I’ve lived in the “Emerald City” for over sixteen years now. Even saw the Scooter and the Big Man. Here. Of all places! And maybe Dorothy has always been right … “There’s no place like home.” I’ve clicked my heals together so many times. All I have to show for it? Worn out orthotics and flat-ass feet! But I’m not here to complain. Really! The best thing? I got some new original music out of it all. Woo hoo!
I’ve had occasion to do a lot of soul searching in the past year. Between a relationship of eight years ending, having to sell our current home, my business drying up, little money, more ailments, and toying with the thought of moving back east. An awful lot for one person to deal with.
One of the things that has kept me going? My friends back east. In sixteen years in Seattle I can count my close friends on a few fingers. Sad. Seattle has always been a love-hate relationship … and I want out! This is what’s triggered the search for ‘home” … or what it is. Or what it really means to me.
Part of the rekindling of old friendships has lead me back to my roots in New Jersey. With the advent of Facebook so many relationships have been reborn and with any luck will flourish. And that my friends … is home. I will not mention names … but you know who you are!
It’s these friends, both old and new, and our mutual experiences that inform my future, my past, and always my music.
joMusic: Find My Way Home
I started writing this song three years ago. I had the picking riff first. Then came the hook and the broad strokes of what the song was about … being lost and alone and searching for a place to call home. That felt like home. There was one solid verse, the first verse. After that there were some phrases coupled with plenty of “babble-lyrics”. It’s the way I work.
But until a few weeks ago, I didn’t know what the “bricks” of the story were. I sat down and started pounding away at the foundation, brick by brick. Before I knew it, I had a completed song. And I like how it turned out. Of course these are still demos, but the song stands on its own.
The other wonder of this song, is I found a totally new way to sing it. Especially the intro to the chorus. I’m happy with the results.
joMusic: Romeo
I posted this earlier, but also wanted to include it with these songs. Romeo is part of that whole searching for home, self and truth concept. I also wanted to make it easier to download with these songs, if you missed the individual post.
I loved writing this song. I always love playing with double entendre … and this one is packed full. The idea that the fictitious character carries many stereotypes, lover, romancer, hated by many for who he was. Now make him masculine, Italian, from Brooklyn and gay. Go! And that’s pretty much what I did.
Hope you like my Romeo.
joMusic: Home Fire’s Burning
This song is a moldy oldie. I wrote this sometime in the late 70’s early 80’s. From what I can remember, or “concocted” I was driving back home to New Jersey via the Jersey Turnpike. I was driving my car back from a show in NYC. I’m feeling like it was a Bruce show. Maybe not. My friend Carole was in the car as were 4 of her female friends. We were driving past the Exxon plant in my old hometown, Linden. It was getting overcast and looked like it was going to rain. I remember Carole making a remark about the natural gas burning towers. Something like, “those are X Y Z”. To which I said, “No. Those aren’t X Y Z. Those are the home fires burning.”
And that’s how that song was born. I probably went home that night, still pumped and wrote this song. The Human Element fans out there might recognize the song. We did play it out. But it sounded nothing like this version.
Once again. In honor of the upcoming Hoover Hootenanny, I reworked this song. And I sure do like the results. Hope you do too!
One last thing. Don’t adjust your volume. The song starts off with a slow fade in & will reach full volume in a few seconds after starting.
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