Resurrecting This Blog - Writing Style

This blog is once again open for business. It is on of my 2011 resolutions to become more disciplined at writing (music specifically, but in all facets as well). Yes, some travel stuff will still get posted as it happens, but for now, I'm going to use this to keep myself honest and writing. Mostly, you will get to read my exercises, thoughts, and rambles, rather than complete works.

Enjoy!

my apartment -

hardwood floors, pretty, but I wish my desk chair wouldn't have scuffed and scratched that section. the futon, tiny and uncomfortable (so my brother claims), it was, nonetheless, cheap. on it sit a bunched-up pair of blue jeans that I just removed before bedtime, my cell-phone charger (which my girlfriend annoyingly :) likes to leave plugged in when she is here), some folded-up comfy blankets, and a small pillow. My guitar sits upright in its case, next to the futon. Earlier today, apartment smelled of sour milk after Heidi poured it down the drain, but either my nose has gotten used to it, or the combination of febreze and disinfectant spray which I hit the sink with actually worked. If the heat were on at this moment, I would hear the steam-like chugging from the pipe in the bathroom, which is often as loud as a high-pressure stream of water, even with the door shut. The windows have a small amount of moisture in the corners, which I am sure is from the humidifier (Denver is very dry). I sit cross-legged on my bed (in its cave), back hunched over this notebook. My small, studio apartment.

Dutch "Alt Country Forum" Review - Translated

Ghost Towns received a nice write-up from Dutch blog AltCountryForum, and you can read the entire piece (if you can read Dutch, that is) right here. If you are like me, and don't know that fine language, you are in luck, because my Belgian friend Shanna translated it for me:

"After a couple of successful solo albums, which were released between 2006 and 2008, with heartbreaking songs in the acoustic modern folk genre, the American singer songwriter John Statz approached a couple of musicians to accompany him on his new album. Inspired by run down, war-damaged cities in the Balkans and dying, disintegrating American cities is “Ghost Towns”, the brand new album of John Statz. It is the result of years of intensive touring through the US, Canada and Europe. The album consists of a collection of beautiful songs, regularly completed with the wonderful harmonic vocals of his supporting band. They also make excellent use of electric en acoustic guitars, banjo, mandolin, bass and violin.

Fans of Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Neil Young & Crazy Horse and Drive-by Truckers will appreciate the strumming roots rock and typical alternative country and folksongs. Beautiful, lingering music which never feels affected. On “Ghost Towns” John combines raw, exciting songs which drown in electric guitars (Best Girl and Ghost Towns), the sparkling west coast sound (Jackson Hole and Come Down), with songs which are only accompanied by acoustic guitar (Julija and Night Train to Sarajevo). “Ghost Towns” is an album which stands out because of the strong songs, musical firework, enjoyable voices and a recognizable sound."

Blogisode: "Ghost Towns" (the song, not the album)

Asbury Park, NJ. A veritable "ghost town" of its former self.

track name

about

written in the late winter/early spring of 2008, this is the oldest song on the album.

written in the late winter/early spring of 2008, this is the oldest song on the album.

Inspired by touring around the United States and seeing dead and decaying towns, killed off much of the time by moving American jobs overseas, such as some mentioned at the beginning of the song: Clevleand, Janesville (WI), Camden, East St. Louis, etc.

lyrics

Like Cleveland, Janesville, Camden,
or East St. Louis, where they used to make,
the things that we would all use every day.

Now we've shipped it to Korea, China Indonesia,
left like Ghost Towns, of the old west laid to west,
and left decayed.

They say, "lets get with the program,
there's nothing like the globalization"
of our paychecks, bank accounts, and place to stay

Lets give free trade to the masses,
cuz Americans have assets,
like satellite tv's, big cars, iPods, and fancy dress.

Left you drowning in the street,
bills a rope around your neck
and that big ole flatscreen tv,
wont mean a thing to me when you're dead.

We're kept separate by the waters,
cut off from one another, where we used to play,
in fields as kids at night time with the moon.

Now lets get out of the suburbs, these modern sprawling deserts,
and take back all,
the cities, towns and counties we once knew.

Left you drowning in the street,
bills a rope around your neck,
and that big ole flatscreen tv,
wont mean a thing to me when you're dead.
Left you drowning in the street,
well bills a rope around your neck,
and we'll talk about the hard times,
the ones we ain't be leaving yet.

Album Released For Digital Download

I am pleased to announce that the new album, Ghost Towns, is now available for digital download at johnstatz.bandcamp.com for $10, or $1 per individual track. Along with the download, you will receive all artwork, and can read all of the lyrics and track information at the bandcamp site.

The physical album is currently available at the shows I am playing in Alaska right now, and will be available at the CD Release Show in Madison on August 12th and for order online at that time as well.

Also, I'm giving you two great reasons to keep checking this blog in the coming weeks. First of all, I am currently touring Alaska (in Fairbanks at the moment), and will be posting pictures and commentary as I travel along, as I have for past tours. In addition, I am going to try and post a little bit about every song on the new album, giving you some insight into my inspiration and providing the lyrics.

Thank you for your continued support and interest, these are exciting times!

John

2nd New Song This Week - "To My Dismay"

Apparently I'm on a roll, two new songs in one week? That is rarity for me.

This is "To My Dismay", which for some reasons seems like a Christmas song to me, but is most certainly a childhood sweetheart song. You know, the kind where the boy annoys the girl because thats how you flirt. Duh.

On my mother's front porch,

In the month of May

You just looked so happy,

To my dismay.

to my dismay.

And the measles came back,

and then they went away,

but you were always laughing,

to my dismay.

to my dismay.

Sitting by the ice,

covering the bay,

you would always break it,

to my dismay.

to my dismay.

Running through the wheat fields,

to the sounds of trains,

You could always get me,

to my dismay.

to my dismay.

New Song - "Sneakers"

So there will be a couple of big news posts coming up in the next couple of days, as next week I will have copies of the new album, Ghost Towns, in hand, and will fly up to Fairbanks to begin the Alaska tour. But, before that excitement, I wanted to share some lyrics from a new song I wrote the other day while flipping eggs at the diner. I'm calling it "Sneakers" for now, but we'll see, I haven't exactly been on top of the naming game lately. Enjoy!

Well the farm lights off in the distance flicker,

and you're driving home on the 94.

The band on the stereo, begging you to listen,

but your mind is stuck on the night before.

When the summer's half gone and you've beat it to death,

and the days come and go like the feeling in your chest.

Don't you think about what you almost had,

suitcase and telephones ain't bad.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

You told me you'd be trouble,

you were right, you were right.

and the devil's in the distance,

in the night, in the night. (x2)

And the drive was short,

'cause you weren't really thinking

'bout the road, its straight,

but your brain is a twisting.

And the red lights have all started looking,

like the landing strip if the plane mistook it.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

Mmmmmm, and you're up all night.

Mmmmmm.

You told me you'd be trouble,

you were right, you were right,

and the devil's in the distance,

in the night, in the night...

One Last Single For Free Download

Just wanted to let you all know that I've put up one more free single for download at my Bandcamp site, an upbeat rootsy number called "Come Down". The album will be available for purchase next week, so this will be the last single released before that time. Enjoy!

John