It's Not Over

A real pleasure collaborating with Rosin Dust. To hear more of her violin go to: https://soundcloud.com/rosindust
Was just having some piano fun when Tatiana agreed to collaborate with her violin.

Some background to what I was thinking when writing this music:

There’s a book by Jared Diamond (Pulitzer prize winning author of “Guns, Germs & Steel”) called “Collapse” which attempts to analyze why civilizations fail. Some chapters talk about Montana, Viking settlements, the rise and fall of African empires and much more. A common theme is that the zenith is reached right before the collapse, frequently caused by the depletion of a natural resource needed to culturally or physically sustain society. He tries to paper over a fundamentally pessimistic outlook towards the end with talk about the promise of his daughter, but it certainly made me think.

Oblivious To Oblivion

Oblivious To Oblivion | Rosin Dust 🎻

Percussion, guitar, bass, vocal, lyrics: Stone catcherye https://soundcloud.com/stonecatcherye
Percussion, organ, vocal, lyrics: Jan Schonander https://soundcloud.com/thegats

Call this a retro dystopian future....

DYSTOPIA

Endless chatter, walk the fields
No horizon, blade towers 
Cloudy sky, 20-20 vision
See the light, the nights delight

Endless line, endless party
Endless time, endless future
In the air, never to die
In the flow, irresistible way

I saw the hole
I saw the hole

Just stop this light from reaching me
I'm frail and fragile in my serenity

The silence, brown fields
Big sky, damn the sky
Blue sky, clouds in my eyes
Bright night, blinding darkness

Endless line, endless beggars
Endless time, endless waiting
Surface down, the depletion
Wanderer, aimless loss

I’m burning
I’m burning
I saw the hole
I saw the hole

Just stop this light from reaching me
I'm frail and fragile in my serenity
just dropped from heights you cannot reach
One nail, one coffin that I will never need

It's only air we're breathing
Despair of season
Wary of reason
Depths of treason
It's only air we're needing
The care of heathens
Contraire, the meaning
Years of being

Dystopia

DystOpia | Stone catcherye & TheGat(s)

Cover of Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric".

Unmitigated synth fun here...When doing covers I always try to give the same feeling as the original but without trying to reproduce an already fantastic track. For this one I switched up the vocal melody and added vocal melody to what were spoken parts in the original. That also forced me to take some artistic freedom with the lyrics. Instruments have changed a bit since 1979 and I also tried to give this  a much more lush sound than the original.

If you're wondering how I did this:
The main synth is a combination of the Korg SV-1 Tonewheel Organ (for gritty fuzziness) and the Logic Pro X Alchemy Classic Super Saw (for the smooth and bright sound). To get the swirliness out the SV-1 you have to use a pedal here and there. And of course with the Super Saw getting the envelope and touch on the keys right is the trick. For the "guitar" it's a Logic Pro X backward clean guitar which I post-processed with a British Combo Amp - it's all about the gain & timing when doing that. Actually finger played the kick and snare for the drums and combined that with the virtual drummer for the high-hat and fills (Smash drum kit). Used the Liverpool Bass and Alchemy Swarm Riser & Noise Tide synths for the effects.

ARE FRIENDS ELECTRIC

It's cold outside
And the paint's peeling off of my walls
There's a man outside
In a long coat, grey hat, smoking a cigarette

Now the light fades out
And I'm wondering what I'm doing in a room like this
There's a knock on the door
And just for a second I thought I remembered you

Now I'm alone
I can think for myself
About little deals
And issues
And things that I just don't understand
Like white lies
Or a slight touch
I don't think it meant anything to you
I don't think it meant anything to you

So I open the door
It's the 'friend' that I'd left in the hallway
"Please sit down"
A candle lit a shadow on a wall near the bed

You know I hate to ask
But, are 'friends' electric?
Mine's broke down
And now I've no one to love

So I find out all your reasons
For the phone calls and all the smiles
And it hurts
And I'm so lonely
I should never have tried
And I missed you tonight
So it's time, time to leave

YouTube

The 300

The 300 | REKHA-IYERN [Fe] 🎸

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander
Guitar: Davy Vance https://soundcloud.com/skub1955

Not much I can do about the tragic events in Ukraine. I've decided that the aggressors can't appropriate the Z, so I'm taking it back in this metaphorical musical battle.

This is a tweaked master (for some of you this may be basics). I moved both the organ and vocal noisegate from last to first in the effects chain. This allows the effects such as delay to work and sound as intended. Also tried a saturator on the lead "high" vocal to make it stand out more in the mix. You will all let me know if this worked (it is most noticeable at the end where you can hear the organ fade out with the planned delay). On a side-note if anybody is interested in how the "sucking" effect is achieved on the drums it is using a combination of regular and reverse reverb. 

TAKING BACK THE Z

I’m taking back the Z
You can’t have it
You can’t have it
You can’t have it
You can’t have it
You can’t have it
It’s not white 
Z belongs to U
Yellow and blue
U
Yellow and blue
U

I can’t let go, it’s all I got
I can’t let go, it’s all I got
I can’t let go, no 

I’ll move from place to place
I’ll zig and I’ll zag
I’ll duck and I’ll hide
I’ll stay alive
I can’t let go, no

I’ll weave and I’ll bob
Be a thorn in your side
I’ll run and I’ll jump
No river’s too wide
I can’t let go, no

I’m taking back the Z
It’s all mine
It’s all mine
It’s all mine
It’s all mine
It’s all mine
It’s not white
Z belongs to U
Yellow and blue
U
Yellow and blue
Yellow and blue

I can’t let go, it’s all I got
I can’t let go, it’s all I got
I can’t let go, no 

I’ll beg and I’ll pray, 
Turn every stone
I’ll rant and I’ll rave
I’ll never rest
I can’t let go, no

I’ll be your worst nightmare
No matter your might
Be your worst nightmare 
Both day & night
I can’t let go, no

It’s all mine…

Taking Back The Z

Taking Back The Z | Davy Vance 🎸

Music & Piano: Jan Schonander

A Friday jam....warts and all. Piano is the Grand Piano native on my Korg SV-1 recorded with the Grand Piano settings in Logic Pro X. This track made it to the #1 spot on SoundClouds playlist Piano: New & Hot on 4/14/22 . I wonder how that happens. 
https://soundcloud.com/discover/sets/charts-trending:piano:us

Bridge To Nowhere

Music: Jan Schonander

This is about as close to a "dittie" as you get in the synth VST world. I loaded up 5 different VSTs, four from Logic Pro X and 1 from Kontakt, mapped them into 5 different and sometimes overlapping parts of the keyboard and played it all in one go. In other words this is a one man band piece that can be performed live - there are no overlays just a single play. It was kind of fun doing this and I felt like one of those street musicians playing on a pedestrian street in front of an old-fashioned department store while playing. Maybe some of you will enjoy.

Liftoff & Alit

Music & Piano: Jan Schonander

Got in my head that I wanted to play something with a little staccato and this is what came out. Also thought it would be a good idea to do all four seasons and recruited three pianists to complete the cycle. Delighted that Debra Buesking agreed to take on summer and here is a link to her wonderful interpretation:
https://soundcloud.com/debra_buesking/summer-interrupted-c/s-6ix0O3wrxbm

Two additional Soundcloud artists have agreed to tackle Fall and Winter and when their inspiration results in a track the links will be here too. I have also put together a playlist where all four tracks eventually will be in a collection. 
https://soundcloud.com/thegats/sets/four-seasons-interrupted/s-A8Hi6t3VNkV?si=a7457f3de6a241c3a68fc7f30c86a64c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

I spent seventeen long winters in Stockholm. Funnily enough the most challenging season to me was always spring with all the false starts and long hiatuses. By the time it’s May and you can reasonably expect some warmish weather (defined as over 50F) it inevitably snows and destroys your planned weekend bike ride, or maybe you just have to keep your down jacket in the closet a few more weeks and leave your lighter clothes at the back of the closet. Of course, spring is the beginning of a period of more fun and games. Hopefully you can hear the pull between spring trying to break through and winter lingering on in this music.

This is a performance with no post recording edits. It is entirely in Gm except for 1 note intended to denote a dissonant interruption. I wonder who can locate that B.

Spring Interrupted

Music & Evil Laughing: Jan Schonander

Sometimes it's good to just go with the flow. For classical fans this is yet another Chopin derivative.

It could also be called "The Post-apocalyptic Celebration Of The Final Victory Of The Vampires"

The Triumphant Yet Somewhat Creepy Shortish Interlude

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander
Guitar: Davy Vance https://soundcloud.com/skub1955 

TURN TO BURN

It’s getting better 
Getting better all the time
I’ll bide my time
I’m stepping back, it’s not a crime

It’s getting better
Getting better all the time
It’s way too heavy
And when I get my way, their gonna have to pay

When we get there 
I’ll trip and hop
I’ll step and dance
Do the jig
I’ll be singing la la la la la
La la la la la
And when we get there
I’ll trip and hop
I’ll step and dance
I’ll be singing

It’s my turn
My turn to burn
My turn in the spotlight
My turn to shine bright
Time to get what I want
Time to get what I need
It’s my turn
Time to leave things behind
My turn to burn
My turn to burn

When I get there
I’ll scream and shout
I’ll be bursting
Lose myself
I’ll be singing la la la la la
La la la la la
And when we get there
All of us
Both you and me
We’ll all be singing

It’s my turn
My turn to burn
My turn in the spotlight
My turn to shine bright
Time to get what I want
Time to get what I need
It’s my turn
My turn to burn
My turn to burn
My turn to burn
It’s my turn

Turn To Burn

Turn To Burn | Davy Vance 🎸

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

This is unapologetically inspired by the A-side to one of my favorite albums of all time. I'll let you guess which album that is - if you are older than 50 it will most likely be easier.

A lot of us spend our lives chasing a dream, and despite reaching milestone after milestone the dream is always just beyond our reach. If you're lucky all you need to do is stop and think - maybe you're already there. I was reminded about this when told a story about a popular beach boatman asked by a hedge fund manager why he doesn't invest in an additional boat. After many questions the investor tells him that after years he could become so financially successful that he could spend his afternoons with his family and friends. The boatman tells him that after his morning fishing run that is already what he does. 

The guitar is a Logic Pro X Heavy Metal Guitar. For the drums I "mixed it up" a bit by using more reverb on the snare than on the rest of the drums. Also had a hi-hat in there initially but I took it out as I thought it muddied up the sound too much. In general I debated how much reverb to use and progressively used less and less to try and warm it up. For the bass I combined an electric bass with a traditional standing base. I departed from my usual approach of trying to reproduce as natural a piano sound as possible by using equalization to mainly remove some of the high and low end - the purpose being to create a "lo-fi" sound. Finally, the synth is Nord Native and treated with some ringshift to get the moving in and out your ears effect.  

LATELY MAYBE

Too much
Not enough
Will I ever
Is it never
I can’t see
Will it ever be

Lately, I’ve been thinking too much
Lately, I’ve been dreaming too much
Maybe, I’m in heaven
Maybe, I made it yesterday

Is this the end
Or could it be the beginning
I can’t tell
It seems a bit like hell
So many moving parts
So many false starts

Lately, I’ve been thinking too much
Lately, I’ve been dreaming too much
Maybe, I’m in heaven
Maybe, I made it yesterday

Too much
Not enough
Lately
Maybe
Lately it’s been too much
Maybe it’s been too much

Lately Maybe

Spotify

An original idea by Stone catcherye

Music & Lyrics, Guitars, Drums, Vocal : Stone catcherye https://soundcloud.com/stonecatcherye
Music & Lyrics, Synth Bass, Organ, Vocal: Jan Schonander

Image partially created using OpenAI

BLUE MONDAY

Sunday night the tension is more than I can bare
Time moves slowly as I count down the hours
A load off of me as I walk out the door
This ain’t no 
This ain’t no 
This aint no blue Monday

Wake up and change your believing 
Wake up and see 
You don't have to live a life of  feeling blue to spite the green
Wake up and change your life 
Like  you want it to be
 You don't have to wait 'til you die 
To live the life you need

Just live the life you need

Thursday night pressure’s low I’m breathing again
Time is moving why can’t I just press pause 
I’m comin home, I’m putting my helmet on 
This ain’t no
This ain’t no
This ain’t no blue Monday

Wake up and change your believing 
Wake up and see 
You don't have to live a life of  feeling blue to spite the green
Wake up and change your life 
Like  you want it to be
 You don't have to wait 'til you die 
To live the life you need

Just live the life you need

Oh, I'm a ghost, oh, you the most
Oh, I want a Blue Monday
Oh, just give me a Blue Monday

Oh, I'm a freak, oh you're disease
Just give me a blue Monday 

Just give me a blue Monday
Just give me one
Just give me one
Just give me one blue Monday

Wake up and change your believing 
Wake up and see 
You don't have to live a life of  feeling blue to spite the green
Wake up and change your life 
Like  you want it to be
 You don't have to wait 'til you die 
To live the life you need

Live the life you need

Blue Monday

Blue Monday | Stone catcherye & TheGat(s)

Music, Lyrics, All Instruments, Vocal: Jan Schonander
Music, Vocal: REKHA IYERN [Fe] https://soundcloud.com/rekha-iyern-fe

All sounds except the drums are Nord Stage 3 native.

Anything wrong with right now? It is sometimes easy to fall into the trap of thinking  that everything was better before, especially as a parent. Thought I'd look up some statistics and see how things stack up vs around 30 years ago. Turns out violent crime is down by over 50% since a high in the early 90s - property crime is also down by 40% - of course there is nothing about that meaning we shouldn't strive to improve further and try to get back to the even lower rates in the 60s. Like the crime rate, the poverty rate fluctuates a lot, but in 1990 it was estimated that 13.5% of the US population lived under the poverty line whereas in 2021 it had been reduced by 14% to 11.6%. In this song I have focused a bit on hard to measure things like the choices a lot of people have today compared to before, in terms of finding their own path vs being set on a path by parents and, importantly, the choice to love who you want. So, we are safer, less poor and have more freedom, but overall happiness levels in the US are apparently at the lowest level in 50 years. Given that the US is predominately a middle class society this might be explained by a fifty year trend of increasing income inequality. The wealthy and poor are better off economically but for a very large swath of the US population things have become more difficult. Clearly there are things to work on. Nevertheless, in many ways, especially with a longer perspective we are so much better off today vs before. 

THIS TIME

Talk about the past
About early and late
What might happen

They say it was better 
You gotta watch your watch
Soon it’ll all pass you by

Why can’t you be like them
Perfect, always
Right there, right now

I feel it, I need it
I feel it, l need it, I’ve got it 
I feel it, I need it, I’ve got it, I want it, I love it
Love

In this time black or white
I could choose a boy
I think I’ll choose a girl

At this time or any other  time
I choose, I choose what to say
I think, I don’t have to care

For this time I might be there
I could change my mind
I think I’ll change my mind, yeah

Right now
I feel it, I need it
Right now
I feel it, l need it, I’ve got it 
I feel it, I need it, I’ve got it, I want it, I love it
Love

Yeah, oh yeah....

In this time
At this time
For this time

This Time

This Time | REKHA-IYERN [Fe] 🎤

Music: Jan Schonander
Crows from Pixabay
Image generated with OpenAI with a prompt

The anticipation - the standoff - the requiem 

A favorite movie of mine from my younger days is "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" famously ending in a Mexican Standoff between Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef. Directed by Sergio Leone with music by Ennio Morricone I recommend this spaghetti western to anybody who hasn't seen it.  On a whim I thought I would perform a musical reenactment, although in my version there are no survivors.

The experimental part of this has to do with the reverb on the drums in the "shootout" to simulate gunshots.

A Mexican standoff is a confrontation where no strategy exists that allows any party to achieve victory. Any party initiating aggression might trigger everyone's demise. At the same time, the parties are unable to extract themselves from the situation without suffering a loss. [Wikipedia]

Mexican Standoff

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

A lot going on in this song. The original idea was to take the idea of ostinato to the extreme. This was accomplished by using an arpeggiated Eb throughout - of course there was some work that went into the modulation and envelope of the synth I chose. I used the same synth varying the number of notes and direction of the arpeggios to get the sounds that define the track. 

In music, an ostinato (Italian: [ostiˈnaːto]; derived from Italian word for stubborn, compare English obstinate) is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces include classical compositions such as Ravel's Boléro and the Carol of the Bells, and popular songs such as Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder's "I Feel Love" (1977), Henry Mancini's theme from Peter Gunn (1959), The Who's "Baba O'Riley" (1971), and The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (1997).[WikiPedia]

Lyrically I wanted to capture the hysteria of the Chinese balloon while addressing the fact that many of us voluntarily allow ourselves to be monitored by the government and private enterprises. We pay for Google Assistants, Alexa, Siri etc and I think I'm not the only that get's the AI saying it didn't understand after periods of absolute silence. It is also a known fact that private enterprises monitor our e-mails and we voluntarily sign up for this  - who knows who is analyzing and parsing that information. I have worked for decades in the telecommunications business and for those that don't know there is a feature called "Lawful Intercept" that all suppliers are obliged to enable - this allows authorities to listen in on any communication they deem fit. Lastly, while using free services like Facebook we allow the monitoring of our habits, many of us with a grudge, but still we allow it, and social media is becoming more and more pervasive so it seems we want more.

SHAKE THE FEELING 

What are they looking at
What could they be looking for
Looking for
Looking for

What are they looking at
What could they be looking for
Looking for
Looking for

Sometimes you feel like
Someone is listening
Hear voices in your head
Sometimes you feel like
Someone can see you
Looming over your shoulder

It’s not the first time
It’s not the second time
It’s not the last time, no

High and low
In and out

Can’t shake the feeling
Runs through your body
High and low
Can’t shake the feeling
A drug in your mind
In and out

What are they looking at
What could they be looking for
Looking for
Looking for

What are they looking at
What could they be looking for
Looking for
Looking for

Sometimes you can hear
A stranger in your house
And you spent all your money
Sometimes think you know
A machine is reading
You signed the dotted line

Sometimes you’re afraid
A lawful intercept
You voted for them
All the time you don’t care
They’re recording you
Nothing is for free

Can’t shake the feeling
I never ever wanted this
High and low
Can’t shake the feeling
Why can’t I say no
In and out

Can’t shake the habit
It’s my addiction
Ask for more
Can’t shake the feeling
I don’t want to
I want more

What are they looking at
What could they be looking for
Looking for
Looking for

Sorry I didn't quite get that

Shale The Feeling

Shake The Feeling

An original idea by Jan Schonander

Lyrics, Lead Vocal: Amanda Sanderson https://soundcloud.com/phoebeelena
Guitars, Bass: N.o.B.S https://soundcloud.com/nobsmeyer
Music, Lyrics, 2nd Vocal, Piano, Synths, Drums, Mix, Master: Jan Schonander

I was never satisfied with the final mix and master of this track from over 3 years ago. Having learned a few tricks of the trade I revisited the mix and made quite a few changes involving selective limiting on some stems, saturation, upwards compression, cleaning up the drums, rebalancing of some of the levels, fixing the vocals, eliminating a superfluous synth and probably more that I can't remember. I decided to relaunch the track as I think there is a huge difference.

A rueful look back at what might have been.....if only.

IF ONLY

If only you could see through my eyes
If only I could find just one more way
If only we could go back in time
If the two of us didn’t feel so lonely
If only could be sublime

And I will never forget
I remember your tender embrace
I miss gazing into your eyes
I miss hearing your laughter
Seeing your smile
Feeling your love 

And yet
There’s so much more
Why I walked out that door
I can’t ever forget
Lying on my back 
On a cold floor

If only you’d never got mad
If only you hadn’t made me sad
I sing every night and day
I sing if only
If only

If we could get back to just having fun
If everything could be undone
If we could live on regret
If the two of us, had never met
If no-one had to run

If only you’d never got mad
If only you hadn’t made me sad
I sing every night and day
I sing if only
If only

I pray from Monday to Sunday
I pray for both of our souls
I sing every night and day
I sing if only
If only

If Only

If Only Revisited | Amanda Kim Sanderson, N.o.B.S, TheGat(s)

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

Not stripped, but certainly not very well dressed, and with a few tweaks.

FOR YESTERDAY

Yesterday felt so easy
Yesterday felt so good
Yesterday felt so easy
Yesterday felt so good

Walked to the gate
Not a worry in the sky
Turned to my baby and I waved her goodbye
Saw her through the window
Sweet tear in her eye
Oh I long for yesterday
I long for yesterday
Yesterday
I long for yesterday

I picked up the phone
Dialed a memorized number
Told her I love her didn’t talk about the weather
Sat at my desk
Wrote the first of many letters
Oh I long for yesterday
I long for yesterday
Yesterday
I long for yesterday

It was so easy
It was so good

I went to the bar
Started talking to my neighbor
Nobody thought I was a sicko stranger
Didn’t think twice
I gave my name and number
Oh I long for yesterday
I long for yesterday
Yesterday
I long for yesterday

It was so easy
It was so good
It was so easy
It was so good

For Yesterday Scantily Clad

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander
Gunshots by RA The Sun God
Credit to Lennon & McCartney for the first line of the lyrics.

This song is unfortunately never irrelevant and I am uploading a new version. 

LAMENT

I read the news today oh boy
Oh brother, did you see what happened, 
another killer
And it makes me sad, I can’t get mad
It feels like a curse, it could get worse

And still, the things we think we know
Their in tow, how much do they owe
And I just don’t understand
Why can’t we all just make a stand

You’re my sister, you’re my brother
You’re my neighbor, you’re somebody’s lover
You might have a different mother
Let’s come together, stop killing eachother

Oh brother
Oh brother
Stop killing eachother
Oh brother

I saw the news today oh boy
Oh brother, we’re losing friends one after another
No need for enemies, we still got our rights
And still I fear, the end’s not near

The things we’ve already seen
It’s enough, its enough, we’re not that tough
We’re over-equipped, and we need a new script
Let’s be true, drop the blue and red hue
 
You’re my sister, you’re my brother
You’re my family 
You’re my neighbor, you’re somebody’s lover
Anybody’s lover
You might have a different mother
Let’s take care of each other
Let’s take care of each other, stop killing one another

Oh brother
Oh brother
Stop killing eachother
Oh brother

Lament

Music: Jan Schonander
Percussion: Belial Pelegrim https://soundcloud.com/belial-pelegrim

A story of an unfortunate drift off to sea ...  it all ends well albeit after some delirium.

Many thanks to Scott for sending me the drum track which inspired this tune.

Dance Adrift

Dance Adrift | Belial Pelegrim🥁

Cover of the Dire Straits classic - sometime its good just to have some fun. Best heard with AirPods walking at a brisk pace.

Six Blade Knife

Guitar: The Boilerman https://soundcloud.com/boilerman-615719656
Music, Lyrics, Vocal, Electric Piano, Bass, Drum Programming: Jan Schonander

Resung, remixed and remastered from almost four years ago.

This is a clash of psychology with science, and, well, early The Cure meets Bowie's Scary Monsters. It's easy to be close to somebody and still not be seen or heard no matter how loudly you speak. Mixed all this up with some actual invisibility science, so believe it or not, in terms not being seen this song stands on solid physics, until it doesn't....

BEND THE LIGHT

You see me
You look through me
You hear me
Can you hear me?

You’re blinded by your reflection
I’m invisible in the shadow of your glow

I absorb you
I deflect you
I’m a scientific wonder
My surface is cool
My paint is dark
A massive anomaly
A singularity
A Nobel prize in disguise
I’m in disguise

You’ve got the angle
You could be near or far
On any wavelength
You bend the light
You bend the light
You bend the light
You bend the light

I wait for you
You walk by me
I’m a meta material
New spectrum
No infrared
I’m headed to the Blue Hall
A Nobel prize in disguise
I’m gonna be famous
I’m gonna be famous

You’ve got the angle
You could be near or far
On any wavelength
You bend the light
You bend the light
You bend the light
You bend the light

You bend the light
But I’m gonna be famous
You bend the light
And I’m famous

Bend The Light

Bend The Light | The Boilerman 🎸

Music  & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

Going at it with mostly a single synth stem again....piano and 2 synths all being played at the same time. Drums, bass and vocal are separate.

LIVE OR DIE

Intravenous information
Way too much explanation
Getting to my circulation
Spin me round
I get high

I wanna know
You wanna know
To live or die
I wanna know
We wanna know
To live or die

From the sea or sky
It’s all the same
From the north and south
It’s all the same
It’s wet or dry
Feast or famine
Do this, do that, do something
Can’t be doing nothing

More and more…
On and on…

More and more…
On and on…
I can’t stop

It’s all too easy
I turn on the power
It’s never gonna touch me
It’s all too easy
Complete strangers
So far away
So far away

Needle drip drop overload 
Twist and turn hand it over
Play the game kick the can  
Spin the boy
I get high

More and more…
On and on…

More and more…
On and on…
I can’t stop

I wanna know
You wanna know
To live or die
To die
I wanna know
We wanna know
To live or die
To die

Live Or Die

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

More synthrock, but this time with a somewhat dirtier sound. All instruments except the drums are created on the Nord Stage 3. Played a little with feedback, as well as changed the attack on the main rhythmic synth live as I was playing. The lyrics are once again a mix of science and emotion using a black hole as a metaphor for a toxic relationship - seems to be a style that works for me.

INFINITE ATTRACTION

I can’t, I can’t break free
Oh no
I can’t, I can’t break free

A fine line pulling on my soul
As close as I could ever get
An unseen stronger than steel
At the point of no return

Light up all of your rockets
Switch on the burners, oh yeah
Let go of all of your emotions
You can spiral to the infinite
The infinite attraction

I can’t, I can't, I can't, I can't break free
I can’t, I can't, I can't, I can't break free

Bounce off a satellite to Houston
Switch on the radio, oh yeah
There’s no time for thinking
You could spiral to the infinite
The infinite attraction

I can’t, I can’t break free
Oh no
I can’t, I can’t break free

The cosmos is dragging me down
Once in there’s no getting out

It’s an infinite attraction
It’s an infinite attraction

Infinite Attraction

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

All instruments are Logic Pro X midi based. Best heard with headphones. 

OPEN DOORS

You don’t have to look
You don’t have to hide
You don’t have to sneak
You just walk on through
More than a little bit
More than a little bit

Hold your head high
Hold, see them eye to eye
Hold, so easy to try
So easy to try
You’re gonna get by

Walk on through
Open doors
Walk on through
Open doors
Walk on through
Open doors
Walk on through
Open doors

Hold
Hold
Hold

You don’t have to shout
You don’t have to run
Be afraid
Just walk on through
Step through another
Step through another

Hold your heart high
Hold, don’t ask why
Hold, no need to be shy
You’re gonna get by

Hold
Hold
Hold

Walk on through
Open doors
Walk on through
Open doors
Walk on through
Open doors
Walk on through
Open doors

Walk on through
Walk on through
Walk on through
Walk on through
Walk on through
Walk on through

Open Doors

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

THE ENDLESS ROAD

As if I would stay on the sidelines
As if the whole world was passing by
Would I could I ever be myself
Would I could I be understood
I knew so much and wanted you to know
I judged, hurt, left people behind
So many moments, days and nights all ahead
So many sunrises and missed possibilities
The days moved so slowly
The nIghts seemed eternal
All I saw was an endless road
All I could see was an endless road

Suddenly on a loud and crowded highway
All the others moving in the fast lane
Would I ever could I catch up
Would I ever could I ever
Everything to learn more and more unknown 
Mistakes made that can’t be undone
Turns missed and roads not taken
Faster by the moment orange cones in my way
Every day ending in a rush
Every night passing in a flash
Show me the way
There must be a way 
Show me the way off this endless road

A pain or two I expect nothing less
Nothing’s changed I’m still a child
Would I could I live my lessons learned
Will it all go to waste
Was it all for nothing
I wish I saw an endless road
I wish I saw an endless road
I wish I could see
I  wish I could see an endless road

The Endless Road

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

Sometimes you go to a dark place.

WRETCHED BEGGAR

Ooooo….
Ooooo….

I don’t want you
I don’t need you
Why don’t you 
Why won’t you
Why can’t you
Get out of my way 
It’s my way

All you do
When I’m in your arms
All you do 
To twist and turn me
All you do
To look the other way
Alll you do
To ignore me

I should leave you
I can’t bear you
Why don’t I
Why won’t I
Why can’t I
Get out of my way 
Gotta be one day

A little devil in my mind
Poking me with his red hot trident
White smile on his face
I feed him 
I feed him
That fat little bastard
I’m gonna get the wretched beggar

All I do
To forget myself
All I do
To erase myself
Never do
Anything I used to
Never do
Anything I want to

Better for you
Better for me
I think we
I believe we
I hope we
Get out of my way 
Never better than today

Wretched Beggar

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

Self-doubt is a killer. Sometimes you just have to drown out all the noise.

IT’S NOT OVER

It’s all over
It’s all over
It’s all over
It’s all over
Did you think that it would never end
Did you lose your mind
Did you think that you were going blind
That maybe you might be one of a kind

It’s all over
It’s all over
It’s all over
It’s all over
Maybe it’s time to try again
Maybe it’s time for a second glance
Maybe a small thing overlooked
And maybe maybe maybe you’re alone in your nook

Oh-oh
They tell you
Oh-oh
They yell ya
Oh-oh
They fell you
Oh-Oh
It’s hell ya
Oh-oh
They tell you
Oh-oh

They tell you
It’s all over
Tell you
It’s all over
They tell you
It’s all over
Tell you
It’s all over
You can see beyond the doubt
You can feel what’s right and what’s wrong
All this time and its not so bad
You’re all alone and you had it all figured out
It’s not over
It’s not over

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

This track is a little nuts.....

If you've ever battled a raccoon, this is the song for you, sung from the perspective of the perpetrator. Raccoons are wily little buggers and more than a little guile is needed to control the movements of an animal that has been trapped in a cage before.

Debated with myself a bit on adding more instruments and sounds but in the end decided that less was more. The "rhythm guitar" is a distorted saturated synth and the "lead" is a Logic Pro Heavy Metal guitar manipulated with the pitch stick on my synth. The difficult part was getting the swing on the drums right and the ADSR right on the main synth, modulation and LFO. Also played a bit with the compression to get a breathing sound.

About the raccoon - that battle is ongoing - physical deterrence is now in place.

The raccoon, also spelled racoon and sometimes called the common raccoon or northern raccoon to distinguish it from the other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 in), and a body weight of 5 to 26 kg (11 to 57 lb). Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur, which insulates it against cold weather. The animal's most distinctive features include its extremely dexterous front paws, its facial mask, and its ringed tail, which are common themes in the mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas surrounding the species. The raccoon is noted for its intelligence, and studies show that it is able to remember the solution to tasks for at least three years. It is usually nocturnal and omnivorous, eating about 40% invertebrates, 33% plants, and 27% vertebrates. [Wikipedia]

NEVER LOSE

Keep on coming back
Doesn’t really matter 
Spicy red American 
Coyote piss whatever

Turn up the volume
Tie up the bait 
Bag it all, close the door
I don’t give a damn

I’ll never give up
I’ll never give up

I know what’s down under
I know what you’re trying to hide

It’s all mine
Day or night 
I don’t even care
Seen all the tricks
You can try again
All over again

Keep on coming back
Never ever mattered
Inca mountain flake 
Apple cider try

Play rock’n’roll
Talk show or news
Heard it all before
Kinda like it now

I’ll never give up
I’ll never give up

Time is on my side
Time is my legal guardian

Find another way
Find your hidden weakness 
Seen you from above
You can try again
All over and again

Keep on coming back
Its never gonna matter
Flashing disco lights
I’ll do a pirouette

Put a ring on it
I’ll go left or right
I’m coming down
I got you number

I’ll never give up
I’ll never give up

I know where you live
I know when you’re asleep

It’s all mine
Day or night 
I don’t even care
Seen all the tricks
You can try again
All over again

I never lose
I never lose
I never lose
I never lose

Keep on
Keep on coming back
Keep on
Keep on coming back

It’s all mine
Day or night 
I don’t even care
Seen all the tricks
You can try again
All over again

I never lose

Never Lose

Music, Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Drums: Manuel https://soundcloud.com/ruizzoidman21centurions
Music, Lyrics, Vocal, Synths, Organ, Drums, Mixing, Mastering: Jan Schonander

When Manuel sent me a guitar track over a year ago I fairly quickly decided to write an epilogue for Major Tom. Little did I know that I would end up taking a longish break from writing music. With infinite patience Manuel waited for me until now and to my even greater surprise this retro lyric has become almost current with the two NASA astronauts in space waiting for their return trip to Earth.



SEND ME A ROCKET
(MAJOR TOM THE EPILOGUE)

I can’t hear you 
Still I can see you
A cloudy ball in space
Nothing to keep it in place
This is my beautiful view
Nothing can make things right
I’m stuck here 
A deep longing
Hard to accept this 
This can’t be
This can’t be
My final fate

It’s been so long
It feels like you forgot me
Nobody cares about the shirts I wear 
Did you move onto something new
Cause I’m still looking at you
I’m still waiting for you

Send me some hope
Send me a rocket
Show me that you care
Send me some hope
Show me that you love me

You forgot so soon
It hurts all the time
You forgot I was a shining star
You wouldn't write enough about me
Oh, oh, I’m so sad

Send me some hope
Send me a rocket
Show me that you care
Send me some hope
Lighten your pocket
Show me that you love me
Send me some hope
Some hope

I can’t let go
I dream all the time
I wanna feel the sun and wind
I wanna go home

Stuck in my tin can
With no way out, out
Shiny and bright
Can you hear me shout, shout
I’m stuck here 
A deep longing
Hard to accept this 
Oh no, oh no
I want to go
Want to go
Want to go 
Want to go home
Go home
This can’t be
This can’t be

Send Me A Rocket

Send Me A Rocket | Major Tom The Epilogue

Music: Jan Schonander & Belial Pelegrim  https://soundcloud.com/belial-pelegrim

MAGRITTE ORANGE CLOUD

Plus ça change
(The more it changes)
Plus ça reste le même 
(The more it stays the same)

Magritte Orange Cloud

Music & Lyrics: Jan Schonander

EYES WIDE OPEN

The leaves are changing
There’s a chill in the air
So many people
Walking the same path

I hope they know
I hope they see

I chose a different road
I chose a different way
And now my eyes are open
My eyes are wide open

I’m on another hill
I watch as they pass me by
They seem to know
They have their destination

I hope they know
I hope they see

I chose a different road
I chose a different way
And now my eyes are open
My eyes are wide open

Such a wondrous time
So many colors
So many lives

All joined together
Some left behind
There’ll be another day
Another day

I chose a different road
I chose a different way
And now my eyes are open
My eyes are wide open

Eyes Wide Open

Thanks for visiting. This is a retro eclectic music mix with looming influences from among others Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Lou Reed & Jon Lord. Mostly I write about the human condition.

I am always looking for a guitar player that wants to collaborate. Would be fun to find a real drummer also.

A Gat is a cat in Catalan - it all makes sense if you’re me. The (s) stands for many collaborators.

I encourage everybody on SC to listen more and be less transactional.

TheGat(s)

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