Although I'm just now doing the CD Release for Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion, I am already working on my next CD, A Tribute to Love. The album is nearly complete. There are a few tweaks I want to make, but right now, you can listen and enjoy the album for free, right here.

Now playing: marcgunn's station
- Marc Gunn - A Tribute to Love

Let me know what your favorite songs are on the album.

Today, I was in desperate need of getting out of the apartment. More than that I wanted to go for a walk. But I didn't want to go to Lady Bird Lake (That's the new name of Austin's Town Lake, which officially goes into effect on August 6th, and is named after the recently departed Lady Bird Johnson). So I went for a drive, out through Bee Caves, out to Hamilton Pool, which turned out to be closed. So I continued driving to Pedernales Falls.

Pedernales Falls is one of many state parks in Texas. I know from all the recent flooding I probably wouldn't be able to swim, but I brought a bathing suit just in case. It was humid, but fairly mild overall. The water at the falls was rushing faster than usual this time of year, but not so bad that you're gonna get swept away. So while you could swim, it was not encouraged.

Wearing good walking shows, I tromped and hopped among the rocks. I saw a couple sun bathing and thought lying out on the rocks in the surrounded by running water sounded nice. So I walked up stream past that couple and saw a nice place to go.

Now, let me explain. I was planning on mostly hiking. So I had my hiking shoes on, and I was listening to my iPod, Democracy Now. I had a "Real Men Wear Kilts" tote bag holding a towel, some goggles, and my cell phone. And when I got to this location, I took off my hiking shoes and put on my flip-flops for crossing water. I tied up the laces and threw them over my shoulder along with the tote bag.

I then started hoping a few slabs of stone. In some areas where there was a light cascade of water running between stones, I carefully maneuvered my way across to the next stone to bring myself closer to the center of the river. But I finally came to an area where I couldn't easily hop anywhere. It was about six feet across to the next stone with water running through it.

The water was murky brown from the sediment. So I couldn't see the bottom. But unless I wanted to run and jump... I could see myself trying, then slipping with my iPod slamming broken onto the rock and falling face first into the stone as well, blood gushing from my broken teeth and nose. Yeah, not so appealing.

That meant I had to wade. The water wasn't rushing too fast, so I felt safe I wouldn't get swept down stream. I put my first sandled foot into the water. It was about a foot deep. So I felt a little reassured and felt around for the next step, more rock and maybe six inches deeper. With that I was a third of the way through. Not too shabby.

I must've gotten too cocky, because I took another step and fwuump! I dropped two feet. The water was now at my chest. My iPod was held high and I was able to keep the tote from getting wet, but one show dangled in the water. I would've just thrown it all to the other side, being halfway through the divide. The problem was my left flip-flop.

Because of the awkward step, the flip-flip that had partially come off my foot. I didn't want to lose it. And I didn't want to ruin an iPod or a cellphone either. So I stood there a minute against the waters wondering what the hell I should do. And there up stream was a woman laughing at my comical predicament. No doubt more intrigued by this than the latest Soap Opera.

After trying to maneuver to get the zoree correctly back on my foot without success, I decided to save the rest of my stuff. I was able to easily toss my tote bag and my shoes onto land. That left just the iPod. With one ear bud now dangling in the water, I felt a little bit more confident about lifting my left leg to grab the precarious sandal. I got it!

Then I took another step forward, tossed the iPod on the soft tote and climbed up to the other side. A few more stones further and I found a place to lie down under the cloudy sky to attempt to dry my drenched body.

Thirty minutes later, it started raining. Thinking that'd really suck if the water picked up and I was stranded out on those rocks, I decided to head out of there.

I have to say. For as much as I daze I was in going out there. As much as I had no intent of getting drenched in sedimenty water while visiting the park, it was a wonderful experience. And no doubt a memorable one too. Not saying there's room on my CD, but that experience too seems like a perfect tribute, no matter how quirky, to love.

Yesterday, I was listening to an audio book by Seth Godin. He talked about living the marketing message you want to share. I realized that's probably the reason Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers has done so well. I love cats!

Last night, I was watching a movie and Torre climbed up on little fold out table and stood there like an Egyptian God. He stared off quietly as cats do, looking off into a parallel universe or something.

When he saw me staring, he took a careful moment measuring the distance to the sofa with his eyes. His legs flexed, and he leapt onto the sofa and climbed on my lap. He looked at me to see if I would object. Of course, I didn't. And a couple minutes later, he circled and lay down quietly to nap.

I love when cats do that. I love the way they love. It's so different and yet similar to the way we humans love. My cats are extremely loving and faithful to me. They know their daddy and show it all the time. Sure, sometimes it's a bit stand-offish, but that's just the nature of the cat. If you try petting him when he doesn't want a petting, he shakes you off and walks away. Torre hates it when I kiss him on the forehead. Sometimes he bares it. Sometimes he struggles away. But he's always back with more love to give and share.

That's the amazing thing about love. I'm working on a CD called "A Tribute to Love". Admittedly, I'm far from an expert. I am single, after all. But I do know that love is two-way even if I can't always adequately balance it.

In order to receive love, you need to give it.

But too often our pride gets in the way. We let it hinder our ability to receive by not giving it to others. It works in many arenas too. That's one of the reasons I try to help indie bands so much. It's to receive that feeling of respect that I so greatly desire too. Love is the same way. You have to give it to receive it.

I was thinking about this as I was driving home listening to that Seth Godin audio book, thinking about it in terms of my Love CD. I don't just want to release another CD. This feels like it should be something different. The album is mixture of love songs. Some are traditional Celtic, but most are original songs that I've written over there years that express different aspects of love that I've experienced.

Yesterday, I was thinking about even raising the price on this CD while donating a significant portion to a loving charity. I've thought about limiting the release to only people of a certain loving disposition who want to love and be loved. But I'm not sure either of those things really get to the heart of what I want.

I want something that shares my love with others. I want something that you can share with people you love. I want to hear hearts beat rapidly throughout the world, all in the name of love.

Maybe it's a little hopeful since I still need finish recording and mix the album. Maybe it's too big a dream to expect from one little album, but love is important in life. And with any luck, I hope to bring a little bit more into the world.

Yesterday, I wrote a new song. I called it "Silhouette of Love" at the time. I wrote it after leaving Zilker Park, here in Austin. I spent a good forty-five minutes practicing in the heat of the day and wanted some traveling music. I started playing a melody.

It was simple, beautiful, and touching. And as I walked I had an image in my mind. And it's funny. Just about everyone who heard the tune recognized what I was not verbalizing. When I started playing, the song was to be called "Pottery Girl", but this is what came out. It was not just a "Silhouette of Love", but a "Silhouette of Longing Love." The song was inspired by an ex with whom I split on poor terms.

As I lay in bed time tonight, I thought it was kind of ironic. Part of the reason for breakup was that I was unable to put her first. I thought too much about me. That's what I find ironic. This song is not about "Pottery Girl", it's about me. It's about my own longing for love and the shadows that linger over it. I guess I still haven't learned.

Well, whatever the reason for the song, I think it is a touching reminder that love comes in all shapes and sizes. It's not always happy and blissful. Sometimes you don't get the girl and ride off into the sunset. Sometimes you're left longing and hoping for that Ever After.

"Silhouette of Longing Love"
Listen: LoFi
Recorded by Marc Gunn
From: A Tribute to Love (coming in August 2007)

Download MP3: 128 kbps
Buy MP3 for 99¢: 192 kbps
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I've been in my apartment way too much recently. So today, I made a break for it. I went down to ZIlker Park, brought my autoharp and played music. It was a beautiful warm, sunny day. Families and kids were out in full force, and how I would've loved to go swimming in the Barton Springs Pool, but it's not until July that I have my follow-up Lasik appointment.

I forgot to bring a bottle of water, so after about 45 minutes, I packed up the autoharp, walked along and played. I came up with a lovely melody or rather soundscape on the way to Flipnotics. So when I finally drove home, I recorded it. Now I'm just trying to figure out what effects to put on it. I was thinking of putting it on my A Tribute to Love CD.

I'm tentatively calling it "Silhoutte of Love". Let me know what you think.

Listen here (LoFi)!

The idea for this CD arose in the Fall of 2006. I wanted to release an album of love songs for Valentine's Day. Alas, through too much procrastination, that goal totally fell through. It was put on the back burner until... Valentine's Day, when I leaped head first into this project with all my heart.

Love. I've been in love. I've felt myself floating on it's wings and sang to the angels in thanks. Once upon a time, I was a hopeless romantic. But I don't like being hopeless. So I became a hopeful romantic. I began looking for love and found myself falling. The challenge I discovered is that just because I'm in love doesn't not mean we are meant to be together. Our differences may segregate us and keep us from achieving whatever holy state of being may exist from a "perfect" romance.

And perhaps THAT is the real challenge. My expectation. There are ups and downs, ins and outs in love. It's not all romantic love songs. That's why when I began to choose the love songs I wanted to record, I decided to keep it real. To cover a wide variety of love that is not all flowers and candy. Some times it's filled with heartbreak. Other times, it's comical. Still other times it's unreal, mystical.

That's what this CD is about. A Tribute to LOVE! is an album of love songs. There are some folk songs about love, and then there are some songs from my own experience. But they are all from my experience. These are the songs I love to sing when I want to feel romance in my life. And I hope others will find them just as romantic.

The album is still in the production, but here are some of the songs I hope to include on the CD:

1. They Call Me Crazy
2. Froggie Went A-Courtin'
3. Star of the County Down
4. Heart and Soul
5. The Gosling Reborn
6. A Faint Heart
7. Another Lonely Night
8. When She Held Me In Her Arms
9. Liquid Sunshine
10. Here's to the Dreamers
11. Wild Mountain Thyme
12. Tiziano Gunn
13. Silhouette of Longing Love
14. The Hobbit Journey Home
    

These may not be the songs that end up on the final. There might be a few changes, but keep reading here and you'll find out the latest on how to pick up a copy of this CD.