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Carved in Stone


By Ron, 2014-05-09

"Carved In Stone"

 

Before I tell the story that inspired this song, I'd like to thank Myk McDowell for all his hard work on the production. He took a lame work demo that was out of time and made it sound great. The original demo was my vocal and me on acoustic guitar. Since I usually play solo, I tend to use emotion to get the lyrics across. This means that I tend to be out of time a lot. Even so, Myk used his expertise and came up with the production. No easy task. It takes a great deal of talent to do what he's done and I'm very proud to have had the chance to work with him.

 

This song is about a man I met many years ago while I was backpacking around the country. I'd been on the road five days after leaving California. I'd been stuck at a number of entrance ramps along Interstate 80 and was wondering how many songs I'd write before I croaked in the desert. I finally got a ride from a couple of gamblers heading to Salt Lake City from Reno. Just before entering Salt Lake, they let me out at a bridge since they were not going into the city, but turning off for home. I was too tired to make my way into Salt Lake and decided to spend what was left of the night "Under the Overpass." (The title for another song I wrote later). When I got to the underside of the bridge I was looking around for a good spot to set up and sleep. Back in those days there was always a chance someone else might be under the same bridge, and sure enough I heard a man’s voice invite me to join him. He lit a flashlight so I could see where he was and I made my way up to him. We introduced ourselves and while I was laying out my sleeping bag and getting settled he started some light conversation. We talked for a while, dug through our packs and found enough for between us to share a decent meal.

 

Since we were both pretty tired, we said goodnight and kicked back to get some rest. Sometime later I woke to the sound of his crying. I rolled out of my bag and moved to see if he was ok. I realized he was still asleep and appeared to be having a bad dream of some kind. Of course not knowing him well enough to shake him awake, I poked his boot a couple of times with his flashlight. Bad move!! He came up like a rocket and pinned me to the concrete slab we were sleeping on. I started talking to him and he finally let me go. He apologized a number of times. I assured him it was all good (I've done the same thing myself a number of times). He asked me why I woke him, and when I told him he shook his head and started to cry again. After some coaxing, I finally got him to open up and tell me what it was all about.

 

His father was a minister when he was a kid, and he was raised in a very religious environment. When he turned 18 he was drafted into the Army, went through boot camp, and was sent directly to Vietnam. We talked for a long time about that. When he came home, he said he was having a great deal of trouble adjusting. His father’s teachings were so ingrained in him he couldn't deal with facing his family, especially his father, and decided to leave until he could come to terms with himself. It wasn't his friends, family, or his father that prompted him to leave; He told me everyone had done all they could to assure him he was more than welcome home. It was his heart causing so much pain. What he'd done in war contradicted everything he believed in, and that was causing another war inside of him.

 

As I listened to him, now and then I gave what comfort I could offer. Before we lay back to sleep again, he thanked me for listening to him. He said he'd never been able to tell anyone about what was bothering him, and it helped to open up after all the time he'd held it in.

 

When I woke, I sat up to see if he was alright, but he was gone. I found a note on my pack that said, Thanks, I'm going home. I've never seen him since, but his story stuck with me all these years. A few years ago I decided to write his story in a song. I've been working on that song for six years.

 

"Carved in Stone" is my way of saying thank you to him for sharing his story with me. I hope he's had a great life wherever he is.

 

Words and Music by: Ron Kauffman

 

Vocals and Acoustic Guitar: Ron Kauffman

 

Production, mixing and all other instruments by:

 

My friend Myk McDowell

 

Thursday, 08 May, 2014

 

Private Messaging


By Admin, 2014-05-04

Hey Everyone!

I wanted to let everyone know that I added a small email icon on the artist pages so it will make it easier to message each other. It just links you into the private message system and has the user pre-populated. I know finding people could be problematic so I hope this helps!

Todd

Posted in: News | 4 comments

Hello Hello


By Rich Mirro , 2014-05-02
Hello Hello

Just Wanted to say Hello im new to the site. Im very thankful for all the support here. lots of talented people on here. im looking foward to hearing the sounds. Cheers Rich Mirro 

It looks like we will be going with a Same Song Title Madness for the next Site Tune. What we need now is some song titles. Please post some song titles and then we can vote for one. 

Some things to keep in mind. When suggestion titles like "My Girl Just Left Me And Took My Life Savings and the Dog" might be fun, but it is also very difficult to write around a long title. Smaller titles will work best that leave it open to all genres.

So what title would you suggest?

Posted in: News | 17 comments
Gary Teed - Mixposure.com Artist of the Month

A huge congratulations to Gary Teed for being the Mixposure.com Artist of the Month! Please stop by his page and have a listen!

 

I am an old aircraft engineer who was taken out of work due to my health. Wanting something to do, I got back into my music. I had learned the basic chords while in my 20s but had put the guitar away for 20 years. I was not serious about the music and kept my writing to myself. My mentor was a John Denver fanatic but, he pushed me to learn and the fingerstyle picking that he taught me kept me playing. In my late 20s, life got busy and I stopped. I even sold all of my gear. I have been bitten by the bug again and I am off and running now! Playing my guitar and singing all around here locally.

 

I also like to play with loops and samples to create music. Some of my loops I also played synth to and even sang  on a couple. But, my best work, I think, is my singer/ songwriter creations. I do not really promote myself aside from this page.

 

Here are a few of my works. Give a listen and see what you think.

 

Posted in: News | 2 comments

hooyoosay "Come on" EP Review


By hooyoosay, 2014-04-29
hooyoosay "Come on" EP Review

Few artists are able to provide listeners with a full semblance of the band’s nuance in the course of two tracks. hooyoosay has stuffed each track on this single with enough passion and aplomb to keep things lively.

"Come On" is a track that touches upon the sixties and eighties with a bouncy beat and a surfish vibe that permeates all points of the song. There is a tautness to the different elements of hooyoosay that make for a single-worthy track. For those that are more concerned about the quality of the instrumentation, the band is able to create something dense and detailed without losing the friendly sound that is present here. Throw in a sizzling guitar line at points and one will be provided with a track that will get people up and dancing. Tapping out before the three-minute mark, "Come On" is a highly energetic track that allows the band ample opportunity to introduce themselves to listeners.

"The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" is the B-side to "Come On" in name only; the track has hints of country and western along with southern rock. With a honky-tonk cherry that is at the top of this musical sundae, hooyoosay are able to create something that is decidedly different from other tracks in their repertoire. The inclusion of a harmonica into the mix provides additional nuance and layers which listeners can further dissect. The vocals/guitar/drum dynamic is still extremely sweet, but the band is able to keep things fresh and interesting with this minor change. The band ends up 2 for 2 on this EP, and will undoubtedly make converts with this release.

Visit the hooyoosay website for more information about the band and for ample samples and photos of the act. Let us know what you think about the "Come On" / "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" single.

Rating: 8.3/10

 
http://hooyoosay.com
hooyoosay - Come on & The under assistant West Coast promotion man



Original online publication:
http://neufutur.com/2014/03/hooyoosay-come-on-ep-review/
James McQuiston, NeuFutur, March 2014.

Posted in: Music | 0 comments

Site Tune For May or June?


By Admin, 2014-04-26

I think it is time we do another Mixposure Site Song. The question is what do we want? Same Song Title Madness? Same Lyric Challenge? Chime in and speak up!!

Posted in: News | 5 comments
Song Introduction.  Open Waters Blues Kit Mann Ft., Harry Edgar

Hey Everyone I have loaded up again a song called Open Waters Blues  kit Mann ft. Harry Edgar.  As many of you know Beth my neighbor has sang on many of my songs.  Well her Father Doc Greene lives next door.  Doc loves to sail.  And overtime he was trapped between the two loves of sailing and his wife.  Doc ended up selling his boat. Sad Day.....  I wanted to do something special for Doc so I wrote this song.  A song of a sailor who misses his wife so much.  Here love for him keeps his sail full on his journey home.  When Harry and I recorded this song, Harry was doing the back ground vocals.  And it sounded so smooth.  I thought then that since this song is about love and the sea, that having Harry sing and me sing the back up vocals, wish his scotlish accent this would really make the song special for Doc.  Once done I burned a copy of the song and gave it to Doc and Donna.  They both love the song.  Hope you enjoy this song.  Thank you all

Kit

Apologies


By Admin, 2014-04-22

Just wanted to apologize for the down time everyone. Our server indicated we needed a reboot and after the restart, it kind of went the way of the dodo bird. After playing with it for a day we just decided it was better to get a new server up and transfer the data over which only took a few hours. The only casualty right now appears to be the radio station and we will get that up and running asap. 

Thanks for hanging in there with us!!

Todd

Posted in: News | 4 comments
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