Ozma song explanations - MP3.com

The following song descriptions appeared on Ozma's mp3.com page. They were archived on Wayback Machine at https://web.archive.org/web/20000304162352/http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/27/ozma.html https://web.archive.org/web/20001209152300/http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/28/daniel_brummel.html

Ozma

Battlescars

Description: Rock music = combat. Broken guitar string =casualty of war. Dents, scratches, nicks, gouges in guitars = battlescars.

CD: Rock and Roll Part Three

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: ©1999 Brummel/Galvez/Slegr

Natalie Portman

Description: This song uses a popular actress as a symbol of unattainable love. The music contains a soft keyboard/voice intro, blink-of-an-eye dynamic changes, and background vocal harmonies. Written long before Mrs. Portman could even imagine being cast as the Naboo Queen Amidala…

CD: Rock and Roll Part Three

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: ©1999 Brummel, arr. Ozma

Story Behind the Song: Written in late 1997, early demos were released to the public through OzmaOnline (now www.ozmaonline.com). A version was recorded on four track in June of 1998 and was released as the 9th track on "Songs Of Inaudible Trucks And Cars," Ozma's first CD. This recording is the 4th cut from "Rock and Roll Part Three." A cult favorite of sorts among Natalie Portman fan circles (www.hal9000.net/wwwboard).

If I Only Had a Heart

Description: A love song straight from the depths of Tron and the woods of Oz.

CD: Rock and Roll Part Three

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: ©1999

Story Behind the Song: The main solo melody that lead guitar and keyboards play was created years ago, and it finally found it's home. Ryen and Jose showed the sweet intro and verse melodies to Daniel, and he filled in the prechorus section and wrote the words. More personal than we'd ever admit. Recorded & produced by Ozma with Bruce Witkin, October & November 1999.

Lorraine

Description: A love song with lyrics based on relationships in the 1985 movie "Back To The Future." Straightforward Ozma brand rock matched with November 5th, 1955 doo-wop style harmony. One of Ozma's tightest, highest-quality recordings (produced by Rod Cervera of the Rentals & Supersport 2000).

CD: Songs Of Inaudible Trucks and Cars

Label: Tornado Records.

Credits: Brummel/Slegr/Galvez, arranged by Ozma

Story Behind the Song: Watching George McFly fall for Lorraine Baines in "Back To The Future" reminded the guys in Ozma of their own troubles in relationships and inspired Daniel to write verses, a bridge, and later a guitar/keyboard solo to a song about the girl in question. Jose and Ryen came up with a dynamite chorus on the spot, and the song was finished. Recorded in August 1998 by Ozma and Rod Cervera (the Rentals, Supersport 2000) at Magnetic Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA. Lead vocals, Ryen, backing vocals, Daniel. Recorded before Star had joined Ozma; keys played by Daniel

Iceland

Description: A hard rock song based around a repeating keyboard riff. Lyrics include a reference to having a keyboard as the only connection to a lost love... "Iceland" was first heard on the Hear You Me! Compilation CD (www.vastrecords.com) in tribute to Mykel & Carli Allan, the original presidents of Weezer's fanclub.

CD: Songs Of Inaudible Trucks And Cars / Hear You Me! Tribute to Mykel & Carli Compilation

Label: Tornado Records / Vast Records

Credits: Brummel/Galvez/Slegr, arranged by Ozma

Story Behind the Song: Written in a bedroom with just an acoustic guitar and a keyboard running through a wah pedal. Lyrics contrived from original "She screams only for ice cream" words that never got off the ground. Recorded by John Gaudesi @ Scratch Pad Studios, Arcadia. First released on the Hear You Me! compilation CD (released by Vast Records, www.vastrecords.com) in tribute to Mykel & Carli Allan, two very sweet girls, presidents of the Weezer fanclub, who were killed in a tragic car accident returning from a Colorado Weezer show.

Los Angeles

Description: A little heartfelt country twang coupled with some traditional Oriental harmony, all behind the usual Ozma wall of sound. Features a fun mid-section build-up, dog bark imitations, and a Randy Newman "WE LOVE IT!!" rip-off.

CD: Songs Of Inaudible Trucks And Cars

Label: Tornado Records

Credits: Brummel/Galvez/Slegr, arranged by Ozma

Story Behind the Song: A song about pride for one's city, in this case, Los Angeles. Recorded by Rod Cervera at Magnetic Sound Recorders, Hollywood CA.

Flight of the Bootymaster

Description: A venture into melodic bootyland guaranteed to force your rump into rhythmic convulsions to a time signature that alternates between 4/4 and 6/8. Also released as a bonus track exclusively on Ozma's DAM CD only available through mp3.com/ozma. "Rock to obscurity."

Label: Tornado Records

Credits: Slegr, arr. Ozma

Story Behind the Song: An attempt to rock the mike as hard as Wesley Willis does. The dubious title of "Boodymaster" belongs to Ryen, our lead singer, who wrote these lyrics on a school retreat. Soon after, we assigned booty-codenames to every member of the band. Bootymechanic, Bootymaestro, Bootymeister, and Bootymadam are the others. The corresponding booty-songs will follow in due time…

Domino Effect

CD: Rock and Roll Part Three

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 Brummel/Galvez/Slegr, arr. Ozma

Story Behind the Song: The chorus melody is taken partially from one of Ryen's "Commuter Music" Casio improvisations. Daniel finished it, added the accompanying counterpoint, and wrote the verse melody. Once brought to the band, the arrangement was finalized, and later, words written. The song was one of 3 that was finished and rehearsed immediately before the October/November 1999 recording of "Rock and Roll Part Three."

Rocks

Description: A punk rock singalong that clocks in at a little under 2 minutes. Yes, that is Slash on lead guitar. I mean, no, that's not Slash, it's Ryen Slegr.

CD: Rock and Roll Part Three

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: © 1999

Korobeiniki

Description: an instrumental jam on a 300-year-old russian melody. the words written in 1861 by nikolai nekreyev are about merchants ("korobeiniki") coming to town and peddling their wares, but there are no vocals in our version.

CD: The Doubble Donkey Disc

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: public domain, arr. Ozma

Daniel Brummel and the Contraband

10_04 pm (kuci live)

Description: a new contraband song, as performed live on camille grant's KUCI.org sweater show (listen.to/thesweatershow)

Credits: c2000 d. brummel

In Time

Description: an uptempo electronrock jam which incorporates elements of techno, powerpop, dance music, guitar rock, etc.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Red Roses

Description: pulled out all the stops on this track: sampled drum beats, crazy guitar effects, vocal harmonies overdubbed 4x... all in a sorrowful little love song. words by marc raaphorst.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel / marc raaphorst (lyrics)

Accelerated Sunrise (tpb remix)

Description: a stream of consciousness narrative written while on a plane to a north dakota family reunion. no guitars, but a thick electronic rhythm sequence to accompany the vocal line, which is double- and triple-tracked in spots.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Of Sound Mind

Description: a mystery wrapped in an enigma disguised as a rock song. heavy guitars, a thumb piano, a pretty oboe, and vocal samples from i don't know where. they're not lies... and you know it.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Story Behind the Song: stella's the name of my guitar. it's about her.

Martinelli's

Description: a funky electronrock thing built around a bluesy progression. half about trying to break some bad news to a very sweet girl and half about wanting to drink something more affecting than sparkling cider. features an earthquake drum-layer intro and a funny organ solo.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

View Of The Sea

Description: An acoustic guitar/viola arrangement of a catchy melody. The lyrics are quite nostalgic.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Summer After Senior Year

Description: My girlfriend and I had a funny talk about whether the summer after you graduate high school should be known as the Summer After Senior Year or Summer Before College. This is what we decided - the day before she had to leave.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Accelerated Sunrise (Pacific Remix)

Description: An acoustic take with some digital effects.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Bear The Load

Description: A folky song with thick guitar layers supporting a fragile vocal melody. A collaboration between father and son; an optimistic tune to help overcome hardships.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

Antfarm

Description: The big ants from Edmond, Oklahoma, 73013, are with the little ants from Pasadena, California, 91104.

Label: Tornado Recordings

Credits: 1999 d. brummel

I've Got Your Melody Under My Fingers

Description: Thought it up and recorded it into my Mac in less than 20 minutes. So don't complain about the quality of the recording or the melody... just fun on a Thursday afternoon.

Letters

Description: At it again in my bedroom. I recorded this a while back to have a document of a new song, and promptly placed it in the "never to be heard again" archives. I listened to it again last night and decided there's something in there that I once knew about songwriting and have since forgotten. The vocals leave a little bit to be desired - it was a late night - but the song is there.

Label: Tornado Recordings

See also

• Ozma
• Ozma recording blogs - 1999-2001
• Ozma song explanations - 2000
• Songs of Inaudible Trucks and Cars
• Rock and Roll Part Three