On Yore Side

Listen Now to Joe’s Band The Looters!

J. Lyon Layden — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:35:36 +0000

The Looters on reverbNation #2 on Alternative Charts!!

J. Lyon Layden — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:10:09 +0000

The Looters on reverb Nation #1 on Blues Charts!

J. Lyon Layden — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:07:04 +0000

Once Upon A Frog

J. Lyon Layden — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:01:24 +0000

Here’s a great story about a frog I know you all will love! Great lesson and wonderful animated pictures as well!

Here’s The Link!

Another Old Dog

J. Lyon Layden — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:41:53 +0000

” Memory of Youth”

Old dog, why do you lie so still?
Are you thinking of younger days
When you ran like the wind?
Old dog, Why do lie so still?
Are you thinking of how it used to be,
Barking; spinning, digging up the sand?
Old dog, why do you lie so still?
Do you remember the puppy in you
That has long since faded into the blue?
Old dog; why do you lie so still?
Are you thinking of tossing the toys
No longer giving you the same joys?
Old dog, I remember all those things…
And the happiness to my memory it brings….
I remember it all- the simple pleasure of a tennis ball;
Gulping your food; raising the brood;
Of kittens, foster dogs; many a critter-
You thought was YOUR litter.
Old dog; they are grown and gone.
Our time together is fading fast;
I remember the black muzzle;
Now white with age-
I remember the dark brown eyes
Now blue with haze.
I think back of the pep in your step;
Now nothing but a painful limp.
Your beautiful body; once so black and so silver
Has changed to white and lost all it’s shimmer.
Now your days are filled with pain;
Illness has taken you -where you remain.
Goodbye ; old Friend-
I will hold you through the end.
I will think of your strength ;
Your sweetness; as I watch you depart this world.
Your youth will then be restored……
Forever.

Old Dog

J. Lyon Layden — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:41:09 +0000

“Old Dog”
OLD DOG,
Why do you lie so still?
Are you thinking of when you were a pup?
Are you longing to be a pup?

OLD DOG,
Why do you lie so still?
Do you remember your mother?
Do you want your mother near you?

OLD DOG,
Why do you lie so still?
You must be dreaming of childhood.
You must be afraid to die.

OLD DOG,
Why do you lie so still?
Will you never wake up?
Won’t you ever wake up?

–Ann Covici

Trip to The Forest Hostel in Brunswick

J. Lyon Layden — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:42:52 +0000

I haven’t been there in three years, and the signs had changed, so it took a “test exit” or two before finally finding myself on a road that I knew that I recognized. Like always, I never saw the small green “Hostel in the Forest” sign on the left of the road, marking the main road. In fact the only reason I know it’s there is because my band van broke down beside it once upon a time.
So I found myself again on Mister Road at twilight. At the end a small array of parked cars and trucks were lined between the road and the forest, as if they had been recently abandoned by a Book Club just finishing “Walden.”
The back gate to the Hostel had been painted in flower graffitti, reminescent of the art that covers the entry arch into the lawless, broken streets of Christiana in Denmark. Having been so long away, when I took the small path around the gate and stepped into the forest, I felt almost like the kids in bridge to terabithia who swung across the creek.
Amazingly, and immediately, a huge doe sprung from the patch somewhere to the right of the path, and bolted across not 12 feet in front of me. As I watched it dash off into the distance, I noticed that more gardens had been planted among the trees, and decorated benches had been set along the garden trails.
I couldn’t hear any human voices in the forest as I walked along the trails, but the sounds of birds in the underbrush and squirrels in the trees mixed with the familiar sound of ducks sqwawking in the pond and chickens fussing up ahead at the main dome. Flowers buttered the leaves of the plants and trees along the path, and as the wet leaves brushed against me from the sides of the path, the mingled scents of nature began to penetrate my mind. I passed a few treehouses on the way up, and soon was at the main dome complex where you check in, sprawling like a Ewok home from the movie Star Wars on the forest floor before me. I found that it was quiet because it was dinner time, and everyone was chowing down. Instead of checking in I was given a plate and a smile and sat down to have dinner with the people of the forest.
Dinner was garden salad and vinegerette vegetables grown organically at the Hostel itself, rye grain macoroni and cheese, whole wheat brownies and cold cous coux (sp?) which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Not surprisingly, I only knew one person there; a guitarist from England in Savannah named Murray who plays some awesome jazz. After dinner we sat around the fire playing old songs until the first drops of cold rain and thunder forced us to flee for our Martin’s and Ibanez’s lives…

Upcoming On Yore Side Album

J. Lyon Layden — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:15:35 +0000

Have you been reading The Other Side of Yore and find yourself able to imagine the voices of the frogs and toads singing the songs you find between the pages? Have you ever wondered what Frawg’s voice might sound like, as he’s poling down the river on his tortoise shell boat? Do you imagine that Dr. Croaks has a deep, sonorous singing voice or that Buzz sings in a high falsetto? Have you ever wondered whether or not Frawg’s theotar sounds more like a guitar or a mandolin?

Well we’ve got great news!
Next week, Kenny Savage and my brother Eric Layden will be entering a state of the art studio in Savannah to record the long awaited album! All of the songs in the book will be recorded and mastered, and soon you will be able to listen to the music while you read the book!

Eric and I recently played together for the first time since our tour of Europe and the Atlanta Jazz Festival with Saskia Laroo, and it’s like we never skipped a beat! I am truly excited about this new album, and quite proud of the songs that are coming out of this reunion. And I am equally happy that Kenny is playing rhythm guitar and keyboards: we haven’t played with him since our early 20s when we were just starting out in music.

So in the next few months, check back here for sneak peeks! We’ll be releasing several of the songs on the album for FREE!

Big Show Tonight

J. Lyon Layden — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:39:20 +0000

Well I played my first real music gig in about 4 years last weekend with long time partner Kenny Savage and my brother Eric Layden. The show was on a dock bar called It’s 5 O’clock Cafe at the Richmond Hill Marina, which is one of the coolest laid back bars I’ve ever been to. It’s got a great atmosphere with the Ogeechee River always rolling by and unique decor and artwork, and the show was a real hit with the locals. We played mostly rock and old school cover songs, but slipped a few originals in there, too. Since the owner and crowd enjoyed the show, we’re going to be playing again tonight, Friday the 30th, from 9:30 until about 1:00, so if you’re in the neighborhood please drop on by!
Once in Richmond Hill, you take turn off Hwy 17 onto Hwy 144 (into Richmond Hill and away from Ft. Stewart). Hwy 144 goes about 7 miles before you’ll see 144 Spur/Ft. McAllister Rd. on your left. Take 144 and once you come to the breezeway the Marina/Bar will be on your left. If you get to the actual Fort, you’ve gone just a little too far. Hope to see you there!

Amphibian Ark’s first species-naming auction ends tomorrow (and other updates)

J. Lyon Layden — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:18:25 +0000

Things are really hopping at Amphibian Ark:

Just in case you missed it, our first species-naming auction ends tomorrow. Other auctions will happen over the course of the summer and fall. Here is a link to the auction site: http://www.charitybuzz.com/area.do?id=773. If the idea of supporting Amphibian Ark and having the honor of naming a newly discovered species is something you’re interested in, please go to the auction site, learn about the new frog, and make a bid!

Jean-Michel Cousteau has joined Amphibian Ark as a patron and taped a special video message for all of us. You can see it on TreeHugger.com: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/frog-help.php

Everyone is encouraged to do something to support amphibian conservation under our summer-long 5 for Frogs campaign. Learn about it here: http://www.amphibianark.org/50ways.htm

Finally, as always, please pass this along to anyone you think would like to learn about the amphibian crisis, sign the Amphibian Ark petition, or make a donation.
Here is the petition page on our Web site: http://www.amphibianark.org/online-petition.php

And here is where you can donate: http://www.amphibianark.org/donations.htm

-Jeff Davis