Welcome to the Tsp@Se Vault
So what, exactly is the Tsp@Se Vault?!Well, it's a bit of a musical time capsule, I suppose, for those of you who might be interested. Below, you will find a little buried treasure. Well, HOPEFULLY, you will find it to be a treasure, that is. Songs from the past...if you will, various stops along my personal musical journey. To be honest, it is a bit uncomfortable for me. A lot of these recordings were never intended for public consumption. Some of these songs go back over 20 years. You will hear songs that were recorded with whatever I had at the time. Many times it was an 8 track set up, sometimes even just a 4 track cassette multitrack machine, consisting of mostly demos or unreleased material. I always made due with what I had to work with. You will hear the influence of the time period and styles that are not necessarily the same as what has come to be the more fully evolved, signature Tommy SpaSe sound. Some will be raw, and rough around the edges, some even incomplete or "works in progress". I went through many musical incarnations. I do hope you will enjoy these
offerings.
There are some diamonds in the rough, to be sure.
"Today" - Middle Odyssey Snippet
Vault offering (#43) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2002
From the unreleased album "Califloridawaii". This album was recorded on 8 tracks only and includes songs that came during my travels to Hawaii, Florida and California. These songs originated about the same time, and some time after , the songs for "Spasesoot". The album was never released because it is basically demo quality. This is the middle section of song entitled "Today". Quite the mini musical instrumental psychedelic journey...
Flip Yer Lid (Demo)
Vault offering (#42) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2019
This is the original demo for the opening track of "The Carousel Cabaret", "Flip Yer Lid".
Wonderfull Day
Vault offering (#41) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2018
This is the original version of this song. It's pretty much a demo, but I did release it as a video. This song will be on our upcoming album "Peppermint Bay", but it has been revamped from this ballad-like form. I thought I'd share it because aside from the video, this version will be history and we may never play it like this again...If you are interested in seeing the video, you can here...
Universal Decree
Vault offering (#40) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1996
This song marks a clear and significant point in my life,…and musical journey. It was a time in my life when I was really looking for a spiritual teacher. I was reading a lot of spiritual books, getting deep into meditation and my spiritual evolution, and was well on my way, but I was screaming out for the next level. I thought my teacher would come in the form of some yogic master or guru, but on thanksgiving weekend of that year(1996) I attended a 3 day shamanic plant medicine ceremony and everything changed. My teacher turned out to be the great and holy spirit in an ancient and sacred tea. This was the first song that came through after that experience. The lyrics literally describe the events of a walk to the nearby park from my house in Burbank a few days after coming back from my journey. The crow…the old woman. I ended up walking the old woman back to her apartment, which was pretty much a shrine, adorned with hundreds of statues and religious artifacts. Can you imagine an old woman, who looked very much like a nun, and a hippy dude with dreadlocks down his back walking down the street together. Life!
Yesterday's Tomorrow
Vault offering (#39) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2011
Just a funky sketch of a song idea about…..well, ….today.
Big Verge
Vault offering (#38) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1998
This is a raw demo experiment from a period of great awakening and musical experimentation. I'm not sure what it was recorded on, At best it was a cassette 8 track multitrack recorder, but more likely just a 4 track. Definitely never meant for public consumption.
Hesitant Angels
Vault offering (#37) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
This demo/sketch goes back to the “Emilita house” days. It's a somewhat incomplete recording, in that there are no words for the intended second verse, which instead serves as an instrumental break of good old riff- based rocking goodness.
MaryAnne
Vault offering (#36) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2005
ONe of the many musical incarnations that Lady Di and I have sung together in was a band named Burning Bush". This is a song from the last album from that musical project entitled, "Honest Day's Work". This is Mellow, melodic, organic americana rock vibes in the sweetest way...
Five Thieves
Vault offering (#35) Lyrics - Click here
Circa 1996
This is one of the only songs that didn't make it onto my first ever CD entitled "SpaSeSoot". It's a rough, incomplete recording, but certainly a little piece of Tommy Spase history. They call the five senses, in certain spiritual traditions, the five thieves.
Lady Gaia
Vault offering (#34) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
An edgy rocker in defense of mother Nature...
Diamonds
Vault offering (#33) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
Raw groovy riff based rocker about what else, consciousness and the path of life...
Lord of my Heart
Vault offering (#32) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1997
IN the midst of a period of major spiritual awakening, I was bringing forth a great deal of metaphysical, spiritual and awareness based material. This esoteric romp through consciousness and interfacing with reality is a musical sketch from that time...
Bed of White
Vault offering (#31) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
An angst-filled, raw slow groove, little rocker. Another one from the Emilta St. house in North Hollywood. Like the other songs from this time period, they were never intended to be released or for public consumption. This was a very experimental phase for me. This one is more straight ahead .
Sea Monsters
Vault offering (#30) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2001
This is rough demo of a nice little sea chanty that will be on our upcoming album, "Peppermint Bay". Ahoy maties!!!
PepperMint Bay
Vault offering (#29) Lyrics - Click here
Circa 2006
This is the demo for the title track of our upcoming album "Peppermint Bay". A whimsical rocker!
Set Yourself Free
Vault offering (#28) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2005
As was pointed out from the vault offering in September, Lady Di and I were doing a band project under the name of Burning Bush. This organic, mellow, melodic song almost made it onto the “Honest Day's Work” album, but didn't.
Sky of Sea
Vault offering (#27) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2002
A demo that never made it onto any album. A slow groovy rocker recorded at the house in Topanga Canyon. Trivia: I called my studio up there Satellite Ranch.
The Quickening
Vault offering (#26) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2002
A reggae tune reflecting upon the times…at the time.
Blind for a Day
Vault offering (#25) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2005
In one of our previous musical incarnations, I recorded a few albums under the band name, Burning Bush. This is from the last album under that banner. Lady Di was part of that effort as well and can be heard singing with me in this slow slinky tune.
GK:42:42
Vault offering (#22,23,24))
circa 1999
I had a friend who made a self produced science fiction movie entitled, "The Giant Killer" and he needed some music. So I recorded a 42:42 seamless piece of music that was made up of several movements. Here, I have broken it up into some highlights. I describe it as Low-FI Sci-Fi music. He ended up not using much of it, but it lives on here. One day I will release it in it's entirety. I hope you enjoy it!
Jennifer
Vault offering (#21)
circa 1992
I was a bit of an aspiring rock guitar hero back in the day. This one is a melodic, Joe Satriani-esque guitar instrumental from the early 90's.
Wherever I May Roam
Vault offering (#20) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1999
I had a good long period of dreadlock days ...traveling around the country with hippies in my 1978 VW bus. This song was definitely born out of those many travels and miles... and is a bit of a hippy anthem featuring an early appearance of Lady Di on backing vocals...
Leona's Garden
Vault offering (#19) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1998
During a trip up to Oregon for the rainbow gathering, with the rainbow gypsies, we stopped at a woman's place and spent the night on her land. That's where I got the title, but this slow, trippy, psychedelic tune is about so much more than that... this is a rough 4 track sketch/demo recorded on a 4 track cassette multi track recorder.
EarthMotherMary
Vault offering (#18) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1999
A ballad celebrating mother nature...this song is part of a large group of material that came during a great period of spiritual awakening for me ...and deepening connection to the planet, the forces of nature, and to the universe.
I Want! I Find! My Way!
Vault offering (#17) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1996
Another one from the Emilta St. house in North Hollywood. Like the other songs from this time period, they were never intended to be released or for public consumption, so it's raw and quirky, but this lilting, longing, emotional little song was yet another departure for me at the time.
Gravitation
Vault offering (#16) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
We were living in this house on Emilita St. in North Hollywood where I recorded a bunch of songs that I compiled into a collection entitled "Planet of the Lost 8 Track" because that is exactly what they are...songs recorded on an 8 track multi-track recorder. Very raw...very experimental phase in my musical evolution.
No Ordinary Life
Vault offering (#15) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2003
This is the title track for an album(demo quality) of a trio that I put together with Lady Di and a friend of ours at the time. A quirky, cosmic, spiritual tune about the coming apocalyptic era that we find ourselves in currently. I thought we were in the thick of it then....
What Should You Give?
Vault offering (#14) Lyrics - Click here
Circa Mid 90's
We were living in a house called "The Gingerbread House"...and had just put together a studio in one of the bedrooms. One of our dogs was dying from a rare disease where you couldn't even touch the poor guy without him contorting on pain. We couldn't take care of needed to be taken care of until the weekend was over. This came through on one of days of that weekend...
In Love & Hate & War & Hopes & Dreams
Vault offering (#13) Lyrics - Click here
Circa 2000
From an unreleased 8 track album entitled "Califloridawaii". A strange title you say? Yes, it was a compilation of songs that came to life over the course of many travels between California, Florida and Hawaii.
A mellow account of the connecting nature of us all...
End of the Rainbow
Vault offering (#12) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2013
Sometimes the vault not only contains nuggets from the past, but some that may be realized in the future. This offering IS an older song but may very well end up on the next album. Here is a demo from 2013. I personally love this song and I love this particular recording. I hope you enjoy it!
Blue Tangerine
Vault offering (#11) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2002
At the time, Lady Di and I had formed a trio called "dew", with a friend name Bill Devine(electric piano). This was simply a jam that I later embellished upon and made into a loose, lazy, hippie, trippy song...what does it mean?
Blue Tangerine...
Sailing Away
Vault offering (#10) Lyrics - Click here
circa 2002
This month's song goes back to early 2002, or thereabouts. An optimistic, cosmic tune. The gem here is a wonderful outro jam that happened spontaneously during the recording of it, with my drummer at the time. Mike DeMenno. Enjoy!
Pretending We Were Living in the 60's
Vault offering (#9) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
It was during that pivotal period of musical expansion into a more psychedelic exploration when this happy go lucky, yet cynical pop song popped out...
PopFly
Vault offering (#8) Lyrics - Click here
circa 1995
This song marks a turning point in a young Tommy Spase's musical evolution. It was a total experimental journey in musical psychedelia, complete with a mini musical odyssey right in the middle. An experiment with sounds and textures. It's raw. I hope you enjoy.
FreeElectroN
Vault offering (#7) Lyrics - Click here
Circa - 1996
From the unreleased CD entitled "SpaSeSoot", a lyrical feast about consciousness.
Gaia
Vault offering (#6) Lyrics - Click here
Circa - 2002
I don't know if it has become obvious yet, but I have had, and continue to have, a wonderful love affair with Mother Earth. Many of my songs, both past and present have a good bit to do about the wonders of nature and our connection to it. To Her! This is also a good example of me using whatever I had available to get the song down. This recording was definitely never meant to be released. I'm pretty sure I was using a cassette 8-track recorder and whatever I could scrounge for drums and percussion at the time, given the absence of any cymbals on the track.
Souvenir
Vault offering (#5) Lyrics - Click here
Circa - 2001
A slow slide from the swamp....
I can still see the golden twilight sun shining over the black water as I looked out over that old steel southern bridge, riding along in the car in that moment, that flash of the setting sun's golden light flickering through the trees and Spanish moss that was the moment of the inception of this song. This recording was made on a 4 track cassette recorder where only 3 of the tracks worked, thus a very simple 3 track recording.
Is This Your Bliss?
Vault offering (#4) Lyrics - Click here
Circa 1995
A raw, edgy demo from the era of grunge. This was during a musically transformative period of time...The Emilita sessions.
Come Along With Me
Vault offering (#3) Lyrics - Click here
Circa 2000,
From an unreleased 8 track album I completed entitled "Califloridawaii". A strange title you say? Yes, it was a compilation of songs that came to life over the course of many travels between California, Florida and Hawaii. This song was the opening song for the album entitled "Come Along With Me".
Greedy People
Vault offering (#2) Lyrics - Click here
Circa - 1993
A good friend of mine, at the time brought over his guitar rig and kept it in my studio for a bit. For the time, it was top of the line. A rack full of all of the musical climate's hippest gear. For this song, I had a field day using various guitar textures to bring this tune to life, and it was a new level for me as far as production value in that department. Of course I was still recording on my Tascam 1/2" reel to reel 8 track recorder, which was beginning to tire from the many years of use. The song was also a bit of a shift in my songwriting, being a kind of quintessential, social commentary of corporate greed and the corrupt politician. I was also experimenting with my voice a bit. You can also hear my friend singing backup vocals who was heavily influenced by Alice in Chains, who had just broken big at that time, as we all were, which is evident in some of the vocal harmonies.
1/20/95
Vault offering (#1) Lyrics - Click here
Circa 1995
Simply entitled "1/20/95", because that's the date is was recorded. I don't always know the date a song was recorded and most are recorded over several days, if not longer, but this particular piece, I do know. You see, I always carry with me a portable recorder of some kind. Musical ideas can fly in at anytime, and many times some beautiful melody will hit me, and I need to "jot" it down before it floats away again, if I don't happen to be near a guitar or have time to dive into it. In those days, I had a portable cassette recorder. It was about 2" thick, 5" high, and 4" wide. Quite large compared to today's recording devices, and it had a "nerf" sticker on it. In the house where I was living at the time, there was an ice cream truck that patrolled the neighborhood. For whatever reason, I wanted to capture the sound of that ice cream truck's musical bellowing. So when I heard the ice cream truck coming, I walked out the side door of the studio I built in the house and pressed record. I ended up capturing quite a poignant moment without realizing it. After listening back to it, later that day, the sound byte that I heard playing back, painted quite an apocalyptic picture for me . I was really contemplating the apocalypse at that time. You first hear the ice cream truck's tune and some kids playing in the street, then one of the kids calls out his friend's name.."Jesus" and suddenly the entire soundscape is taken over by sirens of police cars driving by in the distance. After hearing that back, I recorded the piece of music.
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