Folks! This is my first full 5-piece band show of the year, and it's got everything you could want: good tunes, good musicians, and BOWLING!!! Yes, that's right, we're going to be playing at the most happenin' bowling alley in Colorado. They've got a great stage and just the right ambiance.
Do you know that feeling you get when you nail a 7-10 split? That's what it's going to be like on Sunday, April 12th at Chipper Lanes (2454 8th Avenue, Greeley), only we'll be there from 8 to 10 p.m. Don't be a gutter ball! Come enjoy the show!
Every day this January, I'll be composing a brand new song from scratch and then posting it online for all to see! There will be other songwriters joining me along the way. Come see the raw creativity in action on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky!
It's been an incredible summer of music! It's been a few years since I played this many shows, and it's great to be back in the swing of things. Check out some of these performances!
NEW RELEASE!!! Here's my latest single, "You Told A Lie", written and performed by me, Dave Coile's Musical Extravaganza (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, whistle), produced by Robby Layton (bass guitar, backing vocals), with Teresa Penbrooke (percussion, backing vocals), and featuring Valerie Bhat's violin orchestra! Available on all streaming platforms.
This is the half hour set that I performed with 2 of my 4 bandmates at Bootstrap Brewery a couple weeks ago. I'm eligible for a full, Thursday night gig, but their system involves potential performers getting "votes" from their fans, just to show that we have a following.
PLEASE VOTE FOR THE DAVE COILE ARRAY!!! Here's the link for voting:
The bands are listed chronologically based on when they performed, so scroll down to 3/31, and you'll see our colorful band picture. This is NOT a competition; if you see other bands you like, you should vote for them, too. And it doesn't matter if you're local, either-- I'll make a point of live streaming the show if we get it.
Thanks for helping get my music out to the masses!
The Dave Coile Array will be playing this House Concert in Arvada, CO!
Bring a dish to share and a suggested $20 for the band.
5 p.m. for food and socializing; music starts around 6 p.m.
Please RSVP for the address.
Host & Opening Act - Peggy Kolaga
The Dave Coile Array - Dave Coile (vocals & Acoustic Guitar) - Trish Applegate (harmony vocals & hand percussion) - Jay Allen (bass) - Matt Cardenas (drums) - with special guest John Bunzli on electric guitar!
It's my birthday! And what better way to celebrate than by releasing my very first official single.
Produced by Robby Layton, with Robby also on lead guitar, Trish Applegate on harmony vocals and hand percussion, Jay Allen on bass, and Matt Cardenas on drums! I'm the guy singing and playing acoustic guitar...
Lyrics: I wanna have my cake and eat it, too I wanna lie in the bed that I made I wanna count my eggs before they hatch I wanna fail the test but still make the grade
And you may think I'm crazy Trying to have it both ways
I wanna mix my business with pleasure Stir it up and pour it into a glass 'Cause that way I could take my shots And nobody would think I'm an ass
But people think it's crazy Trying to have it both ways
I wanna be rich but live like a peasant Be a king who doesn't wear any robes Or maybe be a starving actor Who gets cast to play in all of the roles
It may be that I'm crazy Trying to have it both ways
But I believe It can be achieved Finding my true meaning Somewhere in-between
***
Details:
My requirements for the last song of any Song-a-day January is that it get done quickly. But it's also sometimes a confessional. This one is definitely dealing with some of the weirdness of trying to be a working artist; in a lot of ways, it feels like cheating the system. You're not supposed to live like this. But I'm greedy, I guess-- I want to find a way to live creatively without being completely poor, and to be productive but still have as healthy social life.
There are also issues with commitment. I've definitely committed to being creative, but hesitant to do all the things you're supposed to do to be successful at it. I have all sorts of mental blocks and emotional barriers to doing various things.
But one thing I love about this project is that it somehow brings together the creative, the social, and the business sides of things in a fluid fashion. It allows me to do what I really love doing, which is writing songs. When I co-write, it allows me to potentially make new friends and to maintain older friendships. And posting the songs everyday is a great marketing tool. It's not perfect-- I haven't figured out how to monetize it, yet. But it's a great example of how you can pull all these different facets together.
Anyway, back to the song. I was listening to the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" just before starting, and the chord progression and groove bear some resemblance. But the rest of the song goes in a completely different direction. I started out with a bunch of well-known idioms; I recognize that they don't all mean exactly what I want them to mean, but structurally, they're what I was going for. They'll get better in revision. I''d like to get all the verses to be kind of like the 2nd verse-- taking a cliche, but putting a spin on it.
Anyway, I"ll admit that this isn't anywhere close to my favorite song of the month, but I think it emotionally wraps up the project.
Birds of a feather flock together And so they gave them names Tina and Louie, they were ready To play some turkey games
They were playing peek-a-boo Flew up to the second floor They became the peeping toms And would be forever more
Gobble gobble gobble Gobble gobble gobble They loved them worms and grains Gobble gobble gobble Gobble gobble gobble In the turkey hall of fame
Doctors, nurses and patients They loved them little guys Every time they saw them You know they'd get a rise
Gobble gobble gobble Gobble gobble gobble They loved them worms and grains Gobble gobble gobble Gobble gobble gobble In the turkey hall of fame
Don't know why that mournful day The turkey crossed the road But Tina tried, got squashed and died That's how the story goes
Gobble gobble gobble Gobble gobble gobble They loved them worms and grains Gobble gobble gobble Gobble gobble gobble In the Longmont United Hospital Same day surgery, post op And recovery unit Turkey hall of fame
***
Details:
Back in December, Pony Lee and I talked about writing a song together, and I suggested we set something up in January. About a week ago, he called me and said he wanted to write a song about a turkey that was the mascot for Longmont United Hospital. What's more, he wanted to write it at the hospital and sing it to the staff. So that's what we did...
Day 29: Novocaine Brain By Trish Applegate-Loetz, Robby Layton and David Coile
Lyrics:
Big bang trauma therapy Stepping out of the crash Sensory singularity Life gone by in a flash
Who, what, when, where, why and how? Is it even real? Battered, bloodied and beaten down But how come I can't feel?
Novocaine brain It's keeping me sane Novocaine brain It's my only relief from the pain
Heading home in the usual way Saw I had a green light Looking forward to dinner at eight Then came the truck from the right
Novocaine brain It's keeping me sane Novocaine brain It's my only relief from the pain
Novocaine brain It's killing the pain But it's insane Maybe it's time to feel the pain
***
Details:
Trish and Robby are both in my band, and we've written songs together as duos, but never as a trio. We haven't had a chance to catch up for a while, so it took us some time to get started, and when we did, we were really struggling to get mutually inspired.
We've all had politics on the mind lately, but weren't sure if we wanted to tackle it directly. But the world overall seems like a crazy place, and Trish got to talking about how dreamlike it is-- sometimes it's hard to believe it's even real.
Once we had the topic, it came together fairly quickly. We did spend a lot of time trying to figure out the chord progression, and ended up with this grunge-like guitar part, and we were a little inspired by Kurt Cobain's lyrical style. But the lyrics started out telling a more literal story, then got more oblique as we went forward.
I love my band-- they're great to work with! And I'm glad we got to write an original tune together. Next, we might try writing a song with all five of us.
Day 28: Ice Castles Melt Into The OceanBy David Coile
Lyrics:
There will come a time When winter reigns When the land is white And the sky is grey When all that glistens Will be frozen And frost will settle On the ocean
We will dream Of azure skies Of emerald leaves A golden sunrise Of inland streams Softly flowing Until they join With the ocean
Now we see The glacial walls The urban tundra The frigid halls But every fortress Confronts erosion And all ice castles melt Into the ocean
***
Details:
Another struggle tonight; thank god I only have a couple more days left. I didn't have any inspiration tonight, so I just started playing around with the guitar again. I capo'd up real high and tried out a tinkling sound and decided it sounded like ice. I like writing songs about seasons; they work very well as metaphors (whatever metaphor you may be looking for).
There's not much to the melody, but it reminds me a bit of a song from last year, so I may end up tweaking it. And, once again, the lyrics are so simple, they need to be just right, so I'll probably run through those a few more times, too. Anyway, I would file this under "has potential".
There's nothing wrong With communication There's nothing wrong With a simple question
No hints, no intimations, no innuendo No need to wear a mask All you gotta do is ask There ain't no shame in asking No, there ain't no shame in that
We're all so different We're so hard to understand Let's have this discussion With no fear of reprimands
No hints, no intimations, no innuendo No need to wear a mask All you gotta do is ask There ain't no shame in asking No, there ain't no shame in that
Are you perplexed? Are you bereft of clues? Are you bewildered, baffled or puzzled? Are you confused?
No hints, no intimations, no innuendo No need to wear a mask All you gotta do is ask There ain't no shame in asking No, there ain't no shame in that
***
Details:
I was definitely feeling the writer's block today. I knew I wanted to rock out a little, but I had no topic. So I just played around with several riffs and settled on this one. Then while fixing a snack, the line "There ain't no shame in asking" came to me, so I decided to build around it. Just another song about trying to work through miscommunication.
Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025
Lyrics:
They don't understand why you cry
They don't understand how you feel deep inside
They don't understand what it means to run and hide
You don't have to face them alone
We can be your friends, this is where you belong
If you need somewhere to retreat, make yourself at home
Take some time, take some time
Take some time for yourself
Take some time, take some time
Take some time to be yourself
Everywhere they're drawing a line
Every word you use, they prefer undefined
Every other person you meet can be so unkind
You don't have to worry with me
We can sit together and simply be
You can take some time to relax, to feel carefree
Take some time, take some time
Take some time for yourself
Take some time, take some time
Take some time to be yourself
When the world is harsh
When it's too severe
When you need relief
Find shelter here
Take some time, take some time
Take some time for yourself
Take some time, take some time
Take some time to be yourself
***
Details:
This is my last song before the end of the Meta Boycott, and one of the main issues concerned the LBGTQ community. I'm not always as vocal an ally as I should be-- mostly because I worry about stumbling over new word usage-- but I am an ally, and I think it's ridiculous that the LGBTQ community is used as a political football.
Musically, I wanted something with a mellow drone. This doesn't quite sound like John Lennon, but it was inspired by his style. My voice is still a bit scratchy from my cold, so my singing isn't as full-throated as it could have been...
Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025
Lyrics:
Just left the soda shop
Got a kick in my step and a hop
Can't help but shake my hips
I can still taste her on my lips
It's a big campus, but it feels so small
And I'm walking tall to my residence hall
Flying as high as a rocket
A catalyst in my pocket
My bottle cap souvenir
My bottle cap souvenir
Means that she's always here
My bottle cap souvenir
The tingle on my tongue is still fizzy
That girl has left my mind in a tizzy
It's hard to go to sleep at this hour
Not until I take my cold shower
My bottle cap souvenir
My bottle cap souvenir
Means that she's always here
My bottle cap souvenir
Alarm goes off, I roll out of bed
Can't seem to get her out of my head
But she's not there at the lecture
All I can do is recollect her with
My bottle cap souvenir
My bottle cap souvenir
Feels like she's always near
My bottle cap souvenir
***
It's Neil Diamond's birthday! And what better way to celebrate than with the biggest Neil Diamond fan I've ever met, Todd Hawkins?
Todd and I are good friends, and I believe this is the 5th song we've written together. When we met up and he mentioned it was Neil Diamond's birthday, I knew we had to do something in his spirit. That was perfect after yesterday's song; I needed a break from being super serious. Todd felt that Neil Diamond's greatness was in writing simple and catchy pop songs, so that's what we set out to write.
Neil Diamond has a pretty distinctive guitar style, and we ran through a couple different riffs, then set off to write something in the vein of "Cherry Cherry". Just made it a simple story about a student excited after a date with a co-ed at a soda shop.
We wrote and recorded this sucker in a little under 2 hours. It's light and breezy, but it was exactly the kind of song I needed today.
Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025
Lyrics:
Maybe I'm part of the problem
Sitting in the backseat of a driverless car
So far it's fine
In-between the lines
But maybe I'm part of the problem
The off ramp was three miles back
At least, that's what the map says
It disagrees with the GPS
Could be I'm part of the problem
There are mile markers and hitchhikers
And other drivers of a kind
All ignoring the street signs
Well, maybe I am part of the problem
But the seats are heated
And I'm being treated like a millionaire
Breathing recycled air
But maybe I'm part of the problem
The road is curving and turning right
And the light is turning red
But we keep moving on ahead
But maybe I'm the solution
I could take the wheel of this automobile
And turn it all around
If only I could remember how
But maybe I'm part of the problem
***
Meh. Not liking this one. I was depressed about politics all day, feeling powerless and unsure what to do. I guess that sent me to an esoteric place. So this song comes from aimless guilt, and it sounds like it. The vibe could be okay as slam poetry, I suppose, but the lyrics would need to be a lot stronger, I think.
Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025
Lyrics:
Early each morn
My soul rises from sleep
To sail out to the bay
Throw my net o'er the deep
The knots and the lines
Like fingers are crossed
Hunting the catch
I so dearly lost
I cast out my net
Cast it far, cast it wide
To see just what I might fetch
Rumors and legends
Lost treasures and dead ends
My quest for the golden catch
A pull on the net
And the deep water strong
Oh, my fortune is made
But I could be wrong
Between hope and doubt
My strength wants to be free
From this tug of war
With this bottomless sea
I cast out my net
Cast it far, cast it wide
To see just what I might fetch
Rumors and legends
Lost treasures and dead ends
My quest for the golden catch
I once had a love that was pure and golden
She silently slipped from my grasp
Her light beckons me from the ocean's horizon
My sweet bonnie mermaid lass
I open my net
To find fool's gold
And objects lost
In the sea
There are trinkets and tangles
And seaweed
No treasure to find
Or to keep
I'll go back to the land
And its shadows
And lay my heart gently to sleep
And when the sun beckons
My soul to rise
Return to my quest in the deep
I cast out my net
Cast it far, cast it wide
To see just what I might fetch
Rumors and legends
Lost treasures and dead ends
My quest for the golden catch
***
Details:
Big lesson to be learned from this writing session: always record a quick voice memo when you've figured out a section. We had basically written the whole thing, but when we went to record it, we had forgotten the verse melody, or maybe the chord progression. What happened was that we went to work on the bridge, which had a different progression and melody, and failed to retain the exact verse music. This was frustrating and Aprylisa decided to stop at that point, and I took the song home to try to salvage it.
Aside from that, the writing session went very well. Aprylisa hasn't co-written before, but I've helped her out with some of the songs she's written on her own. I appreciated this session because Aprylisa started off the way I usually do with co-writes-- she asked a lot of questions to zero in on the theme of the song and to develop a palette of ideas to draw from.
When we first got together, we decided we didn't want to write about politics, even though it had been on both of our minds. Instead, we talked about the ins and outs of networking in creative work and other types of business. That led us to the image of casting a net, and it eventually evolved into more of a metaphor about searching for a true love.
We talked about the overall structure of the song and what each section would be trying to say, then I came up with the chord progression and Aprylisa wrote most of the lyrics. The only exception being that I wrote the lyrics for the chorus. I think it's interesting to compare our writing styles, because I can rhyme, but Aprylisa's verse lyrics are much more poetic and beautiful. But I think it all comes together.
Once I got home, I reconstructed the verse melody as well as I could, and I think I got close to the original, but this song is ripe for a substantial revision the next time we get together.
Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025
Lyrics:
My friends say "stay away
"He's from the other side
"He doesn't think like you
"He will eat you alive"
But I see you mowing grass
Playing with your family
You're taking out the trash
You wear your pants the same as me
Cream and sugar
Our cups are full
How about
A coffee date with the devil?
I wave and you wave back
We both retreat inside
We never seem to talk
It often makes me wonder why
I really don't know you
You really don't know me
Why don't we get together?
Find out where we can agree
Cream and sugar
Our cups are full
How about
A coffee date with the devil?
I don't like your politics
Some things between us just don't mix
The world's in chaos, let's bridge the divide
And keep the peace where we reside
How about a coffee date
How about a coffee date
What about a coffee date With the devil?
***
I think this is the 6th song I've written with Karen Finch, but this one went a different direction. We started off talking about politics, because it's hard not to these days. Most of the songs we've written have involved romantic relationships in some fashion, but we decided to figure out what a Karen Finch protest song would sound like.
It may not be fashionable right now, but Karen and I both lean toward trying to find common ground with the people we disagree with. There's a lot of ideological self-segregation going on right now, and I worry that if we all huddle in our distinct political corners, we'll lose sight of our common humanity; I worry that it would make things worse. I don't know if it's ultimately the right tactic, but that's my disposition.
When it comes to the nuts and bolts, Karen and I are pretty even co-writers. We both work on lyrics, chords and melody, and I really enjoy our collaborations. Karen and I are very different performance-wise, so I decided to defer to her on guitar and singing, and it was fun to break out the hand drum!
Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025
Lyrics:
Driving down the road
Thought I was going home
Just left work for the day
Sick of feeling needed
Leaves me feeling depleted
You know there's got to be a different way
Free of all the obstacles
No one tells me where to go
I want to follow open skies
As the crow flies
I remember at 18
Searching for what life means
Taking a turn where the asphalt ends
The reservoir was on my right
Above me shined the Northern Lights
I didn't know what I didn't know then
Free of all the obstacles
No one told me where to go
I went to follow open skies
As the crow flies
Sometimes I have second thoughts
Of chances taken and others left behind
But sometimes I find that getting lost
Is just the thing I need to ease my weary mind
Roll in the driveway, back at home
Cat in the window, lights are on
Long shadows lead me to the door
After dinner, I brush my teeth
Say my prayers, lay me down to sleep
And in my dreams I begin to soar
Free of all the obstacles
No one tells me where to go
I want to follow open skies
As the crow flies
***
Details:
Helen and I rescheduled our co-writing session twice before settling on this snowy January day, with temperature in the single digits. I drove over to her place and my trunk was frozen stuck, so I couldn't bring in my music stand (it's still in the trunk).
Helen didn't have much experience co-writing, but I told her my preferred process, which is to start from scratch and pull ideas from our conversation. Helen really likes to write road songs, so we started from that idea, and I basically interviewed her about why and what she gets out of driving around. Personally, I don't get much out of driving except on rare occasions-- it's just a way to get form here to there. But we ended up exchanging a variety of driving tales and the song started taking shape.
We spent about 3 hours writing the song, but doing this after work, Helen wanted to wrap up for the day. We were just a few lines short, so I ended up finishing the last couple lines on my own, with the caveat that they're fair game for getting cut come the revision. I wish we had finished early enough to have gotten Helen on camera-- she has a wonderfully nuanced and powerful guitar technique that would have enhanced this song quite a bit. Plus, harmonizing with her would be fun. But we'll just have to make another video sometime.
It was great fun getting to know Helen better and learn about her writing process! I'm looking forward to developing this song with her.
