ALBUM STORY
It was September 1999 when I discovered the pocket-sized town of Gimmelwald in the Swiss Alps.
I arrived Day One, dropped my cumbersome backpack, walked a few territorial laps around the hostel, and due, without question, to the spectacular mountainous setting, withdrew my guitar from its case.
Up until this point, I’d been a guitarist only, more of a right-hand man to certain singers than a singer myself, and having never been pleased by the sound of my own voice, I was loath to sing the mandatory backing vocals in the various bands I’d played in. Quite accustomed, I was always on the sniff for singers to collaborate with, but it was perhaps from my steadily increasing vocal confidence that came with busking around Europe, that I realised I should cease looking for singers and step up to become one.
As a voluntary baptism of fire, it was on Day One in Gimmelwald that I perched myself on hostel’s top balcony, encased in a mountainous view that no camera could dream to capture, and swore I wouldn't stand up from the stool I was sitting until I’d written a full song – not a ‘piece of music’, as I’d done in the past, music that could be ‘sung over’ by a singer, but a song like that of actual songwriters writing for themselves. I did, and the first tangible song I ever wrote – having sat there until nightfall – was called Horse. Shite name, but hey, horses are cool!
From here on a floodgate opened, and due not only to the inspiring location, but, lack of distractions, I was soon writing further songs. Ghosts On A Nowhere Train was born, then followed That Man On The Black 'n' White TV. Perhaps even more exciting than their arrival, was testing them in the lively jamming sessions that occurred each night with the host of other musicians passing through the hostel.
Also included in this demo anthology, such as Vampire Butterfly and Here It Resides – dating as far back as the mid-90’s – are songs written from the point of view of a guitarist writing music as opposed to a singer writing songs. This is a warts and all album, a bookmark in embryonic time. In contrast to my tendency to feel apologetic, however, for the often weak vocals that wrack these works, and, attempts to rock that fit me less like a glove than a condom over my head, what I’m very proud of, is to hear the younger lad that I was, sifting through his influences, and embarking, for the first ever time, on farming out the music he knew was in him.
LYRICS
HORSE
And so we’re searching for reasons
Are we slipping or climbing up these walls?
Now is the season we’ll stay younger than the adult world
We’ll be breaking and freezing
We’ll be crying, laughing, growing strong
United we’re learning, a little bit of hope, a pinch of love it’s on
Chorus –
There ain’t no breaking in this horse so hold on tightly
So all wheels will keep turning
The days roll by, the nights are growing cold
Follow the yearning, a hope, skip, a jump
I’m wearing a crown of gold
His fears are now fading
He’s dancing in the dark to his favourite song
Blinded and knowing that something good will come out after all
Chorus reprise –
And so we’re searching for reasons
Are we slipping or climbing up these walls?
Now is the season we’ll stay younger than the adult world
We’ll be breaking and freezing
We’ll be crying, laughing, growing strong
United we’re learning, a little bit of hope, a pinch of love it’s on
Chorus reprise –
VAMPIRE BUTTERFLY
Yeah!
She’s picking the stitch of her cocoon
Won’t be long, will be real soon
When she breaks through and sees the light
For those sore eyes it’ll be a sight
She’ll take to the town in flaring red
Planting seeds in your head
She’s a living vampire butterfly
Where she lands is where she’ll try
This girl knows just what to say
Who to work and where to play
But hold her tail and grip with fear
Coz if you blink, she’ll disappear
Butterfly cross vampire bat
Pretty colours and a heart of black
Like a hanging rose she’ll draw you in
And sink her teeth deep in the sin (Yeah!)
Chorus –
Vampire Butterfly
Vampire Butterfly
Vampire Butterfly
Like a hanging rose she’ll draw you in
And sink her teeth deep in the sin (Yeah!)
She’ll love the scene in a few drinks time
Pretty soon it’ll all be divine
She’s oiled for the job and working the room
Circling the scene under the moon
She’s a vampire butterfly in the wind
Knows where she’s going and knows where she’s been
Now all red lights are turning green
So check your neck and choose your scene
You’re not the only one she’s loved
Like someone sent from above
Just a puppet of her own hand
From a higher force she gets command
When you’re strutting home at night
Out of dark stay in the light
Don’t look back you better run
Just make sure you’re not the next one
Now she’s back in her cocoon
Sow it shut from night til noon
Hanging in the dark where she belongs
Waiting it out til tomorrow comes (Yeah!)
Chorus –
Vampire Butterfly
Vampire Butterfly
Vampire Butterfly
Now all red lights are turning green
So check your neck and choose your scene (Yeah!)
She’s picking the stitch of her cocoon
Won’t be long, will be real soon
When she breaks through and sees the light
For these sore eyes it’ll be a sight
She’ll take to the town in flaring red
Planting seeds in your head
She’s a living vampire butterfly
Where she lands is where she’ll try
Chorus –
Vampire Butterfly
Vampire Butterfly
Vampire Butterfly
You’re bumping shoulders with the enemy
Resist the kiss of the power queen (Yeah!)
THAT MAN ON THE BLACK 'N' WHITE TV
Riding through the wind
His face is ice, he has a heart of fire
Strength comes within
A real man I hope to be like him
Alone he presses on, he’s turning heads
All smiles do point his way
This man can do no wrong
His chin is high his pride can touch the sky
Chorus –
Cool. He’s so cool
The desert greets him warm
The snow, the sleet just spur him on
He’s just what we all need
A locked man has come to set us free
Wanted his always been
He scares the weak, the old, the frail and thin
But I’ll aspire to be
Just like that man on the black 'n' white TV
Chorus reprise –
Riding through the wind
His face is ice, he has a heart of fire
Strength comes within
A real man I hope to be like him
The desert greets him warm
The snow, the sleet just spurs him on
He’s just what we all need
A locked man has come to set us free
Chorus reprise –
HERE IT RESIDES
Here it resides, in the channels of her mind
The start to a game with no ending
The path may divide, rise or subside
Fade of last light is pending
Again, it will find, itself lost and find
Burned by the time it’s spending
Here it resides, in the channels of her mind
Lost in my maze, you save me
TEARS
Drifting amongst the thoughts I breed
My gazing eyes are in a stare
Been here before this day form dream my
Mind contains me everywhere… oh…
Clocks are ticking louder than ever
Voices echo beyond their call
Scales are tipping, think I’m slipping
Spread my wings and take this fall… oh…
It’s a breakdown
Inbound traffic building in me
Find the exit I’m choking up
Outbound signs they read of the times
Broken down I've had enough
Tears are welling, whispers telling
Where to turn now I just don’t know
I’ll save the world some other day
I’ve built it up just to let it go… oh…
Let it go
Let it go
Let it go
Let it go
It’s a breakdown
It’s a breakdown
GHOSTS ON A NOWHERE TRAIN
Sitting on a bench being Forest’s friend
Spending the day going nowhere
We talk of beginnings and even the end
We stop, we pause, we stare
Without each other the answer is the same
But we may never find them
I’ll invert my eyes and look inside
See what I’m really thinking
The lonely track is straight and cold
A speeding express to nowhere
I long escape, wish the tracks would fold
But pull the chord I dare
Cutting deep against my own grain
Back to the wall, hand to the cane
Scratching at walls won’t break this train
United we kneel but we are the prey
Chorus –
Are we all ghosts on a nowhere train?
In single file onto the pile
They send us away
Staring at the sky wondering where it ends
And wondering if we’ll ever get there
The furthest star my closest friend
Or a burnt-out rescue flare
Screaming at candles won’t budge this flame
Burning hearts extinguished and tamed
Lost in the dark have I sold out again?
But I’ve seen the light, so I’ll jump off this train
Chorus reprise –
I’d love to be, I’d hate to be, don’t want to be, I want to be…
I’d love to be, I’d hate to be, don’t want to be, I want to be…
I’d love to be, I’d hate to be, don’t want to be, I want to be…
I’d love to be, I’d hate to be, don’t want to be, I want to be…
Chorus reprise –
THIS IS THE TIME
It’s only as hard as you let it be
It’s only as far as you chose to see
It’s only as wide as your river flows
It’s only as deep as this ocean goes
It’s only as quick as the sands of time
It’s only as slow as this uphill climb
It’s only as dark as your eyes are closed
It’s only as worn as it is exposed
It’s only as green as you chose to know
It’s only as white as the brilliant snow
It’s only as raw as you chose to cook
It’s only as old as this dusty book
It’s only as scared as the kid has seen
It’s only as cold as you want to be
It’s only as loose as you tie your bow
It’s only as back as you want to go
This is the time I will let it be
This is the range I do choose to see
This is the width that this river flows
This is the depth that this ocean goes
This is the drag of the sands of time
This is the speed of this uphill climb
This is the dark as my eyes are closed
This is the wear as it is exposed
This is the time
SNOWMAN
Like a snowman that’s seen the light, he’s through
Today could be the one
We’ll answer to the sun
Sing, it’ll set us free
Crawl to walk then run
Run and never stop
It might be all you’ll got
Freeze, drop to your knees
Iced until you’re not
Chorus –
Welcome to
Peel off a brand-new life
It’s due
Like a snowman who's seen the light
He’s through
But he’s melting with a smile
How cool
Melt, hearts drip away
Time to start again
Chill, never let it spill
To rest is where it lays
Chorus reprise –
Well it’s taken some time, but we’ve seen the light
It’s taken some time, but it worked out right
Our brand-new shoes will take us there
Gliding all around we’ll walk on air
You can lock up the man and throw out the key
He’ll melt around the locks, where can he be?
Now the snowman he’s gone, he found the day
He melted with a smile; he’s on his way
MOVE LIKE TIDES
With all now still feel the chill
But I don't know where I'm ’til
I'm there in you, I'm one in two
Light so bright, I'm blinded by
Draws me in with hands now tied
Linger loom, I'm sending through
I've waited now the length of dark
Flip a coin as trails part
I'm coming through, I'm one in two
The other side where no one hides
Join like water movie like tides
Moving through to get to you
To get to you
I've waited now the length of dark
The trails carved as oceans part
Linger loom, you're coming through
Hypnotised, mesmerised, float on up now feel the rise
Behind moons, sail through
Join like water, movie like tides
The light won't tire, fade or expire
Illumination takes you higher
The kingdom of fire will get to you, will get to you
It's moving through, linger loom
Sending through, feel the rise
Move like tides, I'm coming through
I'm coming through
I'm coming through
I'm coming through
HOW MUCH CAN I HANDLE?
So sticks and stones just mess my hair
Your words they leave me in bruises
Short of breath, the breath of despair
The choice of beggars and choosers
Chorus –
How much can I handle?
When you reflect on an angle
You spray the fuel at the candle
You’re breaking up in a tangle
Your stars could assemble to meet your command
Your clouds they move into view
Snap of your fingers they rise to the stand
You lay it down, lay it down
You’re dancing on the coals, you’re burning again
You’re not the only slave on the chain
Chorus reprise –
Dancing on the coals, you’re burning again
You’re not the only slave on the chain
Perhaps like a cat designed to fall
Toying with the heights to test us all
Your landing mat is wearing thin
Laps in your head have caged you in
So sticks and stones just mess my hair
Your words they leave me in bruises
Short of breath, the breath of despair
The choice of beggars and choosers
Chorus –
How much can I handle?
When you reflect on an angle
You spray the fuel at your candle
You’re breaking up in a tangle
How much can I handle?
How much can I handle?
You spray the fuel at the candle
How much can I handle?
How much can I handle?
STEAL THE UNIVERSE
To dear Dave
Have you heard the awful news?
About a hot night
A cold intention blew my fuse
I held her close against my face
I pulled her strings and made her play
You’ll never know
How I miss you
A setting sun and a drifting mind
She resides where the ocean meets the sky
There’s an empty space
A yearning
Chorus –
They cannot steal the universe you know
The music plays on, I’m playing
We’re not tied to the ground we’re on
We obit ‘round the song, we’re making
My heart it bleeds
While my head lives in its memory
I fill the space
With the magic that you sent me
She taught me to play and sing
To fill the holes the emptiness the night
Seems to bring
I trace the mark that she left on me
Scare to scare we share the bleeding
Now I’m cold and the wind it stings
I’m shaking
Chorus reprise -
To dear Dave
Have you heard the awful news?
About a hot night
A cold intention blew my fuse
I held her close against my face
I pulled her strings and made her play
You’ll never know
How I miss you
How I miss you
How I miss you
How I miss you
How I miss you
How I miss you
How I miss you
How I miss you