Never Say Never by Pap McCleery

I know, I know, I know…never say never. So many of my friends, both here and virtual have heard me repeatedly say over the past year and 4-months that I was finished forever with the band scene. I would then espouse a litany of reasons…reason which made perfect sense to me all that time. I will not eat those words except for the part that I would never do the band thing again. Obviously something came along to male me rethink the finality of never. The purpose of this blog is to introduce you to that reason. Meet Bryan Cowsert.

http://www.myspace.com/bryanjcowsert

A few weeks ago I received a friend request from a young performer in Colorado. I added him and checked out his site. As I read his bio and learned of his metal rocking background Kevin Fowler immediately came to mind. Kevin’s background has not carried over one whit into his succes as one of Texas’ top country artist. I am a huge fan of Fowler. I was expecting something similar when I started listening to Bryan’s work. Woah…Was I wrong. The country was definitely there, but it was beautifully wrapped in his hard rocking background and I was captivated.

Sending off an e-mail to Bryan, I told him if he was ever in Texas and in need of a bassist to give me a call. I was surprised when his return response stated he was about to relocate to Texas and he was most definitely interested in talking to me. In these few short weeks we have talked many times and with each contact we learn more and more that we are on the same page with our music philosophy. I have started talking to several great players who have checked Bryan out and now they are real interested in taking an up close look at this unique twist to country. All of this has just furthered my belief in synchronicity…that there are no accidents in any meeting we have at anytime in our life path be it a grouchy cashier or a lifetime soul mate. All come at the right time in this perfectly ordered universe because they have something to teach us or something we need. Apparently this was exactly what I needed to get back to the passion of my youth…music.

Bryan and I agreed that we are going to launch this and not come onto stage as a start up band. I am thinking that it will probably be this spring before we go before the public. I have no doubt Texas will embrace this style just as it has welcomed so many greats from across state lines and who have been so important in creating this awesome Texas sound like Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Reckless Kelly, Jason Boland, Ray Benson, Mickey and the Motor Cars and so many more. When Bryan asked me if I thought his style would be accepted I told. “Yes, make no apologies for being different, don’t look back and they will come.”

Watch for future blogs and I will share from the very beginning what is going on and where we are in getting airborne.

Please go check out Bryan’s site, send him a friend request and get ready fro some great music coming your way a short piece down the road.

Love and Peace
Pap

UNCLE SAM-What’s up with this country?

What’s up with this country?
Something just aint right,
Everybody’s pinching, cause money’s so darn tight
Big fat corporations and their golden parachutes,
Has got my old friend Uncle Sam, just shaking in his boots,
While the well’s running dry, and Spot keeps a howling,
I wonder how were gonna survive paying four bucks a gallon

Apparently we’re all sick, cause they got a pill for everything,
Just watch the evening news, and you’ll see what I mean,
We got: syndromes, dysfunctions, side effects and reductions,
The cost of health care is on the rise and that aint no real surprise,
If you keep on running to the doctor with a runny nose and such,
They’ll probably write you a prescription for running your mouth too much..

Hey Uncle Sam, do you even know who I am,
I’m Joe Six Pack, remember me, I’m that hard working man
Uncle Sam, sometimes it seems that you just don’t give a damn,
I’m just trying to do what’s right, trying to survive….

We got: Governors with hookers,
Senators in the stalls,
President with an intern, a blue dress and all,
Outstanding leaders, high achievers, roll models too,
At night I lay in bed and wonder what were gonna do,
While all this goes on, my wallet keeps on shrinking,
Too much more of this is gonna drive me to drinking…

We got athletes on steroids,
And Hollywood’s in rehab,
Read the morning paper and you’ll see…
Cat eyed face lifts, Botox and big lips,
If I want something super-sized, I’m gonna head over to Mickey D’s,
Do some drinking, and some driving, with the paparazzi on your tail,
You aint got no worries today; all you gotta do is pay the bail….

Hey Uncle Sam, do you even know who I am,
I’m Joe Six Pack, remember me, I’m that hard working man
Uncle Sam, sometimes it seems that you just don’t give a damn,
I’m just trying to do what’s right, trying to survive….

Sincerely,

Bryan Cowsert (Joe Six Pack)
Check out the song “Uncle Sam” at
www.myspace.com/bryanjcowsert

Bryan Cowsert/Reverb Nation

Howdy!  Stop by for a visit at Reverb Nation…

http://www.reverbnation.com/bryanjcowsert

Gonna get it going in Colorado!

Well, it’s time to get out full force on the music scene.  We had a blast yesterday in Loveland at Magic Music,  a great music store with everything you need musically.  We have some shows coming up in and around the Denver area:

• Metal and Muscle Car Show-Fort Collins 8/29/09 11:00 am
• Buffalo Rose-Golden 9/3/09  11:00 pm
• Herman’s Hideaway-Denver 10/1/09 8:00 pm
• Roadhouse-Dacono

BRYAN COWSERT: Someone once asked me…….

 I spend a lot of my time flying or driving all over the country.  The negative aspect of this of course is being away from the family-but it does have a positive side to it.  Being out and about allows me to think in depth about the things that are going on in this world and in my life and this usually leads me to a musical idea in one form or another.  When this musical idea decides to present itself (normally at the most awkward moments), the melody is hummed or whistled into a small recorder for later reference.  I hope I never lose this thing because the material sounds incredibly weird when it is just you whistling or croaking out a melody at the top of your lungs!  I currently have over 75 little phrases and melodies loaded into this contraption.  The ones that I feel are catchy, I label in this fashion….Cool, Cooler and Coolest!  I normally only pursue the stuff that raise the hair on my arms-you know, that “special” feeling.  I then begin to write in the standard format and try to keep the tune to 3:45 or less-no Prog. Rock here anymore!

 Lyrics are a different story.  Lyrics are the very last thing that I do; I usually go by the mood and emotion of the music and begin from there. I keep a list of phrases that catch my ear and usually try to incorporate this as the title or focus of the song.  Last year I wrote a song called “Pebble in Your Shoe.” Which is about the husband and wife relationship and how irritating we can be to one another at times-you know, like a “Pebble in your Shoe!”  Lyric writing to me is very challenging.  Sometimes it just flows and other times the valve just shuts off.  One lesson that I learned is never throw anything away!  I have pulled out stuff from years ago and made a decent song from the initial concept.

 I guess it all depends on what you’re going for.  If you are going for radio, keep it simple, keep it at 3:45 or less, make sure it has a great chorus and hook, catchy melody, melodic bridge (and a ripping guitar or fiddle solo) and write it from the heart.  Or do what I do, and just write to get it all out and hope that people will relate to it and enjoy it!  Until next time…….

 

Bryan Cowsert

www.myspace.com/bryanjcowsert

Bryan Cowsert: Not your father’s country music

Where rock meets country, usually a very special sound is born. Bryan Cowsert has landed right in the middle of this union. With rocking political songs like Uncle Sam, he shifts gears into a white knuckle ride of rock and country mix. The “American Soldier” started with drums in the fourth grade and while enlisted continued his music with some of the guys on base. After the military, Bryan joined up with an old cohort and became a member of Dreemwich. And years later, he heard the Nashville lights calling and decided to take on the “Music City”. Bryan says, “I enjoyed the energy and emotional life messages from the music.”

Thereafter, he started writing country songs and finding ways to incorporate all his musical experiences into it. And now Bryan is setting precedent in the Black Label Country scene with a smooth groove and a raunchy guitar that is definitely not your father’s country music.