Don’t Tell Stuart(Ben’s Version) -WEekly Challenge #6

posted on July 18, 2011 by Ben

WEekly Challenge - Don't Tell Stuart
Wow! I’m so excited about this challenge! I really like the idea of 3 different songs with the same lyrics. I spent a lot of time while writing this wondering what Mike and Galen were coming up with. I love the lyrics Galen wrote and since writing words isn’t always my favorite it was nice to have that part of the songwriting process taken care of.

I’m also super stoked because my synthesizer is fixed and I have some awesome sounds to play with. Expect a lot more synth insanity in the future.

So anyway here it is, my version of “Don’t Tell Stuart”.

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/01-Dont-Tell-StuartBens-Version1.mp3|titles=01 Don’t Tell Stuart(Ben’s Version)]
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Zombie Reagan song and the Bushwick Book Club

posted on July 15, 2011 by Mike

Zombie Reagan looks a lot like Regular Reagan

Here’s a recorded version of the song I wrote and performed for the last Bushwick Book Club Show, orignal music inpsired by A People’s History of the United States. I didn’t have to read the whole book this time, all the performers were assigned a couple chapters each to be inspired by. My chapters focused mainly on the 1980s, and Ronald Reagan’s presidency, and the rise of corporate America, and obscene amounts of military spending, and the Cold War against the evil Russian empire.

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Zombie-Reagan.mp3|titles=Zombie Reagan |artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]

Here are the words. feel free to sing along.

Saving 24 million dollars on a glass of milk
Watch the President at the conference denying milk was spilt
Spend the people’s hard earned money on Trident Submarines
For protection from Russian birth marks and warheads firing

The zombie apocalypse is right around the bend
Corporate America will be standing in the end
Giant hair and 80’s butt rock bands will rock again
With Ronald Reagan returning from the dead

Zombie Reagan
Wants to eat my brains
Zombie Reagan
Looks a lot like regular Reagan

Nancy says that my military is the biggest she’s ever seen
And I know that Yakov Smirnoff would probably agree
Shooting lasers from outer space now I could go for that
But how was I to know that the Star Wars program
Would be a stupid piece of crap

Originally I had a very hilarious Yakov Smirnoff joke in the bridge

“In mother Russia, Zombie Brains eat you!”

But before I performed the song at the show I conducted a very short “Do you know who Yakov Smirnoff is?” survey with a small sample of artists and guests. Based on the results of the survey, which from my perspective were quite dissapointing, I decided it would be best if I cut the line. I am now regretting that choice. If only I had a time machine…

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WEekly Challenge # 6 – Galen Green, “Don’t Tell Stuart”

posted on July 15, 2011 by Mike

WEekly Challenge - Don't Tell Stuart

Ladies and gentlemen, WE have our first guest challenger. For this week’s challenge, the very talented Galen Green (Tiny Weapons, Nearly Dan), challenged WE to make a song using lyrics that he himself wrote. WE foolishly accepted his challenge under the one condition that he too would have to make a song using the same words. Bwa ha ha! WE are so clever.

Failure to complete the challenge will result in having to make a heartfelt video apology to the other participants, explaining why you couldn’t get the song done.

Finished WEekly Challenge #6 songs will be posted on Monday July 18th.

WE have had the pleasure of working with Galen before on a couple different occasions. Here’s a song WE did that features Galen on the Jazz sax. It’s called Hope You’re OK. Look out!

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Hope-Youre-OK.mp3|titles=Hope You’re OK (feat. Galen Green on Jazz Sax) |artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]

For this challenge, Galen wrote a song called Don’t Tell Stuart. The words are posted below. I think its about a guy who is unaware of the fact that he is mostly retarded. Sadly, I think I can relate all to well… poor, poor, Stuart.

Don’t tell Stuart
Cause he’s our special little guy
Nobody believed that he could
Learn to read or write
We’re all flabbergasted that
He’s come so very far
Please just tell him he’s an allstar

He’s counting numbers, reading his words
Doing 100 in the Thunderbird
Tweet tweet, chubby girl on the street
A growing boy’s got to eat

Going shopping at the big and tall
Playing catch with the medicine ball
Hitting whippets, bottle of gin
He’s gonna find a way to win

Three-piece track suit, brown velour
Pomade up in the pompadour
Click clack, it’s Stucky the Mac
I wonder why he tick like that

Late night, spending cash
Mash up the rental car, dine and dash
Clink clink, you better not blink
He just might spike your drink

So go to sleep my little highland hooligan
Your tiny bus is leaving with the dawn
Soon it will be time to go to school again
We’re all so super proud, you’re a big boy now

When this is all over, WE will have three completley different versions of this song to show you (one from Ben, one from me (Mike), and one from Galen). Are you excited?

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Nervous Energy – WEekly Challenge #5

posted on July 12, 2011 by Mike

WE first met Nervous Energy many years ago at a gig in Tacoma at Bob’s Java Jive. For those of you unfamiliar with the place, its the dive bar shaped like a giant tea pot. And it is there that Nervous Energy won our hearts, forever.

Unfotunatley, Nervous Energy no longer lives in the area, which also means I no longer have the pleasure of watching him perform his hit song about an asian with a huge penis on a regular basis. He moved to California to pursue a career as a mad scientist. But he still comes to town once in awhile, passing through on his way to performing at the world’s most grandest Devo convention. He is the biggest Devo fan I know.

So with out further ado, here is my song for WEekly Challenge #5, inspired by the greatest one man band of all time, Nervous Energy.

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Nervous-Energy.mp3|titles=Nervous Energy |artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]

Nervous Energy salutes you

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Armed With Legs – WEekly Challenge #5

posted on July 11, 2011 by Ben

Jim and Nick are two awesome guys that I worked with at Tutta Bella. They are also an awesome band called Armed With Legs. Nick plays drums and Jim plays bass and sings. Jim also sometimes makes his bass sound like a guitar or even a synth and does a lot of looping. Unlike most people who use a lot of looping, Jim does it really well. Usually when I go to see them live, I go home after the show and practice.


 

The name Armed With Legs can bring a funny image to my head so I thought it would be fun to right a song about them. I really enjoyed this challenge, and went for a scaled down, singer/songwriter sound.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/01-Armed-With-Legs.mp3|titles= Armed With Legs|artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]

 

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Tonight – WE cover New Kids On The Block

posted on July 8, 2011 by Mike

NKOTB

Have you heard the news? Tonight is the night that the New Kids On the Block return to the Tacoma Dome. A couple years ago I saw them at the White River Ampitheater and let me tell you, IT WAS AWESOME! Easily one of the best shows I have ever seen, ever. The audience was full of zillions of happy, smiling, dancing, people. OMG, it was awesome!

Many, many, many, years earlier my oldest sister took me and my youngest sister to see the New Kids during the height of their popularity at the Puyallup Fair. This was the first rock concert I ever went to. All I really remember is the seemingly millions of shrieking teenage girls. There were lots of them and they were very loud. Much louder than the music.

Unfotunatley, I will not be able to attend the show tonight, but that doesn’t mean that WE can’t honor the greatest boy band of all time in song. Here is WE covering one my favorite NKOTB songs, Tonight.

“La, La, La, La, La, La, tonight.” – NKOTB

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Tonight.mp3|titles=Tonight |artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]
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WEekly Challenge #5 – song inspired by a band

posted on July 8, 2011 by Mike

I hope everybody had a happy fun 4th of July weekend. WE certainly did, WE are still hung over. But it is now time to get back to business. Bring on the next WEekly Challenge!

WEekly Challenge #5 is to make a song inspired by a band (other than WE). Failure to complete this challenge will result in having to cover your arm in band-aids, and then ripping them off one by one (photo documentation required). Ouch!

Finished songs will be posted on Monday July 11th.

For now, here is a song I made a few years ago inspired by our favorite all lesbian indie rock band, Eighteen Individual Eyes. I hope it tickles your fancy.

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Eighteen-Individual-Eyes.mp3|titles=Eighteen Individual Eyes |artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]
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Thee Emergency cover WE – GOTHIC DANCE PARTY

posted on June 29, 2011 by Mike

Thee Emergency

Thee Emergency is another favorite local rock band who graciously contributed a WE cover song for our yet to be unrealesed WE Bonus disc (see yesterday’s post). Thee Emergency and WE go way back. Remember that time many years ago when WE dressed up like the Ghostbusters and WE played the Ghostbusters theme song in their basement at their awesome jam packed sweaty Halloween house party? Yeah, that was awesome. Ray Parker Jr. would be proud.

It just so happens that Thee Emergency are also on the bill for our show this Thursday night at Chop Suey. So at this time, WE would like to present to you their version of our hit song Gothic Dance Party. You are going to love it. Very few peple have heard this to date, WE hope this makes you feel special.
[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/gothicDancePartyTheeEmergency2.mp3|titles=Gothic Dance Party |artists=Thee Emergency]

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Tennis Pro cover WE – MUSHROOM CHAIR

posted on June 28, 2011 by Mike

WE heart Tennis Pro

When WE recorded our first album Ride It Out Like A Turbo Horse a few years ago, WE had this crazy idea to make it a double CD release. The first CD would contain the actual album, and the second CD would contain WE B-sides and recordings of our favorite bands covering WE songs. Amongst the bands who participated in the project was one of my favorite bands of all time, Tennis Pro.

Well, WE ended up running out of money and were unable to release the second disc. But never fear, WE still have all those great recordings that those other bands did for us. At some point WE would like to officially release those songs, but who knows when that will happen.

Since WE have a show with Tennis Pro coming up this Thursday night at Chop Suey, I figured it would be a good time to share with you their interpretation of our hit song off our first EP, MUSHROOM CHAIR.

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mushroomChairTennisPro.mp3|titles=Mushroom Chair |artists=Tennis Pro]
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Champagne In the Membrane – WEekly Challenge #4

posted on June 27, 2011 by Mike

Here is the song I whipped up for WEekly Challenge #4 – a song inspired by a beverage. And of course, my beverage of choice was champagne. My current luxurious rock star lifestyle warrants that I get doped up on champagne at least four times a day, bare minimum. Think about it, when was the last time you saw me with out a bottle of champagne in hand? You can’t remember, can you? Champagne and I go waaaaaay back. Champagne and I are like this (I know you can’t see me right now, but when I typed the words “like this” I was also simultaneously holding up my right hand with fingers crossed to further emphasise how “tight” champagne and I actually are).

With this song, I tried to capture the essence of the special bond that can only be shared between man and champagne. After you hear it, I know you will agree with me when I say that “Champagne In the Membrane is the feel good We Wrote the Book on Connectors song of the summer.”

[audio:https://wewrotethebookonconnectors.com/WE1/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Champagne-In-the-Membrane.mp3|titles=Champagne In the Membrane |artists=We Wrote the Book on Connectors]

Champagne in the membrane, Champagne in the brain!

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