As a 17 year old out of high school, Keaton started thinking about college. He decided on The Evergreen State College, located in Olympia, Washington. The area, which has become known as a fertile breeding ground for music and art, proved perfect to set in motion his initiation into the immense world of music. It was there that Keaton started writing songs. He dove in headfirst, taking on courses ranging from 20th century classical composition to Indonesian gamelan music to jazz and quite a lot in between. Keaton's years at Evergreen not only introduced him to diverse global music but also taught him to incorporate everything into his own sensibilities. Major record labels have accused Keaton of being too diverse to contain.
After an early graduation, it was back to Los Angeles, playing music with old friends like Tre Hardson (of The Pharcyde) and new ones like singer N'Dea Davenport (of the Brand New Heavies), Kim Hill (of the Black Eyed Peas), underground hip-hop legend Medusa and appearing on Jay Leno's TONIGHT SHOW with hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg.
Before Keaton was 21 years old he was asked to compose music for the motion picture Mercy Streets. Labels began to investigate and eventually he landed a deal with Maverick Records. Keaton released a five-song EP with Maverick entitled "Currently". The EP displays a taste of bluesy, rootsy, guitar-driven songs & ballads, with stylish arrangements that showcase his rich, often spooky melodies. Indeed, the disc's delicate, down-home title track is in rotation at radio stations around America. Recently reaching ..1 on the charts of Tucson, AZ's KWMT 92.9 The Mountain.
One of the first to play Keaton's music was influential LA public radio station KCRW, which afforded him the opportunity in early 2005 to play the Universal Amphitheatre supporting Coldplay. Keaton's music has also been featured on LA's ..1 mid-day radio show, KLSX 97.1, "Heidi, Frosty and Frank". Here is where leaks have started of some of the tracks on Keaton's album that were produced by well known producing team, The Matrix. The timing for Keaton's meeting (through a mutual friend) with the Matrix really worked for both. Keaton's songs were thought of as being too alternatively structured to be radio friendly, though many agreed there was something there. The Matrix, just off Avril Lavigne's COMPLICATED, were seeking something to ground them, and reveal the soul in their pop music. The team loved every second of working together, and ended up with an album that was completed just in time for the record label to conclude changes that made releasing such a "big album" impossible. Hence, a move to the beautiful freedom and diversity of CD Baby.
Keaton participated in the 2005 Sundance Film Festival as a part of BMI's annual showcase. Sharing the bill with Vanessa Carlton, Minnie Driver, Joe Firstman and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service). Keaton is no stranger to the world of film and television. It's kind of the family business. Keaton's little stepsister, Emma Roberts, costars with JoJo in the just completed AQUAMARINE. Emma has an album coming out, featuring songs from her television series UNFABULOUS. Keaton's sister, Morgan Simons, is a culinary artist who tries to feed actresses healthfully enough such that they will not need to name their babies after food!
Keaton's grandfather, Don Garrett, has been publicist to such world renowned sensations as everything from The Supremes to "The Flintstones". Another of Keaton's grandfathers, screenwriter David Rayfiel, wrote such loved films as "Three Days of the Condor" & "Round Midnight", to name a few. Keaton's grandmother, Lila Garrett (whom Keaton immortalized in the song "Joseph" on which Keaton took the opportunity to play all the instruments including drums, bass, piano, guitar and vocals) has credits and Emmy awards as writer/ producer/ director on pretty much every situation comedy from the 1960s to the 2000s. Keaton and his father, Jimmy Simons, had a chance recently to work together when Keaton appeared on Fox Televisions' MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, which Jimmy produces and sometimes directs. Keaton was cast by his episode's director, Bryan Cranston, who also plays "Hal" on the series. Keaton's mother, Eliza Roberts, has made a name for herself as a Hollywood Jane of all trades. From actress to casting director, manager to writer. In her early 20s she became producer of the pre-MTV phenomenon "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert". With baby Keaton in tow, Eliza's show hosted live performances from such acts as Chuck Berry, James Brown, The Brothers Johnson, Donna Summers, Abba, Natalie Cole, and featured early comedy by David Letterman, Andy Kaufman, Michael Keaton and almost Robin Williams - but no one could quite figure out what his act was.
Beyond MALCOLM, like many musicians today, Keaton has crossed over into the world of acting, having performed a heart-stopping rendition of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" on NBC's acclaimed "American Dreams". Keaton will also be seen starring in Henry Jaglom's upcoming feature film, "Hollywood Dreams" (Lots of "dreams" needed to sort through some of the harsh realities of our world these days, it would seem). Keaton's earliest work features his mother, Eliza (Garrett), three months pregnant with him, when she appeared as "Brunella, at the desk" in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE.
Joseph
Keaton Simons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He never disappears
Standing up on dim lit stages
Shielded by his tears
Though he was not a lonesome one
His loneliest surprise
Was trapped in unseen reservoirs
Whose borders were his eyes
Never got too used to life
Standing up on podiums
Her words cut like a knife
But when confronted with her skin
Irrelevant she'd say
If only I'd been born a bird
I'd fly them all away
I've got a problem with right and wrong
'Cause it changes all the time
The weakest ones are acting strong
So people gotta die
Lulabelle was walking home
Beneath a crimson sky
A cool dry wind began to blow
She could feel it in her eyes
She came to get some fresh supplies
From an undercover cop
A box with biohazard signs
Is where she makes the drop
Franklin was a cameraman
A teleprompter scribe
And every night he'd tame his hand
Just to give it one more try
He never had to write the lies
Just had to spin 'em right
He says if people knew what I do
They'd be in the streets tonight
I've got a problem with right and wrong
'Cause it changes all the time
The weakest ones are acting strong
So people gotta die
The song "Joseph" by Keaton Simons touches upon the stories of four individuals: Joseph, Lila, Lulabelle, and Franklin. Joseph is characterized as a "child of light" who is strong despite his tears and lonely despite never being alone. He is someone who always stands on dim-lit stages, and his eyes hold an unseen reservoir. Lila, on the other hand, has podiums to stand on, but her words are sharp and always cut deep. Although she is not used to life, she thinks about how irrelevant her skin is and wonders about flying away like a bird. The song then transitions into Franklin, who is a cameraman and a teleprompter scribe. However, he is a spinner of lies who manipulates the truth to fit the narrative. Franklin is afraid that if others knew what he does for a living, they would be out on the streets protesting. Lastly, we have Lulabelle, who is walking home underneath a crimson sky when the wind blows. Lulabelle has a box with biohazard signs, and she is making a drop to an undercover cop.
At a first listen, "Joseph" may seem like a string of unrelated stories, but the song uses the stories of the characters as a metaphor for the human experience. It explores the dichotomy between right and wrong and how it is constantly changing. The weakest individuals are the ones acting the strongest, and in the end, people have to die. Simons' use of character portraits humanizes these people, makes them relatable, and shows how they respond to the injustices of their communities. The song is a call to humanity to understand and empathize with each other while pursuing the truth no matter how difficult it is.
Line by Line Meaning
Joseph was a child of light
Joseph was a cheerful person who radiated positivity and hopefulness.
He never disappears
Joseph's presence and influence are always felt, even when he is not physically present.
Standing up on dim lit stages
Joseph is often found performing or speaking in poorly lit venues.
Shielded by his tears
Joseph often shows his emotions on stage and uses them as a shield or protection against negative energy.
Though he was not a lonesome one
Joseph was not alone in his struggles, but had a support group around him.
His loneliest surprise
Despite having friends and family around him, Joseph still experienced moments of profound loneliness.
Was trapped in unseen reservoirs
Joseph's loneliness was hidden deep within him, and difficult to express.
Whose borders were his eyes
Joseph's eyes revealed the depth of his inner struggles, even if he didn't talk about them.
Lila never quite broke in
Lila never fully embraced the mundanity of everyday life.
Never got too used to life
Lila found daily routines and typical experiences to be boring and unfulfilling.
Standing up on podiums
Lila is a confident speaker and often takes the stage to share her views.
Her words cut like a knife
Lila's opinions and views can be sharp and divisive, causing emotional pain for others.
But when confronted with her skin
When questioned about her beliefs, Lila would deflect and say that physical appearance doesn't matter.
Irrelevant she'd say
Lila believed that focusing on outer beauty or physical traits was pointless and detracted from more important discussions.
If only I'd been born a bird
Lila envisioned herself as something that could escape the constraints of human life and fly away from her problems.
I've got a problem with right and wrong
The concept of morality is confusing and subjective for the artist.
Cause it changes all the time
The artist believes that the definition of right and wrong is fluid and changes with time.
The weakest ones are acting strong
The most vulnerable individuals can take on a position of power or act in a strong, unexpected way in certain situations.
So people gotta die
The singer implies that violence and death are inevitable consequences of conflicts and power struggles.
Lulabelle was walking home
Lulabelle was outside, probably returning home after running errands or completing a task.
Beneath a crimson sky
The sky was a vivid shade of red or orange, signaling that the day was coming to an end.
A cool dry wind began to blow
The weather was changing and a breeze picked up, indicating that a new season was approaching.
She could feel it in her eyes
The wind was strong enough to agitate her eyes and make it difficult to see.
She came to get some fresh supplies
Lulabelle had gone out to buy groceries or other necessities.
From an undercover cop
Lulabelle was involved in illegal or suspicious activities, and the person she was interacting with was actually an undercover police officer.
A box with biohazard signs
The supplies that Lulabelle needed were hazardous or potentially dangerous, and required complete protection during transportation.
Is where she makes the drop
Lulabelle handed over the supplies to the undercover cop in a pre-arranged location.
Franklin was a cameraman
Franklin's job was to control and operate the camera during film or television productions.
A teleprompter scribe
Franklin was also responsible for creating scripts and prompts that were displayed on screen for the presenters to read.
And every night he'd tame his hand
Franklin had to be disciplined and precise in his work, and had to practice and train his hand movements to create smooth shots.
Just to give it one more try
Franklin was willing to put in a lot of effort and work to make sure that his shots were perfect.
He never had to write the lies
Franklin's job was to document and capture events as they happened, rather than fabricate or manipulate the truth.
Just had to spin 'em right
Franklin's challenge was to present events in a compelling and interesting way, while still staying true to the source material.
He says if people knew what I do
Franklin feels as though his job is underappreciated or misunderstood by the general public.
They'd be in the streets tonight
If people knew the truth behind how films and television shows are made, they might be outraged or shocked to the point of protesting.
Contributed by Nathan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.