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| Eric
Johnson - Souvenir
 Eric
Johnson made his first official "Internet exclusive"
release on December 10th, 2002. An exclusive release via mp3.com and an Official
Hardcopy Release via ericjohnson.com January 13th, 2003 brought the online
music community Souvenir.
Souvenir is an album of 12 glimpses from throughout EJ's career presenting
skillfully recorded and remastered songs that showcase a broad spectrum of styles
and turning points. The Official
Hardcopy Release has specially designed graphics and packaging by Max Crace.
Inner comments and notes tell the story behind each song. It's a Souvenir
for all to remember places by. Click to buy the Official Hard Copy!
A note from Eric Johnson:
Recently, I've been thinking about creating an additional vehicle for my music and the thought came up of having occasional Internet releases. They would be issued as an interim series between regular studio releases. It seemed interesting to me that the character of each record could encompass everything from live recordings to interesting jams, or any manner of obscure sonic pursuit. The question then became, "With what music should I start?" The idea quickly came that I have had a number of songs as well as live tapes and work sketches in my tape vault that have been building up over the years of my career. There are things that were usually of a 'demo' nature or incomplete ideas. Nevertheless, a few of them are personally interesting to me. This CD is a result of a collection of pieces from over the last twenty-five years. They have been in my tape closet; scratch tracks, work tapes, demos, and other versions of unfinished pieces. Some have been left entirely as they were, some have been remixed. Others were finished that were not complete. I hope that you will enjoy perusing this timeline of recordings. It has given me an opportunity to reflect as well as to initiate this concept of interim projects between regular releases. This record, though never intended to be a standard release, gives an opportunity for the listener to hear between the notes and read between the words. I found that in all its humble aspects, there are still some interesting moments. Some of this music is special to me for sentimental reasons. There are many memories and good times associated with them. They are a part of my personal souvenirs and I am glad to be able to share them with you. That's all for now. I hope that you enjoy the CD. Best and fond wishes to you all, Eric
1
Get To Go (Listen!) All songs by Eric Johnson ©2002 Amerita (BMI) All rights reserved, except Paperback Writer by Lennon/McCartney ©1966 Sony ATV (BMI) Released on Vortexan Music This tune was begun several years ago, at home, just for fun, on a four-track cassette deck. I played an old 1930's National metal body guitar, overdubbed a little piano, and then put the lead vocal down with a really funky mike! Sort of making the lyrics up as I went along, the basic idea is that life is too short to stay down, that we need to go for it. Recently when I decided to use this song, I asked Tommy Taylor,(drums) and Kyle Brock,(Bass) to come into the studio to play on this song. We transferred that cassette tape,( hard to believe! ) to studio multi-track, and Tommy, Kyle and I recorded live, over the tape. I added more guitars after that, and some background vocals. I used a tiny little old fifties amplifier to get a different guitar sound. It was the first time that we had played together in a long time, and it was fun. We also cut another tune together that will be on the next studio record. Lyrics: You
don't need nobody, knock on your door In
a time where I stop and ask myself In
a time when I stop and ask myself
This dang piece was actually a jam that was recorded at the same time that we did 'Paperback Writer', track 3. It features Tommy on drums and Reggie Witty on Bass. It was just us enjoying playing, before we got into playing the song, Paperback Writer. When putting this CD together, I added a synthesizer track to it. I got my own version of Pink Floyd together! (Will this song ever be a number one hit?) This is a song that I've always loved. I really dig George Harrison's guitar part and the tone that he used playing it. Tommy, Reggie, and I used to perform this song quite regularly when we were touring together. Reggie made it possible to do because of his beautiful voice, as well as Tommy's gifted vocals. On this recording, you hear Tommy and Reggie doing the harmonies as well as drums and bass. This was cut in the late 80's. The non-flanged lead guitar at the end was added recently. Lyrics: Dear Sir
or Madam, will you read my book? It's
the dirty story of a dirty man It's
a thousand pages, give or take a few, If
you really like it you can have the rights, In the 1980's, I rented a room to practice at Willie Nelson's Opera House in Austin, Texas. For many years, we rehearsed there and it was a second home to me. Toward the later 80's, it became the first incarnation of Saucer Sound. Because it had a big seven painted on the door, we called it Studio Seven, as you might see in print on some of the albums. 'Forever Yours' was one of the early pieces that I recorded on my newly acquired 8-track tape player. It features Tommy Taylor on percussion and myself on the nylon string guitars, and vocals. Lyrics: Through
the endless sea, pouring waves thunder a symphony Thru
the highland mist to the magic strings of harmony Oh I dream of you And all my troubles
chase into the wind This selection was also done in the Opera House practice place, Studio Seven. It features Tommy Taylor on drums, Reggie Witty on harmony vocals, and Steve Barber on the occasional synth. It was also recorded in the later 80's as part of a pre-production session to work up the songs for 'Ah Via Musicom'. At this same demo session, we recorded 'Forty Mile Town', 'Nothing Can Keep Me From You', and 'Virginia'-a track which is included on this CD. Lyrics: I've
grown tired of the city I
go down to George's farm Tell your
mama and your papa Tell
your mama and your papa In the early 90's, I was asked to submit a song for a movie that was being made. I met with the producer in Los Angeles and went back to Austin to write this tune. Being a somewhat spontaneous composition, the result is what you hear on this track. The movie was never made so the tune has been in my tape vault. It was remixed, but otherwise remains as it was when it was recorded. I played acoustic guitar, overdubbed a little electric guitar, and sang the vocal. Lyrics: There's
danger when you dig
All before my life, I've been shoved around The
two of us share something big and new Underneath
my skin, clouds are rolling through I first met Rob Alexander in 1981 and was impressed not only with his bass-playing, but also with his fine vocal style. In 1982, we put a group together called The Avenue. It featured Rob on bass and assorted vocals and Steve Meador on drums. This track was one of the first taping sessions that Rob and I did together. In addition to playing bass, his voice is featured on lead vocal. I played acoustic guitars and overdubbed electric guitar in the middle of the song. I had just written the song when we recorded it on my four track reel-to-reel deck. This is the original recording that you hear now. It was later performed on our first Austin City Limits show in 1984. I never re-recorded this song in a professional manner, even though I have always liked this song and what Rob brings to it. Lyrics: Highways
stretch into the night You've
got mystery inside Highway
stretch into the night Sooner
or later don't you know I recently came up with the name for this tune because it seems to have a western vibe to it, and one of my favorite TV westerns as a child was called Paladin. The song was originally cut on a four track reel-to-reel deck in 1974. It is one of the oldest songs on this CD. I originally referred to this as the Tabla Song. A percussionist, Larry Crooks, plays tablas at the end, but unfortunately they are hard to hear because of the meager recording. I played acoustic guitars and then overdubbed the lap steel guitars. One I think that this track is the oldest piece on the record dating to 1973. I was just having fun with my newly acquired four track recorder (quite a big deal for me at the time!) My dad had some old reel to reel medical journal lectures that gave me lots of spare tape to experiment with. You can still hear a bit of the lecture, played backwards, on this piece. The rest of it was done with electric guitars using feedback and distortion.
This is a tune that is an outtake from the preproduction tapes of Ah Via Musicom. It was recorded with Tommy and Reggie at the Opera House Practice room which we called Studio Seven. It was done in late 1980s just before commencing Ah Via Musicom. It is a bit of a silly tune written about my guitar, of all things! Steve Barber played synth on this one. Lyrics: One
thing I'll say
The thing about it We're
going down the boulevard and burning down the avenue
Virginia, always on my mind This is the first time that Richard Mullen and I worked together, in the early 1980s. Richard had been hired for a studio session as the engineer, and I was contracted as the session guitarist. I can't remember whose session that it was because during that time I was doing many studio sessions as a hired guitarist to make a living. At the end of the session, Richard and I were getting acquainted, and I commented on the great guitar sound that he was getting. When the session ended, and everyone had gone, we threw down one take of this song. It was recorded live to a two-track analog machine. So the title refers to this memory. This is another one of the oldest songs on the record and is perhaps the first song of the first set of the first gig I ever played as a solo artist. It is merely a tape made from the console at the venue. Recorded in 1976, I was contracted to do this show at Symphony Square, in Austin, Texas. I went on to do several shows there in the summers that followed. This is the first one. Although this performance was never intended to be used professionally, we included it because Richard thought that it was interesting and if you listen closely, you can hear birds chirping in the background, during that sunset performance. |
A
warm hello and greetings to everyone!
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here!
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