I have three acoustic recordings in this post. Two of them are songs I wrote and one is a cover of Jackson Frank’s iconic folk song, Blues Run The Game.

Previously I said I wanted to post a new acoustic song weekly. I didn’t do that. And that has produced some anxiety for me. I do have reasons though I’m unsure if they are compelling.

My primary reason for not posting is pretty simple. I wanted to improve my vocal delivery. I set about taking my friend Freda’s mandate seriously. She told me, “Give every note it’s glory.”

Korel, my vocal coach told me something similar but I liked how Freda said it. She has soul and the mandate has soul…

I started taking the songs I was playing and learning the melody, note for note, on guitar, taking each phrase and playing it, then singing it, then playing it, then singing it, etc.

I also started taking a few more chances, playing with variation, modifying melodies, learning small vocal runs, and singing higher into my range.

And I got over a hump.

And it’s Wednesday… hump day.

I’ve also been hyper-focused on practicing guitar and overall musicality. In fact, you’ll hear some mandolin on one of the songs.

Which is to say, I bought a used mandolin! 😉 That’s a brand new instrument for me.

Here is a photo of my guitar and her little brother. Cute, aren’t they?

I’m not where I want to be vocally. I’m not where I want to be with my guitar playing and certainly not with mandolin. That’s always going to be the case… or I hope that it is always the case.

But I am fairly happy with where I am and I’m f***ing stoked with where I’m going!

I have not been booking any gigs for the same reason stated above. I do have one scheduled in November in Ojai but that was set up back in July.

I’d love it if you took the time to listen to the songs. Below the songs I have a few more updates - including gigs and other projects.

THE SONGS

BLUES RUN THE GAME by Jackson Frank

This song has been covered by MANY performers. Jackson Frank’s version was recorded and produced by Paul Simon. Simon and Garfunkel did a rendition soon after. The Counting Crows recorded it, as did John Mayer.

And now, I’ve done a version.

PUSHING ON by Me!

I have some mandolin and harmonica recorded for this but this is version is just me and acoustic guitar.

I like this song because it contains some of my most hopeful lyrics.

From the third verse into the chorus:

I look up, I feel laughter
In the sunlight on my face cascading through the trees

Breathe deep, my rapture
Finding bliss in discovering what I might be

I’m still left with all these dreams I hold
I’m still finding sparks in the bitterest cold
I’m still searching for the place I belong
Still pushing on

THE PATH by Me!

I have some mandolin on this recording. It was recorded yesterday. The vocals were recorded this morning. They’re passable. It’s a rough mix of where I want to go with the song. I also have some percussion for this song but it isn’t on this recording.

This song was inspired by Deb and a desire to have some adventures. It is more salient today than when I wrote it in 2019.

From the opening verse:

If we can catch a little break my dear
Perhaps the timing could be right
Can you check to see the coast is clear
Perhaps we’ll slip away tonight

This might play as irresponsible
But I don’t really give damn
The deck is stacked, the dice are loaded here
Take a chance, take my hand

Other Updates

I won’t go into a LOT of detail for some of these but these ideas are rattling around our head and home.

• Conversations With Interesting People
  I wrote about the artist & sculptor, Peter Fels. He made the 17 foot tall, well-endowed, demon-looking bird, Goose Barnacle Goose. Age and health are impacting Peter and his partner, Phoebe.
  
  Deb and I want to travel up to Big Sur and get a short video interview with him and potentially find a few of his projects to get video or images of those as well.
  
  This is part of a broader project of creating video conversations with interesting people.
  

• Motorhome and Performing
  There are places to see around this country - and elsewhere. We’d like to take a motorhome and travel around, find interesting conversations (see above), and play music.
  
  While I can do some of my consulting work while on the road, we’d like to develop financial backing for this. More on this later.
  

• Where to Take My YouTube Channel
  This roles into the above and the above above.
  

• House Concerts
  I have mentioned this before but rolled into the above, I want to re-initiate the house concert tours I used to do. A few of who have indicated an interest but we’re going to make a more specific outreach soon.
  

• Learning to Draw
  I’m sketching a few mornings a week. I am just throwing this into a “wouldn’t this be cool” category.

That’s about it. We are looking forward to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco. They’ve been announcing artists and the lineup is already impressive. There are some rumors of a few others who might show up. I also suspect there will be a Dolly Parton In Memoriam at the festival. She performed there in 2005.

And, with all sincerity, thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
September 2, 2026

We’ll likely see Steve again in October as he is slated to perform at The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco.

I say, “likely” because they’ve been announcing scheduled artists and the list is already impressive. I want to end up at the Banjo Stage watching Steve and The Hardly Strictly Dukes perform their brand of raw and offensive bluegrass.

But there are performers scheduled I’ve never seen and conflicts could arise.

For instance, John Craigie is schedule and just hearing, “I Am California” or “Helena” or “Dissect the Bird” are important to me.

Allison Krause is schedule as well. Wow!!! What a talent. Also, Robert Plant (yes, THE Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame) is performing in San Francisco that weekend. Krause and Plant did a couple albums together produced by T. Bone Burnett. They performed at Hardly Strictly several years ago.

Might Plant make a guest appearance at HSB? Be still my heart!

Add to this, Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings are performing, as well as Old Crow Medicine Show. Those are two acts one should not miss if given the opportunity.

I also discovered that Billy Strings will be performing in Oakland on Friday and Saturday evening. It is nearly unfathomable that he won’t show up at HSB as some point.

In 2023, a year before Deb and I attended Hardly Strictly the first time, I received this text message from Jess, my oldest daughter, who was attending the festival.

Jess: “Saw Steve Earle just now. It transported me right back to being sixteen and listening to him on repeat at the dixeleta house. Thanks for introducing me to the best music.”

Me: “That’s so awesome! I’m jealous but happy for you. It makes me happy. Did he play someday?”

Jess: He did! First song.

Someday is a song about a young man who works at a gas station near a drive-by town and dreams of escaping poverty and boredom.

Another added element… when Steve played it at Hardly Strictly that year, he spoke about the fentanyl overdose death of his son, Justin Townes Earle (named after legendary songwriter Townes Van Zandt) - who also died due to drug abuse.

At this point, my son Christopher was living with us, recovering from a myriad of health issues caused by his fentanyl addiction. I’ve written about that here, here, and here.

All I’m saying is that the song means something to me. I’ve included the lyrics below, a little more context to the song, and Steve’s version.

"There ain't a lot that you can do in this town
You drive down to the lake and then you turn back around
You go to school and you learn to read and write
So you can walk into the county bank and sign away your life

I work at the fillin' station on the interstate
Pumpin' gasoline and countin' out of state plates
They ask me how far into Memphis son, and where's the nearest beer
And they don't even know that there's a town around here

Someday I'm finally gonna let go
'Cause I know there's a better way
And I wanna know what's over that rainbow
I'm gonna get out of here someday

Now my brother went to college cause he played football
I'm still hangin' round cause I'm a little bit small
I got me a 67 Chevy, she's low and sleek and black
Someday I'll put her on that interstate and never look back

Someday I'm finally gonna let go
'Cause I know there's a better way
And I wanna know what's over that rainbow
I'm gonna get out of here someday"

The song infected the Zeitgeist of our world at the time… Family strife (divorce), living in the Arizona desert, getting out and starting to play music. Steve Earle’s entire catalog loomed large in our home and Someday may have loomed the largest.

Also, it makes a hopeful and then absolutely devastating appearance in the movie, Bridge to Terabithia.

Zooey Deschanel plays a middle-school teacher. She plays the song twice - the first time the kids are cheerfully taking part. After the tragic death of one of the two main characters, she performs are a much more somber version.

She’s playing (and yes, she does actually play) a Gibson Hummingbird guitar. It is a guitar I would LOVE to own. If there are any wealthy benefactors with $4,000 you don’t know what to do with, I have some ideas.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A short-clip of the first rendition.

The tragedy infused second rendition.

Note: The videos are blocked from being embedded, hence the links only.

And the official video with a young and likely heroin addicted Steve Earle.

Thankfully, Steve is sober and angry and ornery as ever!

The two years that I’ve attended Hardly Strictly, he closes his set with a pointed version of Woody Guthrie’s, This Land is Your Land - including an added verse aimed at the current political and economic elite who are more intent on flexing power than helping society and the average human!

Deb and I are excited about attending but are also dreading what feels like the Faustian scheduling decisions we know we will be forced to make.

And yes, I’m quite aware that this is a first-world problem.

I’ve said it before, life is unfair and, at this point, it is unfair to my favor. I am aware that others are on the harsher side of that scale.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
August 7, 2026

P.S. Because several neighbors expressed an interest in learning guitar, I made a video titled: Three Chords, One Rhythm, Five Songs - Getting Started on Guitar (folk songs)

In it, I talk about my philosophy to learning to play guitar, why I teach the songs I do, and my musical backstory. I then teach 5 folk songs - the first songs I learned, including, This Land is Your Land (Woody Guthrie) & Blowing in the Wind (Bob Dylan).

Three chords and the truth can go a long way.

P.S.S. Somebody who lives less than 10 minutes from me was selling this Mandolin at a great bargain. We talked for a bit. She and her daughter always wanted to play but it has sat in its guitar case for about 8 years - never played. Other than needing new strings, it is “brand new”.

I’ve already learned Steve Earle’s, Copperhead Road. He wrote it on a mandolin. Again, three chords and the truth goes a long way.

But first, a foray into what music could be for and its connection to my musical origins.

Last night we watched episode one of Woody Guthrie and the Ghost of Tom Joad Today, a PBS documentary narrated by Rosanne Cash1.

I recommend it. I suspect those who most need to watch it never will… it is offensive in that it reveals much about our inhumanity and disturbing lack of progress and/or regression.

We watched it with a realization that the past few years have been a political and social backstep into the same battle that Steinbeck and Guthrie were fighting in the 1930’s and after.

And, in reality, that battle is likely a perpetual one.

Woody Guthrie’s song, Deportees, sounds more like a prophecy than the snippet of reality it actually portrays.

Goodbye to my Juan, farewell Roselita
Adios mes amigos, Jesus e Maria
You won't have a name when you ride the big airplane
All they will call you will be deportees
- Deportees, Woody Guthrie

With a new “red scare” - watching the word communism be bandied around and mindlessly conflated with the word socialism - devoid of context and honest clarity - we are witnessing a Republican Party that would happily embrace is happily embracing, McCarthyism.

And we’re watching a Democratic party that will level the same attack on their own to preserve their own corporate money status quo.

They burned The Grapes of Wrath back then and they would burn it today.

I’m not going to address this topic in any more detail except to say that I’m grateful that the second song I learned on guitar was Guthrie’s, This Land is Your Land. and that it was my father recording Dylan’s, Blowing In The Wind, at our dining room table that prompted me to learn guitar.

A few years ago, reflecting on disbanding my religious beliefs and a radical shift in my cultural and political positions, I wrote the lyrics below.

Close that door behind me, first morning light
Headed down that highway and opened up my eyes
And it don’t help me sleep none but I’m feeling free now
Left the altar stained with those sacred cows
- Ordinary Man, Matthew Moran

I believe it is an imperative for the thoughtful human to lay our most strongly held beliefs on the altar of scrutiny, some semblance of grounded epistemology, and with a willingness to take a sharpened blade to all our sacred cows.

The meat of sacred cows can be hard to chew but they offer nothing of sustenance while they live.

What is Music For?

Many things I suppose. It can lift your mood or accent it… heartbreak, joy, anger, awe, love, hate, despair, hope… etc. etc. etc.

I will NOT attempt to be the arbitrator of what music can or should be. That is a fool’s errand and above my pay grade.

On December 3rd, 2020 - during the pandemic - I wrote the chorus to the song below. As chronicled in the journal pages I’ve included, I finished the verses by December 5th and added the second/final chorus on December 18th and 19th.

Based on the top of the page on 12/18, I see that I wrote my song, Call on it Now - a song for Deb - between the 5th and the 18th.

Yesterday I recorded an acoustic version of the song. I’ve included that recording and the lyrics below that.

RECORDING

LYRICS

Do You Remember What The Music’s For
© 2020 - Matthew Moran

Late night radio, here comes another song
Tappin’ to the beat, maybe sing along
Feel the broken-hearted loneliness
Hear the injustice, make you shake your fist

Close your eyes and take you far away
Inflame your passion for a brand new day
That’s the magic of the melody
Captivates you and then sets you free

Do you remember what the music’s for
Forget your troubles or protest the war
To gently tell him how you really feel
To whisper love and to make them hear

To calm your fears, chase away your doubts
Speak truth to power with an angry shout
To build a bridge or to shut the door
Do you remember what the music’s for
Do you remember what the music’s for

It’s just an easy groove gets you moving across the floor
It’s the rhythm and refrain. Oh but it’s so much more
It’s every future that you’ve ever dreamed
Every emotion that you can’t contain

Now I’m offering my own submission
Entertain or move you, that’s my only mission
A simple tune to simply catch your ear
Simple truths if we choose to hear

Do you remember what the music’s for
Forget your troubles or protest the war
To gently tell her how you really feel
To whisper love and to make them hear

To calm your fears, chase away your doubts
Speak truth to power with an angry shout
To build a bridge or to shut the door
Do you remember what the music’s for
Do you remember what the music’s for

Do you remember what the music’s for
Entice your lover, tell ‘em what’s in store
Get everybody up to dance and sing
To give them courage to chase their dream

To get through heartache or just dull the pain
To share the joy that you can’t contain
Connect the future with what’s come before
Do you remember what the music’s for
Do you remember what the music’s for
Do you remember what the music’s for

I hope you enjoyed that well enough. If so, let me know.

Sometime in the next week I’m going to let you in on a bit of an emotional and revelatory journey I’ve been taking with my music - specifically, my vocals and my vocal delivery.

It’s an ongoing evolution and one that has been prompted and pushed by Debbie, Korel - my vocal coach, and my long-time friend Freda - a wonderful singer I met back in 2011 - who, a few months ago said a single sentence that turned out to be an eye-opening (and welcome) slap in the face.

But you will have to wait for that. 😉

As always, thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
August 2, 2026

1

We had the privilege of watching Rosanne Cash at The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival last year (2025) where Deb took the image below:

Summary:
The world is burning, angst is high, and I’m still finding beauty and fascination.

We are all going to die one day

This is getting off to a fun start, eh?

Weird fact: I’ve been thinking about aging and mortality far more in the past year or so than I ever have.

And that’s actually not a weird fact. It is, based on what I’ve read and listened to, fairly common. It seems between 55 and 65, there is a realization that we have flown through middle-age and are well into the back nine* of life.

* I don’t golf.. not sure why I used a golfing analogy.

So, it is not weird that I’m thinking about it more. I turned 60 last December. It is predictable that I’m thinking about it more. But it is weird to me that the topic crosses my mind as often as it does.

A few false “truisms” about aging:

• Age is just a number.

• You are only as old as you think you are.

Age is NOT just a number. Regardless of your health, age is a physiological reality. Currently, we are all going to die. There is no solving that. And, leading to that inevitability, it is very likely that we will experience a steady decline of function.

Certainly, the degree that you can maintain a reasonably functional level of health - both physical and mental (mental health is also physical - but you know what I mean) - the more “normal” your aging experience is likely to be.

I just listened to a podcast (see below) about aging. Nothing earth-shattering but I found it interesting.

When pressed for the one hack to make the experience of aging better, Stanford geriatrician (researches aging) & gerontologist (physician who treats/works with aging patients), Deborah Kado immediately said, “exercise!”

This is fairly understood but the podcast host pushed back and said, “We discussed exercise already so you have to pick something else.”

“Awe!” - was her nearly immediate reply.

I liked that response… it resonates with me.

Curiosity to learn and experience new things.

She also mentions purpose. I believe curiosity is what leads to purpose or could be purpose unto itself.

It isn’t that awe, curiosity, or purpose necessarily lead to longevity - not in a direct physiological sense. I’m not indicating they don’t either - just that causality is hard to test.

But a byproduct if those elements probably cause one to take the mandate to exercise more seriously. This will likely improve functionality (and possibly longevity due to related comorbidities).

But since we don’t really know how long any one person is going to live - ie: I could fall later today and die - longevity may be the least interesting benefit to exercise and awe!

Experienced pleasure and, potentially, a better death, are, in my opinion, more important than longevity.

What I mean is, living to 95, in poor health, pain, not reasonably functional… miserable - seems far less interesting than living to 75 while experiencing beautiful things, having wonderful relationships, and being creatively engaged.

Don’t get me wrong, a both/and situation would be nice.

Of course, genetics play a big part. My parents used to say, “The easiest way to live long is have parents & grandparents who lived long.”

Also, that isn’t to say that someone in physical decline - perhaps dealing with an disease they have little agency over - can’t be creativity engaged and experiencing pleasure.

Also, it seems that some people derive satisfaction out of being miserable. Go at it then! Namaste and all that shit!

Anyway… below is the podcast. And then below that, a few things I find wonderful and induce awe or life engagement.

Awe & Curiosity

Music is the first

Since my visit to The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival last year, music - playing and listening - has been my greatest source of internalized pleasure.

Personally, improving my vocals and my playing has been of paramount importance. And that focus has been increasing nearly daily. I’ve doubled-down on improving my vocals and my playing. In fact, next week, I’m starting some bluegrass guitar lessons.

I’ve been working on recordings and may have a couple acoustic tunes ready to publish as soon as today. But, I’ve had a few goals to complete before their release.

Shared music is the second

Last Sunday I was in a curious state of mind. I took my guitar and Rain, my pup, outside around 8pm and sat on the grass across the alley from our condo. I started playing a few songs.

First Amelia and Adalina showed up roller skating. They are sisters who live in our community. Next Srinivas, his wife Punya, and their two daughters were walking by and joined us. Then Greg, Frank, and Sergio.

I played folk songs and some of the bluegrass songs I’m learning.

We all agreed that this was what Sunday afternoons should be. Greg owns a few guitars but hasn’t played recently. He wants to learn some of the folk songs I played. Srinivas would like to learn as well.

I’ve asked Greg to get me his favorite guitar. I’ll re-string it and get it ready to play. I’ve told Srinivas that I have a guitar he can use to start learning. Three chords will give both of them at least 6 of the songs I played that afternoon.

When I finally went inside, a little after 10pm, I told Deb that it may have been the best Sunday I’ve experienced in many years.

The Brown Bears at Brooks Falls, Alaska

Between June and October, the brown bears in the Katmai National Park in Alaska, gather at Brooks Falls, eating as many as 40 salmon a day. I check the Live Stream at least once a day and have watched as many as 14 bears all hunting the falls at the same time.

Also, there is an ongoing chat between 7am and 5pm PDT. There are named areas around the falls and you can see those here. And there is a guide to bear identification as well - get that here.

Consciousness and the Illusion of Self or You Are Not Reading This

I don’t know if the “self” is an illusion but “I/You” seems to be just a label we give to bio-chemical reactions/interactions in the brain.

Either way, you are not reading this because there does not seem to be a you to do so.

Understand, that while I believe this, I fully recognize two things: The science is still out on this and, more importantly, “I” still interact in this world as a person.

I’m grateful that I am fairly healthy. I do 100 to 150 pushups plus some dumbbell exercises four or more days a week. I’m back on my bike and plan to do 3+ days a week.

When on the bike, I try to leave 30 minutes before sunrise. I need to beat the heat. I took this photo the other morning.

I’m also grateful that I’m curious to learn new things and have new experiences. There are many people in this world who are not so fortunate and I do NOT want to take that for granted. I did not earn the privilege of this opportunity.

Let me know what you have found interesting, awe-inspiring, and/or beautiful this week.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
July 26, 2026

It’s Sunday morning. Currently, 5:32AM. I woke up around 4:30 and I had two cups of coffee. I’m now on to Green Tea.

Since my last post on May 19th, I’ve taken part in two hi-fi audio trade shows. The first was in Round Rock, Texas. During that trip we made it to The Texas Chili Parlor.

The Texas Chili Parlor is a legendary dive bar around the corner from the Texas state capital. It is mentioned in Guy Clark’s song, Dublin Blues. It’s also featured in Quentin Tarantino’s movie, Death Proof.

The bartender, Brendan, also a bit of legend, allowed me in even though they were closed. He made me a Mad Dog Margarita, on the house. I talk about it in the video below.

We also saw an epic rainbow - truly spectacular. It is also showcased in the video.

The second hi-fi trade show took place two weeks ago in Costa Mesa, California. At that show, I ran a music festival where I booked and coordinated 18 performers over three days. I also performed at the Saturday evening concert and then again on Sunday to fill in for a performer who couldn’t make it.

It was a blast! It was busy!

You are now caught up. I have notes about other items to discuss but they can all wait.

I’ll have a music update in a couple days. However, later this morning (in 3 hours), I’ll be livestreaming on Substack, YouTube, and Facebook. The easiest place to watch and/or comment, is YouTube but here are links to all three.

• Substack link

• YouTube link

• Facebook link

I’ll play a few songs, talk about songwriting and gigging, and whatever else comes up.

Hope to see some of you there.

Before that, I need to clean our patios and mop some floors. Chores… pfftt!

Thanks for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
July 12, 2026

A couple of times, during those drives, I slept in a truck stop. I parked my tour van, disguised as an old Toyota Camry, and dozed in discomfort for a few hours.

Early in the morning, trucks would start rumbling, waking me up. I would grab a couple eggs, fill up on coffee, and head toward my next destination.

Once, while looking at the map, I realized that Coeur d'Alene is almost directly North of Los Angeles. Because of where it is in relation to the West Coast, I’d always thought of it as more East. Geography is a thing.

I was playing a small venue South of Coeur d’Alene; then heading down toward Vegas and Los Angeles. That lead to the first stanza of this song.

Last night I recorded a basic guitar track and recorded vocals this morning.

I have another acoustic song I’m hoping to publish later this week or on the weekend but this is a travel day and the week is going to be a bit hectic. We’ll see what happens.

Either way, here is my song, One Night. The lyrics are below my signature.

I hope you enjoy!

“Is this a true story?”

I’ve only played this song out a few times. However, at least twice I’ve been asked if it is a true story.

My experience sleeping at truck stops is that there is no one at a truck stop I’d be interested in having a one night stand with… me most of all. Generally, it is a combination of sweat and exhaustion.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

My next dispatch will likely be from Texas. More on this later.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
May 19, 2026

Lyrics: One Night

VERSE 1:
Heading South towards Los Angeles from Coeur d’Alene
Driving all night through the memories and freezing rain
Met at that truck stop, you never would give me your name
We stayed up talking and like the rain you washed away my pain

In the morning we shook hands, you headed East into the sun
It took me two full days to figure out just what you’d done
I found your number and your note tucked inside that grocery sack
It took me two more days to get the courage up to call you back


CHORUS:
Two travelers, one night
A shared moment that feels right
Both letting go, both holding tight
Let’s own the darkness until we see the light


VERSE 2:
Back in Vegas we met and threw our hearts into the night
The passion and the laughter and the sweetness of two souls taking flight
I tried to talk you into following me out West
A kiss, a smile, and you assured me this was for the best


VERSE 3:
Do your memories ever take you to that place and time?
And do you realize that you’re forever held in mine
That stretch of highway and the evening leaves me thinking about us
And I swear every time that I’m driving through that town I feel your touch
###

In the meantime, I take you on a hike through Smith Rock in Oregon.

My takeaways from the trip:

• Smith Rock is a beautiful place.

• I need to work on my fitness.

• I need to make more videos.. it was pretty fun.

See you soon with some music and some thoughts on living life.

Thank you for joining me on my journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
May 17, 2026

I have two performances coming up in the next week:

Sunday, May 10, 2026 - 4-6pm
Feros Ferio Winery, Ojai, CA

Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 6-8pm
Tomato Joe’s, Canyon Country, CA

If you live in the area, you should come out. If you don’t, you should tell 1,000 of your closest friends to come out.

I’ve been going over my song list and, sheesh, there’s a lot of them. I’m creating chord charts because I’m starting to work with a couple other musicians. Having somewhat organized arrangements makes it much easier for them to learn my songs.

While doing that, I’m rediscovering songs that I haven’t performed in years. This is one of those.

Make You Feel

I wrote the song back in 2008. It is a cynical but sort of romantic tune. I was thinking about James Taylor’s Handyman - which is a funny song. Women swoon over it but it is basically about a cad - a guy telling them to send all their friends to him and he’ll fix their broken hearts. What a dog! 😇

In any case, I recorded it all this morning and did a rudimentary mix on it. I have the lyrics below and a short conclusion about recording songs.

I hope you enjoy!

LYRICS

Make You Feel
© 2026 - Matthew Moran

Hey baby, close your eyes
Your lover man’s here to take you by surprise
Prayers answered in the middle of the night
I know your lonely baby turn out the light

I’ll make you feel
Much more than remarkable
I’ll make you feel
Like this is love

I know you’re tired of the same routine
Men insensitive to woman’s needs
But not me baby, no I’m not like that
I’ve got the magic, every trick in the hat

I’ll make you feel
Much more than remarkable
I’ll make you feel
Like this is love
I'll make you feel that it's love

Tonight the passion & wine will flow
Shadow’s flicker by a candle’s glow
Lay back baby, yeah let out a sigh
Just block the world away and I’ll make it right

I’ll make you feel
Much more than remarkable
Yeah, I’ll make you feel
Like this is love

I’ll make you feel
Much more than remarkable
Yeah, I’ll make you feel
Like this is love

I'll make you feel that it's love
But it's not love
No no, it's not love
No no, it's not love, yeah yeah
It's not love
###

About Recording/Releasing Songs

This is the bane of my existence. I have several songs in a “nearly” completed state and haven’t pulled the trigger on those.

I’m going to release an acoustic version of one of my songs every week for the next 12 weeks… short of being hospitalized or dead… that is my commitment to myself.

It’s also to force me to avoid social media, stay off my phone, and get shit done that matters to me.

And certainly I hope that one or more of them resonates with you.

This weekend I’m going to create a schedule of the songs I’ll be recording/releasing. I’ll publish it here as well.

I have a couple hundred songs, which means, if I do not write any new songs, I could be doing this every week for the next three years plus. That’s not my plan… just a realization.

Also, this is not instead of more fully produced songs. As much as anything, this is to force me to focus on recording more than anything else.

I have other things in the works that we’ll discuss later. Look for a video about my visit to Smith Rock, Oregon. I think I’ll have it published this weekend.

In anticipation of that I have a couple photos you might find enjoyable.

SMITH ROCK
There are dozens… hundreds… thousands? of the photo below. This is the view as you walk down into Smith Rock. I was walking down with my daughter, her friend, and a couple other climbers.

I asked one of them, “Does this view ever get old?”

He replied, “Nope!”

I believe him!

EAGLES
Our first stop, before hiking down into Smith, was to visit the Eagles nest. Three years ago, there were three babies. Last year, none. This year, one. It was not visible - sort of hunched down beyond mom. She’s in the lower-left. Dad had just circled above us and then landed to the right of the nest.

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
May 8, 2026

It’s a simple tune at its core. Most popular songs are. But I enjoyed the process and it forced me to smooth out some elements of fingerpicking guitar that I was not focusing on. It also plays into some future goals.

Here’s the song… I hope you enjoy!

Band Project

I put an ad out about forming a bluegrass/roots-esque band.

What The -esque!

As I explained in my ad, I’m looking for a roots sound - mandolin, banjo, fiddle but am not averse to - and quite enjoy - electric guitar, bass, drums, where appropriate.

The objective is to play some shows, record some music, and have a little fun.

I’ve received a few responses, had some conversations, and a few of us will, hopefully, get together soon to see how things feel.

I’ve also started down the rabbit trail of learning some bluegrass guitar riffs and am learning the guitar parts for a couple bluegrass songs.

This is the impact that attending The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival had one me.

I have more to report but currently working on completing a recording this morning. And so…

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
April 17, 2026

P.S. About my shirt
Born to Dilly Dally - Forced to Fight Fascism
It’s a thing!

I am unsure if the bridge will stay as is… it could… it might not… Also, I sort of lose my strumming pattern during the performance - mostly because I haven’t worked out or finalized what that will be. Finally, while the melody is mostly in place, I have a few variations I’m working on.

Now that my legal team is satisfied, let’s get to the song.

I consider it a hopeful song. Given the state of the world, perhaps it is naive or a bit of desperation. Either way, I enjoyed how fast it arrived and I dig the vibe. I hope you do as well.

I’ve included the lyrics below the video.

The Day is Done
© 2026 - Matthew Moran

Can’t stop these spinning wheels, can’t stop that clock
Can’t see around the bend until I get up and walk
Lace up those dusty travel boots, tune up this old guitar
Take hold of my true lover’s hand, let’s slip on out the door

This world, she’s full of trouble and beauty, yes, it’s true
I’ve heard her cry, I’ve heard her rage at the foolish things men do
But I’m captured by a vision and it won’t let me go
Seek the lost and lonely playing songs out on the road

So hail the moon and chase the sun
I guess that’s just the thing when the day is done

I don’t claim to be a prophet. I can’t claim to be a sage
I’m just a man who tries to live the fullness of each day
And it might take me nowhere and it might take me far
Today it seems it dropped me, right here where we are

So hail the moon and chase the sun
I guess that’s just the thing when the day is done

So dance to love, dance to grief, dance through the wind and rain
Dance to the cool Spring morning this chance to start again
And if you get an inkling, take someone by the hand
Welcome to this family, each child, woman, and man

So hail the moon and chase the sun
I guess that’s just the thing when the day is done

So hail the moon and chase the sun
I guess that’s just the thing when the day is done
###

In other news, I am putting together a bluegrass-esque/roots-esque band. I posted an ad on Saturday and have spoken to three musicians who are interested. The goal is produce and perform my originals in a more roots style plus play standards and other roots music.

I’m performing in Ojai on May 10th and in Austin, TX later in may. I’ll have more information about those shows later.

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
April 13, 2026

I could argue that my writing has improved… but that’s not really my call to make.

It’s probably a combination of factors:

• Time & Attention
  I just don’t allocate the time to writing that I once did. There are the sundries of life that I’ve mentioned before.
  
  I’ve been focused on learning recording and producing; taking voice instruction, improving my playing, etc.
  

• Desire
  I want to write more but I also want to give attention to working on and recording past songs. With about 200 songs to my credit (that I like), adding more is almost a type of distraction.
  

• Age
  I like to think that my brain is working great… and, for the most part, it is. But age impacts the brain and it would be delusional of me to believe this is NOT a significant factor.

That said, I took the photo below at 4:56 AM. I had a new cup of tea, a blank page, and a chord progression and groove that seemed interesting.

I have another image from 5:33 AM. The tea is mostly gone and the two pages are mostly full. Since then, I have the next page full as well.

I can’t (or won’t) show you the page but it’s a good song… a hopeful song.

It’s not ready to share.. it needs a chorus. It might need a bridge but I don’t know that yet.

I took a few intentional steps to help fill those pages.

1. I turned off all media
   I have two laptops and two phones. My personal laptop & phone and my Meta (Facebook) assigned laptop & phone. I turned all of them off. I closed the laptops because I didn’t even want a blank screen beckoning me.
   

2. I set an intention
   Not in the “Law of Attraction/Secret” silliness. There is no magic or cosmic energy to call upon. I simply told myself that I would not get up to clean my office, make new tea, organize my desk, etc. until I had two complete stanzas.
   
   I didn’t tell myself that I had to complete the song but I wanted a chunk done. Motion begets motion. Once I start writing I often find that I keep writing.
   
   I did do pushups as I wrote. Oddly enough (or maybe not), I find physical activity helps my brain churn and spin on ideas.
   I completed 180 pushups. Not bragging… but I kind of am. I re-commited to pushups a few weeks ago. Next week I’ll do 200 4 to 5 days a week. Not bad for 60.
   

3. Psychoactive Support
   I had already finished two cups of coffee. I’ve actually reduced my coffee input. Deb and I used to go through two pots of coffee a day. Now I drink two cups and then move to a green tea. We only brew a single pot and, at times, don’t finish it.
   
   When I used to attend church - back in my spiritual delusion days - I once said, “Ahh.. Christian drugs!” while grabbing a cup of coffee. A fellow church-goer was annoyed by the comment and said, “Coffee is not a drug.”
   
   I laughed and said, “Caffeine is both mind altering and addictive. It is definitely a drug. And we are practically main-lining this stuff.”
   
   In fact, it is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. And most of us are addicts.
   
   I did a little extra research this morning. I was curious of caffeine was an agonist (enhancer) or an antagonist (inhibitor). I was surprised to find it is the latter. I am unsure why I was surprised… except it feels like it introduces brain function. And it does but it does so by blocking adenosine (sleep molecules) from binding to brain receptors.

I don’t claim to know which of the above was most instrumental in me getting a good chunk of my new song completed in less than an hour. But, besides having a new creation in the world, writing in this way - uninterrupted and focused - feels good.

I don’t mean that it feels good in a self-satisfaction manner - although that is also true. I mean that turning everything off and focusing on a project feels good. It feels good in the brain…. like meditation!

I should do more of it. And I’d recommend it to others as well.

According to Michael Pollan, author of a new book titled, “A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness” - the constant and intentional pull of our attention by social media and other new world factors makes us less conscious - less aware of our experience.

That robs us of creativity and experiences that could give us a richer and more complete/content life.

I agree with this.

If you get the chance today, go be fully conscious… put the phone away and watch some bees work on some flowers… listen to them… experience the world.

That’s it for my hippy rambling for the day.

Thanks for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
April 9, 2026

About Songs That Made Me:
I’ve wanted to write and talk about my musical influences, inspirations, and fascinations for awhile. This will includes songs from my wily youth to songs I was introduced to a week ago. Anything that captures my attention and either inspires me to want to get better or is so good that it makes me want to quit.

For inaugural article, we are going to go back to 5 year old Matt.

This particular set of songs was inspired by some conversations with my friend Freda. Freda is an amazing singer, fronting two bands out in Ventura, California. She was giving me some vocal coaching recently. She asked me to dig deep into the songs of my childhood… songs I connected with when I was very young. She called it my musical DNA.

And that brought this to mind.

Norwood: Glenn Campbell

Norwood is a movie staring Glenn Campbell, Kim Darby, and others - including Joe Namath and Dom DeLuise. It was released in 1970. I was 5 years old at that time.

I don’t recall the movie at all. I do recall the soundtrack - quite fondly. It was a record my father owned that I often spun up on our record player.

It featured several songs written by Mac Davis and the entire soundtrack was produced and conducted by Al De Lory. The soundtrack alternates between songs sung by Glenn Campbell and instrumental arrangements by Al De Lory.

Inspired by Freda’s recommendation, I recently listened to the entire soundtrack. It’s remarkable. And Holy effin’ Cow! Mac Davis can write a song!!!

Here are some notables:

Ol’ Norwood’s Coming Home - the title track

Songwriters: Mitchell Torok, Ramona Redd

Down Home

Songwriter: Mac Davis

Ooh boy!! Mr. Campbell… absolutely beautiful!!

The Repo Man

Songwriter: Mac Davis

I think this was my favorite as a child, though, today I’m more fascinated with, and drawn to, Down Home and Campbell’s silky vocal delivery. Still, I recall be-bopping around singing Repo Man. It’s a fun tune.

Some lyrics:

"He has a black on black
And black naugahyde front and back
Cadillac Eldor-ader
He'll flash a gold-toothed grin
At the do drop-in
As he tosses his tin to the waiter"

What I carry with me today

I suspect that Norwood, by virtue of Mac Davis’s lyrical songwriting, still inspires me to write phrases with cadence and flow. More so, simple ideas without being simplistic. And the fact that you don’t need to say too much to say a lot.

Also, the fact that I need to write some shorter songs.

Also, at the direction of Freda, I’ve started working on playing and singing Down Home. I’ll end up including it in my setlist. It requires work on my part but is definitely not out of reach.

At this same time, my older brothers were introducing me to 60’s and 70’s rock and roll - which definitely impacted my musical DNA and we will cover those - Norwood & Glenn Campbell figure heavily into the Songs That Made Me!

What do you think of the selections above?

Quick Musical Update

This was announced on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc - and I’ll write about it more this weekend.

I’ve been named the Director for a new music festival that will be part of THE Show’s (The HiFi Experience) trade show. Owned by fellow songwriter and performer, Emiko, THE SHOW is aimed at audiophiles, bringing together vendors who sell hi-end audio gear - speakers, turn-tables, amplifiers, and more - with some speakers running as much as $100,000 or more.

I’ll explain how this all came about but suffice to say, we are excited about the prospect. The first music festival will take place in May in Austin, Texas and then in June in Anaheim, CA. Next year, 2027, the plan is to expand it to four cities: New York, Las Vegas, Anaheim, and Austin.

Also, I’ve been added to the slate of performers at this year’s Las Vegas Hifi Experience. I’ll be sharing stage time with Emiko, Mike Leach, and Grammy Award winning producer, engineer, and guitarist, Larry Mitchell.

Here is one of the promo images - created by our very own, Deb.

As I’ve said previously, more on this later.
###

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
March 12, 2026

Note: Most of what I write here is largely stream of consciousness. Spelling and usage is always subject. I noticed most errors minutes after clicking the “publish” button. 😉

Saturday we drove up to Santa Barbara to stay one night celebrating Deb’s birthday.

Deb has determined that aging is not her thing… Hence, she is, once again, 42.

Santa Barbara is a seaside town North of Los Angeles known for it’s gorgeous weather, Mediterranean style architecture, interesting shops, restaurants, breweries, and the University of Santa Barbara.

We stayed at a non-luxurious but quaint Spanish style hotel right by the beach. It’s architecture is old world, small rooms, with tiny balconies overlooking a court yard. We had a second small balcony looking out to a gardenesque street.

The weather allowed us to sleep with our windows and both balcony doors open.

On Saturday we strolled up and down State Street, looking at shops and listening to a couple street musicians. We intentionally avoided news or social media.

I also took a fairly low dose of magic mushrooms.

Deb kept spinning me up to make me laugh. At one point, she wanted me to have some people on the streets read my aura. She found this hilarious. I declined because I would have found it to be a bit much. She would take me into stores that had interesting goods or lighting.

I had to leave a store because she was sending me into fits of laughter. While she shopped, I stood out on State Street - which is closed to traffic - and watched people walking, riding bikes, and motorized skateboards - go up and down the street.

One guy was in a zone that seemed very similar to me. He was dressed in decorative garb, riding a motorized wheel board, holding a large Bluetooth speaker, and playing some pumping music.

I was thoroughly enjoying watching and hearing him groove his way down the street. As he went by he caught me eye and saw me moving to his groove. He smiled, nodded a knowing nod, and continued down the street.

There is a canopy of trees that line the street and I watched a seagull soaring around and through the canopy. It was soon followed by a large crane.

Truly spectacular!!

And I was struck by how absurd it was that I was strolling this street, reveling in this beauty, while women and children were being killed in a preemptive strike against a country we were actively negotiating with.

Watching the justification, particularly among many “religious” friends, is sickening. I’ve dispelled with the concept that killing children ever makes it to the “moral” scorecard. How is that even calculated?

We are truly a grotesque chimpanzee.

But mostly I was contemplating how unfair - to the positive - that my life has always been. I didn’t earn it.. I was born at a particularly time, in a particular place, that affords me this opportunity.

These thoughts didn’t ruin our day, Deb and I were committed to enjoying our time and we did. We had dinner later that night and enjoyed a relaxing evening playing guitar at our hotel.

Here Comes the Sun

The next morning I woke fairly early - though not as early as at home. Our room did not have a coffee pot. The hotel provides coffee but I was up prior to it being put out in the lobby.

I showered and dressed and told Deb I would see if there was a place close by where I could get coffee.

It was a beautiful morning - a mild chill but very comfortable.

Someone else up early walked by with a coffee cup. He informed me there was a 7 Eleven around the corner but I decided against that coffee. Instead, I turned left and walked to Stearns Wharf - the Santa Barbara pier.

Santa Barbara is a South facing beach, so the sun rises over mountains to the East that follow the curve of the shore.

While on the pier I met a photographer who was there to catch the sunrise. We talked a bit and then walked together further down the pier. While there, we ran into an Irish woman who got out of her car to greet us.

She knew the photographer and, apparently, they and a few others meet many mornings to catch the sunrise.

Another man and woman showed up - part of this makeshift group. I was introduced to everyone. We talked about our desire for a more beautiful world and the Irish woman, a marriage and family therapist, told me of the protests she’s been attending and would be attending in the next few weeks.

And then the sun crested the hill.

One of the women pulled a Bluetooth speaker out of her coat and turned on, “Here Comes the Sun”. Facing the East, with the morning sun on our faces, we all joined in singing. It was cathartic.

After we finished singing Deb called me on Messenger to find out what had happened to me. I introduced her to my new friends and they sang her happy birthday.

I thanked them for the experience and hope I can make it back up there some morning soon.

I walked back to the hotel and by then coffee was out. I grabbed a cup for Deb and one for me and headed back to the room.

Deb laughed and said, “Of course you run into people singing, Here Comes the Sun, to greet the sunrise, while walking on the pier. It is so on brand for you!”

I’m glad that’s my brand. It may be the only thing keeping me sane.

It still strikes me as unfair… and beautiful… tragic and wonderous.

I’m grateful for sure but there are times I feel ashamed of it as well.

I think that is appropriate.

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
March 3, 2026

Sunday in Santa Barbara, Deb wanted to take a few photos of me using her off-camera flash. Several came out pretty good. We were working on lighting and posing. I’m trying to not have my typical, impatient, “Did you take the effin photo yet?” look.

Here is one of those pictures.

March 7th - 6pm-8pm
Tomato Joe’s - Canyon Country, CA
Facebook Event

March 8th - 3pm-5pm
The Jeweled Universe - South Pasadena, CA
Facebook Event | $20.00 ticket

Meeting Emiko

I met Emiko some time around 2011 or 2012. We were both slated to speak at The Independent Music Conference hosted at Musician’s Institute (MI) in Hollywood.

Emiko was giving a songwriting and performance workshop. I was giving a workshop on social media technology and strategies. We ran into each other in front of MI as registrants entered.

She looked at me and said, “Hey.. you are the social media guy.”

I replied, “I am. You’re the songwriting chick.”

She then said she wanted to buy me a coffee.

We walked over to McDonalds and sat down with our coffee. I asked her what type of music she writes. I won’t repeat her somewhat inappropriate answer but it made me laugh. I knew I’d found a snarky partner in crime.

At the time, Emiko was living in the UK and New York but would travel to LA for recording sessions and making music videos. I had an extra room at the house my daughter and I lived in and Emiko would crash there when she came to LA.

This led to many conversations over coffee and the occasional songwriting and jam session. In fact, Emiko has been a constant encouraging (at times pestering) voice telling me I have songs that need to be put out there.

While living in that LA house, I hosted house concerts, providing a place for touring artist to play to a listening room1. Between 2013 and 2018, I believe Emiko played my house concert three time. She always showed up with a four or five piece band. I would invite neighbors and friends - packing 15 to 20 people into our small living room.

It was always a blast!

Here’s a short cell phone clip of her performing her song, “Have Mercy”, in my living room. This house concert was in 2016 (I believe).

Fast-forward - we are both older, wiser, and committed to music

Emiko is the owner of a hi-fi audio trade show: THE SHOW - that brings hi-fi audio vendors and audiophiles together.

Taking up several halls and rooms in a hotel, people are listening to all types of music on speakers that can run more than $100,000 each!!!

I love walking into a room, hearing the amazing audio, and then pointing to my cell phone and saying, “I don’t know… I think the speakers on this sound fine!”

I then run away in a zig zag pattern. 😇

Deb is her event photographer and looks to be taking on a more active design and print roll with THE SHOW. I’ve run live sound for workshops and select performances - only because I can and I’m there with Deb. I’m not a sound guy.

Emiko and I spoke on the phone about that yesterday and about performing. With all we do, performing and making music is still our greatest passion.

In fact, shh… mums the word, but there is talk of a music festival being added to the THE SHOW. Emiko and I are supposed to meet to discuss this and my potential roll in that endeavor.

Again… shhh… don’t let anyone know.

How can you support live music

I put together house concerts as a way to support small, indie, artists. There is some great talent out there that does not have the backing of any corporate entity, books their own shows, funds their recordings, does their own promotion, etc.

Being an independent artist takes work. Here is a short-list of things you can do to support those indie artists.

• Find an artist you like and let them know it.
  I, of course, want to be that artist but if it isn’t me, find someone and let them know.

• If you are able to, buy a ticket and attend a show.
  Invite friends to that show - hell, buy those friends a ticket too. It’s typically FAR less expensive and less of a hassle than attending a stadium show. Plus, you will be noticed and appreciated!

• Buy their album - vinyl if they have it - even if you don’t have a record player. It’s better art than a tiny digital image on an mp3.

• Buy their merchandise - t-shirt, pin, poster, etc.

• Share that artist with a friend or 1,000 friends.

• Host a house-concert2.
  It’s less of a hassle than you might think. Don’t complicate. Let people bring their own wine, put out cheese and crackers, tell them to bring a chair, and that’s it.

• Find an artist you like and let them know it.
  I’m repeating this one. It’s the most important suggestion. Unless, of course, you have oodles of money and want to provide a monthly or yearly stipend… We are not going to turn down that wealthy benefactor!
  I’ve mentioned this before but if you don’t ask the answer is always, “NO!”. I’ve also discovered that if you do ask the answer is still, “NO!”. 😉

And for my next trick

In other news, I just met with a music producer I’ve known for years. I ran into him at the NAMM show a few weeks ago. In fact, he ran live sound for one of Emiko’s shows at my house. I also met him through the IMC.

Turns out his studio is about 10 minutes from my house. In all the time we’ve known each other I’ve never visited his studio. That was remedied a couple days ago.

We sat down, discussed life, passion, and music Then we went over some of my recordings, some of what he is working on, and are planning a recording session next week.

More on this later.

My last ask: If you know of anyone in the South Pasadena area, let them know about our show at The Jeweled Universe. It’s going to be good!!

Finally, Deb created our posters, postcards, and digital promotion stuff. I’ve included an image of the poster below. She’s making us look like rock stars!!!

Thank you again for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
February 26, 2026

About Creativity

Several years ago I was speaking at a business conference in Phoenix. My talk was titled, It’s On! Lessons on Life and Business from a Hyperactive Child.

In it, I shared anecdotal stories about my kids and how those stories might inform a perspective or approach to life or business. I also shared a bit about my upbringing - two pragmatic parents who left me to my own devices but who, by example, demonstrated you could take up new activities and gain proficiency if you did the work.

During my Q&A a woman asked:

“What did your parents do and what are you doing that has led to you and your kids thinking so far outside the box?”

I replied:

No one ever told me there was a box!

Later, after my first book was published by Pearson, I was speaking at colleges and publishing events that Pearson invited me to.

Funny side note: Natalie Anderson was one of the executives at Pearson. She was often at the events I spoke at. She used to ask me to avoid discussing my educational background.

Full disclosure: I attended community college for about a year and half and ended up with less than a year of useful credits. I took guitar, philosophy of education, creative writing, but spent most of the time studying anatomy… specifically my girlfriend’s (and 1st wife’s) anatomy.

Babump! He’s here all week folks.

Natalie didn’t want me disclosing that large companies like NBC, Meta, Waste Management, Blue Cross, HealthNet, Latham & Watkins, etc. were hiring me and I had never (and have never) taken a computer class in my life.

They sell educational text books and the message, “School is optional” doesn’t lend itself to that.

Later I spoke for a number of writing organizations and through the college market I’d been introduced to through Pearson, I spoke to English and writing classes as well.

I had taken some writing courses at community college and I think one of my useful credits is English 101. So… there is that.

I was speaking with one of the educational sales managers at Pearson. He wanted me to give a second presentation in addition to my technology career presentation. I had told him the story about the aforementioned business presentation. He liked the idea and wanted me to speak about creativity.

That led to a presentation titled:

Throw Away The Box: The TAO of Creativity

This was one of my most enjoyable workshops. In it, I give some attitudinal and pragmatic advice on how to increase creative output.

I’m not a neuroscientist. What I presented was an off-the-cuff set of ideas about creativity. Your mileage may vary… no warranties or guarantees implied… blah blah blah.

And TAO, it’s a simple acrostic.

• Thinking Thoughts:
  The original idea - where it comes from. Removal of editorial filters that shut ideas down before they can develop. Also, removal of the uninvited critic. They are rarely (never) useful and rarely (never) interested in your growth.

• Advancing Thoughts:
  Mulling the ideas over - even bad ideas. Play with them. Roll them over your tongue. Roll them around your head. A bad idea may not be a bad idea and/or may lead to a better idea.

• Organizing Thoughts:
  Get your ideas onto paper or into digital. This covered the pragmatic tools that you should make available to yourself. Video notes or audio notes on your phone. But then have a central place to store them.

Again, I’m a hack. This was the core set of ideas from the presentation. But I’m not claiming that I’ve unlocked the door to this thing we call creativity.

Of primary focus is that I don’t slip into “creative” thinking. That’s the “throw away the box” part of this. I don’t step out of any box to “be creative.”

Rather, I have a nearly endless stream of ideas - most languishing in my digital neverland.

But, do that enough, and you might have a good creative idea now and then.

Branding/Rebranding

My newsletter used to be called, The Arrogant Sage. I love it because of fits my personality much of the time. But it didn’t provide any true context.

However, I’m going through a branding/rebranding exercise as it related to performing as a musician and writing. Maybe it is a life rebrand.

I don’t know what that will entail. I want authenticity and to be as “true” to who I am as I can be. But that involves some naval gazing and is a process.

Who the fuck am I?

You will hear about it here as it develops. Other than that, my father’s advice on creativity or most anything else you want to do is more succinct than my workshop.

He always said:

Do something! Most people don’t!

It sounds a arrogant but it’s also accurate. So there you have it.

Thank you again for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
February 16, 2025

P.S. Music…

This week I’m meeting with a guitarist/producer to fill out a few songs I’m working on. Then, later this week I’ll be attending the Durango Songwriter’s Expo.

I’m also doing more live streams. You should really follow me on YouTube for that fun and frivolity.

In it, I discuss a myriad of events and revelations that have brought me to a juncture in life… Honestly, it feels more like a fracture. I’m working through both emotions and logistics. I don’t find any of it stressful, except as it related to a stark awareness of the fleeting nature of time.

Anyway… you can watch on YouTube or watch here. Below the video, a couple songs from the office and upcoming gigs.

Upcoming shows

March 7, 2026 - 6pm-8pm
Tomato Joe’s in Canyon Country
- with Emiko

March 8, 2026 - 3pm-5pm
The Jeweled Universe in South Pasadena*
- with Emiko
* This is a ticketed show. We’ll share a link by the weekend.

Songs from the Office

Everyday Lies

Date a Millennial

My pup popped her head into the video. 😉

I updated my WebCam

I’ve been livestreaming on YouTube. I wasn’t happy with the video quality - particularly the white-balance and exposure. Between darks and lights things could get blown out or look grainy.

After reading some reviews, I upgraded from a Logitech C922 to a Logitech MX Brio. It’s a significant improvement. I decided I would make a very quick comparison video.

It’s 2:18 in length. If you are interested, you can watch it here.

Thank you again for joining me in this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
February 11, 2026

About Gram

Without going too far into the story, Gram Parsons was songwriter and performer who helped discover Emmylou Harris and performed, wrote, influenced, and frustrated Chris Hillman of the Byrds. He also had an impact on Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and others.

Certainly a character, he was known for his Nudie Suit - adorned with marijuana leaves, pills, nude women on the collar, and a cross on the back. You can read about Nudie Cohn, the designer, on this Wikipedia page.

He loved visiting Joshua Tree, in the Southern California desert.

Joshua Tree and Me

My descent into my current madness may not have started with my visit to Joshua Tree last year but it certainly helped usher it along. Magic mushrooms, simple profundities, and an awareness of times’ never-ending march to oblivion has made me too aware of our absurd belief in our significance.

The unsurprising realization that our world is, in fact, run by unelected billionaires who would just as soon sacrifice our children for their pleasure and supported by those who place ideology above all else, makes grim absurdity the most honest position I can arrive at.

Back to Gram.

While visiting Joshua Tree, he told his road manager that should he die, he wanted to be cremated in Joshua Tree. A few months later, he overdosed in the Joshua Tree Inn.

His family was planning to fly his body back to Florida for burial in Louisiana. His road manager, being a good friend, obtained a hearse and armed with all of Gram’s necessary paperwork (he was his road manager after all), he drove to Van Nuys airport, signed for and stole Gram’s body, and drove out to the desert.

Five gallons of gasoline did the trick and he proceeded to fulfill Gram’s postmortem wish.

He and a partner in crime were scared from the pyre by some approaching car lights. A group of campers found the incomplete cremation site and the story was uncovered.

Some may read this in shock and disgust. Personally, I find the story charming. Macabre but charming nonetheless.

I’ve told Deb that I would gladly take the Gram Parsons’ treatment.

Why not?

Give my body to science, use it as tree mulch, put me on a pyre at sea and allow anyone attending the ceremony to shoot flaming arrows at it, etc. I won’t miss it and what happens to it after my death should either be pragmatically useful or have an element of adventure.

Tears in a church or a cold, sad, space should NOT be considered.

Put a bench in my honor in this hills of Chatsworth, where I often hiked with my friends, my kids, my dog, etc. and you’ve done right by me.

I’m not self-destructive, like Gram was. I would like to hang around for a few more years, play music, and laugh a bit.

Based on the stories I’ve read, Gram created a lot of challenges for people who cared about him and who recognized his talent. Squandering that seems foolish but I don’t know any person’s demons or addictions. I’m not blind to the fact that we can read about Gram with interest today but he likely also generated headaches and heartache that were unnecessary.

That disclaimer aside, I’ve added a song to my setlist that Gram wrote with Chris Hillman in 1969.

Sin City has been recorded by a number of artists. I first heard it when it was covered by Dwight Yoakam and KD Lang. You can listen to that version here.

A few weeks ago I recorded this version and posted it to YouTube. I’ve uploaded it directly to Substack as well. I perform it better now but this rendition is serviceable.

And then… my first tattoo!

I say first… I don’t necessarily have plans for others but there are musings.

I’ve been talking about getting a tattoo for years but I wanted something thoughtful and evocative of something I value.

The joke is to get the words, “Your Name” tattooed on my butt so I can tell anyone, “I have your name tattooed on my ass.”

But I opted for getting a guitar with the words, “making peace with the war in my soul” on it.

I have a darkly themed song titled, Making Peace With The War that uses that phrase as the hook. Follow the link to listen to it - though I need to re-record it.

However, rather than dark, the tattoo is more reflective about how music makes peace with the war in my soul.

The photo below was taken just after Cris, the artist who did the work, finished. You can find her on Instagram at: killthesparrow

And who knows, maybe I will get “Your Name” tattooed on my ass… just for the giggles.

Thanks for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
February 5, 2026

A love song

I wrote the song below, Call On it Now, for Deb in 2020. It has one of my favorite bridges because it is such a tangible reality in our life together. Me, impatient, anxious, wanting everything at once, pushing everyone and everything to the side…

Deb, waiting, letting me spin myself out until I come to her and apologize.

Her accepting my apology.

I cried when I wrote the bridge and the first time I played it live… what a baby!!

Note: She will point out that I’m being a dick… It’s how she does it that I appreciate.

I have lyrics below the video. The video is also on YouTube here.

CALL ON IT NOW
© 2020 - Matthew Moran
Arrogant Sage Music

I’ve been your lover, I’ve been your friend
If I had to choose over I’d surely do it again

It’s not for the passion, it’s not for the night
It’s those everyday moments making everything right

It’s us in the kitchen, you making demands
It’s a walk through the market, you taking my hand

And I know I’m a challenge
Stubborn and proud
Pushing the limits
Angry & loud

Redemption it finds me though I don’t know how
It’s our love. It’s our love
I call on it now

You’ve got some nerve to say the things that you do
If I’m being honest, I’ve got some nerve too

They should cut to the quick but they just make us smile
Absurd and abrasive, baby that’s just our style

But in our darkest moments, when life crashes down
No one else that I’d run to, no one else that I’ve found

And I know I’m a challenge
Stubborn and proud
Pushing your buttons
Angry & loud

Redemption it finds me though I don’t know how
It’s our love. It’s our love
I call on it now

I lose sight of the simple things
I spin and chase after everything
Find you there at the end of day
Waiting for my sanity

I’ve been your lover, I’ve been your friend
If I had to choose over I’d surely do it again
###

Thanks for joining me on this journey.

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
February 3, 2026

I have some video from NAMM and Deb has a LOT of photos. I don’t know if the video I took is worth editing into anything but if it is I will post at a later time.

Below is a photo of me shooting a video with Emiko popping into it.

LONELY MILE MAN

This morning I was going through some of the songs I will be playing in Ojai on February 8th. Deb has told me that I am opening with this one.

Hope you Enjoy! The pup seemed to. 😇

UPCOMING SHOW

Yesterday Emiko and I chatted about co-producing a show in South Pasadena. I wanted it to happen in March but there are a few blockers, so it looks like it will happen in early April.

Thanks for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
January 29, 2026

Actually, it’s growing. Whatever it was that happened last October continues to drive me forward musically and artistically. The capper on that was listening to Steve play This Land Is Your Land - including the additional verse about our current proto-fascist leader and the devastating impact of corporate globalization without regard to soft-landings to the working class in the US (and elsewhere).

I’ll remind you that the song is a protest song at heart and it is the second song I ever learned on guitar.

And so, I humbly offer a version of Steve Earle’s song, The Rain Came Down.

"Now my grandaddy died in the room he was born in
Twenty-three summers ago
I could've swore he's beside me this morning
when the sheriff showed up at my door
Don't you come around her with your auctioneer man
You can have your machines but you ain't taking my land"

Steve wrote the song after he played Farm Aid the first time. He said they gave him such a warm welcome but he wanted a song that was for them.

I hope you enjoy!

Drama in the Neighborhood

Yesterday Deb and I were driving to run some errands. As we were leaving our street, a hawk flew low over our car and was flying directly in front of our windshield. It banked to the right and to the ground. That’s when we noticed a several crows in pursuit.

I had Deb pull over and I hopped out of the car to get some video. The hawk flew back in my direction and into a tree next to the street. I caught a bit of the interaction after that. Enjoy that video as well.

What else

I haven’t posted anything since the start of the month. It isn’t for a lack of ideas. I have a file titled, “Idea Grab Bag” with dozens of notes with varying degrees of detail. I suspect I add anywhere from two to ten ideas per week. I have a shortcut on my phone and my computer desktop so I can get right into the file and add an idea as it arises.

Deb asked me the other night why I write all these ideas down and then not write about them. That’s something worth exploring, though, I suspect, the reasons are many.

I suspect one reason is that I wonder about the reader… would this be interesting to them. It is probably a bad reason. What I’ve discovered is that if I enjoy exploring a topic or idea, that translates to the reader or to enough readers.

Other than that, we are booking shows and will be announcing new ones soon.

For now: February 8th, from 4 to 6pm at Feros Ferio Winery in Ojai.

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

With Love and Gratitude,
Matthew Moran
January 19, 2026

P.S. Deb took this photo of me recording some electric guitar. It looks like I’m trying hard… I should have my tongue stuck out to the side of my mouth.

But, for whatever reason, both Deb and I like it.