With a potential 11 songs to record, I decided to give you a sneak preview on the subject matter of them, along with one or two key lyric lines.  Just to give you a taster of what’s to come and how I’ve progressed as a song-writer and lyricist.  Before embarking on the writing adventure, I actually purchased several books on lyric writing, just to see where I was going right and where I was going wrong.  I was pleased to see that a lot of what I already did was in the book but there were other things that, as soon as I read it made total sense, I’d just not incorporated it into my lyrics.  Until now!  In no particular order:

NORMALITYVILLE HORROR
This is a title I had since the last album was recorded.  The whole notion stems from someone once saying to me “what’s wrong with being normal?”.  Well, this song explores that notion and I go off on a 1984/Big Brother style rant about life, how we are viewed and controlled, and how I want no part of “the suburban dream”.  This is an incredible song and goes through many musical themes – cannot wait to record it!  Some of my favourite lyrics from it: “You put me in a uniform from an early age / You force my will to conform to your indoctrinage / I question your authority every single day / It isn’t hard for me to see there is another way”

LIFE AND TIMES OF THE SUICIDE KID
Partly autobiographical but mostly about a bleak, charismatic character known only as the “Suicide Kid”.  Someone who has the X-Factor, isn’t short of friends yet life just isn’t enough for them.  You are drawn to them, you want them, but you hate them at the same time and hate yourself for wanting them.  This whole song was inspired by this lyric: “Your lipstick matters coz it pushes me over the edge / But your cold black heart is hard to start so I’m left with this instead”

OH NO! HERE WE GO!
Quite a standard relationship-going-wrong tale but with a twist and the story-teller isn’t putting up with any of your shit!  Oh no.  Say bye-bye.  Lyric: “Just when you thought it was safe / You pushed to get things your way / What can I tell you but that shit just won’t work with me”

SICK / SICK OF IT ALL
Not sure what the title will be yet.  Was orignally “Sick Of It All” but, with a band existing with the same name, not sure yet.  What am I sick of?  Simple, all the shit that we have had to endure as a band over the last year or two.  Dodgy liars that promise the earth but give you nothing.  Bad deals given by so-called “professionals”.  Idiots that claim to be able to do a job yet fail miserably.  I’ve never been one to hold back and I just let spew all my anger in this one song.  Practically wrote the whole thing whilst trying to get to sleep one night, lying there fuming, I kept scribbling down lyrical and musical ideas.  It practically wrote itself.  The ultimate message is that I am not someone to be fucked with.  Favourite lyrics: “This is my love-letter to those who take too much / Pride comes before a fall – trust me – your time will come”

TEEN ANGEL
An older song written by me several years back.  This is one that may be on the chopping block, not sure yet.  It’s a cool song and we always play it live, hence wanting to record it.  It’s about a girl you meet who is very innocent at first but soon goes down a very destructive path, partly thanks to you.  You cad!  Sample lyrics: “You smoked the dope and you sucked the cock / Asking just for a 20 for head / Bloodshot eyes came as no surprise / Needlepark baby, now you’re dead!”

VERY VERY GOOD AT BEING BAD
Very autobiographical.  About someone who has so much yet still can’t seem to shake the black cloud that hangs over their head.  It’s an exploration of selfishness and what drives a person to behave a particular way.  It’s not an excuse for some behaviours I’ve had, more an explanation of them and why they are so easy to fall into.  It’s pretty personal stuff that ends with a plea.  Tail of chorus lyric: “There’s too much fun to be had / When you’re very very good at being bad”

DEAD TO ME NOW
You know how some people just push you too far?  They hit that final big red button that marks the end of them as a human being in your mind.  This song is about that.  Something occurred that spurred the lyrics and, safe to say, that person no longer features in my life.  Can be about just about any relationship that goes sour, although I did have a specific person in mind when I wrote it.  Last song written for the album.  Musically, the melodies of the verses are really light and happy sounding, which is a great juxtaposition to what they are actually saying.  Example: “I try not to hate you but you make it so hard / You change the rules of the game to suit you and pushed me to far / I search and search for solutions / And can only reach one conclusion / You decided to risk it and I reached my limit”

OUT WITH THE OLD
This is another potential chopping block song.  Such a shame we have to choose one to go!  It’s a relationship story, about having a bit of fun with someone that you don’t particularly like.  Hey, I didn’t say it was a long-term relationship story!  I think, because I have been in a long-term relationship for, um, a long time, it is quite fun for me to explore other kinds of relationships in my songs.  Not in a longing way, more as a study.  “Out with the old / In with the new / What’s the point of you when you’re leaving me cold?”

ZERO TO SIXTY
Might be the lyrics I am proudest of as they started off as an exercise prompted from reading my lyric book.  I wanted to try some metaphorical lyric writing, ie writing about one subject but making it sound like it was another subject.  As an exercise, it took me 10 minutes and has been very successful.  On face value, it’s about the excitement of driving fast (a passion of mine) but, the subtext is actually all about my problems with alcohol.  Doesn’t sound like it would work, does it, but read this line with both subjects in mind: “But in a moment I lose all traction / Ain’t nothing too quick about my reaction / And as my whole world splits in two / I have nothing to blame except the fuel”

THE DUMB SONG / GOSSIP
Started off being called “Gossip” but I started referring to it as “the dumb song” (because of the lyrics to the chorus) and quite liked that as a title.  So still not sure what it will make it to the album as.  It’s a song written after seeing the kind of trouble people get themselves into by gossiping, especially through text and social forums like Facebook.  The chorus is inspired by the notion that, when 2 stupid people get together, they talk about people (and when clever people get together, they talk about ideas).  I liked that notion so the whole chorus is written around it: “Dumb people talk about people / And I hear you talking a lot / How about you shut your mouth / Then all the trouble will stop”

DRAGGED KICKING & SCREAMING
The third potential chopping-block song, mainly because we have recorded it in the past.  In demo form, it appears on our “Scary Tales” compilation but, it is such a good song that I do like the idea of recording it properly.  The lyrical theme has changed from the somewhat purile party-song / early Poison kind of vibe to something much, much darker.  Murder!  Can it be done?  Well, lyrically, some of the old lyrics were kept just being tweaked.  Mainly though, everything has changed.  We’ll see if this tune makes it to the final!  My favourite new line is: “You can pay me back by saying Hi to Jesus”