Weekly Wave

Feel It | T-Bone Gregory

In memoriam, the bombing of Guernica, Spain, April 26, 1937. A lamentation in music.

And in 2024, for the injured, displaced, and departed around the world as invading forces of tyranny rain down death and destruction upon innocent people.

I literally cried as I updated my old composition about the bombing of Guernica. 

Originally composed in GarageBand, I finished the first version of this song on April 26, 2013, not consciously aware that the date was the anniversary of the atrocity committed by fascists against civilians during the Spanish Civil War. I had had ambitions to create an animated short about its history and Picasso’s famous painting when I could afford the technology. So my first step was to use available resources and create the music, which I did 11 years ago. I have yet to produce the animation. Maybe someday. The cover art gives you an idea as to how I envisioned the graphics for the animated short.

This Guernica composition is my first attempt at composing neoclassical music. As a girl I would sing and hum made-up symphonies as I conducted an imaginary orchestra. I’ve got hundreds of improvised concertos, sonatas, fugues, and arias deep in my memory banks that sometimes creep into my contemporaneous music.

This week, as the anniversary of Guernica approached, I imported my old music file into my current DAW and refreshed it, adding French horn, the first instrument I played as a young student. I also added audio of propeller planes recorded live in March and April 2024. And I pushed the previous violin and cello parts to the limit, so if you hear a screeching violin or a groaning cello, it’s intentional; war gives millions of reasons to scream and wail. The composition’s 8-chord structure is repeated as if to state the obvious — we, humans, have yet to contain our violence individually and collectively. We witness and experience the horror of mass murder and war around the globe. Every. Damn. Day.

I realize my song probably isn’t going to be a favorite for listeners, not my usual chill music. But I’m also a firm believer in the idea that sunlight is the best disinfectant. With this music about Guernica and the history of 1937, I am reminded how far we’ve come, and yet, how little we’ve changed. But change we must, and I believe humanity will change for the better. The question is when.

Guernica

■概要(Overview)
あっ！魔女がほうきの上に乗ってバランスを取りながら飛んでいる！
・・そう、今日は100年に一度の魔女のお祭りで、世界中の魔女が飛び回ります。
魔女が夜空のトライアングルを鳴らすと、星がキラキラとさらに綺麗に輝きます。
・・・そんな感じの曲です。
2023年最後の曲です。今年も皆様、ありがとうございました！
これに懲りず(笑)、どうぞ来年もよろしくお願いいたします！

🧙🎄🧙🎄🧙🎄🧙🎄🧙🎄

■Overview
Ah! A witch is flying while balancing on a broom!
...That's right, today is the witch festival that happens once every 100 years, and witches from all over the world are flying around.
When the witch rings the triangle in the night sky, the stars sparkle and shine even more beautifully.
...That's the kind of song it is.
This is the last song of 2023. Thank you everyone again this year!
Don't get discouraged by this (lol), we hope to see you again next year!

■歌詞
今夜はお祭り　金星を祝う
誰もが見上げ　驚いている

夜空のトライアングル　鳴らして飛ぶ
誰の上にも　星たちが降るの
穂先がリズムをとりだしたら
お祭りは最高潮に盛り上がるのよ

夜の間中　街を照らす
動物たちも楽しそうに見ているわ

伝えたいことが　ある人の
想いが　伝わる夜

■Lyrics
Tonight is a festival celebrating Venus
Everyone looks up and is surprised

Fly while making the triangle sound in the night sky
Stars will fall on everyone
When the broom tip picks up a rhythm
The festival is at its peak

illuminate the city throughout the night
The animals also seem to enjoy it.
A night where the feelings of those who have something to convey are conveyed.

yu-ran-hikou(sightseeing flight)

Crank The Crush - Music by REKHA - IYERN [Fe] | Electric Guitars | Heavy ROCK on the spot!

Instruments: Electric Guitars & a Heavy Metal Boss Pedal

Cover Art Design: Photo & Graphics by REKHA - IYERN [Fe]

Music Composed & Produced, Recorded & Performed, Mixed & Mastered by REKHA - IYERN [Fe] at IYERN [Fe] RECORDS CANADA


Crank The Crush M 2 SubBass EQ Compr - REKHA - IYERN [Fe]

Crank The Crush

YouTube

Crank The Crush - Music by REKHA - IYERN [Fe] | Electric Guitars | Heavy ROCK on the spot!

"It's Hopeful Time Again" (v2, 2023)

A new version and arrangement of my earlier song, a.k.a. ”It’s Xmas Time Again”. I experimented with some different chords, inversions, voicings and chord progressions etc. and this is the result!

This was played by me using the Korg SGProX digital stage piano as a master keyboard. The main keyboard sound here is from the Yamaha Montage 8 (the great and ever so lovely Yamaha TX816 Electric piano performance which was converted from the original TX816 patch), layered with Gospel Musicians' Neo-Soul Keys Studio 2 (Dyno Rhodes) and Keyscape (Roland MKS-20). Other sounds that I have been privileged to use come mainly from the great UVI SonicPass instrument collection and the Arturia V Collection. The drums come from Native Instruments Abbey Road 80s Drummer. 

Recorded and mixed using Cubase Pro 13. Mixed with Cubase, with some very significant amount of help from iZotope Neutron 4. Mastered with iZotope Ozone 11.

Please take care of yourself and each other and please let us try to treat each other with due dignity and respect in this hopeful time of year.

It's Hopeful Time Again (2023)

Last one 2023!

Recorded/Mixed: Audacity
Guitar: Cort MR710 LH NS
Mic: Rhode USB Mini

Lyrics:
.
When you need me - far away
Say my name I'll be there today
I hope you know it's with Gods I play
Open your eyes it's a blissful game
. 
(oh)
.
Time together, time we share
Nothing to do but be aware
Hope you see how much I care
Open you eyes and take me there. 
. 
(oh)
.
Focus! Focus!
Focus! Focus! 
Focus! Focus! 
Love is in the air! 
.
Focus! Focus!
Focus! Focus! 
Focus! Focus! 
Love is in the air!
.
-end-

© Tam Jennifer Hastings, 2023

Blissful Game (2023)

https://youtu.be/Q7HcYfDA1Jo?si=KAJzA9aN-3Z76cdr

outsider

Follows on from my earlier track "Passion for the Beyond", though a little jazzier. Brass sounds from a VST (MIDI-triggered) instrument. Image: Gencraft.

Beyond Passion

Not So Fast

This is an original composition in tribute to heroically good classic rock pianist Nicky Hopkins (a.k.a. “Edward” as he was sometimes called in the studio by members of the Rolling Stones).  He would have turned 80 years old today (02/24/2024).

This was not an attempt at impersonation, but rather an effort toward one specific aspect of his versatile playing style, namely, that elusive balance of flow and syncopation.  Simply put, listening to Nicky Hopkins makes my brain dance, and trying to capture that effect is what inspired this piece.  

Note: Many are unfamiliar with the name Nicky Hopkins, but everyone is familiar with his piano playing which has appeared on records of the Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, the Who, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, the Kinks, Steve Miller Band, Art Garfunkel, Jerry Garcia, the Beatles (as well as solo work of all four individual Beatles), and many others.  He played on over forty top 40 albums, and dozens of singles.  He was practically a member of the Rolling Stones (and came up with many of the Stones’ most iconic piano parts including for the songs Angie, She’s a Rainbow, Loving Cup, Sympathy for the Devil), but his battle with Crohn’s disease prevented him from being able to commit to regular touring.  As a result, he spent most of his career working as a session musician. He was, however, an official member (from 1969-1971) of Quicksilver Messenger Service where his piano work generally sits up front in the mix and where you can hear his creativity fully unleashed (e.g., check out their songs Shady Grove, Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder, and Fresh Air).  In spite of his limited number of live performances, he was also a talented improviser as showcased in the Rolling Stones studio jam album “Jamming with Edward”, and another great example of this is the high-quality recording of his live performance with the Jerry Garcia Band on “Let it Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection Volume 2" https://soundcloud.com/jerrygarcia/sets/let-it-rock-the-jerry-garcia.

Here is the Wikipedia article on Nicky Hopkins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Hopkins

Song art: The image depicting “a session pianist resembling Nicky Hopkins” was created with a lot of help from my brother-in-law Patrick McGee using a combination of AI art generators.

Edward Piano Hands

True Love

The first stage of demonic possession is invitation.
This track is the first in a series.
https://soundcloud.com/user-260441121/sets/possession

Invitation

Instrumental Composition, bass, guitar, mix by Garddwr Porffor: https://soundcloud.com/garddwrporffor
Vocals, Vocal Composition, Lyrics by Nadia Selvaggi

Player by Garddwr Porffor & Nadia Selvaggi

It was a time when downtempo was called Slow....spécial Thanks to Stepa.K for her a cappella….

SHADOW.   Feat Stepa.K

Forest Nocturne.

Lyrics 

Can’t shake the feeling 

I made my way home 
To my television 
Tried to sell my soul
But didn’t have permission

No one knows 
Im the second coming 
I’ve failed on my own 
But I’ve had the calling

Live your life in reverse
And you feel your cursed

Can’t shake the feeling 
Can’t shake the feeling 

Your demons unearthed
Hiding in the masses 
I’m shouting up first 
Sat on the second class list

Life Live in reverse
And your feel your cursed 

Can’t shake the feeling
Can’t shake the feeling 


Live your life in reverse 
Feel like your cursed 

Can’t shake the feeling
Can’t shake the feeling

V3- 
Your moneys no good 
Can’t buy your way out 
But if you act like you should 
Please Whisper don’t shout 

Live your life in reverse 
Feel like your cursed 

Cos They seek to destroy 
Your world is their toy
You stand in line 
And you nod in time 
The worlds at your feet
But it feels like a defeat 

Bridge)
Can’t take this 
It’s mayhem 
Time to take your  
Medicine 

Some Angels 
Some demons 
Deal your fate in an instant 

Can’t shake the feeling  
can’t shake the feeling 
Can’t shake the feeling

Life Live in reverse
Cant find the meaning 
Feels like you’re cursed
Can’t shake the feeling x3

Cant shake the feeling

Apophenia

Bandcamp

Velocitation

Vocals & lyrics: Neons Gone Mad
Video (fun!): https://youtu.be/u-CmX9FYLVI


Rabbits in the sunset

We are rabbits 
in the sunset

Points expanding
into circles

Only sublime
light on our fur

Hare abright, the
wideness of night

Hymns are humming 
along our ears

Carried upon
the wind's double

Our eyes can see
ways of wisdom

The return of
the magician

Leap, imagination
Immortality

Playful strategies
Alchemical transmutation

Sunset splend'rous
lilac scented

Allegories
labyrinthine

Former exploits
taken as clues

Old guardians
moving aside

Rabbit snares are
due to rabbits

Words exist be-
cause of meaning

Rabbits gotten,
snares forgotten

Tying tongues with
elective mutes

Alchemical rabbits
Their meaning's unclear

Vapor of the earth
Signifying channels open

We are rabbits 
in the sunset

Our meaning need
not be expressed

Promontory
allegories

Trials end in
levitation

In purple we 
are ascending

Our ears hear the
hymns forthcoming

Our eyes can see
ways of wisdom

The return of
the magician

Rabbits in the sunset - ft. Neons Gone Mad

Artist: Gareth Wood
Title: Don't Be Nice
Album: Exposure Therapy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoIDoqlJkD8&list=PL-6SKWA0F8S_rMeOXyq4DuIOVUww0_1hp

Don't Be Nice

Gnarly Roots Swing

⚡ Synthwave energy unleashed! ⚡ Shock the Algorithm returns with a brand NEW album — Ultraviolet Cosmos.
https://shockthealgorithm.bandcamp.com/album/ultraviolet-cosmos

🌌 Available NOW on Bandcamp — grab your digital copy today and step into the neon! 🌌