50 More Miles

"Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed Fuel. I am a serious cunsumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio" - Hunter S Thompson

I've been listening to a lot of 90's music lately. Stuff like Failure, My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Music you would only find in the last half hour of 120 Minutes or in the bargain bin of the local record shop. Maybe you would hear about it from a cool friend, but often times you would just see an interesting album cover that caught your eye. Much of it was experimental and meandering without the pretentiousness of progressive music. 

I've also been rewatching some of my favorite 90's movies. Killing Zoe, Kaliforna, Best Laid Plans. It was always funny to me because at the time they were considered "ultra-violent" when really they were trying to be the next Pulp Fiction. Often times the violence over shadowed the story when talked about in the press but I've always enjoyed the story of a desperate guy trying to get out of a bad situation. These and heist films are my favorites, Killing Zoe is both. 

The other day I was out with the family and this idea came to me that I sang into my iPhone. I was thinking more Smashing Pumpkins and when I got home and started jamming on this droning meandering idea. The original melody became the chorus of the song, but immediately I had a very different idea that became the verses. I picked a drum loop that fit the feel of the song. I grabbed my seven string guitar and came up with more ideas. I plugged in my Keeley Monterey Fuzz and that's when everything came together. Experimental, meandering music driven only by the guitar and drums. 

I started picturing someone driving across the desert at night trying to finish a journey. Exhausted, cranky, they just want to get to their destination. How much longer... about 50 more miles. Boom. That's what reminded me of my favorite Hunter S Thompson quote. 

ADHDguitarist · 50 More Miles

Experimental, droning, fuzzy feedback in an amp that sounds like it is melting down.... all good things. I did three takes on the guitar and most of what you hear is the 2nd one. I changed up parts of the drum loop to play to the music. As I did the mix down I pushed the hell out of the buss compressor and at a couple of points in the song when I hit a low G on the seven string it sounds like the limiter chokes, this giant blooming sound obliterating everything in the mix. It's glorious. This is not commercial music. I don't care. I write and record music for me and anyone else that might enjoy it. 

If you'd like to buy me a drink my music is available on Bandcamp here: https://adhdguitarist.bandcamp.com/track/50-more-miles