Hi All. Thanks so much for all of the kind and thoughtful comments on Who?? I was really touched that it sparked so much thought and interest. I released it through CD Baby and did not get much response. That's why I LOVE this forum. It's full of people with a lot of depth and interesting musical perspectives, AND, they are mostly of my era, which I think is wonderful! This song, also reflective or our era, is about disillusionment, and the feeling that you will never recapture that magic that you once felt. The story and title are fictional, not related to any real experience or movement. I chose the name "Union" to create the image of a group of passionate people uniting over some cause. Hope you enjoy! I will catch up with the new tunes on here in the near future. Take care all. Greg
The band:
Bass. 683 Guitars. 1617, 1524 Solo. 1260 Organ. 2692 Sampled Rick 12 elec 12 string by Orange Tree
Union Drive
I went to find myself There on Union drive Back to find that place I stood Last time I felt alive I felt my fingers tingle There was something in the air But still I could not Bring it back from there
I was part of something bigger then My heart was strong and pure I knew that I could see the truth Now I’m not so sure A hollow sound rings in my ears A generation’s song And I wonder were we right back then Or wrong?
Now the wind blows cold And shadows haunt this place where memories live And the hallowed ground where dreams unfolded Has no more to give And I wonder if the power we felt Was really there at all Or is it just a dream that I recall?
Oh the world is standing shaky now On the edge of the abyss And those who say He’s watching over Are wondering where he is Can we return to Eden Are we too far out at see I wonder is this how It’s got to be?
The idea of "Union" and searching for something bigger than ourselves really resonates. I love that it speaks to our generation and its struggles. I'm sure it will find its way to more people who will connect with it.
Super vocal arrangement, really nicely sung. Reminds me a bit of vintage America, but not in a derivative way. You've got the band tucked in there neatly without getting in the way. The solo was a nice touch, and sounds like it could have been written for this song. Super job!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Greg, this is a fantastic song. I got an early Eagles vibe from this one. Outstanding vocal Great lyrics and band. Super mix. One of your best for sure!
I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor. It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
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Brilliant song all around, Greg. I recently saw a quote from a climate scientist who wrote that going back a decade or so he felt sure we'd have solved all of the problems by now, but he hadn't counted on greed and profit overriding all else, He ended by saying something like, 'we don't need a scientific revolution, we need a new evolution in consciousness and love, but us scientists aren't any good at that.' But even less so the corporate loonbuckets!
Some favourite Waoist Adages: #1: Play on the Way. #13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you. #58: Bring consciousness to it. #63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made. #92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
Great song Greg with your harmony vocal sitting in nicely. Good use of the drum intro, what RealDrums style were you using?
Brian Cadoret BIAB 2025 Pro build 1125e with BIAB2023 UltraPAK . Samplitude Pro X4 Suite. Mixcraft 10.5 Pro Studio Focusrite 2i2 Scarlett Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.20 GHz Installed RAM 8.00 GB
Ha! Listening to your Christmas album now too. Another Greg Johnson song ---heck I pushed LIKE (which is such an understatement) while the ad was still playing. Yep, I know what i like. Very good lyrics, Greg. Very relateable. Your vocal can make any gibberish sound good, but when you give it something as solidly written as these... well... A excellent write through and through with a wonderfully pleasing mix.
Hey, I'd like to start a union to stop the use of money in our lives. It ruins everything and stiffles growth more than anything. Now, how many folks ya think would join me?
Hi Greg, Excellent song! Melody on point. Very short intro and radio format as I like them. Nice solo. Just a small remark that I think is advantageous: do not double the voice throughout the song. At specific places but not at the very beginning. Especially since the tone is beautiful. Otherwise, it is a very high quality song. Thank you Greg!
It's a wonderful song with a 1970s vibe. I feel at ease immediately when I listen to songs like this. Even in Japan right now, the pop music scene has evolved so dramatically that it's hard to enjoy listening to them. As you say, most of the people on this forum are from the same generation, so all the songs are immediately familiar to me. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Any time I click on one of your posts, I know it's going to be fantastic. I just wonder what level of fantastic. And, as always, you set the already outrageously high bar even higher. You simply know how to write, produce, arrange, and perform some of the best music I've heard over my almost 78 years. Your music is an auditory art form of the highest quality.
The electric 12-string offered hints of The Eagles, the vocal harmonies of Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, and the smooth arrangement of some of Foreigner's songs. I know—an eclectic mix, but that's what came across to me.
Perhaps give the bass a bit more volume?
You always inspire and impress me - and did it again.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and JOHNSON?...your vocals are always killer but when you lay on the harmony I say "that's the best around"...what a gorgeous song...the first time I listened I paid little attention to the lyric because the package it was delivered in was so captivating...Wow!! and the lyric is haunting and just as compelling as the music...beautiful job Greg...it's ALWAYS a pleasure to hear you!
www.soundclick.com/firesong BiaB 2024, Steinberg Cubase Pro 13, Wavelab 11.2, SpetraLayers Pro 10, Audacity, Steinberg UR44 Interface, Yamaha Genos, Roland FP60 and FP10, Windows 10
You are who you are because you do what you do because of what you believe.
For "on the edge of the abyss" song the production is luckily not so dark and of course your silky voice softens that edge. Well captured feeling in the story, hopefully we are not too far out yet. And this forum is our union drive and music is our cause. Your songs and your voice should get more attention around the world, I hope you have still more to give!
I got Eagles vibe, not my era, but enjoyable and harmonious listen anyway, good instrumentation and very nice solo guitar!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
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Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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