The Trigger Code Videos

I’ve been driving all day today, so a little late to posting this. But today marks the release of the 4th and final single from DEFIANCE. If you pre-saved it then you should have it now, then come October the full album will be released. Following is what I wrote about a month ago in regards to the song, when I got my release dates a little mixed up. But Tyler’s words still move me just the same. And I hope they move you too. Have a beautiful weekend everyone. ————————————-————————————— Here’s another simple video ahead of the release of the third single from DEFIANCE - [I’ve said the prayers i could think of] (untitled) - out tomorrow. Lyrically, without question, my favorite. Written just days before Tyler’s passing. The line “This is my attempt to suffer correctly…” has profound truth for all of us I think. Part of the human condition. An idea manifesting itself in different ways throughout the Psalms and myriad other songs and poems. But I’m not sure I’ve ever quite heard it with the slant Tyler put on it. Take care of yourself and take care of the ones with you. #mentalhealthmatters #newmusic #newrelease #poetry #poems #paranoidschizophrenia #defiance #musicvideo #artiseverywhere #inmemoriam #folkmusic

Q: - Does a polywog want to dance? - A: - Not sure, but I know Tyler does, so here’s one for him to dance to. ————————————- The (actual) third single from DEFIANCE is available today. Catch some bits of the making of; and if you can’t tell we had an alright time recording it and maybe even an alrighter time performing it live! #newmusic #musicvideo #dancer #newalbum #singlerelease #rocknroll #polywogs #artiseverywhere #saxaphone #mentalhealthmatters #paranoidschizophrenia #gibsonguitars

Here’s another simple video ahead the release of the third single from DEFIANCE - [I’ve said the prayers i could think of] (untitled) - out tomorrow. Lyrically, without question, my favorite. Written just days before Tyler’s passing. The line “This is my attempt to suffer correctly…” has profound truth for all of us I think. Part of the human condition. An idea manifesting itself in different ways throughout the Psalms and myriad other songs and poems. But I’m not sure I’ve ever quite heard it with the slant Tyler put on it. Take care of yourself and take care of the ones with you. #mentalhealthmatters #newmusic #newrelease #poetry #poems #paranoidschizophrenia #defiance #musicvideo #artiseverywhere #inmemoriam #folkmusic

Sunday afternoon co-write with the other 2 members of the band-yet-to-be-named. #songwriting #nashvilletn #newmusic #artiseverywhere

Not on top but not stopping
Single 2 is out today. So here’s another simple music video to go with it. “Not on top but not stopping” - poetically following in the footsteps of the Beats, Tyler Micah Eckel writes with a rhythm that we tried to capture through my favorite track in a production sense; and is probably the most optimistic of the 14 tracks on the record. Herein is Tyler’s style and way of saying “keep on keeping on.” And unrealized by me until today - the significance of 7/14…Tyler’s birthday. Brought to you with some fireworks. Happy birthday to the man, the poet, the friend, the brother, the son, the uncle, the farmer, the artist, the defier #newmusic #singlerelease #newalbum #defiance #defianceohio #nashvilletn #songwriting #songwriter #artiseverywhere #paranoid #schizophrenia #poetry #poems #musicvideo #fireworks #beatpoetry

I would not mind doing this much more often. Thanks to everyone who came out to Dee's Lounge on Saturday ! And to Tyler James for the 🎥 work. #newmusic #doesapolywogwanttodance #defiance #newalbum #rocknroll #offtherails

No more gimmicks, just a little teaser from rehearsal. Next stop - the real deal at Dee's Lounge. Hope to see you there. ✌️🎸 #newmusic #newalbum #rocknroll #folkrock #nashville_tn #madisontn #bandrehearsal #livemusic #artiseverywhere #localmusic

I looked up from eating breakfast the other morning and saw the sun doing this to this piece hanging in our stairwell. It’s crazy what happens if you stare at it long enough. #indonesianart #livemusic #madeyalook #newmusic #artiseverywhere

A year ago this week Tyler took his life after succumbing to a 20+ years battle with #paranoid #schizophrenia and #mentalillness - in memoriam the first single - Living in savings - will be released this week as well. Available anywhere you choose to stream / download. And we’ll be sure to play it next week at the release show at @deeslounge615 #newmusic #poetry #albumrelease #livemusic #folkmusic #rocknroll #nashvilletn #mentalhealthawareness #artiseverywhere #localmusic #madisontn

#tbt last August found me in the studio for several days recording DEFIANCE. On this day, @jr_wombat , @kenny.hutson and @matthewricecampbell joined me at @almondblossomrecordings . Glad to say they’ll be joining me again along with @michelleraybournmusic at @deeslounge615 on June 24th. If it sounded this good when we were just setting up, you know you’re in for something real nice! #newmusic #livemusic #recordingstudio #nashvilletn #artiseverywhere #defiance #newalbum

The first single will be out soon so here’s a lo-fi, buzz, night chirpers version of it. The words penned by Tyler Micah Eckel @m.e._tyler prior to his passing. Come hear it live at @deeslounge615 on June 24. #newmusic #livemusic #poetry #madisontn #nashvilletn #defiance #defianceohio #paranoid #schizophrenia #artiseverywhere #lyricvideos

More sounds from the new record. This is - "Giants walk." Written on a night a lot like the one here in Nashville; warm, bugs buzzin', while sitting on a then unfinished porch. Come hear the full version at Dees Lounge @deeslounge615 June 24th! #newmusic #livemusic #nashvilletn #madisontn #defiance #artiseverywhere

Another reminder of the release show (coming up in less than a month) along with another sound bite from the record from a song entitled "As I recall I recalled". Also as a reminder or for those who are just now "tuning in" - the album is a collection of songs adapted from the poetry of Tyler Micah Eckel, a high school friend of mine who took his life last year after a 20+ years battle with #paranoid #schizophrenia - Come show your support for the music but more importantly the #mentalhealth community as well as his family, who will be in town for the show. 7 PM. June 24th. At Dees Lounge in Madison, TN. #livemusic #newmusic #nashvilletennessee #localmusic #artiseverywhere #rocknroll #poetry

Keeping the promo going...to the tune of "Does a polywog want to dance?"...sounds like they do. Hope you'll come to the #defiance album release show and dance to it too, and get a free download of the full album way before it's released in full. JUNE 24. At Dees Lounge Dee's Lounge. 7 PM. 102 E Palestine Ave. Madison, TN. #livemusic #newmusic #rocknroll #polywog

My first memories of Simon & Garfunkel have to do with Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter and the Boxer. Again, thanks to the radio and my dads cassettes. I think what drew them to me as a kid was that I could so easily imagine who and what they were singing about. Their words painted scenes. I have always had an image of Mrs. Robinson, she’s been the same gray haired lady as long as I can remember. Brown, white, black and gray are the only colors I see in Hazy Shade…and there’s always a park bench lightly covered in snow. The Boxer - having seen Rocky as a kid I always see the man running the Philly streets, but it’s some version of him that’s less optimistic. I also would probably credit the Boxer (and Springsteen’s - No Surrender) for introducing me to the idea that when words don’t suffice, sounds can have meaning too, IE, “Li la li”. I’ve also always been obsessed with reverb. I didn’t know what it was then, but later and still, when I think of reverb or need a reference for it, it’s probably Simon & Garfunkel’s reverb. Only Living Boy In New York is one that I didn’t discover until later on in high school, but since then it has been my favorite of theirs. Again, I see Tom. Dark haired, clean shaven, mid-twenties walking with both hands in his corduroy, dark green jacket pockets. The words “here I am” and “half of the time we’re gone and I don’t know where” - as true then as they are now. Maybe even more so if truth can get true-er. The line “I get all the news I need from the weather report” was a continuous comfort for me through the pandemic, and has always been a good bit to sing to myself in seasons of anxiety. Because this song has meant so much to me I’ve done my best to make it my own, giving it a rhythmic twist and some chordal changes that are bit more “my colors.” So - here I am - singing Only Living Boy In New York. Hope this finds you well. And best to you and yours. #simonandgarfunkel #onlylivin

(Where’s the trippy filter Facebook?! At least I’ve got the electric with tremolo - a must. 😜) ——- Imagine being 6 years old (or thereabouts) and hearing this song for the first time. And then listening to it again every chance you got. When this came on I shouted “turn it up!” As a kid hearing this all I could do was wonder and imagine. The colors. The vibrations, especially of Tommy’s voice at the end. The changes in speed and movements from ballad to blues. This was probably my intro to psychedelic rock n roll, although it could have been the Zombies, Stepenwolf, or maybe even Paul Revere & the Raiders. But as best as I remember it Tommy James and the Shondells was what I was introduced to first - again because my dad listened to the oldies station pretty much any time the radio was on. There’s something about their brand of rock n roll that has always stuck with me. It’s accessible, but not candy. Tommy’s voice never tries too hard. And the band played simple, but well placed parts; using space to create interest. Proof that taking away something can be just as interesting as adding. Long before punk they had an element of punk rock in their music (especially songs like “Mony” and “I Think We’re Alone Now”), which may the draw for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts or Billy Idol. And truthfully they have probably influenced a lot more artists then we know; even Dolly Parton , who has no problem writing great songs, covered this one. Overall, in my opinion, one of the more under-credited bands from the American history of rock n roll. This song in particular, is also evidence of the fluidity of art. As a 6 year old it certainly meant something different to me than it does now 🤣, but it still can take me back to that kid and I love listening to it that way. #rocknroll #tommyjamesandtheshondells #punkrock #crimsonandclover #coversongs #tremolo #phsychedelicrock #electricguitar #artiseverywhere #influences #60smusic

Last one of these I did covering Roy Orbison, I mentioned how my earliest musical influences were, thanks mostly to my dad, oldies. Of all the music he played around the house or in the car my favorite of his favorites was The Beach Boys. If ever the voice was an instrument in the world of rock n roll, Brian Wilson and his brothers knew how to play it. I almost didn’t record this simply because the vocal arrangements on all of The Beach Boys songs are so crucial to the whole. The vocal parts are THE vocal. They aren’t just background voices, filling out a sound or acting as a nice harmony. They are a collection of voices and parts that make up THE voice that is The Beach Boys. So, this is clearly just my attempt at covering the song with a single voice. To me it’s very apparent that the other voices are wanting, but the song is still incredible (with a very simple chord progression that you might never know for the movement of the melodies). But back to being a kid and hearing this music: I remember always being fascinated with the sound of all the parts working together. The instruments and the voices both. The overlapping of one voice with another: one guy singing “Away” and holding it out while the other sang “fun, fun, fun til…” and then another came in with a “oooo” - a vocal wall of sound with a hook in every part. You’ll hear my attempts at some of this in TC songs like “The Fugitive Kind”, “Horses are Finally Running”, “ Papa”, “Head On A Swivel” to name a few; although nothing nearly as complex. Counter melodies and counter lyrics zig zagging cooperatively with the other parts. The Beach Boys were masters of it along with so many other things. So here it is - and I don’t exaggerate when I say it - my ATTEMPT. #thebeachboys #rocknroll #sloopjohnb #coversong #brianwilson #denniswilson #mikelove #carlwilson #aljardine #artiseverywhere #influences #60smusic

A little chord riff (I’ve been liking lately) from the front porch this fine, spring afternoon. #guitarriff #songwriter #songwriting #rockingchair #frontporch #musictherapy #artiseverywhere #goodlettsvilletn #nashvilletn

As life permits I’ve thought it may be interesting for the faithful few here to get some insight into my muses and influences; sharing acoustic covers by artists that have been formative for me in some way. And so here it is. ——————- For me it all began with a Time / Life commercial on TV when I was around the age of 5 or 6, that was advertising a “Best Of” type of collection for Elvis Presley. I saw him slinging the guitar and moving as only Elvis did to Jailhouse Rock, and I was mesmerized. Fortunately my parents, who did not care for him, were still cool enough to be supportive; taking me to see impersonators on several occasions, buying me records, allowing me to practice the moves albeit while using a tennis racquet as a guitar. Seeing the king in that commercial back in the mid 80’s was my gateway to the universe of rock n roll and he’s been with me ever since. You may have been at a show where I’ve covered Hound Dog. Just the other night I had a dream in which we met - working on turning that conversation into a song currently. It involves cornbread, gasoline, a Ford Mustang, hound dogs and rock n roll amongst a bunch of other stuff. But here’s my cover of his softer side - Love Me Tender - as simple and beautiful as they come in the world of song. I hope you enjoy. #elvispresley #elvis #rocknroll #hounddog #jailhouserock #lovemetender #coversong #influences #muse #songwriting #songwriter #nashvilletennessee #tupelo #artiseverywhere