<<

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Don’t Look Back

Back of My Hand

Deep Blue Sea

The High Road

Poor Me

Anything is Possible

All She Ever Wanted

You & I

Psycho

My Island

Without You Digital Notes “Don’t Look Back”

brentbourgeois.com Digital Album Notes “Don’t Look Back”

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Don’t Look Back

When the eyes of the world have descended upon you And you feel like you have to justify every single thing that you do It may be time to try a different tact Keep your eyes straight ahead and don’t look back

I’ve got to say you take things way too hard And you end up feeling all battered and scarred Before you give yourself a heart attack Just keep on movin’ and don’t look back (Keep on movin’ and don’t look back)

You do a lot of preachin’ ‘bout right and wrong And we all gotta listen to that same ol’ song Well do yourself a favor while you’re talkin’ smack Hit the road and don’t look back (Hit the road and don’t look back)

Two little birdies sittin’ in a tree One says to the other, “Do you see what I see?” There’s a cat right down below us and he’s looking for a snack Let’s take to the skies and don’t look back (Let’s take to the skies and don’t look back)

Talk is cheap; but you know that Peacock still be singin’ ‘bout a big man’s hat Mama always told you ‘fore you hit the sack Shut your mouth and don’t look back Shut your mouth and don’t look back

When trouble seems to find you on your left and your right Hide under my wing and stay out of sight It’s so easy to get on the wrong track Keep your eyes on the road and don’t look back (Eyes on the road and don’t look back) Let’s take to the skies and don’t look back Just keep on movin’…and don’t look back

Written & produced by | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, keyboards, programming | John Lee Sanders: lead vocals, sax Aaron Smith: drums | Chris Rodriguez: , bgvs | McCarthy: bgvs, Racheyfu | Michelle Tumes: bridge bgvs | Mixed by Ralph Stover| Drums recorded by Stephen Leiweke at Yackland Studio, Nashville TN.

brentbourgeois.com Brent Bourgeois & John Lee Sanders “Don’t Look Back”

“Don’t Look Back” is the title song and leads the record off. It was important to set the tone with something fun and funky. The song features John Lee Sanders on vocals and alto sax. John and I go back to a band called Uncle Rainbow, who got their start in Dallas and moved to the San Francisco Bay area in the mid-70s.

The song also features a young lady that I discovered in the mountains of when she was 14 years-old. Rachael Lampa (McCarthy) remains the best singer I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and I’ve worked with a few.

Also appearing with Rachael on vocals is Chris Rodriguez–their blend is fantastic. Aaron Smith is playing drums.

I also want to mention a fantastic cameo vocal tour-de-force by Michelle Tumes (Higgins.) Michelle and I worked a great deal to- gether during our time in Nashville, especially considering she was on “another” label. In fact, one of the many things I got in trou- ble for during my time as VP of A&R at was my prolific use of Michelle. Anyway, I had an idea for a vocal layering in the instrumental section of this song and immediately thought of her to do it. It’s a short bit, but it is very powerful. Boy did she deliver! She sent me FORTY-EIGHT tracks! Now that’s a girl after my own heart!See more photos here.

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Back of My Hand

Love hurts like a blister On the back of my hand keep bumpin’ it Just a little but just enough Enough to believe it’s driving me crazy But that’s what love does…but I’m lazy But not enough to believe that I’m over my head I know love like the back of my hand But not enough to believe that I’m over my head I know love like the back of my hand

Love aches like a cavity In the back of my head -it’s always buggin’ me If I let it get the best of me It’s always driving me over the edge But that’s what love does…not gonna let it Not gonna ever let you know that I’m over my head I know love like the back of my hand Not gonna ever let you know that I’m over my head I know love like the back of my hand

I know love like the back of my hand I know love like the back of my hand I know love like the back of my hand

Love hurts but I’ll get over it Like the blister on the back of my hand

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, bgvs, keyboards, programming | Steve Brewster: drums Chris Rodriguez: and bgvs | Mixed by Ralph Stover

brentbourgeois.com Brent Bourgeois & Steve Brewster “Back of My Hand”

Steve Brewster sat in the drummer’s chair for my last album, “Come Join the Living World,” and did a fantastic job. But I will always remember one moment in time with him during those sessions. He was in the studio laying down a track, and it was right at the mo- ment of the OJ Simpson slow-motion White Bronco freeway chase in LA.

Charlie Peacock, engineer Craig Hansen and I were in the control room and the TV was on overhead showing the “chase.” We were absolutely transfixed, and Steve finished a track and just sat there waiting for anyone to say anything, but no one did. Finally, he yelled, “HEY!” which awoke us from our trance, and we just had him come into the studio and watch. We were done for the day.

Steve Brewster is back on this record, playing on “Back of My Hand,” and “Anything is Possible,” and his drumming is stellar. In this picture, I am explaining to Steve the importance of having a lot of snare drums…

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Deep Blue Sea

Like that I am I come crawling back From the bottom of the deep blue sea It’s a shame but you knew I was drowning there And you wouldn’t lift a finger to save me I had thought I was wise to the ways of the world But nothing had me reeling like this Now I’m sinking like a stone and I’m all alone At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea

On the Fourth of July you said bye to me You declared your state of independence I was hoping you’d stay for a drink or two And we could talk about our best intentions Hey the man in the moon and a cold day in hell Has just as good a chance as me I swore it was your fingers around my neck On the bottom of the deep blue sea On the bottom of the deep blue sea

No rhyme no reason no sense at all Faithless lover is out to get me I tell myself that I’ve had my fill I keep swimming on back to the one that got me And now I swear I’ve met my end At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea

No rhyme no reason no sense at all Faithless lover is out to get me I tell myself that I’ve had my fill I keep swimming on back to the one that got me And now I swear I’ve met my end At the bottom of the deep blue sea And now I swear I’ve met my end At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea At the bottom of the deep blue sea

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, keyboards, programming | Chris Rodriguez: guitars, bgvs Mixed by Ralph Stover

brentbourgeois.com “Deep Blue Sea”

I consider Chris Rodriguez one of my best friends in the industry. I got to know him when he sang on Come Join the Living World, and we’ve been close ever since. Chris was always a first call session singer and guitarist in Nashville in the late 80s and into the 90s and beyond, but everyone always wondered why he never made his own record. Well I finally tricked him into making one for me at Word Records, and I produced it as well. Chris’s fingerprints are all over this record–especially the first three songs. On “Deep Blue Sea,” Chris is singing and playing the guitar parts. Oh, and I had a most memorable experience listening to the master of the record with him in his car the evening that I got it ;)

In this photo, I’m explaining to Chris that it’s probably not a good idea to put AutoTune on his vocals until after he sings…See more here.

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com The High Road

Look what we’ve done to love again While we’re just waiting for it all to end Who’s in the driver’s seat for this foolish ride? Well call us fools then–we’re fools for love Your hands are shaking my heart is breaking ‘Cause when we get crazy nobody wins

Baby take the high road, I’ll take the high road with you Baby take the high road, I’ll take the high road with you So many things got in the way of loving you Baby take the high road I’ll take the high road too

Whoever said, “It’s darkest ‘fore the dawn” Well they weren’t speaking of you and I It’s likely some poet’s version of a dream That knows no waking in the modern world Just when we thought it all was over Along comes another damn seed we’ve sown

Baby take the high road, I’ll take the high road with you Baby take the high road, I’ll take the high road with you So many things got in the way of loving you So baby take the high road I’ll take the high road too Baby take the high road I’ll take the high road too

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois, and co-produced by Ross Hogarth | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, keyboards | Julian Lennon: lead vocals Michael Urbano: drums | : bass | Mike Roe: | Tim Pierce: electric and slide guitars Drums and bass recorded by Michael Rosen Adrian Bourgeois: acoustic guitar | Rich Ayres: acoustic guitar Brent Bourgeois’ vocals and organ recorded by Rich Ayres at River City Recording, Roseville CA Julian Lennon’s vocals recorded by Ross Hogarth at Nightbird Studio, West Hollywood CA | Mixed by Ross Hogarth

brentbourgeois.com Brent Bourgeois & Julian Lennon “The High Road”

“The High Road” has become somewhat of a centerpiece of this album. A duet with Julian Len- non blossomed into a partnership in which people who buy this record will also be donating to Julian’s White Feather Foundation if they choose. (photo: discussing agricultural subsidies to Albania with Julian Lennon)

But there is a lot more to be excited about from this song. It features a number of people who have been important to me over the years. First of all, Michael Urbano is playing the drums, and Larry Tagg the bass–I defy anyone to find a better rhythm section anywhere. 77s founder Mike Roe, a friend for thirty years, is holding down one end of the electric guitars, and LA session guitarist Tim Pierce the other. And my son Adrian is playing the acoustic guitar, along with River City Recording’s Rich Ayres. And making it all sound wonderful is producer/engineer Ross Hogarth, who co-produced the track and was the engineer on my first solo record.

Per the post on my site about the June 2, 1967 US release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, “The High Road” clearly shows my Beatles’ roots and their lasting legacy on my music. And it doesn’t hurt to have Julian Lennon singing on it, either. Read more about The High Road here.

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Poor Me

Once again I find myself in a place I don’t understand The Goddess of Fate is showing me the back of her hand And try I as I may I don’t understand Of all the people in the world…O why me? I grow so weary of the chains I have to bear And I swear it’s killing me

Poor me Falling again from the same tree Over my head on the high seas Drifting from train wreck to tragedy Over and over again

So I wound up on the wrong side of the tracks Walk smack dab into trouble–I’ve always had the knack And fool that I am–I’ve forgotten how to get back Back to my home–wherever home may be…I don’t know I’ve travelled halfway ‘round the world–I’ve got another half to go I’m praying for the winds of change to follow me O Lord let me be

Poor me (Poor little me) Falling again from the same tree (Poor little me) Over my head on the high seas (Poor little me) Drifting from train wreck to tragedy (Poor little me) Over and over again

Of all the people in the world-why me? I’ve travelled halfway ‘round the world-and it’s killing me

Poor me (poor little me) Of all the lonely lonely lonely people Poor me (poor little me) To have this burden to bear Poor me (poor little me) Nothing I can do but to believe the best is yet to come

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, bgvs, keyboards, programming | : vocals Aaron Smith: drums | : bass | Jerry McPherson: guitar | John Fields: Electric sitar Drums recorded by Stephen Leiweke at Yackland Studio, Nashville TN | Mixed by John Fields

brentbourgeois.com “Poor Me”

I’ve known Todd Rundgren a long time. As has been previously mentioned, he produced Bourgeois Tagg’s Yoyo album. He liked our band–and why not–it was a killer band. It was just after that record that we played this gig with Todd, something called Condom- mania.

And then, just as I was leaving Bourgeois Tagg to start my solo career, Todd asked us all to play on his album, which was recorded live in the studio. Thank God some- body (Ed Vigdor) was there filming it–this is some GREAT footage. In it you can see many people who played on Don’t Look Back, including Michael Urbano, Larry Tagg, Lyle Work- man, and Vicki Randle. And Michael Rosen, who engineered some of the rhythm tracks on “Don’t Look Back,” is the guy behind the mixing desk.

In “Fidelity,” it is me playing the keyboard figure throughout the song, and you can see me paying Todd a dollar probably for him having to show me how something went more than once. Watch here.

In “The Want of A Nail” I moved over to the singer’s booth, where they were having much more fun…watch that video here.

On “Poor Me,” check out Kasim Sulton’s smooth bass part, Jerry McPherson on guitar, and Aaron Smith’s stellar brush work on the drums. John Fields mixed and added the electric sitar. Listen for Todd’s 1001 vocals: the “la-la’s,” the melody in the chorus, and the answer line in the 2nd chorus and beyond.

Someone asked me about the “center,” or soul, of the record. After thinking about it, I think it’s “Poor Me.” It has all of the elements brentbourgeois.com in it that make me feel good and happy to be writing music again. See pictures and more here. brentbourgeois.com Anything is Possible

Anything is possible If you put your mind into it Like stealing candy from a baby it’s so easy Anything is possible Trust me there’s nothing to it Just bring your body and your mind will soon be tripping over me Extraordinary visions that are forming in my mind I might as well be going blind She’s the only woman who has ever chased the devil out of me…yeah

Anything is possible If you just let go of your senses Don’t be afraid to make the most of the situation All things are possible Don’t be so sentimental My body’s aching for the moment you uncover the mystery A moment’s hesitation and I’m falling under your spell I feel your light wash over me I’m in love with a woman who has always scared the devil out of me…yeah

Anything is possible Anything is possible All things are possible Explore the possibilities Anything is possible Everything is possible All things are possible If you let the possibilities

Falling under your spell I’ve never felt myself so free She’s the only woman who has ever chased the devil out of me…yeah

Anything is possible Just check your motivation Anything is possible So what’s your hesitation Anything is possible If you use your mystic vision Anything is possible A promise of a new sensation All things are possible Explore the possibilities Anything is possible Anything is possible Anything is possible Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, bgvs, keyboards, programming | Steve Brewster: drums Jerry McPherson: guitars | Mixed by Ralph Stover

brentbourgeois.com Brent Bourgeois & Jerry McPherson “Anything is Possible”

This song is a nod to James Bond movies and also to my late friend Robert Palmer. I know I was thinking of Robert when I wrote this, and my vocal lapses into almost homage at certain points along the way. It also features Jerry McPherson on “spy” guitar, and Steve Brewster on drums…

Click to see a photo from 1992 here on a writing trip to Robert’s home in Switzerland

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com All She Ever Wanted

When I was just a child of two or three was a simple mystery And I’d climb way up high on my mother’s knee She’d hum a little song just to comfort me Sensual memories of mother’s caresses The smell of her lotion, the shape of her dresses I can’t get that melody out of my head It reminds me of something–something you said to me You said I crossed way over the line Looking for something that never was mine You said you wanted more time to heal Now I need to hear that song sung softly

All she ever wanted-wanted was a friend It’s time for the talking-talking to end

Our conversation was light as a feather Avoid all emotion; talk about the weather And everything else under sun One by one it all gets done Insinuations of ‘it must get better’ I take each invitation to the letter I spend most of my time chasing my tail Looking for something so far beyond the veil And any moment in the blink of an eye I have this feeling and it’s stronger than I am You said you love it when a grown man cries Now I need to hear that song sung softly

All she ever wanted-wanted was a friend It’s time for the talking-talking to end

All she ever wanted-wanted was a friend It’s time for the talking-talking to end

Written by Brent Bourgeois | Produced by | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, additional keyboards Charlie Peacock: keyboards, programming | Mark Hill: bass | Jerry McPherson: guitar | Cody Fry: keyboards | Sam Ashworth: bgvs Engineered by Richie Biggs & Charlie Peacock at The Art House Studio, Nashville TN Mixed by Richie Biggs at The Chapel, Franklin TN

brentbourgeois.com Brent Bourgeois & Charlie Peacock “All She Ever Wanted”

How Long have I known Charlie Peacock? That is Charlie and Andi’s daughter Molly as the flower girl at our wedding. (That is my nephew Daniel as the ring-bearer.) Charlie and I have been through a couple of lives together. But through it all Charlie has been more than a friend; he has been a mentor, a role model, and a trail blazer.

Check out a sneak peek on my blog for music samples and photos. brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com You & I

Hey baby–look what’s happenin’ We’re the toast of the town believe it We made it–we’re survivors Into the wind we go now You and I

We’re gonna fly to the top of the sky And nothin’s gonna keep us from the moon now You and I I swear we can touch the sky…and paint the stars And more than this You and I

Here’s to the dreamers–keep dreamin’ Don’t stop ‘til you hit the ceiling We made it–through the ceiling We never gave in to it You and I

And that’s how we fell in love And Lord knows it’s happenin’ all over again ‘Cause we’re gonna touch the sky…and paint the stars And hang the moon That’s who we are Two lovers flying toward the sun…so much in love But more than this You and I

You and I I swear we can touch the sky You and I I swear we can touch the sky You and I I swear we can touch the sky You and I I swear we can touch the sky

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, keyboards, programming George Lawrence: drums | Chris Rodriguez: guitars | Paige Lewis: vocals | Paige Lewis’s vocal recorded by Adrian Bourgeois Drums engineered by Christopher Speich at the Drum Room, Nashville TN Mixed by Ralph Stover

brentbourgeois.com Credit: H. Armstrong Roberts “You & I”

I signed two 15 year-old females in 1998 in my capacity as VP of A&R at Word Records. One of them, Rachael Lampa, got most of the ink. The other, Paige Lewis, has almost become part of our family. Both of them appear on this record. Paige is currently in a band called See How They Run with my son Adrian. Adrian is also on the record, and he engineered Paige’s vocal on You & I. It’s neat to see the kids grow up…

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Psycho

My life is not too bright Somebody turn on the light Come take a picture of me So I can post it and you will see That I’m psycho Ready or not-here I go Well I’m psycho All captured on cellphone

We’ve got a pretty good deal We have exceptional genes And yet we fight like kids Even though we don’t know what it means We’re all psycho Down the drain here we go We’re all psycho And it’s all on Instagram

We’re all psycho Take a clue from the Romans We’re all psycho It’s the American moment To go psycho Posting a psuicide pselfie It’s all psycho And it’s all on my iPhone

Psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho Psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho Psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho Psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho/psycho

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, bgvs, keyboards, programming Michael Urbano: drums, percussion | Larry Tagg: bass | : guitars Drums and bass recorded by Michael Rosen | Brent Bourgeois’ vocals recorded by Rich Ayres at River City Recording, Roseville CA Mixed by David J. Holman

brentbourgeois.com Michael Urbano, Brent Bourgeois & Larry Tagg “Psycho”

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com My Island

I’m gonna build me a boat And sail far away Maybe to Barcelona And then to Half Moon Bay And when I’m done with that I’m gonna live off the land On my very own island With a plow in my hand

And with Wendell Berry Always by my side Though he don’t know it He’s gonna be my guide He’s gonna tell me what to reap He’s gonna tell me what to sow He’s gonna tell me everything That I need to grow on my island

Ooohh…the wind begins to blow Ooohh…and the water starts to flow Ooohh…then things begin to grow Ooohh…it’s where I wanna go

And was it Huey Long said “Every man’s a king!” Well, on my island I can do anything Yeah I may be alone All by myself But on my island I don’t need nobody else

Ooohh…the wind begins to blow Ooohh…and the water starts to flow Ooohh…then things begin to grow Ooohh…it’s where I wanna go

Ooohh…it’s where I wanna go Ooohh…Brother Wendell tells me so Ooohh…it’s where I wanna go Ooohh…Brother Wendell tells me so Ooohh…Maybe Henry David Thoreau Ooohh…it’s where I wanna go Ooohh…it’s where I wanna go

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, keyboards, programming Molly Felder: vocals | Vicki Randle: percussion | Mixed by Ralph Stover My Island artwork courtesy of Greg Newbold. All rights reserved. www.gregnewbold.com

brentbourgeois.com Vicki Randle “My Island”

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Without You

Early in the morning Just before the sunrise I open wide the mirror to taste the early dawn

Something’s caused my sleeplessness Arrested my devotion Looking in the mirror what do I see? Faithless staring back at me

Nothing really matters ‘Cause without you My whole life’s in tatters (without you ) I can’t face the future (without you) I’m hanging on to a slim line (without you) But I’ll keep holding on

I know it’s not that easy Hanging on to nothin’ Looking for deliverance upon the restless seas And now my vessel’s empty

But that won’t really matter ‘Cause without you My whole life’s in tatters (without you) I can’t face the future (without you) I’m hanging on to a slim line (without you) A life without emotion (without you) There really is no reason (without you) To keep hoping for the best things (without you) But I’ll keep holding on

Written & produced by Brent Bourgeois | Brent Bourgeois: lead vocals, bgvs, keyboards, programming Wayne Kirkpatrick: acoustic guitar, vocals | Aaron Smith: drums, tambourine | Vicki Randle: percussion Drums recorded by Stephen Leiweke at Yackland Studio, Nashville TN. Additional engineering by Todd Robbins at The Maple Room, Franklin TN | Mixed by Ralph Stover

brentbourgeois.com Brent Bourgeois & Wayne Kirkpatrick “Without You”

brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com Album was Mastered by Richie Biggs at The Chapel, Franklin, TN

Special Thanks!

This record literally would not have been made without the generous contributions made by my friends and peers in the music community. I will forever be in debt to you all, in alphabetical order: Rich Ayres, Richie Biggs, Michael Blanton, Adrian Bourgeois, Steve Brewster, Don Donahue, Donahue Entertainment, Molly Felder, John Fields, Mark Hill, Ross Hogarth, David Holman, Dave Jaworski, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Rachael Lampa McCarthy, George Lawrence, Julian Lennon, Paige Lewis, Jerry McPherson, Charlie Peacock, John Price, Vicki Randle, Todd Robbins, Henry Robinett, Chris Rodriguez, Michael Rosen, Todd Rundgren, John Lee Sanders, Aaron Smith, Ralph Stover, Larry Tagg, Michelle Tumes, Michael Urbano, & Lyle Workman

To my wife, Mary Ann, my children Adrian, Delaney, Corey, and Natalie, thank you for your patience and understanding. To my brother Brian and sister Coral, thank you for helping me with the video. It was great fun!

brentbourgeois.com The Rip Van Winkle of Music

I made my last CD of original music in 1994. Yes, it was a CD. Vinyl was long gone, cassettes were still around, but losing ground fast, and there was no such thing as downloadable music for sale. The CD was king.

In 1994, Bill Clinton was beginning the second year of his initial term as president. The People’s Republic of China got its first Internet connection. Apple unleashed its first PowerPC Microprocessor. Version 1.0 of the web browser Netscape Navigator was released. Green Day debuted their album Dookie, which went on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. 1994 was also the year of O.J. Simpson (I was in the studio record- ing while the white Bronco freeway chase was happening,) Nelson Mandela’s election as the first black president of South Africa, and Schindler’s List won seven Oscars at the Academy Awards.

The record business was still in its heyday in 1994. The sale of recorded music was continuing to rise, and would peak in 1999, with an income of around $14.5 billion. The record I made in 1994, Come Join the Living World, was considered a sales disappointment in the Christian market because it only ended up selling around 60,000 units, a figure that most artists not named Beyoncé or Katy Perry would kill for today. But then again, budgets for were astronomical by today’s standards. That same record cost over $100,000 to make, and that was easily the cheapest of the five records I was associated with as an artist, either with Bour- geois Tagg, or solo. (The video for my first single on my debut solo release on Virgin/Charisma, Dare to Fall in Love, cost $250,000!)

In 1994 we still recorded to tape, although we were well on our way using computers to create music. And we all mixed down to digital audio tape, or DAT, which was considered a Godsend because you could make perfect copies of the mas- ter for reproduction. Little did we surmise that we were staring right in the face of the silent killer of the music business. If we could make perfect copies, it was only a matter of time before you could do the same thing. The Internet in 1994 was this slow, cumbersome, geeky novelty that seemed at the time to have its greatest potential in research and as a database. You could see even then that the encyclopedia business was in trouble. The idea of “e-mail” was pretty cool, though.

After the sales disappointment of Come Join the Living World, I felt like my real future in music was in producing oth- ers rather than making my own records. I did this for next several years, adding VP of A&R at Word Records in Nashville into the mix. It was at Word that the signs of Digital Impending Doom were clearly there for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, but few in the industry were prescient enough take the threat seriously, and most fell back on established business norms, thinking this, too, shall pass.

Working inside the business at a record company had left a really bad taste in my mouth, so I jumped off the music biz ship as it was sinking in 2002, turning my back on the only profession I had known for almost thirty years and moving my family back to Northern California. I worked at two different churches, wrote three books, including two historical novels, coached my daughter’s soccer teams, worked with their musical theatre companies, and produced a local chil- dren’s worship CD. I had almost nothing to do with the pop music world for over ten years.

In 2013, Rip Van Winkle woke up. I was offered the chance to produce and mentor a young singer/songwriter in LA, and I jumped at the chance. This would involve co-writing (which also included a small publishing deal,) and pre-production programming and recording on my own at home, something I hadn’t done in many years. Even when I was producing re- cords in the late ‘90s, I was doing it almost exclusively with live musicians and orchestras, and I hired other people to do the programming. So I had a pretty steep learning curve ahead of me, and had to do it fast. I dusted off my copy of Logic, brentbourgeois.com brentbourgeois.com and dove in. On one hand, I was behind. On the other, I was fresh. The first thing to come tumbling out was an album’s worth of instrumental music. The idea of making a new record was still far from my mind. Then I began writing songs for my new publisher, but he didn’t like them–they weren’t “sellable” or commercial enough. In reality, they were too “me,” and they became the genesis for this album. I guess time will tell if he was right.

So here I am, in 2014, making a new “album?” “Record?” “Downloadable Collection of Songs?” So, so much has changed since I made my last one, we don’t even know what to call it. CDs are on their way out, and vinyl is making a comeback (although did you know that 60% of all vinyl sold today is not opened?) I’m not even releasing a hard copy of this one. At the end of the recording process in 1994, we turned the recording over to the marketing and promotion department to make the cover and package, pick the single for radio, and develop some sort of promotional tour. They in turn, handed the finished product over to the distribution arm of the company, who then delivered it to the thousands of record stores across the country and the world (and took almost 50% of the revenue for doing so.) Now, there is no “marketing and promotion department–“ that’s me. The “cover?” A selfie. A “single?!?” What is this “radio” that you speak of? “Promo- tional tour?” Trying to get some pimple-faced blogger to say a few kind words on Twitter from their bedroom. The “dis- tribution arm?” That would be me and my digital team (all three of them), getting my master to our own eCommerce store, and then eventually to iTunes and Amazon.com. Heck, I’M the company, the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer. Of the few record companies left, none of them would touch me with a ten-foot pole. And I will make a LOT more money with- out them.

There is mixed news about being a recording artist in 2014. The bad news is, anybody with a computer can make a record, and it seems like half the world is doing just that. Everybody’s making records, and almost nobody is buying them. Very, very few people in the music business are actually making money at their profession. If you are in the business of making records, everything is being done at about 10¢ on the dollar to 15 years ago. There is a tremendous amount of clutter and chaff out there, and it is a real challenge to have your voice heard above the din. There was something to be said about the old system of “record company” as a sort of gatekeeper or first line of defense as versus the overwhelming amount of recorded music, most of it underwhelming, being foisted upon the public now.

But there is much to like, too. In 2014, technology has gotten cheap enough so that almost anyone can make a record. Thanks to constantly improving and less expensive technology, I made a large portion of this record sitting on my living room floor. Thanks to the same technology, I was able to capture many of my friends’ parts at their own homes, bypassing thousands of dollars in studio and engineering costs. (Thanks to the incredibly generous contributions of my friends and musical peers, I was able to make this record for an insanely low amount of money!) This technology has allowed many talented people who would have slipped through the record company cracks the opportunity to offer their musical gifts to the world. Now, the bond between artist and consumer is immediate and close; there is no behemoth middle-man stand- ing in between. Sure, record companies were able to generate more sales, but the artist never saw any of that money (ex- cept as a songwriter.) I had an artist at the company I worked at sell over one million records over the course her career, and she never saw a penny of record royalties.

One thing that hasn’t changed in twenty years, or fifty, is that a good song is still a good song. Music will always have the capacity to move us. A great beat or a well-placed set of chord changes still has the power to change our mood. To this day, I get goosebumps or can tear up at a certain melody or emotional point in a song. I have rediscovered my love of songwriting and passion for making music during the process of creating this “collection of songs.” Hopefully, it won’t take another twenty years to make another one.

Brent Bourgeois, April, 2014.

brentbourgeois.com