Music as a Spiritual Practice Archives | Scattered Wisdom from the Saddle - Rev. Ryk Brown https://rykbrown.ca/category/music-as-a-spiritual-practice/ Musings of a Canadian motorcycle-riding, guitar-slinging, neuro-divergent, progressive Christian pastor. Thu, 14 Dec 2023 01:58:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://i0.wp.com/rykbrown.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Logo-small-1-compressed.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Music as a Spiritual Practice Archives | Scattered Wisdom from the Saddle - Rev. Ryk Brown https://rykbrown.ca/category/music-as-a-spiritual-practice/ 32 32 183201160 Thunder by Geneva https://rykbrown.ca/2023/12/14/thunder-by-geneva/ https://rykbrown.ca/2023/12/14/thunder-by-geneva/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 01:58:03 +0000 https://rykbrown.ca/?p=702 Thunder by Geneva (1988) In 1988, I was playing guitar and flute in an original band called, Geneva. After the release of our first EP, No Time To Pray, in 1987, we went back into the studio the following year to record a half-dozen songs for our next album. These were recorded at SRS Studios in […]

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Thunder by Geneva (1988)

In 1988, I was playing guitar and flute in an original band called, Geneva. After the release of our first EP, No Time To Pray, in 1987, we went back into the studio the following year to record a half-dozen songs for our next album. These were recorded at SRS Studios in London, Ontario, Canada, with Juno-award winning producer Dan Broadbeck (back when he was still Danny and before he won a Juno.) We ran out of money so the recordings were never completed and the second album was never released. This is not a final mix. The recordings were only rough-mixed onto audio cassettes that ended up in my basement for over 30 years. In 2022, I converted the recordings to mp3 and ran them through audio filters to clean them up and do my best to compensate for 3 decades of deterioration.

Geneva: Thunder (1988)
“Thunder”
Words and music by Lori DeGraw
from the unreleased SRS recording session
Recorded in 1988
Audio recovered in 2022 from 30-year-old audio cassette tapes
Geneva:
Lori DeGraw – Lead Vocals, Guitar.
Ryk Brown – Lead and Rhythm Guitar.
Paul Hunter – Bass, Vocals.
Rob Carter – Drums, Vocals.

“Thunder”
Words and music by Lori DeGraw

This freedom’s got no chance to reign supreme
Someone’s got to take control
Mixed emotions feed the soul of me
Granite eyes take you home.

Stifled cries from the land of the free
Starting versus something known
Somewhere in his heart he pleads to me
Somehow I know I must go

Assorted colours fade to morning light
A never ending cyclone floods, floods.
Faded vision, jaded thunder
Where the fever never grows.

Somehow, somewhere, I might feel complete
Before I deal the final blow
Somewhere in your heart you beat for me
Yet I feel you in my soul

Assorted colours fade to morning light
A never ending cyclone floods, floods
Faded vision, jaded thunder
Where the fever never grows.


Credits

Produced by Geneva and Danny Broadbeck
Engineered by Danny Broadbeck
Recorded at SRS Studios, London, Ontario, Canada, 1988.
Audio recovered in 2022 from 30 year old audio cassette tapes
Photo by Ian Houghton

Musicians on a stage
Lori (Willow) DeGraw & Ryk Brown

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Walk With You by Geneva https://rykbrown.ca/2023/12/14/walk-with-you-by-geneva/ https://rykbrown.ca/2023/12/14/walk-with-you-by-geneva/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:08:44 +0000 https://rykbrown.ca/?p=695 Walk With You by Geneva (1988) In 1988, I was playing guitar and flute in an original band called, Geneva. After the release of our first EP, No Time To Pray, in 1987, we went back into the studio the following year to record a half-dozen songs for our next album. These were recorded at […]

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Walk With You by Geneva (1988)

In 1988, I was playing guitar and flute in an original band called, Geneva. After the release of our first EP, No Time To Pray, in 1987, we went back into the studio the following year to record a half-dozen songs for our next album. These were recorded at SRS Studios in London, Ontario, Canada, under the direction of Juno-award winning producer Dan Broadbeck (back when he was still Danny and before he won a Juno.) We ran out of money so the recordings were never completed and the second album was never released.

This is not a final mix. The recordings were only rough-mixed onto audio cassettes that ended up in my basement for over 30 years. In 2022, I converted the recordings to mp3 and ran them through audio filters to clean them up and do my best to compensate for 3 decades of deterioration.

I wrote this song about a friend who was going through a rough time. We took a walk one night along some railroad tracks as I listened to his struggle.

Geneva: Walk With You (1987)
“Walk With You”
Words and music by Ryk Brown
from the unreleased SRS recording session
Recorded in 1988
Audio recovered in 2022 from 30-year-old audio cassette tapes
Geneva:
Lori DeGraw – Lead Vocals, Guitar.
Ryk Brown – Lead and Rhythm Guitar.
Paul Hunter – Bass, Vocals.
Rob Carter – Drums, Vocals.

“Walk With You”
Words and music by Ryk Brown

Night time,
I crossed the railroad tracks
And I looked up into the sky
I see a million white specks on black

A friend cried out
Showed his lonely side
Most caring I’ve seen (walk, walk, walk, walk alone)
He has something hurting to hide. (walk, walk, walk, walk alone)

And you say I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
You say I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
You say I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
I’ll walk with you (walk with you)

Surrounded most of all
by those who care for you
You’re not at ease with yourself (walk, walk, walk, walk alone)
Something hurting to hide (walk, walk, walk, walk alone)

Then I’ll walk with you (Walk with you)
You know I’ll walk with you (Walk with you)

Walk with you (walk with you)
You said I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
You know you said I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
And I’ll walk with you (walk with you)

You said I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
You said I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
Walk with you (walk with you)
And I’ll walk with you (walk with you)
Walk with you


Credits

Produced by Geneva and Danny Broadbeck
Engineered by Danny Broadbeck
Recorded at SRS Studios, London, Ontario, Canada, 1988.
Audio recovered in 2022 from 30 year old audio cassette tapes
Photo by Ian Houghton

3 musicians on a stage: a female singer, a male bass player, and a male guitar player, all in their early 20s
Geneva – Lori (Willow) DeGraw, Paul Hunter, Ryk Brown

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No Time To Pray by Geneva https://rykbrown.ca/2023/06/21/no-time-to-pray-by-geneva/ https://rykbrown.ca/2023/06/21/no-time-to-pray-by-geneva/#respond Wed, 21 Jun 2023 04:33:59 +0000 https://rykbrown.ca/?p=547 "No Time To Pray", a song by the band, Geneva, from London, Ontario, Canada, recorded in 1987.

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No Time to Pray by Geneva (1987)

In 1987, I was playing in an original band called, Geneva. We recorded a four-song cassette EP called No Time to Pray, and played various clubs around southern Ontario, Canada. This is the title track from the EP.

The audio on this video is very low. You will have to turn up the volume.

Geneva: No Time To Pray (1987)
“No Time To Pray”
Words and music by Lori DeGraw
from the EP: No Time to Pray
Recorded in 1987
Audio recovered in 2022 from 30-year-old audio cassette tapes
Geneva:
Lori DeGraw – Lead Vocals, Guitar.
Ryk Brown – Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Drum Programming.
Paul Hunter – Bass, Vocals, Drum Programming.
Rob Carter – Drums, Vocals. (Live)
(This recording uses a drum machine prior to Rob joining the band.)

No Time To Pray

Words & Music: Lori DeGraw (c)1987 Lori DeGraw

Look at me; what do you see?
I look at you; where can you be?
In a pot of gold on an open lane,
but forgetting the pouring rain.

Talk to me, and I will cry with you.
Feel for me, and we can dream,
of flying through space and time,
of paradise so peaceful and sublime.

Running fast but getting nowhere
Gives us cause to throw it all away,
or so they say.

Forever planning for the future,
is there no enjoyment here today?
No time to pray.


Credits

Recorded in 1987 in Ryk Brown’s parents’ basement on a four-track cassette home studio recorder
Produced & Engineered by Paul Hunter & Ryk Brown

Cover art – Mike Woods
Road Crew – Ian Houghton & Greg Brown
Photos by Ian Houghton taken at Call The Office, London, Ontario, Canada.

[From the original liner notes]
Special thanks to: Ian Houghton, Ken and Jackie Brown, Gary Kaufman, Greg Brown, Toby Cadham, Danny Broadbeck, Christopher Ratt, Mike Woods, Bruce Woollatt, Tom Hunter, Bill Martin, Skye, Bob Bradbury, Rick Broadbeck, and the Sunday Night Gang (including Shirley).

b&w of young man's and woman's heads with a brick wall in the background

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Neighbour’s Land by Geneva https://rykbrown.ca/2023/06/21/neighbours-land-by-geneva/ https://rykbrown.ca/2023/06/21/neighbours-land-by-geneva/#respond Wed, 21 Jun 2023 02:42:26 +0000 https://rykbrown.ca/?p=449 "Neighbour's Land", a song by the band, Geneva, from London, Ontario, Canada, recorded in 1987.

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Neighbour’s Land by Geneva

In 1987, I was playing in an original band called, Geneva. We recorded a four-song cassette EP called No Time to Pray, and played various clubs around southern Ontario, Canada. Neighbour’s Land was our first and only single. It received modest airplay on local radio station CHRW thanks to DJ Skye Sylvain.

Geneva: Neighbour’s Land (1987)
“Neighbour’s Land”
Words and music by Lori DeGraw and Ryk Brown
from the EP: No Time to Pray
Recorded in 1987
Audio recovered in 2022 from 30-year-old audio cassette tapes
Geneva:
Lori DeGraw – Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar.
Ryk Brown – Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Flute.
Paul Hunter – Bass, Vocals.
Rob Carter – Drums, Vocals.

Guest Musicians:
Jeff Floyd – Hand percussion;
Peter Blackwell – Hand percussion.

Neighbour’s Land

Words & Music: Lori DeGraw & Ryk Brown (c)1987 Lori DeGraw & Ryk Brown

The headlines read of the plight in Africa
Their biggest sandbox is getting bigger every day
In the ‘Land of Ice’ opposing kings meet face-to-face
One giant speaks and the other walks away

We take a stand
We plant our wheat in our neighbour’s land

The aging actor tries his best to steal the stage
He plays the judge; the tropic lands: the consequence
In the ‘Land of Green’ opposing thoughts meet face-to-face
Their people fall trying to gain their independence

We take a stand
We plant our wheat in our neighbour’s land

And we feel content when contributions have been made
And we feed ourselves on the souls that we have saved
With our conscience eased, we return to the routine
While our longest food line gets longer every day

We take a stand We plant our wheat in our neighbour’s land


Credits

Produced by Toby Cadham
Engineered by Danny Broadbeck
Recorded at SRS Studios, London, Ontario, Canada, 1987.

Cover art – Mike Woods
Road Manager – Ian Houghton
Roadie: Greg Brown
Photos by Ian Houghton taken at Call The Office, London, Ontario, Canada.

[From the original liner notes]
Special thanks to: Ian Houghton, Ken and Jackie Brown, Gary Kaufman, Greg Brown, Toby Cadham, Danny Broadbeck, Christopher Ratt, Mike Woods, Bruce Woollatt, Tom Hunter, Bill Martin, Skye, Bob Bradbury, Rick Broadbeck, and the Sunday Night Gang (including Shirley).

b&w of four musicians sitting on a pier with a lake in the background

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