Life's too short for lifeless music
Last week the new JustVera album ‘Eleven out of Ten’ had the most soft launch imaginable… A lost visitor may have bumped into it on any of the online platforms. But as from today the promotional campaign will start:-).
Check out the channels: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for the latest news. Or listen to the album right now and directly right here. That’s all really. Enjoy!
LIFE’S TOO SHORT FOR LIFELESS MUSIC
For your listening pleasure: the fourth JustVera album: ‘Here to stay’. With the help of 40 great Kompoz artists*) from all over the world, who brought my compositions to the next level. Just scroll down on https://justvera.com/all-albums/ and enjoy!
*) My heroes: AliceMinguez, Ambrose Newton, Bill McCarthy, Bill Ray, Billy LeCocq-Mauvais, Blackruns (Ella B.), Brian Hallstoos, Brian Henry, Bruce Haag, Bryan Shoemaker (BKWilliamson), Chad Howell, Chris Bouchard, Chris Branch, Daniele Silvestri, Darren Womack, Don Chappell, Egon Peach, Elizabeth Auzan, Gustavo Riani, Jean-Lui Toudou, John Heavern, John Rowley, Jon Garcia, Justus, Kat Orlando, Kevin Renshaw, Lloyd Pluschow, Marco Barile, Mark Alan Dooley, Mitch Brody, Pepe Lorenzo, Peter Hendriks, Philippe Pansard, Richard Lunt, Steph Gilliard, Sven-Martin Keil, Tarjei Skarlund, Thomas Hines, Thomas Hjorth and Wolfgang Nuno.
Richard Lunt and I go back quite some time. Recently we released an album with his vocal contributions to my compositions. A few weeks ago he sent me an “idea” with the request to create something out of it. (For those interested: a MIDI file and 69 rough vocal takes.) It took me some weeks, but there probably is nothing I like doing more. His voice, harmonies are beyond inspiring.
‘If love was God’ by JustVera. JustMagic.
I can’t choose
I need to
I want to walk with you
I need to hold your hand
I wanna have fun with you
Reach for the stars
Dance in the moonlight again
And they’ll look on like paper Gods like deity
You’re all fake varieties
Of the same conspiracy
If Love is a God I’m a deity
Now I’m not calling you all fools
Fools
For dragging your heels
Following their rules
Fools
Trying to please
Feeling bemused
Fools
You saw the Devil in yourself
You’re all fools
And as he looks on
He’ll smile to herself
If love is God
Just another soul
Or a trophy on my shelf
Then I am a deity
Please ignore my frailty
I’m a God
I can’t choose
I need to
I want to
I can’t choose
I need to
I want wanna, wanna hold your hand
I can’t choose
I need to
I want to wanna have some… fun
In the moonlight
I can’t choose
I need to
I want to wanna have some… fun
If you had to choose would you choose me
Don’t you in God’s eyes I am deity
Some people call me am crazy
I don’t want to just… want to have fun with you
Hell I just wanna hold your hand
And be with you
Reach for the stars
And they’ll gaze like paper Gods with human frailty
All shades, all shade of anxiety
Now I’m not calling you all fools
Fools
For dragging your heels
Spoiling the rules
Fools
Trying to believe
Feeling bemused
Fools
You saw the Devil in yourself
You are all fools
And as he looks on
He’ll smile to herself
If love is God
Just another soul
Or a trophy on my shelf
Then I am a deity
(Lyrics and vocals by Richard Lunt)
For branding reasons the 2024-album by JustRzar with nine great songs featuring Richard Lunt has been re-released.
Check out JustVera!
Btw Except for Richard’s excellent vocal performance, you’ll find stunning contributions from Richard Bradley (audio-engineering/mastering), Chris Bouchard (drums), Don Chappell (guitars), Timothy Reid (guitars), Gustavo Riani (drums, bass), Daniele Silvestri (drums) and Eric Spiering (bass). Some album. Some team…
Really ancient solo stuff of mine… Pre JustVera. When things were subdued. We all have our phases, don’t we?-).
You seem to act, but you don’t.
You say you will, but you won’t.
You leave your sorrow with a friend,
like you leave yourself in the end.
You don’t react, ‘cause you’re stoned.
You say you do, but you don’t.
You leave your marks here in the sand,
like you leave yourself in the end.
I know why I’m here.
I know what to do.
Align in the queue ,
just waiting for who?
I know how to turn every knob.
And I know what it takes .
And when to stop.
Sure I know how to shower,
but I’d rather know you.
(Lyrics and vocals by Justus, 2010)
Sometimes it’s rock. Sometimes it’s alternative. But it’s always JustVera. This time with priceless contributions of Mitch Brody on guitar, Darren Womack on drums and lyrics&vocals by Mark Alan Dooley.
Bray with Jack!
Yo!
His name is Jack, the king of the farm,
With a bray so loud, he’ll set off alarms.
Donkey, donkey, he’s the star,
With hooves of gold and a heart so large,
Running wild, kicking up dust,
My pet donkey, someone I trust.
Donkey!
Jack’s coat is brown, shining in the sun,
He’s always ready for some fun.
Donkey, donkey, he’s the star,
With hooves of gold and a heart so large,
Running wild, kicking up dust,
My pet donkey, someone I trust.
Donkey, donkey.
My pet donkey, someone I trust.
His name is Jack,
The king of the farm,
A friend so true,
My pet donkey.
My pet donkey, someone I trust.
Donkey, donkey, he’s the star,
With hooves of gold and a heart so large.
So here’s to Jack, my donkey dear,
He’s always near,
A bond unbreakable, strong as can be,
My pet donkey,
He’s the star.
(Lyrics and vocals by Mark Alan Dooley)
‘A splendid time’ reflects the result of three years of continuous dedication to 30 songs, which I created via the online platform https://www.kompoz.com/. With the help of the 51 talented musicians from all over the world, listed below. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Andrea Viotti
Alex Zulaika
Andrew Payne
Bill McCarthy
Bill Ray
Billy LeCoq-Mauvais
Brian Hallstoos
Buck M.
Cedric Camus
Chris Bouchard
Chris Matthews
Dan Rosati
Daniel Swain
Daniele Silvestri
David Grahame
Elizabeth Auzan
Eric Spiering
Frederic Osuch
Giles Gerry
Gustavo Riani
Jarek Adamowski
JC Beziz
Jean Lui Toudou
Jeff Braggs
Jim Bryan
JJ Lorenzo
Job Posthuma
Joel Sattler
Joey Sixstring
John Heavern
Jordi Ribas
Justus
Kat Orlando
Kelly Miller
Maarten Gelderman
Marc Brouwer
Mark Bowen
Mark Miller
Mark Murtha
Matt MacLennan
Nicola Offidani
Pere Mari
Peter Hendriks
Ramlee
Richard Lunt
Simone Leardini
Stephanie Gilliard
Steve Johnson
Tarjei Skarlund
Teek
Timothy Reid
Thank you all once more for collaborating with me. Your contribution makes ‘A splendid time’ the unique album it is.
This is the last song which will be added to the next JustVera album. And some song it turned out to be. Although my initial idea planted the seed, the final result of ‘Fruit flies rock’ exceeded my expectations. With the help of Elizabeth Auzan (lyrics), Tarjei Skarlund (vocals), JC Beziz (rhythm guitars), Billy LeCoq-Mauvais (lead guitar) and Gustavo Riani (both drums AND bass) it turned out next level. These Kompoz talents rock big time.
The countdown’s on
Five, four, three, two, one
Little fruit fly in outer space
Feeling very out of place
It’s scary. I’m wary
From my glass cage
I can see white-coated humans coming near
What do they want to do, want to do to me?
I hear them say, Now!
It’s time for decisions
Our mission,
Our vision, ambition
Is human transition
Oh, my!
It’s scary. I’m wary.
But I don’t need to worry, they say, we share same DNA,
They all love me. There’ll be no pain
Oh, my!
It’s scary. I’m wary.
But I don’t need to worry, they say, we share same DNA,
They all love me. There’ll be no pain
Fruit flies, we rock. Yeah!
We rock. Yeah !
(Lyrics Elizabeth Auzan, vocals by Tarjei Skarlund)
For seven years I’ve been working on ‘Suspicion’. The contributions of Alex Zulaika (drums), Eric Spiering (bass) and Job Posthuma (intro lead guitar) kept me going, knowing there was a gem to be discovered. Then Richard Lunt came along. His original lyrics and stunning vocal performance were the missing pieces.
Do you think you heard it all? You might be in for a surprise…
(Note to self: never give up.)
You say suspicion is on your mind
You say you’ll try and leave those thoughts behind
They’ll only drag you down as far as your soul can fall
You’ll start fabricating
procrastinating over stories born in grey matter
that don’t matter at all
Suspicion is on your mind
You’re suspicious of what you might find
And you’re scared of it coming to fruition
And you’re scared of the truth
Oh the voices,
The choices
In my head
It’s like a video in my head
Fast forward, repeat, delete, repeat
It’s dragging me down to the ground
Blackmailing, water torture, humiliation, interrogation, music torture, nudity, pharmacological torture, exploitation of phobias, mock execution, leaving arachnophobes in a room full of spiders
All these thoughts are in silence
(Who would have thought)
Suspicion
And your scared of it coming to fruition
Oh the voices,
The choices
In my head
Suspicion
The voices, the choices
(Lyrics and vocals by Richard Lunt)