Working on the new
album last night, I was revelling in the way Little Rose Tattoo has turned
out. It’s been a long time in the making
– I wrote the song in 2000 while apprenticing as a tattooist. But it never felt “right” until now. Some songs just need to mature to hit their
stride, I guess.
It got me thinking of
my history with songs. In particular,
the first one that I wrote. “Unknown
Desire” was a disgustingly saccharine ballad that I wrote when I was 15. Predictably, it was about I girl that I was
too shy to approach. I don’t remember
which one, there were so many back then.
Thankfully, I don’t
remember the lyrics. Unfortunately, I recorded
my feeble attempt at rock stardom. One
take, me mumbling the song as I strummed away into a cassette recorder. I gave it to a friend’s girlfriend as a birthday
gift (my first groupie), and a few years later she played it back for me.
I’m glad I wrote it –
every attempt improves your craft. And I
learned from the experience (never give sexy gifts to friends’ girlfriends).
Of all the songs I’ve
written, and there are hundreds, Unknown Desire is the one that I’m glad will
never be heard again. As long as that
damned cassette tape has oxidized by now…
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