During his three years of exile in Boston as a scholarship student at the Berklee School of Music, far from his Florida home, Jonathan Bates pulled further and further away from all that the city represented. “There wasn’t much to do except get drunk, do drugs, or get into fights,” he remembers. “And it always seemed to be snowing. So I started to write music.”
Beginning with … boredom never sounded so sweet, a home-brewed EP that he produced in 1999 and gave away to strangers on the street, Bates put together a body of work under the name mellowdrone. “I didn’t want to use my own name because people might come to expect me to do only one kind of music,” he explains. “With another name, I felt that I could do anything.”
The disc made its way to L.A., and Bates, convinced that “Berklee really sucked,” followed. Essentially homeless for several months, he crashed on the couches of friends, picked up odd jobs, but mainly concentrated on writing new material. Once he got his own place he pieced together a makeshift studio, with a bargain-basement computer, a tinny Casio keyboard from Radio Shack, and a few guitars.
From this jumble of mismatched gear came the second mellowdrone EP, glassblower, on January 1, 2001, which Bates sold exclusively on his website, mellowdrone.com. Word of this odd, somewhat solitary, and frighteningly talented artist began to spread: Ryan Ayanian spent three months tracking him down in order to sign on as his co-manager, and producer/A&R executive Tony Berg, whose track record includes discovering Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Beck, made mellowdrone one of his first signings after coming onboard at ARTISTdirect Records.
“Jonathan isn’t afraid to take on difficult subjects,” he explains. “He does not write with inhibition. And that individuality is also manifest in his recording process, which is the most unusual hybrid of DIY and state-of-the-art I’ve ever encountered. His recordings have a homespun quality, yet you’re dazzled by the sonics. That, coupled with his songwriting and his talent as a musician, distinguishes him from anybody I’ve ever heard. Plus, he can make me laugh at will – which gives him a power over me I’m not altogether happy about.”
As an opening act for Elbow, South, Remy Zero, Starsailor, and other headliners at West Coast shows, mellowdrone added stage chops to studio wizardry, both in group and solo settings. “One moment he’s playing something beautiful and mesmerizing,” says Ayanian, “then all of a sudden he’s a total smart-ass onstage. At one of his earliest shows a few girls sitting in the front were laughing. Jonathan stopped in mid-song and said, ‘Hold on…will you laugh again, please?’ He totally put this girl on the spot, but she did laugh, and he recorded it and wove the sample into the rhythm of his next song. He had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand.”
Citing influences that range from film score composer Danny Elfman through French avant-gardist Erik Satie to his “favorite Beatle” George Harrison, Bates has taken the next big step in his career with the EP a demonstration of intellectual property, an ambitious project conceived specifically to break free from pop clichés and force people to look at themselves and their world in unfamiliar ways.
“I don’t want to be preachy,” he insists, “and if I took myself too seriously I’d be the first guy to make fun of that. But with everybody sick of what’s going on but not doing anything about it, if I can say something through music that makes people really question the way things are, then that’s all I really want to do. But who gives a fuck what I think anyway.”
For more info on the band please visit the official home page.
http://www.mellowdrone.com
http://myspace.com/mellowdrone
Beautiful Day
Mellowdrone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No more waiting for the usual thing
Don't dare waste your time, boy
Don't dare waste your time
No more waiting for the usual thing
What can I do to make this plan go through?
Approach it then in a different way
Some day I'll get it right
Today's gonna be a beautiful day
The lyrics to Mellowdrone's song "Beautiful Day" are a hopeful and inspiring message about taking control of one's life and making the most of each day. The singer starts by declaring that today is going to be a beautiful day and encourages the listener to stop waiting for the usual mundane things to happen. The singer acknowledges that time is precious and should not be wasted. He then asks for advice on how to make his plan work, but ultimately decides to approach it in a different way. The singer promises to keep working at it until he gets it right.
The song's message is one of optimism and motivation. It encourages listeners to take control of their lives and not wait for things to happen to them. It is a reminder that each day is precious and should be spent pursuing our dreams and making the most of our time. The song has a catchy and upbeat melody that perfectly captures the uplifting message of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Today's gonna be a beautiful day
The singer is optimistic about the day ahead and believes it will be wonderful.
No more waiting for the usual thing
The singer is tired of the mundane routine and is ready for something new and exciting.
Don't dare waste your time, boy
The singer urges the listener to not waste their time and take action towards their goals.
Don't dare waste your time
The singer reiterates the importance of not wasting time and encourages the listener to be proactive.
No more waiting for the usual thing
The singer repeats their desire for change and to break free from monotony.
What can I do to make this plan go through?
The singer is contemplating what actions they can take to achieve their goal.
Approach it then in a different way
The singer suggests trying a new approach to attain their objective.
Some day I'll get it right
The singer is hopeful for future success despite past failures.
I swear I'll get it right
The singer is making a promise to themselves to keep trying until they meet their goal.
Today's gonna be a beautiful day
The singer ends the song on a positive note, affirming their belief that the day will be great.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jonathan Forest Bates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S P
First mellowdrone song I ever heard when I worked at a record store in Seattle in 2003. I would listen to this whole ep and drive to the cold pacific and jump in. It was winter and very cold, but felt really good.
L Mack
love this
Rosso The'Crimson
Same year I heard it while working at the theater lol
Glitches and Things
Jeez, this is only the third song I've listened to by them in the past 15 minutes or so but I think I'm already in love with them. For serious.
rascomedia
Funny thing....this guy is one of the sickest guitarists you will ever meet. And you wouldn't know it by watching him perform now. He used to be a metal thrasher in high school. He played Dave Mustaine's solos better than Dave did. Then he went to Berklee College of Music and refined his song writing skills. Everyone suddenly discovered that he has an amazing voice that he had been hiding away for so long. Glad to see him living the dream.
Monorail
One of my friends slid me this album back in '03 as a burned demo because I guess they grew up together. Always loved it; glad to see it up now!
zdenifka
Love this song... !! the best song ever..
Rosso The'Crimson
I still have this burned on a crappy cd. Lol. I would get these on demo cds back when I was a baby working at my first job at the theatre. Loved this soothing yet dark beat. There's was another song on this disc that I liked too. Have yet to find it.
Marylou GB
Niiiiice song. I looooove it :)
Frank Makes Stuff
IDK.... but I do recommend just buying the album, the whole thing is great so it's worth it.