A song about storms. Real ones but those inside our heads as well. My words, Ai added with my prompting for a stormy power ballad sound…. This has my Amy Innes video as a bonus. I tried to capture the rawness and power of a storm in the music, words and video. Find it here A twister hit the city  And you were barely born No … Continue reading Storm

I’ve got to credit this lyric to the creator of the British History podcast. Jamie Jeffers came up with the great line, “The Danes came knocking on the doors of Dover” and I had to use it! Wulfstan’s our finest fighter when they call up the fyrd It’s a call of duty and he’s a man of his word He’s his mothers glory, he’s his … Continue reading Wulfstan

The second place getter in the Feb 2024 Muse Lyric competition. “A New Friend is so relatable and a very universal theme, also very well written…and clever.” – Joey. “A new friend: really enjoyed the story, loved the rewarding ending.” – Essa A New Friend. This ain’t no Sunday walk, she’s leading me Destination a mystery There’s someone I want you to meet Ok, but … Continue reading A New Friend

A western story. Have a listen here. Stacey Grey a gypsy moth Flying close to a flame She said I’m going to where I have to go The desert calls my name With her horse and old dog, Ringo She went to tame her land She merged like a chameleon Into the colours of Texas sand – It was a state and half away Three … Continue reading Stacey Grey

Here is a version using a spot of Ai. I’m looking for a real muso to actually do a proper version but this can be a placeholder 😊…. Here’s the video Stop Press: This piece was recently voted joint 2023 Lyric of the Year by the Muse Songwriters group. This came after winning the November Lyric of the Month. They call it Big River, eh? … Continue reading Logburn Road.

(Based on “I am Australian” – Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton) Listen here I came from the Pacific, crossing vast and open sea,I am the silver fern and the mighty Kauri tree,Pohutakawa on the rocky shore, watched the canoes come near,For many hundred years they’d been the first New Zealanders I came upon the company ship to the land that I had wonI cleared the … Continue reading I am a New Zealander.

This waa penned after a request from A Member of the Public to put words to a piece of music he had composed. Challenge Accepted! In my first life Sharp as a blunt knife I was undone Epic slam-dunk fail In my first life A cold ex wife Took me down good Days were darker then – Now I’m older A mossy boulder Re-visioned eyes … Continue reading Second wind

Unusual for me, a triple collaboration. With Lee of Corking Crack Band and a Member of the Public. Lee was discarding some lines that I thought were very cool and was ok with me doing this. I approached this as a writing exercise after hearing Sinead (Rohan not O’Connor)’s brilliant version of Dylan’s “To Ramona” which similarly has no chorus but the continual verses that … Continue reading Autumn of Doubt.

– A song about writing a song about writing a song…. I was asked to write words for a piece of music that A Member of the Public had written. A different challenge, but it’s a lyric I am very happy with. Here is the video Then I did my version -below- . I was trying to evoke a feeling, conjure emotions, this song is … Continue reading A Shadow of a Song

This is an article I wrote in 2009 for the New Zealand cafe magazine. “You can tell when you have crossed the frontier into Germany because of the badness of the coffee. – Edward VII (1841-1910). Ah. East Germany. the home of the oppressed Communist citizen, the Trabant, the grey apartment blocks? A place of no-fun. Well that was my first train of thought when … Continue reading Trains, Trabants and Coffee to go

Music is a commodity It’s not based on reality Never based on quality It isn’t based on anything Least of all if you can sing – Got the beat boy? Got the beat girl? Got the beat boy? Got the beat girl? Got the beat boy? Got the beat girl? Mix ya, pix ya, Trix ya, fix ya Have ya got that beat? – In … Continue reading Have ya got that beat

Music is a commodity It’s not based on reality Never based on quality It isn’t based on anything Least of all if you can sing – Got the beat boy? Got the beat girl? Got the beat boy? Got the beat girl? Got the beat boy? Got the beat girl? Mix ya, pix ya, Trix ya, fix ya Have ya got that beat? – In … Continue reading Have ya got that beat