Tom Miller's Music Clog

Death of Samantha

2011-12-23T20:21:00.023-05:00

Tonight Cleveland's DEATH OF SAMANTHA are playing their first gig in nearly 20 years.

I saw DOS many times back in the 1980's. I think I was probably at their second or maybe third-ever gig, way back when they were only a 3-piece band. Even in that early stage I liked them right away. They had some really good songs...not to mention an additional mysterious "it" that all great bands seem to have.

This particular recording captures them at the very first gig they played with their then-new guitar player, Doug Gillard. It was at the long-gone Pop Shop near Cleveland State University. The date was May 25, 1984 and they had not yet recorded their first single. With John Petkovic's permission, I was allowed to tape their set on my boombox that night. He also told me, "In 28 years from now, please post one of the songs on something called the internet." I didn't know what he was talking about of course, but now it is clear what a visionary person he was/is.

I should be at their show tonight, but alas can not make the drive to Cleveland. Sucks. Oh well, I hope they don't wait another 20 years to reform. I don't think I can hold out that long.

Death of Samantha - Bed of Fire
recorded live, 5/25/84 (mp3 format)

I don't know how long this will be here. It might disappear if someone from the band objects...

TA Miller - Something Right (mp3)

2011-12-22T21:20:00.005-05:00

TA MILLER
"Something Right" (mp3)

written, recorded and blah, blah, blah by TA Miller, Dec. 2011
Happy holidays.

Amy Winehouse

2011-07-23T19:08:00.001-04:00

I'm an old guy, so I've seen this happen plenty of times. "(fill in the blank rock star), dead at age 27." Why is that such a common age for rock 'n roll endings? Jimi, Janis, Brian Jones, D. Boon, Kurt and quite a few others checked out at that age.

I never bought any of Amy's records (yes, I still call them records), but she had style and a lot of talent. Too bad she also had some other things in excess. Very sad to see a life - any life - thrown away. This will probably sound bad, but I don't care: people like her piss me off. People with addictive personalities are selfish. It's all about them. It has to be that way, they can't be any other way. It's either a cure or a quick death. There are really no other roads to travel...and the only way to a cure is to look beyond yourself and realize that OTHER PEOPLE MATTER. It's not all about you.

Sorry, that's all probably nonsense. What do I know about it anyway? I've never been an addict or an alcoholic; I'm also not a psychiatrist. I do know a good song when I hear it, though. Here's one of Amy's, the song "Help Yourself," from her first CD "Frank." So long Amy...you should have stuck around longer.

Amy Winehouse
14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011

Funky Sisters

2011-06-29T16:48:00.013-04:00

"Soul Woman" b/w "Do It To It"

I don't know anything about this group other than this is probably from the 1960's and the A-side is a gender-specific rewrite of Sam and Dave's "Soul Man."

Last week I was using this post solely to promote the fact that I was selling this single on eBay. I had placed a clip of the first 1:15 minutes of the A-side song. Now that the auction is over, as promised, here are the full versions of both sides of this obscure soul 45. Click the folder below and you will be directed to my Skydrive "Funky Sisters" files, where you can download the two mp3 files.

Once again this post is a departure from my previous practice of only featuring my own solo and band recordings. I don't see why I should limit myself to any one thing. Therefore I will continue to post more obscure records from my collection...at my usual snail's pace.

You might be able to listen to one of these songs on YouTube, but here you can download them right into your iPod, or whatever gadget you use to listen to music.

Your welcome and thanks for looking!

Pat and the Satellites

2011-06-09T12:34:00.005-04:00

It's been a long time since I put anything up here. I haven't been recording any songs. Too much other things happening right now...and not particularly inspired at any rate.

The other day I bought a USB turntable at a yard sale for 10 bucks. Because I've been using it to put sound clips on my eBay listings, I thought I'd post an oldie here. For no particular reason, my goal was to see how fast I could make the sound file, take a picture and post this. Turns out it took only 23 minutes.

According to some website, this was recorded on November 25, 1958, the very same day I turned 2 years old.

download: "Pat & the Satellites - "Jupiter C"

This is a real cool and raw garage instrumental thumper. Enjoy.

Offbeats - Don't Take My Advice

2011-01-10T14:45:00.027-05:00

Here's a song that never made it on to the Smog Veil reissue CD...or even on any of the several rip-off punk compilations that have, over the years, featured Offbeats recordings used without permission. Like the one put out by the aptly-named "Grand Theft Audio" record label, for instance.

This is a song I always liked. Unfortunately, I am not that fond of the long rant at the end. What was my problem back then? Who knows. Ah, young musicians...usually self-centered and going on and on about their problems. Whatever, dude. The unnecessary ending bit is why I have always resisted reissuing this song in the past. Actually, I now find it amusing.

CLICK THE FOLDER TO DOWNLOAD:

There are two mp3 files at the above link: the original 1986 LP mix and a new 2011 "speedy ending mix." Yes, I sped up part of the ending, in order to dispense with it sooner. I prefer the new version, if any. You might not, which is why I've included both.

Historical note and name dropping info: The "Evolution" album was produced by Randy Burns. His production resume includes such heavy hitters as: Megadeth, Nuclear Assault, Possessed, Dark Angel, Ludichrist, Zoetrope and Death. Also the first Flaming Lips album and the Pontiac Brothers. So I guess this was our heavy metal album.

There is also a different recording of "Don't Take My Advice" that was released on the b-side of the "Out of Breath" single. Sorry, I have not included it here. You could always buy that record on eBay, if you are interested. It usually sells for about 5 bucks. Have a happy 2011 people!

TA Miller - You've Done It Now

2010-11-02T12:56:00.005-04:00

You've Done It Now

"Went to the poll, American dream, empty words, another scheme. It sounded good but it's a lie, selling to the average guy. The swearing in is over now, and you're forgotten without a doubt. You've done it now..."

I posted this last year, but no one is really listening, so it's probably new to you. Happy election day from a cynic. Good luck with the "change" you are hoping for.

Click the folder to download "You've Done It Now"
written / sung / music performed by TA Miller, 2009

2010-10-20T13:59:00.011-04:00

Jupiter Lies

A song about astrology. "...Saturn's a dive, so I hear...but if you think the stars are calling the shots, then I guess they can." When I recorded this, my horoscope predicted the usual cheapo-quicky 4-track cassette production. Maybe there's something to astrology after all.

Click the folder to download "Jupiter Lies"
written / sung / music performed by TA Miller, 2010

The Joys - Shake A Leg

2010-07-29T17:46:00.008-04:00

The Joys - "Shake A Leg" b/w "You Play With Toys" - Raydin Records #R-103 (PROMO)

Mysterious 1960's (I think) "Girl Group" single. I can't find any info on the web about this band.

Uptempo garage / pop with doo-wop-ish sounding vocals, and a weird section that sounds almost psychedelic. I think that's a keyboard making that odd sound.

The b-side is a slower ballad-type song.

The main reason I posted this is because I'm selling it on Ebay this week. All my other posts are from bands I myself used to play in, or had some association with in some way. I had nothing to do with this record, other than finding it at a garage sale.

Hopefully I'll be getting back on track with my own music next month.

DOWNLOAD: The Joys - Shake A Leg

If you want to hear the b-side, you'll have to buy the record!
To buy this record on Ebay, click HERE

The Triumphs - Late '60's N.E. Ohio Garage / Psych Rock

2010-03-08T12:08:00.017-05:00

The Triumphs were a Geneva / Ashtabula garage rock band that my uncle Roger Miller played bass for back in the late 1960's. Yes, coincidently he had the same name as the famous "King of the Road" country singer. Their first single, "Lovin' Cup" b/w "It's So Easy" is a Miller family artifact that I have kept in my record collection ever since the day, way back in 1968, that he visited us with a copy of it. I was only 10 years old at the time. I'm not sure my parents were all that enthusiastic with the actual SOUND of the record. Garage rock was not really their sort of thing. I was greatly impressed, though. Someone in my family actually made a record? How cool is this?

To me, my uncle was a mysterious guy. He was never around much when we went out to Geneva to visit my Grandparents, and when he was, he never talked a lot. The quiet type. Mostly he was always off somewhere, doing things that I could only imagine. I do know he raced stock cars; he had 10 or 12 silver and gold trophies on a shelf that I used to play around with when no one was watching. There was often a car or two of his in the driveway, like a Corvette or something, all in various states of being worked on for the next race. He also had a guitar - a really strange looking one with big fat strings. It was a bass, the first one I ever saw up close.

Unfortunately I never got to see his band play. Not long after these singles were made, my uncle quit the Triumphs - or maybe they broke up, I don't know which. After that he gave up on his music career and lived the married life, with two kids and a job. Many years later I found out that he was playing music at his church. During this period I finally heard him sing a few songs, with his acoustic guitar at some family gathering. He was actually quite good, although it was light-years removed from the sound of the Triumphs.

This turned out to be the last time I ever saw him. He died very suddenly when he was only in his early 50's. A heart attack, I think it was. By then I was playing in my own bands and putting out my own little records. I never got to know my uncle very well. Hardly at all, actually. Maybe if he had lived longer, I would have eventually. One thing I have learned over the years though, is that "eventually" sometimes has a way of never arriving. You wait too long and the opportunity passes you by, never to return. Still, perhaps he had an influence on me. It is not out of realm of possibility that the little round piece of plastic he gave me back in 1968 was a nudge, no matter how small, to the trajectory that my life was taking. So thanks Uncle - you never said much, but as the old saying goes, actions speak much louder than words.

"Lovin' Cup" is a Paul Butterfield song, but in the hands of the Triumphs, sounds much closer to the COUNT FIVE'S "Psychotic Reaction" than it does to blues-rock. The b-side, Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy," is a pretty straightforward cover of that, perhaps slightly more rocked up. Maybe I'll add that one to this post, eventually. According to the "Ohio Sounds" blog, "Lovin' Cup" was "recorded in Chicago at CHESS and got some regional play." I did not know this before. Chess Records studio: Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones and...the Triumphs? Hey, getting to record at a place like Chess is a HUGE accomplishment in my book.

Speaking of "Ohio Sounds," I stole the mp3 and photo of the 2nd Triumphs single from their blog. I think "People Try My Mind" is an original song, although I'm not sure. I never owned a copy of the 2nd single, nor do I know anything about the other members of the band - or even if my uncle actually played on the second 45. I'll just say that he did and wait for someone else to come along and prove otherwise.

DOWNLOAD:
Triumphs - Lovin' Cup
Triumphs - People Try My Mind

Listen to more cool Ohio rock singles at: http://www.ohiosounds.com

This Tape Sucks!!

2010-01-21T16:26:00.006-05:00

If you like early-80's punk rock that is loud, loose and preferably recorded on lousy cassette boom boxes, then this just might be what you’re looking for. Some bonfide boom box "hits" here, along with some cuts recorded in crude (and cheap-as-possible) studios. No one had much money back then, and what little there was needed to be spent on beer and potato chips, NOT slick recording facilities.

"This Tape Sucks" was a 1982 N.E. Ohio cassette compilation that was released by Oops! Records, a label that sprouted from Oops! fanzine. Both were enterprises that yours truly had a heavy hand in back in the day. Several years ago I transferred these wonderful artifacts to compact disc, thus creating "This CD Sucks.” Now I guess they can be referred to as "This Download Sucks." Throughout the digital process, you can be rest assured that the crap-tastic sound of these recordings has been preserved. You couldn’t improve them if you wanted to.

A few of these bands managed to stick around for a while and even put out records, for what is was all worth. Also for what it’s worth: some of this doesn’t really suck, although that’s just my opinion.

If you were there, then you can skip the rest of my B.S. and just listen again, if you care to. Info provided below is for people who weren’t “lucky” enough to know THIS TAPE SUCKS firsthand. Songs are presented in the same order as they appeared on the original tape.

OFFBEATS:

A couple of these recordings actually ended up on an Offbeats retrospective CD & LP put out by Smog Veil Records, still available for sale, so go there if you are interested.
An Offbeats bio can be found at: http://www.clepunk.com/bands/offbeats/index.htm. More free Offbeats downloads can also be found at: http://www.reverbnation.com/offbeats

Download:
Offbeats - “Why Do You Hang Out?”
Offbeats - “Hey Mate Ahoy”
Offbeats - “Society”
Offbeats - “Look At Em Go / Go Away”
Offbeats - “M-16”

LOUD AS FUCK:
An Athens, Ohio college punk band (later known as "One Man's Head"). LAF's Douglas Enkler later joined the Offbeats, bringing these songs along with him for us to play. Trivia: "Sad" was re-recorded by the Offbeats (in a real studio) for the “I Can See Your House From Here” EP. It was also later covered by Scrawl on their "Plus Also Too" LP. Mr. Enkler later went on to a stellar career as front man of Prisonshake.

Download:
Loud as Fuck - “I Don't Bathe”
Loud as Fuck - “Shit My Pants”
Loud as Fuck - “Sad”

DEFNICS:
A Cleveland punk “super-group” almost, featuring Robert Conn, formerly of the Pagans (see "Six and Change"), and now of Chelsea Hotel. The band also included Bob Sablack & Johnny Korosec, later of the Plague; Bob is now in the Chromekickers. “Life So Fast” actually has pretty decent recording quality. It was an outtake from the sessions that produced their “51%" b/w "Hello From Berlin” 45, a record that usually brings big bucks on Ebay. The Defnics also have stuff for sale from Smog Veil Records. A Defnics bio is at: http://www.clepunk.com/bands/defnics/index.htm

Download:
Defnics - “Life So Fast”
Defnics - “Governor's Daughter”

ZERO DEFEX:
The Zero Defex (aka ODFX) preached and tried to live the anarchy lifestyle to the hilt; they came closest to that ideal during their brief 10-to-15 minute live sets. These guys were so intense it was almost comical. They also managed to single-handily spit the N.E. Ohio scene in two - you either loved 'em or hated 'em. I thought they were fun. More about ODFX can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0DFx

Download:
Zero Defex - “4”
Zero Defex - “Do Not Pass Go”
Zero Defex - “Die Before”
Zero Defex - “Drop the A-Bomb on Me”
Zero Defex - “No More Control”

IDIOT SAVANTS:
An Idiot Savant is someone who is a genius at one thing only. In the case of this band, it was making a noise that sounded like an unbalanced washing machine stuck on spin cycle. Idiot Savants bio: http://www.clepunk.com/bands/idiotsavants/index.htm

Download:
Idiot Savants - Looking in the Mirror

DISSIDENTS:
Almost pop sounding compared to some of the other offerings on TTS. In reality another bunch of smart-ass Cleveland punks, except with some actual musical ability. A Dissidents career retrospective CD was released on Smog Veil Records, so go there if that sounds like something that might float your boat. A Dissidents bio is at: http://www.clepunk.com/bands/dissidents/index.htm

Download:
Dissidents - “Modern Emotion”

BEATOFFS:
“Tra-la-la-la” pop/punk gibberish. This was actually a recording by a little known Cleveland outfit called the "Generics,” who later evolved into the Offbeats. For some reason the band thought it would be fun to invert their new name and attach it to this almost-good-quality studio recording.

Download:
Beatoffs - “Ad Liberation”

URBAN MUTANTS:
One of the few punk bands on this comp that never managed to make an actual record. Also a much better band than this crude recording suggests. Too bad they weren’t around in the late 70’s when record labels were signing up anything from Akron. They could’ve been a contender.

Download:
Urban Mutants - “Not Living”

AGITATED:
Some referred to this band as thrash/metal, but this just sounds like revved-up punk rock, played in an echo-y basement, and recorded into a very cheap boom box cassette machine - which was exactly what it was. Later Agitated studio recordings were the unlikely subject of yet anther Smog Veil retrospective CD & 7" EP.

Download:
Agitated - “Almost Straight Edge”
Agitated - “In This Room”
Agitated - “Blissful Ignorance”

STARVATION ARMY:
A group that managed to stick around (on and off) for the next 10 years, longer then anyone else on this comp. Perseverance, or simply too plain ornery to quit? This is the embryonic version of the band. Later proto-grunge 7” singles and full length LP’s sounded almost nothing like this, and included almost none of the original members. Presented below is pure teenage HC angst served up by actual teenagers. More about SA: http://www.clepunk.com/bands/starvationarmy/index.htm
More SA downloads are at: http://www.reverbnation.com/starvationarmy

Download:
Starvation Army - New Black List
Starvation Army - Pain
Starvation Army – Fun

DUMBSHITS:
Is it just me, or is this stuff just a little bit affected? They obviously tried very hard to sound idiotic. The National Lampoon of the early 80’s punk scene. Closest comparison might be the Angry Samoans, except with none of that band’s musical ability. They never put out a record, and a quick glance below might give you an idea why. Dumbshits: http://www.clepunk.com/bands/dumbshits/index.htm

Download:

Dumbshits - “Hey Devo”
Dumbshits - “Turds with Corn in 'Em”
Dumbshits - “I'm Lost”
Dumbshits - “Bald Guys Fartin'”
Dumbshits - “This Tastes Like Fuckin' Shit”
Dumbshits - “Weird Fuckin' Noise”

TA Miller: "Roll 'em Nice"

2009-11-23T17:53:00.028-05:00

Roll 'em Nice (T. Miller, 2009)

Lemonade, too much sun. Too much of anything, it ain't no fun. Novocaine, I can't feel my tongue. I may be drugged but I'm not that dumb. Roll 'em nice, roll 'em nice. Your uncle has a problem, he thinks he's always right. Roll 'em nice, but keep it out of sight - your uncle has a problem with the crop you like.

They say it's dangerous, but then so is walking. I took a hike and nearly fell off a mountain. It's a strange land, so many legal cases - but buy a 12-pack and get twice as wasted. Roll 'em nice...

They'll sell you anything they think you need - but what you want, not even a seed. I saw my doctor, he said, "Listen to your body." Well mine told me it was time to party! Roll 'em nice...

Click the folder to download TA Miller - "Roll 'em Nice"

Rain Delay

2009-11-03T21:45:00.005-05:00

Rain Delay (T. Miller, 2009)

When the rain comes down, I don't mind I don't always hide. Take a look at five. The way is straight and very wide, but I dream of one, with the fog and the burning sun. When I woke inside, my body free with a prison mind, and I'm hanging around. When the rain comes down, I stand outside but I'm getting dry. When I dream of one, it's clear to see that the fog is why even though I try, body low but I'm standing high. When the rain comes down, water goes where the rainbow shines. I'm not hanging around. When the rain comes down, I don't mind, I don't always hide. Take a look outside, where it's straight and it always winds. On the ground or in flight, body low but standing high. When the rain drops fly, let me flow where the water glides. Stop this hanging around

Download: Rain Delay

Swank Motel

2009-09-23T16:30:00.062-04:00

Swank Motel was the Cleveland, Ohio "swing" cover band I played guitar for from 1993-98. As our long-gone web page used to say:

"Swank Motel. has been called lounge, jazz, blues, rock, rockabilly, ska, heavy metal and a few other things as well. Swank Motel plays timeless music that spans virtually every decade of the 20th century. Everybody from Louis Jordan to AC/DC to Nirvana to Rosemary Clooney to Nat King Cole to the Circle Jerks. Swank Motel plays the sort of stuff workin' and drinkin' folks in Cleveland want to hear."

Vocalist and front man Darryl Whalen (Numbskull, Buddy Love Combo, many others) had the original idea for this band. Legend goes that he was trying to form a combo such as this as far back as the mid-1980's, but it wasn't until 1993 that he managed to convince someone (ME, on guitar) to actually do it. First came "Darryl & Tom's Screwed Up Acoustic Lounge Band." Next, the cool and talented singer Hadley Conner joined up. The finishing touches to the masterpiece known as Swank Motel was when funky bassist Benjamin Daniels showed up, and the groovin' and movin' Johnny P. (Lonesome Bones, Hemlocks) sat down behind the drum kit. Minutes later we were out entertaining club goers of all ages, from one side of town to the other. Along the way we also opened up for hep acts like NANCY SINATRA, SOUL COUGHING, and LYDIA LUNCH. How'd we do it? Check out the SWANK, below and find out:

DOWNLOAD:
Come on-a-my House - version 1 (Rosemary Clooney)
World Up My Ass (Circle Jerks)
Breed (Nirvana)
Bela Lugosi's Dead (Bauhaus)
Six Pack (Black Flag)
Party Doll (Buddy Knox)
Route 66 (Bobby Troup)
Disco Inferno - version 1 (Trammps)

The year 1995 brought some major changes - Hadley and John bowed out and we welcomed aboard the multi-octave and wildly entertaining singer Jessica Skerry (Horvat), as well as Doug Turner and his fabulous drum kit...and so the SWANK continued, in a big-time way. This fantastic lineup is represented by the ever popular "Head Like A Hole," written by Mr. Trent Reznor himself. Naturally our version blows his out of the water. This track also features Kris Morron sliding that big 'ol trombone.

DOWNLOAD: Head Like A Hole (Nine Inch Nails)

Not long after this was recorded, Darryl left the group. The remaining recordings feature myself, Jessica, Benjamin, Kris and either Doug or Ricky Exton on drums. Some recorded live, some recorded in the studio, ALL very swanky, as one would well imagine....

Download:

Disco Inferno - version 2 (Trammps)
Lazy Bones (Hoagey Carmichael / Johnny Mercer)
Underdog (cartoon theme song)
Secret (Madonna)
Night and Day (Cole Porter)
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane)
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens (Louis Jordan)
Come on-a-my House - version 2 (Rosemary Clooney)
Fight For Your Right To Party (Beastie Boys)
Goldfinger (James Bond theme)
Godzilla (Blue Oyster Cult)
Spiderman (TV show theme song)
Breakin' The Law (Judas Priest)
Copacabana (Barry Manilow)
Calling Doctor Love (Kiss)

...and also two ORIGINAL compositions:

Chase Me With a Dead Fish (Miller/Skerry)
Hugo The Dharma Cat (B. Daniels/B. Gomein)

In the summer of 1998 I left the band to go on a long sabbatical out west. When I returned, I joined Darryl's Buddy Love Combo before moving out to Seattle. Swank Motel continued on for a while after I quit with a new guitar player named Danny White, before finally breaking up in 1999. I went to see them play one time before I left town, and I can tell you it was still a (you guessed it) SWANKY good time. Today Jessica Skerry-Horvat plays in the band Lounge Kitty. If you like any of this music, then Tom Miller's Music Clog recommends you check out Lounge Kitty's web page and go see them play the next time you are Cleveland.
So that's it folks...and remember, whatever you do, DON'T go changing!! (unless it's for the better, of course)

Tom Miller - More Solo Recordings

2009-08-04T16:43:00.018-04:00

STAY IN LOVE (FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE) - I had a dream several weeks ago that the Ramones were still alive and were jamming with Neil Young and the keyboard player from the Cars. When I woke up, I wrote this song.

SOLID GOLD Try counting it up now, does it all add up? Since I'm not rich and famous, I don't have the answer. I posted this song briefly back in June, then took it down so I could re-mix it.

I'LL FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER written by Gene Clark and originally performed by the Byrds. Gene might roll in his grave if he heard this, but he is one of my favorite singer/songwriter guys from the 60's/70's. I could never come close to Gene, Roger McGuinn or David Crosby in the vocal department, so I didn't try to. No point to this, just somethin' to do on a rainy day.

Once again, I played all the stuff and did the singing, so don't go blaming anyone else. All songs copyright 2009 by T.A. Miller except "Feel A Whole Lot Better" by Gene Clark.

DOWNLOAD:
Stay In Love (For The Sake of Love)
Solid Gold
I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better

See my older post http://tommillermusic.blogspot.com/2009/06/tom-millers-music-blog.html if you want more Miller recordings.

Coming soon: Swank Motel

The Hemlocks: 1991 - 1994

2009-07-10T20:15:00.021-04:00

By the beginning of 1991, Fraser and I were both gone from Starvation Army. I was given an abrupt pink slip; Fraser either quit or was fired, the story varies depending on who you talk to. So while the "new" SA was touring Europe with Green Day, Fraser and I started this project. Originally it was to have been a band, but apparently a classified ad stating, "ex-Starvation Army members looking for musicians" does not cause people to flock to your doorstep.

After 6 months of songwriting and frustration at not finding a bass player and drummer, we were ready to pack it in and call it a day. Fraser made plans to move to Laredo, Texas, of all places. I enrolled full-time at CSU, in an attempt to put my music career dreams in the dust bin where they most likely belonged.

All well and good, except Robert Griffin happened to be putting together a compilation CD right then. I decided we needed to be on it, as a final farewell to the Cleveland music scene. No band? No problem! We went into Mars recording studio armed with an acoustic guitar and a couple of lyric sheets, and recorded four songs. The two below appeared on "Hotel Cleveland, Vol. 3," on Scat Records. The other two songs we recorded, "Little Miss Hell" and "Prince of the Suburbs" seem to have gone missing from my musical library, so unfortunately I can not post them.

Fraser Sims - vocals
Tom Miller - guitar, tambourine

DOWNLOAD:
Heaven (version 1)
Wedding Day (version 1)

That should have been the end of the story, except Fraser moved back to Cleveland in 1993, and against our better judgment, we decided to give it a go one more time. After knocking the rust off our act by playing an acoustic show at the Literary Cafe, we put together the band lineup that is featured below. These 4 songs were recorded in a barn outside of Wooster, Ohio in the dead of winter 1994. It was cold and the owner/engineer was somewhat of a dick, but hey, it was only 10 bucks and hour.

Fraser Sims - lead vocals
Benjamin Daniels - bass
John Paturnak - drums
Tom Miller - guitars, backing vocals

DOWNLOAD:
Wedding Day (version 2)
My Alibi
10 Blocks
Sixes and Sevens

Not long after this, we played a show at the Grog Shop, and not long after that Fraser quit. For better or worse, these songs end up being the last music Mr. Sims has recorded to date. Listening to them now, it's easy to pick up on the sense of frustration in the lyrics: bad relationships, bad break-ups and associations reaching a dead end. Except, of course, reaching a dead end also means turning around and setting a new course. Time to move on. Regrets? Possibly, but does it really matter?

So now it's 2009 and I have decided to pull two more relics out of my closet and dust them off. The songs below are new "remixes." "Heaven (version 2)" is the Mars studio acoustic track; "Perfect Abandon" is a guitar and vocal-only rehearsal tape from 1993. I thought it would be fun to "finish" them by adding the bass and drums that have been missing all these years. Whether they are improved or desecrated is a moot point.

Fraser Sims - lead vocals
Tom Miller - guitars, drums, bass

DOWNLOAD:
Heaven (version 2)
Perfect Abandon

All songs copyright 1991, 1993, 1994 by Miller/Sims except "10 Blocks" which is copyright 1994 by Miller/Sims/Daniels. Thanks to Paul Slava for the image. Flyer by Rebble.

The New Caesars

2009-06-26T16:55:00.017-04:00

Yet more old music from my musical closet & more free downloads for whoever cares.

Cleveland, 1996-97:
Doug Morgan (Neptune's Car, Pressler-Morgan, Human Switchboard, etc.) formed this band and was the writer, arranger, singer and general mastermind behind it.

"Lou" and "Flame" feature Morgan on guitar & vocals; Jeff Benik (California Speedbag) on drums, Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, Cobra Verde, Death of Samantha) on lead guitar and Mike Derrick on bass. This was a studio-only lineup that never played a live show.

At the end of 1996 Doug put together the lineup that is featured on the remaining tracks. This lineup was: Doug Morgan - guitar, vocals; Jeff Benik - drums; Brent Collins - bass, guitar; and myself (Tom Miller) on guitar. This was the "real" band; the one that was going to record, play gigs and (according to Doug) get famous...and the rest would be history. Turns out the rest WAS history, and a very short one at that.

We played 4 shows total, before the whole thing blew apart. It didn't help that Jeff quit after the recordings, and that every gig we played featured a different drummer. On New Years Eve, 1997-98, we even had our bass player Brent play bass and drums simultaneously. Brent could do amazing things like that. Some say we never sounded better live then that night, but it didn't matter much since we broke up immediately afterward. Too bad because I really liked Doug's songs; I thought they might even have had some commercial potential, in a Tom Verlaine/Rolling Stones/Wilco-ish sort of way. So much for that idea. Oh well, here are the songs now, in all their never-before-released-to-the-public glory.

All songs are copyright 1996 & 1997 by Doug Morgan. Used by permission.
DOWNLOAD:

No Real Thing
My New Moon
Lip Shine
Tattoo
Musical Fatuwa
Flame
Lou
What Would You Have Me Do?

Neptune's Car recordings (plus a lot of other great music) can be found at Ted Barron's "Boogie Woogie Flu" blog.

It's Brunch time!!!

2009-06-22T14:46:00.007-04:00

Today's post goes back to the mid-1990's and features BRUNCH. No one has ever heard of this group before, not even in our hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. That's because Brunch never played a gig, never released any recordings and never even took a band photo.

Brunch was Jessica Skerry, vocals; Benjamin Daniels, bass; Toby, drums, and myself on guitar. We were all Cleveland State University students back in 1994. Ben and I were also members of Swank Motel, a locally popular swing band. Since Swank only played cover songs, Brunch was going to be an outlet for our original songs.

We rehearsed several times per week for almost a year, but somehow we never thought we were quite "ready" to play out, so we never booked a live show. Listening back to the tapes we made, I'm not quite sure what it is we were trying to perfect. It all sounds OK to me - at the very least, good enough for some drunks at a bar.

Two major events brought the band to a close, before we ever got off the ground. First, Toby graduated and then immediately left for Europe to further his musical studies. At the same time, Swank Motel had a crisis and needed a new singer; Jessica was the obvious choice.

Before that happened though, we took a 4-track recorder over to Jessica's basement in Shaker Heights and taped the 4 songs posted below. "Chico," "Chase Me With A Dead Fish" and "Jaded" is music that I wrote with Jessica writing the words and inventing the singing parts. "Hugo The Dharma Cat" was Ben and Jessica's creation. Note the intro borrowed from "Black Orpheus."

"Hugo" and "Dead Fish" were both later re-recorded by Swank Motel in a real recording studio. I'll be getting to those recordings in a future post.

That's the basic facts. Today Jessica sings in the Cleveland band Lounge Kitty. Last I heard, Benjamin was living in China, teaching and still playing music. Toby - I have no idea what he is up to. I'm so out of touch, I can't even remember his last name!!!

So...come and get your Brunch, finally. It might be old and moldy but that's too bad for you. Hey, if you don't like it, then go to McDonald's!!

Tom Miller - New solo recordings

2009-06-05T18:08:00.007-04:00

I no longer play in bands; instead I have been concentrating on solo recordings, just to have some fun and occupy my spare time, since I'm not into fishing or golf. Found below are some songs I recently recorded at home on my little 4-track machine. I wrote them and played the instruments and sang.

"I Just Want To Make You Happy'" "You've Done It Now," "Let's Go To L.A.," and "Upset" are my version of rock music. Pretty basic but that's what I like to hear, usually. The other 2 songs are instrumentals. One is long and pseudo-funky, as the title implies. The other, "Catwalk" is short and kind of folky. The title is not about cats; I named it after a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington State called "The Catwalk." Not that it really matters.

All songs copyright 2009 by T.A. Miller. I will be posting more new songs as I finish them.