clay

Iʼve recorded far too many songs for the album, so Iʼm in the middle of doing some weeding. Rosalie, a completely fictitious story that started out as an attempt to write a Memphis Jug Band style song. Too Blind is a country weeper. Tears To Pay is a song that shot through the sky and into the arm. I had know idea that it came from the future. Want? is a rollicking tune about things falling apart. Wish Iʼd Never may be the saddest song Iʼve ever written. Iʼm Waiting came from not being able to sleep in the old new house, because the sun came up so early and we hadnʼt installed any curtains.

God Is A Poet (Philosophy of the World PT 2) is…um…how I feel, sometimes. Angels Laid Awake was a song I wrote for Amy after her cat died. Yes, itʼs inspired by a cat. That Ainʼt Gamblinʼ is dedicated to The Secret Keepers Secret Meeting. Judgment Day- You donʼt want to live in my head for too long.
Hold On Tight (Lampshade) is a self congratulatory song about making good decisions. Iʼm Not Here was written during one of the rare times Iʼve had insomnia. Itʼs a promise to my girls. The Nightmare Song- The Horror Feb 30, 1993 is about a past life, while being COMPLETELY fictional. Fallinʼ, Laughinʼ and Empty kinda says it all. Mama Told Me- A serial killerʼs love song? The light at the end of the tunnel

I feel truly blessed to have so many talented friends who have been generous to give me their time and gifts. Returning to help from the last album are: on most electric guitars, the all-around amazing Chris Cline (from Low Land High), Allen Terhune (the sliding guitars), and Kevin Suggs (co-producing,mixing and engineering a lot of the recording). From my live band (Clay Bartlett and His Snide Remarks) are Sean Mugrage and JT. Iʼve known Sean from his years of playing bass with Pete Droge in Ramadillo. JT is one of those few drummers that know how a song goes before itʼs been played for him. He has an amazing instinct and knows just what the song needs, and more importantly what it doesnʼt. It has been a great experience playing with this rock solid rhythm section. We recorded 5 songs at Toolshed Studio, with the owner George Rezendes engineering and producing the basic tracks. I was fortunate to get my old friend Chris Friel (too many bands to mention) to play drums on some additional songs that I decided to lay down at Kevin Suggsʼ studio. I had Brian Ellard come to my home studio and record the fiddle parts. Jim Nyby ventured to Kevinʼs studio to lay down the piano and accordion. I made a lovely trip to Vashon to hang out with my dear friends Pete Droge, Elaine Summers, and their engineer ,Vincent Labelle, where we talked and ate cheese and Pete recorded some great organ parts. And I canʼt believe how lucky I was to get Christy McWilson, fresh from the Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women tour, to add some gorgeous harmonies to these songs. I canʼt thank these people enough and I know that I definitely didnʼt pay them enough.