The name of this band is Rain Station.

Hoagie and mopeheadSummer of 1993 I was in Boston walking in the rain toward South Station to catch a bus to Maine to see my folks. There was a lot of construction at the new station, so there were temporary fences and walkways, with lots of signs to help find your way. Everyone was doing their best to stay under the roof of the tracks to stay dry. A man holding a briefcase was standing in a way so that his case was hiding the first letter to a sign. As I walked into the area, I saw a bold blue sign with an arrow that read, RAIN STATION. My brain took a minute and wondered what a Rain Station was. Do they monitor the rain fall there? Is it a temporary structure to keep passengers dry? Then as my perspective and angle changed, I noticed there was a T behind his briefcase, and the sign said Train Station. Silly me. Here I am at Boston’s South Station, and I think the sign says Rain Station. The moment stuck with me. I had seen a sign. Not only did Mark and I name the band Rain Station, but we named the (soon to be condemned) house we lived in, Rain Station being in the fog zone of San Francisco’s Sunset Beach District. Black mold took that house over, and we all had to move out. Hack hack cough cough. Very damp and rainy indeed.

Guitar tracks: Give The World

Mark adds a second guitar track onto RS-05, which later became Give The World. Here you can hear the entire drum track that is cut down much shorter in the final mix. The beat had a strange bit, where it attempts to go into another beat, but quickly changes it’s mind, and just stays in the same rhythm. I knew I was going to cut the track, but Mark wanted to give me as much meat and potato as he could. Mr. Harvey is a patient man, and as weird as the drum beat was, he gets it after a couple takes.

Give The World

Rain Station

You’ve got a lot to give the world. Open up to see.
It’s all right there for you right now – the possibilities.

You’ve got a lot to give the world, it’s plain to see.
All you really need to do – set your mind free.

All the world is in a rush
Years go by and never touch
On anything or anyone, or any meaning
We’ve just lost our feelings
Until I’m not me any more.

You’ve got a lot to give the world.

Listen hear: RS-17.mp3

Get Outta The Way (RS-16.1)

M-Audio gearI’ve lived several places where driving can make you crazy. Miami, L.A., Bay Area, Washington D.C., NY City… it’s a mad house out there – A MAD HOUSE!!! Seems like everything you want to do is some kind of crazy drive. Traffic, rush hour the sun in your eyes… is there no end to it all?

Here’s the song: RS-16.1.mp3

Hold Your Love (RS-05.1)


Here’s a video of Mark adding his bass track to Hold Your Love. I like this song. It’s strange, slow and sexy. The bad part is, the other night I couldn’t sleep, and I had this song in my head. Over and over with, “holding the one that you love deep inside… hold your love.” So be careful. Don’t listen to it too many times. It gets stuck in your head.

Listen hear: RS-05.1.mp3
Lyrics to: Hold Your Love

Sad Silence (RS-13.2)

Mark records a vocal track.So Mark was freaked out by the falsetto vocal tracks I had on Sad Silence until I told him it was backing vocals. So we added more manly vocals, and you know, we might even add some more. The more the merrier with this song it seems. So, go ahead and try to sing along. It needs all the help it can get. Thanks.

Listen hear: RS-13.2.mp3
Lyrics (so you can sing along)- Sad Silence

Dread Pirate Roberts (RS-15.1)

Jay and MarkMark was here Sunday adding bass and guitar tracks to the stuff I recorded last week. Here is another version of Dread Pirate Roberts, with Mark’s bass. I redid the vocal, and added more percussion to beat it up a bit.

Listen hear: RS-15.1.mp3

Hold Your Love

Hold Your LoveNow that I’m a parent, time means more to me than it ever has before. Life gets so busy, it’s unbelievable. To find time to spend with my sweetie seems impossible. I don’t know what to do, I miss her so much. When we do find that time to relax with one another, it’s so special. Of all the things that are difficult about parenting, it’s not the child that’s difficult. It’s finding the time to still be you that is difficult. Remember to hold your love. It’s so simple… and yet such a challenge to get there.

Listen hear: RS-05.mp3