Song B4 Steve Parkins and Billy Neal: 'Keep a Light On': Songs B6 to B8 by Von Spriggan The Catherine Wheels:
'Its the title track of Billy Neal's album of the same name. If / when theres a video its going to be real steamy. Its about a lot of sex! A guy who has a thing with a girl whos having a thing with her controlling girlfriend and its very musically inspired by the likes of Hendrix and Prince. Its a huge production I used all the saxes including the Baritone and had 8 horns in total . There's heaps of tight production licks , stops and starts and added distortion to some vocals , and the rap! I hope you find its a feast for your ears and find something new on each listen, that's the intention.'
Growing up living in small towns in Western Australia, it can be hard to find like minded musicians to form a band. So I decided to take things into my own hands. Learning everything I could about all aspects of music creation. After years of trial and error and study. I finally started getting the sound I had been hearing in my head and Von Spriggan was born.
I had been making music for years, dedicated to the craft, but not to the marketing. I made music for myself and my friends and thought that was enough. Then it seemed, fate intervened. I was diagnosed with skin cancer. It was quite a serious one and was close to being past the point of surgery. Hit with this near death experience the 1st thing I thought, was that I regretted not trying to share my music with the world, that I didnt push it more. Here we are few years later. I have been non stop ever since, every free moment is dedicated to music, my entire life shifted to make the best music possible and it consumes me. I am constantly working, writing and practising. Know that when you listen to this music you are hearing someone trying to push themselves and give everything that they are to their art.
This isnt a hobby, this isn't just a way of life, It is my purpose for existing, and what I was put on this planet to do.
Song B9 'DOWN DOWN DOWN'
'This song is about a girl who was tempted by the wrong pathway, leading to a life of regret and guilt about the choices she made throughout her life.'
The Catherine Wheels: Song B10 'THE GOOD PLACE'
'Inspired by the Netflix series of the same name, this song is a tongue in cheek sendup of the possibilities of their being a point system on earth that allows us to get into a better place after we die. Comes with hints and tips on how you could accumulate points.'
The Catherine Wheels:
Song B11 'BEDTIME BLUES'
'We have all been there…. Those nights when all you want to do is sleep but your brain just wont shut down, leading to reliving past events from months or even years ago. Ahhhhhh LET ME GO TO SLEEP.'
Song B14 Billy Neal. 'I believe'
'I wrote this song in Mandurah with Peter for my sister Penny after she called him saying she had stage 4 breast cancer. I didnt know what to do or what to say, I wrote her the song. It's all I could do for her in the situation. She made a full recovery after two years of terrible treatment. I got to sing the song for her in Europe and the USA on a few TV shows and send it to her which felt as good as it gets.'
Song B15 Billy and Letitia Neal. 'Chicago In The Fall'.
Accompanying note: 'Neal/Wilkinson Composition. Video filmed in Australia/Poland & Chicago during and after lockdown. Billy wrote the song in Mandurah to perform at the 25th Chicago All Souls Festival as a duet with pop sensation Kaeyra (USA) currently number 1 in Poland with her hit Sour and USA American Idol 2023. His daughtered Letitia (then 16) sang the demo in Billy's studio in Mandurah to send to Kaeyra to learn the parts, Bill loved his daughters version so much they released it together as a duet.'