    One of the first bands i ever got into, back in the day, that my parents' didn't listen to first. Also one of the bands that woke up that little voice in my head that keeps reminding me. "You must make music,even when you don't want to." I loved those weird touches. (the atonal feedback solos, the disparate influences, the artwork with it's medicinal fetishes, etc.) that set them apart from all the other 90's bands. And that awesome songwriting dynamic (the loud-soft -loud) that i shamelessly rip-off and use in my own songwriting ventures. 
   Been A Son, lyrically as far as i know, is about a small town father who's disappointed that his daughter is not a son.  It's a shame that i found a kinship in this song. Growing up in a rural area as well, i met a few girls who questioned their own self-worth because their fathers felt the same.....Fuckers!  Given the obvious 1960's Beatlesque roots i always wondered why they left this off of 'Unplugged.' Would've been perfect on there. Hence this acoustic-y presentation.

05. Been A Son (Nirvana)

A song that makes me homesick for a place i've never been (if that's even possible.) Minneapolis. Last June, Kevin Styles (on saxophone) and I played this as a lullaby for a homeless guy in DC. With that in mind, we went to our friend Dan "Yellowtieguy" Hill (who's playing 2nd gee-tar)  and recorded it (in one take!)on his porch using a camera microphone. Months later, i doubled up the guitar and vocal.  The original song can be found on the Replacements' album 'Pleased To Meet Me.'

Covers e.p.

Skyway (orig. by The Replacements)

In September, Kevin and i played this song at our friends' Joel and Nicole's wedding.  After the ceremony, i realized the perfect gift from us could've been a recording of this song, but too bad we didn't record it before the wedding. Hence this recording two months later. It was recorded in a two-day session at the OrHollow house.  I'm playing guitar and bass and minding the machine. Kevin played melodica, flute, glockenspiel, and sang. Aj Thawley played drums and provided back-up vocals. This song was originally written and recorded by Toots and the Maytals!

This Must Be True Love (Toots and the Maytals)

If this latest recording for our friends' Joel and Nicole was a 7" single then this would've been the b-side. Just like when the Beatles originally released this song!. Another one that we cover quite frequently. Also recorded at the OrHollow house. Once again I'm minding the machine, strumming the guitar, and plucking the bass. Kevin is playing flute and singing. AJ is percussing and singing as are the rest of hisOrHollow bandmates, Tyler and Jeremy.

Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)

Colivid-EP

Game Of Pricks (orig. by Guided By Voices)

On The Run (orig. by Greg Sage)

Pool Hall in Seoul

Wine, Cheezits and Beer

Essential

The Crowd (orig. by Operation Ivy)

Unlisted Song (org. by Jawbreaker)

Few months ago i parked my car in the rain at a liquor store off a highway, and used my phone to record the sounds of the traffic going by for ambience.  Yup that's Tommy Chong sampled from 'Up In Smoke' (sans permission. please don't sue!) From what i could gather on a map, i think the character in the lyrics is in Utah.

Drivin' On 9 (orig. by Ed's Redeeming Qualities, by way of The Breeders)

Recorded this on my phone for fun at around 9am while everyone was still sleeping.  Later on i added the frog sounds which were fresh from the backyard. The frogs are gray tree frogs and were really loud because it was about to storm. So, i put a mic on the back porch and let nature do the rest.

Only Living Boy In New York (orig by Simon and Garfunkel) frog version

This was recorded in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the struggle that Black people and other POC face in America.  I can relate, being a POC myself, as many of my experiences with (mostly rural) systematic racism have led me to believe that there is a problem with police brutality/overreach/entitlement in this country. 
Usually i try to let the music speak for itself. Police and Thieves was written/recorded by Junior Murvin in Jamaica in 1976 in response to the gang wars and police brutality reaching a fever pitch at the time. Jamaican immigrants brought the song to the UK where it became an anthem due to the eruption of The Notting Hill Riots caused by police harassment during a Carnival. The Clash (after witnessing the riots firsthand) later adopted the song and brought it into the punk world. I heard it through the Clash and became enamored with the OG version as RDC drove from Salisbury to Ocean City to busk and/or play shows. Where sometimes we'd cover the song. At the time i was really getting into Jamaican ska/reggae, and definitely seeing that there was more to it than just Bob Marley.  Also i appreciated the multi-cultural push that 2-Tone ska had in the UK, and how it influenced punk to "rock against racism"  My love for ska/reggae has become somewhat of a litmus test. Either people get it or they've only absorbed the mostly party atmosphere of ska's 3rd wave in the 90's and didn't understand why i'd be into (to them) such a stupidly upbeat form of music with no substance.  Some have even attacked me for liking "black music" or "trying to be black, now." Their loss! Ska/reggae opened my ears and heart to an amazing facet of American life. I'm constantly amazed that an island that is wracked with such turmoil (economic and otherwise) can produce music with such uplifting melodies, and sometimes was apt enough to carry the protest music torch that was carried from the 1960's.

Police and Thieves (orig. by Junior Murvin)

Same deal as Police and Thieves.  Black lives matter! Willie Williams recorded this in Jamaica in 1977.  The Clash put a cover of this on a B-Side for their London Calling single.  Their version i snipped the opening lyrics, Mick's guitar line, and the "ok, don't push us when were hot" ad-lib from Joe Strummer. Sometimes you have to keep repeating something because it still needs to be said! That's what i'd say to entitled people who would hear RDC cover this song and get bummed out because "racism doesn't exist anymore" and "cops don't beat up people unless they deserve it" and "Obama fixed everything" (we were covering this around 2010.) But here we are. 2020. With these +40year old lyrics still timely. But what do we do? Endure! Always endure.  Find your class (warrior, mage, healer.) "To save the things we love." This work in progress we call home. It was never great because it was never finished. Fukin' America i'm changing our status to "it's complicated." And i hope all our friends see.

Armagideon Time (orig. by Willie Williams)

Recorded in the bathroom with a microphone in the tub. Jess D. is playing the wine glasses!

Here No More (orig. by The Breeders)

I mostly sing and play guitar in Rainy Day Cacophony.  A folky-power-pop-punk rock band made up of friends playing songs I wrote. Also, had cameos in friends' bands over the years, too numerous to name them all. 
These songs are self-recorded at "Bakin' Court" (aka my home "studio").  Don't be fooled!  Our equipment is cheap and our business is non-existent.  Though, recording in your home is so much fun!
All covers are used sans permission. (please don't sue!) 
Thanks for listening!

Tim Sutton from RDC

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