Lara's Guitar

Since I started selling 'Reflecting The Broken Mirror' last year, I've had a few comments about one track not really fitting in with the rest. Lara's Guitar is the only instrumental, it's simply one acoustic guitar being strummed for around 3 minutes.

In 2007, my best friend got married. Along with being his best man, he asked me to write and record the music for his bride to walk down the aisle to. How's that for an honour??? I gladly accepted.
I instantly thought of using a half-written song I've had tucked away for a couple of years. It's a pretty piano-based melody, but still cool enough to not be cheesy wedding music. I adjusted it a bit, and gave him a quick test recording. "Pretty," he replied. "Get rid of that fucking piano - you're a guitarist!" They were having a Teddy-boy styled wedding, so I decided to make it really cool. Keeping the basic structure for the song, I added some simple drums, a swinging bassline and some twangy, tremolo guitar. Very cool, it made me think of Buddy Holly with a goth edge. I proudly sat him down and played him the track. He STILL didn't like it!
Back to the drawing board I went. I was unsure of where to go from there, and reminded of why I don't want to write music for a living: I do what I want, not what you want.

One night I stayed home to watch Apocalypto. As most musicians do (to the annoyance of our partners), I sat a guitar on my lap and plucked away absently while absorbed in the movie. During the rape/pillage of the Mayan village, I suddenly got distracted by the funny sounds coming from the box on my lap. Without realizing it, I had started to play the progression that would be perfect for my friend's wedding. Excitedly, I stopped the film and got to work.
Shane loved the music. It was simple, guitar-based, and just the right length. His bride, Lara, didn't even care to hear it beforehand. She said that her faith in me (she also begged me to not let her groom dress as Ziggy Stardust) was enough.
Instead of recording it for the ceremony, I was able to bring my guitar and play it live as she entered the room. That's when I realized how right it was for them, and made it actually mean something to me.
Shortly afterwards, my friend moved to Ireland to live with his new family. This songs is a connection between us (one of many) and it seemed important to be included in the collection of songs I was putting together.

I don't think I ever told them that it was inspired by a horrible scene in a movie about a nearly-extinct culture.