Chris Flew: News/Journal

Nice words.

(Thank you)

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To help bring some focus to the project, here is a tentative tracklisting for the new album:

Back In The Ring
Summer Stole The Girl
Hazy
The City Lights Are All Out
Stp Brkn My Hrt, Kd
The Empty Words We Carved With Chalk
Edge Of The World
Bird On A Wire
P.S.A.

The plan is to have some extra stuff on the limited CD run but these are the main tracks that will be available for download on iTunes etc.

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...rehearsing with MCIBYF, to be honest. We have our single launch tomorrow night (Friday) at Nice 'n' Sleazy in Glasgow and have been working hard with the new line-up. I'm quite excited about it. If you are planning on coming down, make it earlier rather than later as we are expecting it to be busy. Doors at 8pm.

Another thing occupying me of late is 'I Have Been Mostly Listening To...', a concept blog/listening experience I have set up for my downtime. I love sharing the music that moves me with other people and I figure this is the best way to do that. For a taster visit the site or keep an eye on the Calendar for future dates.

...

In other news, Subway Trains is getting cut from 'White Notes...'. Reason being, I feel I got it right enough the first time. Sometimes, re-recording songs is a bit like trying to paint a picture twice: it never seems to come out quite the same, or as fresh. I did watch what I had so far for the video and have resolved to get it finished by the end of the month (in advance of a special Christmas mailout I'm doing to some bloggers at the start of December. I wonder if anyone will pick up on it?). So keep an eye out for that.

Deadline for the recording part of the new album is February 1st. I am giving RPM another shot next year which should (hopefully) produce at least one more full length come March, at which point I am going underground to get things mixed, filmed and generally dolled up a bit.

Sexy.

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We have a new website for you to play with...

My debilitating quest for perfection is taking its toll on 'White Notes...'. Countless takes to get three songs off the starting blocks and I have nothing to show for it. I am feeling worn down and disillusioned.

The first two tracks on the album are 'Back In The Ring' and 'Summer Stole The Girl'.

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Despite press overkill on the issue, I found this an interesting watch:

The Story Of Stuff

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Local Vertical

The Pop Filter

Fingertips


Thanks guys.

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As promised, lyrics to the complete songs written so far:


*Bird On A Wire*

I am done
Mouth wired shut and useless
I am fixed
Just like you wanted me to be
Broken beak that can't speak
Bodytired and headweak
Twisted tail and copper-tied
Scared to let you inside

Metal feet
I am stumbling clumsy
With bleeding teeth
I tried in vain to break your heart
Static wings that won't mend
With stupid legs that don't bend
She's got pale electric eyes
And she's on the outside

She is on the outside


*Chinatown*

As I lay my head on the tiled floor
In the cold of a Japanese restaurant
I figured out just what I was
So I got up and I took a bus
Straight into the Bank of America
To see if they would cash my heart
But it declined

Took a silver train to the ocean floor
I didn't know what I was looking for
In a book of words I could not speak
Tried to disappear down Union Square
Become a ghost in a district of angels
Among Macy's lights and city hearts

Is this the way it always starts?

The city is a lonely place
And I am its lonely friend
And we will dance together
'Til the end of this crazy parade
In a collection of stolen glances
And forever touching strangers faces
In forgetting that a loveless life
Is a life not lived at all

I walked for hours 'round Chinatown
A picture in my pocket of something I had not seen
And I couldn't believe in
A polaroid of love from a future
Sent back to haunt me with promises only achieved
If I'd just reached out and touched you
As I lay my head on the tiled floor

As I lay my head on the tiled floor
In the cold of this Japanese restaurant
I figured out just what I was
And what I wanted to say
You're the one I want
You're the one I love
I don't care if everyone knows it
You're the one I want
You're the one I love
So stay right here


*The City Lights Are All Out*

If our bodies work like they promised us
Let's put it all to rest
You can spend the night
We can light a fire
And watch our spirits burn

When I'm seeing you in darkened rooms
And in darkened halls of these city walls
But the city lights are out tonight
They're out tonight
And our greatest fears are not realised
Our greatest ideas are not realised

If our bodies work like we want them to
Let's put them to the test
We can spend the night lighting fires
And watch this city burn

When I'm seeing you in darkened rooms
And in darkened halls of these city walls
But the city lights are out tonight
They're out tonight

We keep ourselves in mirrors
We get undressed but we never speak
The neon signs reflect the sound
Of a permanent heartbeat
So let's take this final photograph
A souvenir to the ones we love

We'll count to ten and back from three
From three to one, we'll click our heels
We'll become faded memories
Like all the Hollywood film stars
This city's sidewalk's where they'll sleep
We'll become faded memories

And our greatest fears will be realised
Our greatest ideas will be realised

When our bodies work


*Edge Of The World*

I guessed the moon right tonight
It was full, just like my head
With the thought of you dancing
The sun took all my dreams
But the rain washed my pain away

Mother nature's tears fell down
And healed my wounds
Salted all my wounds

But who am I to judge you and your love?
And who you judge isn't my obsession
I'm staring down the gun
But I'm not scared
No, I'm not there

Mother nature's only son has come undone
Staring down the sun
I've come undone
Staring out the sun

For what are we but passing time?
I stood in line
And waited for some kind of answer
A sort of sign
But all I got was this loose change
We'll sail this boat to the edge of sea
And we'll fall away eternally

How could you leave
When you said you'd always stay?
You took my love away
And how could you leave
Something as good as this firework happiness?

Mother nature's tears
Fall down and heal my wounds
Salting all my wounds
Come back and heal this wound
There's salt in all my wounds

I guess the moon was right
She was full of broken promise


*The Empty Words We Carved With Chalk*

Keep it together or keep us apart
It's the only way we'll get this to start
And we'll hold our breaths
And we'll hold our tongues

'Cause we never speak
When we lost the dream
The language of children lay dead at our feet
And we held our breaths
And we hold our tongues

If all we've got is broken thought
The empty words we carved with chalk in darkened halls
I'll leave it all behind

'Cause you never left here
We struggle to breathe
I broke all the windows
There's blood on my sleeve

And we never speak
We just close up our hearts
Wanting to open but just tearing apart
Still we hold our breaths
And we hold our tongues

If all we've got is broken thought
The empty words we carved with chalk in darkened halls
I'll leave it all behind


*Hazy*

Hazy days and sunny days
Time will stop
There'll be no night
I'll lie by your side
Suspended in a lightbulb dream
Orbiting eternally around our private sun

I'll wait for you
I'll wait forever
I'll wait for you
I'll wait always

I call her name
I scream and shout
Silently to let me out of here
Out of here
To a place that no-one sees
And my love lies peacefully in dreams
Safe in dreams

I'll wait for you
I'll wait forever
I'll wait for you
I'll wait always


*Someone Else's Film*

Maybe you lost something
Looking into someone else's eyes
Maybe the change comes from
Seeing through another one's disguise

You told me not to cry
For someone else at someone else's film
You promised not to cry
For someone else at someone else's film


*Stp Brkn My Hrt, Kd*

Got lost in Hepburn's eyes
I didn't see her smile had faded long ago
And I didn't see the lights
Had turned from red to green
And so I've got to go

White notes on minor 9ths
Sound like taxis in Central Park
But this isn't New York anymore

The Hudson river sighed
And wound it's way downstate
Until it reached the coast
You were on my mind a thousand times
Before I even saw your face

But white notes on minor 9ths
Sound like Broadway and summer rain
And this isn't New York anymore

...

The street lights so quiet
No noise from the traffic coming down
Like everyone could see it coming except me
And your breath hung like angels
No comfort now in faded memories

[Leave this place and go, son
Before she says she loves you not
Go, get on the train
Before your world comes crashing down around you]

Just hold her for the last time
It's over now
Any fool could see it's true

I could have loved you more
If only for myself and lack of love


*Subway Trains*

Passing ships in the night
Living on Pacific time
I never see you
But I can feel you here tonight

Living on borrowed time
Strung out on neon light
I need to see you
I need to leave this place tonight

'Cause all I see is subway trains
All I see is subway trains


*Summer Stole The Girl*

We're spending all our time
In 7-11s and 24-hour stores
I didn't see you leaving by the back door

Took a taxi in the rain to save your life
You said insanity can't mend a broken heart
So live your life
It took me five long years just waiting here for you
It took up all our time
7-11s and 24-hour stores
I didn't see you leaving by the back door

Don't leave me waiting here
Take me with you there
Hold me closer to your chest
The place I like it best

It's not enough
When you're all hooked up on summer
And summer steals the girl
The rest is all just fluff
I took a broken picture
And shattered 'cross the floor
I don't know why I'm here
7-11s and 24-hour stores
I didn't see you leaving by the back door

Don't leave me waiting here
Take me with you there
Hold me closer to your chest
The place I like it best

Stay with me tonight
Only if it feels right
Just don't leave me waiting here
Take me with you anywhere
Tonight, tonight

...

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Some songs in contention for the new record:

Back In The Ring
Bird On A Wire
Chinatown
The City Lights Are All Out
Edge Of The World
The Empty Words We Carved With Chalk
The Girl Who Fell In Love With The Prawn Boy
Hazy
In Another Time, You'd Wrap Your Arms Around Me
Koto
P.S.A.
Someone Else's Film
Stp Brkn My Hrt, Kd
Subway Trains
Summer Stole The Girl

...

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Feeling The Moment

Music For Humans

Frekvens

The Giant Panther

Lonesome Music


Thank you to the above writers for their support, it's appreciated.

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My next album, due for release next year, will be called 'White Notes on Minor 9ths'. I have been working hard on a number of new songs as well as going through the archives of older ones that haven't found a home on the other records.

As you can maybe tell from the title, the new material is going to feature a lot more piano than my previous stuff has. This is partly due to the fact that I play the piano a lot more these days than guitar, but also because I really want to explore the recording process with 88 keys over six strings. I have been listening to a lot of early Elton John, Ben Folds, Kate Bush and Tori Amos and am feeling really excited about the months ahead.

The plan is to begin recording proper when I return from the States at the end of August. The last time I was over there in 2004, I came up with the concept for Kingston Bridge and I am hoping this trip will be just as inspiring.

See you in the Autumn -

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Three new videos have been added to Music + Film. They all feature songs taken from my last album, Kingston Bridge.

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'Til The Morning Comes Around



(Original footage by Andy Bradley, used with kind permission)


Circus Song



(Original footage taken from experimental Super 8 film 'Night Call' by Andy J Marsh, used with kind permission)


Christmas On Ward #7



(Original footage compiled from the following videos and used with kind permission:

Super 8 Christmas 1975
Super 8 Christmas 1976)

You can now purchase 'Corporate Love Song' and 'Kingston Bridge' from the iTunes Store by clicking on this link (you must have iTunes installed for this to work - to download it, click here).

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I have posted the promo for Cory's Carnival on the Music + Film page. It was produced and directed by Torrey Meeks. Torrey got in touch with me a while back with a view to making a video for Summer Stole The Girl but at the moment it is only at demo stage so I suggested he tackle something from one of the first two albums in the meantime.

Thank you to Torrey and all the actors involved in the shoot for producing such a great piece of work; I'm really very grateful.

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