If there is supposed one day out of the year to stay away from traveling it’s today, if you’re an American. Hell, I’m even willing to bet that you’re not likely reading this today anyway. Chances are, you’re traveling. Airlines are packed to the hilt. People pushed in like sardines. Cars bumper to bumper on the freeways. There can’t possibly be any wonder as to why Americans can be cranky around their family. It’s all that time cooped up getting to their destination.
I’m joining those ranks today. I’m flying. I’m being as reasonable as possible. Not letting anything piss me off. I want to arrive with a smile on my face so I’m going to be working on lyrics for a new song while I’m on the plane. Headphones on, music on, world out. The beauty of laptops and the power of portable recording. Actually I won’t be recording on the plane. The music will be playing and cycling while I work on the words and the rhythm for them to fit. Oh so modern.
I’d like to avoid the story of the character in the song you’re listening to now. See, he’s on a plane getting drunk and stupid. Running up and down the walkways of a plane naked at this point in time, on a day like today would be highly unwise. My imagination is already running wild with thoughts of handcuffs (not the playful kind), the FBI, and small rooms with no windows. Definitely not an idea of my happy place.
It makes for a good story though. I will say that.
This song was first brought to my attention by a student when I used to teach some guitar lessons. He came to me and said something to the effect of did you write a song for Filter? My first thought at the time was, who the hell is Filter and what are you talking about. After said response, Dan, the student who asked proceeded to put a CD in his boombox and played this song. I almost hit the floor. I had to rewind the intro a whole bunch of times. I could hear exactly why he thought I might have written the song. The guitar riff that gets repeated in the intro and through parts of the song sounded as if it could have been sampled right off my first CD.
Coincidentally that CD came out a good year or more before this song. Some of the people who helped on that CD had also worked in the area where Title of Record was recorded. There was no way for me to prove it. But it sure was odd. The nuances and rhythm were so close it was uncanny. The big difference was that they resolve the riff differently at the end. The other big difference was, they were backed by a huge label and able to push it mainstream. My song also was a bit more niché.
Looking back on it now, it was much-a-do about nothing. Filter’s version of my riff ended up working better for them than it did for me.
So, how’s your travel?
For me it will be my family’s first time eating Thanksgiving in a restaurant. I’m already prepared though. I did it last year when I stayed in Los Angeles to enjoy Thanksgiving with Erin’s family. That was a real treat. Great people, great atmosphere. I’m sure they’re going to have another great Thanksgiving. I’ll miss that.
(** Disclaimer: If Filter’s label decides to take more than a picture of me, I’ll have to unsample the audio like they did mine. The post will remain to say have a safe travel day. **)