warning 2022
notes
The Song
Warning, was the 20th song I'd written by 1980, my 20th year.
I'd grown up with the doomsday theme songs of the 60's like
The Eve of Destruction
The year 2525 & Where have all the flowers gone?
and learning in grade school to "Duck & Cover"
in case an Atomic bomb happens to strike.
The war in Viet Nam had ended about 5 years earlier
and now I was required to sign up with Selective Service,
in case we needed a military draft again.
Of course there was Environmental Havoc going on too with DDT, oil spills, Nuclear melt downs & species extinctions.
Anyway, it seemed like a good time for a song titled Warning.
Here's the original guitar/vocal recording from that time,
featured on my Archive II.
I had graduated from High School in 1978 and was now
working at the Empire Bowl in Redlands California.
Losing my Father to Cancer in 1979 and
the murder of John Lennon in 1980,
also contributed to my evolution.
Sometimes there are simple answers to what troubles the world.
Sometimes not.
Sometimes, my simple, ideological mind couldn't
accept that humankind evolves so glacially.
So I wrote the "if only" we'd "listened to a song" line.
Maybe the world could have saved itself.
Imagine.
I'll always believe in the transformational power of song.
If only in my own mind.
I'd grown up with the doomsday theme songs of the 60's like
The Eve of Destruction
The year 2525 & Where have all the flowers gone?
and learning in grade school to "Duck & Cover"
in case an Atomic bomb happens to strike.
The war in Viet Nam had ended about 5 years earlier
and now I was required to sign up with Selective Service,
in case we needed a military draft again.
Of course there was Environmental Havoc going on too with DDT, oil spills, Nuclear melt downs & species extinctions.
Anyway, it seemed like a good time for a song titled Warning.
Here's the original guitar/vocal recording from that time,
featured on my Archive II.
I had graduated from High School in 1978 and was now
working at the Empire Bowl in Redlands California.
Losing my Father to Cancer in 1979 and
the murder of John Lennon in 1980,
also contributed to my evolution.
Sometimes there are simple answers to what troubles the world.
Sometimes not.
Sometimes, my simple, ideological mind couldn't
accept that humankind evolves so glacially.
So I wrote the "if only" we'd "listened to a song" line.
Maybe the world could have saved itself.
Imagine.
I'll always believe in the transformational power of song.
If only in my own mind.
The Recording
Although I enjoyed playing this song from time to time over the years,
I decided to do a full-on re-record back in June '22.
I did a test recording using the Voice Memos feature on my iPhone.
Just electric guitar with a simple drum beat & I was surprised
how well something so rough turned out!
Encouraged, I took my time & worked things out slowly.
In the past, I've given myself sometimes unrealistic deadlines
to complete a project and although this recording & performances
aren't perfect, it benefitted from the extra time & thought I gave it.
Close enough for Rock-n-Roll!
I decided to do a full-on re-record back in June '22.
I did a test recording using the Voice Memos feature on my iPhone.
Just electric guitar with a simple drum beat & I was surprised
how well something so rough turned out!
Encouraged, I took my time & worked things out slowly.
In the past, I've given myself sometimes unrealistic deadlines
to complete a project and although this recording & performances
aren't perfect, it benefitted from the extra time & thought I gave it.
Close enough for Rock-n-Roll!
I used the following analog instruments & equipment for this project:
Guitar: B.C. Rich Warlock
Bass: Ibanez Ex Series
Drums: Boss DR5
Mics: Shure SM57 & 58: guitar tracks
AKG C414 BULS: vocals
Aphex mic preamp
Lexicon M200 effects processor
Tascam M1516 mixer
Tascam TSR-8 recorder
Tascam 302 cassette (mix down)
Marshall JVM guitar amp
Behringer BLX3000A bass amp
Philips CDR880 CD recorder
PreSonus headphones
Eight tracks were used as follows:
1. Drum fills & cymbals (played in real time)
2. Vocal & Gong
3. Drum snare/bass pattern
4. Guitar (direct to mixer)
5. Guitar w/SM57
6. Bass (direct to mixer)
7. Vocal & Siren
8. Guitar w/SM58
Guitar: B.C. Rich Warlock
Bass: Ibanez Ex Series
Drums: Boss DR5
Mics: Shure SM57 & 58: guitar tracks
AKG C414 BULS: vocals
Aphex mic preamp
Lexicon M200 effects processor
Tascam M1516 mixer
Tascam TSR-8 recorder
Tascam 302 cassette (mix down)
Marshall JVM guitar amp
Behringer BLX3000A bass amp
Philips CDR880 CD recorder
PreSonus headphones
Eight tracks were used as follows:
1. Drum fills & cymbals (played in real time)
2. Vocal & Gong
3. Drum snare/bass pattern
4. Guitar (direct to mixer)
5. Guitar w/SM57
6. Bass (direct to mixer)
7. Vocal & Siren
8. Guitar w/SM58
Credits
I utilized a couple of sound effects on this recording.
I'd like to acknowledge:
the Youtube accounts, "The Average Roblox YT"
for the Air Raid Siren.
&
"Under the Home"
for the Gong Sound.
Thank you!
I'd like to acknowledge:
the Youtube accounts, "The Average Roblox YT"
for the Air Raid Siren.
&
"Under the Home"
for the Gong Sound.
Thank you!
Additional inspiration
Sometimes, when I've written or recorded a song,
I find similarities or influences from some of my
favorite songs that have made an impression
on me over the years. Though never intentional,
it just goes to show how popular culture affects us
and, unfortunately, how difficult it is to be
truly original. Here's a shout-out to a few
that might have helped my creativity on this song.
Roger Daltrey
for his scream on The Who's
Won't get fooled again.
Black Sabbath's
War Pigs
&
Kiss'
Firehouse
for the siren.
Queen's
Tie your mother down
&
Led Zeppelin's
The Rain Song
for the gong.
Ted Nugent's
Stranglehold
For the reverse hi-hat effect,
and possibly the main riff on Warning.
I saw all these great artists back in the day.
Hats off & thanks to all!
I find similarities or influences from some of my
favorite songs that have made an impression
on me over the years. Though never intentional,
it just goes to show how popular culture affects us
and, unfortunately, how difficult it is to be
truly original. Here's a shout-out to a few
that might have helped my creativity on this song.
Roger Daltrey
for his scream on The Who's
Won't get fooled again.
Black Sabbath's
War Pigs
&
Kiss'
Firehouse
for the siren.
Queen's
Tie your mother down
&
Led Zeppelin's
The Rain Song
for the gong.
Ted Nugent's
Stranglehold
For the reverse hi-hat effect,
and possibly the main riff on Warning.
I saw all these great artists back in the day.
Hats off & thanks to all!
