My mate Dean asked if I could add some words to a guitar piece he's had for a while. I don't think I've done much, if anything, for the last 12 months for various reasons, but I loved doing this!
However the end result doesn't really follow his wonderful melody at all! This draft was recorded on my phone and originally intended for a private listen only - until I realised nobody listens to my stuff anyway!

Better Days

LIVE at the Brunswick in Brighton just before Christmas, a mobile phone recording but it captured the mood. So good to play live again!!!!

https://youtu.be/rlOZFl6fwd4

A rain dance for the bush fires
A sun dance for the floods
A war dance for anyone    
Who doesn’t give a fuck

It’s murder on earth’s dance floor
We may never dance again
It’s time to pick up that dam phone
If you’re a ’Strictly’ fan

It's murder on earth’s dance floor
 t's murder on earth’s dance floor

A shoot out at the oil coral
Sundance at my side
You know that he can bust a move
And he can  jive

Dance like no one’s watching
Dance so full of love
Dance those socks till they come off
Take off those kid gloves

It's murder on earth’s dance floor
It's murder on earth’s dance floor
It's murder on earth’s dance floor
It's murder on earth’s dance floor

Instrumental

Gonna  move your feet, gonna eat less meat
This dance floor needs repair
if ya wanna lift that glitter ball
Dance like Fred Astaire

and dance like no one’s watching
Dance with so much love
Dance those socks till they come off
Take off those kid gloves

It’s murder on earth’s dance floor
It’s murder on earth’s dance floor
It's murder on earth’s dance floor
It's murder on earth’s dance floor

Instrumental

A rain dance for the bush fires
A sun dance for the floods
A war dance for anyone    
Who doesn’t give a fuck

It’s murder on earth’s dance floor
We may never dance again
It's time to pick up that dam phone
If you're a Strictly fan

It's murder on earth's dance floor
It's murder on earth's dance floor
It's murder on earth's dance floor
It's murder on earth's dance floor

Squidly doot, snidely dat, hot dam

Murder On Earth's Dance Floor LIVE!

Me and my acoustic playing a song I wrote called 'Strange Things'
Please enjoy!!

Strange Things (Original Song By Dean Roche)

An upbeat and happy break up song......'Now Your Gone'
Just me and the acoustic done in one live take. Enjoy peeps!

Now Your Gone (Original song/acoustic demo by Dean Roche)

This is a crude recording of a song I wrote entitled Old Man What You Do 
By Oscar Villarreal


Lyrics
Old Man sleeping by the shoreline sand
and he dreams the dreams of being young again

Going down deep within his dreamlike world
and he's a boy living in his time again

Old Man What You Do

Old Man dreams about his wife to be
and he wakes up with a tear in his eye

Looks into the sky which is so clear
and says I'll be seen with you soon my dear

Old Man What You Do

Old Man thinks of how things are now
and he's amazed by the way things workout

Looks upon a wave which has come and gone
and he wonders it's the same everywhere

Old Man...Man...Old Man What You Do

Repeat 3rd Verse




Old Man What You Do

This is a rough demo of my original song titled My America
LYRICS
      MY AMERICA
THERE'S A PLACE I WANNA BE
WHERE THE LOON CALLS AND EAGLES SOAR
WHERE VIRGIN WATERS BECKON ME
THE EVERGREEN IS THE AIR I BREATHE
AND IN ALL THE PLACES I HAVE BEEN
THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE THIS

THERE'S A PLACE I WANNA GO
WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS THE FRISCO BAY
WHERE THE STREETS SPEAK TALES OF GOLD
AND THE CRIMSON BRIDGE SHOWN MAJESTIC
AND IN ALL THE PLACES I HAVE BEEN
THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE THIS
WOO   WOO   MY AMERICA

THERE'S A PLACE I REALLY MISS
WHERE SUNSEEKERS TRAVEL TO PLAY
WHERE SAQUARO SHADES THE DESERT BIRD
TO THE CANYON SIGHTS OF GODS DOMAIN
AND IN ALL THE PLACES I HAVE BEEN
THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE THIS

My America

'Clouds' by Sandtimer, out October 26th on Lost Forest Records.

Robert Sword - Vocals, Banjo, Bass, Percussion 
Simon Thomas - Guitar 
Rachel Thomas - Vocals

Written by Robert Sword 
Produced and arranged by Robert Sword and Simon Thomas 
Mixed by Giles Thomas 
Mastered by Terry Waker at Tonalex Mastering
Cover artwork by Simon Thomas
Cover design by William Thomas

Lyrics:

The clouds are clearing far away, a blank new page, 
but you cannot seem to find a way to start again. 
The sun was breaking through the clouds yesterday 
but it never seems to dry out all your old mistakes. 

The sleepless nights that people passed for you, 
the pain of being saddled with the weight of truth. 
It’s something I’d take in my stride, walking blue 
with the fear and guilt of starting to resent what I can’t do- 

to lift your head up from that big wooden desk, 
to catch what’s left of summer now, 
to feel that warmth that you’ve not often felt- 
wish there was some way we could help. 

One sky with clouds full of snow and one of rain 
and I think how love and friendship sometimes toll on you the same. 
That burning wish to know and fight their pain and 
shape the clouds into faces that could make them smile again. 

To salvage something good from such a mess, 
to join the dots between the good days, 
to feel that warmth and settle for nothing less- 
wish there was some way we could help 
but the power to change is locked inside yourself.

Clouds - single

Clouds

a day of the most peculiar kind

'209' by Sandtimer

Simon Thomas - Vocals, Guitar, Bass 
Robert Sword - Vocals, Guitar, Percussion, Piano 
Rachel Thomas - Vocals 
Sophie Sword - Additional vocals 

Written by Simon Thomas 
Produced and arranged by Robert Sword and Simon Thomas 
Mixed by Giles Thomas 
Mastered by Terry Waker at Tonalex Mastering 
Cover artwork by Alex Jackson 
Cover design by William Thomas

_____________________________
Lyrics

A day of the most peculiar kind, 
I never did mind- I'm too far down the line. 
All my sorrow on the gate 
powering out this bad state. 

Gone back to the county line 
caught in a Peugeot 209 
His motivation is not yet called upon, 
he's a victim of his own crime. 

I came to the turning down the drive 
but never arrived, turned straight around. 
Cold feet, cold on the ground, 
footprints could never be found. 

Gone back to the county line 
caught in a Peugeot 209 
His motivation is not yet called upon, 
he's a victim of his own crime.

Peugeot 209

I lent my double bass to a good friend and it was returned in pieces. Somewhat shaken by the experience I borrowed another  bass to complete this song. 

The aggression in the delivery was infinitely preferable to venting it on such a good friend. Accidents happen.

It didn’t look good, you know what I mean?
A man in a hat in a black limousine
Window was down, asked for a light
What are the chances of things going right?

I reach for my zippo, games as close as I dare
My hand was shaking, sure I was scared
He drew on his doobie, he gave a rye smile
Jacksons or Franklins I’ll let you decide

I empty my pockets onto hat’s hood
I only had chump change, so it didn’t look good
Short on payola, lacking the guac
He pulled out his piece and I sat in the back

The girl in the front seat, she didn’t say much
And neither would you if he had his hand on your crouch
I looked out the window you wanna know why?
That’s what you do if you don’t want to die

He was so hard boiled
He was so hard boiled
So hard boiled tough as a nut
Hard in the middle

I had premonitions, not good I confess
Me full of lead, her cut up in her dress
I dialled from my pocket, cops picked up quick
Hat said that’a so rude, she thought what a dick!
 
He was so hard boiled
He was so hard boiled
So hard boiled tough as a nut
Hard in the middle
But what’s that oozing out?

So Hard Boiled

Lot's of cluster chords, fists and elbows were used in this piece but no actual
keys were harmed. I just needed one more little rant to expedite the demons. Next song will be a little more gentle I promise!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxT52ZbWUZI

Big thanks to Christopher Stevens sending me this fabulous picture taken on Brighton beach. He captures the mood so deftly. You can see more of his work on instagram @3000realms

Packaging
It makes me cuss
We definitely have
Too much of this stuff
Packaging 
The whole thing just  sucks
My bin liner’s full
And I barely woke up
 
Consuming is booming
And the world’s full of bling
Then we dig  a big hole
And shove it all in!       

Think for a mo’
Are we really that thick?
Coz fruits such a hoot
When not wrapped in plastic 

Downside, I guess
If you are buying a ring
It spoils the surprise
If not wrapped in something

Time to fess up
Is it really essential? 
And don’t marry someone
With no green credentials

Packaging,
It makes me cuss
We definitely have
Too much of this stuff
Packaging 
The whole thing just sucks
My bin liner’s full
And I barely woke up

I’m sure you are able
To read all the labels
That bag on the table
Is biodegradable?

Time to decide 
Get off ya backside 
And this dude will abide
If you walk on your ‘green side’

Packaging,
Just makes me cuss
We definitely have
Too much of this stuff
Packaging 
The whole thing just sucks
Bin liner’s full
And I barely woke up

Packaging!

I love the process of writing songs and coming up with a tune, its just a pity my friends and family don't share my enthusiasm. To be fair to them it's not great, so don't expect much, and you won't be disappointed.
But I would really appreciate your feedback, both good and bad - so please comment as it would really make my day :)
Thank you for passing by.

Better Days

Where's the D?