Need Something New? - Try JD2 Learn about one of the internets favorite artists. Click “Read More” for News, Interview & Single Hits. Straight From the Roadways of America. Horseshoe Bend Productions & Shoestring Records Present 12 Original Songs From JD2. This “Count Down” is compiled from single song purchases & paid listens. @ #1 - This Is My Life - Sammy Ben Layden @ #2 - You Ain’t Gonna Get It - Wheel Of Life - Everybody’s Gunnin 4 Me @ #3 - What Are We Gonna, Gonna Do - My Heart Ain’t In It @ #4 - You Ain’t Taken Me For No Ride - We’re All Up Tight - Long Dark Hall @ #5 - Human Love Is Rare - Could Ya, Can Ya, Would Ya, will Ya Editor of TRUST NO ONE Magazine: Edweena Paranoia. EP: So, where did the idea for this album come from? JD2: Having been distrustful most of my life, I thought songs that are distrustful, skeptical or slightly paranoiac might be something I could bundle together for a subject that others might relate to. EP: Do you think you're breaking any rules with this album? JD2: Once I was told by the CEO of a large retail chain, 'Rules are made to be flexible, ask any politician.' So, I guess you can say I'm breakin' rules or I'm just being flexible, take your choice. Whatever the case, I'm not Beethoven so even if I do break a few rules it's not gonna turn the world up side down or lower the price of gas. Shoot! I'm breakin' rules by just bein' here. Folks my age are supposed to be dead, get old or go play golf. It's like my Highway Road Tour. Everybody thought I was crazy for doing that a few years ago and now I see where the J double eep tour got tons of hype last summer for doing the same thing just to sell cars. But they only did it for a month. Me, I've been on a marathon. Who knows, maybe they saw me out there a few years ago and got inspired. EP: Did you write all songs and play all instruments on this CD like you did on the first one? JD2: Yes, I did. You know, that's what happens when you're cheap, poor and unknown. When I'm on the road I do acoustic versions of my songs. EP: Do you think this album will sell enough to get you some group players? JD2: I have no idea. I know little about what's going on in the $ & ¢ department. I don't know very much about the other sense department either. I just know it's spelled differently. A person like me doesn't do this to try and sell a million CD's. I don't want to know about that even if I do, or did, or have. I do it because I enjoy it and I hope others will as well. A lot of people don't understand that. With them it's all about the bling. In short! Not everybody sees, hears or thinks about things the same way. My way is to do what I do and let others do what they do. That's it and I'm stickin' to it. EP: Some of your songs have a very unique sound to them. Why do you think that is? JD2: Well, I haven't changed the strings on my guitar for about three years, that might have something to do with it. When my G string broke out on the road about six months ago, I just tied the end of it in a granny knot and stuck it back on there. It's still twangin' right along. EP: Tell us how you came up with the first six songs. JD2: "This Is My Life" and I'm Takin' It Back is just a reaction to life, and all those people that cause confusion, distraction and aggravation, not to mention, wasted years. "We're All Up Tight" is pretty much about humanity (society) and worldly affairs, gov, military, etc. "My Heart Ain't In It" - just came to me one day as I was trying to write something but my heart wasn't in it. So! it came out the way the songwriting spirits wanted it to. That's something I've learned over the years. Things don't always work the way you think they should, you have to be open all the time for the energy to flow when it wants to and most importantly, the way it wants to. Writing is basically a craft but you also have to be aware of the sparks of light that can happen at any given time. As you can tell I don't get many sparks but I try to be open when they come. "You Ain't Takin' Me For No Ride" is a straight forward statement about a few people I've known in the world. "What Are We Gonna, Gonna Do" was done for all the struggling homeless people that never seem to get a break. "Everybody's Gunnin' For Me" was a statement I overheard from someone in a group of talking cyclists as they rode by me one day while I was out walking. I guess they were business folks because one of them said, 'I don't know what I've done to the big guys but everybody's gunnin' for me.' It sounded like a song to me, so I put a melody to it as I walked home and the lyrics came out of my head in about 15 minutes. Later, I decided to use it for the CD cover. EP: Was this CD put together all at once? JD2: Well the CD was but the songs come from different time zones. That gives it a little different feel. Some songs were produced and recorded at different times. Considering I'm antiquated, out dated and old, I think it works fine. EP: What's with Could ya, Can ya, Would ya, Will ya? JD2: Could ya Can ya Would ya Will ya is a play on words that starts to take on its own sound when repeated in a trace form. I wrote this about somebody I couldn't stop dreamin' about, hopin' the dream would go away. EP: And did it? JD2: Ya, pretty much the song takes the place of the negative dream and turns it into a positive experience. It's a life long story thing, I'll leave it at that. EP: And the rest of the songs? JD2: "Wheel Of Life" is pretty straight forward, it just came to me with music so I put it down. "Human Love Is Rare" is about all the good folks that were told one thing in life by gov, military, churchs, schools, teachers, parents, etc, and then found out that what they were told was not what was happening at all. I've been there! "Long Dark Hall" is basically about the struggle of fighting the dragons in life and trying to keep a positive outlook. "Oh Sammy Ben Layden" is just a play on names but pretty clear even to those who will not (or cannot) listen. "You Ain't Gonna Get" It was written a few days after 9/11. I have others about that event but they're not on this CD. EP: Is there another album in the works? JD2: Oh sure, there's always something in the works. If I'm not on the highway, I'm doing something at base camp. Got my irons in the fire, fingers in the pie, that sorta stuff. I put ideas down when they flow, it's gathering them together that takes the time. It takes longer than I'd like but that's where patience comes in. I'm better now than I used to be but frustration is always along for the ride. It's a challenge but it's what I do, so I try to embrace it and do the best I can. That's all anyone can do. My first CD, "I've Got A Long, Long List," was a start. So now I'm working on my third one and it's called "Can't Make A Dime On A Broken Heart." EP: Do you have printed lyrics in this CD like you did in the first one? JD2: You bet, I always print out lyrics. Of course, the CD cover alone is worth collecting or burning. EP: Well, this has been a diversion from my normal tunnel vision so I thank you for your time and for your personal insights. JD2: No problem, happy to talk with you anytime. Enjoy a few songs folks and thanks for reading and listening hope to C U on the highway of life.