Here's a bit on Billy Budd by Herman Melville. It's another Melville book about sailors! In case ya don't know, Melville's most famous book was Moby Dick, which you may have heard of.
"Who in the rainbow can draw the line where the violet tint ends and the orange tint begins?"
In this book, our hero, Billy Budd, is actually known by his peers as The Handsome Sailor. That, and the fact that most everyone likes him, sounds like good fortune, right? Mostly. But for those who are very popular, there's always someone else trying to take them down.
This was my first live stream concert (2020 May 15). The connection crapped out, segmenting into pieces. This collection reassembles them as best as possible. Here are the original four pieces.
For those of you who like to wallow in sadness, I debut my brand new guitar with two songs that seem to fit the Spring of 2020: "You Tell Me" by Paul McCartney and "Beware of Darkness" by George Harrison.
I have my theories regarding whom Paul is addressing, but I doubt it was The World Before The Plague, which is how I hear it now. The George song is self-explanatory, and just a good reminder for these dark times.
Performed by Billy Dechand in Saint Louis, May 6, 2020.
Just before the plague hit our shores, I ordered my dream tenor (no, it's not a bass) from Eastwood Guitars. Then it sat on a faraway dock for three months. It finally arrived, and sure sounds great. (Stay tuned.)
30 years ago, when I first started playing tenor guitar, an electric 4-string was non-existent, or beyond my reach. I thank the Millenials and their ukulele obsession, and I suppose the bluegrass scene, for opening up the market.
Here's the entire 2018 CD Release Show for the album Down, at the Pat Connely Tavern (St. Louis) on June 1, 2018.
Why did it take so long to get around to editing this show? Well, I had used my latest gear to do a multi-track recording from the stage. There were technical difficulties with extracting those tracks, which I just recently did. And they're corrupt beyond repair. So, I've accepted that the audio will just be from the crappy camera mics. Enjoy!
Billy D Solo Set:
- Pop Another Cork
- Post
- Footprints
- Sometimes Why
- Evil I
Billy D & David Taylor:
- It Never Rains On My Birthday
The Billy Dechand Pick-up Band, featuring Micah Johnson (bass) and Jim Warchol (drums):
- Falling So High
- Sinking
- Secondary
- That’s Your Mama
- Squint
- The Longest Darkest Night
- Applesauce (Always Hungry)
- Keeping It Real
- (Live My Life) Alive
- I Am TV
- When The Satellites Drop
- Kick Ass
- (You Can Take Me) Down
- Kind
All songs by Billy Dechand except "Footprints" by Frantz Bostick, Joe Koepke, and Billy D, and "I Am TV" by Allan Heifetz.
Since so much of the world is on lockdown now, musicians with no gigs are also hoping to get paid for their work somehow. Buying the album is the best way to show support. Also, I have set up a Tip Jar, should you feel inclined.
