A couple of weeks ago, a friend was playing my acoustic and tuned it to D D D D A D which Stephen Stills showed him as the tuning for the CSN song Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.  (More info about that here: http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/64552) I left my guitar tuned that way because I like the droning quality of the harmonics and the idea of exploring a new tuning. Yesterday I picked up the guitar and this song pretty much wrote itself. I heard it as as a bluesy stomp with that bass drum thumping a la Led Zep's Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. 

HOLE IN MY HEAD
Words and Music Stephen Randall

Oh my heart is in my hands
Must have a hole in my head 
Yes my heart is in my hands
Must have a hole in my head 

And I wonder if I will end up in my grave
Before I know true love
Yes I wonder if I will end up in my grave
Before I know true love

Well I thought that I did right
But I know now that ain't so  
Yes I thought that I did right
But I know now that ain't so  

And I wonder if I will end up in my grave
Before I know true love
Yes I wonder if I will end up in my grave
Before I know true love
 
Oh my heart is in m y hands
Must have a hole in my head 
Yes my heart is in my hands
Must have a hole in my head 

And I wonder if I will end up in my grave
Before I know true love
Yes I wonder if I will end up in my grave
Before I know true love

© & Ⓟ 2013 Stephen Randall

iTunes

Hole In My Head

RAGE OF MEN
Words and Music Stephen Randall

They got something to prove
They got nothing to lose
They’re just pumped up muscle
Looking for a hustle
Gonna take you down
Gonna shake you down
Riding on the train to oblivion

They got war on the cards
They got hate in their hearts
We’re one shot away 
From being blown away
Gotta be the man
Gotta have a plan
Riding on the train to oblivion

Is it a lack of
Direction
That fans the flames
That turn into

CHORUS
Rage
Blame it on the rage of men
Rage
Blame it on the rage of men

Got to be in the tribe
Gotta believe in the lie
There are very fine guys
On both sides 
Gonna hunt us down
Gonna run this town
Riding on the train to oblivion

Is it a lack of
Connection
That fans the flames
That turn into

CHORUS
Rage
Blame it on the rage of men
Rage
Blame it on the rage of men

Blame it on the rage of men

Rage Of Men

“Big Finish” is a song about never giving up. It’s a song about family and the influence they have on us. We all make our choices and we all make mistakes, but what matters is how we get up and finish the race. It’s not too late to follow through. In the wise words of my father, “Big finish. Make sure you finish strong.”

Lyrics: 

My father told me something I never forgot
And he tells me every time I play his favorite song
He says man you can mess up a lot
He says make sure you finish strong

Big big finish
Make sure you finish strong

My brother told me something I forget
And I keep trying to remember just the end
It went something about liquor and sweat
It said it’s your time and money to spend

Big big finish
Make sure you finish strong

My mother doesn’t have to say anything at all
One look from her and I am a stream
Laughing over rocks in the mud of fall
Drinking the light of the sunshine beam

Big big finish
Make sure you finish strong

Oh Big big finish
Make sure you finish strong
Yeah make sure you finish strong

Credits: 

Written and produced by Trevor Leonard
Mixed by Trevor Leonard
Mastered by Dave Downham at Gradwell House

Trevor Leonard - Vocals, Guitars, Piano, Bass
Katie Weissman - Cello
Will Blair - Drums
John Leonard - Trombone
Brooke Blair - Drum production

Kadylak Records
C+P 2023 Trevor Leonard

Links:
https://linktr.ee/trevorleonard 
https://tinyurl.com/BigFinishSpotify
https://tinyurl.com/BigFinishApple
https://tinyurl.com/BigFinishSoundcloud
https://tinyurl.com/BigFinishYoutube
https://trevorleonard.bandcamp.com
http://trevorleonard.com

Big Finish

The Ryes

Hideaway

SABLE, fABLE

S P E Y S I D E

Blissfully vacant is the 2nd track from my 2025 album Second Skin.
Release Date to 4th April 2025
You can see video here https://youtu.be/KW25Py6b7Gw

Second Skin

Blissfully Vacant

BLISSFULLY VACANT

https://soundcloud.com/plex-auchta - bass guitar and drums
lil' spaceman - beatbox and vocals

susie's got an uzi (ft. Plex Auchta)

NONE OF US ARE SUPERMAN
Words and Music Stephen Randall

We all live in our Fortresses of Solitude
We all do the very best we can
Hiding from our own secret identity
But none of us are Superman no
None of us are Superman 
We have to get it while we can 
None of us are Superman      

We all live in our own little Metropolis
Living for work or working to live
But most of us are like the Clark Kents of the world
And none of us are Superman no
None of us are Superman 
We have to get it while we can 
None of us are Superman      

And none of us are Superman no
None of us are Superman 
We have to get it while we can 
None of us are Superman

None Of Us Are Superman

Full Moon Wide

Those Horses

I'm a Brit in America.

I've released eight albums - Naive in 2014, Above The Rain in 2015, Heartlands in 2016, The Freaks and the Brave in 2017, Nashville When I Rise in 2018, Retropolitan in 2020, Oxygen in 2021 and Rock Paper Scissors in 2023.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/oxygen/1567362004
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/retropolitan/1505508938
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nashville-when-i-rise/1422418349
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-freaks-and-the-brave/id1278535762
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/heartlands/id1131404464
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/above-the-rain/id1023879301
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/naive/id882888725
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/na%C3%AFve/id1202021941
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/StephenRandall

I also released a tribute song for the victims of the Boston Marathon, We Will Run Again, (100% of the proceeds go to the victims) which is also available on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/we-will-run-again/id858791917

I used to write songs for other artists and thought that getting covers was what it was all about. Whenever I heard the end results of what other artists, producers or A&R people would do with my songs, I mostly found it soul destroying, so I allowed myself to I get distracted for a while - inventing a digital guitar (The Stepp DG1 and DGX) and getting involved in mobile computing (Symbian).  Then about eight years ago I started writing again and this time I wrote for myself and rediscovered my passion. So here I am, a songwriter again. 

I record on a MacBook Pro using Logic Pro X, and play a Fender Jazzmaster (my current go-to), American Fender Tele, '59 Epiphone semi acoustic, Taylor 614ce acoustic, Paul Reed Smith PRS Custom 24, Epiphone Sheraton II Pro, Fender Jazz Bass, Line 6 Variax JTV, Stepp DG1 (of course!), Nord Piano 4/MIDI keyboard, Gretsch Lap Steel and am learning pedal steel on a Sho-Bud Pro pedal steel guitar. 

The Soundcloud community has fostered my motivation for songwriting and music discovery. Thanks for listening - every comment, constructive or otherwise inspires me.

Cheers,

Stephen