This is a song I wrote while driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California in the early 1990’s. Craig helped to refine it. Originally, the song was going to be recorded acoustically, with only my vocals and an acoustic guitar. We still might release it that way in the future, but for this version we were inspired to add in drums, bass, keyboards AND some frogs. Frogs? Yes, frogs. 🙂
Earlier this summer there were a few ponds near our neighborhood that were teeming with wildlife and while we were recording the song, we were listening back and thinking about the bridge section. Craig remembered the sound of the frogs in one of the ponds and suggested we try it out to see if it worked. It was a wonderful opportunity to do some field recordings. So we hopped on our bikes (pun intended) and rode to a pond and recorded the frogs singing away at dusk.
We brought the recordings home and edited the frog soundscape into the bridge section. It was such a nice surprise sound and we both really liked the feeling of nature in a song like Loaded.
We also created a video for the song. After we released it, a friend of ours pointed out there are some really cool 3D sections.
My next step was to get some 3D glasses and check it out for myself.
It’s true! There are sections of the video that are in 3D! We had no idea when we created the video.
If you want a pair of glasses, let me know… I’ll send you a pair. I have 9 extra to send to people.
Have you ever seen a painting called Ascent of the Blessed by Hieronymus Bosch? It’s a sixteenth century painting which expresses the journey of souls towards a light at the end of a tunnel. Angels help the souls on their way to Heaven. You can read more about it here: http://www.hieronymusbosch.net/ascent-of-the-blessed/
I first learned about Hieronymus Bosch’s work from a song called Garden of Earthly Delights by XTC. If you haven’t seen that one, here’s a picture of a puzzle I put together of it.
If you haven’t heard the song, you should listen to it now…
I had an experience one evening, as I pulled the wet curtain and stepped out of the shower; I started to see through a tunnel. It was happening while I grabbed my towel. Dripping hair and all, the only thing I could do was gently wrap the towel around my vulnerable body and sit down. My throat swelled and tears started flowing. I could see it, but more than that, I could feel it. There was an indescribable color of light. It was a tunnel without walls, but you knew which way to go. I didn’t go anywhere. I was grounded yet so incredibly high. It was extraordinarily beautiful. The experience lasted for about a minute, if that. I didn’t want it to end, but I knew it had to. It gently and ever so slowly drifted away.
This wasn’t the only experience I’ve had like this, but this was the strongest.
I love recalling this memory and there are a few other Maheekat songs that incorporate a description of the feeling. The Emptiness and Eureka are two of them.
With Indigo, we tried to describe just the color and the associated feeling.
The original song didn’t include the narrative in the bridge. I told Craig what the song was about, he has experienced similar other-worldly states. One time he experienced something while surfing huge waves at Rincon. He could see through the veil of reality… or should I say… what people call reality in their cars going up and down freeways. People tend to hide from nature, protect themselves from it. That lifestyle is not true reality. Nature is. It’s in the way the earth is alive. A being of its own moving through the solar system.
Like me, this wasn’t Craig’s only experience. He’s had many more than I.
The narration was performed and recorded by Barry Somers of 10Radio in England. Listening to 10Radio is a completely different story, one we’ll most likely write about in a future post.
As usual, Craig played most of the instruments on the recording, including the slide guitar lead, which is one of my favorite parts of the tune. It really brings in the dreaminess element on top of a well-grounded groove.
The cover of the album was from a picture I had taken at a small Sierra Mountain lake. There are Fae folk that live around there. It’s a really beautiful place.
Lyrics:
Looking up I lifted my arms to the sky
As if I couldn’t know
I didn’t know that magic was real and I cried
Threw my hands to the ground
Hold on I think that I get it
I never believed it true
Just when I think that I get it
I’m left in the trust of you
Indigo, Indigo, Indigo, Indigo, Indigo, Indigo
Indigo, I reached through my mind to let go
Dusting off the love that I found on the edge
What a find intertwined
Hold on I think that I get it
I never believed it true
Just when I think that I get it
I’m left in the trust of you
With hues of blue
Indigo, Indigo, Indigo, Indigo, Indigo, Indigo
We live here but we’re disconnected
We hide within ourselves
So distant in our little boxes
Making ourselves foreign to the landscape
Cliffs, hills, giant waves on the ocean
Disipating into nothing right on the beach
Nature is reality
We’re just these little organisms running around on the surface
Domicile I’m thinking of
Holds the truth of long ago
Ahh
Maheekats most current EP release, Songs from the Woods, was remastered by Paul du Gré of Paul and Mike’s Studios. Experience the clarity and higher quality than streaming.
Your order of the CD will include a sticker (or two).
Includes unlimited streaming of Songs from the Woods (REMASTERED) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Ships out within 2 days
“Maheekats is a dream rock band out of California comprised of Clara Hembree and Craig Camp. They blur the lines between rock, folk, ethereal and psychedelic creating a unique groove. They cite diverse influences such as Sun Ra, XTC, Yes, The Specials, Phoebe Snow, and Killing Joke. While the influences are so seemingly random, it makes perfect sense with their overall vibe. Clara’s sweet vocals range from delicate, swooping falsettos to bluesy growls. Paired over luscious melodies of psychedelic and post-punk influenced guitar, bass and drums, Maheekats sound is distinctly modern and yet feels so wonderfully familiar.”
– Strawberry Tongue Radio
This song is about a feeling I had when an employer of mine moved away. After work, we used to sit and have tea and biscuits on her back patio which overlooked her lovely flower garden. At times I felt frustrated with the work, so I would hurry up and finish early so I could sit and chat with her. I learned so much. In the end, life moved on to find another bread & butter job and I felt broken by process.
I didn’t want the last line to have a true rhyme because I wanted to give the feeling of floating and not wanting to fall.
Lyrics…
When it breaks, it breaks me down
Down Oh!
Cold water under the bridge
Icicles upon the hedge
If you go far away
Away
Swirling wind under your throne
So much ringing drone
When it breaks, it breaks me down
In the middle of the end
Floating on a razor’s edge
You’d think sometimes life would give you a break, instead it ends up breaking you. Maheekats’ new EP is finally released after nearly five years since our previous album, Sidetracked – Arbitrary Sonic Inklings.
The album has since received a really great review from Primal Music Blog…
What do you get when you mix smooth soundscapes with rock’n’roll, hush with loudness or hypnosis with high flying vocals? ‘Songs from the Woods’ is what you get. This mini album/EP from dream rock duo The Maheekats seeks to remind the listener of the past, while evoking originality and something altogether interesting… And it does so over the course of six dream inspired, folk-impinged rock and pop tracks.READ MORE…
The album cover art is by our good friend in England, Maria Sol. This piece is called Dryad. Her artwork is divine and can be found featured on Behance.
We Maheekats have played our song Devotee Bees live many times in pubs and clubs, but we hadn’t recorded it yet. We couldn’t decide whether we wanted real drums or a drum machine sound, so we settled on recording both.
This song is about the story of Sri Yukteswar and how “the devotee bees sought the divine nectar of the liberated master.” When you’ve had it with the world and nature is the all-accepting force. Remember we are not alone. Nobody is alone. Also, remember, follow yourself. These are things I’m constantly having to remind myself.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
The first version we completed was with the Alesis SR-16, a great drum machine from the 90’s.
For the next version, we commissioned our friend Mario Calire. We sent him the raw files and he recorded the drums in his own studio. We were happy with the results and mixed the tracks right away.
We’re happy with both, but which version do you prefer?
After a long hiatus, and many trials and tribulations, Maheekats release their second full length album, Sidetracked – Arbitrary Sonic Inklings. It’s a collection of tracks that breach the boundaries of genre. There’s a little twist of electronica, a bit of experimental sounds, and a good seasoning of indie rock.
The album is only available as a download. Downloads can be found at
“This is one of those rare releases that is truly hitting on all cylinders. The music is clever and melodic, and Clara’s singing sounds confident and unrestrained, and cuts right to your soul. The gravity of the music hits you right out of the gate with “The Emptiness”. Other highlights are the urgent sounding “Dungeon” the triumphant “Dragon”, the music box-like “Willie Mangle Blue Cheese” and my favorite “Moon”, which puts a lump in your throat with its moody guitar intro, and its intimate, heart felt lyrics, like any good hors d’oeuvre it really leaves you wanting more. This is a must for any collection, and is one of those albums that will forever define the moment you first heard it.”
The album is available as a CD as well as a Download.
