Category: music
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Friday Morning Street Banjo Music
When I am in DC, on weekdays I go to my office near the US Capitol. It is on the Senate side, so for those who know the city I take the train to Union Station and walk a few blocks. Like many train stations, Union Station attracts street musicians. While we all have heard…
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A Song About A Bridge
Earlier today a friend of mine was talking about a difficult time in his life and it reminded me of a song I wrote some time ago that used his experience as a starting point. My friend spent time living under a bridge after going through some difficult times. Thing was, he didn’t see his…
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Work, Art, and Leisure Collide: Remembering Two Songs By The West End
Today I happened to play an old playlist while I took a run. In the mix, a song came on that took me back and sent me on a reverie. I thought I’d share it. Some years ago I was in a band called The West End along with my good friends and neighbors Monique…
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New Song Demo: "It Is What It Is"
Here is a demo of a new song I have been working on. This video is just to document the tune. I plan to do a full recording of it sometime later this month: And here are the lyrics: It Is What It Is By Brad Rourke It is what it is they say But…
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How To Change Strings On An Electric Guitar
The other day my friend, Dennis Ellington, asked just out of curiosity how I string my guitar. It was hard to explain in writing, but when I was done he said my method is unusual. So I thought it would be easier to demonstrate on video: Here is what I originally wrote: If you are…
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Song: Tomorrow's Gonna Come
To go along with my post yesterday of a new song, here is another one! This is just a demo so my bandmates can see what the song sounds like . . . which means it sounds quite lo-fi on purpose! Tomorrow’s Gonna Come By Brad Rourke Who knows how I’ll feel when I wake…
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Song: Wouldn't Have Let You Run
As many of my colleagues and friends know, I play in a band. One of the things I love about it is that I get the chance to write songs — something I have come to enjoy. Here’s a new song I have been working on. I typically do a quick video demo of new…
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The West End At The Uncorked Wine Festival
Friends and colleagues may know I am in a band called The West End. Over the summer, we were fortunate enough to play an awesome gig at the City of Rockville’s annual “Uncorked Wine Festival.” When we play City gigs, they always provide pro sound (usually through the very awesome RCI Sound). Since we knew there’s…
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Anatomy Of A Rock Show
Many of my colleagues and readers know that I am in a local rock band called The West End. We’re not going to be rich anytime soon, but people say we’re not too shabby. We’ve got a fair sized local fan base and we play out regularly. We’ve recorded and released two CD’s (the latest…
Brad Rourke 