Thursday, July 31, 2008

Please put my mind at ease

Remixed during the same session as We Can Go Far Away, this jam has a similar theme, escapism, and the hopeful expectation of a better new life.

I met Dustin and Claudia last sunday at the pool; instant clicking. Very cool, very real people. Both really wanting to make
something happen with music.

Instant common bond.

On monday the 28th Dustin came over and we proceeded to bricklayer a jam. This is a version of that session. In the future this may be remixed to have Claudia's voice involved.



I'm really spent right now, I'm uploading this minutes after completing it and We Can Go Far Away, as well doing the graphics and related uploads.

Without much ado; live and direct I; Please put my mind at ease




The gratuitous download is right here ; friends, please comment; your words are important to me.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

We can go far away

As summer winds down, and the economy (gasp, suddenly) starts to come back, those of us, sweaty, working-poor, masses haven't even dipped our toes in a sandy beach yet!
Huddled in bars, downing dollar well drinks and going to shows, scrapping cars along city concrete barricades; we need a break.

If you can even relate, this jam is for you.



We can go far away is a jam about vacation, sweat tropical punk, vacation, careening golf carts on Caribbean Islands; scooters and sun tans.

Drinks with little straws in them and sandy long hair. Smiles and sleeping past 10. Tiki torch lit dinners and passport stamps. Contraband and duty-free.

Just listen; tell me you can't see the smiles...




Right? Download it here and drive much, much slower.

Monday, July 28, 2008





...It's 2 to 5 and I'm listening to Atlas Sound and daydreaming of recieving text messages from Windish Agency and voicemail from Motormouth Media; but of course I'm so cool my neighbors barely know these jams.

Why waste your time?



Why waste your time is a really honest foundational type of song,the type you don't always share and expect only to be niche and b-side, the type I secretly love and listen to over and over again.





Yeah, that's Cindy on the cover. I may never be completely without her ghost, she comes to me every now and then, and gracefully, she still muses and chants me toward creativity and sharing.

Download Why waste your time here.

Cindy, download, scene, Stream, Yo Gusto, scarrzz-ready

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Desert, punk

I secretly love Mall of Georgia Toyota.  This IS the pinicacle of Buford living. All the cashiers and service attendees are usually very attractive Wild Wing/Lake Lanier type ladies and they love to make eyes.





Here's a little remix of (guess who) I did while waiting in the lobby. I have a bit of anxiety right now because my MBP battery is almost spent and I still have to upload the jam to you!




Download it here. Later, gotta get the car and pick up the kids!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Calling me

Simple and more direct.

The more I record and share tracks with you the simpler and more direct I come.
























Calling me is more of a chorus than a full on song, but again. Simple and direct.





Download it here

This one's proof.

Inside and out

Hi. New jam for you. I'm kind of in post crisis mode, thanks to financial strain, but nevertheless, songs that no one seems to hear must be written by people who seem to care.

I'm going to attempt to embed an the Google mp3 player here to so you don't have to waste your precious hard drive real estate with this sort of thing.

And now for your wisecracks and shenannigans, I serve you, Inside and out.






Inside and out was written in two days, breaking the usual one-session-to-blog rule I usually employ. I think the lyrical/vocal tracks may be hasty (notice how I'm so crunk and talk up my jams?), but Joanna wiggled to it, so perhaps you will too.

You can download it here.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Newness is goodness

I can feel it.
I'm getting better at shaping it.
It's not so flat.
It's not so overly zealous.
It's not so obtuse.




You won in life but lost in dreams:



Download

Something of a hasty statement. Just because they have everything, they don't have what you have. Whatever it is. (if you say the clap, sadie will so byte your fankle).

You lost in life but won in dreams



Download

That's what I'm talking about. So far this jam, the B-side, says it all. Speechlessly. The ability to know just why you don't roll like they do, to know why you are the way you are, why you see what you see, hear what you hear, smell what you smell. They may not get it; and they don't, obviously. But does that really matter? You still have to do this.

It's almost like you have no choice. A thursday watching tele, even IFC or Sundance or at the bar, even a good bar; almost seems like a waste of time nowadays.

This was totally worth some sleep.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Don't ask me how I know




You know, you may not always be in charge of certain things. Sure we do have the ability and freedom to choose, but sometimes you can't help who you like (of course we can control what we do with these emotions, but that's a whole nother sermon)

This track guest vocals the lovely Romy, a very confused German/Russian who crossed my path during the summer of 2008. I wish her well, and hope she finds what she is looking for. Her voice is distinctly European and i would have liked to work with her more but that just wasn't in the cards.


Don't ask me how I know




Romy, Ryan, and anyone around the North Highland Steel pool during the summer of 2008, this

Saturday, July 5, 2008

That's what she said

That's what she said is a track I'm really proud of. E's beat is flawless, and you'll get goose bumps when the bass line thumps.



That's what she said :




That's what she said comes to you from Memorial day weekend, summer 2008. It was recorded for $100USD (the price of a noise complaint) at 3443 (my then N. Highland Steel apartment). We were drinking tequila and kept the sliding glass open so that the byrds downstairs at the pool could enjoy the music. At the conclusion of this set, there was cheering and clapping in the hallway.

Ironically, the building management was really trying to utilize this weekend to fill some empty units. The new landlady came by very irate and threatening a noise complaint, saying that the neighbors were complaining (it was like 2 in the afternoon on Memorial weekend saturday!).

This track sounds McCarren Pool ready, pop this into your iPod and rock that bicycle!

Sea-Zen

All natural home-grown child of Zion. If the war was over today, that's where the party would be. ..


Sea-Zen by 85 Lives






FYI - I'm not crazy about the sounds just yet. I'm wanting more dance-able and tuff beats... more to come, 85 Lives is a work in progress. Your comments would be appreciated.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Tropical Punk is my current inspiration

It started when I discovered El Guicho. Now there's Abe Vigoda. Their from LA and they get very anxious and have lived on the street and make wonderful strong tropical punk music.

I remixed Dead City/Waste Wilderness, I'll probably do it again because I'm a bit insecure about it as current, I just wanted to have it online.


Let me know what you think about Abe/ATL:






Here's another take at it; Abe/ATL 2.0:

Thursday, July 3, 2008

BSWS

I've got to say this quick; Morrissey's suedehead is on indie 103 and my top of the morning depression and longing is starting to fade... and I was so counting on it to help me explain to you the BSWS story.

In the fall of 2007, I became unemployed (and opted to stay that way since I had the means and was facing a Christmas divorce - thanks santa).

This is the weeks after the Los Angeles Detour 2007 festival and Zee LC.

Black Socks White Shoes was a depression soaked electo music. It wasn't quite suicidal; it still had money in the bank and was looking forward to 2008 in Silverlake.

Joanna Nesbitt, a special person I met a hot Thursday August night during the summer of 2007 at El Bar instantly liked the title. Here's some of BSWS's highlights.

Sorry, I can't dialogue more, the feeling's gone.







All I ever really wanted was you:


All I ever really wanted was you was clearly written out of longing for my dear first wife, Cindy. I was waking up everyday in the house I bought her seeing her dance and love and our children crawl, walk, run and have Christmas where I was now lost and alone. At the time of this writing I am over her but for some reason have been haunted by her the last two nights.
Only time will prove weather or not those were the best years of my life. It has to get better than this.



quick-note about the art:: it's all original (of course) and each track came with it's only BSWS shade, as seen here...




PS130:




PS130 is actually from the Bible; Psalms 130:

Hope in the LORD's Redemption
A Song of degrees.

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

2 Lord, hear my voice:
let thine ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications.

3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee,
that thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the LORD,
my soul doth wait,
and in his word do I hope.

6 My soul waiteth for the Lord
more than they that watch for the morning:
I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

7 Let Israel hope in the LORD:
for with the LORD there is mercy,
and with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Deep dark stuff.... hopeful, true; but still dark and longing.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008



During my last trip to Los Angeles, I warmed up to making music without live instruments; completely via garageband. I haven't really done much more stuff like this since then (I really like twisting knobs and the pop/snap of electro music too much).

I sorta want to have all the completed tracks I have online before the 4th of July (when the rent is due). I'm going thru a great amount of personal financial difficulty and it's sort of pushing me near a dark place (fairly well documented in my other blog).




Without further ado, I give you the two tracks consisting of what was the Zee LC demo, ona plane... track A being term84:




You like that? you can download it, I won't tell..
::Download

And the flipside was a little scratch track called (appropriately) whatever:




:: Download

E's faves



This post is dedicated to a Eric, a friend for several years, who just recently, it seems, we have somewhat drifted apart. We've recorded several jams together, drank a ton, have really "been there" for each other. Hopefully the good times are not over. God knows this recession certainly is messing with folks.

We were in The Black Reds together and placed several shows with Eric as the drummer. The first track I'll share with you is the hit from the summer of 2006; recorded in Joe's garage in Avondale Estates, GA.

Waited All Summer Long was written with my x-wife Cindy on bass. Eric took to it quickly as he comes from the straight up Blink-182/Ramones school of rock.




Enjoy Waited All Summer Long; written by Edward Lund while in The Black Reds:

::Download




It's good to have friends. I hope the future brings Eric and I together to do more shows and have more good times.

lip dubbage

Shitalki lies in a coma somewhere in Forsyth county. The drummer is a captain of industry and really played just as a token of friendship (could you really ask for anything more?). Kevin the bass player really was heart and soul and when they were playing all three of them enjoyed the music and the moment and the spark and the portal which took them from here to there.

On one of there last sessions (one could only hope they will arise from slumber, but you know how these things usually end up) we recorded this post's featured download, sort of in tribute and in rock steady to unrequited love.

Here it is mon...
Track 3 from the shitalki demo, .Lip dubbage





Hi. If this is your first time here, be sure to check out the Guide to 85 Lives... it'll help you navigate thru the content, of course you can just browse and click all day if you want to, that's fine.

If you wanna go straight to the hits, go to scarrzz.

If you want to book, collaborate, or simply communicate with any of the artist listed here, let us know, we're open to playing festivals and traveling to see you.