Safe Hands

SAFE HANDS -- song notes

This is the collaboration I've been wanting to do since I started recording my own music back in 2005 -- I didn't know any of these great musicians at the time, but I'd always imagined getting some great players together and recording something live -- one person doing only what they could do on stage, and each of us recording in a single take, which we videod as we were doing it (we nearly pulled that off!). It was an added bonus to be able to do it as a video, and I can't express enough how grateful I am that these 6 players/singers were willing to put in the time and creative energy to humour me ☺

The lineup certainly contains some of the cream of the MacJams musical community:

John Libby (ktb) from Boston, Massachusetts on keys has played on quite a few of my songs, and has collaborated with lots of people on MJ. He always produces just what is required, and is one of the fastest collaborators I've ever worked with -- if he was any faster, he'd be sending me keyboard tracks to songs I hadn't even written yet! I especially love John's electric piano and clav work (e.p. here).

Anne Cozean and Marty Ross Vining (SISTERS) from North Fork, California are as good as close harmony vocals get. I've worked with Big Sis (Anne) before on quite a few songs, but this is the first chance to have Marty singing along -- welcome on board Marty. Their video submissions were full of warmth and humour, as you'll see -- and they sure can sing!

Mike Watkins (kevmikwa) from Stirling, Virginia on drums. I think I've probably collaborated more with Mike than anyone else on MJ, and for good reason: he plays great drums and his style and mine seem to mesh perfectly. On top of that he's a very decent guy who seems to have his head screwed on particularly well. I've played live with a few terrific drummers, but Mike would be my first choice in any live band I might be putting together (geographic considerations aside). Mike was also the video guru for this project.

Chris Flynn (rok41) from Dallas, Texas on bass. I haven't collaborated with Chris before -- mainly because I do my own bass usually -- but have enjoyed his accurate and thoughtful bass skills since I first heard him a while ago at MJ. Chris is (literally in this case) a bass player's bass player, and does a great job here.

Thor Oliversen (thodi) from Stavanger, Norway on guitar -- last but definitely not least - always surprises and delights with his soul/R&B/funk guitar. We've recorded 3 of my songs together now, and they are 3 of my favourites. Watching his enthusiasm and soulful playing (wait for the solo!) was one of the high points of this project for me.

I'm playing Tele and singing from Pambula Beach, NSW, Australia -- and I mixed and mastered the audio and video.

I would do pretty much anything to play live with this collection of really classy people.

"Safe Hands" was written after I'd invited everyone to do "a video project" -- nothing like having a bit of pressure on to write something reasonable! The inspiration for the song story is a little obscure (no-one will be surprised that it's a plea to our prime minister!), I think the words can fit a number of situations though. The style is one I feel very comfortable with.

The video seemed like a good idea at the time -- how hard could doing a video with 7 people be? I hadn't considered the fact that we would all be using different cameras, different frame rates, different screen ratios, be shooting in different light, in different-looking rooms, with different zoom levels and from different angles ..... etc. I also hadn't considered that my computer would battle with the file sizes or that I might have forgotten my (already limited) knowledge of Final Cut Express. Let's just say it came out OK considering, and that it shows a number of MJ friends doing what they do.

I hope you enjoy the music and the video!

Great Ocean Road

I sat myself down with the sole intention of writing a song for our drummer, Pete, to sing - it needed to have a cool beat, touch on his favourite topics of surf and cars, and be in E. This is the result of my noodling - a nice road song. 

I've written another song for Pete :)

lyrics

Great Ocean Road
2011 Neil Porter 

Drive my Eldorado
Put my foot down to the floor
I’ve ever felt this kind of cool before

Drop the drop top top down
Got my honey keeping score
Never felt this kind of cool before

Me and my girl gonna twist and turn
Heading west from Lorne
Great Ocean Road
Apollo Bay and the 12 Apostles
Me and my girl gonna drive
Great Ocean Road

Going incognito
Gonna keep my Black Ice on
Drive along and sing my favourite songs

Gonna crank the HMV
Got “The Boys Of Summer” on
Drive along and sing my favourite songs

Me and my girl gonna twist and turn
Heading west from Lorne
Great Ocean Road
Apollo Bay and the 12 Apostles
Me and my girl gonna drive
Great Ocean Road

Aint gonna sit in silence
Ain’t gonna toe the line no more
We got sun and surf on a southern shore

We got Artisan Ochre
We got cut down beltline
We got sun and surf on a southern shore

Me and my girl gonna twist and turn
Heading west from Lorne
Great Ocean Road
Apollo Bay and the 12 Apostles
Me and my girl gonna drive
Great Ocean Road

The Red Café

Have you ever been sitting in a café or somewhere similar, having a quiet drink, at peace with the world and someone comes and sits next to you and proceeds to preach at you about something which is obviously really important to them, but not at all interesting to you? They might be preaching about their religion, their views on climate change, their views on gun ownership or any one of a thousand other hobby horses. Doesn't really matter what it is, it sure does break the mood. 
The Red Café does exist in a neighbouring town - Bega - it's a cool place to go and makes great coffee. It's my one-man-band again on this, and it has taken quite a while to put together. Drums are midi, pencilled in from scratch.

lyrics

In The Red Café
©2011 Neil Porter 

Sitting in the Red Café
Had a big bad night and I’m miles away
I shouldn’t need that much to say
In the Red Café

You come in with the morning sun
The sunny mood’s just been undone
You come in with your blinkers on
In the Red Café

You make me feel real nervous
Scaring me to kingdom come
You got me damn near falling
Right off the edge of my seat
Watching my back, watching my front
Looking out for everything at once
Sometimes you get right in my face
This ain’t the place
To talk about your gods or your guns

I’ve read you in the Weekly News
I’ve read your crazy point of view
No evidence to make it true
In the Red Café

You ask me if the seat is free
You sit yourself right next to me
You say “my god can set you free”
In the Red Café

You make me feel real nervous
Scaring me to kingdom come
You got me damn near falling
Right off the edge of my seat
Watching my back, watching my front
Looking out for everything at once
Sometimes you get right in my face
This ain’t the place
To talk about your gods or your guns

The science is absolutely clear
Why is the truth so hard to hear?
There’s proof and knowledge everywhere
In the Red Café

You base your whole philosophy
On some doubtful ancient history
Your myths don’t make much sense to me
In the Red Café

Starting on CD #3

I've started putting songs together for my 3rd CD "Tangents and Dreams". Hopefully ready to go in the first half of 2011. Much more funk than the previous releases.

NYE 2010

Thanks to John McVeity and crew for the great sound out front.

Brian, Chris, Neil, Ken, Heather, Gus and Pete rockin' out!

Same song, different camera.