Throttle Body influences - Thom Brisendine

Go ahead and Google the name, Thom Brisendine. You wont find much. At least regarding a Thom Brisendine that grew up in Federal Way, Washington in the 1970's. Thom isn't really part of this online world. But he's a big part of mine.

Growing up, Thom was simply the most gifted musician I ever met. He was one of those guys who could play anything on anything. He was gifted on piano and trumpet and drums and percussion. He was exceptional as a mallet percussionist. His dedication to music, and his lack of intimidation when approaching any instrument was an inspiration to me. His work ethic as a teenager was legendary. You know the whole 10,000 hours mantra of mastery? Thom was onto that long before it was fashionable.

I have such fond memories of making my earliest recordings with Thom, as well as some of my best. Before there was Throttle Body, there was Top Cat, and Thom was a fixture. He played or programmed drums for the tracks we recorded. He also contributed vibraphone, xylophone, drums, percussion, bass, harmonica, and vocals to many tracks. As he had purchased a Fostex 80-8 (1/4" 8-track recorder), and made me welcome in his Bremerton home at the time, I actually wouldn't have been able to record without his generosity. I'll get around to posting some tracks with his performances so you can understand what a gift he shared with me.

Thom and I continued making music together into the late 1980's, but then we had a falling out, which turned out to be more or less permanent. I regret it to this day.

I wish I could point you to a lot of his work, but Thom's gifts these days are seldom shared.

As an influence, Thom is quite simply one of the people who encouraged me to make music, to create and to grow as a musician. I wouldn't be the musician I am, had Thom not been a part of my life. There remains a part of me, that whenever I make new music, is hoping that if he ever hears it, he will approve.

The lyric project - Air Canada sessions - So Sure

And now we fast forward to 2004...The Air Canada sessions have begun. I am living in West Seattle, in the home of Rod Moody (of Sub Pop 200 Swallow and 17,014 other bands fame) and his wife, the artist Tina Anderson. They were on a two-year adventure on the US east coast, and I was in need of a place to live, and it all worked out swimmingly. I didn't have much to my name at this point - a few furnishings, a dog and a cat, but I had love in my life again, a little bit of cash and an itch to make music again, so I picked up a ProTools Digi 002 rack system, mated it with a Mackie mixer and a handful of good microphones and decided to give things a go again.

The first song out the gate was a solid rocker that essentially marked my rebirth. I love this tune and the recording of it. When I was in doubt of everything about myself, my Love was so sure of me.

So Sure

I'm not alone in my heretic bones
With my past full of sin
If you knew where I'd been
You'd all hate me
But someone loves me

I'm not asleep on my swim in the deep
Left my freedom ashore
If you knew anymore
You'd all hate me
But someone loves me

Someone loves me
Someone loves me
Someone loves me
And when I'm in doubt
She's so sure
She's so sure

I was adrift in my walk through the mist
With the pain I have caused
If you knew all the loss
You'd all hate me
But someone loves me

I was in doubt, but I figured it out
I'll endure all the pain
I'll put down all the shame
You can hate me
Cos' someone loves me

Someone loves me

Someone loves me

Someone needs me

She wont leave me

She calls me "baby"

Her love has saved me

Someone loves me

And when I'm in doubt

She's so sure

She's so sure

All songs Copyright Jerry Hammack, used by permission, published by Really Real Music, BMI

The lyric project - Once In Awhile

This song was a bit of a coming out of my shell post-divorce. I was actually starting to think about seeing other people, and had met a nice woman, who, though we would never date, was someone who began my redemption, so to speak. She was someone who loved, but was not ready of willing to make a commitment, and I like think, evidence to the contrary, that commitment is something I'm about. I was traveling a lot at the time, as the lyrics reference, and had a lot of empty hours to think of the days to come. I tried to think of them hopefully - waiting for love.

Once In Awhile

Once in awhile
Think of me
Once in awhile
When you're lonely

If you're ever in meed of a shoulder to cry on
If you're ever in need
I am here so try to believe

That love waits for those who wait for love
And try to wait for love

Once in awhile
I feel the need
Once in awhile
I get lonely

In a circle of friends
In the club where we meet
At 30,000 feet oh, you know
I feel the need

But love waits for those who wait for love
So I try to wait for love

Love waits forever
She don't have the time
Love tends the flames
When other things are on her mind
Love keeps the promise
Keeps it forever
But you can't learn
If you ever say no to love

All songs Copyright Jerry Hammack, used by permission, published by Really Real Music, BMI

The lyric project - Psalm

"Psalm", so called because of the "how long" phrase that repeats over and over - something you find in the Biblical psalms - though mine is a cry out to the one I hurt and loved. Well, at least part of it, because at the same time, I was actually starting to come out of my shell a little bit and there are a couple lines in there that talk about that hope I was beginning to feel that things would be alright in the long run.

Psalm

How long
  before my heart's free?
Enslaved
  by the sin I let surround me
When I felt love
I was so happy
I felt the strength to go on
When I looked in your eyes
So warm and beautiful
I'm begging you please take me home

Betrayed
  everything I stood for
Forgiven by your love
Still I threw it all away
Take me back now
Help me do the right thing
I'm searching for the light
There's a star in the sky
And I see you there
And now I don't feel so alone

How long
  before my heart's free?
How long
  until you come and save me?
How long
  must I wander?
How long, my love
  until my heart
Is free?

All songs Copyright Jerry Hammack, used by permission, published by Really Real Music, BMI

The lyric project - Confusion

"Tears In Rain" was all about divorce - more therapy than anything. In that sense, the songs have a consistency: sadness, regret, self-hatred and yes, confusion. I didn't quite understand everything I was going through yet. But such is life: it's all clearer in the rear view mirror.

Confusion

Confusion
Time seems to flee
How am I going to be
What I want to be?

Confusion
And everything seems like such a waste of time

I hardly remember her face
Oh I'm holding on to the love and the grace
When there's no home and I'm lost all alone
I call my love on the phone
When are you coming home?

I can't wait forever
I've been down too long
I spend half my life, so wasted and confused
I let love die
And I didn't do a thing about it

I hardly remember the day
I knew that you were going away
And those pictures still can make me cry
Where there once was a memory
Now I only see goodbye

Don't leave me alone
In confusion

All songs Copyright Jerry Hammack, used by permission, published by Really Real Music, BMI

The lyric project - What She Don't Know

It's been awhile, but time to get to the lyrics for the "Tears In Rain" EP. "What She Don't Know" is a song about the end of my first marriage. Enough said.

What She Don't Know

See she told me yesterday
Said she didn't think of me that way
I know I've a lot to learn
But in the end I'll be okay

What she don't know is I love her so
I hate to go

No, I didn't have a lot to say
When love's the game you choose
Well it stands to chance
Sometimes you lose but
I know that in the end
Love will find a way
And bring me home

What she don't know is I love her so
I hate to go
Like tears in rain
We'll never pass this way again

All songs Copyright Jerry Hammack, used by permission, published by Really Real Music, BMI

The lyric project - Blue Baby

Finishing off the lyrics from the second and third Throttle Body m/c releases, For The Few and Marley's Chain, is the song, Blue Baby.

Gertrude Stein, in The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, wrote, “After a while I murmured to Picasso that I liked his portrait of Gertrude Stein. Yes, he said, everybody says that she does not look like it but that does not make any difference, she will, he said.”


This song didn't look like me at the time I wrote it, but it was unfortunately accurate of what was to transpire in my life seven year later. Maybe as artists, God allows us to tap, however unknowingly, into his own omniscience, to make us aware of what might come if we don't pay more attention. I didn't pay attention, but the lesson of this song isn't lost on me.

Blue Baby

Storm clouds ahead
On my blue horizon
My love is gone
The water is high
I'm swept by the wind
My world unwinds
and
All I do is think of you
I'm so lonely
And you're half a world away
I dream of you all night, girl
Everyday
You're love forever is all I pray for

Blue baby
Flowering cherry love I feel for you, baby

All I do is think of you
I'm so lonely
And you're half a world away
I dream of you all night, girl
Everyday
You're love forever is all I pray for

Once with love
you have more than enough
You're king for a day
But the court's comprised of thieves
Once without
Full of doubt
With a paper heart pinned to your sleeve
Begging, "Please"


Blue baby
Flowering cherry love I feel for you, baby

All I do is think of you
I'm so lonely
And you're half a world away
I dream of you all night, girl
Everyday
You're love forever is all I pray for

All songs Copyright Jerry Hammack, used by permission, published by Really Real Music, BMI