Free Halloween music sounds good about now, right? (October 12th, 2024)

Greetings and salutations,

I feel the need to offer up some treats for those of you who read this blog. Here is a FREE download of one of my tracks. The FREE MP3 download today is "Every Day, Every Year" (click here to download), taken from the Nobody Records Pumpkinland Halloween Sampler (also found on mopehead's "Big Top Blues" CD here). Enjoy the FREE track and please drop me a comment. Remember, all of my CDs are available for purchase at HauntedCDs.com and can be downloaded here, here, here and here.
Be sure and support Halloween Radio by purchasing CDs from us!

Happy Haunting,

Mark Harvey (aka mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.

Happy New Year....my how the time has passed.

Something happens to me after Halloween. I get into different mode. I start with post-Halloween blues...lasts for a couple of weeks. Christmas goods showed up before the 31st of October. I found it bizarre and annoying. Nothing worse than seeing Halloween being removed before Halloween has even come or gone. Aisles of Halloween items gave way to Christmas items. I guess I shouldn't complain since (it seemed like) Halloween showed up earlier this year. Then Thanksgiving arrives and being thankful for all of the many blessings there are in life. Thanksgiving was terrific this year. And before you know it there's shopping for Christmas, getting set-up for Christmas and then...Christmas. Then there's Christmas clean-up mode (which we just completed) and the whole aftermath. The months of November and December fog over. Right now it all seems a bit hazy. I did get some cool things for Christmas and I hope that you and yours had a wonderful Holiday season!

New Year's Eve was relaxed - we had a nice relaxing dinner and a movie.

I stayed up with my daughter until midnight. I drank champagne and she had root beer (in a champagne flute!). It wasn't easy for either of us to stay up and she kept nodding off, but she wanted to ring in the New Year with her Daddy so I was OK with it.

Our (usual) annual New Year's Day trek was canceled due to health reasons as we thought it better to just stay home and enjoy some family time. I made a bunch of Hoppin' John to bring us some New Year's luck and decided I should bring some over to my Mother and in-laws place (everyone was sick). Hoppin' John is the Southern United States' version of the rice and beans dish traditional throughout the Caribbean. It consists of black-eyed peas and rice, with chopped onion and sliced bacon, seasoned with a bit of salt. Some people substitute ham hock or fatback for the conventional bacon; a few use green peppers or vinegar and spices.
Throughout the coastal South, eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls. I also brought over some home-made vanilla ice cream I had made to my Mom.

I'm going to attempt to get back into the swing of things...like blogging. I'm going to attempt to get my recording groove back as well this year. I have said this for a few years now and each year my studio is dormant. I did get over to see Jay a little this past year, but the plan is to make it as regular a thing as humanly possible. We've got work to do, you know! And I'm not gettin' any younger.

Some of you may have already heard this track. It is the latest Rain Station track. It isn't done...no vocals yet, but I am certain we'll remedy that the next time I'm over at Jay's place.

Click here to download the track.

I like to put this song on repeat and zone out (often...I'm doing it RIGHT NOW). This song follows the same formula as "Criminal Goat" (as has this entire project so far). Jay recorded the drum tracks and then I came over recorded bass, guitar tracks and keyboards. We have fun whenever we get together and this track is classic Rain Station.

Enjoy the track and look for more from me (here at Mark Harvey's World) and us (your good friends at Rain Station).

Happy New Year! Make it the best year yet!

Mark Harvey

Veterans Day

Today on Veterans Day I am thinking of my Father, Robert C. Harvey, Jr, LTJG US Navy, Veteran of WWII and Korea. Growing up my Father always taught me to be respectful, appreciative and generous towards Veterans. I appreciate what they've done for our country and what they've given of themselves to protect our freedom and way of life. One may not agree always with the politics of war, but one MUST respect those who have given so much. I applaud and thank our military veterans and those who currently serve this great nation.

So, to shift gears...I thought I'd throw out quite possibly the ONLY patriotic tune I've ever recorded (again...repost warning). Now time for a little history - not that you want to hear it, but humor me (and thank you). Years ago I worked at the good guys! Hayward Service Center as a manager and I had an employee that worked for me named Idia Huntley. Idia and I got along very well and since we're both into music we worked together a little. Idia has a great smokey vocal style and it can be heard on some Rain Station recordings. One day (long after the good guys!) she called me and asked if I would record a track for her. She had written a patriotic tune that she recorded at a studio in Oakland, but it didn't have the feel she was looking for. She explained that she told the folks at the studio what she was looking for, but it ended up sounding wrong to her. She paid them and was disappointed with the end result. I told her I'd be glad to record the track for her and I wasn't going to charge her since she'd been gracious enough to sing on my tracks without charging me.

She sat in Pumpkinland Studios with me humming the tune and telling me how she wanted the track to sound. She also played the other track for me. What she wanted and what I heard were completely different (I actually liked the other track). As we worked through the track she got more and more excited about how things were turning out and was saying her usual "Thank you, thank you" to me over and over again. The track complete we sent it out for copyright and then sent a copy to Bill Clinton (there's a family relationship there somewhere that I can't recall, but from what I vaguely remember Bill thought of her Mom as a surrogate Mother or Aunt type back in Little Rock). We actually got a response from Bill - pretty cool letter.

I'm not sure where Idia is today (somewhere in the Bay Area I imagine), but hope that someday she finds me again so we can work together. She's a brilliant songwriter, has a lovely voice and is one of those people that you just love to be around - in short she's a blessing.

Anyhow, here is a FREE MP3 download of "It's A Different America" (click here to download) by Idia Huntley and Mark Harvey. (link disabled)

Enjoy the FREE track and drop me a comment.
Remember, all of my CDs are available for purchase at NobodyRecords.com.
Be sure and support independent music by purchasing CDs from us!

Thanks,

Mark Harvey

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.
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HEY...Did you notice...It's Halloween! (free MP3)

Hey there...IT IS HALLOWEEN!!! What are you doing? I'm going to be heading out to Brent Ross' DC Cemetary (here), but I thought I'd post one last tune for you all. Here is a FREE MP3 download of "It's Halloween" (click here to download the song) (link disabled) by Rain Station. This tune is not released and I always get a kick out of it.

I promise I'll get a heap of Halloween tracks recorded for everyone before next Halloween. And for those friends of mine that missed my Halloween compilation CD this year, I promise, next year will be a stellar mix!

Be safe...drive slow...drink milk...

Happy Halloween ya'll!

Mark Harvey
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song. (link disabled)

5th Wedding Anniversary...October's Bride

Five years ago I married my wife on the day before Halloween.
She still supports my Halloween weirdness (and loads of my other weirdness). We're both took today off and I'm looking forward to spending the day with my October Bride. Speaking of October Brides, both Jay and I were married in October (he just celebrated his 13th wedding anniversary). October is a great month for weddings since the weather here in Northern California is near perfect.

I love you honey, Happy Anniversary.






So since we're talking October brides...here's another FREE MP3 from Rain Station's DARK RIDE CD. This one is called October's Bride (click here to download the track). (link disabled)

DARK RIDE features 13 New Halloween Hits!
These songs (and more) are all streaming at 13thTrack.com Halloween Radio -

Click one of the links to hear the song listed:
Things - Twilight Sky - Monster Hunter - Haunted Man -Tomb of Doom - Black Lagoon -Trick or Treatin' - This Night - Candy - Broom Hopping -Day of the Dead - October's Bride - Dark Ride
Jay Moores has created SPOOKY FLASH ANIMATIONS for some of the songs on the CD-
CANDY
TRICK OR TREATIN'
THINGS
DAY OF THE DEAD
TOMB OF DOOM
HAUNTED MAN
MONSTER HUNTER
DARK RIDE

Happy Anniversary to my lovely wife and Happy 30th of October...TOMORROW is THE day!

Mark Harvey
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.
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I Seen It!

A treat for all you Trick-Or-Treaters, here's a FREE download (or treat) of one of my tracks. The FREE MP3 download today is "I Seen It!" (click here to download)(link disabled), taken from MITCH's Outlaws CD. This song was recorded when I lived in Oakland, CA at the original Pumpkinland Studios. This song probably should have made it onto SS-MOPEHEAD, but due to the rock nature of the track it made it onto Outlaws instead. Not sure how much of a Halloween track this is...so you decide. Enjoy the FREE track and please drop me a comment. Remember, all of my CDs are available for purchase at HauntedCDs.com.Be sure and support Halloween Radio by purchasing CDs from us!

Thanks,

Mark Harvey (aka MITCH)
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song
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October 12th and a FREE MP3

Blogging everyday this October has turned out to be pretty fun and for those who like free MP3s I hope this will be enjoyable. Here is a FREE MP3 download of "It's Halloween" (click here to download the song)(link disabled) a presently unreleased track from my band Rain Station. After the fun I had recording Rain Station's DARK RIDE CD (with my buddy Jay) I wanted to keep the momentum going and so I put this track together with Jay giving some fun (and funny) backing vocals. Enjoy the free download...I love giving out treats!

Mark Harvey
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song. (link disabled)

We Are The Ones From The Underground

So Jay has posted a bunch of tracks from our upcoming CD and I thought I'd share them here. "We Are The Ones From The Underground" is the first track that we "finished" (although none of the songs are officially finished) and you can download it here.

Here's a little video of me recording the bass track.


And here's Jay singing the vocals for the track.

Jay is in Maine right now and I'm looking forward to having him return so we can get back to work on the disc. We have a lot of work to do - recording, mixing, more recording, more mixing, but it is always fun working with Jay and seeing the finished product.

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

Mark Harvey

The Screaming Paisleys on bandcamp

Well...after a little blog silence I've decided to get with the program again and get something written here. I do plan on writing the account of my 40th birthday weekend (mainly for my own historical record...I'm getting old, ya know), but tonight I decided to announce the digital availability of The Screaming Paisleys "EXIT" LP (found here). It is available to listen to as well as to download. It is a fairly good quality rip, not the best...

For those who have not read the account of the band, keep reading...

The Screaming Paisleys started out as Rhythm and Rhyme - a band thrown together for a Battle of the Bands contest at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, CA. Soon after that "gig" we changed our name to The Screaming Paisleys, played for a little while and then broke up. Some where out there is a demo we recorded at a friend's house, but I've not come across it yet.
At that point I began recording on my Tascam 4-track and I called my solo project mopehead. At a party at my buddy Scott Rehlaender's house, Dave Ayer (The Screaming Paisleys' drummer) heard some of the tracks I had recorded and thought it would be cool to get together. We reenlisted Brent Willson (bass) and began practicing, but soon stopped playing together again. I started looking for a bass player to fill Brent's spot.
One night while working at Gelb Music in Redwood City, CA (click here to visit their website) Tony Iuppa saw the flier pinned to the wall and approached me asking if he could "try out" for the band. So Dave, Tony and I began practicing. The Screaming Paisleys were together again.
Once we had a number of tunes ready we decided to record an LP. EXIT was recorded with Bart Thurber at the original House Of Faith (click here to visit website) recording studio (then in Bart's Palo Alto house). Bart was amazing and taught all of us a lot during the process. I had been going to recording college so working with Bart was great to hone my production skills.

EXIT was released in 1988. The Screaming Paisleys played lots of gigs. Our LP charted on many college radio stations nationwide. It was a good run. We ended up breaking up when Dave decided to go on tour with SAMIAM (one of many bands that Dave was playing in). Tony and I would get together and record strange songs on the 4-track, but the band would never get together again. Tony's friend, Shane created a website (click here to visit) for The Screaming Paisleys (a page for stuff that doesn't have a page).

I've now ripped the entire LP so here is a digital version of EXIT. I hope you enjoy the tracks.

Mark Harvey - Acoustic & Electric Guitars/Vocals
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to listen to "EXIT".

Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 15 of 15

Well...the Criminal Goat posts are coming to an end with this FREE MP3 download. And since we've come to an end I thought that I would once again post the story of Criminal Goat and Rain Station. As many of you know Jay and I are working on the next Rain Station "experience" and we're creating music using the "Criminal Goat" method of recording. There are two versions of the "Criminal Goat" story (which is the Rain Station story) floating around. I'll post both and maybe Jay and I can decide which one is accurate. I know at some point we wrote both of these accounts...maybe it is supposed to be a mystery. Maybe they are both correct.

Oh...and as you may or may not be aware:
Hoagie Malone = Jay E. Moores
mopehead = Mark Harvey
Version one:
In the summer of 1992, Hoagie Malone began coaxing musicians for his recording project "Equator". These sessions produced 33 tracks. Originally released as "Khaki Circus" by Equator, Hoagie felt that the recordings between he and mopehead were going particularly well, so when mixing time came, the 33 tracks became two separate releases. Rain Station was born with the release "Criminal Goat" and Hoagie released the rest as "Equator".

Version two:

"Criminal Goat" was recorded over the summer of '93 at two locations in San Francisco on an old Tascam 4-track.The formula consisted of Hoagie Malone recording beats with two different drum sets, mopehead would then record guitars and/or bass, then guest musicians would come in to record (guitar, bass,keys), and finally Hoagie Malone would write lyrics and do the finishing touches before mopehead and Hoagie would do the final mixes.
OK...now that you've been reacquainted, here is a FREE MP3 download of "Dandylions" (click here to download) (link disabled)taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. Jay made a Flash video of the song (here). Again, Jay on drums and vocals, me on bass and guitar. This rivals "Summer Home" for my favorite track on the CD. This is vintage Rain Station and a great way to finish off the "Criminal Goat" blog entries.



I hope you have been enjoying the FREE tracks. All I ask is that you please drop me a comment. All of Rain Station's CDs are available for purchase at NobodyRecords.com.




Be sure and support our art and independent music by purchasing CDs from us.

Many thanks for tuning in,

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song. (link disabled)

Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 14 of 15

Hey everyone. You know, I've been really enjoying posting the Criminal Goat tracks here on my blog. As I write these posts I listen to the track du jour over and over and get inspired by it. It inspires me, but at the same time it bums me out. I would love to record more with Jay. The freedom we had back when Criminal Goat was recorded is now long gone as Jay and I both have kids and responsibilities. My job takes a lot out of me and then when I'm done at work I'm off to go home to be a husband and father. The Sundays with Jay have been great and I'm looking forward to the finished product of the current recording sessions. So on to the next track in this extravaganza! Here is a FREE MP3 download of "Move Again" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. More creeping guitar and bass tracks from yours truly and drums and vocals by Jay. This is yet another creepy Rain Station track.

I hope ya'll like it...

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.

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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 13 of 15

This may have been a better choice for 4/20 - more floaty Rain Station heavy mellow music for you. We've nearly made it through the whole disc and if you've been keeping up you've gotten Criminal Goat for FREE. How about that? So here is a FREE MP3 download of "Against The Knife" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. Again, Jay is playing drums and singing and I'm playing bass and guitar. This is another one of those tracks that I can just listen to over and over.

Enjoy the FREE track and please drop me a comment.

Remember, Rain Station CDs are available for purchase at NobodyRecords.com.

Be sure and support independent music by purchasing CDs from us.

I hope you enjoy this one,

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.

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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 12 of 15

Happy 4/20 everyone! This rockin' song might not be the right vibe for Bob Marley's birthday, but what the heck...I'm not posting these songs out of order. I'm not sure what this song is about - Jay's lyrics are a bit random, but I love 'em. I have many favorite tracks on Criminal Goat and this is one of them. I like the way Jay says "backyard" - you can really hear his Maine roots. Here is a FREE MP3 download of "Pullin' Up Some Nails" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. Jay is playing drums, singing and adding sound effects. I'm playing guitar and bass.

What do you think?

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.
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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 11 of 15

WARNING! This song contains some language that might not be suitable for the YOUTH. Jay commuted for years taking BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). He lived in Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco. He worked for some years in Hayward. Certain parts of the BART line can be a little surly, but mostly the surrounding areas. There was a time when crime surrounding MacArthur Station was in the news particularly the disappearance and murder of Francia Young. So Jay wrote a song about "people disappearing from MacArthur Station". Here is a FREE MP3 download of "MacArthur Station" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. Jay on vocals and drums (and sound effects) and I'm playing guitar and bass.

Be safe out there,

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.
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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 10 of 15

What is Rain Station? Well, most people know of Rain Station as being Jay E. Moores and Mark Harvey, but Jay and I have often enlisted other musicians in an attempt to heighten our enjoyment of music making and get more brains in on the process. We're always seeking inspiration from others. Today's FREE MP3 download is "I Can't Fly" (click here to download) (link disabled)taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. This is another one of those tracks that I can listen to over and over again. Jay on drums and vocals and I recorded two guitar tracks. The floating jazz guitar solos are by Gary Brain. As Jay said the other day when we were recording, "This sounds like Rain Station". "I Can't Fly" sounds like Rain Station.

Please enjoy the FREE track and please do drop me a comment.

Rain Station CDs are available for purchase at NobodyRecords.com.

Many thanks for reading and listening,

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.

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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 9 of 15

Years ago when Jay and I were living together we'd hang out in the living room with our acoustic guitars and play and sing. Our CD "The Living Room Sessions" epitomizes this time of our lives (songs captured live with two mics and a portable DAT recorder). Today's free track is "Slap On The Back" - a track recorded with the same mindset as "The Living Rooms Sessions". We were hanging out in Jay's room in the Mission District of SF (from what I recall there were a few of us) and Jay started playing this song he wrote. I added another guitar and some vocals and there you have it. Another song recorded. So, here is the FREE MP3 download of "Slap On The Back" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. From what I understand Jay began playing (or had been playing) this song at a camp that he was a counselor at - Camp Tapawingo, in Sweden, Maine.

I hope you enjoy this track as much as I do.

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.

(link disabled)

Step by Step Criminal Goat- Summer Home - Track 8

This is a repeated blog entry. Since I already wrote about "Summer Home" I figured I'd get lazy and just repost the entry. Plus this being Easter Sunday there are eggs to hunt...
So...here goes...

"Summer Home" is one of those rare tracks that has been recorded twice (I think three times actually). It is one of my favorite Rain Station tracks. As the story goes...In the summer of 1992, Hoagie Malone (Jay Moores) began coaxing musicians for his recording project "Equator". These sessions produced 33 tracks. Originally released as "Khaki Circus" by Equator, Hoagie felt that the recordings between he and mopehead (Mark Harvey) were going particularly well, so when mixing time came, the 33 tracks became two separate releases. Rain Station was born with the release "Criminal Goat" and Hoagie released the rest as "Equator". "Summer Home" was one of the tracks on "Criminal Goat". Jay recorded drum tracks in his large Mission Street house. I'd come over and record guitar tracks to his tracks and then he'd flesh out the rest. On the original "Criminal Goat" version of "Summer Home" the bass track was played by Jay's buddy Dave Mintim.
I moved out to the Sunset (from the Peninsula) and after a few roommates came and left I convinced Jay to move out of the Mission and out towards the ocean. The place we lived in was fairly large and allowed for setting up and playing (as a band).
Tony Iuppa (my buddy who played bass in The Screaming Paisleys) joined us as did a friend from work, Brian Peet (on drums - pictured left). Rain Station (the band) was formed and we recorded a three song demo to shop around for gigs. Jay and I also named our home in the Sunset The Rain Station.

"Summer Home" was one of the tracks we recorded for our three song demo - this time on my 4-track. "Summer Home" was added to "Fancy Fancy" as were the other two songs we recorded - "Widdershins" and "Quiet Morning".

Jay and I have yet to record a version of "Summer Home" on something better than a 4-track. I'm sure someday we will as we both love the tune.

So...here you'll find the FREE MP3 downloads of "Summer Home".

"Summer Home" by Rain Station found on "Criminal Goat" (here) (link disabled)

"Summer Home" by Rain Station found on "Fancy Fancy" (here) (link disabled)

So this "Criminal Goat" entry comes with the bonus "Fancy Fancy" version.

Enjoy the FREE tracks and please drop me a comment.
Remember, all of my CDs are available for purchase at Nobody Records.
Be sure and support independent music and purchasing CDs from us!

Mark Harvey

Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 7 of 15

Here is a FREE MP3 download of "Heated Afternoon" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD.
Here's another clunky ditty for ya...giving you one minute twenty seven seconds more of THE GOAT. I'm sharing vocals duties with Jay on this one.
Know your goat!

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.
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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 6 of 15

Here is a FREE MP3 download of "Bull Whisky" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. This song is certainly...special... I'm not sure what Jay is singing about - Bull Whisky? I found a brand called Black Bull, but Jay doesn't drink so who knows? Guess I'll have to ask him.

Rock on,

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.
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Step by Step Criminal Goat- Track 5 of 15

Here is a FREE MP3 download of "Fade Away" (click here to download) (link disabled) taken from Rain Station's Criminal Goat CD. I like the vibe of this one - I'm playing bass and guitar and doin' some background singin' - Jay's got the drum track (all of these songs began that way) and singin' as well as handlin' the sounds and samples. It is a short tune - just over two minutes.

Many thanks for readin', commentin' and possibly downloadin' the free track,

Mark Harvey (a.k.a. mopehead)

Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song.

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