[PeteS]

Heading into political territory this time.  We started with an idea of writing something that reflected the current situation and I had a fairly fixed idea of what I wanted from the song, both lyrically and musically.  Neil wrote the lyrics and I recorded the song, however there were some good lines that I didn't want to use so we created a new one called Names become numbers and currently I prefer it to the original one  .  I might publish the other one next time so you can make your own comparisons.

The topic will be obvious and as for the song I wanted it to be more aggressive and upfront than some of my recent ones.

I hope you like it!


Verse 1
Like a, thief in the night
There’s no, vision of right
Ignorance is Strength
They’ll go to any lengths
 
Verse 2
Circling vultures in the sun
How long before we succumb
War is Peace they say
I don’t want it that way

Chorus
Names become numbers, we don’t have our say
Names become numbers, and we walk away
Don’t wanna play that game
I'm not a number I’m a name
Names become numbers anyway

Verse 3
Propaganda permeates
History there’s no debate
At the Ministry
Lies disseminate

Verse 4
It’s the erosion of life
Apathy is so so rife
Clocks strike thirteen
Newspeak smokescreen!

Chorus
Names become numbers, we don’t have our say
Names become numbers, and we walk away
Don’t wanna play that game
I'm not a number I’m a name
Names become numbers anyway

Mid 8
Just live for today existence
There’s no frame of reference
And no recollection
Just another dystopian reflection

Verse 5
Life is uniform and orderly
Men equal in poverty
Freedom’s Slavery
But I just wanna be free

Chorus/Ending
Names become numbers, we don’t have our say
Names become numbers, and we walk away
Don’t wanna play that game
I’m not a number I’m a name
Name become numbers anyway

Don’t wanna play that game
I’m not a number I’m a name
Names become numbers anyway!

Names become numbers anyway!

[pompeyjazz]

First of all - Love that bass sound, and the guitar sound as well. Very solid post punk vibe - That's right up my street. Great vocals as well and fab geetar solo. Maybe you could have doubled up the guitar, panned one ten to and one ten past go get more of a wall of sound effect ? Anyway, another great track from you guys and really enjoyed the listen. Keep em coming 

[Paulski]

Hi Pete

I like this - full of attitude and energy.
Like John I liked the bass lines.
Your vocals sound like Geddy Lee    (that's a good thing)
Think the vox could be louder with more reverb/echo but that's down to personal preference.
Oh, yeah - and perfect length.

Paul

[PeteS]

Thanks guys!

@pompeyjazz That post punk sound was exactly what I was looking for so that worked. 

I had 3 main guitar parts, the first 2 playing the same chords with slightly different amp settings but doubled and guitar 1 panned 25 to and 25 past (100%) and the guitar 2 panned slightly less at about 20 to and past.  The solo guitar was also doubled and panned to about 20 to and past.  Maybe the tone didn't spread it wide enough?

Glad you liked it!

@Paulski the bass took some work because it's not my natural instrument but I thought it was really necessary for this one.  You're the first one to say the vocals could have been louder  , I'm usually guilty of having them too high in the mix!

Thanks for listening!

Cheers

Pete

[PaulyX]

Digging the Stranglers-esque bassline big time.  I've been listening to a compilation of post-punk indie tracks from the early 80s in my car recently and this could have come straight off that. I'd agree the vocals could be louder or maybe just delivered with a bit more 'snarl & shout'? I liked the overall DIY punk vibe a lot though, especially the no-nonsense ending, and the "Names become numbers" hook line in the lyrics work very well.

[PeteS]

Thanks @PaulyX.  I wish I coukld do snarl and shout, I'll have to keep trying 

[cowparsleyman]

@PeteS - love it pete...it’s such a hard genre to get right and you’ve nailed it...shouty snarl would be good here...like the solo was that the prs hanging on the wall?

Might look at processing the drums  a bit , they just sound a little tame. Not sure a  hair drum room verb
Would work only at 1 or 2.

It’s also a thing to ‘punk it up’ by adding a bit of tube warmth to the Lvox, but again go easy.

Love that bass sound.

Lovely song Pete .

[mickyplankton]

Hi Pete. Enjoyed this as it’s my genre. As others have said the bass is great and keeps the song driving along. I’m getting Blonde vibes a bit (obvs not from. The vocals) on the vocals I also think they could be a bit higher in the mix. But you should also re-record them with a bit more drive in the delivery (appreciate circumstances don’t always allow to sing at full pelt but just warn the neighbours in advance if you need to) Lyrics are decent without being mind blowing. Slightly generic but that’s ok. They do the job needed.

[Jamie]

Hi, this is in Paul Weller/Jam territory and you've done it well. I like the bass and as others have mentioned the vocals are a bit 'dry' and too low in the mix. Good song, well done!

Cheers
Jamie

[PaulAds]

Very cool, Pete. Nails that early Jam sound...that bass could have come straight off "in the city" and funnily enough, I thought the vocals sounded very much like Bruce Foxton too. He had a great voice, did Bruce...often overlooked...but massively important part of the Jam sound.

As per my half-pissed ramblings last night, I think the drums could probably have given it a bit more clout...but that's by the by. It took Rick Buckler quite a long time to find his own way...and I know Weller was never happy with his drumming. The miserable skinny bastard When you listen to "Private Hell" and "Set The House Ablaze" off the "Dig The New Breed" live album...it's easy to hear just how much more The Jam were than the sum of their parts...and how great Buckler could be. We played a gig supporting him when they first formed "The Gift" which became "From The Jam" Unfortunately, I overheard him and Russell Hastings, later on, taking the piss out of our drummer after he'd asked for a photo of Rick sitting at his drum kit. He nearly died of shame when he realised I'd heard them both. Gggrrr.

Anyway, Neils lyrics are good...it's never easy to put a lyric like this together...because I suppose so much has been written in a similar vein...that's true of nearly everything, I guess, though. So it has to be well done. And this holds up really well and has been carefully crafted, I reckon.

A really solid number very much to my taste.

[cowparsleyman]

Thanks @PaulyX.  I wish I coukld do snarl and shout, I'll have to keep trying 

you can snarl or shout...imagine you caught someone nicking your favourite axe ir your newly delivered UMC404....

[5 guys named Lars]

As the others have said you`ve hit that Jam sound Pete(especially the chorus) & can hear Weller blaring that out. I`d go heavier on the drums too..the song can take it. Great work..thank you.

[PeteS]

@PeteS - love it pete...it’s such a hard genre to get right and you’ve nailed it...shouty snarl would be good here...like the solo was that the prs hanging on the wall?

Might look at processing the drums  a bit , they just sound a little tame. Not sure a  hair drum room verb
Would work only at 1 or 2.

It’s also a thing to ‘punk it up’ by adding a bit of tube warmth to the Lvox, but again go easy.

Love that bass sound.

Lovely song Pete .

Thanks @cowparsleyman, I'll look at the drums when we remix it.  What's Lvox?

It is a PRS, its only a SE Standard but I love it!  And I'll try to imagine someone stealing it next time I need a snarlier vocal

[PeteS]

Hi Pete. Enjoyed this as it’s my genre. As others have said the bass is great and keeps the song driving along. I’m getting Blonde vibes a bit (obvs not from. The vocals) on the vocals I also think they could be a bit higher in the mix. But you should also re-record them with a bit more drive in the delivery (appreciate circumstances don’t always allow to sing at full pelt but just warn the neighbours in advance if you need to) Lyrics are decent without being mind blowing. Slightly generic but that’s ok. They do the job needed.

Thanks @mickyplankton, I usually grab the 15 minutes when the family have gone out for the daily exercise to do a quick take on the vocals.  Not ideal so it's definitely an area I hope will improve when we return to some sort of normality!

[PeteS]

Hi, this is in Paul Weller/Jam territory and you've done it well. I like the bass and as others have mentioned the vocals are a bit 'dry' and too low in the mix. Good song, well done!

Cheers
Jamie

Thanks @Jamie, the Jam comparison is interesting and probably the one I expected most.  As it happens, I was never a particularly fan, but Neil is a huge fan as is my wife so maybe subliminally I picked up that for this sort of track that's what was needed.  I like the comparison though.  Cheers!