Month: September 2026

You can listen to me read this post on Soundcloud or Youtube, or as Bliss and Drumming wherever you get your podcasts.

The next re-released song on the docket to discuss is “High Desert” from the Stars Turn Me On album GoldRush from 2012. STMO is my project with guitarist and riff machine Justin Caucutt. Most of the songs on GoldRush are very stripped down. For this one, I played very simple drums, with a rattle in one hand. Then, I think I remember singing as I drummed. I don’t think this is that vocal take here, but I think I wanted to sing as I played in order to keep the sort of ritualistic beat tied to the lyrical intent. Judah Collins played lap steel, Justin on guitar.

I remember the germination of the lyrics. At the time, Zepparella had a tour manager, Jim Stewart, who bought the van I now own. He was amazingly handy and tricked the whole thing out for us. This meant that I didn’t have to drive all the time. I love driving, but not driving enabled me to work on other stuff as we toured, which meant lyrics. Continue reading “Old Song, New Release: High Desert”

You can listen to me read this post on Soundcloud or Youtube, or as Bliss and Drumming wherever you get your podcasts.

The song “Slow Glow” is from my first album, “Conversation with Francis Bakin” in 2008. I recorded a new vocal and remixed the song for “The Collection” in 2014. This song was written with my dear buddy Gretchen Menn on guitar.

I think the way most of these songs happened is that I created the drum beat and vocal and a skeletal progression, and then Gretchen laid down a bunch of guitar tracks on top. Then I sort of arranged the parts to create the final version. I remember this song being particularly fun because she was indulging me in creating real soundscape stuff, and when I layered some of the tracks they fit together in such an interesting way. I love this song for its sonic landscape. The drums were a drumbeat I created and then I played along with that electronic track and sort of melted them into each other.

Continue reading “Old Song, New Release: Slow Glow”

You can listen to me read this post on Soundcloud or Youtube, or as Bliss and Drumming wherever you get your podcasts.

The next song to talk about in this series of songs I’m re-releasing is “Wonderful U.” which was released as a single in 2010 and ended up on the album The Collection in 2014. The wonderful guitar parts were created by Jude Gold, and in his highly dexterous and imaginative way he added bounce and texture beyond expectation. I’m lucky I’ve gotten to lay a palette down for some great guitarists, and my dear Gretchen, being one of those connector people, has facilitated many of these meetings and creative mashups.

I have to say I don’t remember how this song was recorded. I know I recorded the drumbeats and melody and I think vocal as well. Did Jude and I spend time in the studio, or did he send me the tracks? See, this is when I look back at my years of marijuana use and see how much my ability to store memory was affected. So much of the creative aspect of shifting my reality with the substance was beneficial, but I do regret these lapses in memories. Continue reading “Old Song, New Release: Wonderful U.”