Stoakes’ Song of the Week
Well, today, Saturday 31st August is our last Song of the Week celebrating “new music” and what a treat we have for you this week.
Some of the greatest songs that have ever been written in the world have been about drug use. I’m thinking ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’ (Ok, so the Beatles denied it at the time, but we all know), of course there’s ‘Brown Sugar’ by the Stones, the Chilli Peppers ‘Under The Bridge’ and who can forget the great Eric Clapton singing ‘Cocaine’!
Well, that white powder is the subject of this weeks song of the week. The Cola Paranoia is a great song penned by London singer/songwriter, Michael Armstrong and it features on his debut album, released in 2015.
The song is about cocaine. Or more specifically about the effects of taking too much cocaine, or most other drugs for that matter. You get paranoid. It’s written with a wry smile and is very funny in places. The concept being that the narrator is now clean of his habit but yet the paranoia goes on – “I keep my wits about me, and a letter with my lawyer, till I’m caught and bound and beaten by The Cola Paranoia”.
Michael explains “I think I came up with title and concept first, which is unusual for me. Steely Dan are a huge influence and many of their songs are about drugs and dealers, and equally, many of their songs are blues-based. So I thought I’d try and write like them which is where the basic blues-style verses come from. Then I had to do something a little different for the 2 bridges just to break it up a bit – like Steely Dan would!”
It is at this point that the story of this song becomes really incredible. Michael sent the basic recording of the song to his producer with an email that said ‘Think Steely Dan, and you’ll know where I’m coming from’. (He still has the email) A week later he was involved in a concert in London and was introduced to Elliott Randall, a New Yorker who famously played guitar on several Steely Dan tracks, including the blistering solo on Reelin’ In The Years, described by Jimmy Page as the greatest of all time and often found in those Top 100 lists.
Michael continues “I was a nobody but I managed to get Elliott’s email address from him and later that same night I sent over the demo of The Cola Paranoia and asked if he’d play on it. Within 10 minutes he had called me to say he wanted to do it. Fairytale stuff!”
It remains one of Michael Armstrongs favourite songs that he has released and it is a lot of fun to play live.
Michael’s new band nailed it at the recent London gig and a special mention has to be given to Antoine Saults, the lead guitarist, who played blisteringly and more than made-up for the lack of Elliott in person.
You can check out my review of Michael Armstrong at the Water Rats here
