Donkeyfish, by Eric Din, exists, suddenly!

Well lookity here. Eric Din has spontaneously generated a new Ska song, and boom, it’s on Berkeley Cat Records. Coming to the streaming services pretty soon (that is the scientific term for this time measurement) and already available on Bandcamp. Is this a new land speed record, for our Din? The song was, we are told, conceived, recorded and produced in but less than twenty four hours, interrupted only by some cat naps and a humongous feast.

Now, Din is recovering from a slight cold. A common cold, if you will. How did this happen? He’s vaccinated to the gills against all the things, Din loves vaccinations so much he’d take them recreationally, but whomp, the Common Cold knows no barrier. The common cold is triumphant. Is this why we call it Common? Like, a Commoner? How droll and condescending a name, for such evolutionary perfection. With! This COMMON cold, Eric Din is taking a break today, won’t attempt any further creative endeavors until tomorrow, and he never (almost never) talks about himself in the 3rd person.

The above new ska song will soon be part of a collection of ska songs by Mr. Din under his various monikers, which we will release as a virtual album. More on this to be shared here, also in the exact time frame of, pretty soon. This has been a Bandcampy Caturfriday despatch from Berkeley Cat Records World Hindquarters, where we never babble.

-George Washington

Donkeyfish lyrics

I liked ska before all of the bands were called Donkeyfish
(I like – skaaaa)
I liked ska while the backlash against ska was huge
(I like – skaaaa)
I liked ska, oh way back when,
My relatives asked me what it was, at Thanksgiving,
And we still like ska
(I like – skaaaa)

I loved ska, when Donkeyfish got in trouble
(oh noo! I like – skaaaa)
Their fans were mad at them, they got famous and rich
(I like – skaaaa)
But they didn’t really get rich, show biz being what it is,
Ten cats on the stage, nine more in the crew,

But the kids said Donkeyfish, Don-key-fish, we love you,
Donkeyfish, won’t you please do one more song?
Donkeyfish, I met my wife at your show, many years ago,
Our youngest just asked me, daddy, what is ska?

And we bawled out Donkeyfish, Don-key-fish, hurrah,
Donkeyfish, Donkeyfish, ska, ska,
Please tell us when you’ll do it again,
I’ll be there like you knew me when,
What the world needs now is plenty of ska,

I got Skatalites on my satellite radio,
With a message everyone ought to know,
I can see no flaw in it, day and night, can dance to it,
Yesterday, today and yes, tomorrow,

And we called out Donkeyfish, Don-key-fish, we love you,
Donkeyfish, won’t you please do one more show?
We’ve got the venue and some openers to play for exposure,
Someday they might be the next Donkeyfish! (you never know)

Donkeyfish, Don-key-fish, hurrah,
Donkeyfish, Donkeyfish, ska, ska
Donkeyfish, Don-key-fish, brraaa,
Donkeyfish, Donkeyfish, ska, ska
Donkeyfish, Don-key-fish, huzzah

© 2024 Eric Roy Dinwiddie
King Roy Music, BMI
released November 28, 2024
track credits:
Eric Din: All of the things

Mews Flash! “That’s Not What He Said” from Eric Din is now a FREE download, for a limited time!

That’s right, kittins, hot off the desk of Eric Din, this timely bit of rock word-salad in a dumpster fire, is available to download for ZERO dollars and cents, if downloading is your thing! Thar she blows:

How long will this be free, and not one US dollar? Oh at least two weeks, maybe forever, who knows? Berkeley cats make it up as we go along.

Deejays! You are invited to download and play this track on your shows this week, while it is seethingly, horribly relevant.

Any resemblance to persons living or half-dead is purely a resemblance. Good morning, and good luck,

Edward R. Dinnow

Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby I Love You (2024 rebottle)

Brand new mixes hot of the desk of Din. Says he: “This song has been speaking to me lately, and I wasn’t 100% satisfied with the earlier mixes, SO! I went in and did ’em fresh and here’s the 2024 rebottle.”

In related news, check out this podCATs episode.

I Changed My Mind but then I Changed My Mind

Latest single and EP from our very own me.

I jumped out of a plane
And then I changed my mind
So I jumped back in the plane
And now we’re fly-y-in’ fine

I jumped off of a bridge
And then I changed my mind
So I jumped back on that bridge
Just singin’ my oh my

I changed my mind
Oh yes I changed my mind

I didn’t like my mind
Cos it was bringing me down
And giving me bad thoughts
That I didn’t like
So I sent them all packin’
Because I changed my mind
You know I changed my mind
Because I changed my mind

That’s why I changed my mind
Oh yes I changed my mind
Oh I changed my mind

Hey, I went to fight a tiger
But then I changed my mind
Not messin’ with no bears, neither
It doesn’t seem wise
And I’ve chosen to abandon
Some things I don’t like
Yes, I’m raising up my standards
Because I changed my mind

That’s right I changed my mind
I simply changed my mind
Oh yes I changed my mind


Vocals, all instruments and sounds, composition, arrangement, production and mastering by Eric Din for Berkeley Cat Records

Artwork by Shannon Wheeler

© 2024 Eric Roy Dinwiddie
King Roy Music, BMI

Sensible Comments

Eric Din’s Sensible Comments album goes live in the many streaming services on April the first. Because of course it does. You may now hear the completed work and purchase it at our besotted Bandcamp.

On Top Of The World all over the world

Eric Din’s On Top Of The World EP is now live in the streaming services and our beloved Bandcamp. This includes the single version, the Charles Stella dub version, and the instrumental version. It’s actually on all of the streaming services this time, unlike some of our earlier releases.  This widget contains links to the album on a few of the more popular ones:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ericdin/on-top-of-the-world-ep

And here’s a Bandcamp embedded player, long may they camp:

We invite you to listen for free or purchase, and share links on your favorite social platforms or, shockingly, tell your friends over coffee in person (whaaaaat?! who DOES that?) Cheers and Happy Caturday

On Top Of The World and It Is Now Safe To Turn Off Your Computer – Two wildly different singles from Eric Din

To say Eric Din‘s output is eclectic might be an understatement, and he’s been on some kind of roll lately. After releasing the unambiguously SKA Rabbitus Maximus in January, he’s produced and released these two new singles, and it’s halfway through February. What’s going on over there, Din?

This one just went up today – On Top Of The World

Here’s a G-Drive folder for any of you marvelous radio deejays who would like a free download for broadcast:  Clicketh

Here’s the description from Eric’s Bandcamp:

I recorded this at home two weeks ago with analog and digital gear. The song has been in the works for much longer, mostly in my head. I had the chords and melodies and some of the lyrics swimming about, til one day I felt inspired to track some drums and bass and guitars and see where that might lead. I recorded the vocal melody on guitar at first, as a sort of guide track, and once I had that, the rest of the lyrics came pretty easily. Once the song was complete and I had the vocals down, the track beckoned for tambourine and cowbell. So I picked up said hand-percussion instruments from a local music shoppe, took them home and and overdubbed them. By this time in the whole process, the song had pretty much mixed itself. So here it is, live on Bandcamp on Caturday the 17th of February. And I have it set to go live in the various streaming services exactly four weeks from today. Because this is how we roll, at Berkeley Cat Records. The cats and I wish you all a might fine long presidenty weekend, on top of the world.

While the above track is unmistakably pop-rock, with elements of glam and mod and a dash of psychedelia, the one below bears no resemblance to it that we can discern, and we wonder if our Din requires professional help.

It Is Now Safe To Turn Off Your Computer would seem to be a poetry slam type of howl, only instead of Beatnicky bongos we have the full drum kit power of Eric’s fellow UpTones founder, Thomas White, as edited and re-fangled by Mr. Din.

Ostrich and upside down persons by Shannon Wheeler.

Most of the above including “Rabbitus” were produced entirely by Eric Din at his home studio. This marks a slight departure from previous outings like “Charlotte” and “1983” which involved some other fab musicians and studios. We ask again, what is going on over there, Din?  What kind of music DO you make?

Tapping his whiskers thoughtfully Din replied, “I guess I’ll find out.”