give it a listen

[rp]

we put up a demo of 10 lb. test on our myspace site to hold you bastards over till the real deal comes. go check it out!

[Ticket Mouse]

It's about damn time. I was just a few days away from nutting up and asking for a demo b/c (no offense to the old stuff) but we want some new stuff.

[Ticket Mouse]

Sunovabich. I clicked on it and it shut Explorer down. Now I can't even get on my account.

[cowtownmike]

I refuse to go to myspace. That place is too Sullyed up for me.

[Ticket Mouse]

ooo...well, fine then, don't replay the song 5 times in a row on crappy computer speakers...

[Ticket Mouse]

When I first heard it, I didn't really like the sound. But I downloaded it and listened to it on Musicmatch and the quality was a lot better. The more I play it the more I dig it. I wasn't really crazy about the slower tempo from the live version but it's growing on me fast.

[cowtownmike]

Actually; I can't access myspace from work. It's blocked by the IT Nazis. I don't have internet at my apartment, so I will have to wait until I get home this weekend to check it out.

[Ticket Mouse]

My favorite thing to do with music is get into the songwriters head. Here's my take on 10 lb. Test. I could be overanalyzing it and completely wrong, but here goes:

It's obviously about more than just fishing and Rodney has used a great metaphor to express what he really means. At first I thought it was about a girl that got away and ran off with some city-boy with money and the narrator was going to seek revenge with a "knife," metaphorically speaking. He was going to go out and say f' the world and was just looking for somewhere to direct his anger. But after listening over and over, the theme that comes to mind is reflective frustration with a hint of optimism.

I think the Zebcos and $10 lures line is about guys who's daddy's and granddaddy's made a lot of money and now they are living the easy life while other people still have to struggle and work hard to get by. They buy these expensive "lures" that don't get wet, meaning they don't have to work hard and have probably forgotten the hard work it took for them to have such a life. Then, the narrator draws a comparison to his grandfather who is still "running trot lines." He's done alright for himself but is still working hard. It reminds me of REK's line about the work of a bull never being done. He talks about the fish running to him every morning, meaning he works hard and reaps the rewards that he sows.

And this is where the narrator focuses the attention back on himself. He looks at those guys drinking vodka on the rocks and wearing the expensive "lures" and looks at his grandfather (two ends of the spectrum of "success") and realizes he's not even close to being on either side. So then he starts beating himself up thinking about what he's doing wrong. Is he trying to hard? Is he not trying hard enough? Even when he tries, the "line" breaks when the fish is just about to the boat. The guy can't catch a break. He can't win for losing.

This is where, I think, the chorus comes in to instill some optimism. Just a side note, this is one of the hardest things to do for a lot of songwriters. Nothing stirs creativity more than turmoil and its real easy to get going in a sad, depressive mood, but I think a lot of songwriters stop here and that is their mistake. They just continue in the sad, woe is me state of mind. This is also where a lot of my songs end up as well. Everyone likes a song of tumult that they can identify with but they don't want to feel suicidal in the end. The chorus is about a man realizing that no matter what he wants, he's going to have to earn it. To be the man that his grandfather is, he's going to have to work and persevere no matter what comes. He can't give up the dream and desire. There is no such thing as a perpetually sharp knife. Ginsu, Smith & Wesson, and CutCo. can make all the claims they want, but the laws of nature will eventually catch up. Things won't always go your way. Like Jack likes to say, "bad shit happens to good people." That's the sharpening of the knife. The blade needs abrasion to get sharp again and the mid-life crisis that he's going through is just the thing he needs to get his ass in gear. You guys know me, I'm a believer in God's word and I'm a firm believer that He humbles us to lift us up. That's what I believe the song is about. It's about putting up with the shit in life that isn't fair, continuously sharpening the knife, looking for fish to fry (opportunities), and one day, you're gonna catch those sons of bitches and they are going to die and you are going to fry them and enjoy every ounce of the fruits of you labor.

Anyway, if I'm wrong RP, forgive me. That's just my take. I think it's brilliantly composed. I'm not just saying that to kiss ass. I'm known as a music snob and I'll be the first to tell you if something sucks (privately, of course) but I really like your use of imagery, metaphor, and emotion. I told Mike a while back that good songs with staying power are ones that stir up the theater of your mind and the emotions of your heart. Lots of guys out there selling thousands of records are lacking this very thing but this song has it and I feel that this song will really get things going for you guys. Keep sharpening the knives, using bad for good, and f' all those rich boys who think you can catch fish without casting a line and getting your lure wet.

[Ticket Mouse]

Mike, send me your email and I can send it to you.

[rp]

Matt, you pretty much hit the nail right on the head. It is so nice to know that people are digging a little bit to know what the tunes are about, too. The song isn't really about fishing, you're right. And what you have taken it for is just a bigger version of what I wrote. The narrator is me, and it's a song about playing music. But that's only what it is to me. Maybe to some people it's about selling cars or playing baseball or whatever, all are correct. I'm glad you picked up on the optimism of the chorus, it's ulitmately a tune about getting through the bullshit, not rolling over. By the way, we aren't going to record that song the way the demo sounds. For this cd, we are demoing them very differently than we play them live, and we'll use elements from both when we're in the studio. As far as the sound quality goes, demos are supposed to sound like ass. In a good way.

[Ticket Mouse]

I figured it was about the time not too long ago when you were talking about taking a step back and re-examining just what the hell you're doing, what you were missing, and why, for the life of you, you couldn't write a song.

I'm really starting to dig this softer version. Maybe if you think its the strongest cut on the record, you can do the generic thing of putting the hard, up tempo version at the beginning and a softer, accoustic version at the end of the album.

[rp]

well I'm really really hoping that it isn't going to be the strongest cut on the record. But there will be elements from the softer version on the studio version. We might even do something like have a whole verse sound like that and then go back to the rock - that will all be decided shortly before we begin the recording. Our producer will have a LOT of say too. Producers are fantastic things. In fact, I'm willing to say that the main reason a lot of these "texas country" records are so bad is because they want to produce the thing themselves. Or have their buddy do it. In reality, they don't even know what a producer is. Dumbasses.

[Ticket Mouse]

It's all about production value. I was actually thinking of Jack's "Me, Pete, and Jesus" when I heard it. I don't know if you know it, but it starts off slow and then starts rocking pretty hard with a lot of distortion.

What ever happened to Lloyd Maines? Seems like everything he touched turned to gold for several years but now I hardly see his name at all on records. It's always good to have an objective point of view in the studio who knows music and knows the business.

[cowtownmike]

RP-I really enjoyed the song. One question: What kind of fish are you fishing for?? You might want to go with a little heavier line if you want to catch a big 'un.











just kidding---top notch songwriting and I really like the slower tempo over the faster version that you play live. Great song.

[rp]

thanks mike, glad you like it! By the way, I am fishing for bluegill - 10 should be overkill.