New Song: WESTWARD
Back almost 20 years ago when LIZARDS FROM AFAR were a college band, my friend Chopper Newt was our main songwriter. We all wrote songs, but Chopper had a style that was definitely more advanced and mature than the rest of us. So most of the songs we did were written, co-written, or in some way tweaked by him. You think that would’ve made the rest of us angry, but the truth is that we all clearly understood that his stuff was just better than ours. (Gator may disagree…either way, I was a distant 5th.)
When we got back together 3 years ago to try virtual recording online, Chris didn’t want to write songs. He seemed content (enough) to sing, play guitar and mix the music. This was good news for me because we ended up doing a lot of songs I wrote. I never stopped bugging him to write something, though.
Sometime late in 2009, Chopper sent out an email title “Inspiration Struck”. Enclosed were lyrics to a proposed suite of music. Three songs that were unique, but worked together musically and narratively to tell a bigger story. At first I wasn’t knocked out by what I read because I didn’t understand what the lyrics meant. (What that means is that I felt stupid and inadequate.) A few months later he sent us the music and I no longer cared that I didn’t understand the lyrics because it was just cool.
So, give Westward a chance. It’s a pretty ambitious undertaking for us and I’m very happy with how it turned out.
Also, if you think you know what it all means, please tell me because Chopper will not. (Seriously.)
http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/2653957
May 14, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Well, if it makes you feel any better, I have a PhD and I’m not entirely clear about the intention of the lyrics. I have an interpretation, though, and I’ll let you in on it if you begs.
But just to deflate them a bit: The last bit I always hear as “Westward the corsican vampire makes his way!”
May 14, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I cum inside your mouth
And tell you that I’m sorry
May 14, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Ugh.
May 17, 2010 at 10:25 am
I hate you.
May 18, 2010 at 8:24 am
But we love you, Chops!
May 15, 2010 at 9:26 am
As for lyric writing acumen, I’d agree that Chopper was the most mature back in college. Gator has matched him with our “reunion” recordings. 4H and Fourteen, for example. But Chopper also has the ability to come up with great musical hooks, too. I’ve been composing most of the music for our reunion stuff, but on the few occasions when Chopper has come up with the melody and rhythm, I love his work.
My favorite thing about Westward: no rhyming. Awesome.
May 15, 2010 at 11:04 am
I made a pot of tea
But I won’t have any
Rhymes.
What a hack. I now regard this song with complete contempt.
May 16, 2010 at 10:34 am
OK, there’s one.
May 16, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Fine, as long as you recognize that, I will once again love this song with all my heart.
So…One Minute for our first post-Chopper venture? I have a couple of days off at the end of the month. I think I can do drums and vocals then, if you can do a mix-down.
May 16, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Takes you a couple days off to record a one-minute song?
May 16, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I’m just way behind on masturbation.
May 17, 2010 at 9:28 am
Understood.
I note that you mention adding vocals, too. Since the flac I uploaded has MY vocals on it, I suppose you are now asking for a vox-less guitar-only file so you can add your crooning instead, in addition to a drum track. I’ll try to get around to it later this week.
May 17, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I am indeed asking for a vocal-less flac.
May 18, 2010 at 8:24 am
By when do you need it?
May 18, 2010 at 9:15 am
The 26th of May, in the year 2010.
May 18, 2010 at 10:12 am
Better get to it soon, then, I suppose.