New Music!

Having completed my "bucket list" of recording some of my best songs into individual "albums" of songs, I still have a long way to go with my music. My original goal was to get all of my "secular" songs wrapped into individual albums and published by the end of 2020. I am finally done with that goal ...and now I'd like to do the same by placing my Christian-based songs ... the songs I have written about MY faith ... into similar "album" packages.

There are 3 new "groups" or "albums" of songs that I have started under the "My Music" tab of this site. You will see an "Under Construction" label above all three. As I record new songs, I will add them. The goal is as follows:

l. Under The Rainbow (Folksy Christian) - to contain some of my most popular Christian songs ... the ones that never made it into past recordings.

2. Tacere Pace (Christian Instrumental, New Age-ish) - to include several instrumental Christian songs. These are just some old songs that continually rattle around in my head ... but in my head, they sound a bit different.

3. Zuvia - (Instrumental) Theme songs that wobbled around in my head as I was writing the novel.

Those that know me understand that I am continually compelled to write. Songs, poems, short stories, and books. After I retired, I realized that all of my words were scattered all over the place in a conglomeration of notebooks. For the stories and poems, I figured after I am gone from this world, somebody in my family may find them and cherish them. The words are there for them. But it is a totally different story for my songs.

I never learned to read music. That said, all of my songs (over 200 of them) are scribbled down on notebook paper someplace ... or typed up on sheets of paper. Earlier in my life, I had the privilege of being in a Christian Rock band ... Messenger. We recorded a few albums together and any of the songs that I wrote on those albums are already in the possession of my children and grandchildren. So, bottom line, they know those songs already ... know how they are supposed to sound. But for all the other songs (some of which I am quite embarrassed to have written) my descendants could never possibly understand how they were supposed to "sound" because I could not write them down in musical notation. So, similar to the scattered piles of paper ... I have scattered cassette recordings and CDs of just a very select few of my songs. So I wanted to make sure the best ones (not the embarrassing ones!) were at least available for my family to "hear".

With the "groups" or "albums" of songs I have added to this website, my goal was to share what was in my head with my family ... and anyone else who may enjoy.

Thus, this website where I can package all of my best work into one place ... music, art, and writings.

I find that the website is an excellent place to "store" things because everyone has the same access. My family has the web address. They can download anything they like from here (as can you) and make copies for personal collections. My hope is that at least one think I leave here makes someone smile.

What's next? Well, after I'm done with all of this, the Good Lord willing, I'll fumble around with some of my other corny songs.

RS

A New Novel

Earlier this year, I finally completed my new Novel, Zuvia. If you like to read any Fantasy or Adventure books, you might enjoy this one. The book is about a strange group of creatures who get discovered by some humans. They find that the Zuvians have been put on this earth to help humanity to manage the earth's ecosystem. Odd tree-like creatures, the Zuvians are quite friendly to the ones that have discovered their existence.

Zuvia takes place in 3 different time periods ... starting in the 1800s, moving through the 1900s, and then finally ending in the 2000s. The first two sections are basically primers to help readers better know and understand the Zuvians. Part three is the brunt of the story and is where I will continue as I write other novels in the future.

Octaria, the sequel to Zuvia, is already underway. I hope to have it all done by end of 2022.

Hope you enjoy ... and, as always, THANK YOU for looking, listening, and reading!

R, Starmer

Something From Nothing

I've always loved music! I started writing songs when I was 13, most of which were just silly songs. As I continued to write, however, I got better at it. Today I am in my 60's and although I am not a big fan of my own voice, I do love to take music notes and create something from "nothing". In that same kind of creative drive, I also write stories and complete a watercolor painting on occasion. Something from Nothing! Although I have given musical concerts here and there in my life, today I am "over" caring about "performing" on stage! It's the creation that fascinates and drives me most! That said, as far as music is concerened, I think of myself more as a songwriter than a musician.

My love of music blossomed when I watched the Beatles perform one Sunday night on the Ed Sullivan show. Not long after, I got my first guitar. It was a Silvertone flat top acoustic and it hurt my fingers so badly that I quickly lost interest in it. But my love of music grew while listening to bands like The Stones, The Monkees, and The Animals. When I was 12 I got a Ludwig orange sparkle snare drum for Christmas. We started our first neighborhood band where my friends wailed away on their Silvertone electrics playing stuff like "Louie, Louie" and "Wipe Out". My love of music quickly brought me back to the guitar after I bought my first folk music book and started learning some basic chords at 13. My dad saw my interest and did whatever he could to encourage me. He took me to a music store one day and bought me a guitar that was much easier to play. As my abilities grew, I made several more trips to the Music Store, each time getting a better and better instrument. Thus, at 13, I wrote my first song. Over the years music became one of my greatest passions. I have written well over 200 songs, recorded a few personal "albums", and was one of the founders and primary songwriters for Messenger, a Christian Rock group in the Southeast US back in the '80's. Messenger released 3 albums between the years of 1983 and 1993, was featured on local radio stations, and played over 200 concerts at churches and music festivals. I have always seen music as a direct gift from God to be shared with others. I've never been really interested in selling my stuff or making a lot of money from my music. To me, it's more about the "creation" process. However, there have been folks who have shown interest in some of my songs, so I set up a site on ReverbNation.com, a site dedicated to songwriters, and set the fees low ... just to help me cover costs of equipment and/or internet space needed to maintain that presence. If someone wants to purchase rights to a song ... hey ... I'm game. I mean, I'm retired now, and could use some extra cash. But if it ever becomes burdensome or too much like work .... I'll take it down and move on ... After Messenger dissolved in 1993, I continued to write songs and play my music for friends and family. Front Porch Stories was completed in 2004 as a gift for my father, who was withering away from the effects of Parkinson's disease. It is a compilation of some of his favorite songs that I had written at an earlier age. I wanted to return the gift to him and see him smile at my music one last time. Thankfully he was able to listen to the songs before he passed away in December of 2005. As days go by there usually is not one second of the day that a song is not playing in my head. I continue to write my stories as songs. Hopefully I can share them one day with my great grandchildren in person. But if not .... at least they are now recorded for my future gens.

UPDATE 2019: I am Currently building 4 more albums of songs They will consist of old songs I wrote over the years but never had a chance to record

I also uploaded a very old album “nuclear child” that was released back in the ‘80’s Nuclear Child was a solo album I recorded back when I was playing in Messenger ...a Christian Rock & Roll band in the ‘80’s-‘90’s I often recorded songs I had written as “demos” for possible Messenger tunes and in order to preserve them for the future Nuclear Child was recorded on a 4-track cassette deck, so the quality isn’t up to today’s standards But I had some friends who requested the upload, so I hope others can see through the clouds of “analog” recordings and just enjoy the songs It’s a Christian album, so either it will offend you or it will change you!

For those that prefer not to be bombarded with my faith .... hope you can enjoy Front Porch Stories, or one of the new, upcoming albums in progress!

UPDATE June 2019: After going through all of my songs I realized that it was gonna take more albums than I had originally thought to house them all I divided them into four categories: Easy Listening, Fun songs, Blues, and Christian.

- I just released “Down To The Fire“ to cover the 1st category.

- I‘m 70% done with the 2nd category (to be released as “Way Out Yonder...”

- I hope to finish the more bluesy set by end of 2019 (Screen Door Slam!) - Then, in early 2020 I hope to complete my final Christian collection, entitled “Under The Rainbow”

Thank you for all of the encouraging words, and I hope you enjoy listening!!