Stars: About ... | Phil Kominski

STARS

WHO MIGHT LIKE THIS SONG?

Fans of Psychedelic Furs, David Gilmour, INXS.

ABOUT THE SONG:

Where to begin? This song is about the dissolving of a band. Not really the actual break up of the musicians, but the changing of attitudes regarding what the music is supposed to be and what the band is supposed to be. This reflects my opinions on what The Lloyd Dobler Effect devolved into before it ended.

Let's go in order of the lyrics as they go. "There's a star for each of us in the sky tonight, I breathe in the autumn air and walk a little while". These lines basically express what many of us do when we are sorting things out in our heads: We go for a walk and suss it out. I liked opening the song with a line of hope and unique significance for each living person. There are way more stars in the universe than have ever been people on earth, so why not dedicate the source of all life, on an elemental level, to each one of us, as a sense that "everything will be okay and will grow" before delving into mixed emotions?

"Remember when we shared this dream together? Clicking off the miles? And now the rust grows, beneath the cobwebs... but always in my mind". So, here is me reminiscing on what the drive used to be for the band in the past. We used to love finding new fans, writing new songs, relating to the audience through the creations we were a part of. But, as the years went on, the motives changed and deteriorated. I remember a specific "fork in the road" example that became a common thread... there was a saying that began to circle around among the band at live performances. Someone on stage would yell out "HITS!" during the show, and that meant "Play popular hit songs for the crowd, not the stuff they don't know", more or less, in place of the original song that was on the set list. Mind you, I understand how a live performance works. It is important to draw people in by playing cover songs that they know and can relate to. So, at venues that weren't hard ticket venues, 99% of the time, I would spend two hours or so creating the set list and working in covers and originals proportionately so that the band was being promoted for our art as well as entertainment value. Many times, it seemed only possible to include three or four originals into a thirty song set, so when it was repeatedly asked, on stage, that something we had written be changed to whatever pop song was charting at the time, it was heart-wrenching and, for me, very performance degrading. Enough of it, over the years, wears down the soul of what I believed we were trying to do, at least for me it certainly did. That's just one example. For years and years, in the early decade of the band, the aim was certainly different and the goals were more streamlined. But, you know, people change. That's life and it's certainly understandable.

"Those nights we painted the sky with words and measures: Gone forever now. That light that shined so bright, is it out forever? Gone forever now? Those nights we'd reach for the stars, just waving blindly, it's all behind me now. That light that shined so bright, it still burns forever, if only inside my mind". This is more reflection and pretty self-explanatory. I think the line about the "light" still burning forever in my mind is very true, although, I certainly look back with a mixture of good and bad memories and feelings. Many wonderful things happened. Many people met and were married because of this band... There are children in this world today who, otherwise, wouldn't be here, and that is probably the most wonderful thing to come out of those years and years on the road. There were some nice songs written, some pretty incredible experiences and the band came a lot closer than many other bands to doing even bigger things.

"And every heart we could have touched is more alone tonight. I guess we lost that part in us that kicked in overdrive. I wish we could've put our thoughts together before our mouths grew wide, but it's just another lost ship headed for shipwreck. Just another fairytale pipe dream reject". Here is more of the same feelings. However, I think I am most proud of this line: "It's just another lost ship headed for shipwreck. Just another fairytale pipe dream reject". I think this is one of the best lyric lines that I have ever written in my life. It is a barrage of imagery and it does an incredible job of getting the point across, at least, I think.

You know, the funny thing to me is that the majority of these lyrics weren't written after the band had broken up. They were written almost three years ago, in early 2017. At the time, I wasn't foreshadowing the end of The Lloyd Dobler Effect, but I was deeply trying to express my regret for what we had become, and honestly, I think I did my best to never let this show very much. I also attempted these same feelings in the lyrics of an LDE song called "Leave It Alone", although, that expressed ignoring and living with it all. In truth, these thoughts and feelings had been in my head, back and fourth, since maybe a few months after we parted ways with our last record label. My opinions in this regard were unpopular, so, I was the odd man out.

Looking back, none of this is regret. The band had its time. It was all meant to happen for a reason.

SINGLE ARTWORK:

AUDIO CLIP:

INSTRUMENTS USED:

Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Gibson 335 Electric Guitar, Various Synth, String and Piano Settings via Logic, AT2020 Vocal Microphone, Various Drum Kit Percussion, Fender Jazz Bass.

VIDEO:

Coming Soon! Check back from time to time.

ARTISTS WHO PROVIDED INSPIRATION FOR THIS SONG:

Eric Johnson. The magical music of the cosmos.

LYRICS:

LYRICS & MUSIC: PHILIP MATTHEW KOMINSKI

There’s a star for each of us

In the sky tonight

I breathe in the autumn air

And walk a little while

Remember when we shared this dream together?

Clicking off the miles?

And now the rust grows, beneath the cobwebs

But always in my mind…

Those nights, we painted the sky

With words and measures, gone forever, now.

That light that shined so bright

Is it out forever? Gone forever, and

Those nights we’d reach for the stars,

Just waving blindly, it’s all behind me now.

That light that shined so bright,

It still burns forever if only inside my mind.

And every heart we could have touched

Is more alone tonight.

I guess we lost that part in us

That kicked in overdrive, yeah

I wish we could have put our thoughts together

Before our mouths grew wide.

But it’s just another lost ship, headed for shipwreck

Just another fairytale pipe dream reject.