#gaiusterran

Thursday, 06/07/2018. 02:00 A.M. The fourth song from "Zenith" is probably the most confrontational. "Suffer No Fools" is written with an angry tone, the lyrics almost cursing the transgressor by wishing them to bite their tongue every time the singer's name is spoken. It's a song about being fed up and leaving behind those who would use you or take you for granted. I think my favorite aspects of this song are the marching beat and the simple structure. Strange I'm satisfied To think I've made you cry I always try to rise And grow more kind and wise But behind my eyes I was torn up badly inside And now you’ve denied me twice And I'm thrice less as nice (Chorus) I suffer fools for no one Give them time? Well, I have none! Say my name And bite your tongue Because I, because I, because I Have no time for fools, none Your mind tricks I accept, twist them and send them back I bet you're wondering who Am I to judge poor you You self-declared fool Shot yourself right in the foot Now that I can see truth I have no time for you (Chorus) What you have sought You will not find here My rage has wrought Horror and fear Now run for your lives I've eaten all your lies And turned them into venom To spit right in your eyes (Chorus)

Thursday, 06/07/2018. 12:01 A.M. "Hru" is a song that I didn't consciously set out to make. Rather, it's the result of experimentally cutting up an unused segment of backing vocals that was recorded for "Burn, Red Phoenix." As such, it doesn't have proper lyrics. The project was inspired by Björk's "Medúlla" album, which utilized primarily digitally altered vocals rather than traditional instruments and synths. The final version was the second of two attempts. I actually lost the original file and recreated it yielding the current result. The backing bass was the final detail I added which was also lifted, and altered, from "Burn, Red Phoenix. Among those who I've queried, "Hru" seems to be one of the favored songs from my EP, "Zenith." This is also one of my favorite works of mine so far, which is funny to me since I considered it somewhat of an accident initially. The name, "Hru," is a reference to the Enochian angel of divination. I have been an avid enthusiast of mythology and the occult for years and I was exposed to the name through my research on the tarot, which has inspired at least half a dozen songs I have yet to record. I chose the title because I felt this song flowed into existence with effortless ease both times I arranged it.

Wednesday, 05/30/2018. 07:05 A.M.

I decided to post on each of the songs from “Zenith” here! These posts will all be tagged #GTZenith and contain lyrics as well as their meanings, inspiration, etc. The very first song on my very first EP, “Burn, Red Phoenix,” is a song about letting go of what no longer serves you and starting over with confidence. It can be a private, unceremonious victory, or a raging flame that will consume the old and make way for the new.

I have loved to sing and write lyrics and melodies for years, but I had trouble translating these into finished works complete with accompanying backing tracks. Eventually I finished an instrumental, and that became “Burn, Red Phoenix.” I excitedly recorded the chorus and most of the backing vocals, but became frustrated when I was repeatedly dissatisfied with the main vocal takes. The project was put on hiatus for many months before I bought a better microphone and tried again. After several more takes I was still not happy. The words sounded “clunky” against the music. At that point I decided to do a take just pulling the lyrics from memory, though not necessarily verbatim or even in the same order as written. I did a lot of improvisation on the final take. “Good enough,” I thought. 

It may sound like I settled, and I probably did, but I likely would have put the project on hiatus again or continued retaking forever if I had not decided to stop fussing and simply move forward. After this song, most of the others from the EP rushed forth. It was a great experience to listen to my music on my phone, on loud speakers, in my car on the way to work or the gym while I was studying the levels, and know that I was listening to something I had made. My hands, my voice, my imagination had made it!

It’s still one of my favorite of my own songs, maybe because of sentiment. I think my very favorite details of it are the main bass line and the operatic chorus. My very favorite verse is “My body molten, my feathers molting. . .” which was improvised at the time of recording! I thought it was clever, and it came to me as I was singing. A pretty lucky take! Much of music is skill, but a lot is luck, too, in my own opinion. Many people are lucky to be on a naturally high skill level. Some have to work very hard to have any skill at all. Regardless, anyone can feel the sudden spark of inspiration, and that is most definitely lucky.

https://soundcloud.com/gaiusterran/burn-red-phoenix

“Burn, Red Phoenix”

  No one needs to know

Secret sealed my lips

(×2)

Fly away, my self doubt

Burn, my red phoenix

Burn, bird! Burn, bird!

(×2)

No one needs to know

Secret sealed my lips

Fly away self doubt

Burn, my red phoenix

My feathers molting

My body molten

My feathers molting

Body, body, body molten

My feathers molting

My body molten

My feathers molten

Body body, body molten

(Bridge)

You wouldn't know me now

From who I was then

I have lit my funeral pyre

And burned to death

in that ruby fire

From my blackened ashes

I rise now again

The old version of me is gone

Gone and dead

(×2)

No one needs to know

Secret sealed my lips

Fly away self doubt

Sunday, 05/06/2018. 10:52 P.M.

Friday, 05/04/2018. 11:14 P.M.

So, I'm Gaius Terrán (pronounced Guy-us Turr-ann), an independent singer and song writer just trying to GET MY DAMN VOICE HEARD. It isn't easy, maybe this Tumblr will be a place for me to chronicle that. In the modern day of SoundCloud and YouTube, however, anything is possible! 🌈 

Speaking of which, follow mine: 

https://soundcloud.com/gaiusterran