Brad Dunse: Blog

Locking the front door behind me, careful not to spill my cup of European blend, I turn towards the street, toss my shoulders back, chest out, head tipped slightly to the sky, stand up good and straight, and inhale a big deep breath of crisp morning air taking in life as almost for the first time. Exhaling the large breath, it’s as if you could just about blow smoke rings from its dense frozen mist as it’s poured out and soon disappears. Likewise the steam rising from the rim of my cup dissipates quickly once it is overcome by the cool dry morning air. Stepping down off the step and out from the protection of the garage into the open driveway I...

As a songwriter my target is to try to cause people to feel something through my songs, a certain feeling or emotion. Recently I encountered a new perspective for songwriting; sort of an art meets science kind of thing. Reading a book on how music is associated in our brain, coupled with my own personal experience with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a disease which gradually deteriorates the retina’s photo sensors, I learned something useful about writing.

What do I mean? Well let me start with the Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) perspective. I think you’ll find this kind of interesting how the brain works...

...Nonetheless I began to muse on my home as a kid growing up in Upper Michigan. That house is still standing along the Menominee River and not tore down fortunately.
As I pondered on bits of things to put in the verses I drew from various remembrances and put them in one home, one song.

For instance the burn mark on the hardwood is really a burn mark on 1970 something green carpeting in my bedroom when I was a teen ager. I remember watching Rockford Files and some reruns of old shows late at night, smoking up a storm. My mom opened the door and said “Are you smoking in here?” Of course my not knowing they probably knew I smoked by then blurted out “No mom no… I’m not smoking!” Yeah right… those words somehow made it to her ears through a blue tinge of smoke illuminated by a 12 inch black and white TV I had at the time.

...Perhaps it is not this way for every artist type, lord I hope not, but I find when I get deep in creativity, the practical, common sense, plan ahead side of me disappears somewhere. You could liken it to one of those times when you’re really tired and maybe stayed up all night. You take an afternoon nap on the couch or on the living room floor next to the pup. You’re sleeping really good when suddenly the telephone rings, you open your eyes, and you’re wondering “What? Where am I? What time is it? Is it morning already? No wait its an afternoon sun shining in, and I’m where? The living room?? What the…” You sort of have this stretched moment of not knowing what end is up. That is similar to coming out of these creative modes at times, going from mind wandering creativity to task driven practicality. So what does that have to do with Vera’s Shoes? Well I was in one of these creative modes, doing lots of writing and...

“All ya got to do is remember back home, you know what I mean? When you was sittin out behind the house, practicin' on the old guit fiddle. Trying to get things together. But you couldn't make up your mind, kind of half way knew what you wanted to do but you didn't have it all together you know. But you did know you wanted to travel... ain't that right? Yeah. I remember them days real good. Didn't have very many clothes. Didn't know anybody to call... to send for you. So you had to get out there and hitch hike. So. It didn't make no difference, you said… I'm goin'', I know I got to hitch hike, but I'm goin' anyway. Whatever happens, well then it happens. I got to pay my dues somewhere." – Bluesman Albert King off Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughn’s In Session Live album