albums
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Childhood (1974-90)
1977 Firsts
1978 Seconds
1985 Cacappella
1986 Eye Beater
1987 Guitarded
1988 Kim 1
1988 Kim 2
1988 Kim 3
1988 Kim 4
1988 Kim 5
1988 Kim 6
1988 Kim 7
1988 Kim 8
1988 Kim 9
1988 Kim 10
1988 Kim 11
1988 Kim 12
1989 Kim 13
1989 Five Dollar Drummer
1989 Wino Three Girls
1990 A Caustic Gutter
1996-1999
1996 NoVaSoCa
1996 Fullerton
1997 Soundtracks
1997 Walk Around
1997 Riding the Greyhound
1999 I Mowed
1999 Simulameous
1999 Yikes
1999 Piano Farte
2000-2008
2001 Marathon
2001 Days Like These
2001 Alcan Back
2001 Sleepy Sloppy
2001 Dad Day Jam
2002 Unfit
2002 The Key of G
2003 Daffy Day
2003 Januweary
2003 Post-Key
2003 Fatiguitar
2003 Oh No
2005 Waiting
2005 Sun Strike
2006 Stinky Room
2006 Schtupid
2007 Coy Pun
2007 Post-Ides
2007 Post-Ideas
2007 Post-Ideals
2007 Warble
2007 Another Same Day
2007 And Another
2007 Bald Ballads
2007 Lunch Broken
2007 Mayo
2007 Mayon
2007 Mayonandon
2007 Mayoff
2007 Juneo
2007 Juneon
2007 Juneonandon
2007 Two Song Rule
2007 Cavy Fury
2007 Infinity Daze
2007 Fall Start
2007 False Tart
2007 Fall End
2008 New Ear
2008 Decadend
View printable CD cover for album: Kim 1 Click on the thumbnail to view a printable cd sleeve.

Track List

# title lyrics time download listen started recorded rating
1 Red Joy lyrics 2:39 download listen locally 1987-12-?? 1988-01-03
2 Barricade lyrics 1:27 download listen locally 1987-12-31 1988-01-03
3 Doltish Sonnet lyrics 5:21 download listen locally 1987-12-31 1988-01-03
4 Listen Moses lyrics 1:50 download listen locally 1987-12-?? 1988-01-03
5 Family Interlude lyrics 0:24 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
6 Bad Notes Are Bad lyrics 2:31 download listen locally 1987-12-?? 1988-01-03
7 Last Minute Switch - 2:30 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
8 Cat Jumping on a Piano lyrics 0:46 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
9 First Side Summary lyrics 0:12 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
10 Old Song Medley lyrics 8:46 download listen locally 1983-??-?? 1988-01-03
11 Medley Summary lyrics 0:17 download listen locally 1988-??-?? 1988-01-03
12 Poor Escape lyrics 9:32 download listen locally 1987-11-29 1988-01-03
13 ULS (2) lyrics 3:37 download listen locally 1985-??-?? 1988-01-03
14 12 Bar lyrics 2:58 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
15 Poetry Medley lyrics 4:43 download listen locally 1987-10-06 1988-01-03
16 Morbid Poetry for School lyrics 6:12 download listen locally 1987-05-06 1988-01-03
17 Carrot Tree Intro lyrics 0:18 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
18 Carrot Tree - 7:23 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
19 Chompy Chatter lyrics 1:24 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
20 Just Stupid lyrics 4:40 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
21 Gutter Intro lyrics 0:50 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
22 Gutter Guitar lyrics 3:52 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
23 Sample Chatter lyrics 2:43 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
24 Drums Like Guns lyrics 3:11 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
25 Sunday Outro lyrics 0:21 download listen locally - 1988-01-03
Total 78:27 play all locally album rating:

Notes

This was the first batch of songs that I sent to my cousin Kim. I recorded them all on 1988-01-03 (a Sunday). It's a hit-and-miss (and miss) mix of piano, keyboard, acoustic guitar, and vocals.

The lyrics repeatedly focus on death. As a strange, sad coincidence, my grandfather passed away on the day that I put these songs online (2007-10-19). His passing made me think of how much he and I experienced in the 19 years since I recorded these songs. It also made me thankful that I've kept on creating music and documenting my life, so that when I eventually disappear, there will be a huge body of "work" (more like "play") for people to explore. They'll hear more from me when I'm gone than when I was alive. Cheery thought, huh?

The original tape cover says:

Garbage from Travis

It's not the best quality tape, but then again it's not the best quality music.

On the accompanying liner notes:

I hope (but doubt) that you will enjoy listening to these (some are actually ok) and all except "12 Bar" I made up myself! But please don't record over them or erase them - they'll become valuable in a few years - just like antiques!

Here are scans of the original cover and liner notes:

Kim 1 - original tape cover Kim 1 - tape notes (front) Kim 1 - tape notes (back)

Songs

Red Joy

This was written for my cousin Kim, who has red hair. The theme is kinda dark and schitzo. It doesn't help that I was chomping gum while singing. And the solos suck. And there are badly tuned notes. Oh well. It's a start.

My lyrics sheet says that "Red Joy" was written in December 1987, between "Poor Escape" (1987-11-29) and "Doltish Sonnet" (1987-12-31). On the other hand, the letter I sent to Kim says that "Red Joy" was written in November 1987. Since December 1987 seems more likely, I'll pick that.

Lyrics to "Red Joy":

if there is one kind of person that i despise
she has red joy in her eyes
if there is one kind of person that i can hate
she has that red joy look across her face

she had started by killing her mother
got carried away, had to commit another
commit another
she had to kill another

that red joy, red joy, red joy

time running down faster that i can move around
and it's 5 o'clock
time running down faster that i can move around
and it is 5 o'clock
5 o'clock
5 o'clock

time running down faster that i can move around
there is no way to lose this frown
it's 5 o'clock
5 o'clock
5 o'

if there is one kind of person that i despise
she has red joy in her eyes
if there is one kind of person that i can hate
she has that red joy look across her face

she had started by killing her mother
got carried away, had to commit another
commit another
commit another

oo
time running down faster that i can move around
and it is 5 o'clock
time running down faster that i can move around
and it is 5 o'clock
(c) 1988 Trex

Barricade

Weird chords, weird lyrics, awful singing. I think it has something to do with protection of innocence.

Lyrics to "Barricade":

oh i wonder what that fence is for
to keep the strangers from the door
or could it be for something more

i wonder what that fence is for
to keep the strangers from the door
or could it be for something more

to keep the children under eye
the fence is more than 12 feet high
and from the gate i hear a cry

this awful barricade

i wonder what this fence is for
to keep the children from the door
to keep the children from entering the world outside
from entering the world outside

from entering the world outside
from entering, from entering the world outside
from entering, from entering the world outside
(c) 1988 Trex

Doltish Sonnet

The lyrics are bleak and geeky, but the music is [for the most part] simple and almost catchy. The solos are horrible, though. I guess this tried to be epic?

Lyrics to "Doltish Sonnet":

doltish sonnet
doltish sonnet
doltish sonnet
doltish sonnet

we though we had it made
our hands were on the blade
the enemy were dismayed
and behind us in the distance a mother's children played

our tactics you'd admire
our forces you'd desire
our purpose you'd inquire
and we'd answer there's only one: to control the whole empire

and then we entered battle
on foot and in our saddle
behind us all our cattle
far away behind the cattle a baby shook his rattle

but in the end we failed
our valiants retreated frailed
their faces bloodless, paled
and somewhere in the distance a lonely child wailed

waa waa, waa waa, waa waa, waa waa
waa waa, waa waa, waa waa, waa waa

we though we had it made
our hands were on the blade
the enemy were dismayed
and behind us in the distance the mother's children played

our tactics you'd admire
our forces you'd desire
our purpose you'd inquire
and we'd answer there's only one: to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire

cold
a very very cold war
watch the children dying
while we run away, we run away, we run away

watch the children dying
while we run away, we run away, we run away
to save our lives
to save our lives

and we'd answer there's only one: to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire

and then we entered battle
on foot and in our saddle
behind us all our cattle
far away behind the cattle a baby shakes his rattle

but in the end we failed
our valiants retreated frailed
their faces bloodless and paled
and somewhere in the distance a lonely child wailed

doltish sonnet
doltish sonnet
doltish sonnet
doltish sonnet

and we'd answer there's only one
and yes we'd answer there's only one
and yes we answer there's only one

to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire
to control the whole empire

waa waa, waa waa, waa waa, waa waa

and somewhere in the distance a lonely child wailed
(c) 1988 Trex

Listen Moses

Was I reading the bible or something? I don't remember. I kinda like the punk chords. Not the gum chomping, though.

My lyrics sheet says this was writting in January 1988 but the letter I sent to Kim (on 1988-01-03) says it was written in December 1987. I think the latter is more likely.

Lyrics to "Listen Moses":

walk forth into the country of the promised land
oh yes, the precious treasure of the israeli expand
the country of the plenty, the gift of god's hand
many things in the land you will not understand

but you cannot forget you're under god's command
but you cannot forget you're under god's command

the israeli expand
across the land
governed by the hand
of the heavens' command

the israeli expand
across the land
governed by the hand
of the heavens' command

walk forth into the country of the promised land
yes, the precious treasure of the israeli expand
it's the country of the plenty, the gift of god's hand
many things in the land you will not understand

but you cannot forget you're under god's command
but you cannot forget god's
god's command

the israeli expand
across the land
governed by the hand
of the heavens' command

the israeli expand
across the land
across the land
across the land

the israeli expand
(c) 1988 Trex

Family Interlude

Dad was telling me to hurry up. Jessica was walking around singing to herself. I was chomping gum like a cow.

Lyrics to "Family Interlude":

DAD:
  hey trav

TRAV:
  what?

DAD:
  bring your session to and end

TRAV:
  wait, why?

DAD:
  'cause mom wants to make supper

TRAV:
  i'm almost done
  i've like one more song

DAD:
  quickly

TRAV:
  ok that was the 3 new songs as of january 3rd 1988

JESS:  [singing scat]

TRAV:
  the next one is an old one
  for me it's old
  but it's one of my favorites
  here it goes
(c) 1988 Trex

Bad Notes Are Bad

A song with and about bad notes. Yay. It's sloppy and often annoying. You can tell I was reluctant to "bring the session to an end".

I can't believe I played these songs with other people within earshot! Maybe that's why Mom was hiding upstairs.

Lyrics to "Bad Notes Are Bad":

i heard a bad note

bad notes are bad when you're playing piano
another other instrument that might be fine
but bad notes are bad when you're playing piano

let's try again singing
i have to tell you again and then i'll tell you no more
tell you right now and then no more

bad notes are bad when you're playing piano
bad notes are bad when you're playing piano
bad notes are bad when you're playing piano

and we're gonna switch real quick to
(c) 1988 Trex

Last Minute Switch

I was procrastinating dinner. This feels rushed in parts, but is actually not that bad. I don't know if or when I wrote the music before hand. It could be a total improv.

Cat Jumping on a Piano

Hmm, guitar? Was I really ready for it? Are you?

Lyrics to "Cat Jumping on a Piano":

ok quickie on guitar
i'm not good on guitar
so yoy're gonna be able to tell that

cat a jumping on a piano
cat a jumping on a piano

oh
cat a drumming on a piano

let's see you do any better
(c) 1988 Trex

First Side Summary

I was running through a list of what I had recorded so far.

Lyrics to "First Side Summary":

first one was red joy
second one was barricade
third was doltish sonnet
fourth was listen moses
fifth was bad notes are bad
and this last one was cat jumping on piano
and a lot of other four letter stuff
(c) 1988 Trex

Old Song Medley

This is a medley of songs I had written years ago. Some appear on Cacappella. It starts with a sequel (but not remake) of "Ants in Your Pants". Then it turns into "I'm a Little Midget" and then "Pass the Sugar". Then into other songs, and lame solos. The highlight (IMO) is "Oh Mama".

It's all kinda dumb. The mind-numbingly cheesy keyboard rhythms and chords don't help.

Lyrics to "Old Song Medley":

YOU WANT ME TO DANCE:

  i know you want me to sing
  to do me own thing
  you want me to dance
  like i got ants in my pants

  an embarassing stance
  in the middle
  in the middle
  in the middle of romance

  i know you want me to sing
  to do me own thing
  and you want me to dance
  like i got ants in my pants

  an embarassing stance
  in the middle of romance
  and i will


I'M A LITTLE MIDGET:

  i'm a little midget, short and squat
  i have trouble going to the pot
  i'm a little midget with long toes
  i have mucus dripping out my nose


PASS THE SUGAR:

  oh lady pass the sugar
  oh lady pass the sugar
  oh lady pass the sugar
  and the bubble gum

  oh lady pass the salad
  oh lady pass the salad
  oh lady pass the salad
  then we will be done

  oh lady pass the sugar
  oh lady pass the sugar
  oh lady pass the sugar
  and the bubble gum


SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT:

  somethin's not right
  somethin's not right
  somethin's not right
  on this moonlit night


OH MAMA:

  oh mama come home to me
  oh mama i'm lonely
  big brother not here for me
  so mama i'm lonely

  oh mama come home real soon
  sister crying in the living room
  the sun is down and up came the moon
  so mama mama come home real soon

  mama i miss you mama
  mama i miss you mama ma
  mama i miss you mama
  mama i miss you
  oh yeah

  when will daddy come back to us?
  why he did he leave us?
  is it because you made a fuss?
  or is it because he don't love us?

  love us
  he leave us
  he no love us
  love us that he don't
  leave us that he do
  love us that he don't
  leave us that he do

  love us
  he leave us
  he no love us
  he leave us
  that he do

  why did daddy have no job?
  now big brother have to rob
  he stole cash from city snob
  easier than finding job

  what a mess we're in, boy

  and about that man in blue
  yesterday came looking for you
  said you crook i said not true
  big brother stood up for you

  he hit the cop and told you to run
  fought the cop and almost won
  too bad cop pulled out that gun
  brother in jail 'til 21

  cop caught you not far from there
  and dragged you down and grabbed your hair
  off you went to jail not fair
  cop just left me standing there

  mama i miss you mama
  mama i miss you mama
  mama i miss you mama
  ma ma ma ma ma ma ma

  ma


SEAS OF STARS:

  the sky is black no moon does shine
  seas of stars to tease my mind
  it's all i want to leave this earth
  my flaws in life began at birth

  stars of ice betray my eyes
  the light of the sun reflects a disguise
  this night of glamour this day, my last
  my crystal mind recalls the past

  i don't know where it went wrong
  i don't know why i sing this song
  i don't know where it went wrong
  i don't know why i sing this song

  oh why was i brought up that way
  it seems no fair i have to pay
  why was i brought up that way
  it seems no fair i have to pay
(c) 1988 Trex

Medley Summary

Talking about the "Old Song Medley". Tylenol?

Lyrics to "Medley Summary":

ok last four
you want me to dance
little midget
pass the sugar
and seas of stars
seas of stars is probably one of the best i've wrote
and the other 3 were written sometime in 1983 and 1984
you can tell that because the lyrics from little midget is really immature
the next one is
oh darn i forgot to take my tylenol
hold on
(c) 1988 Trex

Poor Escape

This is an anti-suicide song. I don't remember why I wrote it. It certainly wasn't for me!

I love the groovy reggae feel, even though it's canned.

Funny how my voice cracks. I was what, 14? Puberty, Trav. It's growing up.

Lyrics to "Poor Escape":

ok it's called poor escape

you think you know what it's like to be nothing?
to he hopelessly in love with a something?
all in a world from which you feel to be running
it makes you think that life just isn't worth living

hey!
you may think it's just you
but it's other people too
and they are just as bad as you
don't try to leave this crazy zoo

all right
all right
all right
all right

it's growing up up up up
growing up up up up
it's growing up up up up up up up

it's growing up
it's growing up
it's growing up
it's growing up

sometime you gotta do it
there's no eay way through it
just tell yourself to move it
get back into life

keep growing up up up up
growing up
it's growing up hey

listen you better have friends
and try to learn to make amends
every person has a worth
otherwise why would there be birth?

hey
that's what i'm singing
it's part of life
it's part of life

  [scat]

2 3 4
2 3 and i hit it
and i hit it
and i hit it
and i hit it

i hit it
i hit it

i felt a nobody in a nobody's world

i felt a nobody in a somebody world
i felt a nobody couldn't get me a girl
i felt a nobody in a somebody world
i felt a nobody couldn't get me a girl

don't want it to end that easily
got fight, be sure of the victory
don't want it to end that easily
fight, be sure of the victory

it's a poor escape
to leave the world that way
it's a cheap mistake
to leave the world that way

think you know what it's like to be nothing?
to he hopelessly in love with a something?
all in a world from which you feel to be running
it makes you think that life just isn't worth living

you may think it's just you
but it's other people too
and they are just as bad as you
don't try to leave this crazy zoo zoo

hey it's growing up
act mature
it's growing up

hey it's growing up
act mature
it's growing up

and sometime you gotta do it
there's no eay way through it
just tell yourself to move it
get back into life

hey it's growing up
act mature ture
it's growing up
act mature

it's a poor escape
to leave the world that way
it's a quick mistake
a cheap mistake that way

you're only fooling yourself
and nobody else that way
you're only fooling yourself
and nobody else that way

hey hey
it's growing up up
act mature
hey hey
it's growing up up
act mature

listen you better have friends
learn to make amends
every person has a worth
otherwise why would there be birth?
birth birth birth

hey
it's part of life
act mature
it's part of life
act mature

act mature

i felt a nobody in a somebody world
i felt a nobody couldn't get me a girl
i felt a nobody
and i act mature

so i'm here today
to sing away
to sing about

growing up
you gotta act mature
it's growing up
act mature

it's a poor escape
to leave the world that way
it's growing up
i say act mature

it's growing up growing up growing up
it's part of life
growing up growing up growing up
it's part of life

growing up
it's a poor escape
to leave the world that way
poor escape
to leave the world that way

it's growing up
you gotta act mature
it's growing up
you've gotta act mature

it's growing up
you gotta act mature
it's growing up
don't make the mistake
don't put your life away
don't make mistake

it's a poor escape
the quick mistake
the easy mistake
the easy way out

so why don't you just sit in your room and pout
your eyes out

it's a poor mistake
a poor escape

it's an easy mistake
it's an easy mistake
it's the quick mistake
it's the cheap mistake

it's the easy way out
so go ahead and pout
cry your eyes out
cry your eyes out

don't make the mistake
don't make the mistake
don't make the mistake
because it's poor escape
(c) 1988 Trex

ULS (2)

This is a remake of "ULS". I think the (brown) pen was dying so I had to switch to a blue one. You can hear my fish tank bubbling the background.

When the music [finally] starts, it's pretty cool.

Lyrics to "ULS (2)":

no what is that
it's called uls: unidentified love song
god
that's why i'm using a blue pen for the last song
it says uls: unidentified love song
and i wrote it in 1986
no that's my oldest of the ones on the keyboard
1985
this is really old
really old but it's good
first one i ever wrote using a keyboard and a piano

uls
i'll tell you what it stands for
uls
as if you didn't know

uls
i'll tell you what it stands for
uls
as if you didn't know

unidentified love song
unidentified love song
baby

unidentified love song
unidentified love song
unidentified love song
baby

1 2
1 2 and hit it

yeah
(c) 1988 Trex

12 Bar

This is a cover of UB40's song (from 1980). My version is slow, sludgy, and repetitive, with none of the coolness of the original. Sigh. This is why I don't do covers.

Lyrics to "12 Bar":

i didn't write this one
it's called 12 bar
and i like it
(c) 1988 Trex

Poetry Medley

This medley starts with "Stupid Parents", which has the same lyrics as the IPECAC song "Grapejuice". It then segues into two more poems (without changing the music). The "hey" choruses kinda hold this all together.

Lyrics to "Poetry Medley":

INTRO:

  ok i just pulled out a few more
  and they're sorta stupid
  really stupid

  these are old, they're ancient
  october 6th
  i wrote them all on october 6th
  my gosh
  these are poems i wrote
  first times i'm putting them to music
  ready?


STUPID PARENTS (GRAPEJUICE):

  my shoes have grapejuice on them
  there's a puddle of it on the floor
  mother' screaming bloody murder
  and then she points to the door

  i say hey, didn't you know that grapejuice stained the carpet

  dad comes home
  i'm still outside
  too cold to talk
  about to cry

  hey, you better learn how to grow up soon

  he goes inside
  and leaves me here
  greets my mom with
  "honey dear"

  "hey, what's he doing out there on the porch?"

  what shall i do?
  i feel a breeze
  without a coat
  i'm here to freeze

  hey, you should've thought of that earlier

  i try the door
  it's locked, oh no
  forecasters calling for
  five feet [of] snow

  hey, now they're not always right, are they?

  my tears are ice
  my hands are dead
  my fingers have lost
  their healthy red

  hey, tough break, kiddo

  dad opens the door
  so i rush in
  i clean up the mess
  i am forgiven

  so hey, that isn't bad, is it?

  here's another one


ATTENTION:

  the girl of my dreams walks by; i blush
  the blood leaves my head with a rush
  for a moment i cannot see
  it's like i blacked out on my feet

  by now she's quite far down the hall
  she's leaning quietly against the wall
  i just wish she'd looked at me
  her boyfriend comes, i let her be

  hey, hey, hey

  here's another one

  the girl of my dreams walks by; i blush
  the blood leaves my head in a rush
  for a moment i cannot see
  it's like i blacked out on my feet

  i need another line in there

  by now she's blocking half the hall
  not that pretty after all
  hey i wish she'd talk to me
  her boyfriend comes, so i let her be

  awesome, right?
  here's another one: cold crop


COLD CROP:

  down, down the temperature drops
  no way to save our precious crops
  one week till harvest and a coming frost
  how many areas will this cost?

  colder than it's been all year
  thirty eight, a cause to fear
  this freakish winter came too soon
  fields unready for the early doom

  down, down the temperature drops
  no one knows when it'll stop
  thirty five, the plants won't thrive
  the bees have gone back to the hive

  the time has come to meet our end
  thirty four, just around the bend
  at thirty two the plants will die
  and the snow will start to fly

  finally the front has passed
  an eager shout from the grass
  the temperature drop has stopped, you see
  at an even thirty three

  hey, hey, hey


OUTRO:
  and those are my poems
  october 6th
  right before jessica's birthday
  ok
  let me find some more songs to play for you
(c) 1988 Trex

Morbid Poetry for School

This includes readings of morbid poetry that I wrote for 7th grade English class. I received good grades for it, despite the juvenile death-themes.

Lyrics to "Morbid Poetry for School":

ok here's some really stick stuff
that i can't exactly put to music
because it's stupid
i think they're funny
now this was last year
i'll just put down: poetry for school
oh boy i spelt it wrong
it's 1986 to 1987
this is poetry that i had to write for school
and some of it's really dumb
ok here we go
this first one
may 6th 1987
this is called: poetry from the sick and demented
i'm not gonna say what the assignments were
because i don't know myself
ok here we go, first one
it's called daydream

  a wooden pencil rattles noisily across the desk
  the aggravated teacher looks up from her work and scowls
  in the back row a student cocks his head
  to grin at his perturbed authority
  then he lays his head down on his desk
  and ignores class for the rest of the day

  deep within the boy's dream grasses shrivel
  becoming tremoring strands of gold
  the grasses are dying
  and when one shrivels a life is ended

  but after life comes infinite years of gold and nourishment
  at this point 3 especially small grasses
  bend down permanently to the ground
  but they remain green and the gold does not come

  death, a mist, poisons the grasses
  blood swirls in the air like a tornado
  like funnels painting the walls with crimson red
  a dorsal fin cuts through the blood
  and the room tilts and explodes

  someone coughs and the boy raises his head
  the dismissal bell clangs
  and the tired class rushes to the door

  three catfish, a goldfish, and an american chameleon
  worth 50 dollars each die
  the chameleon chokes repeatedly on its last grasshopper
  and the fish float belly-up to the surface of their aquarium
  a sister screams at the sight of the corpses
  and the boy just stands there grinning

  i sit at my desk playing wargames by myself
  and reading stories about battle and death
  outside my room the family mourns the death of my pets
  my sister loved them more than i did

  something has disturbed and angered my parents
  and they constantly glare at me in disrespect
  they will refuse to get me another pet
  they say i don't deserve one
  they say i am cruel
  i say like i care

ok that was the first one
come on, applause
i think it was ok

next one is called:
more healthy excerpts from poetry of the sick and demented
death: examples of my favorite abstraction

now look, i was really sick last year
not physically; mentally
i was determined to be the grossest person in the class
i don't know why
ok: death: examples of my favorite abstraction

  the blind terrorist wearing cardboard mickey-mouse ears
  bought in disneyland
  hijacks a 747 over the atlantic ocean and he takes the controls

  absent-minded students turn in crumpled, mispelled reports for mr. kleiner
  who regards them as unsatisfactory
  with their backs turned in complete embarassment
  the students have no idea that the psychotic teacher
  is slowly pulling a sterling-silver butcher knife from his desk

  innocent, unknowing children hungrily devour trays of food
  in the lunchroom of burley middle school

  cotton soft kittens newly born with eyes still unopened
  encounter for the first and last time the busy chicago streets
  one day a child's most precious posession and the next a speed bump

this last one was dedicated to jon friesen
he's this really super-nerd type
nerd type
nerd type who would read his poems on a tape, you know
he likes cats so i wrote that one to him
ok and his comments are:
"my favorite image is found in the rough version
as difficult as it is for a horror movie to rise to the level of art
so are images designed purely for shock value or sick humor
unlikely to really affect a reader"
i don't know what that means but he wrote it
ok this is another one
more from poetry of the sick and demented
this is called: my sickness, my brain

  i could bet anyone from anywhere of any age that it happened
  that jessica, my sister, really did drown
  in the deep, muddly waters of the rivanna river
  that she really did tell me, as she sank
  that i was the best brother (out of 1) that she ever had
  that she did tell me to write her own will for her
  that she really did drown knowing that i was the
  best person in the neighborhood to her and her strongest companion
  topping even her father
  yes i could bet on it
  every penny i saved
  every piece of cloth on my body
  every worthless crumb of filth i own
  and i'd lose
  for starters, my sister never drowned
  she's still alive
  and why would i let a live person make such propositions
  in anything but a dream
  and that's what it was: a darned good dream

  death is like cancer
  it eats away at your self-confidence
  until you lose control or end up dying yourself
  when a grandmother dies
  your whole life seems to be drained
  and your father is trampled over
  you wait in vain for her to return
  and your mother breaks down crying
  you are ready to give up living
  and your grandfather already has
  i've never had someone die in my family before
  i certainly don't know what it's like

  have you ever had a broken leg?
  not many people have
  but when do you break a leg
  you remember it for the rest of your years of sanity
  when you break the leg
  actual pain doesn't come until a few minutes later
  when you are being carried off the field
  and having your leg inspected by awe-strucken ones
  in the meantime you are forced to stare down
  at what the people are gaping at: your leg and its crookedness
  and you wonder about pretzels: how do they feel?
  i'm serious; a broken leg has a striking resemblence to a pretzel
  minus the sesame seeds
  well i guess if you have gravel stuck in your legs
  they can count as the seeds
  sometimes the gravel is more painful than the break itself
  i've never had a broken leg
  just a broken arm, a few abrasions, and a slight brain damage

now look: that's the end of that poem
i was really, really mentally disturbed last year
as you can tell
i was sad, very sad
i got a whole bunch of awards, though
for being a good student and very creative
but i was just a little bit sick
that is from 7th grade
i'm sure that really bored you
and you're probably not listening to this
'cause you probably fast-forwarded already
but i'm gonna get another thing
and i hope it can be a song
you know because of all that poem
it really downgraded this tape
i bet you like the other one better
and so do i
(c) 1988 Trex

Carrot Tree Intro

Was this really my first time recording directly (via line-in)?

Lyrics to "Carrot Tree Intro":

this one is a nice one
it's instrumental
and i just found this cord
what the cord does is it simply makes it sound better
when i'm not singing
i plug it into the keyboard
and at the same time i plug it into the tape recorder
so as soon as i plug it in you're gonna be gone
there goes the microphone
this one is called the carrot tree
ok
(c) 1988 Trex

Carrot Tree

This was a complete improv, and is pretty long. It's very sloppy in parts, but has some decent solos buried in there somewhere.

Chompy Chatter

Annoying chomping! It's kinda funny how I got catty about Tiffany.

Lyrics to "Chompy Chatter":

so how do you like that?
this first side of the tape you might like
it's when you're just in your room doing whatever
and you're reading a book or something
you put that in the background
and you don't have to think
the other songs you think while you listen to them
this one you don't have to
it goes easy with people like jessica
because they don't normally think
and it's easy for them
they can handle this
they can't handle the type with the lyrics in it
except like madonna
and all those songs which have whoopie doo doo
and stuff like that
i mean some of it's good
i cannot stand tiffany though
she didn't even make up the song herself
and they say wow she's 14
or however old
and she's making songs up on her own
i bet she didn't even write a bit of the music
well that's my opinion
you may like her because of her voice
and i envy people with voices
i certainly don't have a singing voice
i think you've noticed that so far
ok i'm gonna try to play some songs with lyrics
i still have a lot of songs that i like that i've written
and i played all the ones except one which is real dumb today
so i'm gonna try to find some lyrics
and then i'll be back and play some decent stuff

ok this is not one that you would ask
of a band that has been around
because it would really destroy their reputation
it's different
it's different
gimme credit for that
it's not repetitious [burp]
great
i just love it when the power goes off
i've got the cheapest power source in the world
it works about half the time
there we go
it's gonna stay working?
ok
(c) 1988 Trex

Just Stupid

Silly, semi-funny lyrics. Kinda catchy at times. I like the energy. The solos are sort of mysterious-sounding too. I guess I was experimenting with modes. Not that I knew it at the time.

Lyrics to "Just Stupid":

fat cat sitting on the window sill
she topples over, falls, and stays still
skinny dog lying on the front porch steps
breathing really slowly like the last will be next
jessica dancing at the top of the stairs
suddenly she slips and falls unaware

of the danger
the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain ugly

travis tries to strum a tune
on the guitar he got from who knows whom
mother is shutting the door to his room
when all of a sudden down falls the moon

with the danger
the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain ugly

the world is not a perfect place
especially for the human race

and the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain ugly

fat cat sitting on the window sill
she topples over, falls, and stays still
skinny dog lying on the front porch steps
breathing really slowly like the last will be next
jessica dancing at the top of the stairs
suddenly she slips and falls unaware

of the danger
the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain ugly

travis tries to strum a tune
on the guitar he got from who knows whom
mother is shutting the door to his room
when all of a sudden down falls the moon

with the danger
the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain stupid
stupid stupid

the world is not a perfect place
especially for the human race

with the danger
the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain stupid

hey

fat cat sitting on the window sill
she topples over, falls off, and stays still
skinny dog lying on the front porch steps
breathing really slowly like the last will be next
jessica dancing at the top of the stairs
suddenly she slips and falls unaware

of the danger
the danger of being clutzy
or lazy or just plain stupid

travis tries to strum a tune
on the guitar he got from who knows whom
mother is shutting the door to his room
when all of a sudden down falls the moon

with the danger
the danger of being clutzy
lazy or just plain stupid

the world is not a perfect place
especially for the human race

and the danger
the danger of being clutzy
or just plain stupid
stupid
stupid
just stupid

yeah
(c) 1988 Trex

Gutter Intro

Was this the first time I played guitar and keyboard simultaneously?

Lyrics to "Gutter Intro":

ok i heard a couple people in the crowd say
let's have something decent, travis
and yes i'm playing guitar
i'm playing guitar
i'm playing keyboard
at the same time
i just let the keyboard go
while i play guitar
ok ready
it's called gutter guitar

and we still have plenty of time
and some of this will be ok
but the only song with lyrics i have is probably just plain stupid
and just plain stupid is enough lyrics for you
ok guys
ready
here it goes, gutter guitar

by the way i wrote just stupid today january 3rd 1988
and the same with gutter guitar
and oh i wrote cat jumping on the piano
cat jumping on the pi--
that was guitar
so here goes
(c) 1988 Trex

Gutter Guitar

Pretty pathetic. What did you expect? It's kinda cool when the keyboard chords first come in, though. Too bad I had trouble keeping in time with the guitar.

Lyrics to "Gutter Guitar":

ok ready
(c) 1988 Trex

Sample Chatter

Kinda funny babbling. Contains brief versions of "I Beat Her" and "Life of a Basketball Champ".

Lyrics to "Sample Chatter":

not quite george michaels but
hey i could get up and dance and look sorta like him
get some coal, smear it around my chin
there's coal in the basement
nope, i'm not gonna be a guitarist when i grow up
well maybe; depends if you guys commend me to somebody
commend or comdemn it's your choice

oh boy 2 songs on this side
just stupid and gutter guitar
and that really was gutter guitar
it was sad

ok i'm gonna have another song
and this is gonna be one of the last songs
maybe it will be the last
but i'm really sorry about how these tapes turned out
i know they're really depressing
i used to think i had some talent
but i know i'm just kidding to myself

  have you fed your pet today
  if you haven't it'd be a might shame
  because you pet won't be there tomorrow

  oh have you fed your pet today
  if you haven't it'd be a might shame
  because you pet won't be there tomorrow

you know, great songs like that and:

  i beat her
  with her hands behind her back
  i beat her
  fair and square
  i beat her
  uh huh that's right
  uh huh that's right
  i beat her
  with her hands behind her back
  i beat her
  all right
  fair and square oh yes
  i beat her
  she's crying in her room right now
  she's crying in her room right now
  oh yeah she's crying
  she really pouts
  crying in her room right now
  fair and square i beat her

then there's another one:

  life of a basketball champ champ
  life of a basketball champ
  oh wow
  my voice really does get up there
  life of a basketball champ
  and i might mope and i might cry
  i might pout and i might die
  but she's crying in her room right now
  she's crying in her room right now
  fair and square
  i beat her

ok those were songs that i wrote
and they're really dumb
they don't have any point to them really
nowadays my songs are somewhat close to having a point
what time is it
8:43
good
i have an hour before i have to go to bed
so you know that it's gonna be less than an hour's of thought
i'm gonna put into the next song
and it might be good and it might not
hey it's a gamble
gamble with travis
ok i'll be back to make a song
(c) 1988 Trex

Drums Like Guns

It sounds like I was banging on tupperware. Hmm. It sure doesn't sound like I put an hour of thought into this. Double hmm. So this is the grande finale for these tapes? Triple hmm. Slop city if you ask me. You can tell why I quantize all my Tripecac drum parts.

Lyrics to "Drums Like Guns":

drums like guns

i'm singing drums like guns
drums like guns
drums like guns
drums like guns

i'm saying drums like guns

bye bye now
don't have any nightmares about this

and we end with guns like drums
guns like drums
and guns like drums
guns like drums
and drums like guns
drums like guns
guns
they good
(c) 1988 Trex

Sunday Outro

These are the final words for the first batch of songs to Kim. I must have been exhausted after recording over 2 hours of material in one day!

By the way, I also play music to relieve boredom. Or to make the day feel productive. Or to just have fun. Tension release is only a small part of it. In fact, these days when I feel tense, I drink. Ha ha! Just kidding. Burp.

Lyrics to "Sunday Outro":

hey we still have time left
great
but i'm not gonna play anymore
because i'm sort of tired out
i've got stupid school tomorrow
i hope you're having fun up there

the reason why i play music is mainly to relieve tension
and i have a lot of tension on sundays
because school's the next day
well look i've got to go because
i don't have to go
you have to go
because the tape's going
bye
(c) 1988 Trex