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A mediocre song about being mediocre 😎

Mediocrity drives you mad  (ver  VIII).m4a

I wrote the music to Nordic in 2019, for 'my' band Pelerin blue. It was performed once just before the pandemic hit. It was the first, and only time so far, that I've played my bouzouki in front of an audience. I'm hoping that we can resurrect at least the core of the band soon. In anticipation I've made this instrumental version of the track. I hope to be able to be able to record a live instruments with Tim Mahonney and myself, and entice the fantastic singer, Isabelle Hautefort to sing her lyrics for the song.

Nordic (McNL remake)

WHAT IT IS

Sweat Paraza (A4)

A Warm Spring Afternoon

The melody and chord pattern were dreamed up in 1998, but the song has since undergone a rescue effort in 2024.

The song was originally called "Suzy Suicide," and I must admit it was a serious lyric missfire.  The title was also a little flippant.  I'm a mental health nurse these days, and upon re-visiting this I felt a strong need to change the lyric altogether. It does however still refer to something in a potentially similar vein, in my wanting to stay at least a little close to where the song was originally, with respect being high up, with a potential drop on the cards.  The first line is the only line from the original 1998 lyric.

In any case the original story was about someone leaping from the top of a building, only to change their mind halfway down, but is now about the activities of people like James Kingston, and other free climbers. The new lyric also takes some inspiration from Phillipe Petit in the same regard, thinking about some of the things he said about his harness-free tight rope walk atop the Twin Towers (World Trade Centre), effectively saying that such a passing, due to a fall from the wire, were it to have occurred, would have been a beautiful last moment of life.

In any case the lyric is pulling from those people, I suppose individuals who don't feel their cogs moving unless they're amid rather extreme experiences, without which, I suppose, they don't particularly feel connected to life. Such things turn my stomach, but I suppose, for some people, being on the brink of something like that makes them feel alive.

Anyway, that's what I was shooting at, however, it's quite esoteric, as far as lyrics go, and could easily mean some other odd thing to someone else.

Seems it took me 26 years to finish this one! 🤣

Lyrics

Climbing up the staircase
A few floors left to go
Time to end the chase
Feels like I’m nearly home
When I get to the top
I’ll find some space and time
I’ll step into a portal
Reach the other side

I feel the earth, it’s pull
It’s lure feels stronger than a fire in the cold, yeah
won’t cover too much distance,
if I glide below
If I slipped it might feel like dreaming
And give me some new lifetime
Within a few short seconds
I might feel some kind of lifeline

There’s nothing here inside
No signals just my vital signs of life
Signs I don’t recognise
Nothing is clear behind these darkened eyes
But signs of life below
Some sign of other worlds that I could know
If just inside my mind
Some sign of light to brighten up these eyes
Some sign of life

I didn’t miss the news
But seems I’m none the wiser
It suits my tranquil solitude
The drum of nonsurvivors
They say don’t look down
But that just blunts emotion
I’m petrified but energised
Life could be over, just that notion!

I’m captured by an epic view
my gorgeous guiding spirit
The lights all twinkle down below
Their sparkle so explicit
I feel a surge beneath my feet
A foot forward, but I'm stable
I’m gonna trust the air I feel
I’m slipping free from all my labels

There’s nothing here inside
No signals just my vital signs of life
Signs I don’t recognise
Nothing is clear behind these darkened eyes
But signs of life below
Some sign of other worlds that I could know
If just inside my mind
Some sign of light to brighten up these eyes
Some sign of life

Signs Of Life (1998 / 2024)

More music to listen to while zoning out or performing meaningless repetitive tasks.

Courage comes through suffering (my fortune cookie told me so)

Imaginarium

Gigs Across The River -  Piano Solo 9

Asymptote

Half of “The New Vigos” and "Conscience of Kings". Songwriter, producer, guitar, keys, bass etc from Hampshire.   

Both ongoing projects currently releasing tracks regularly on Soundcloud and all streaming platforms. 

My focus is on the musical composition, arrangement and production whilst my collaborative partners focus on lyrics and vocal recording which I then incorporate in the mix and produce to completion / mastering using my Reaper DAW. 

We try to write melodic, listenable songs with lyrics to make you think and wonder sometimes what they are about (usually something interesting - often observations and commentary on the world and goings on around us!)

Previously in “FGB” and “Vigo Lane”

Main kit:

Fender Strat American Performer
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Gretsch G2622
Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic
Fender Sonoran Acoustic
Lindo Bass
Reaper DAW
Focusrite 4i4 UI
Roland Juno D Synth
Korg Poly 800 synth
ARP Quartet Synth
Various effects pedals etc

Thanks for visiting and hope you hear something you like and enjoy

30 / 30 Vision

“Noobly”

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