Dane Cobain's Blog, page 21

Reading in Reading

Writing poetry is fun. That’s why I’m the house poet at Sunday Assembly High Wycombe – I write poetry at their monthly events and read them out at the end of each assembly. Apparently, people like it – which is why I was invited to do a little something at Sunday Assembly Reading. Here’s what I came up with…

 

Cheque this out

and forget it!

Check ignition;

our engines are ready

and raring to go,

stuck in traffic

and circling the city,

one half marathon

and nowhere to go.

I wasn’t expecting

rockets.

Blast back off

beneath green seas

in a yellow submarine,

where everything seems clean

and easy,

full steam ahead

in the back of

The Purple Turtle.

This isn’t half a marathon,

it’s a full quick sprint

with a drink at the end,

something to think and live

like an instinct,

people to meet

and sing with.

It’s time to tell yourself a story;

it begins with the who and the what,

the how and the why

and the where the hell

did the last five years ago?

Six-year-old Anna’s

in an art class,

drawing fish and things

with older kids

listening in

and looking on

in judgement –

if nothing else

it’s a lesson in

adversity.

Read life has dangling modifiers;

it has potholes and bad dialogue,

unsuspended disbelief,

slow pacing and

spelling mistakes

and there’s no such thing

as the 8-point story arc.

Stories bring people together;

they fly off the page into the brain,

they make us the same

but somehow different,

each story is another life

you live through.

Youv’e still got time

to change the ending.

Shine (Chords/Lyrics)

Shine is one of my older songs, and it was written at three o’clock in the morning in the kitchen of my mother’s house in Tamworth. I suppose it’s a love song of sorts, something a little positive when I was feeling negative. Here are the chords and lyrics.

 

CAPO ON FIVE

INTRO: Am Dm G C F Em E7

VERSE: Am Dm G C F G Am,  Am Dm G C F Em E7

INTERLUDE: Am C G Am Em E7

CHORUS: Dm G C C.B Am,  Dm G C C7

END CHORUS: Dm G C C/B Am G F E E7

 

VERSE ONE:

If I could alter the universe, I would change the meaning of words,

I would float myself above the shore.

I can’t give you diamonds and rings, you’re a few of my favourite things,

and your accent sends shivers down my spine.

 

INTERLUDE

 

VERSE TWO:

I’m rewriting the meaning of success, kind of cute when I’m not depressed,

you’re the comrade that I’m too late to rescue.

When I fall asleep I dream epiphanies, they get me down on one bended knee,

you’re the only idea I would ever die for.

 

CHORUS:

When I tried to kiss her shoulder, she didn’t even notice,

me and my tattoo will stick around.

So that maybe when we’re older, we’ll write our names with fireworks

and score our symphonies without a sound.

 

VERSE THREE:

I’ll be glad when my poetry is spoken, I will take a breath of air without choking on lies,

those lies I never cared for.

And I know that I’m a mystery of sorts, I’m not just after sexual intercourse

with you, because you are, you are something special.

 

CHORUS:

Perhaps I’ll change my name again to make the long nights grow longer.

Perhaps I’ll trade all my blood for her laughter.

So that maybe when we’re older, we’ll drink and toast the good times

and talk until the morning after.

Will you marry me? I’m in ecstacy, in agony and wonder.

I don’t think I can walk this road for a lifetime.

But I’m stronger than I once thought that I could ever be.

I guess I only have to shine like you shine.

On My Way (Chords/Lyrics)

Continuing my series of chords and lyrics for songs that I’ve written, today we’re taking a look at ‘On My Way’. This one is more of a throwaway than others, and the lyrics were just cobbled together on my spot, but it’s still pretty fun. You can check out the chords and lyrics or listen to the song below.

 

VERSE: B D E D

BRIDGE: B Em G A

CHORUS: B Em etc   G A

 

INTRO

 

VERSE ONE:

Well I’m nothing but endorphins,

well I cut my heart in two to make me feel alive,

and I’ve got a lot to say beneath a blanket of lies,

I’m on my way. I’m on my way.

 

INTERLUDE

 

VERSE TWO:

Well she’s something, she makes the world spin,

well I cut my heart in two to make me feel alive,

and I’ve got a lot to say beneath a blanket of lies,

I’m on my way. I’m on my way.

 

CHORUS:

She’s got the world at her feet,

but she don’t belong to me.

Yeah, she’s the peace you find in sleep,

goodbye to mediocrity.

 

VERSE THREE:

She’s got the patience of the ancients,

well I cut my heart in two to make me feel alive,

and I’ve got a lot to say beneath a blanket of lies,

I’m on my way. I’m on my way.

 

CHORUS

 

OUTRO

The Future!

Today, I thought I’d take some time to muse about the future. I’ve got a huge amount going on in my life at the moment, which is all well and good, but it is taking its toll on my sanity. In fact, I’m taking a little step back from publishing at the moment to focus on everything else, although I’ll still be writing when I can squeeze some time in.

2017 is shaping up to be the year in which I get my life together. I’ve been doing more and more freelance work of late and I’m taking steps to make that a thing. Of course, I have a day job (in social media marketing), and so I’ve been working with the senior management team to figure out an approach that benefits all parties.

But while that’s happening, I’m spending a lot of time in the evenings and at weekends just working on freelance clients and earning a little money. It’s great, because it helps me to build up a bank of funds that I’ll have in reserve in case something goes wrong, and it’s also helping me to offset some of the marketing costs for working on my books. The plan is to fully align my books and stuff with the work that I’m doing – mostly writing about writing, publishing and marketing – to create more of a snowball effect.

 

 

So in the immediate future, I’m going to be pretty quiet. I’ll be working pretty much every hour of the day and not leaving the house much while I build my portfolio and get life sorted out. But in the long-term future, I should be much happier, because I’ll be doing something that I love and getting paid for it. The bit in the middle might be kind of stressful, but we’ll see!

And in the meantime, I’ll still be working on stuff. I’m in the process of editing Driven, the first novel in my detective series, and I also have an anthology to re-edit and revisit. On top of that, I’m nearing the end of the first draft for Netflix and Kill – the sequel to Driven – and I’m making progress with some research and plotting for a new standalone called Meat.

So yeah! Exciting times at the moment, but I do also often feel like my head is about to explode. Thanks as always for your support throughout the years, and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for further updates. You can also browse my current releases here. I’ll see you soon!

Lifted (Chords/Lyrics)

Today, I thought I’d take a second or two to share the chords and lyrics from one of my tunes. This one’s a more recent one – although still two years old according to my notes – and it has a little hint of death metal to it. Enjoy!

 

CAPO ON SECOND

INTRO: B D G A, B D G A A#

VERSE: B G A, B G A A#

CHORUS: G F# G A, B A B D

 

INTRO

 

VERSE ONE:

Sometimes the price we pay is the price we used to know,

sometimes the pain we feel was caused so long ago

that we find people steeped in evil, feel the need for something strong,

’cause sometimes those lazy hypocrites are right when in the wrong.

 

INTRO

 

VERSE TWO:

’cause every time I’m left alone, I get away from here,

sometimes I like to laugh because I hope that you’ll appear.

Sometimes I’d like to die tonight but there’s so much left to do,

’cause sometimes you need to live your life like a formal interview.

Sometimes the friends you want to meet are only out to kill you,

’cause you just don’t understand them and you just don’t have it in you,

and you think of all the bad times that you used to laugh about,

and you used to understand them but you don’t understand them now.

 

CHORUS (screamed): x2

Right about now, the curse is lifted.

I don’t know how we can ever be the same.

 

INTRO

 

VERSE THREE:

Sometimes I am a hypocrite and I don’t know how to say that,

I can’t write when I am sober and I can’t write when I am wasted.

Sometimes I feel the meaning when I need some company,

but then I’m bleeding in the evening, I believe in empathy.

Sometimes the friends you want to meet are only out to kill you,

’cause you just don’t understand them and you just don’t have it in you,

and you think of all the women that I used to know…

YOU’RE ALL I WANT NOW.

 

CHORUS

 

INTRO

Lifted (Chords)

CAPO ON SECOND

INTRO: B D G A, B D G A A#

VERSE: B G A, B G A A#

CHORUS: G F# G A, B A B D

INTRO

VERSE ONE:

Sometimes the price we pay is the price we used to know,

sometimes the pain we feel was caused so long ago

that we find people steeped in evil, feel the need for something strong,

’cause sometimes those lazy hypocrites are right when in the wrong.

INTRO

VERSE TWO:

’cause every time I’m left alone, I get away from here,

sometimes I like to laugh because I hope that you’ll appear.

Sometimes I’d like to die tonight but there’s so much left to do,

’cause sometimes you need to live your life like a formal interview.

Sometimes the friends you want to meet are only out to kill you,

’cause you just don’t understand them and you just don’t have it in you,

and you think of all the bad times that you used to laugh about,

and you used to understand them but you don’t understand them now.

CHORUS (screamed): x2

Right about now, the curse is lifted.

I don’t know how we can ever be the same.

INTRO

VERSE THREE:

Sometimes I am a hypocrite and I don’t know how to say that,

I can’t write when I am sober and I can’t write when I am wasted.

Sometimes I feel the meaning when I need some company,

but then I’m bleeding in the evening, I believe in empathy.

Sometimes the friends you want to meet are only out to kill you,

’cause you just don’t understand them and you just don’t have it in you,

and you think of all the women that I used to know…

YOU’RE ALL I WANT NOW.

CHORUS

INTRO

Late Nights

Late nights

and a lack of sleep,

a 70-hour work week

before I even pick

my pen up.

Multiple Londons,

the in-your-face pop punk

concert hall and the

Roundhouse kick

of a snare drum,

or the 11pm Finsbury Park

wandering homelessness

as the beggars beg

and pick your pockets.

Late last night,

I was filmed for TV

talking anxiety

and ironically,

I had a philosophy.

They said

my interview ran

like a freight train can

and it’s tenuous

but culturally relevant,

like all good lines

of copy.

Then I got

pumped up on caffeine

and tried not to feel

hungover,

even though I only drank

two beers.

All the caffeine

in the world

couldn’t save me

now.

You see

I’m the kind of knight

who wears no armour;

my faith

in myself

is stronger

than religion

or steel plates

and leather

jerkins.

Late nights

make late knights

elated.

I’m pretty sure

I read that

in a book

somewhere.

Yes She Does (Guitar Tab)

VERSE: G (w/ pinkie), C (same shape)

CHORUS: G Am C D

INTRO

VERSE ONE:

Up late at night again, the internet’s my only friend,

and I know that she wants to know me, yes she does.

And someone’s stealing from my secretive dreams as decent as they seem,

and she says she knows my name, and she knows just what that means.

Yes she does. Yes she does.

VERSE TWO:

I’m getting drunk on whiskey and gin, knocking doors until she lets me in,

and I see that she wants to see me, yes she does.

She says she’s sick of the same old men, forgot the words on stage again,

and she knows that she’s all alone, and she knows just what that means.

Yes she does. Yes she does.

CHORUS:

And everything she told me went through one ear and came out the other end,

and now I’m waiting to cry my eyes out.

She had everything she wanted, she’s crazy now she’s got it, baby on this you can depend,

I’m at my best when I have passed out.

INTERLUDE

VERSE THREE:

I’m singing blues because it’s raining again, I’m cold and I can’t sing.

PAUSE

CHORUS x2

OUTRO:

Yes she does. x8

The Sun Came Out

The sun came out

all magic and fabulous

and yet the clouds

frowned down

and tried not to make

a rainbow.

But the sun still shone

like the hook of a song,

because the sun

could only be

what the sun is.

It couldn’t burn out

if it wanted to.

But the clouds weren’t gay,

they were old, cold and grey,

so they tried their very best

to stop the sunshine.

The moon, meanwhile,

was a problem child;

it smoked too much dope

and now it’s too afraid

to turn its back on us.

The clouds

don’t like the moon

either;

their holy book

preached tolerance,

but only to the people

who also read

their holy book.

But the sun

is still shining

with more oomph

than a loaded gun,

and so it shot right

through the sky

to light your eyes up.

And in a case

of final irony,

the sun’s LGBT light

got refracted

by the rain.

And now

there’s a double

rainbow.

Not the Same (Guitar Tab)

VERSE – E (high E), G (high G), A (A7)

CHORUS – E G A C E (high)

INTRO

VERSE ONE:

Dulouz digging a hole in the garden, Chinaski’s spilling his guts on the floor.

Old Bull Lee’s sleeping with the orgones – hey hey, it’s a naked lunch on western shores. (For sure.)

INTRO

VERSE TWO:

I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing, soul music and interesting times.

I’m fighting wars that I don’t belong in – hey hey, I’m gonna run with all the wolves I find.

CHORUS:

So just go ahead and put a bullet through your head, I don’t care what you’ve got to say.

You won’t be the same because you can’t be the same, so tell me now that I’m not the same.

A drink’s not enough when the going gets tough

as my good friend Hank would say.

There’s no Hemingway that I’m going to get paid

so tell me now that I’m not the same.

INTERLUDE

VERSE THREE:

Maus is hiding in the garden,

Lyra’s kicking up a storm.

I beg your please and I beg your pardon – hey, hey.

I was dead by the time that I was born.

CHORUS

CHORUS:

Tonight the music seems so loud,

I always fail to draw a crowd,

it feels like a demon’s in the middle of my brain,

so tell me now that I’m not the same.

I’ve got my friends and they’re in my head,

just what I want to be when I end up dead.

I’ve got everything to lose and I’ve got nothing to gain

so tell me now that I’m not the same.

Tell me now I’m not the same.