From the Future

Recorded In Vermillion, South Dakota. Featuring Jim McCullough on Drums & Percussion, Frans on Gibson SG Electric Guitar & vocals.

Kick-n-It

Don't Bring Me Down

Don't bring me down 3

Skyward Drift

Original music, arrangement, piano, organ, bass guitar, drums, J.J. Terrell on.soundcloud.com/ErEWw3bHuvBBFXuw7
Guitar (Nylon electro-acoustic guitar Cordoba GK studio) and final mix by Neno J.

Tango passionato (Collab with J.J. Terrell)

Bubblegum version of my original

How Nice to Keep Me Amused
Music and Lyrics: Mike Krath

Lyrics

Two women,
Two views,
They live on my street,
And to me amuse.

The first regurgitates her opinions for all of us who lose
A shallow wisdom poured out like deep,
To awaken the souls of those who sleep.
An understanding drawn as from a pail,
But in reality just her thimble that covers her nail.

Two women
Two views
How nice,
To keep me amused.

The second is the one who drinks from lighter things.
Then pours out her opinions, when asked, with haughty sings,
Her ideas are spilled at inappropriate times,
And she disdains suggestions to help keep her in line.
Her wisdom consists of sugar with tea,
And if challenged, how great a piece of her cake would be.

On my street these women,
Never grow old,
their mannerisms are such,
they’ll always be told.
And no matter what they say,
Or what they claim on the block.
Does it matter to them,
That food and clothes,
Should be our lot,
For these two women,
I think not.

How Nice to Keep Me Amused

Lyrics:

Condescending never ending writings on the wall
There's a place in time where you will find 
Retribution for your crimes

It's not the end of time, it's the end of life as you knew it 
so ask yourself how are you supposed to get through it, get through it 

Guitar Solo 

How many times have you lost your mind believed those lies just to get left behind,
you were told on the day you die no Second Chance can't say goodbye 

Was it the church that made you this way did they kick you out when you tried to pray

 Heaven never wanted you 
and the devil never heard of you 

You were given a shovel so dig your hole You made a deal with the Devil he gets your soul

 ohh ohh you're fading away, 
fading away, you're fading away, 
keep fading away, fading away,
 fading away, fading away

Last Rites (Lyrics and Vocals by Jess Johnson Music by Ryini)

Life is tour between jail to jail...

Here are the lyrics:

You 're not free when
somebody loves you
You 're not free when 
somebody cares

You're leaving but there's
something that holds you
A tight rope that   
pulls back your hair

Thank God that i am not free
i cannot move
just like a tree

You can't breathe when
somebody leaves you
You can't sleep you cry
and you care

You're dying but
noone believes you
they all stay behind 
and they stare

Now that she set you free
you're not allowed to
disagree

Tell me lies so i can 
stand my life
Don't try to make me 
understand

Got a job but i'd
love to resign
I don't want to be beaten
up again

You're like a ball when 
somebody throws you
You hit the wall and 
bounce back again 

You missed the call and 
noone adores you
and everything around seems
so plain

Now that you've lost the game
noone wants to play with you again


You Are Not Free

New Planets

Un peu de poésie pour mes amis musiciens et musiciennes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAZpfC6K4p8

[Verse] 
Je marche au bord d'un rêve oublié 
Le vent murmure des mots enchantés 
Les étoiles brillent mais je suis perdu 
Un chemin flou dans l'inconnu 
[Verse 2] 
Sous la lune je cherche une lumière 
Un écho doux d'un amour sincère 
Les feuilles dansent au son du passé 
Chaque pas me fait vibrer 
[Chorus] 
Mon âme danse au rythme du silence 
Chaque note porte mon espérance 
Les ombres jouent une mélodie 
Dans ce chaos je trouve ma vie 
[Bridge] 
Un saxophone pleure dans la nuit 
Un cor résonne et apaise l'ennui 
Les cordes vibrantes comme un cœur battant 
Tout s'accorde dans ce doux instant 
[Verse 3] 
Le clavier chante une histoire d'hier 
La harpe tisse des rêves éphémères 
Les tambours grondent comme des secrets 
Et mon âme s'envole en liberté 
[Chorus] 
Mon âme danse au rythme du silence 
Chaque note porte mon espérance 
Les ombres jouent une mélodie 
Dans ce chaos je trouve ma vie

Un rêve oublié

2026-06-04

TCNE7-20250604

Guitar (Nylon electro-acoustic guitar Cordoba GK studio) and final mix by Neno J. https://on.soundcloud.com/mYPR0YxGjsZ2bWmRCH
Original music, arrangement, piano, organ, bass guitar, drums, J.J. Terrell

Tango passionato (Collab with Neno J.)

I’m a keyboardist who unfortunately has developed arthritis in my hands so I’m not as accurate as I used to be.

But needless to say, my main tool for composing is still a keyboard or the keys of my MacBook Pro.

I find writing lyrics to be the easiest first task.  From there the music follows.

My son recently introduced me to A.I. and taught me how to do covers of my previously released music. While this is fun to see how your original music sounds in different styles and voices, I can see how it can stifle creativity.  Plus you can’t go on concert with an A.I. cover.  A.I. basically relegates you to a song-writer, but not a performer.

I don’t see any problems using A.I. as a tool.  It’s here to stay.  But recommend proving yourself first as a  composer and/or lyricist before using it.  Plus, in my mind,  it’s more fun to come up with your own works first even leaving out canned loops when you do it.

I've lived more than a quarter of my life overseas (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). Each country gave me an appreciation for different types of music plus probably why I get bored easily in sticking with one genre or another.

How Nice to Keep Me Amused

Mike Krath

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