We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Rollercoaster (Live at Stubbs, Austin TX)

from Leftovers by Michael Shelley

/

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

  • CD in mini lp style sleeve
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Art by Joff Winterhart! - just a few copies left!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Leftovers via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

about

Recorded live at Stubb's BBQ (in Austin, Texas) Sept 20, 1998.

I always thought this song was a breakthrough for me as a songwriter - the first time I used the trick of closing my eyes and imagining what the characters in the song were seeing - wish I'd thought of that earlier, made writing the first draft very quick – then a long slow process of finding the melody & phrasing and fine tuning the words.

The first verse takes place at the great old amusement park Rye Playland, where I had a few dates in high school, the second verse in Coney Island, where I had one lousy date, and the third verse on the subway - where some of the lyrics were written in the back of a book.

The album version (on "Half Empty") features Rollercoaster sound effects at the end, a touch I always liked.

Songs 22 through 27 were recorded live at an outdoor show in Austin, Texas at Stubb's, opening for They Might Be Giants. I think this might be the biggest crowd we ever played to.

Despite the size of the venue, the mix is nice & tight and I think represents pretty well what we sounded like on that tour. The power trio: Mike Randle sings & plays bass, Dave Green on the drums! Two great guys & great musicians & fun guys to drive around the country in an old van with. I might have been mixed by They Might Be Giants' guitar player Dan Miller (who also plays guitar & piano on the Goodbye Cheater album) who used to (just for fun) do our front of house sound once in a while, another good guy.

These live songs have some odd/excruciatingly embarrassing stage patter & some mistakes - but I think they’re good despite or because of that, and they’re a nice addition to the album versions. We sound very relaxed here for some reason.

credits

from Leftovers, released March 15, 2015

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Michael Shelley image

Michael Shelley New York

The Onion: "Shelley finds common ground between teen angst and grown-up heartbreak." No Depression: "Proving wisdom and whimsy can coexist in the same two-and-a-half-minute-roots-pop excursion, Shelley's writing strikes the correct balance between conversational and clever. His adventures feel like your adventures presuming that you've survived first loves, sunburns and faulty relationships." ... more

contact / help

Contact Michael Shelley

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this track or account

Michael Shelley recommends:

If you like Michael Shelley, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now