Tunes: My Album
For many years, friends and family have heard me mention an "album." Well, for better or worse, this is it—mistakes and all. It is a little late now to correct the past, so there is no need to listen too carefully!
This is an eclectic collection spanning over 35 years of playing. It contains primarily original tunes and songs, recovered from very old recording room test tapes. Almost no one has ever heard me play guitar because I rarely played outside my own home.
Note on my journey: A slowly progressing Benign Tremor in both of my hands has finally curtailed my playing for good. But hey, "Better Late Than Never," right?
The Track List
1. Look Into My Eyes (3:38)
The Story: My first-ever love song. I was 21, working my first real job, and fell head-over-heels for my boss's wife at dinner. The result was this soul-searching look into the heart of a young boy.
Technical: Recorded circa 1971 on a brand new AKAI reel-to-reel tape deck. You can hear volume fluctuations during the first 10 seconds.
2. Dual in AM (1:42)
The Story: An early overdubbing attempt. The deck allowed me to play a rhythm track and then replay it twice to overlay the "lead" guitar. It created an increasing echo with each track!
3. Dual in Em (2:41)
The Story: A softer overdubbing output and my first experiment in Open E tuning. I learned this open-tuning technique after watching Joni Mitchell play open string a mere 10 feet in front of me at an Ottawa coffee house for $2.
4. One Day (4:07)
The Story: My cover of Murray McLauchlan's "Revelations." It became my true personal anthem. I didn't realize I had been playing it slightly wrong for a while and missed recording the first chorus!
5. So Long
The Story: THIS IS ANOTHER little ditty from my earlier days with a strong rock beat. It turns the usual information pattern upside down by putting the message inside the chorus and the repeated scolding in the verse. This created a very strong personal 'declaration' and could become personally emotionally powerful for me whenever I sang it - which although by myself I often did.
OOPS! Had my harmonica backwards in the holder. Caught me by surprise so I had to finish playing the bar with it in backwards before I could flip it and carry on after the next verse. When I listened to the recording after, I put it aside figuring I would probably do a complete retake later but of course that never happened so this is it. Should'A, Would'A, Could'A
6. Halloween Rag
The Story: A GHOSTLY TUNE that just seemed to write itself when I was fooling around one October evening. It just had a sort of spooky sound that ended up fitting in perfectly with the holiday theme and so gained a musical bridge and a Title.
7. Norma
The Story: LOVED THIS SONG BUT...this particular recording has several issues. This was my first recorded song with just me alone on guitar, no over dubbing or double guitars and I wanted everything to go right so of course one string is clearly misbehaving and tinging ever once-in-a-while so you'll hear it. Also the tune runs on too long. I was originally intending on practicing some lead with it so it goes on a bit. Again I was always planning to re-record it but that day just never seemed to come. But as part of my regular routine I have played the tune every day in appreciation of my sweetie so it will always remain part of my album.
8. Judy's Song
The Story: An original piece dedicated to family.
9. Amsterdam Night
The Story: A CRAZY AFTERNOON in Amsterdam found us down by the waterfront on the wrong side of the wharfs as darkness was falling and being approached by a strange group of about 5 men who just exited a suddenly stopped vehicle. I grabbed my lady, who was entirely oblivious to the situation and the danger, turned around, headed back over the pier and never looked back. This tune is reminiscent of the feelings I had during that adrenaline-rushing encounter...brrr.
10. Aunts & Uncles
The Story: MY VERY LAST EFFORT. Here I was attempting to develop a piece that could mimic two distinct parts - one for my Aunts and one for my Uncles. I sort of ran out of time and patience and was not able to really successfully complete what I was looking for and of course I never got to play anything at all for them before they were gone.
As time and I progressed so did the Benign Tremor and towards the end of this particular piece you can clearly hear the mistakes increasing to what I considered was an unacceptable level when I finally decided to put my guitar away and concentrate my energies elsewhere.
11. Take Me Along
The Story: Raw Recording Session This final track is actually the straight, raw footage from one of my final recording sessions. There are a few different tunes during this 15 minute track including perhaps my most poignant tune of all.