Alien Song – Song and a Chat

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Episode #134: Alien Song (Song starts at 5:00)

The rain came down gently as I hit record for this episode. I have a corrugated iron roof on my studio. I don’t mind that, as it keeps me in touch with nature… I get to hear the odd parrot squark – or the wind …or the rain. It’s pretty relaxing, isn’t it.

What’s that got to do with songwriting, I hear you ask? I find the quiet – and the occasional sound of nature – allows me to rediscover the sense of peace required to create. You tune in naturally to the essence, the true self…the ‘honest’ voice that you write with.

On this episode, I take you outside at sunset in the Australian outdoors to look for bats (!). Very peaceful, indeed.

Some people find bats creepy. I generally don’t. But thinking about what a lot of people think about bats brought Alien Song to mind..as it’s kind of creepy.

I’ve written a lot of different sorts of songs over the years. This song is definitely not a piano/vocal ballad. The piano and vocal is actually is in the mix, but it’s presented here with the band Pete Pascoe and The Patient Hum….it’s a guitar driven rock song.

Alien Song was composed by the whole band. It came as a surprise to us when it starting taking shape. I’ll talk you through how it happened. Neil Sims started a guitar riff and away we went.

The lyrics were 90% stream of consciousness. I just started winging lyrics as I talked and sung & a story started to develop. As I sang ( and played piano and bass keys left hand), I shut my eyes and saw myself in a movie.

So the lyrics are that of a commentator, sometimes with a sort of birds-eye view, looking down. Other ‘camera angles’ would be close ups, some scenes viewed as the main character viewed the scene, etc.

Yes, I can see the whole music video for this song. Although the album The Roughest Cut (which has Alien Song on it & which is streaming now) was released a couple of years ago now, I never made the video. I think I still will one day.

I’ll include the green alien I drew and painted when I was 17, as an exchange student in Cheyenne Wyoming,. now that was a great experience.

I stayed with a wonderful family. From a creative point of view, I think the overall effect was: it sort of tipped me on my head and really set me free to follow this creative path – and this is what happened to the character in this particular song. He heads west (because he thought it might be for best) and he has some life changing experiences during his travels.

These Wyoming connections are very timely indeed – my host sister from my American family is coming to visit this week! Looking forward to this. I love how art and life are so entwined.

That’s the beauty of art and music. You begin with something real and present it as something completely new – with the same essence.

The essence of the self…listeners are letting me know they are getting to know the artist, the composer as well as find out more about the songs and that’s all part of podcasting. In this episode I think that is perhaps Alien Song has revealed a bit more of me – in a story. Everyone loves a good story.

Ok, I hope you enjoy the song and story on this week’s episode. I did enjoy rediscovering alien song.

Got a cuppa? Sit back and have a listen…here we go…