This is a track I arranged and recorded with some close friends over 10 years ago. It is a re-interpretation of the timeless Super Mario Brothers Theme. I always wanted to put an animated sequence to this music: Imagine poor Luigi, living forever in the shadow of his more charismatic, successful brother Mario. Of course, I’d be sued in a heartbeat.  All these instruments are real humans! No computers or programming.  Me: guitar, pedal effects, and arrangement. The talented Jordan Siegel: Drums. The funky Micah Roark: Bass. Recorded in 1996 at Asleep at the Wheel Studios (Bismeaux) in Austin, Texas. 

I had this idea for a song that was heavily inspired by a Sir Douglas Quintet tune, but the more I tried to go for that feeling, the trickier it got. Instead of a 1-4-5, I wrote a 1-4-1-6m-6# (?) sort of thing. 

It’s sort of feisty, which I like. But the keyboard part is too ‘Baba o’Reilly-meets-the-circus’.  Maybe I’ll take it out.

You can hear another version of this song posted here. 

This was the first sketch of a tune that the Naturals are doing now, and I prefer the live version to this initial draft. But the basic idea is the same. I like to roughly sketch out the sections of music, and play with the transitions at home, then take it to a live situation and see where it goes.

I’ll post a live YouTube version of this song sometime to show the difference…

Here is a snip of a tune I am working on for Nathan & the Naturals. I’ve been on the fence about what direction to take this song in. Right now it seems like it’s on the verge of being an upbeat Bill Withers tune (Good!) or one of Michael McDonald’s later works (maybe not so good).

(Guilty admission: I love Keep Forgettin’.

All instruments by me (guitar, midi instruments, samples. Software: Logic).

This is a track from the first demo EP I was ever involved with. My friends (Jordan, drums/background vocals; Micah, bass) and I recorded three songs at Bismeaux studios in Austin, TX. Our band name was “Any Volunteers”, which I still think is a pretty damn good name. I think this was in either 1996 or 1997, but I am not sure.This song is called “Cast Out” and the lyrics are inspired by a dream I had.  Something about a Death Clock, and a conversation with an old man (who was maybe me?)…I can’t really remember.