All Hail the King!

Ever find yourself purposely striding into a room and instantly forgetting what you were looking for? Ever think of a great idea and immediately lose sight of it? Of course you do. If not, you should probably leave this page immediately. You're probably too young to be wasting your time reading the ramblings of crotchety and forgetful old bastards like me.

Anyway...where the hell was I? Oh yes, this zany little song is a bit of an energetic ode to absent-mindedness. It's all a bit of laugh really - silly lyrics; the occasional royal trumpet; and acrobatic and madcap guitar heroics courtesy of XTC’s Dave Gregory. Could be worse you know.

Lyrics: 

There’s no more smiling in this land of frowns

I can’t remember where I left my crown

Lost the castle keys, it’s a royal pain

When you’re the King of Scatterbrain

Iron fist on a plastic throne

Busy spitting feathers through a megaphone

Same sad song with the lost refrain

Just like the King of Scatterbrain

People everywhere on their arses laughing

Cruel but fair, I’m totally aware

Try to fly my flag but I’m just half-staffing

Blow my own trumpet to little fanfare

Like this reign, I’m coming down again

Decks are shuffled and the drinks are stirred

I’d play my cards if I knew where they were

Royal flush busy circling the drain

Just like the King of Scatterbrain

Feel like the King of Whatsisname

Here’s to the King of Scatterbrain

I stumble through the door

I forgot what I came in for

Sometimes I wonder if I really, really, really want to know

(All hail the King of Scatterbrain)

I had a good idea

Then watched it disappear

It’s really weird but clearly this is how the story goes

(Scatterbrain!)

I had a good idea

Then watched it disappear...

Oh Canada!

"Every artist lives in dread of being compared to another, better-known artist rather than be seen as an Artist Unto Themselves. This may not be the case here as the references come tumbling out with each and every brilliant composition: latter-day XTC, ’67-era Beatles, most smart, Brit-sounding artists you’ve ever cared for."

No complaints about this "Window Seat" review from Eric Thom at Americana Highways. He's a Canadian, so I probably wouldn't complain under any circumstance. Canadians are my people. Or they would be if they would grant me a visa...

You can read the review right here: WINDOW SEAT

Why I Love...

Over the years, Ed Woltil and I have been so fortunate to have been assisted in many a musical endeavour by one of our guitar heroes, Dave Gregory of XTC fame. Ed and I were both fans of Dave when we met back in the Tampa Bay area back in the early 80s, and remain so to this day. I'm totally ok with being a bit of a fan-boy, so I wrote a few words for the "At The Barrier" website about Mr Gregory. It's all right HERE.

Goldmine review

Heartfelt thanks to Lee Zimmerman at Goldmine Magazine for the nod of approval for my "Window Seat" record. You can read it HERE

Unnecessary War

Although some of the more politically tinged songs from recent records of mine have tended to be a little on the snarky side (some of them bordering on barely concealed rage, if I’m honest) "Unnecessary War" attempts to strike a more conciliatory tone. Being angry all the time is tiring, so rather than just going for another diatribe against the usual easy political targets, this one ended up as a bit of a plea for solidarity and understanding across the political divide, albeit with a darn good skewering of those on high horses who seek to pit us lowly folk against each other. Almost akin to poor old Mick Jagger’s, “People, why are we fighting?” plea to the seething crowd at Altamont in ’69. Not that I was there, of course - I was too young and in a different country, but still...

My cousin, David Wise, had shared with me a collection of dramatic WW2-themed pinhole camera shots that he'd taken in Europe, and I wondered if it might be interesting to use them as the backdrop of a lyric video for the song. Now, David and I have never actually met (long story) but it turns out we are very much alike. Consider this quote from a 2023 article in The Hamilton Spectator about him and his pinhole photography: “He has slept on the desert floor in the Sahara and walked and run hundreds of miles at a time across several continents.” Ok, so maybe we’re not really alike at all. I mean, I’m such a cautious homebody these days, that I’ve been known to contemplate getting travel insurance before heading out to the Publix downtown for our weekly shopping excursion. My idea of risky behaviour is to eat a bowlful of ice cream while sitting on the couch without a napkin. Truth be told, I’m a little in awe of him, so I’m really happy that our creative lives have clashed this way. By the way, the article is worth a read; it’s right here: https://www.thespec.com/.../article_9ed8c2c7-6ae6-58e7...

As he usually does, my friend Ed Woltil helped me traverse the minefields of my own technical ineptitude and created this seamless video for me after I’d picked out the shots I thought would work best to accompany the song. Funny thing is, after it was done, my cousin David happened to send me an old photo of our great-grandfather that I’d never seen before. In it, he was very young, and cut a striking figure dressed in his military finery, and after I shared it with Ed, he indicated that it should probably be added to the video. So, in it went (it shows up around the 2:30 minute mark) and I’m so glad he suggested it. Not just because I was hesitant to infringe on his time any further by asking him myself, but because ultimately, I think it makes a for a lovely and poignant addition to the photographic slide show.

After seeing the video, David mentioned to me that he’d like to think that our shared great-grandad would be quite tickled, and might well indeed raise a pint glass to the idea that one of his great grandsons would end up moving to Canada, the other to America, and would both one day connect via an artistic collaboration that would incorporate this very photo. Sappy old bugger that I am, I find the idea quite moving.

Anyway, onward to war stuff…

I Don’t Hear a Single…

It’s always nice to get word of an encouraging album review, especially when it comes in on your birthday. Thanks to Don Valentine for these kind words.

Read the review here:

Read Listen Watch

 

The first review for Window Seat is in. Thanks to Andres Kabel for the kind words!

Read his thoughts here: Window Seat