Cantucky - Combstead & Robert Grigg

Working through the day trying to make things work in a Pink Floyd like style of music.

Contemplating

Bone Bitch

MUSICIANS
John Beckmann: vocals and lyrics
Gerald Menke: guitars
David Sisko: producer
Tom Rogers: mastering

ANERICAN JUNKIE - Extended Version

Falliing Angels

Endless Journey

This collaboration with Combstead is important to me because I endorse the efforts that creative people make with each other!

My additions to Mark's track are a reaction to what he and his friends create.  This is so important.  We are inspired by other friend's efforts...

Lyrics
Out in the distance
I can hear
In my eyes these things I fear
Evil is getting nearer and
clearer and clearer

We cannot run away
It is dawning today 
Right before our eyes
We must arise

Institutions shift and sway
Lightning dawns the day 
Fury splits the skies
We will arise

It happens every day
The damning things some say 
Before our son's and daughter's eyes
We cannot take more lies

If you want some truth from me
I will say its hard to see
How much do you want to be free?
Just how many are we?

We must stand up on our feet
The enemy is here and we will meet

We will fight our way
Everyday, everyday, everyday

Out In The Distance

Out_In_The_Distance/ Demo

Show Me  (feat. Taymon Kim)

"7am" is a raw, introspective indie track that delves into the quiet solitude and emotional turmoil of facing Christmas morning alone. Through heartfelt lyrics, it captures the inner conflict of feeling disconnected from the joy others experience during the holidays, battling feelings of inadequacy, and the haunting push and pull of mental struggles. With a haunting yet hopeful undertone, the song explores the journey of someone who, despite feeling dead inside, finds strength in their survival, questioning the deeper reason for their existence. It's a poignant reflection on loneliness, resilience, and the search for meaning in the most difficult moments.

Parked Car is from Hope Street's 2024 album, Dead Already Power

Parked Car

Lyrics 

Living out of nothing
Dissatisfied with love
Insensitive to the pain of the other.
Hardened psychopath.
You only like war when you're not there.
You don't wait to pay you want us to offer you everything.

You will never enter the legend.
You will be banned for life.

So if you're like that.
You have the soul in perdition.

Souls in perdition

Souls In Perdition

www.mortalprophets.com

“Anyone having trouble getting to, or staying, asleep should proceed with caution when playing The Mortal Prophets’ debut album around bedtime. The demonic intentions implied by the album’s name and defined by John Beckmann … coil each selection in menacing directions, bringing fresh, often frightening twists to these standards. Be aware - when you engulf yourself in these riveting, uncompromising performances. They are not for the squeamish.”
- American Songwriter

John Beckmann and his evolving band of genre-bending roustabouts dig deep into America’s primal scream. Beckmann is an unholy mix of mad scientist and blues shaman, a man who’s spent his life careening between high-concept design, dark experimental ambient operas, and the electrified roots of American music. If you think you’ve got him figured out, think again—he’ll zig when you expect him to zag, dragging you into the shadowy corners of his mind where art, music, and madness collide.

He cut his teeth in the unforgiving concrete jungle of New York City, making waves with furniture that looked like it belonged in a dystopian sci-fi flick. Inspired by the Russian avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich, Beckmann’s chairs, tables, and other sharp-edged creations were more like functional sculptures, ready to challenge your perception of what furniture—and art—could be.

But Beckmann’s appetite for creative chaos couldn’t be satisfied by mere design. Music was his next conquest. With The Mortal Prophets, he didn’t just dip his toes into the blues; he took a deep, dark dive, emerging with a sound that’s equal parts Mississippi Delta and futuristic nightmare. Their debut album, Me and the Devil, isn’t just a reimagining of blues classics—it’s a full-throttle ride through a sonic landscape where Beckmann’s gravelly voice and electronic beats pull the old ghosts of the blues kicking and screaming into the present.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any darker, along came Dealey Plaza Blues. This album, named after the infamous site of JFK’s assassination, is drenched in the paranoia and conspiratorial dread of the 1960s. It’s blues, but twisted through Beckmann’s uniquely sinister lens, with eerie electronic undercurrents that make you feel like you’re being watched by the shadowy figures lurking just out of sight.

Beckmann’s talents are not limited to music and design. He also created Hanussen: The Enigmatic Clairvoyant - a dark ambient opera that delves into the life of Erik Jan Hanussen, a clairvoyant with ties to the occult and Nazi Germany. Like his music, the opera explores the dark intersections of history, power, and mysticism, showcasing Beckmann’s fascination with the shadowy side of the human experience. Hanussen further cements Beckmann’s reputation as an artist unafraid to tackle complex, unsettling themes.

John Beckmann’s journey from designer to musician is a testament to his boundless creativity and his ability to excel in multiple artistic disciplines. With The Mortal Prophets, he has found a way to bring his diverse influences together, creating music that is both a tribute to the past and a bold statement for the future.

Thank you for following + reposts + likes!

ANERICAN JUNKIE - Extended Version

Mortal Prophets

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