Super-exciting news here in Catberg. Eric Din’s latest single Am I Not Alien? is now available on Pandora, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, TIDAL and maybe some other places, gosh. The B-side is People I May Know.
Wait there’s more! The BandCamp version of this intergalactic release has a BONUS TRACK OMG YES!! Exclusively there you will find, as a C-side, if you will, the brand new, hot-off-the-desk Charles Stella DUB mix of People I May Know, called, of course, People I May Dub. So click the links above ^ for your favorite streaming puppies, or click the fancy widget below to hear it right now via BandCamp, WITH the extra track. Why? Does this make any sense? Of course not, Bethany, things making sense is so last millennium. We hope you enjoy.
The original lyrics to People I May Know, as scrawled, minutes before they were caterwauled
Professor Dub at the controls. I sent my tracks to Charles Stella, my UpTones brethren and go-to dubmaster for all tings dub. Because of course I did. He diced and sliced and niced them up into froth of dubalicious madness. People I May Know, dubstylee, mo’ficially on Berkeley Cat Records. Go deh 😽
This is the 3rd entry in the Oom Chugga Remix Challenge and the Panther Fist Studio crew has taken this to a whole ‘nother level! Play and share and get out and vote vote VOTE!!
LYRICS
Motivate like… Great like date night.. No break lights stay bright … And get ready for the great fight.. == Eye on the eagle Calling all people Everyone of us jus wanna be equal The fat cats lack dat pulse of the populus We demonstrate-illuminate like oculus Akhenaten knockin at ur door To the rhythm The sun is risen Feel the light thru the prism -Deface racism Put in place by the system Keeping us behind With the pipeline to prison Time to make decisions W the bind that we live in Revolutionary w a very true vision- Binary proof, given- Come to Carry you get in The power thas inside of you It is or it isn’t- Prolly won’t feel pleasant- It’s the struggle of the peasant- Gotta bright clean patina- Thas the sign that you present 7 and 11 is the age Get to steppin The ballot is the mallet Meant to smash their perceptions == Big poppa Russ Ellis (Zo and Lil double) Can’t believe what they tell us Try to be sane When the other side’s hellish- Insecure and jealous Like the Kraut to the relish They puffin up their chests But the mess can’t repel us They try to cling tight to their symbols of hatred Colonial conquest tradition Ain’t sacred- Hey Kid, time to bust out the Matrix- Face it- The mask that you’re wearing And the latex You could read a book And let your mind keep growing Take a good look At the author James Loewen Michelle Alexander And the new jim crow- Song of Solomon- The Alchemist Paulo Coelho Ay yo Get ready for the payload- -let your horse out the stable -put some more sustenance in your ladle Informed, get active -sweet like sugar- -let your locomote smoke like Oom Chugga Chugga == Tik Tok This is how we rock You tried to hold a rally With nobody in the spot Dropped the mic When you sought that light But it wuz kinda easy Cuz your mind aint right ALL GENERATIONS HERE TO HEAL THE NATION EVERY MEANS NECESSARY EVEN LITIGATION PATIENCE IS WORN NOW WE ON THE MOVE SURROUNDING THE FRONTLINES AND ROUNDIN UP THE YOUTH Freedom to the people In the cages and prisons Health decisions With a scientific vision Represent good trouble When incidents bubble Then we nip it in the bud Up front or subtle DYNAMIC, WHY SOULD I PANIC- ON THE MIC I MANAGE TO FIGHT FOR MY PLANET You, Me-all of We in Unity The Oom Chugga Chugga Is the way come Free ==
🎶Oom Chugga Chugga is the way we come alive The mode of locomotive Pull the pin on 45🎶
credits
Vox – MicBlake, Chris Burger, Lily Ellis, Zoe Ellis, Josh, Eli, and Ava Lubensky (vox hooks)
Another “new” track from yours truly, this one a reboot of a song my UpTones brethren Paul Jackson wrote in the late 1980s. It was right after the original UpTones broke up and Paul and Ben and I started HOBO. We released it as a single and played it in our set for a while as we hoboed up and down the west coast playing concerts and nightclubs and the occasional campfire.
In 2017 I heard a new version with some different lyrics and asked Paul if he’d mind if I made a rewrite. Graciously Paul agreed and I tracked it at home with acoustic guitar and a “voice-box” lead guitar created with a Pignose amp and a funnel (for my fellow Frampton geeks!)
Now in the COVIDopalypse I wanted drums and bass to round it out so I called Dave Tweedie who put down some fabulous acoustic drum tracks, and then I played the bass. Mixed it up and here it be! I’m very happy with how it came out. Hope you also enjoy.
Oh, it’s been called, alternately, Laughing Man or The Laughing Man. I went with Laughing Man and Shannon’s artwork says The Laughing Man and that’s appropriate. “The Laughing Man, he can’t decide.” Full lyrics and credits below. Feel free to share any ol’ which way ya like. Thank you.
Laughing Man
There’s a pile of tacks where the floor meets the wall He put them there so my pictures would not fall The laughing man got a magic 8 ball The laughing man sees and knows all
He is the laughing man He is the laughing man And he’ll do what he can To see that we don’t understand
There’s a laughter where my hand pulls at my eye He put it there so that I wouldn’t cry
And still the laughing children Out on a summer’s day Save their pennies and marbles To hear the laughing man play
He is the laughing man He is the laughing man And he’ll do what he can To see that we don’t understand
It ain’t a joke but here’s a punch line He’s laughing at the knot I tied The laughing man, he can’t decide The laughing man, he never dies
And still the laughing children Even as skies turn gray Travel with minimal cargo To hear the laughing man play
Produced by Eric Din at Din’s house Eric Din: Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Talkyboxen Drums recorded by Dave Tweedie at Dave’s house Cover art by Shannon Wheeler at Shannon’s house Now you may listen to it at your house Like magic
In this lively interview, Jon Leon Guerrero chats with Russ Ellis about his life, what led Russ to become a songwriter in his 80s, his song inspirations and collaborations, the Oom Chugga Remix Challenge, the upcoming election and plenty more. It’s a fun and inspiring talk full of energy and realness, and some hilarious and delightful moments. Check it out and please feel free to share it up!
Berkeley Cat Records recording artist Russ Ellis joins us to talk about new careers and taking your muse all the way to the goal line.
For my entry in the Oom Chugga Remix Challenge I went berserk on the tape echo and emphasized my unhinged guitars and Dave Ellis’ elegant keyboards to frame Russ’ concise and poignant vocals. I added a little vocals of my own (lyrics below) and mixed it as wildly as I wanted to. Even spun some parts in backwards here and there. It was a lot of fun.
Here’s the Oom Chugga Remix Challenge Album in progress! Track 1 is the original mix, produced by Dave Ellis, who also made the audio stems for these remixes. Track 2 is Micblake and Chris Burger, mixed by Josh Lubensky. And then my new crazy one is track 3 ->
What will be next after that?! Goodness knows. Are YOU up to the Oom Chugga Remix Challenge?! Send us a hello at oomchugga @ berkeleycatrecords dot com if you’d like to have a go. Your note will magically be delivered to the Oom Chugga Remix Challenge Committee (ooooh!) so tell us who you are and what you envision for your remix, HOPEFULLY with an emphasis on lyrical content motivating people (especially young people) to register and VOTE. Mkay? And we’ll write you back with more details and probably the stems. That’s it!
A man is an island Unto a shining black mirage A man is in silence As he moves through the garage Can’t complain, he plays the game, He’s happy to be alive on this fine day
Though he don’t belong here, A castaway cast in some role, He never tried out for, It’s been so long since he’s been whole Can’t complain, the old refrain, He’s happy to be alive on one more day
I start to wonder, Am I not alien? When I see another, Am I not alien? Am I not alien?
Out on a mission, Ready to conquer planets, A man has gone AWOL, Cos he thought better of it he just met, Another stray, she’d like to stay, They’re happy to be alive on this fine day
And still I wonder, Am I not alien? When I see another, Am I not alien? Am I not alien?
One in a million, It’s only natural to find, Just when you don’t care, and you’re nowhere, Out of the blue someone arrives, To change your mind, and set you right, I’m ready to come alive on one more day
And still I wonder, Am I not alien? As I cross the border, Am I not alien? Am I not alien? Am I not alien? Hmmm
