When I received my vascular dementia diagnosis about 2 years ago, I wrote a handful of songs that were, admittedly, kinda maudlin and morbid. Three of them – “I Will Be There With You,” “To Get Next To You,” and this one, “Be Home Soon” were written from the point of view from someone who was not here anymore. I wasn’t depressed about my situation, but I did perseverate a bit about not knowing how long I’d be around, or how long I’d be functioning well enough to write, play guitar, sing, and … [Read more...]
The Legacy Music Project: For This Reason
September 1, 2024 By 3 Comments
Continuing with the mostly instrumental portion of the Legacy Music Project, which some of us/you may know as Electric Ned & The Danger Babies, here’s “For This Reason.” This expansive song was written with a creative question – could I compose an instrumental with a ton of space in it – both “out there” and empty connotations – that would still be musically interesting enough to keep a listener’s attention? Have I been successful? You’ll have to let me know! I’m particularly pleased with … [Read more...]
The Legacy Music Project: The Morning After
July 20, 2024 By 4 Comments
My engineer and producer on this project, Fett and I had had a particularly creative and productive session, working well into the evening. Early the next morning, I went downstairs, put my headphones on, and began composing this song -- The Morning After -- inspired by my euphoria from the previous day. I would love to hear what you think. So, please let me know! Gratefully, Ned Andrew https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWI-QfDln6w The Morning After ©2024 Ned Andrew … [Read more...]
The Legacy Music Project: Blue Night Blue
June 9, 2024 By 5 Comments
In 2023, after regaining some of my confidence in composing music, playing the acoustic guitar, and developing my skills on electric guitar after losing everything to a dementia diagnosis and basically starting over, I began to write instrumental songs. This one, Blue Night Blue, is one of the earliest attempts to express myself without lyrics. To my surprise, the composition began with a lead part, a riff. This was completely unexpected, because in all my years – 59 – of playing guitar, I was … [Read more...]
The Legacy Music Project: Lights of Home
May 10, 2024 By 1 Comment
Lights of Home was written shortly after I moved to Nashville in October of 1988. I had left my previous “home” in Baltimore - a single apartment in Cockeysville, Maryland – to stake my claim as a songwriter in Music City. I was just establishing my new “home” in the outskirts of downtown Nashville, with a stoner named Andrew (I can’t recall what he did to make ends meet), and an aspiring stand-up comedian, named Marian. I had quickly assembled some great musicians (I jammed with two my first … [Read more...]
The Legacy Music Project: To Get Next to You
February 12, 2024 By 7 Comments
To Get Next To You is one of my recent ones. In a miraculously prolific year (thank you 2023, for this part, anyway), I’ve written eight new songs - music and lyrics - and six instrumentals. For perspective: I hadn’t written a complete song in more than two decades. (Which is another story for another time.) I also taught myself to play the electric guitar – my now-beloved Fender Stratocaster, Dolphin Gray. (At least for me, playing an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar are two very … [Read more...]
A Love of Books: In Memory of Ruth Solomon
January 27, 2023 By 1 Comment
When I was a kid, I used to hang out in my parents’ den and I was fascinated with my mom’s extensive collection of paperback books that were stacked side by side along the back length of my dad’s beautiful dark wood bar. Without a photographic memory I can’t bring to mind all the titles, but one particular novel stood out – Call It Sleep by Henry Roth. It’s a story about a Jewish immigrant child growing up in the tenements of New York City. I never read it, but the intriguing title and subdued … [Read more...]
Curious Creature Tales: Before Corona
February 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Before Corona, the Curious Creatures lived, cooperatively, in a very social state. Before Corona, they often squished into remarkably close quarters. Before Corona, they learned to be flexible, patient, forgiving, supportive, and congenial. Before Corona, they understood the concept of “needing one’s own space,” but … [Read more...]
Two Sides of the Same Bad Penny
February 18, 2021 By Leave a Comment
I live with a person who struggles with the next, or even the first, step. His pile of things he needs to get done keeps growing higher and higher, and now the messy tangle of to-dos is too daunting to even know where to begin. So he sits there in a very dark place, berating himself for his lack of progress. He calls it, “self loathing.” I am a person who can’t let things … [Read more...]
Gratitude
January 30, 2021 By Leave a Comment
1-30-21 Sometimes I’m that kid in the photo: I go outside and twirl with my arms outstretched, in awe, and gratitude of a particular gorgeous day. It always raises a smile from my wife, Gina, so – job done. Sometimes I express my gratitude into a Gratitude Journal. It prompts: “What are you grateful for today?” and “What are you grateful for in your life?” To the first, the responses vary, though there are definite themes: the birds singing; the author who wrote this excellent book I’m … [Read more...]
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