Iphone

Bossa 65 Timeout LIVE

Recorded  by musicians around the world during pandemic lockdown of 2020 to show the struggles of relationships during this clusterfest. 

The bee is my "rescue bee" who I saved from drowning in a glacial pond in the Japanese mountains in autumn. Possibly the only highlight of the year. A metaphor for the relationship.

I guess the general message is...  Don't give up!

MUSICIANS

Lead Vocals – Kev Gray (UK/Japan), Yasmin Palmer (UK)

Accordion – Dmitri Sidorov Galudy (Spain)

Piano – Igor Sidash (Ukraine)

Acoustic Guitar – Kev Gray (UK/Japan)

Acoustic Bass – Issar Shulman (Israel)

Drums– Glenn Welman (South Africa)

Percussion – Larry Salzman (USA)

Arranged and Produced by Thomas Hilse (Italy)

Mixed by Josh Welshmann, Flux Studios, New York City (USA)

Mastered by Michael Venia, San Luis Obispo, CA (USA)

Video Artist – Paul „Alfie“ Garcia (Argentina)

Recorded by Thomas Hilse, Robin Watson, and Tomoya Kokubu  ( Bass on Top, Nakano)

OFFICIAL YOUTUBE ARTIST
https://youtu.be/FTOBTZSJdAo
STREAMING
https://songwhip.com/kevgrayandthegravytrain/2020-love-song 

LYRICS
Locked down in my empty home 
Sitting, waiting by the phone 
Thunder and rain

I can’t help it anymore 
Wondering if you’re as alone 
I can’t escape

And I still need you 
Here in my arms 
Don’t say  that this could be goodbye 

Just like the ring I gave you
To protect you
You’re the one who always made me shine

So I’m sitting by the telephone 
Tell me tell me where this goes 
I cannot wait 

And I still need you 
Here in my arms 
Don’t say this is the goodbye 

Please don’t leave me 
Please believe me
I would love you a thousand times

So I’m turning off my radio
Turning off my telephone 
It’s not too late
Our love can wait
Our love will wait

2020 Love Song

2020 Love Song - Kev Gray (Feat. Elise Palmer)

Song about a meltdown 

Pun intended :) 

Thanks for listening

Winter Is Coming

"Kev Gray: genius? Quite possibly. " 
- Jonty Davies, Seek Japan

Kev Gray and The Gravy Train are an award-winning, multi-genre band based out of England, America and Japan - depending on the weather. Based around the lyrical songwriting of lead singer, Kev Gray, their music is a melting pot of lush melodies from acoustic lounge, folk gospel, bossa, funk, original blues and blue-eyed jazz.  A fusion of traditional genres, resulting in an antidote to modern conformity.  Soulful vocal textures add a nice polish to contemporary lyrical content that mirror everyday themes - cold feet at the altar, the rat race, having children, escaping responsibility, swingers parties, the inability to grow up.

Kev wants to bring music back to the people.  Hence he is embracing every opportunity to perform, whether it’s alone on the street with a guitar or rocking a packed house with his eight piece band The Gravy Train.  His most notable release was the album ‘Antidote.’  The band would go on to tour the world and earn critical support in Australia, Europe, and the USA.

During the Covid lockdown, Kev embraced the opportunity to reinvent himself as a recording artist and is finalizing a new lockdown-inspired album - Time To Live Again - using fellow musicians from over 30 countries recorded and arranged online by Thomas Hilse. Singles will build up to the album release in summer 2021.  The new album will show an artist with the rare ability to transcend difficult conditions and creating truly moving music perfectly suited to the strange times we live in.

Kev Gray and The Gravy Train

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