Priney Goodness

My latest recording (which you can find as track one on the player to your right) is a cover of John Prine's "Sweet Revenge"... It's a tune (and an album for that matter) that I've been getting into lately, so I thought I'd give it a shot...

That's me on acoustic, electric, bass, vocals, and drums...

Thanks to Sherbie for letting me come over to his place during the day and record a drum track using his brand spanking new (used) Premier drum kit he got...

The drum track was recorded with my Powerbook's built-in mic (covered with a couple layers of cloth and recording level turned way down) and the only adjustment to the drums and cymbals was a strip of painters masking tape on each...

So not too shabby sound for a shitty mic and not much set-up!

Enjoy!

Genie-Meanie-Veeny-Ceeny

Recently I've really gotten into Gene Vincent, and so along those lines, as well as keeping in the recent pattern of alternating epic prog rock and 50's Rock n' Roll, I recorded a tribute version of Vincent's most well-known song "Be-Bop-A-Lula"...

That's me on acoustics, lead guitar, bass, vocals, screams, and a cardboard box drum...

Hopefully, after listening to it, Gene isn't spinning in his grave, and hopefully you aren't either...

The song can be found on the player to your right!

p.s. My first walking bass-line.... and yes, my guitar solos are ridiculously poor...

Oh You Tease!

If you look to the player to your right, there is a new track, "Leviathan Teaser"... Pete and I are in the midst of a new epic tale (this one weighing in at 6+ minutes already) that is a sequel (prequel? (postquel? (epilougue?))) to "Crown of Cyruss"...

And while it's still a huge work in progress, I thought I'd give you a tease of what you can look forward to in the next track from "Minions of Lebanon"...

Check it out!

C'mon now! Hee-we-go!

In the wake of such an epic last-post, this time around we go back to light and fun with a One Take cover of Eddie Cochrane's "C'mon Everybody"...

That's me on gitbox, bass, and vox... The bass was an overdub, but only one take, I swear!

Enjoy on the player to your right!

Crown of Cyruss

A new epic tale has been told... Listen on the player at your right

Crown of Cyruss

Conceived, written, and recorded over a period of 5 hours, Crown of Cyruss is a new prog rock masterpiece from Minions of Lebanon, a band with a long and storied past. Featuring former members of The Bathroom Beatles, Two Dollars for Nyquil, Psychosomatic Apricots, and The Juan Mayhall Brewstakers, Minons of Lebanon bursts onto the scene with this epic tale told in 4 movements.

Song Credits:

Pete Hemberger - "The Magistrate":
6 String Classical Guitar
Lead 6 String Electric Guitar
Bass Guitar
Synthesizers
Drum Programming
Auxillary Percussion Triggering

Mark Willard - "The Oracle":
6 String Rhythm Electric Guitar
6 String Acoustric Guitar
Bass Guitar
Synthesizers
Drum Programming
Auxillary Percussion Triggering
Vocals

Lyrics and Music: Hemberger/Willard
Guitar Leads: Hemberger

Engineered, Produced, and Recorded at Syrinx Studios

Pete Hemberger plays Les Paul guitars, Fender basses, and Fender and Marshall amplifiers exclusively


CROWN OF CYRUSS

i.
Priests and fools and magistrates all bowed before his grace
But all the kings of the world cannot outlive their fate
The bastard child of great King Cyruss was forced into the throne
When misfortune struck our peaceful land and the boy child was left alone
As dark clouds gathered in the sky
Abdicated and removed, the throne was left... bare

ii.
I did not ask for this
Crown upon my head
This burden I will not endure
Your needs remain unfed

Take this crown
I do not take this crown

I'll run into the woods
Make a world my own
I've heard tales of magic Men
Who have no need for thrones!

Take this crown
I do not take this crown

iii.
The magic Man

vi.
The magic Man has taught me much
I did not know before
I will commence my journey home
And reign forever more

Take this crown
I must embrace my crown

I was a fool for leaving you
To suffer all alone
I realize my destiny
To take this holy throne

Take this crown
Yes! This is my crown!

Take this crown
This crown!

Villa Gorilla...

Another One Taker from the iPhone...

This time I went for my new favorite song at the moment, "Gorilla, You're a Desperado" by Warren Zevon...

Yes, yes, yes, that makes 3 Zevon songs in a row... Third time's a charm... Trouble comes in threes... Three on a match is bad luck... Whatever. All I know is I like 'em. I have a couple songs in the vault that aren't Warren songs, but I'm saving those for a special occasion (i.e. I don't have time to record something for a while)

Enjoy on the player to your right!

Request #1 - Lawyers, Guns, and Money

Check out the latest One Take Tune, "Lawyers, Guns, and Money," on the player to your right... Requested by the honorable Tom "Bones" Schutta... Two Zevon songs in a row, but where I come from, that's a good thing...

Spring Break!

Whenever I hear someone say or read the words "spring break," I automatically think of this.

Why a 10+ year-old Simpsons reference is still stuck in my head is something for scientists to figure out and marketing execs to try and tap into, but I think it has to do something with rote memorization...

Anyway, this week is spring break, and although it's not exactly springtime, it definitely is breaktime... I was in need of a break (I think the students were too) so it came at a perfect time... The school year has been flying by, especially compared to my first year of teaching. I remember praying for spring break to come my first year, and this year it was more, "Spring break is next week? Really? Alright..."

I have no grand plans for the week... It's Tuesday and I've already accomplished laundry, closet reorganization, and a whole lotta sittin', so I feel that's pretty good for now.