A few weeks ago, I went to Voyageurs National Park on the Minnesota/Canada border. We were one one of a handful of canoes in the entire park - probably the only canoe not registered (as is apparently necessary under Minnesota law). Basically, this is a huge park made up of a few large lakes and many islands. There are hundreds (maybe) of campsites, but only can be reserved with a first come/first serve rule. As I mentioned, we had one of the few canoes in the park - so getting to a campsite that was wasn't taken was next to impossible.
Before dark on our second night out, we found an open campfire ring on a narrow strip of a peninsula with a huge lake on the north side, and a small bay on the other. We set up in a five foot strip between two beaches.
When the storm came the first night, we came to the conclusion that we weren't set up in a very safe place.
When the storm came with tornadoes on the second night, we thought we were going to die.
Our canoe was thrown by the storm (I tied it down just in case) and we spent half of the night holding down the tent and covering our heads.
So here is the story: Kinda' Freaking Out

breathing in the open air
wonder where I can go from here
all is calm on every side
it won't be like it was last night
thinking 'bout the day before
stretching out in paradise
setting up on a narrow strip
ignoring all things common sense

and if you need to know
yeah if you need to know
kinda freaking out
kinda freaking out

everything is picking up
big enough to wake us up
lucky that I tied it down
not registered it won't be found
thinking 'bout the other night
we didn't learn from it like you'd think we might
holding down the outer edge
folding arms up over head

I've got to hold us down
we won't flip upside down
kinda freaking out
kinda freaking out
and if you need to know
yeah if you need to know
kinda freaking out
kinda freaking out

filling up an inch or two
what did I get us in to?
waves are crashing from both sides
why didn't we move after last night
coming down from canada
it's gonna be the death of us
who's going to feed the little ones
if we don't make it through this one?

Okay, I better get this posted before you all get the wrong idea...
This week's Song of the Every Other Week is called One Month Dead. I wish I could tell you that I made this story up... but I can't.
I live in the middle of the woods in central Wisconsin. We have a pretty good trail system that weaves in and out of various parts of our property. Just before Memorial Day, a dead tree had fallen across the trail, taking down a live tree in the process. I haven't had a chance to clean up the debris until last weekend.
So, I'm standing next to the fallen trees, struggling with getting my chainsaw started, when I noticed a pair of eyes staring at me from under the pile of branches. A doe (a deer; a female deer) was lying dead under the debris.
Apparently, when the storm took out the trees, the doe was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was crushed.
I've always had a strong connection to deer - and this episode was really disturbing - and continues to be more disturbing as it gets mauled and decomposes. So... of course, I had to write about it.
I'll make sure that the next Song of the Every Other Week will be a little happier and less disturbing (or at least disturbing in a different way) than the last couple songs.

Holy crap. I forgot to blog the new song. ...and another new song is only days away.
It's been an interesting month... long story short, Yellowviolet 3.1 is about to be unleashed. I'm not sure what the hell that means, but 3.0 was pretty interesting. I'm going to have an extra 10 hours each week to dedicate to making what I consider music.
Also - this is pretty big - anyone who would be interested in getting together as an actual band, please drop me a line. Here's what I'm hoping for:
A drummer. Preferably a drummer who likes to hang out on the toms and the kick and only uses snares and cymbals minimally. Maybe a jazz/R&B background with a splash of hand drums. Cowbells are okay, but never use the expression "need more cowbell." This has become as annoying as some idiot yelling "Freebird."
2 Bassists. Yes, 2 bassists, at least. I would be on a bass as well from time to time... making it 3 at once. An upright would be fun.
Keys. Someone with a varied background... but must have an interest in avant guard and ambient sounds.
All should not be afraid to sing or grunt or act like chickens or wear costumes or - well, you shouldn't be afraid of anything. I'm hoping to make live shows into a crazy theatrical mess that keeps people focused on the stage and silently in awe. Something that would try to be explained to friends the day after - but still sounds good when listening later.
The main part of the gig would be in the studio, creating new music. This is the primary goal of Yellowviolet. Playing out would be sparse and carefully planned and orchestrated - with an attempt to stay away from typical bar gigs.
Anyone interested, please send me a message or an email to iwantin@yellowviolet.org.
Oh yeah... this week's song, Of course, I've got a chorus. Damn. has already changed quite a bit from the version you heard on myspace or the website. It's probably about teen angst or something.

I'm not sure exactly why, but I really like this one. This week's Song of the Every Other Week is about getting in gear for the auction. ...which I guess is about the trials and tribulations of the preparations of auctioning. I went out on a limb on this one, but I'm pretty sure the world could use another song about preparing for an auction.


Gotta Gear Up For The Auction
Gotta gear it up for the auction.

Every now and then, I realize why I force myself to do a brand new song each and every other week. Without such ridiculous demands that I place upon myself, I would never come up with songs that are equally as ridiculous as those demands. This week's song is called David Oreck - inspired by the countless radio commercials and television infomercials for the Oreck Vacuum Cleaner I've heard in the past few years. It's sad to say, but no additional research was needed to complete this song...

David Oreck

I had a dream...
I was knocking on your door
and I noticed that your carpets weren't clean
It's your lucky day
'cause I am David Oreck
and I brought with me my vacuum machine

A slight hesitation
I think you couldn't believe
that outside on your porch was an old celebrity
A moment later
I was sitting on your couch
explaining about all of the dangers of not using bags

I had a dream...
I was David Oreck
And I want to sell you vacuum machine
I've got an upright powerful 8 pound vacuum
and I guarantee you've never seen clean like this before

Plugged in the blacklight
turned off all the others
and I emptied out the leading machine
You should've seen
all the dust and debris
Man, I warned you... It's disgusting, I know...

And if you wanted to eliminate all of your allergies
I brought another thing named after me
It's got a Truman Cell, and it is cleanable by water
did I mention that it's named after me

I had a dream...
I was David Oreck
And I want to sell you vacuum machine
I've got an upright powerful 8 pound vacuum
and I guarantee you've never seen clean like this before

You like what you've seen?
look at before and after
did you even know your carpet was green?
without hesitation
you completely agree
how can I get one of them fantastic machines?

I had a dream...
I was knocking on your door
and I noticed that your carpets weren't clean
It's your lucky day
'cause I am David Oreck
and I brought with me my vacuum machine

I had a dream...
I was David Oreck
And I want to sell you vacuum machine
I've got an upright powerful 8 pound vacuum
and I guarantee you've never seen clean like this before

I love the springtime. Winter isn't horrible, but come mid-January, I'm ready for it to be over. There's something about the cool nights, the wet days and watching everything coming back to life that somehow revitalizes the spirits. And no matter how many problems you have, no matter how much you may get ripped off on Ebay or how much it costs to fix your car to a drivable condition, everything is a little bit better in the springtime.
This week's song is about going backpacking after a long winter break.

Metal Cup
Drinking out of a metal cup in the middle of the woods
head is empty but I don't care - it's probably like it should
10 miles away from the nearest road but the furthest from my mind
nothing to do but continue on further down the line, further down the line

Right on time cause the sun in shining already warming up
got a couple miles of walking to do, but it's not so strenuous
Taking it in with mellow grin, haven't got a thing to say
taking from a pile of borrowed time I didn't have yesterday, I didn't have yesterday

hanging my food from a metal pole in the middle of the woods
keeping it away from things that could eat something not so very good
all winter long I was waiting for dawn and now it has arrived
and I don't have to bundle up quite as much before I go outside, before I go outside

laying down on solid ground, don't think I'll get up today
never had anything feel as good as this chunk of clay
Taking it in with mellow grin, haven't got a thing to say
taking from a pile of borrowed time I didn't have yesterday, I didn't have yesterday

Drinking out of a metal cup in the middle of the woods
head is empty but I don't care - it's probably like it should
10 miles away from the nearest road but the furthest from my mind
nothing to do but continue on further down the line, further down the line

So, I decided to record on a Friday. On April 20th, to be exact. I wanted to figure out if recording on a Friday would produce a better song than recording on a Sunday would... given that the day following Sunday sucks ass. And what did I learn? I learned that the next time I try to do an experiment, I might want to try it again on a day that is not on the exact day that I recorded. This one is a happy song... with a tragic ending.
I got old this week. Monday to be exact. A birthday on a Monday is like a pie covered in sawdust. Don't work on your birthday.
If you've signed up for a Free CD, don't worry... I ran out for a while, but a new shipment is in. You should see them shortly! And if you haven't signed up for the absolutely free full-length album Semi-Contorted Summer Fix, you better hurry - this free promotion ends soon!
Anyway, here's a happy, yet tragic song about falling from the sky in your birthday suit.

Parachute
I'm going down
but I've got a parachute
I've got nothing on
but a pair of shoes
I'm looking through the reinforced glass
that's strapped across my face
and I'm cold
cause the wind is blowing places
never thought the wind could blow

I look around
the sun is coming down
on the town
its getting bigger by the second
and I can't remember why I jumped off of that plane
and I'm cold
cause the wind is blowing places
I'd rather not name

I've got a parachute
I've got a parachute
you know god damn right I got a parachute tonight
I'm going down

falling from the sky in my birthday suit
wondering if I could keep down food
maybe a can of concentrated soup
cookies from the girls scout troupe
saturday night with nothing to do
getting funky in the afternoon
freeing monkeys in the downtown zoo
getting free advice from the house sound crew
vacationing businessman in the city of Butte
standing on one leg playing the flute
falling from the sky in my birthday suit

I've been falling now
man it seems like over half an hour
I can see the treetops
and the power lines
and I'm getting kind of nervous
what did I forget to do
and I'm cold
and kind of shriveled up

This week marks the one year anniversary of the Song of the Every Other Week. So, Happy Anniversary to me. For those of you that said that it couldn't be done, a big thumb on the nose to you... and maybe a nana-nana-nana.
This week's song (sorry the blog is a little late) is basically about being in a rut. The lyrics for "Something Different" were written late on Sunday night - hours before the loose due date for the uploaded song... and writing songs at the end of the weekend might not be such a good idea due to the fact that all I can think about is how much I don't want to go to work in the morning. Its hard to write happy songs when you're in that kind of a mood. Maybe I should switch the date of the Song of the Every Other Week again... or maybe I should just not wait until the last possible moment.
Anyway, I'm told that this song has the potential to scare people. Sorry.

Something Different

by the last day I was out of my mind
living every single moment on borrowed time
I've taken it for granted, I threw it away
I've lived long enough to tell you I've got nothing to say

I want something different
I want something different

by the next time I'll be better informed
watching every little thing I hadn't noticed before
'cause it always seems to happen when I'm looking away
where I wouldn't have expected it to have taken its place

I want something different
I want something different

In the back of your eyes I can see my reflection
I can see my reflection in the back of your eyes

in the last hours I was less than amused
everything that I had expected had instead been refused
it was more than I could handle and less than I have
seeing everything slip away like grains of sand

I want something different
I want something different

by the last day I was out of my mind
living every single moment on borrowed time
I've taken it for granted, I threw it away
I've lived long enough to tell you I've got nothing to say

Hi there.
This week's Song of the Every Other Week (give or take every other day or so) is "13" - one of the earliest Yellowviolet songs ever written. Back in '94, I worked 3rd shift at a grocery store as a Stocker - possible the best and worst job I've ever had... Anyway, a lot of strange stuff was written in those days – strange in yellowviolet terms... This was one of the original songs and was recently rewritten and revamped for the kid's album Chocolate Milk Day.
From here on out, all the songs of the every other week will be brand-spanking new... so those of you that already have Chocolate Milk Day, try to relax... in less than 2 weeks, you'll have another song! ...and if you want a copy of Chocolate Milk Day or the brand new Semi-Contorted Summer Fix, I'll send you a copy free of charge!*

*Few things in life are free... this actually is. All I ask is that you listen and talk it up... and if you can't talk it up, pass it on.

13
I've got nothing going on about a quarter past three,
so why not stop on by for imaginary tea
She asked me the question but I could not comprehend
So I looked at her strangely and she asked me once again
I said I've got something going on about a quarter past three
I am going to try to swim across imaginary sea
I smiled at her sharply then I calmed it to a grin
I will never have the chance to say the things I said again
12345678910111213

and I'm driving down the highway...
and I'm driving down the highway with my windows rolled up
I'm driving at the limit (or perhaps a couple up)
'Cause I don't have any tickets and I want to keep that up
And I'm driving down the highway with my windows rolled up

Well I drive to the east I drive to the west
I drive to the front and a little in reverse
and I drive to a place that has never caught my eye
and I walk to the east I walk to the west
I walk up and down and I walk to the rest
And I walk to a river that has caught my tender eye

I walk to the water and I build a little raft - 13 miles to a far away land
Put on a crown and grab a staff - 13 miles to a far away land
I sail as far as I can go, through the riverbanks of gold
And I know every inch of the way from my destination to my Volvo
Low bridge everybody down
Low bridge 'cause we're going to the town
And I never had a neighbor, I never had a friend
Cause I never had the money that it takes for friends to spend
12345678910111213

This week's song is a remake of an old one - and available on Chocolate Milk Day, possibly the strangest album ever made for children.
I don't know what this one's about. I'd like to say that it involves something deeper than bugs flying around, but I can't say for sure.

Flew
One butterfly looked at another butterfly and said "hey, you look like me"
And the other butterfly agreed and they flew away.
And just about that time, or perhaps another time Mr. Fly came flying by
and he kissed his wife goodbye and he flew away
And one bumblebee looked at the other bumblebee and said "hey it's supper time!"
And the other bumblebee just smiled and they flew away.