Today I had a small lightbulb moment concerning what to do concerning recording a video as a storyboard in the VeeDub Bus.
I believe that the songs that are already finished and have been recorded on the Apple Mac M2 in the little home studio, known as The Den, would be ideal played in acoustic fashion out in the open air. Then a comparison study would be a good theme. Especially to chat about how the songs can progress. An acoustic version of these songs below, stripped and laid bare, would give ideas to how my songs develop. Sometimes it may be said that the simplicity of an acoustic version may be far better. Who knows.
The storyboard format would have specific sections every time. And two of those sections are now sorted. #1. Acoustic song and #2. The Den song. Trouble is! An idea of what to put visually over The Den songs below is the hardest thought process at the moment. Playing an acoustic version of them is simply myself alone, or myself alongside another musician with an instrument or a singer. Alongside? Simply chatting about the ways of getting songs recorded.
These songs below are the core for the first videos though. Use what has already been done. And what is quite nice about the versions below, is that with my new fast fibre broadband, I can send out the highest quality option into the universe. Before, the songs have been uploaded here on WP on basic levels.
For the possible new visitors to this blog, here is the background info regarding the songs below. All songs written by myself, Gray Summers. All the instruments, apart from the drums which are from the GarageBand library, are played by myself. So guitars, keyboards, vocals and a bit of percussion. I don’t like AI one little bit. So will never use it. So the songs will have mistakes. But that’s okay. I’m only human after all.
If you have the opportunity to do so, using headphones is a far better listening experience. Thank you.
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Cheers and all the best to you all.
Intro song to the YouTube Vlogcasts. Rhythm of Lies. Wind of Sorrows. Eddie Loves to Dance. 18 years was 50 years ago.Old Man…I guess that’s me. Clean Start to Nothing Yet. This Instrumental is an intended introduction to the Cloud 9 Vlogcast on YouTube when there are other musicians involved in the ongoing video. The intention is to write an upbeat lyric of simple introductory content intent and find a melody to attach. A kind of ‘Hello, Hello. Here we Go’ type of involvement which is suitable for The VeeDub/Cloud 9’/Musical Vibe storyboard scenarios. And…..remember to not to get too cheesy! Faded Walls. Time to burn them down. If the Outside looks Right in at You, then, don’t turn around.November, the Stereo and You…..My Friend. Year One.Stop this Heartache. Stars above the Dunes. Currently an instrumental. Considering rewriting the intended melody/lyrics. Removed the vocal/lyric track as to sing over just this presentation above. He Said, She Said. Hey Yano……. A little vocal ditty attached too. Groovin’ with Mr. Summers on Cloud 9.
AND NOW THERE BECOMES A TIME OF ENQUIRY. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC PLATFORM ‘BANDCAMP’. TO UPLOAD SOME OF THESE SONGS ABOVE. AS WITH ALL NEW VENTURES AND THE ENQUIRY NEED, I HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TREPIDATION BEFORE JUMPING IN TO THE EXPERIENCE. NEED TO BITE THE BULLET AND JUST WEATHER THE POSSIBLE STORM.
AND…….SOME FINAL INSTRUMENTAL INCLUSIONS FOR REFLECTING WHEN WALKING THROUGH THE LOCAL SCENERY OR SIMPLY FILMING LOCAL SPOTS.
Be Humble …. i-know ……..that I know nothing. Socrates. TADA.
I’m a Staff Nurse. Capitals on the S and N. I’m proud to be a nurse. It was hard won. And is still really hard to win on a daily basis. I have loved my life so far. Every 10 years I would subconsciously change direction career wise. These changes would just creep up on the Summers’ lifestyle. Unknown until they arrived. No planning involved. Left school in the early 1970s and picked up a guitar (musician) and it felt ‘right’.
10 years go by touring, playing, dreaming and writing my own songs singing to an initial audience of myself alone to audiences of thousands. Toured with my band supporting the Specials, Selector, Madness, and Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Lived above a Whole-food Shop, which had a Potter supply his hand thrown stoneware coffee/tea pots and domestic ware. He gave me a lump of clay, and ‘hey’ I started making Raku and St. Thomas White stoneware Mythological and Mystical travellers and warriors. I became a ‘ceramicist’ in earnest. Couldn’t call myself a Potter because I couldn’t throw anything on a wheel. Completely useless.
Craft fairest, exhibitions, shop supplying were my selling places for ceramics. Even opened up and ran a shop with another craft worker. It was located behind Coventry Cathedral. It was short lived. After 10 years go by working with clay? My nephew, born profoundly Deaf, meant we all, as a family, went to college to learn British Sign Language. I took this up as a career and supported Deaf students in higher and further education. I move to Wales in this role and…..
10 years go by again. Sitting having a coffee with a lecturer in Aberystwyth, I bemoan my age of 50 and say I’d love to do something different. “Become a nurse,” he says. He takes me onto his Access to Nursing course, which allows me into the General Adult Nurse degree course in Swansea (well the Carmarthen site of the three University’s sites), and there you go. After three years trying I become a Staff Nurse.
10 years have gone by. Now? I’m 61 and it seems my 10 year change has stopped. I have my Volkswagen T2 Crossover 1972 Bay Bus, “Wow, an old camper van!” as people call it, nearing renovation completion. I used it as my daily transportation (that’s ‘My Daily Ride Dude’ when I would have been in my younger days) and it will once again become my ‘daily ride dude’ when I get it back home very shortly. I’m thinking I may use it as a central life changer. It’s name is Billie Bud and it will carry my interests including guitar, djembe drum, Pentax cameras (LX, 645, MX), lots of black and white film, my aromatherapy essential oils (120 plus) to create new synergy concoctions, decent pencils and art paper and my small collection of beautiful fountain pens (1930s to 1990s) to write thoughts and songs.
So the story goes, to where? No one knows.
WELL…….AN UPDATE IS REQUIRED NOW I SUPPOSE.
Now soon April (tomorrow) of 2026, it has been four years and eight months since retiring at 65 years old. So now a soon to be 70 year old in September this year. I have been a gardener, decorator/DIY enthusiast on renovating the house for about two and a half years when retired and nearly two years as a musician again. I have been songwriting and recording the results on a MAC M2 home studio. It’s been fun.
So I suppose, change still is ongoing. The VeeDub Bus has had some new carburettor updates and now returned. Hopefully music can be recorded on the go. Ambitions are to get a ‘van studio’ set up and record amongst nature whilst chilling in the VW Bus. Blogs of course have been ongoing and will still be a future aim.
Cheers to everyone that has stuck through this WP adventure. So very much appreciated. Thank you all.
On finding an old blog from 2023 put into draft status……I reflected on the poem and suddenly needed to rewrite current thoughts. So basically, a total new blog.
Recently it has been a case of ‘What on Earth is going on with Time’. Five years ago, upon retirement, one single year passing by felt like it lasted for two years. Now? One year feels like six months. The days to weeks to months simply ‘Fly Bye’. Yes, that’s it! They Fly in and say Good-Bye so fast.
Once was a time before retirement that a certain VeeDub Bus, made in 1972, was used on a daily basis. The VeeDub Bus is officially known as a Volkswagen Type 2 Bay Crossover. Or, in other words…a Hippie Camper Van called Billie Cloud 9. Its past use? Getting to and from work on a daily basis and also an escape/bolt hole for leisure.
Gentler times.
Now, in five years of retirement, it has hardly been used. In fact, over those fiveyears, its use can probably be counted on the fingers of two hands. It had broken down massively and been repaired. But it still kept stuttering and cutting out on simple journeys. A change of carburettor was supposed to be the answer.
However, once again last year, on fitting the carburettor, it was found to need a huge repair job on rotting metalwork again. Possibly living near to the sea. Sea salty air? It was completed. Carburettor (twin port) sorted and bodywork rebuilt. So all tickety-boo? Nope. Looking out of the window this morning, it currently sits on the drive looking miserable. It performs at 12 miles to a gallon. And with massively expensive petrol being the norm currently it becomes a much considered thought process. And it has a fuel gauge that does not work. To make the fuel gauge readable? A huge intervention of getting at the fuel tank to fix a ‘sender’.
It is impossible to feel confidence in going out driving in such circumstances. Travelling along wondering if you are going to run out of petrol. And the cost of petrol being, as said, exorbitant too, you cannot travel far in a rural set up. The VeeDub uses Grade E5 petrol and the nearest garage that sells it requires a nine mile journey. Also. Welsh countryside, with lots of hill climbs, may even increase petrol consumption. Hence, reluctance to use the vehicle. So, this morning, the miserable situation of the VeeDub Bus has suddenly migrated to its owner.
Currently I am whisper singing Perry Como’s ‘Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket. Save it for a rainy day’. It is perfect rationality.
Also. Lifestyle as an ‘introvert who likes to stay at home’ or ‘someone who found beautiful solace in isolation outdoors in the VeeDub’? Confusion exists as to why you are regularly asking the question nowadays as to ‘Why so many Negative Circumstances currently’? It is an emotion of huge impact and one that has chipped away at the brain over the past couple of years. It chips and chips away annoyingly and eventually brings you down. Both in physical and mental health. Crashing down actually. So much so that the time has arrived that requires a massive change regarding lifestyle.
As the magnetic words state. ‘It is always good to relax, listen and breathe …. And to shine in this sacred, beautiful green sanctuary’.
When Father Time is moving too fast. There has to be an answer to slow it down. When life’s purpose is challenged, you simply have to change. In around four weeks, the reality of becoming a 70 year old in age status arrives.
A journey of highs and lows.
Change! A break and withdrawal is the answer. The VeeDub Bus will be fixed. My wife has found someone who works on them. She is adamant that it will be sorted. Reflecting with my sensible logical brain this morning, a sudden realisation as to the VeeDub status dropped. ‘The past five years’ money input of thousands and thousands of pounds with costs of repair, insurance and buying never used extras (for going out to both record my music and relax) has been crazy. And what for!’
The stupidity of the situation has suddenly hit home. Embracing new holistic calm by focusing on richer worthwhile and wholesome experiences is the aim. The VeeDub up and running properly can provide a quest for finding calm again. Escape and dive deeply into re-finding the real nature of happiness.
Also. For the rest of the year, every effort will be for regular WordPress uploads to be put on hold. No attempting to do uploads of weekly useless write ups or my unfinished songs. Maybe a once every month or, even better, two monthly update of intent. May even delete all but my much visited seminal content. About 12 posts.
Life? Intent? It simply means finding one’s gentler soul again. This need for finding a new soulful simplicity may slow time down again.
On re-reading, I thought of the meaning of the Idlebird poem written a few years ago. There are a few lines within it. And yes! They self resonate.
On a daily basis….Dawdling here and there. Meandering to and fro. I have simply become ‘a song that is never sung’ recently. Never focused. Just mind bending random thoughts with subsequent confusion inherent.
Time cannot simply ‘pass by’ and no longer be enjoyed. As the poem says ‘No passer by is Pretty Fish…….’
This morning was a wake up call to new reality. Or as we British say as a colloquial idiom, ‘Give your head a wobble Summers.’
What is more important to embrace? Sister Sun? Or The Tin Moon?
Photograph from the free WordPress library. Edited from colour to black and white.
To witness a running Idlebird
Is very rare you know
It waddles here
It dawdles there
It meanders to and fro.
You’ll only see an elder one
But Yes! They were once young
Their vibrant youth
Now a hidden truth
Within a song that is never sung.
No passer-by is Pretty Fish,
She often comes to say,
‘I’ve knocked your door
I do implore.
Ask me inside to stay’.
She’s traveled far in her bubble car
To bring a welcome tune
Shimmery fun
She’s Sister Sun
To Idlebird’s Tin Moon.
Written quote ‘You faked your feelings…….’ From the book ‘Guidelines to Feelings’ by K. Bradford-Brown. The juxtaposition of one’s self twin positive and negative identities. No complexity exists. Just an ability to find the simplicity of balance.
Gray Summers 