Ninety Percent of Reality

I am from small town, small town Blue Rock, Ohio. My neighbors include sheep, red tailed hawks and honest, down to earth farmers that don’t say a whole lot, but always have your back when you’re in a pinch. The grass is a few shades greener and the days seem to move a tick slower than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. In spite of all that, I have always been biting at the bit to get out, get free, and see how far my dreams carry me. Most of the time I feel a bit caged by my circumstances and a bit distracted by what I imagine the future could bring. Ninety Percent of Reality is about a blatant decision to make the most of the hand I have been dealt. It’s a reminder to get my head out of the clouds, get my nose out of the air, and get my hands to work. I am extremely honored that anyone would be willing to listen to the music this small-town nobody is creating in his bedroom. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you enjoy listening to this album as much as I have enjoyed making it. I’m afraid that if I were to attempt to explain the meaning behind each of these songs it would sound like someone trying to explain the punch line of a bad joke. But here are a few stories behind the tunes of this album. I hope you enjoy. University Girl – This is one of my favorite songs to play with my band. Robbie, the drummer, is a human metronome and he managed to nail the drum recording for this song in only two takes. Tyler, the bassist, has played with Robbie from childhood. He keeps the low end rocking and all of us rolling on the ground with his dry sense of humor. Sam Jones, the boy genius lead guitar player, never ceases to amaze me with his improvisational abilities. He always keeps me on my toes. He is so young, we have to end practice at 11:00 so he can get home before curfew. I consider myself extremely lucky to play with such skillful and humble musicians. Each one has challenged me to be the best musician I can be. Little Sister – My little sister just left home as a big university freshman. I didn’t have money to buy her a gift, so I wrote her a song instead. The only thing that the song has managed to do so far is make her cry. I love you Anna. Ugly Couple – I wrote this song once, but abandoned it because I hated the lyrics. When I closed my eyes all I could imagine was a disproportionate couple, holding hands while they walked together. It fit perfect with the swing of the tune. So I re-wrote the song and titled it Ugly Couple. Set Me Free – This is my favorite track off the album. Some of my recordings have up to forty or fifty different tracks, but for this song I only used one vocal track, one drum track, one bass track, and one guitar solo track. I wanted to keep it honest, open, and contrite. Identity Theft – This song begins with a piano chord that is identical to the first piano chord in Duke Ellington’s Take the A Train. The song itself is nothing like the old Jazz standard but it was recorded on some pretty cruddy, old microphones and a seemingly similar type of piano. I think of Take the A Train every time I listen to this song. Miss Benny – I was eating the leftovers from a welcome home party held for a friend of mine. He had just returned from his military service in Iraq. As I ate, a thought came to my mind, “I wonder what my buddy’s mother was thinking while she was making all this food.” The song ensued. Thank you soldiers. The Hole – I had a lot of fun recording the guitar-slapping sounds at the beginning of this song. It is reminiscent of the guitarist Ben Lacy, a guitar icon of mine. Where Am I Going – I wrote this song while driving my Grandpa’s, 1980-something GMC down I-75. Friends Like You – A good friend is someone who is willing to do Chinese fire drills with you. First Kiss – My band practices in an old theatre, twenty miles south of Lexington, KY. Within the last month, two of my dearest friends informed me they, on occasion, would sneak through the back door while my band was playing. They would tiptoe the dark stairs and hide in one of the dressing rooms above the stage to listen to us while we rehearsed. It was in that dressing room, and to the tune of the song Love Runs Uphill, that they shared their first kiss. To anyone that is a fan of my album Dorm Room Recordings, you may notice a familiar melody in the guitars during the Bridge in this song. First Kiss is for those two friends. I’ll Be Watching You – Memories, for me, are always still frames and never video. When I listen to this song I like to imagine old, familiar photographs being tossed onto a table, one by one.