Something from the past :)

In May 2008, I did an extensive interview with Tobin Mueller for some artist reviews he was doing.  I just re-read it and thought anyone interested in my music might find it a good read.

You can catch it here.

Here's a brief extract:
"Not only his unique voice, organic grooves, outstanding lyrics and solid sense of melody give his tracks a signature sound. The way he mixes and layers his music is unlike anything I’ve heard. I can tell a jiguma track the moment it starts. (I love that.) If you listen from his earliest to his most recent, you will hear steadily increasing production/mixing abilities, which is one of the things this site gives many members. Plus, his songs have a conscience. His song writing is strong from top to bottom…"

Tobin also reviewed my first album, "jiguma dreaming" which you can read here.

"Looking Like The Real Thing"

It seems I'm on a bit of a writing roll at the moment - I'm enjoying it a lot :)

Inspired by 20 year-old me. About the unattainable love interest who's with someone else and that defeated feeling you have when you see them together. The "bad man" was probably a perfectly nice guy!

Just me and Gavin the drummer :)

It's another RnB tinged song, and one I'm pretty pleased with.  Listen HERE.

Looking Like The Real Thing

©2016 Neil Porter

V1

Not much more that I can do 

I just wanna get through to you 

I’ve got nothing left to say

Pack my things and go away 

I try to see your point of view

But there’s a bad man standing next to you

V2

You don’t know what you put me through 

I just wanna get close to you 

Feel like I’ve been washed ashore

I can’t do this anymore  

I try to see your point of view

Bad man standing next to you

BRIDGE

I couldn’t help myself

You were looking like the real thing

I had to stop myself

Stop myself

I’d get down on my knees

But you know my skin is thin

Looking like the real thing

You were looking like the real thing 

V3

You with him that makes me blue 

I just gotta get close to you 

One day you might understand

I just wanna be your man

I try to see your point of view

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

Bad man standing next to you

First World Blues - new music.

First World Blues:

A few months ago, my friend Graeme and I were discussing something I was really worked up about - "seething" would have been a good word for it.  Graeme can always be relied on to say what he thinks, and he pretty quickly pointed out to me that what I was so angry about was a "first world problem".  

Suitably chastened, I thought a lot about what he'd said and began to realise that a lot of the things we in the "first world" (I think Australia still qualifies) worry about are pretty insignificant compared to others with much less fortunate lives.

"First World Blues" (click to listen) is what I wrote in response.  It's a bit tongue in cheek and the words perhaps a little tangential,  but is meant to make you think a bit about others' circumstances next time you start complaining about your car not starting or your partner walking out.  Things could be MUCH worse!

Musically, I'm playing guitars (3 tracks), bass, keyboards and a little percussion.  Drums are courtesy of Gavin the drummer, who lives downstairs ;). I sang the main vocal and one of the harmonies.  

This was written to take to the PBGB Shed, but as it didn't feel like it needed (or indeed had room for) 10 people playing/singing on it, I decided to do it myself.

This will be on my fifth album - release date is "later in 2016.

Song art is a modification of a reinterpretation of Picasso's "Old Man With Guitar" by Anja Gudic - check her Tumbler site here: http://agillustration.tumblr.com

First World Blues
©2016 Neil Porter

Verse: | Am | A7sus4 | FM7/A | FM7/A |

I’m a modern man
I’ve got modern views
Look at my feet
I’ve got the latest shoes
I drive a fancy car
You should get one too
I’m just a first world man
I’ve got the first world blues

Chorus: | Dm | D7sus/A | Am | Am |

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

I help my first world friends
I tend to pick and choose
I’m learning all I can
I’m on the morning news
Can’t seem to do too much
I drink the finest booze
I’m just a first world man
I’ve got the first world blues

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

BRIDGE Em Bm Dm Am

I’m running late and my car won’t start
Don’t know what I’m gonna do
My baby left me and she broke my heart
Got first world problems
Got the first world blues

SOLO on verse

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

I’m doing all I can
Done all the interviews
I smile and look so neat
Watch all my “p”s and “q”s
My girl’s a beauty queen
You ought to get one too
I’m just a first world man
I’ve got the first world blues

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

OUTRO on chorus

First world blues
Feel like they’re coming tonight
First world blues
I hope I’m doing them right

Who You Foolin'?

Felt a need for some old-school RnB - in this case mixed with a bit of cool B3 Hammond.
The words could be about a relationship in trouble, politics, disappointment - or "all of the above". Started off with some riffing around the basic premise of "I'd miss you baby but you won't go away".
I'm playing everything here ("playing" is of course a loose term in these days of midi loops which can be so easily massaged to get what you want) except for the drums, played by my reliable friend Gavin the drummer.
Hope you enjoy it.
:)

Who You Fooling?
©2016 Neil Porter

Cm C7sus4 Cm Csus4
Don’t misunderstand me
I’ve got promises to keep
You know you make me laugh sometimes 
You know you make me weep

Please don’t reprimand me
I’ve got things I need to say
You know how much I’d miss you 
If you ever went away

Fm C7sus4 Fm Csus4
Who you fooling?
Who you letting down this time? 
Who said this game is over
It wasn’t me
Who you fooling?
Who you shoving down the line?
Who flushed you out of cover
It wasn’t me

Who you fooling?

Don’t know what you stand for
Seems like we’re in trouble deep
Don’t know where you’re coming from
I don’t know how you sleep

I’m hearing what you’re saying
It means nothing much to me
Not liking what you’re doing
You’re not who I want to be

Who you fooling?
Who you letting down this time? 
Who said this game is over
It wasn’t me
Who you fooling?
Who you shoving down the line?
Who flushed you out of cover
It wasn’t me

Who you fooling?

SOLO

We’ve been down this road before
Still haven’t changed my mind
I’ve been doing all I can 
You’ve been flying blind 

Days of desperation
Nights of deep despair
I hope to see the last of you
You don’t seem to care

Who you fooling?
Who you letting down this time? 
Who said this game is over
It wasn’t me
Who you fooling?
Who you shoving down the line?
Who flushed you out of cover
It wasn’t me

Who you fooling?

Who you fooling?

Blast From The Past :)

"Giving It All Away" is one of my favourite songs of mine. It is a quirky exercise in 7/8 and introspection which I posted in 2011, and is yet again appropriate for me. So far, it is the only one of my songs which has been "temporarily off line" at MJ. Anyway, 

I have remixed it and re-sung it (mainly because the original vocal tracks had disappeared from my Logic files) in May 2016. It's a little crisper and sounds more like I had wanted when I first posted - ah, the joys of Ozone 5 and 7 :) 

If you've heard it before, you may enjoy another listen, if not, then enjoy counting to 7 ........... a lot! 

Me on everything. I added the chords so you can play along. :) Oh, the lyrics are not what they seem. 

Have a listen here: "Giving It All Away"

Giving It All Away  ©2012 Neil Porter 

Intro: |Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|
Verse: |Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|Am Em7|Dm Am|Dm Am|Am Em7|Am Em7|
Middle 8: |F|F|F|F|C|C|C|C| 

I got time on my hands
My place in the sun 
So much to do but it never gets done  I made some mistakes And they play on my heart
So much to do but I don’t seem to start 

I just have to have some clear direction
When there’s no reason I’m all at sea
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away 

Doing my best with your obsessions
Sometimes they’re pushing me away
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away 

Giving it all away
Giving it all away
Giving it all away
Giving it all away yeah 

I lived a life of inhibition
Taking no chances – that’s not me
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away 

So you can see the contradiction
Nose on your face as plain as day
Sometimes I get it right
Give in without a fight
Maybe I’ll give it all away
Maybe I’ll give it all away
Maybe I’ll give it all away

Back to political comment!

A lot of my earlier music was political protest - albeit usually in a tangential kind of way.  The current state of Oz politics (and the refugee detention in particular) has inspired this one. Give it a listen here "Judgement Day".

Australia's detention policy regarding refugees is a national disgrace, with two self-immolations in one week (one fatal) in a detention centre on Nauru. The Minister currently responsible is Peter Dutton, an ex police officer - who continues the shamefully cruel approach of the previous minister, Scott Morrison towards refugees. There's not a lot I can do personally about this situation except write a song. This is for P.D. "Judgement Day" refers in the first instance to the upcoming national election (although the other main political party appears to have the same attitude to refugee detention), but also to the biblical judgement day of course. Interestingly, these politicians profess to having strong christian beliefs - amazing! It's a slow bluesy kind of song with obtuse words, but I think you'll get the meaning.

Lyrics:

Judgement Day ©2016 Neil Porter 

Big fella’s got a good view waiting for the judgement day 
You know he’s gonna see you waiting for the judgement day 
On the judgement day 
Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky pigs fly gonna be a judgement day 

Talk back, brain hack, back track you take my breath away 
I wouldn’t want to be you waiting at the pearly gates some day 
On the judgement day 
Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky pigs fly gonna be a judgement day 

Stop boats, blue notes, get votes you locked them all away 
No voice, no hope, no choice you took their lives away 
On the judgement day 
 Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky pigs fly gonna be a judgement day 

Hard as steel and cold as ice you’ll never get to paradise 
I really hope you get what’s coming on the judgement day 
On the judgement day 
Yeah there’s a judgement day 
Big guy blue sky karma’s gonna get ya on the judgement day

Karma’s gonna get ya On the judgement day

Hey, it's 2016 already - how did that happen!

Inspired by a couple of great gigs by the "Candelo Mafia" - Pete Wild and the Only Ones at Tathra a couple of weeks ago and Michael Menager's CD launch last night - it seems time to reconsider my musical outlook. Time is short! 

First thing to do is to update this blog with some songs from the last 6 months or so. 

There's a new song collection in the works, and here are a couple of unmastered versions - both linked to our French "home away from home" in Ougney les Champs. 

"What Kind Of Men Are They?" ©2015 Neil Porter 

I’ve been watching all the news today 
Friends and strangers many miles away 
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

The world has changed again in just one night 
Not much that I can do put things right 
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

I just want to know that you’re alright 
I don’t understand what all this means 
I’m far away from the city of light 
Far away from the land of dreams 

Now I’ve heard that you are all OK 
The world can wake to face another day 
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

We’re all walking round on eggshells now 
Life goes on, sometimes 
I don’t know how
I had to turn away I couldn’t look 
What kind of men are they? 

"Who Walked These Ancient Trails?"  ©2016 Neil Porter 

I want to see the picture that you painted - valley red and gold 
I want to turn the pages of the stories in the stones 
I hear the voices of the people who have walked these paths before 
I heard some stories and I want to hear a whole lot more 

I’m going where the sun goes down 
Go where the south wind blows 
Big river calling me 
Shake this shadow off my soul 

During the countdown 
In my mind I’m wondering 
Who walked these ancient trails? 
I’m missing your town 
Something deep inside of me 
Something there is calling me 

Maybe I’ll see you again - through green and white and red and gold 
We’ll share a drink or two - I’ll hear your tales unfold 
We’ll walk together - and every step you’ll show me more 
But until that time comes - I’ll dream just like before 

I Walked In My Sleep Last Night

I Walked In My Sleep Last Night

My second song from our excellent time in Franche Comté in the northern summer. Music written in France and lyrics on our return to Oz after I did a little somnambulation on our first night back in our own bed - hadn't done that in over 30 years. Lyrics are stream of consciousness about the trip and being home. Jan does the top harmony in the three part harmony bits.

I Walked In My Sleep Last Night ©2015 Neil Porter

Just got back from promised land
Doom in doorway blood on sand
Have to do the best I can
Just got back from promised land

Big white bird on 2 day flight
Twelve hours sleep might put me right
Airports get me feeling tight
Big white bird on 2 day flight
I walked in my sleep last night

I walked in my sleep last night

Hole in pillow dreamed too hard
Racked up fortune credit card
Jet lag, gulf stream, beggar, guard
Hole in pillow dreamed too hard 

Out the door in my sleep last night
In the dark you’re out of sight 
Mumbling fool done nothing right
Out the door in my sleep last night
Walked in my sleep last night

Walked in my sleep last night

Slow Beat To China

Slow Beat To China
©2015 Neil Porter

It's an instrumental!  Who would have thought ;)

Paint Them How You Feel

Paint Them How You Feel 

This was originally written as a jazz chord exercise, and has been around since February without a melody or lyrics. Some recent stress gave me the lyrics, which are a mixture of current reality and some past dreaming. I came close a couple of times to flipping it to a local singer for the vocals/melody/lyrics, but am happy that I kept it for myself. It's about time I posted something completely new. I did all the instrumental and vocal parts here. I seem to have lost the feel for what is good and what isn't lately - this sounds like it might be a good one, but, who knows?! 

Hope you like it.

lyrics

Paint Them How You Feel
©2015 Neil Porter 
Trusting you was my first mistake
I didn’t guess you could bring me down so bad
I couldn’t see you were just a fake
Didn’t think you could make me feel so sad

You've seen all the words I've written
You can read me like a book
You can reach your own conclusions
About the roads I took
You can form your own illusions
You can paint them black or white

You were long of limb and I was short of breath
I never thought that my heart could break like that

Would you catch me as I’m falling
Down to earth just like a stone
Or would you watch me as I hit the ground
And leave me there alone
You can have your own illusions
You can paint them black or white

You say you know just how I feel
I never thought I’d hate you being ‘round

I’m putting up my cone of silence
Taking down my “open” sign
Now I’ve seen some dirty players
You’ve done that for quite some time
You can build your own delusions
You can paint them how you feel