ARTISTS' CORNER
Original Music, Songwriting and Prose
The Jeremias Martinez Song Project
Written circa 1993, Philadelphia PA
Aderley's Cannon
Stephen Jeremias' and his old friend, Paul Martinez wrote and produced this tune in Stephen's living room, at his house on Germantown Avenue, in 1993. The idea was to submit the song as background music for the then pending movie 'Beverly Hills Cop III". But alas, life somehow got in the way.
Instruments used: Stephen's Yamaha DX-7, Gibson Les Paul, and Paul's rack mounted effects gear.
The Lane Jeremias Song Project
Written circa 2000 Lewisberry PA
Midnight Eyes
A few months ago, Stephen Jeremias was contacted by an old friend. His friend, a retired teacher, has an ex-high school student who's doing well as a singer, songwriter and guitar player in Nashville. His friend asked "If I had any good songs in the vault," as he was looking to send a song to his ex-student, the up-and-coming country music performer. Stephen immediately thought of the song "Midnight Eyes," originally written by his old friends Tommy Day and Rob Lane. He called Rob, suggested to dust off and polish up "Midnight Eyes," send it South, and see what happens.
The Jeremias Martinez Project
Circa 1993 Philadelphia PA
Guitar Jam
Stephen Jeremias' and his friend, Paul Martinez were working on a series of 'Guitar Sketches' at Stephen's home on Germantown Avenue in 1993. The concept was to offer a syncopated study, paying hommage to the work of Robert Fripp and Adrien Belew. Paul and Stephen both took turns playing Stephen's Les Paul.
The Lane Jeremias Project
WVU Morgantown W Va circa 1984
Palace of Dreams
Stephen Jeremias was a broke and starving college Senior in the Summer of 1984. Rob came down to visit him one long weekend, bringing his life sustaining supplies of bread, beer, bologna, pasta, musical equipment and a bag of happy mushrooms.
One of the pieces of gear Rob brought along with him was our old friend Billy Swenson’s ‘String Machine,’ a dead synth keyboard. Mice had got inside the unit and chewed through several wire bundles. Not to be deterred, Rob and Stephen headed off to Radio Shack, picked up soldering gear and several spools of wire, a bottle of Southern Comfort, and got to work. Several hours later they had the String Machine back up and running. Rob also brought along a drum kit, amps, guitars and mikes. Stephen had his Rhodes Electric Piano, a vintage red Farfisa Organ, Swenson’s now-operable String Machine, and several effects pedals.
On this tune, Stephen played drums, keyboards and bass. Rob played guitar and sang vocals. This is a 2nd or 3rd generation tape-to-tape-to-digital download recording, so it’s a little rough. And yes, it’s a bit trippy. But hey, it was the early 80s...Still, if you pay attention, you’ll get the idea. If memory serves correctly, we used a broomstick handle and duct tape as a mike stand...
As always, Rob and Stephen collaborated on the lyrics.
Palace of Dreams Lyrics
I heard stories told of a place where men go,
Take their own hopes, and search their own souls,
And they see, yes they see,
into the future.
The trip is so short, but the journey is hard,
They pass their own shadows, that lurk in the dark,
And they told me, yes they told me,
about the Teacher...
Have I left all of my of my living behind me?
What do I hope that it is that might find me?
Oh, take me away, take me away, take me away, oh take me, please
take me where I’ve never been;
Oh, take me away, take me away, take me oh take me, please
take me to the Palace of Dreams.
I sit back and take off the faces I’ve known,
What lies behind them, as I head down this road,
is what I seek,
And I seek, a new home...
I strip down the shell of this foolish charade,
Talk to the clowns in life’s long parade,
And I find, yes I find,
It's an illusion.
I close and let my dreams surround me,
Because in my dreams is where I have found me...
Oh, take me away, take me away, take me away, oh take me, please
take me where I’ve never been;
Oh, take me away, take me away, take me oh take me, please
take me to the Palace of Dreams,
Palace of Dreams...
HUGE Farfisa Organ and Acoustic Guitar harmony solo...
I close my eyes and let my dreams surround me,
Because in my dreams is where I have found me...
Oh, take me away, take me away, take me oh take me, please take
where I’ve never been;
Oh take me away, take me away, take me oh take me
Oh take me to Palace of Dreams;
Oh take me away, take me away, take me oh take me
Where I've never been,
Oh take me away, take me away, take me oh take me
Oh take me to Palace of Dreams,
Palace of Dream...