This song was inspired by several trips to Waterloo, IA. It’s really about any small town USA, where it’s great to place to grow up. Then maybe you stay – or go.
I wrote this song about 10 years ago. I tend to write songs and then there’s something about it that isn’t fitting, so I put it on the shelf. I was about to re-shelve this one until I found a great acoustic drum beat that fit the song perfectly.
In January 2020, I wrote this new song with the working title ‘Confusion.’ Obviously, I had no idea how the year would play out and this song would turn out to be very relevant. I guess you could call it my “2020 song.”
Today, I’m excited to officially release the song to the world. Some have said it sounds a bit R.E.M.ish
I’m a huge fan of the bass guitar. I think it’s the most underrated instrument in modern music. If you took the bass out of 90% of the rock songs between 1972 – 2000, those songs would be completely different.
Bass was my second instrument and started playing at 15 years old. My first bass was a red Hondo. Haven’t seen one since then. I think I either sold it or gave it to my friend Pete Scales and then “upgraded” to a Peavey Patriot 🤣!
This is my one and only bass now.
It’s an Ibanez SDGR and I found it at a pawn shop here in West Dundee, IL a few years back. It has an active pickup that sounds great direct into my DAW. Someday soon I’ll pick up a Fender P-Bass or Jazz.
My love for the bass started with the band Rush in 1981. As I dug deep into their music, I realized Geddy Lee played both bass and keys – and piano is my first instrument. So naturally, I started emulating what he did and learned a bunch of Rush songs on bass and keys. The pinnacle of bass/keys combo is of course the song “Tom Sawyer.”
Today, as I write songs, I try and bring in bass parts as soon as possible since the song really starts to make sense to me with the low-end definition. Sometimes, I’ll even start with a bass line, then add drums and go from there. Those songs tend to be more interesting (IMO). My song Nowhere Fast is an example of that.
My computer kept stopping with a “system overload” error as I was trying to record the acoustic guitar part. My Macbook Pro is old but mighty (for a while longer I hope!). I changed some parameters and finished the track. Then, listened back. Horrible. “This sucks, @#$%! it” and I closed Logic (recording software).
Then I sat there and thought of all the advice I give my kids… “It’s supposed to be hard, that’s how you learn” “It’s always darkest before dawn” – and lots of other supposed wisdom. So, I shook my head and re-opened the song. “I’m going to dive deeper and find this damn song” – An hour later I found it. The perfect vibe for the song – something that has eluded me for years. I may have had a little breakthrough.
So, here it is – the unreleased song of the month: “Let Me In”
Really into golf this year. The pandemic has injected a renewed interest in the game. Most courses I’ve played have been packed and I see a lot of young players.
John M & Me at Randall Oaks Golf Club
A few years back, it seemed the sport was dying. Who knows, this could save the industry?
There are good humans There are bad humans White, black, brown, tan, orange, whatever color There are people with irrational beliefs based on some tragedy from years past There are people with mental issues and chemical imbalances There are politicians
There are soul-less people and there are amazing generous people Politics can’t solve every issue.
Your vote can solve some public issues Your heart can solve the real issues.
In my youth, 30+ years ago I threw a rock. I was mad at an institution that I felt failed me. I was angry. I was afraid. I was frustrated. I blamed the institution.
What I learned over time of course, is that it was 100% on me. My failures, my anger was all due to my own fear and confusion. We are all looking for someone/something to blame when things aren’t going right. This is primal fear at work. Every single human experiences it. Given the right (or wrong) set of circumstances, fear materializes in many different ways: addiction, abuse, homicide, vandalism, etc.
Every vandal, looter and criminal running the streets right now are projecting a fear that has been festering for a long time. They are using #BLM as a vehicle to expel the fear.
We are dealing with two distinct issues right now. Racism and fear. One needs to be dealt with externally and one internally.
Sitting at the pool in West Palm Beach Florida on March 17th, I looked around and was grateful for being there. News was starting to get more and more serious about the pandemic and lockdowns looked immenent.
Sitting here today, May 31, 2002 about 2 1/2 months later, the world is a much different place. (And it looks to be changing again after the George Floyd murder).
So, what have I learned over the past 10 weeks of being “quarantined?” (I put it in quotes because I’m not sick, but we’re in some sort of preemptive quarantine). Here’s the top 10 list:
We can save about $1000 per month by not going to restaurants
Puzzles are fun for about 3 days
I can sit and do nothing and be ok
I don’t trust the media at all, probably less than the Government
I’m learning to appreciate quality time with family
People can be very irrational
Fear rules most people’s lives
My day-to-day is really not that different in non-pandemic times
I played the guitar and drums about the same or maybe a little more than usual
The world will never be the same and perhaps better?
