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C R A I G G R I F F I T H S : I N D I E A L T E R N A T I V E M U S I C
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m o r e g u i t a r s : s t r a n g e t a l e s : i n d u s t r i a l d i s t o r t i o n : e x p e r i m e n t s LYRICS THE DARK RIDER Every book a meal, gorged on legend, wild invention but the darkest were real. From long ago the grey thing will follow through her life, at her heel. Moving quick, like amphetamine, loving her like heroin. Call it devil, ghost, lizard-queen or king, then invite it in. It knows her very well, who is the dark rider? Every moment every crime, who is the dark rider? Word and number, Egyptian eye, drawn upon her naked thigh. Writing madly on every wall while waiting every night. It knows her very well, who is the dark rider? Every moment every crime, who is the dark rider? "Though other people sleep and dream, things aren't what they seem. The silent night is way too loud, I wake but will not scream. The grey thing moves across the ground, closing in without a sound. Up the stairs, into my room, I welcome the dark rider. It knows me very well, but who is the dark rider? My every moment, every crime, I am the dark rider. It knows me very well, who is the dark rider? My every moment, every crime, I am the dark rider." IGNITION Walls shake and groan sweat and moan as I get on my knees before a box of blasphemy. Ears begin to bleed it's just what you need to de-anaesthetise to know you are alive. You wake from your dream as transistors scream, the earthquake is overdue so I put a vex on you. I have control of the fuzz factory. You wake from your dream as transistors scream, the earthquake is overdue so I put a vex on you, so I put a vex on you. IN JAIL FOR TEX PERKINS (so tex left a phone message. no, I ain't waitin' 12 years) Hey I'll tell ya how it went down with me and Tex in Hollywoodland. Shoulda stayed outta sight and outta my brain, rent me a room on the Walk of Fame. "G'day Craig, this is Tex Perkins. Ah... I'm standing here, um, on the corner of Russell Street. Um, maybe we'll, err, do, err, I dunno, a duets album one day. Um, I'll write a couple of songs and then I'll call you in about...... 12 years". Doin' 12 years tho I didn't do the crime I was just drinkin' beer now I'm doin' time. Santa Monica I was doin' fine, down at the waterfront I was doin' fine, Olvera Street I was doin' fine, scammin' Hollywood Boulevard I was doin' fine, Melrose Avenue I was doin' fine, Whisky a Go Go I was doin' fine, in my Iguana Vintage boots I was doin' fine but since that night at the Viper I've been doin' time. "Ok, that's about it, thanks Craig" ALOHA MOTEL Dirty neon palm tree bleeds into night air promising Hawaii, delivering despair. Sour old receptionist as plastic as the flowers, rooms by the day, rooms by the hour. Beyond an iron gateway the gimp keeps an eye down a musty corridoor to room number five. Blues on the radio, roaches on the bed, pick in my pocket, words in my head. Can't use the spoons, don't know where they've been Won't trust the mirror, who knows what it's seen. Emergency instructions glued to the wall couldn't save my neighbour, didn't help at all. I'm sure there was a killin' in the room next door but I ain't investigatin', that's for shotgun sure. The Aloha Motel, brick wall for a view, this joint is givin' me the flourescent blues. I got some Chinese takeaway, I got some cold beer, I got loads of tv channels, I'll pretend I'm not here. I won’t think about the lowlife that stayed in here last night, but if anyone knocks on my door I'm quite prepared to fight. The Aloha Motel. WICKER CROWNS Here come the walking dead, here come the walking dead. Guillotined by lunatic alarms that carve the night, sirens scar the dark flicking broken shards of night. Drawn to the light of burning souls and tyres, on cold sand men with goat heads rant and rave, gibbering while dancing round a funeral pyre. Don't bother wondering why. They turn their faces and make five signs to the sky, dumb pretenders to a throne that isn’t even there, flesh gnarled and rough like leather, bark and dolerite becomes a cushion for the stone that hammers to the ground crushing flames and goats and velvet cloaks and sacred cows. Unravelling their wicker crowns. A wizard in lizard skin the flock of sheep his mutton kin have finally been silenced by their former sin and gluttony. One final act from a claw that slowly turns into a hand, letters scrawled shakily to spell the word ‘no’ in the sand then all is gone as high tide claims the beach again. There lies a deluded man. Here come the walking dead, don't bother wondering why, unravelling their wicker crowns, there lies a deluded man. ANOTHER DAY It's another day, it's another lifetime, just drive away, follow the white line. Who knows what happened here? Who knows what happened here? Who knows what's gonna happen? Who knows what happened here? The sky is fine, the days are long, everything's done, what could go wrong? Who knows what happened here? Who knows what happened here? Who knows what's gonna happen? Who knows what happened here? New life old life, old life new life, another page in an old book an old song with a new hook. Young souls find a new view bringing sunlight to doom and gloom they find charm where secrets lie, another page in an old book. New life new life. DRIVE The night is black my cloth is thin the fire burns but the cold creeps in and puts a claw on my bare neck and gives me an evil grin. Maybe it was too much wine that made it hard to read the sign but hindsight's never blind. Cold wind blowing through the phone whirling round the darkened room it's not the words it's just a tone no sleep tonight I have to go. Fuel and music in my car, dirt roads and hard tar, drive and drive and drive. Following a thundercloud, the moon hides behind the rain, it could be full though I'm not sure but my bed's soft and warm. Fire, burn, cold, creep, claw, neck, evil, grin, dark, moon, dirt, road, thunder, rain, warm, bed. SILVER SPARKLY AMPLIFIER ZT Lunchbox geetar amplifier, listen up, ZT Lunchbox geetar amplifier, silver sparkly, it's the size of a 6 pack of beer, listen up listen up, 200 watts, ZT Lunchbox geetar amplifier. It's the size of a 6 pack of beer it's the size of a 6 pack of beer, 200 watts, listen up listen up, ZT Lunchbox geetar amplifier, ZT Lunchbox geetar amplifier. 200 watts, 200 watts, Leni Stern, Neil Geraldo, Ritchie Sambora, Thurston Moore, listen up listen up, ZT Lunchbox geetar amplifier, listen up, 200 watts, listen up listen up. Silver sparkleee.
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