From the 1990 ep Tingles.  Dedicated to Steve Evans and Courtney Barnett.

Original found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEEmhcs9cMs .

That Ain't Bad (Ratcat Cover)

It was Emmy's birthday yesterday and I wanted to do something special for her so I made my interpretation of How Soon is Now? by The Smiths finally happen.  I'm happy with it and hope she likes it.  I hope you like it too!  

Found this fun interview with Johnny Marr describing the original writing process for the song. Charming.  Words and music by the Smiths.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XOIWIB9VMo

The photo is of a fellow by the name of Hughie who was one my students when I student taught in London in the early 90s.  If you recognize him, please let me know.

How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths Cover)

I was saddened to hear of Mimi Parker's passing this past weekend.  I spent a good portion of this past Sunday revisiting this concert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I45V99gx25Y and a few hours today putting together this cover of their song Just Make It Stop.  

All words and music by Low.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rAdzJ1U0RU

Just Make It Stop (Low Cover, Tribute to Mimi Parker)

Caffiend

What Was Said

Left Right Left

The Last Payphone In LA

I Brought You Into This World

Dedicated to Mother Nature and Mother California who appear to be on speaking terms again.

I'll See You Around (It's Finally Raining)

Special thanks to Wolfparty https://soundcloud.com/user-935467498 for inspiring me to dust off my Grandfather's Kalamazoo and to Gertrude https://soundcloud.com/e-m-m-y-921110224 for helping me find my voice.

Ready Or Not

I treated myself to a copy of the Grateful Dead's Cornell show from the spring of 1977 a few birthdays back.  I spent some time in Barton Hall over the years when working at the UC and saw Bob Dylan there when in college.  Considered by some to be one of the best shows the Dead ever performed, the center piece of  the show is an epic Fire On The Mountain that I have been flirting with the last few years.  I could jam on those two chords for hours and recently decided to put my spin on it.  More shoegaze than anything, brought to you here with nothing but love.

Music and words by Hunter and Hart/The Grateful Dead.

Fire On The Mountain (Grateful Dead Cover)

Path of Least Resistance

I was recently watching a "Making the Album" episode for Cream's Disraeli Gears.  I thought I had seen them all but this one had slipped by me.

As they were going track by track, they spoke of the song We're Going Wrong, which I had never heard before having been raised on the best of.  I decided to take a crack at it and see what happened.  Quite an amazing experience for me having loved both the band and more specifically Jack Bruce for decades.  Enough so that I play an SG bass in Bruce's, Trevor Bolder's, Phil Lesh's, and Dr. Marshall's honor.

I used this performance from the 2005 reunion concerts as the template.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMLWPD2No0 Bruce said that the song was based on an argument he had with his wife at the time.  Seems to me that the relevance of the words and the vibe have bigger meaning in this time as we move forward.

Words and music by Jack Bruce.

We're Going Wrong (Cream Cover)

In 2013 I reached out to the Weighty Tree (Mark) https://soundcloud.com/theweightytree and asked if it would be ok to overdub some lead guitars.  I had had a great time working with Rick Cheehy earlier that year https://soundcloud.com/rickcheehy/sets/the-vercelloni-cheehy and wanted to keep it going.

Mark kindly made a bunch of his instrumentals available and I built upon the platforms one-by-one.  I recently came across the folder of MP3s that I sent back to him and was going through them.  Bayonet resonated.  I jotted down some lyrics and recorded some vocals the next day.

Collaborations are great and have no shelf life.  Keep adding.

Music by The Weight Tree with lead guitars and vocals by me.

Bayonet (with The Weighty Tree)

I've been trying to get a project going with a co-worker of mine.  Demoed this for her and thought it was interesting enough a recording to share here.

Mood Ring

Bar The Door

Keep It To Yourself

I met a woman this week who had lost her husband.  We were talking during the course of his funeral service at which I was assisting and she told me what had happened.  She explained to me that even though was he was unconscious in his last days while surrounded by his family at home, he would still kiss her back when she went to kiss him.  We came to the conclusion that he didn't want to miss a kiss.

Dedicated to Hope and Angelo.

Miss The Kiss

I pulled my Decade songbook out of storage a few months back and have been thinking about a Neil Young cover.  Somehow I got sidetracked this week and ended up on a performance Neil did with Devo of Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black).  I won't bore you with a history lesson but I will say that if Neil decided to spend almost 10 minutes of Human Highway on the performance below, it must have meant something to him at the time.  Plus it's really fun to play!

Words and music by Neil Young/Jeff Blackburn/Devo/Crazy Horse. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clR-KJXk7DY

Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) (Neil Young & Crazy Horse/Devo)

Lightning In A Bottle

Words by Hank.
Music by Davidson and Vercelloni.

Accidents Happen Accidentally

Might be the last new release of the year.  It's been a great 2023 for me creatively.  Thanks to everybody who stopped by and spun a tune or two.  Special thanks to all my collaborators and future collaborators.

Best Holiday wishes to you all!

Dedicated to Emmy.

Ripple Effect

Words and music by Martin Gore/Depeche Mode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snILjFUkk_A

Never Let Me Down Again (Depeche Mode Cover)

Rise And Shine

Pete Thomas on drums.

Words and music by Nick Lowe.

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding (Nick Lowe Cover)

I recently ran across this composition that I collaborated on with ELT Project.  Seems like yesterday I was sending it to him but it's been five years.  Crazy.

ELT Project's music is extraordinary in scope, heart and intricacy.  He might be my desert island artist here on SC...Do yourself a favor and make a day of it.  https://soundcloud.com/extremeloungeterror

Music by ELT Project.

Better To Forget (with ELT Project)

I stopped by Yellow Belly's BC page to check out her new single Signal the other day and spent some time going through her previous releases.  I was reminded of the power of her song Are You Ready to be Happy Yet?  I found some drums, laid down some bass, and got to work covering it.

Some of my happiest and most satisfying moments as a musician have been working with Dominique over the years.  Songs only her and I know about and can dial up when we want to.  She is incredibly talented and creative in many mediums and I encourage you to spend some time with her brilliance.

Words and music by Dominique Finnegan.

https://yellow-belly.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpx2I57zvs4

Are You Ready To Be Happy Yet? (Yellow Belly Cover)

Looking for something in my 2022 folder and got sucked in... 

Words by Hank.

Keep Coming Back

I was reading an article recently where Billy Idol was describing his "California Sober" lifestyle and he provided some perfect lyrics for a piece I had written earlier this year.  Thank you Billy Idol!

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billy-idol-california-sober-drug-addiction-1235014040/

Why Try And Fight It

All You Can Handle

Thanks for listening and more importantly, thank you for sharing your work and recommendations!

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