Bobsongs

Greetings!

2010-05-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome. Before visiting this site you probably never heard of me. Well, you have now, so let's get down to why we're here.

To be honest, I have no idea why you're here (feel free to share if you wish), but I am here to make available the (surviving) sum total of the music I have recorded since 1984. I hope you will find something here that you enjoy. I encourage you to provide feedback, positive or negative, in the "Comments" sections.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you explore the music I post here:

1) This music is free. I simply want to share my life's greatest passion. I long ago abandoned dreams of "stardom" and "fame" ("Only babies want to be King." --The Residents). I do not in any way think of myself as a professional musician, but I have been driven to create music all my life (got my first guitar in 1967, started writing songs as soon as I learned three chords). It seems rather silly to let all this music sit on a shelf and remain forever unheard.

2) I get a bit uncomfortable (although I generally remain polite) when people ask me, "Hey Bob, what kind of music do you play?" Fact is I don't play any "kind" of music. I simply pursue whatever muse beckons me at any given time. My interests are wide-ranging and eclectic, so the music you find here will encompass everything from rather folk-like acoustic ditties, to electronic instrumentals, to the absolutely indescribable (and to some, I'm sure, absolutely unlistenable). If you don't find that a particular song tickles your fancy, keep exploring. The next one might be the very song you've been searching for since the beginning of time.

3) The sound quality of these recordings will vary from pretty good to rather awful. From 1984 to 2000 I recorded on cassette multi-trackers, so the sound quality was limited by the various natures of the tape beast. To make matters worse, in the early days I just plain didn't know what I was doing. I knew nothing about things like tape bias, I had lousy monitoring equipment (cheap headphones), and I was always in such a hurry to get ideas down on tape that I was not always very meticulous in assembling the pieces. The value of the music I post here lies not in any studio wizardry, but in the songs themselves. I hope you will be able to get past any clicks, buzzes, and hissing sounds and simply appreciate the song for itself.

4) Although I have played in various bands and worked in a number of collaborative settings, I mostly work alone. Unless otherwise noted, I am the only musician playing in these tacks.

5) I am a fanatical and unrepentant gear-head. For this reason I will, to the best of my recollection, list the various instruments and equipment used in recording these songs.

OK, I've talked long enough. Now it's time for you to get busy. Start clicking links. And again, whether you like what you hear or not, I welcome your input.

Thank you for visiting.

Contact: bob.parker54@gmail.com

This Is Not My Song (1987, vocal)

2010-03-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

This has become something of a "theme" song for me. I have come to think of it as a personal manifesto, a statement about what is/isn't important in life. It was written and recorded in early 1987, shortly after I lost virtually everything I owned in a house fire the preceding New Year's Eve.

Equipment used: G&L F-100 electric guitar, Fostex X-15 4-track cassette recorder.

Download Mp3

5.6MB

Six improvised electr(on)ic guitar solos (instrumental, 2002-2004)

2009-06-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Here, for your dining and dancing pleasure, are six improvised guitar solos. Everything was recorded in one pass, no overdubs. Pretty weird stuff, huh?

Equipment: G&L F-100 guitar, fitted with a Roland GK-2 hex pickup. This was routed through a Roland GI-10 Guitar-to-MIDI interface, which was connected to a Kurzwiel K2000 synth. In some cases the guitar and synth signals were mixed. A variety of delay and looping pedals were also employed. Recorded directly to an iMac G3, running Sound Studio software.

Northerly, rather

Norhterly, rather 3.7 MB

Colored White

Colored White 2.9 MB

Murt Is Meader

Murt Is Meader 2.4 MB

1950DA

1950DA 2.2 MB

Miss Hairless America

Miss Hairless America 2.7MB

gOD AS A DOg

gOD AS A DOg 1.3 MB

Rainshine (instrumental, 2005)

2009-05-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

For several years I maintained a site at Download.Com. This was one of the songs posted there. One day I got an email from a woman in India wanting to use this song in a video she was producing. I gave permission, asking only that I get a copy of the video. Some months later the DVD arrived. The video in question was an instructional video for opthamological surgeons. Apparently this song was the perfect accompaniment for shots of human eyes being sliced open. Grizzly stuff. Still, India!

The eyes have it! 4.7 MB

Never Got Warm Again (vocal, 1984, 1989)

2009-05-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Two different versions of the same song.

One morning in 1984 I woke up with a complete song, music and lyrics, already in my head. I'm not sure how this happened--maybe a dream, maybe I was an "antenna" for some outside consciousness, maybe... In any case, I jumped out of bed, powered up my 4-track, got out my guitar and recorded the entire song in about an hour, sitting on the edge of my bed. The 1984 version is that very recording, in all its imperfect glory. The 1989 version is, perhaps, slightly less imperfect, but I've always been partial to the '84 version myself. And you?

Equipment:

1984: Hagstrom III electric guitar, Fostex X-15 4-track.

1989: G&L F-100 Electric guitar, E-Bow, Fostex Model 160 4-track.

1984

Before the killing frost... 4.8MB

1989

...killed everything we know 4.8 MB

Up The Chimney Down (instrumental, 2003)

2009-05-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

Pretty straightforward bit of instrumental rock, with a hint of jazz (fake, of course) here and there.

Equipment: Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/electric guitar, G&L F-100 electric guitar, E-bow, Kurzweil K2000 synth, Boss BR-8 digital recorder.

...but it won't go down the chimney up. 8.7 MB

Elsewhen (instrumental 2003)

2009-05-18T13:54:00.002-07:00

A bouncy little pop song. Nice and melodic, just the way kids like it.

Equipment: G&L F-100 electric guitar w/ Roland GK2 hex pickup, Roland GI-10 guitar-to-midi converter, E-bow, Kurzweil K2000 synth. Recorded on the K2000 sequencer and a Boss BR-8 digital reorder.

HappyHappyHappy! 5.6 MB

A Long Way From Anywhere (instrumental 2001)

2009-05-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

This one came into being one cold, dreary, lonely afternoon in 2001. It starts off rather melodic and soft, but at 1:32 is a little warning of where the song is headed. If you don't turn back at this point, I can't be held accountable for what might happen to you.

Equipment: Kurzweil K-2000 synth. Recorded using the K-2000 built-in seqencer, then mixed directly to an Apple iMac computer running Felt Tip Sound Studio software.

Turn back now, before it's too late! 5.3 MB

Cloud Walking (instrumental, 2003)

2009-05-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

My father left this world in 2003. I was right in the middle of recording this piece at the time, so it is dedicated to his memory. He was the greatest man I ever knew and there is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him and all he taught me. Thanks, Dad.

Equipment: G&L F-100 electric guitar, fitted with Roland G2K hex pickup, Roland GI-10 guitar-to-midi converter, Kurzweil K-2000 synth. Recorded on a Boss BR-8 digital recorder.

For my father 4.4 MB

The One That Turns Inside (vocal, 1994)

2009-05-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the '60s and '70s, finding out what's important in the '90s.

Equipment: G&L F-100 guitar, E-bow, Korg Poly-800 synth, Casio CZ-101 synth, Sequential Circuits Pro-1 synth. Recorded on a Fostex Model 160 cassette 4-track.

The most important revolution 5.8 MB

Air And Ink (vocal, 1995)

2009-05-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

The limitations of language.

Equipment: Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/electric guitar, G&L F-100 electric guitar, E-bow, Sequential Circuits Pro-1 synth. Recorded on a Fostex Model 160 cassette 4-track.

And your anchor is nothing more than air and ink 6.9 MB

Seven Guitar Solos (instrumental, 1994)

2009-04-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Here, for your dining and dancing pleasure are seven improvised electric guitar solos (no overdubs, no second takes), seamlessly joined into one big slab of sound. These were all recorded in one night in an effort to find out what I could do with just one guitar and one block of time. Although there are a few moments of "traditional" playing here and there, it would be more appropriate to think of the guitar as simply a sound source in these pieces. I "prepared" the instrument with various things I found kicking around the house--bicycle spokes, silverware, shish-kebab skewers, old guitar strings, etc. Since my earliest days of playing the guitar I have always had a fascination with coaxing sounds out of the instrument that are not immediately (or ever) recognizable as guitar sounds. In these seven bits I give full vent to that fascination.

The titles of the seven pieces are:
1) Billy Is A Thief
2) Donkey Noodles
3) A Lie Nation
4) Sorry I Wrote This
5) God Licked My Brain (Ho Ha!)
6) Skullhead, Where Are You?
7) Splang!

Titles 1-6 were graffiti I saw in various places over the years. Number seven is onomatopoeia.

Equipment: G&L F-100 electric guitar. Recorded on a Fostex Model 160 4-track.

Bunch o' gall-dang noise! 20.2MB

Whose Skin Am I In? (vocal, 1987)

2009-04-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

You've heard of easy listening? This is uneasy listening.

Equipment: G&L F-100 electric guitar, Yamaha PSR170 keyboard (cost less than $100 at the local shopping mall), cheap, "no-name" bass borrowed from my friend, Brandon Caraway.. Recorded on a Fostex X-15 4-track recorder.

I took an acid bath... 4.6MB

Rainy day music (instrumental, 1998/99)

2009-04-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Here in Oregon we have a lot of gray, rainy days. As an artist (artist?) I can't hep but be influenced by this. Here are two songs inspired by the dreary beauty of a typical autumn day in this place that I love and hope to live for the rest of my life. Both are from 1998/99 and both were recorded on a Kurzweil K2000 synth, using the onboard sequencer.

Blabbermouth

Rain, rain, go away. 4.6MB

Mountain Over Earth

Rain, rain, come back. 4.2MB

Spinning Awake (instrumental, 2002)

2009-03-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

This one was recorded using only a Kurzweil K2000 synth and the onboard sequencer. I did not use a metronome or click track, but instead attempted to do yoga breathing while I recorded each track, which determined the rhythm of the piece. I hope this isn't all a bit too new-agey for you, but the intention of the piece, along with several others I recorded at that time (to be posted here at a future date) was to create music to which one could practice yoga. Namaste, dudes.

Downward dog says woof 10.3MB

Right Now In A Minute (instrumental, 1994)

2009-03-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

I recorded this one quickly, all in one night. Two synth tracks and two guitar tracks, each recorded in one pass to maintain a more improvised feel. Starts off bouncy and bubbly, then morphs into something a bit more atmospheric. I've always had a particular fondness for this song, despite the presence of a bit of analog tape hiss (sorry about that).

Equipment: Sequential Circuits Pro-1 synth, G&L F-100 electric guitar, E-Bow.

Recorded on a Fostex Model 160 4-track.

Immediately, if not sooner 6.6 MB

Blues For Yaweh (vocal? instrumental? 1994)

2009-03-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Is this a vocal piece or an instrumental piece? It has vocals in it, so it must be a vocal piece. But the vocals are wordless, the voice is just another instrument, so it's an instrumental piece. Thinking about this kind of stuff gives me a headache, so I'll let you decide. In any case, it is not a blues song. Are we confused yet?

Equipment: Yamaha TX81Z sound module, Yamaha RX17 drum machine, G&L F-100 electric guitar, Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/electric guitar. The TX81Z was tuned to a Jewish scale via Free Play Productions World Music Menu. Recorded with Cubase sequencer running on an Apple LC-475 computer; audio was recorded to a Fostex Model 160 cassette 4-track.

There is no Bob but Bob 6.4MB

Straight Lines (On A Curved Universe) (vocal, 1985, 1995)

2009-03-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Two versions of the same song, recorded ten years apart. In life as well as in art we must sometimes stop and take stalk of the journey so far. Was the path correct? Was there anything we could have done differently? What are the effects of our choices and our actions? These questions are dealt with both in the lyrics, and in the difference between the two versions. The earlier was recorded in one afternoon, the later over the course of several days and nights. Which do you like better?

Equipment:
1985: Hagstrom III electric guitar, Sequential Circuits Pro-1 Synth. Recorded on a Fostex X-15 4-track cassette recorder.

1995: G&L F-100 electric guitar, E-Bow, Casio CZ-101 synth, Korg Poly-800 synth, Yamaha TX-81Z sound module, Sequential Circuits Pro-1 synth, Yamaha RX-17 drum machine. Recorded on a Fostex Model 160 4-track cassette recorder.

1985:

Could I have been wrong somehow? 4.3MB

1995 (Big file--give it a few seconds to load. Hit the "play button, hit it again immediately, then wait a few seconds before clicking it again. Sorry.):

How naïve of me! 20.9MB

All I Know (vocal, 1997)

2009-03-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

Fairly straight-ahead guitar driven, downtempo rocker. The lyrics reflect my feelings about those who try to force their religious beliefs on others. I myself am a devout unbeliever, although I wholeheartedly support people's right to worship/believe/disbelieve/blaspheme as they see fit. I draw the line when you try to force me to live by your values (or lack thereof).

Equipment: G&L F-100 electric guitar, DR5 Roland Dr. Rhythm Section. recorded on a Fostex Model 160 4-track cassette recorder.

All I know is what I know 5.1MB

Disconnected In Schenectady (instrumental, 2004)

2009-03-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

Another improvised electric guitar solo. No overdubs. What you hear is what happened in the moment.

Equipment used: G&L F-100 electric guitar, Roland GK-2A hex pickup, Roland GI-10 guitar-to-MIDI converter, Kurzweil K2000 synth. Recorded directly to the hard drive of an Apple iMac G3 computer running Sound Studio software.

Operator says your number's been disconnected! 4.7MB

The Law Of Falling (vocal, 1996)

2009-03-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

Bunch of cosmic stuff here. If you have to ask you probably wouldn't understand the answer. Neither do I. Hell, I don't even know what the question is.

Equipment used: G&L F-100 electric guitar, Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/electric guitar, Yamaha TX81Z Sound module, Yamaha RX-17 drum machine.

There's nowhere to go but down! 6.0 MB

Down The Distance (vocal, 1992)

2009-03-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

I wrote this one when I was coming out of a long, dark period in my life. Can you tell?

Equipment used: G&L F-100 electric guitar, E-Bow

Hit the road gently...5.2 MB

Chopsticks (instrumental, 2004?)

2009-03-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

OK, let's get away from melody and tonality for a couple of minutes. This is an improvised electric guitar solo for which I wove various metal objects into the strings and struck them with a chopstick (hence the title). I've always been fascinated with making the guitar NOT sound like a guitar and that fascination manifests itself in much of my music, melodic/tonal and otherwise.

Equipment: G&L F-100 electric guitar, various metal and wooden objects found around the house. Recorded directly onto an iMac G3 computer (Sound Studio software).

Chopsticks 1.9 MB

One Out Of Many (vocal, 2005)

2009-03-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

I originally wrote this song back in 1984. It keeps showing up in my repertoire in various forms and incarnations, many of which will be posted here in the days ahead. This is a kind of half-techno, half-folk version, recorded in 2005.

Equipment used: Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/electric guitar, G&L F-100 electric guitar, Roland GK-2A hex pickup with GI-10 guitar-to MIDI converter, E-Bow, Kurzweil K2000 synth. Recorded on an Apple G4 computer running GrageBand software. The rhythm tracks are composed of GarageBand loops.

E pluribus unum 6.2MB

Endless Circular (vocal, 2005)

2009-03-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty recent one. I have no idea whatsoever what the lyrics are about. If you think you can figure it out let me know. Sometimes the words just pour out without a lot of analysis on my part.

Equipment used: Kurzweil K2000 synth, Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/eletric guitar, G&L F-100 electric guitar, E-Bow. Recorded using the K2000 sequencer and an Apple G4 computer running GarageBand software.

...in a lake of liquid life... 7.2 MB

Right Angles Gone Wrong (instrumental, 2003)

2009-03-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a big slab o' instrumental rock for ya. This one started life as a chunky MIDI guitar theme, then I added various keyboard, drum (digital), and other guitar parts.

Equipment used: G&L F-100 electric guitar, fitted with a Roland GK-2A hex pickup, connected to a Roland GI-10 guitar-to-MIDI converter. This was used to drive a Kurzweil K2000 synth. The K2000 was also the source of all drum and keyboard parts. The acoustic guitar is a Yamaha APX-4 acoustic/electric. Recording was done on a Boss BR8 digital recorder and the onboard sequencer of the K2000.

Download Mp3