Album: New Heart
Year: 2002/2009
Substantially written April 17, 2001, with the working title "Young". The bridge and the three-part counterpoint at the end were added later, as I recall. The lyrics were written during a period of depression, and are an attempt at optimism and encouragement; they're addressed to myself as well as one or two other friends going through rough patches at around the same time. Originally recorded in 2002; I re-recorded new drums, bass and acoustic guitar in 2009.
Album: New Heart
Year: 2002/2009
I began writing this song in 1998 and had the verses and the coda early on, though not quite put together in the same way. Something didn't click, though, and it wasn't until March of 2001 that I came up with additional music and the arrangement that's heard here. I originally recorded the song in 2001, but the version features new drums, bass, and guitars tracks recorded in 2009; the vocals and organ are from the original 2001 version.
Album: Machine Dream
Year: 1999
This song was written on January 8, 1997. According to a journal entry that day, "While perusing the Twisted Tunes homepage...I picked up my guitar and wrote a song. It was almost that easy. I'll bet I had the song pretty much done in twenty minutes." As I recall, the particular song I was listening to when inspiration struck was "Vedder", a parody of Pearl Jam's "Daughter". I tried many times to record a suitable guitar solo before working out the finished product, which features a lot of double-stops.
Album: Machine Dream
Year: 1999
Often the inspiration to write a song will be sparked by hearing a new song on the radio or TV that piques my interest. In this case the song was Smashmouth's "Walking on the Sun". Somehow or other a Santana influence creeped in, too. A journal entry from Monday, November 3, 1997 recounts, "Just got through writing a song called 'Remnants'. It's about how we of 'Generation X' (well, me, anyway) tend to live in the past, and our lives are full of references to pop culture and things of the past, while ignoring the future." Additional backing vocals by Joe Arrington.
Album: There and Back Again
Year: 1996
Written on Tuesday, June 11, 1996; a journal entry reads, "I did completely write and record tracks 1 and 2 of a new song, "Dishpan Hands". I came up with the title and a general idea for the song last night as I got ready to sleep." The intro section was recycled from my "Riffs Tape", which was a tape where I recorded song ideas as they occurred; I changed the rhythm to fit better with the rest of the song.
Album: There and Back Again
Year: 1996
Written over a period of several days spanning from January 20-23, 1996. I was listening to a lot of Syd Barrett solo stuff at the time; I guess it shows! I think the surreal imagery and vocals of the verse contrast nicely with the hard-rocking chorus. The effect on the verse vocals came from running the microphone through my guitar amp and turning the chorus depth and rate 'way up.
Album: There and Back Again
Year: 1996
This one took some time to write. I started it sometime before January 19, 1996, and didn't finish until February 4. As I recall, the "And nothingness..." bit was the last piece to fall into place, and may bear some Smashing Pumpkins influence. A couple of people have commented that the lyrics are depressing, but I think you have to take the thing as a whole; the ending is uplifting, at least to me.
Album: Nth Floor Elevator
Year: 1995
I believe this was written in late 1994 or early 1995; the inspiration was a woman I was pursuing at work--alas, in vain! My favorite part is the off-kilter guitar riff with the backward guitar weaving in and out of the mix.
Album: Nth Floor Elevator
Year: 1995
Also written sometime in late 1994 or early 1995, during a prolific writing period that began around the time I left Culture Shock. I tried to capture some of the long-drawn out guitar soloing that went on in the band, though it works better in a minor key rather than the major key used here.
Album: Nth Floor Elevator
Year: 1995
After a Culture Shock gig at an old mill in West Virginia, several of us jammed for a while on "Wooden Ships", the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song. Will Henson was on guitar and vocals, I played bass, Taylor Burgess was on drums, and Sean Crookshank played percussions. I wasn't familiar with the song, and struggled with the changes. Will told me most of the song was E and C, so during the long solo section I fell into playing the riff later became the seed for "A Walk in the Dark". It was dark, and we fell into a hypnotic groove with Will playing swirling notes that seemed to float around us. I find being outside next to a stream in the dark very awe-inspiring for some reason. Anyway, this song was an attempt to capture the mood of that night. The middle section that begins with "In the field where the oak tree stands" was part of a poem written in the woods near my parent's house the morning after I saw Oliver Stone's "The Doors", and it seemed to fit nicely in this context. The bass and the loud guitar solo were each recorded in one take. The vocals were recorded as part of a marathon session one night at work--obviously no one else was there!
Album: Why Not?
Year: 1994
Written in 1993 or 1994 one night at work; as was the case with many songs written around this time, it sprang from the alienation I was feeling from other people of my generation. I remember playing the riff at a Culture Shock practice. I think this is the first wah-wah guitar solo I ever recorded. The sound effects in the middle were fun, and were an attempt to deflate the expectation of a guitar hero moment.
Album: Why Not?
Year: 1994
Written in 1994; the title is obviously inspired by Dylan's "My Back Pages".
The idea of twisting an existing song title came from Will Henson, who used this
device in "One Brainy Wish". The music bears a strong Pink Floyd
influence; I was listening to them a lot at the time. The ending guitar
solo was recorded in one take; I was always proud of it, in spite of the
sloppiness here and there.
Album: Interim
Year: 1992
I believe the lyrics to this one were written in my "Western Literary
Tradition II" class, taken during the final semester of my Senior year at
college, 1992. Certainly the "chomp on a lotus" line came from Tennyson's
"The Lotos-Eaters". I'm not sure what inspired me to use a different voice
in the verses, but the actual sound is kind of a hybrid between Iron Butterfly's
Doug Ingle and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, both of which I was listening to at the
time. The keyboard solo in the middle may have been inspired by Faith No
More; I was listening to them as well. As with most of my
early recordings, it features a keyboard bass.
Album: Interim
Year: 1992
I had tried to write a blues before, but this is the first that really worked. Obviously a strong Led Zeppelin influence on the vocals. I wrote this one late at night in my room sometime in late 1991 or early 1992. Again, it features a keyboard bass.
Album: Anti-Gravity
Year: 1991
I think I wrote the song sometime in 1990, probably working on the lyrics during some class or other at college. I borrowed Joe Arrington's guitar for the lead, as he had a locking tremelo system that enabled the guitar to stay in tune. There's something of a Whitesnake influence in the vocals. I had to record the harmony vocals without being able to hear the lead vocals, thanks to my primitive four-track recorder; that's why they are not quite in sync. As with most of my early recordings, it features a keyboard bass.