Merry Christmas to both of you! And thanks for hours of incredibly good music, ideas, sounds, moods... Btw: Nice tune here, with delicious guitar and synth sounds :)

That lead following the mellotron (?) is so hypnotising!

Lovin' how you worked the guitar harmonies on such a well loved Christmas carol… nice job!

At first I've thought I'm listening to Hackett's acoustic live from Sicily!!

Very nice short piece! Nice mix of Hackett sounds and Mellotron.

Ah, that time again... Deck the halls with lasers and stage smoke! Good Christmas to you, gentlemen!

Prog

Thank you for stopping by and listening.
Each feedback is appreciated!

Lyrics:

The old man here
Is catching away the fear
It takes more times to stand up
And wash away the tears
And all he has got in life
Is just another sunshine dying
But the wise man is near
He takes his heand and closes the door...

Of life
But you don't have to fall down
Keep on walking on and on and on...
Keep on walking...

Walking on the street of death
And take a little breath
Wise man, right man that never lied
All you've got to say is kind
I'll come back to my mind
I'll make it up with my self blind
And waiting for the wise man
Waile he closes the door...

Of life
But you don’t have to fall down
Keep on walking on and on and on...
Keep on walking...

ATERTRIP - Wood Man

lights from the deep

Written arranged and produced by John Beagley 2015. Featuring Jeremy Cubert - piano. From a new album "Uncommincated" due in Autumn 2015.

Where Did I Go Wrong?

Hand of Glory : Napier's Bones July 2015

Included as a bonus track on the 2015 Edition of "The Wistman Tales"
Free Download Link : 
https://napiersbones.bandcamp.com/album/the-wistman-tales-2015-remaster-bonus-track

Our latest offering is based around the 18th Century story of "The Stainmore Hand", well-known in Northern English folklore.

The song's events are centred on the remote Spittal Inn, its landlord, George, the maid, Bella, and a mysterious traveller seeking shelter from the ravages of an early Winter storm.

More background can be found : http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/cumbria/occult/the-spital-inn-and-the-hand-of-glory.html

Dramatis Personae: 
Nathan : The Storyteller, The Traveller, The Gang
Gordon : The Landlord, The Chorus, The Gang

Are you sitting comfortably?
Put another log on the fire, bolt the door, pour yourself an extra large helping of your favourite beverage and let us take you on a Napier's journey.
Maybe give the candlelight a miss though, eh?

*** The 4000 character limit imposed by SC means we can't print all the lyrics -> follow this link to our FB page  
https://www.facebook.com/napiersbonesband/posts/1621592221433272:0
***
____________________________________

The Storyteller :
A mile or more beyond the town where Roman beacons burned
A long established hostelry, it stands all alone
The track that marks the entrance, often missed from the road
The turnpike has fallen quiet, none will call here tonight
As the dizzy whirls of sleet announce the storm

Bella the maid dims the lamps and bolts the door
The landlord George smiles and counts his takings after Bowes Fair
The roof creaks and groans as the wind bears down from Stainmore
Alone, enclosed, they won't see another soul
As they say their prayers to save them from the storm

Waves of rain and snow spiral down
Consumed by fear & darkness, heartbeats quicken now
They're deafened by the howling screaming sound
Then it's broken by a knocking at the door
A feeble cry of "Help me" then no more

The Inn's occupants :
Who stands outside? A wet bedraggled old woman bent double no less
Come quickly inside! Dry clothes, warm milk, our Bella will help you undress

The Traveller :
"Nothing I can say can repay you for your kindness sir
I lost the track as day turned into night
A pauper's widow I, can no longer pay my way
My daughter waits in Brough for me, I'll leave you at first light"

The Occupants : 
Sit by the Fire! No payment required when we answer a traveller's distress
Before we retire - we'll see that you're well, now take what you need and God bless

The Traveller :
"Let me say again, I don't want food or drink
Despite my situation, I still retain some pride
Now talking tires me so, I beg you let me rest
Don't touch my cloak or clothing! Just take yourself to bed!"

Let all who rest be drawn into the deepest sleep
Let those who dare to stay awake, unerringly their vigils keep
Hand of glory, keep their heavy eyelids closed
Revealing hidden riches whilst your magic taper glows

Stolen from a gibbet corpse, wrapped in a funeral shroud
Dried out with saltpeter, I command thee now
Hand of Glory, Shining Bright
Guide Your rightful owner to their rightful spoils tonight

The Storyteller:
Though she feigned to sleep, Bella watched the stranger's movements
Disturbed by their growling voice and the hood that hid their face
Surprised to see new riding boots on a pauper's wife
Then the trav'ler rose to six feet tall and slid the bolt from the door
From the folds of a steaming cloak withdrew a dead man's wizened hand
Lit the candle in its grip then the ritual began

The Traveller:
Hand of Glory where Roman signal beacons burned
I call on age-old wisdom, let the dead man's fire return
In the house where your light burns, in vain the sleepers turn
The killer's hand holds them tight, alive will be as dead tonight

From the gallow's pole to High Stainmore
Hand of Glory, do all I desire tonight





Hand of Glory :  Album Download Link in Notes

Cover of the old Bacharach and David song. Entailed the deconstruction of a midi file and the addition of organ, classical guitar and lovely brass, amongst other things.

Walk On By

As she walks on by She sees me She sees Me But she can't see
No she can't see All my love All my love
As she walks on Byebye byebye byebye
As she walks on by I know it I know it But I can't show it No I can't show it All my love All my love

Stockton High Street Symphony Blues

A cover of the classic 1967 Moody Blues song, orchestrated with piano and horns. The picture is a Bass Rock sunset, taken from Dunbar this summer.

Nights In White Satin

A bawdy tale in the old Music Hall style and in the vein of the comedian, Max Miller, 'the Cheeky Chappie' who spent a lifetime avoiding the censor's pen. God bless his cotton socks. 

The Ballad of Lady Clarissa Ponsonby Paige (A Cautionary Edwardian Tale)

The trumpet called Clarissa from the gates of Kazakhstan
Though she travelled incognito, she was following a plan
To tell the world about the plight of her fellow suffragettes
Until she came upon a dark Prince with his funny cigarettes

Then it was hey-ho and away we go, roll another one please
Legs akimbo in the air, or down upon your knees
Take your inhibitions and throw them in the bin
Lay back and think of England as you revel in your sin
Take your inhibitions and fling them far and wide
Lay back and think of England as you head out for the ride

Clarissa fell on hard times, when the Prince refused to play
Now she runs a house of ill repute, on the road to Mandalay
Where the mountain men are restless and always form a queue
So to stop the fights on Saturday nights, she often takes on two

Then it was hey-ho and away we go, roll another one please
Legs akimbo in the air, or down upon your knees
Take your inhibitions and throw them in the bin
Lay back and think of England as you revel in your sin
Take your inhibitions and fling them far and wide
Lay back and think of England as you head out for the ride

So if you know a lady, who may travel east or west
Tell her of Clarissa and the funny cigarettes
And if she will not listen, you must turn to her and say
‘Keep your hand on your ha’penny' to keep those men at bay.

If not it's was hey-ho and away we go, roll another one please
Legs akimbo in the air, or down upon your knees
Take your inhibitions and throw them in the bin
Lay back and think of England as you revel in your sin

The Ballad of Lady Clarissa Ponsonby Paige (A Cautionary Edwardian Tale.)

Live from last summer gig. 
This track represents somehow the end of a chapter for us, since lots of things are happening right now that are re-shaping our lives and our work. We won't be performing live again for some time, so, in the meantime, enjoy this! 
We also filmed a videoclip for this one, you can watch it on Youtube: http://bit.ly/atertrip_the_diarist

Lyrics:

I must find a place representing me
a photograph a memory
or maybe just a little bone
Last night I thought that a starry sky
could be a part of me
Am I so pretencious?
I really don’t know...
all my words run so fast
but I am motionless
The truth is that I’m building
Your thoughts and all you think
representing me

You build me wings
but than you change
your ideas
and turn all in horns
All words will change
their sense
in a minute
because I’m on building

The past is my present
the future is my memory, a big hole
I can’t stop thinking...
about the past
things are gone
every single day
It’s like a little trip
in the gone future
So I let the people and the things that
condition my person
be a condicion

You build me wings
but than you change
your ideas
and turn all in horns
All words will change
their sense
in a minute
because I’m on building

CC License - Free Download

ATERTRIP - The Diarist (live) - Free Download

Prog Fest Ye Merrie Gentlemen : December 2015

Christmas, Yuletide, Winterval, Saturnalia, Noel.... so many different ways of referring to this time of year.

In the Napierverse we celebrate the ancient tradition of Progmas.

Join with us in a dance around the Mellotron then open your gifts beneath the spruce-topped Twelve String, all the while resplendent in your festive capes.

This is a long preamble, but it's a very short tune :))

Season's Greetings to You All 

from Napier's Bones



Prog Rest Ye Merrie Gentlemen

Music and Lyrics by JMDahlström

Since you came,
I must confess,
that everything's 
been going well
To see you smile
it makes me high
I want to be with you
by your side.

Copycat, you do the same thing,
I do - you're a copycat ...

Ba dam, ba da dam ...

Since I became
who I am now
with everything 
that was going on
To feel you near it 
makes me high
I want to be with you
by your side

She's our copycat,
she does the same things
we do - she's a copy cat ...

Copycat (one-take + solo guitar)

" She's leaving home " - David McWilliams
An instrumental Style Version of the song by the Beatles. Focused on guitar and improvised.

She's Leaving Home

Cahoots

Beautiful tranquil track from "Pilgrimage", featuring the piano & mellotron/synths from Andy Wells, and a searing wah-wah end solo from Tony Drake. re-release now available with full version of "Unknown Soldier Suite" [13 minutes] here http://pilgrym.bigcartel.com/ for £7.99

Pilgrym - Song of the Albatross

Part 2 featuring awesome Hammond from Andy Wells and a beautiful soaring guitar solo from Tony Drake. Recorded and mixed by Andy Wells. Available now re-released with the full 13 minute "Unknown Soldier Suite" here http://pilgrym.bigcartel.com/ for £7.99

Pilgrym - Building a Perfect Universe, Pt. 2

Napier's Bones are :

Nathan Jon Tillett
Gordon Midgley   

Taking the Classic Prog sound as a foundation to create challenging, extended form progressive rock music. 

Our first three albums are available as "Name Your Price" downloads via Bandcamp. Each package comes complete with print-at-home scaled CD case inlays.
Sessions for the 4th album are underway with a release targeted for early 2017.

Prog Rest Ye Merrie Gentlemen

napiers_bones

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