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WeAreStars (MJ Live Aid) w/michael2 and echoroom
by bud

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Submitted on: Jun 12, 2008 - 10:34:18 PM
Last Updated: Jun 12 2008 - 10:47:02 PM
Keywords a flash of hope in the stain of night (2)MJ Live Aid (3)The Lodgers (2)
Description This song has a bit of a history. Back around Christmas michael2 asked me for a rhythm track to play with so I built a bed with some DOD drums and laid in some sitar drones for a bit of atmosphere. Shortly after he posted The Berlin Years which blew my mind and sounded like the perfect vehicle for the vocal talents of echoroom. Well, Steve has been busy and the project was shelved until now.

I went back to Michael’s track and adjusted the structure a little to give Steve a bit more room to work and then laid in some guitar and bass to rock it up a little and another synth line for good measure. Then came Steve’s amazing vocals followed by a few perfectly angular guitar tracks from Michael. It’s an honor to work with these guys – they’re tremendous musicians and real gentlemen too. It's my pleasure to bring you - The Lodgers

The mix is a bit dense coming from GB3 – no doubt another producer might have done this justice – but in the spirit of 1985 - dig the vibe. Thanks to Vic Holmn for burning the mp3 at a suitably loud level.

Special thanks to Lisa and Joseph for organizing this event. Why not join me and make a donation to your local food bank? You can locate one here: http://www.secondharvest.org/
Lyrics We Are Stars

Where they walked, we dreamed to fly
We don't subscribe to their gravity.
They tried to pin our feathers down
As if our beauty was a crime.
I got high, caught in your wake
We got high, hearts are racing
A flash of hope in the stain of night
Defeat forever, defeat forever.

I'll meet you there, in the rain and scars
And we'll burn in heaven like we are stars

And the faces they designed
Pinned to walls and spun on screens.
They tried to sing our sorrows low
They tried to break our cool machine.
Where they sleep, we dream of leaving
Don't believe their charity

And the rocks will shift, though we're skies apart
And we'll burn the heavens like we are stars

Fingers in manna and your faith on the ground
We'll be together from the second we close our eyes
Fingers in manna and your faith knows no bounds
We'll be together in time ....

I'll meet you there, in the rain and scars
And we'll burn in heaven like we are stars


© Steve Craig 2008
Hardware Computers, guitars, keyboards, microphones and more
Software: GB3
Fan List

MJ_Live_Aid_Challenge

dajama

ledebutant

Vic Holman

rsorensen

J.A.Stewart

jgurner

lengold

Peter Bauckham

echoroom

Skean

davisamerica

Feter

michael2

Macaudion

egobandit

Heightened

lavalamp

Ejh

The Infinites

guitapick

DWL

blaky smith

cjdaley

five_extra_arms
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dajama said 209 days ago
Wow
This is outstanding - what a combination of talent! The vocals are perfect - emotional and stirring, and tinged with attitude! Love the lyrics, really filled with stunning imagery and priceless lines ("And the faces they designed/ Pinned to walls and spun on screens" - need I say more...?) Then you have the rich, almost ominous beats pushing the whole track forward, and some stunning instrumentation (the droning sitar is very effective), and the swirling, free guitar is perfect (love that guitar sound - makes me think of Psychedelic Furs...) Magnificent. A terrific track, and an excellent merging of three truly creative minds. Nicely done, gents. Kudos. Peace.

Vic Holman said 209 days ago
excellent and beyond the stars
great team work guys. this is totally knocked out of the park.

Very Bowie-esque and a true headphone experience.

I dig the band name, very tongue-in-cheek to a certain D.B. album.

rsorensen said 209 days ago
stars
WOW. this is outstanding. love that little lick that comes forward at 3:00. So dark. Great performances, all of you. LOVE IT

J.A.Stewart said 209 days ago
Hee-Hee
This must be the *dark* version. I've seen the light, Kevin... you'll see what I mean shortly.

Nice job creating a spooky and somewhat strange 80s Bowie mood in this piece. All parts of the trio come together quite nicely in here. I can imagine a bizarre video for this one. ;)


--- Joe

jgurner said 209 days ago
Wow!
This is amazing! It almost knocked me out of my Blue Jean. Such interesting Changes. You Young Americans are sure to find plenty of Fame with this one. You guys are real Heroes. I knew you'd Never Let Me Down. I feel Under Pressure to make my contribution even better, because I don't want to feel like an Absolute Beginner.

lengold said 209 days ago
This is a
fantastic collaboration - everything just sounds so perfect. I am just full of admiration for the way this has been achieved.
I usually avoid the Bowie comparisons with Steve but this really does sound like a Scary Monsters track, one of my favourite albums.
Cheers
Len



Peter Bauckham said 209 days ago
I must admit
to not being sure what a Live Aid song would/should sound like? The mid-eighties are all a bit of a blur. Well, this is great - reminds me of Bauhaus more than Bowie (have I said that before Steve!) - very dark - very intense - just excellent really.

Peter

echoroom said 209 days ago
What a bunch of Heroes!
As always, its a pleaseure working on such great material, and you can't get much better company than Bud or M2! When bud suggested we do a Live Aid song, I wondered who I could sing as.... and as i always get a lot of Bowie comparisons, this seemed like an obviuos way to go.

Great fun working on this, and bud did an ace job pulling us all together and mixing this.

I won't be around for a few months now, so have fun guys!

steve

aclarke said 209 days ago
Yeah?
Well I still say you sound more like Gregory Darling of Daring Cruel but if folks want to go with the more mainstream sound of Ziggy I guess that's okay with me.

Extremely cool song, fellas. Tight, hypnotic groove. Very nice.... very nice.

said 209 days ago
right then.....
well this just soars .... you guys are indeed stars! :-]

said 208 days ago
ZOWIE!
The combined talent of you guys is sonically lethal!

Awesome mix! Definitely a dark 80's vibe. Love the arrangement and the eeirie guitars...Lead soloing and basic riffage are stellar, yet appropriately understated. Well done!

My standing conviction that Steve Craig is the best damn male vocalist at MJ remains unshaken. Powerful delivery!

This one will surely remain LODGED in my memory! Ha ha...

Be well gents!

Feter said 208 days ago
WeAreStars
what an opening to the Live Aid fest ...!! ...
great great rockin song my friend ..perfect colab
what singin great vocals work ..the sound bed just
amazin ..all so perfect ... Hats of to you all freind !
real super stars indeed !!!

michael2 said 208 days ago
nice mix Kevin
sounds great. this must have been a bear. you did a great job with getting the guitars all sorted out and settled in (especially since you started off with an mp3). nice editing.

steves vox sound amazing. i used to play in a goth band Christian Death and our singer Roz wished he sounded this good when doing the Bowie thing. you guys are both a dream.

peacepiano said 208 days ago
Bud
You really pulled together a fine group of musicians here. Heavy 80s at its best.

Thanks
Bill

said 208 days ago
Killer!
Great work here, loved the amazing music work and for sure the killer vocals... Fine fine fine.. what a great work means!

Take Care
- Yeman A. Al-Rawi

Macaudion said 208 days ago
About those stars...
...Bud, you just loaded this one right on up with them and every bit of the talent is shinning through quite brilliantly, if may add. It is thick, but with whole lot of goodness.

Pretty impressive posse ya got traveling w/ you. Ya got me star gazing.

According to my itunes counter, I've just listened to this tune five times already.

Nice job, gents! Macca




Heightened said 208 days ago
Yikes!
Talk about time travel! You just put David Bowie to shame. Awesome collab guys. Somehow 'awesome' falls short. Insanely brilliant is more like it.

bud said 208 days ago
From my hotel lobby (no kidding)
On behalf of The Lodgers - thanks for all the generous comments. I wish I had more time to participate in the festivities but I'm working all weekend here in LA.
It's easy to appreciate Steve's contribution to this tune - just listen and read along. He's a genius. But to really appreciate Michael's work be sure to check out The Berlin Years linked above. Without his amazing ability to capture the essence of a style this never would have come together. I look forward to hearing the rest of the Live Aid tunes as I get time.

lavalamp said 208 days ago
Outstanding
Steve, excellent singing. Hook me in right at the intro. Dark and cool.

Loved it.

LL

Ejh said 208 days ago
Every bit...
...just every bit... is very cool...

Yep, it's Bowie-esque, and it's Fripp-esque, and it's got some Eno-esque-ness in there, too, but it's also GOOD... THOSE guys would be happy if they did THIS...

Like the outgoing bits of jagged lead guitar... Mostly, I like it all...

Ed

said 207 days ago
Shooting Stars
...right out of the stadium! I figured with the superstar talent coming together here it would be a trip, and I wasn't wrong. Wow! Very angular, glass-sharp edges to this sound paired with the smooth knife of Steve's always-incredible vocals... love the dark, relentless machine hammering beneath the glittering picture.

Excellent! Way ta go Bud, Michael and Steve!

egobandit said 207 days ago
some great music
happening here... I realy think I dont need CD when I got MJ Wheres the foodbank.. Excellent hats off!!!!!!

announcer said 207 days ago
Well worth the wait
What a perfectly executed track. I love it. I'll be back from my little trip in a little while after listening to it again and again.

paul f. page said 207 days ago
Filled with...
...energy, a poignant message, and outstanding performances all around. I esp. enjoyed the opening deep sonics. Wonderful mix (in spite of your own reservations). Congratulations.
Paul

The Infinites said 206 days ago
GUYS!
Great song altogether - big, bold and Bowie (Steve this is your most Bowie yet)

Love the band name - this song could have easily been on that album.

Guitar is manic in places and so crunkin' on the brain. I love it!

Jim

guitapick said 205 days ago
Yes...
...says it all...

"And we'll burn in heaven like we are stars"

Classic line...



Artist Profile
bud photo
bud

Artist Bio Hi - my real name is Kevin - but you can call me Bud - my wife and friends do. I make my living as a cameraman on commercials and documentaries. I've been playing music one way or the other since I was 12 years old I guess and eventually ended up in a gig...[more]
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