Brand new song (demo): "Kinky" (A.J. Kaufmann, 2023).

Yesterday I wrote a brand new song, my first brand new song (all new lyrics and music) in 2023.

It tells the tale of the titular Kinky, a 60s girl in love with a robot.

Back in 2014, this recording would probably end up on an album, but in 2023 it's just a demo.
I hope to record the proper version of this song soon and share it. You see, back in 2014 I wasn't that demanding - a song was complete when it had drums and bass on it. The demos were just phone or computer demos for voice and acoustic guitar. In 2023 I work a bit differently - recording a rough acoustic take on my phone as a note, and then a demo in my home studio. And then I start thinking what to actually do with a song I have written and recorded.

It's a retro thing, very Brian Jones-like and pop flavored, but psych pop and noise rock are not forgotten here.

I hope I'll write even better songs in 2023. This is the first one of the year. I felt really great doing it and wrote the lyrics in like 10 minutes. Enjoy.

Kinky was a teenage girl

Who fell in love with a digital swirl

And now she lives in its world of pain and leather

Kinky cries her love again

But the silver screen remains

Cool, collected, and calm and blonde all together

No machine can hear her cry

There's no love across the sky

Kinky don't you cry alone

Meet your plastic lover's chrome

It gleams in the sunset for you, who cares it's a robot

Kinky strokes her nylon legs

Life is full of body bags

Death, despair, and emotion dawn upon us

No machine can hear her cry

There's no love across the sky

Kinky found a rosy bed

Model magazines ahead

Twen and jams with friends, and singing and dancing

Kinky now knows all the joys

Of a life led full of toys

She owns and controls, but obeys every each of their fancies

No machine can hear her cry

There's no love across the sky

No machine can hear her cry

There's no love across the sky

Psychedelic Mayhem in Poznań, Poland = live and jam 2023.

On May 18 2022, me and Leszek Garstka met in the Via Kosmische home studio to jam. We immediately (the same day!) recorded some demos for voice, acoustic guitar, and cajon. We later recorded some more professionally sounding tunes, and released some singles on our bandcamp, http://psychedelicmayhem.bandcamp.com.

Adi Kaniewski, the legendary (in certain circles) local music promoter and aficionado heard us play and offered us a gig. So, we debuted in a live setting on September 16 2022 at CK Nowe Amore, Poznań, Poland. Old and new friends appeared and motivated us to record more tracks.

On December 14, 2022 we self-released (on bandcamp) the single "Whispers of My Blood" which turned out to be our last recording as a duo.

For the January 8, 2023 release, "Alice (When the Night)", we were already joined by Maja Okamgnienie on synthesizer. Maja will become the official 3rd band member from the official release date of our latest single, "Forget the Moon, Forget the Sun", which you can already listen to on soundcloud.

But, even before our first song with Maja, "Alice", was released, we played an intimate private show in a basement under a local vinyl/wine store, "Wino & Winyle". I think 20/30 people showed up, which was pretty crowded for a tiny basement, but the atmosphere was one of its kind, as you can hear on the recordings from that January 6 2023 night included here. It was great to play for friends old and new, and we only used acoustic percussion, Gibson SG '61, and a Laney amplifier both for the guitar and the voice. Minimum maximum. Great plan. We were joined by Michał Joniec on bonus percussion and Michalina Łuzińska on vocals.

For our next gig, we are thinking performing with Maja. Also, on January 14 I jammed with Leszek, Michał Joniec, and Tomasz Ballaun. Tomasz had to leave early, before we warmed up, so there is no evidence of 3 drummers vs. 1 guitar player jam, but there is a nice sound document of the Kaufmann/Garstka/Joniec trio on soundcloud.

Enjoy the sounds of psychedelic mayhem in Poznań, Poland!

3 poems, 2023/01/18.

The moon, a story

In every man's prison, the demise of god
the stranglehold of life
death comes nearer
in this sunken theater on Sunday
there are times of drunken perfection
there is bourbon in the moon
there is moon in the glass
there is glass behind the wheel
driving to LA
Friday night
where you hope to find pieces
of cacti sisters waving
in a sudden epiphany of doom
there are some who are lost
and to them you have to offer your dance
dance on the verge
of your car
of love
of a story
when time is running backwards
and all your mind wells are dry
true,
you are the underdog here
but you give hope
and light's sunrise
when the moon is total stoned

Static Peace

There are many visitors recently
in the arcana of disaster
lured by the disco stench
of the post-hippie 70s
there are many wars, and people are dying of hunger
elsewhere on the planet
but here, in static peace
there are chances weaved
and water and beer and vodka
are drunk happily
how long will it last you think
you wipe your ass in the morning
and stare at your wife
her picture in the toilet
there, across the tiles
you are rich
you are well-developed
but I tell you, son
bury yourself with the rockets
your richer cousins are shooting at the world
and soon ricochets will blind you
and bury you below the waste
and then you will notice
me and my friends
gathered inside this house
on real static peace
high like the weeds of the city

Amazing

I once was invited to a room with no windows
green lights flashing
trash on the floor
some shared books
and the scent of weed
there was a pianist there
who said she loves me
and then she told me there was a party, hey
and if you feel like
coming over
you'll do your best
to stay
but I did not believe her
I left this room with no windows
and tried to find another room
in reflections of  a man
I saw a ladder
leading upwards
to a room with no doors
and then I felt enlightened
and I wanted to stay there
unbothered
except maybe some friendly calls
from winos and hookers
but blues has its price
and solitude is amazing
yes, brother
isn't it amazing