With the help of social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook, Patrick Joseph’s self-recorded demos circulated the internet, receiving positive reviews and gaining a steady internet fan-base which inspired him to release a compilation of these demos in 2007 entitled The Basement Tapes EP. The Basement Tapes EP was distributed through indie music site CDBaby.com where it received top-ratings from fans and is now sold out and out-of-print. “I never intended on putting those songs out there as prematurely as I did,” he explains, “But it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Those songs were all just sketches of my early moments as a songwriter, the first steps of exploration.”
After nearly two years of playing shows and writing in the Pittsburgh region, Joseph decided it was time for new horizons. “There’s a certain ceiling you feel that you hit in the smaller cities,” he explains. “Even if you don’t actually hit the ceiling full-on, you can see it and become aware of it and it makes you anxious, nervous, a little antsy. I saw the ceiling of Pittsburgh from below and thought maybe I should plant my roots someplace a little bigger, a little brighter.” Taking his own advice, in the fall of 2008 he replanted himself across the country in Los Angeles, California and currently resides in the neighborhood of Los Feliz.
During August of 2009, Patrick Joseph’s song “Arsonist Blues” was featured in an online contest at indie music website musicnation.com. Sponsored by Spin Magazine, Hennessy, Epic Records and Gibson Guitars, the contest was based on fan voting and boasted a recording contract as top prize. Amongst two-thousand entries, “Arsonist Blues” won first prize in the fan head-to-head competition, receiving praise from both fans and judges such as acclaimed singer-songwriter Butch Walker and current editor of Spin Magazine Doug Brod. This prompted an offer to sign with budding indie label Original Signal Records (Ingrid Michaelson, Butch Walker), but after careful consideration Joseph declined to sign. “It wasn’t the right thing, the right time. I was just in the process of moving cross-country and I really wanted to keep my options open.”
A gifted composer, arranger, songwriter, performer and producer, Patrick Joseph even adds recording his own material to his list of tasks. “I never really wanted to be my own recording engineer or producer,” he muses. “It just kind of fell on me and now I’m stuck under it, it’s something I’ve always done though. I guess it just came out of necessity. Once you get the reigns of a certain degree of power it’s hard to get used to letting go though, manipulating the songs and not having to run ideas through another filter before they hit the tape. There’s only a certain amount of processing, a certain number of tasks that can travel through the human brain at any particular time at once and if you don’t delegate or organize those tasks then you’re due for some kind of a meltdown.” When asked about the idea of collaborating with a producer in the future he responded, “Oh absolutely yes, that’s the goal, I suppose - to find someone I really respect musically and can operate on the same page with. I look forward to the day when I can bounce ideas and create a chemistry with someone in the studio. Or having someone to hit ‘record’ would be a nice start, too.”
In November 2010, Joseph released his debut full-length album Antiques. "It's been a long time coming, but it feels great to get those songs off of my conscience and out in the open air breathing on their own instead of living off of digesting the gray matter in my own head," he explains. "I spent some good time mixing them, re-treating some old tracks and adding some new ones and I think it's a pretty great little record. Adam Ayan (Foo Fighters, Incubus, Rolling Stones) at Gateway Mastering mastered it up over there in Maine and did a phenominal job - it sounds superb."
In January 2011, Patrick Joseph was nominated for The Deli Magazine's "Top Emerging Artists of 2010," a fan-based voting poll that was held on their website, http://national.thedelimagazine.com. Joseph finished as the runner-up vote recepient for the city of Los Angeles.
You can catch Patrick Joseph performing live this winter and spring in Southern California as he promotes Antiques as an acoustic duo with his friend and guitarist, Lucas Martinez.
Currently, he is working on a brand-new EP release of select cover songs entitled Stranger's Shoes with Lucas Martinez, due out by Summer 2011. Each track from Stranger's Shoes will have its very own YouTube video posted, including already-popular covers he's performed such as Radiohead's "Idioteque" and "Feeling Good."
He is also working on an unplugged EP of select tracks from Antiques, which embody the acoustic set heard live. This release is also due out by Summer 2011.
Joseph just recently announced that he is also currently tracking his second studio album entitled Moon King, due out by the end of 2011.
Antiques is available on iTunes and Amazon, as well as virtually every digital distribution outlet on the web and of course, hard copies are available here at patrickjoseph.com.
Patrick Joseph is currently unsigned.
The Last Laugh
Patrick Joseph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you ever pay attention twice
And now that I'm old as ancient scripture
I know nothing in this world would suffice
Don't you ever go away,
You heard me say in the language of a troubador
A lulluby of yesterday would surely delay
I'll be waiting for you
With my life stuck in a standstill like an old photograph
And I'm going to follow it through
From the top of the story to the last paragraph
And I'm going to see to it that I have the last laugh
So now that your walls are slowly fading
I found freedom from your paradise
And now that my cards are finally folding
I would much prefer the roll of the dice
And don't you ever come my way,
I heard you say from the silence of your slow demeanor
A lulluby of yesterday would surely decay
Any remanence of an unsettled score
I'll be waiting for you
With my life stuck in a standstill like an old photograph
And I'm going to follow it through
From the top of the story to the last paragraph
And I'm going to see to it that I have the last laugh
I'm going to see to it that I have the last laugh
In Patrick Joseph's song "The Last Laugh," the singer reflects on an ended romantic relationship, hinting at betrayed trust and old grudges. The opening line suggests the singer is fading from the picture of their ex, likely referencing an actual photograph. The following line warns their ex not to pay attention twice, implying that they have already been hurt by this person before. The singer then goes on to note their aging, implying that they have gained a new perspective on the relationship and the world. Despite this, they acknowledge that nothing in the world will suffice to fully satisfy them.
The chorus centers around the singer waiting for their ex, though the ex's feelings seem more ambivalent. The singer employs poetic language, calling upon a troubadour and a lullaby from yesterday, something nostalgic and comforting, but not necessarily applicable to their current situation. The unsettled score implies that there is still something unresolved between the pair, perhaps some lingering resentment or mistrust.
In the second verse, the singer seems to have found some freedom from their ex's hold on them, but they also acknowledge the risk they took by seeking that freedom. The choice between folding cards and rolling dice suggests a willingness to let go of something known for the possibility of something better. The final chorus once again calls for the ex to return, but this time with a warning that they themselves should stay away as well. The singer seems determined to end the relationship on their terms, even if it means being left alone. They vow to have the last laugh, indicating a sense of triumph over their ex that may only exist in their own mind.
Overall, the song speaks to the complexity of romantic relationships and the lingering emotions that may persist even after the relationship has ended. The use of poetic language and metaphors, such as the troubadour and the roll of the dice, add layers of meaning to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
So now that I'm fading from your picture
Now that I'm no longer important in your life
Don't you ever pay attention twice
Do not give me any further attention
And now that I'm old as ancient scripture
Now that I've aged, like an old text
I know nothing in this world would suffice
Nothing in this world could satisfy me
Don't you ever go away,
Do not leave me
You heard me say in the language of a troubador
I've expressed myself in the style of a poet
A lulluby of yesterday would surely delay
Delving in the past would only slow us down
Any remanence of an unsettled score
Any unresolved issues between us
I'll be waiting for you
I will wait for you
With my life stuck in a standstill like an old photograph
My life has stopped progressing, like an old picture
And I'm going to follow it through
I will continue to pursue this course of action
From the top of the story to the last paragraph
From the beginning to the end of our story
And I'm going to see to it that I have the last laugh
I will make sure that I have the final victory
So now that your walls are slowly fading
Now that your defenses are weakening
I found freedom from your paradise
I've found liberty from your ideal world
And now that my cards are finally folding
Now that my luck is running out
I would much prefer the roll of the dice
I'm willing to take a chance
And don't you ever come my way,
Don't approach me
I heard you say from the silence of your slow demeanor
I heard you express yourself quietly and slowly
A lulluby of yesterday would surely decay
Talking about our past would only bring negative consequences
Any remanence of an unsettled score
Any unresolved issues between us
I'm going to see to it that I have the last laugh
I will make sure that I have the final victory
Lyrics © G.W. PRODUCTIONS BV
Written by: Patrick Joseph
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind