Category: The Recyclists

Rocking the actual nightlife in actual Berkeley et environs in these wild recent years, The Recyclists have made two (TWO!) (that’s 2) albums since I last checked in with ‘em. On the streaming services you may find their latest plus all their lovely organic jams at your recycling leisure. Is there a more Berkeley name than The Recyclists? No. The correct answer is No. And no need to crow, but crow I will, I really like their latest sunny blast o’ fun, No Need To Crow from their new One More Sunny Day album. As an unrepentant morning person I love a good morning song, and in the Recyclists’ musical world, it somehow always feels like a brisk and hopeful new day.

Here they are on Pandora, and Spotify, and Apple Music, and by gosh, I bet you can catch ‘em live at an East Bay venue soon. Let’s look it up.. Ah! Like magic, an Oakland gig in one week, Elbo Room on Broadway, Caturday Feb. 24.

Recyclist-guitarist Stace Wright also continues to operate the fantastic Bandworks program, for which for a time I also worked as a band coach. This was during the end of The UpTones (apparently) final run, and after the big horrible fires hit NorCal in 2017, The Recyclists stepped up and joined us for a benefit concert to help those impacted by the disasters. Skank Bank and Matt Jaffe were also on that show, and indeed, these artists also have a history with Bandworks, as young students and as coaches. So there’s a lot of mutual Berkeley love flying about between these entities, and of course Ashkenaz, which hosted said benefit AND many Bandworks concert events over the years.

At Berkeley Cat Records we recycle. Which is why I’m re-posting this wonderful album again, this time with the full credits and lyrics and liner notes from The Recyclists themselves. There’s another album (Release B!) in the works, and they have a monthly gig at Rosenblum’s in Oakland, details here. Without further ado, here are the Recylists, in their own words.

Founded some time ago, but just recently discovered, The Recyclists groove is location based. Their sound leads you down the west coast of a grand land mass, near a giant ocean, on a blue ball in a black ocean, somewhere in time. They are driven by a love of horn lines, and a grand desire to funk it up.

Credits

An East Bay Operation:
Songs conceived and written in Berkeley & Downtown Oakland
Recorded “live” on a hill in Oakland at Valley View Studio
Mixed in North Oakland by SteveinOakland @ 62nd Street Studio
Mastered in Albany by Campana Sound Company
Support and Distribution by Berkeley Cat Records
Steve Healey – Drums
Colin Johnston – Trombone/Vox
John Joseph – Guitar/Vox
John Malamut – Keys/Accordion
Anthony May – Bass
Diana Niemoeller – Lead Vox
Larry Stewart – Saxophones
Mark Williams – Keys/Vox
Stace Wright – Guitar/ Lead Vox

Lyrics

ISLANDS

on an island there’s no one you can lie to, no truth to be challenged, except to yourself
on an island there’s no one to account for, no one to look out for, except for yourself
on an island there’s a beach you can sleep on, but no one to teach you, except for yourself
when you left, I didn’t know (you’d still be gone) after all these years I wonder why it took so long

you’re my island, my fault to look out for, my reason to opt for, accepting myself
you’re my island, surrounded by water, I cannot breathe here, no I cannot breathe here
you’re my island, despite lack of contact, there’s nobody to listen, except for myself
when you left, I didn’t know (you’d still be gone) after all these years I wonder why it took so long

HIGHLY LIKELY

they’re coming for you, they’re coming for me, the defecation of the paparazzi
a hint of truth metastasized, first you doubt, then you wonder why
it’s high, highly likely, it’s high, highly likely

a little late, a little dry, a little speculation leads you into a crime
call it crazy, but they’re no fools, even skeptics read the headlines
it’s high, highly likely, it’s high, highly likely

WIND IN YOUR SAILS

woman on the moon sings to me
king of the mountain lives in dreams
so down with the ship we go, out with the undertow
fire is burnin’ at the root of our loyalties
but when it rains, I feel
wind in your sails, and you see
look in my eyes, feel my weight
look in my heart, see my patience baby

ACHING BONES

one o’clock in the morning, too much on my mind
last splash of reception, haunts me all the time
he gave all that she had, she had all that he gave
like an east coast man, with a west coast son
she’s coming home, the beat goes on and on, aching bones

a case for adventure, I’m always up for a cause
he asks for redemption, we’ll sing him a song
he gave all that she had, she had all that he gave
like an east coast man, with a west coast son
she’s coming home, the beat goes on and on, aching bones

ALWAYS WANTING MORE

I try to do what I can, yeah, I like to give it away
first one in the morning, then two always wanting more
if I tell you a secret, I know you’ll give it away
I’ll always remember what you, what you said to me
calm down your disappointment, come around and see my view
glide out on to California, find that feeling once again

we’re all a little bit lonely, wear our hearts on our sleeves
but your expectations, leave you, always wanting more
if I tell you a secret, I know you’ll give it away
I’ll always remember, what you what you said to me
calm down your disappointment, come around and see my view
glide out on to California, find that feeling once again

© The Recyclists, all rights reserved
All lyrics by Stace Wright