The Damned- "Melody Lee" (Cover)

I had this song stuck in my head (a side effect of countless songs of theirs). It's one of their most popular fan-favorites for its all killer, no filler. power pop melodies. It doesn't overstay its welcome. It’s pretty much perfect.

I obviously like the song, so, entirely on a whim, I just sat down and covered it. Only upon uploading it have I realized that endless people have covered it on here, some doing far more interesting things with it (check out the band, WALL MALK's version, which adheres much more to my own preference with how to do a cover. I went much more straight-forward on this one). 

Well, anyway, here's my version anyway, to likely get lost in the sea of versions, but I don't care. The song's THAT good that even if no one hears my version,. it made me happy doing it, and shouldn't that be the reason you cover anything? 

Well, except, of course, your nude body if you're standing, clothes-less, in the middle of a public street. You should cover that out of adherence to the law.

Guided By Voices- "Game Of Pricks" (cover)

Love and Rockets- "No New Tale to Tell"  (Cover)

I would never
Leave my girl alone
In the company of 
Some old crazy crone
I would never
Leave my girl prone
To monsters or whatever’s
In that castle made of stone

But she asked me to
So hear me out
You know I give in when she shouts
Like that. It’s not healthy
She’e got bats in her belfry
But who am I to criticize
Her weird chants and her evil eyes
In a foreign tongue, she whispers
And somehow I still miss her

She said she’d never
Delve into the occult
But with God as my witness
She’s completely engulfed
In esoteric sorcery
As pain goes, that’s the source for me
And I can’t take it anymore

Baby don’t cut
Yourself to draw some blood
With that ancient dagger
That you seem to love so much
Honey don’t draw
That pentagram you saw
In some dumb movie
Gullibity’s your only flaw

Nick Prol- “Bats in Her Belfry”

"The Compactor" is a musical adaptation of my story idea concerning an art junk yard where unwanted sculptures go. Many art students and others come to look at the abandoned sculptures and to remove parts from them for their own projects. The protagonist is supervisor of the facility and runs the hydraulic compactor for smashing up the sculptures into cubes after they have been picked over for their parts. Since the protagonist is a disillusioned artist himself, he exorcises his own jaded nature by destroying the work of others. The piece makes use of an interesting scale that contains 2 augmented seconds. 

The original accordion part was written with standard accordion bass in mind. But the only accordionist I could find who was up to the challenge of this music was John Torcello (who also recorded "The Door") and he plays a beautiful Giulietti "free bass" accordion, so I rewrote the score for that instrument. Singer Nils Frykdahl came as a suggestion from Carla Kihlstedt as both were in the rock band Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and she felt he not only could read the score well but had considerable dramatic inflection. As a fan of the band myself, I wholeheartedly agreed and fortunately Nils consented to sing the part. Also thanks to composer John Bilotta for financial contribution to the recording.


Free Bass Accordion:  John Torcello

Vocals:  Nils Frykdahl

Words & Music:  Steve Mobia

The Compactor (text)

The forms fuse 
under the force 
of the compactor

There's no muse 
under the might 
of the compactor

The carefully fashioned, 
delicately balanced 
are smashed together 
to make a cube 
Simple 
freed of ambition

My greatest pleasure 
is pulling the lever 
The unique 
made anonymous

Here they come 
the destitute sculptors 
humongous art in tow 
from a lost studio 
a canceled commission 
Homeless now 
scattered in piles 
pillaged by others for spare parts

Some sculptures were banished 
when a business vanished 
the abstract bric-a-brac 
unnoticed in the daily grind
had no buyers

But now scavengers come 
with gleams of a giver 
who see overlooked pleasures 
their touch will deliver 
in forms, destined for treasure

It's a resurrection 
those who would release 
from scrap, a masterpiece 
to bend the world in its direction.

and yes, there was a time 
when my own eyes were shining 
at the prospect sublime 
of breaking from bindings

But after all has been rummaged 
heroic leftovers, bare in the sun 
I am the one 
who must crush 
the bones of inspiration!


THE COMPACTOR (for baritone voice & accordion) by Steve Mobia

20 years after its release, Hyle throws a three-pronged claw controller to Nick to help him discuss the brilliant yet flawed legacy of the Nintendo 64.  Equal parts celebration and examination, we reflect on the memorable games and complicated history of the system that led Nintendo to where it is today.  Only '90s kids will understand this episode! 

Showrunner: Hyle Russell
Host: Hyle Russell
Special Guest: Nick Prol
Music: Matt Cornah

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The Kongversation

The Kongversation 439 - 20 Years of the Nintendo 64

"Paprika Lens" (A Robyn Hitchcock Pastiche)

Mike Keneally- "Hallmark" (A cappella Cover)

Jellyfish- "The Ghost At Number One" (A cappella Cover)

This is where I upload random covers and solo whimsies, typically lo-fi and just for fun (or often a cappella experiments), not to be taken too seriously. For my actual, better-produced and a bit better-known music, check out http://proletarians.bandcamp.com and linkt.ree/njpquestionmark for everything else of mine, too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and Rockets- "No New Tale to Tell" (Cover)

Nick Prol

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