In 1974-5-6 my family and I were living in Eugene, Oregon. I had
just gotten off the road working with my group Johnny Golden and the
Family Jewels and I was looking to continue in music but in a creative,
current way. Johnny Golden had been a success built on the 50s craze
which raged because of the film American Graffiti, and the spin-off TV
series, Happy Days. But, any success I might have with that group was a
derivative success built on a music, although very fun, was in the
past. So, my friend Jeff Patterson Jeff Patterson's blog
and I set about to shape music which we would create from fresh musical
experimentation and inspiration coming from more contemporary sources.
We met some people and jammed around a bit, but nothing seemed to be
working. I was working in Valley River Shopping Center where there was a
music store. One of the clerks there, Lee Smith, had a few friends, all
ex-navy guys from the aircraft carrier, Enterprise, who were looking to
put together an original music group, too.
So, Jeff and I went to a practice one evening and met Greg Nance and Tom Kinsey and we messed with musical combinations. Lee played hammond organ, Greg-guitar, Tom and Jeff played drums, and I played bass for this configuration.
I don't know the exact progression, but we jammed a bit then I introduced "Told You Twice" which I had written while I was still in Johnny Golden. The second tune I taught them was this one, "Up Here With Me".
Up Here With Me Video
How this song came about was through a bit of daydreaming which most people might identify with. For me, I had had a few different out of body experiences when I was teenage and beyond. Especially when I was young I had this phenomenon and it left me with strange feelings. One such time (of which I cannot speak in depth) I had a dream which paralleled a publicly heralded police incident. It was as if I had been there, but I don't believe that I really had been there. This is still an unsolved mystery to me.
The opening phrase was very real and remains very real to me, "my mind is floating through the window, I'm a million miles from here" was written in the front room of my apartment as I was thinking about places far from there, the Himalayan Mountains, to which I imagined.
This was truly a song made for a video. The entire song is etherial. If you listen carefully in portions you will hear wind chimes in the mix, an overdub that gives a true haunting feeling.
Musically speaking, I was going beyond the normal pop song style. Lots of minor mode sorts of things were here. Upon careful examination I have seen in this a familiar musical melody which reoccurs often in my writing many years to come. The jump of a minor seventh happens here as it does in a few later songs.
But, what really catches my ear now is the final vocal high note. Ending the song songs on a ninth chord with the main voice holding the ninth is not a common occurrence. Actually, that note happened in the studio and was a total surprise even to me. I didn't know it until I did it, which is something that has also followed me in my singing career. Doing the unexpected.
A little about the video: The song was recorded in Eugene, Oregon at Raspberry Studios. As written above I was the sole writer of music and lyrics. The recording was a group effort by ME which was Jeff Patterson, Greg Nance, Lee Smith, Tom Kinsey, and myself.
The compilation of photos you see in the video are an interesting photo montage of musical history primarily shared between Jeff and myself. Jeff was always the keeper of the camera and historian.
The first photo is of the second lineup of ME which included Dave, the bass player, who replaced me on bass and I took over on keyboards and rhythm guitar.
A bit further along was a photo of Bee Bumble and the Stingers (who after a name change became Johnny Golden and the Family Jewels). From left: Liz, Jeff, Lyle Annis, Don Patterson, and Taco (short for his Japanese name.......we sang "Smoke On The Water" in Japanese)
A photo further along was in our group's recording studio singing background bits for "Marshall's Madness" another of my tunes that we recorded.
A photo of guitar teacher: Jack Frances.
A photo of Jeff and my long time friend and brilliant musician: Steve Elmer aka Mike Stands.
A photo of The Diamonds performing in Sparks, Nevada for an outdoor gig.
A photo of The Diamonds while in Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu
A photo of Juju Lund, a long time friend during a piano lesson.
A photo of The Diamonds: Steve Elmer, Bob Janssen (only for the publicity photo....ha ha), myself, and Jeff.
For more Dave Janssen music try: "Julia" Julia on Jango Radio
Please forgive me all who I have forgotten your last names. :) I have always been bad with names.
So, Jeff and I went to a practice one evening and met Greg Nance and Tom Kinsey and we messed with musical combinations. Lee played hammond organ, Greg-guitar, Tom and Jeff played drums, and I played bass for this configuration.
I don't know the exact progression, but we jammed a bit then I introduced "Told You Twice" which I had written while I was still in Johnny Golden. The second tune I taught them was this one, "Up Here With Me".
How this song came about was through a bit of daydreaming which most people might identify with. For me, I had had a few different out of body experiences when I was teenage and beyond. Especially when I was young I had this phenomenon and it left me with strange feelings. One such time (of which I cannot speak in depth) I had a dream which paralleled a publicly heralded police incident. It was as if I had been there, but I don't believe that I really had been there. This is still an unsolved mystery to me.
The opening phrase was very real and remains very real to me, "my mind is floating through the window, I'm a million miles from here" was written in the front room of my apartment as I was thinking about places far from there, the Himalayan Mountains, to which I imagined.
This was truly a song made for a video. The entire song is etherial. If you listen carefully in portions you will hear wind chimes in the mix, an overdub that gives a true haunting feeling.
Musically speaking, I was going beyond the normal pop song style. Lots of minor mode sorts of things were here. Upon careful examination I have seen in this a familiar musical melody which reoccurs often in my writing many years to come. The jump of a minor seventh happens here as it does in a few later songs.
But, what really catches my ear now is the final vocal high note. Ending the song songs on a ninth chord with the main voice holding the ninth is not a common occurrence. Actually, that note happened in the studio and was a total surprise even to me. I didn't know it until I did it, which is something that has also followed me in my singing career. Doing the unexpected.
A little about the video: The song was recorded in Eugene, Oregon at Raspberry Studios. As written above I was the sole writer of music and lyrics. The recording was a group effort by ME which was Jeff Patterson, Greg Nance, Lee Smith, Tom Kinsey, and myself.
The compilation of photos you see in the video are an interesting photo montage of musical history primarily shared between Jeff and myself. Jeff was always the keeper of the camera and historian.
The first photo is of the second lineup of ME which included Dave, the bass player, who replaced me on bass and I took over on keyboards and rhythm guitar.
A bit further along was a photo of Bee Bumble and the Stingers (who after a name change became Johnny Golden and the Family Jewels). From left: Liz, Jeff, Lyle Annis, Don Patterson, and Taco (short for his Japanese name.......we sang "Smoke On The Water" in Japanese)
A photo further along was in our group's recording studio singing background bits for "Marshall's Madness" another of my tunes that we recorded.
A photo of guitar teacher: Jack Frances.
A photo of Jeff and my long time friend and brilliant musician: Steve Elmer aka Mike Stands.
A photo of The Diamonds performing in Sparks, Nevada for an outdoor gig.
A photo of The Diamonds while in Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu
A photo of Juju Lund, a long time friend during a piano lesson.
A photo of The Diamonds: Steve Elmer, Bob Janssen (only for the publicity photo....ha ha), myself, and Jeff.
For more Dave Janssen music try: "Julia" Julia on Jango Radio
Please forgive me all who I have forgotten your last names. :) I have always been bad with names.
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