I played most of these parts into my composer workstation over a months period. The electric guitar is the only instrument that isn’t played into the workstation. This is one of the most experimental musical pieces that I have ever tried. It was great fun to do because it is totally off the wall. None of my past bands would have gone with any of this which is one of the reasons why I carried on with it. There is no one to argue with here and as a solo these days I just go with the flow and follow my heart.
This music here is another journey like ‘Here’s To All The People’ on this album and ‘Far Out’ from the last album. It unravels as it goes along. I seem to come out with these unconventional songs sometimes and go with them if they feel right.
I am experimenting with rhythm first of all. African influences that eventually emerge into a kind of technical dance beat. But it cant be called techno because it isn’t a drum machine sound. It’s a proper full drum kit mimicking a technical idea. The electric guitar is also weird and wonderful because it is not being played conventionally. Just a ‘bottle neck’ sliding up and down notes in each chord. And the later guitar is just tapping on the relevant notes. Lee the guitarist looked at me all gone out when I explained what I wanted. The orchestral parts add to the unusual arrangements of Africa and modern dance. I also added a classical type of piano in style of The Warsaw Concerto and concocted totally off the wall string melodies which I sang along with. Bloody weird arrangement and song. And it was great fun to fart around with!
I was reading a book about the Greek philosopher Socrates written by one of his pupils, Plato. The book is called The Trial And Death Of Socrates. He was highly regarded in elite circles of the day and he taught the young aristocracy factual and philosophical information about the world, which included politics. Unfortunately for him he told the truth about how the elite circles very cleverly (like today) control the masses without them realising, which pissed off the elite circles. But more importantly scared the living shit out of them! They didn’t want anyone to know that they are controlling the sheeple. They still don’t even today. So they put him to trial and he was sentenced to death. He was forced to commit suicide by poisoning himself. They forced him to eat hemlock.
Although he told the truth and should have been seen as a hero, today he would have been ridiculed exactly the same and dubbed as ‘A whistle-blower’ in a similar way to Edward Snowden.
These lyrics are written from Socrates point of view dictating to his scribe who is compiling his philosophy onto papyrus, but as if he were alive today.
Players;
Paul; Vocals, Composer workstation: African toms, Drums, Bass, Fuzz bass, Electric piano, Piano, Vibraphone, Synthesizer, Strings
Lee Ireland; Electric guitar
Marklew (C)
Album: Songs From The Bridge
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