Live for Live Music Video Premiere: Greg Loiacono Shares Soothing New Tune “Last Day Of June”
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True to the spirit of today’s date, Greg Loiacono, co-founder of The Mother Hips returns with his latest single, “Last Day Of June“, premiering via Live For Live Music.
The soothing, guitar-based instrumental is the last in a series of four solo singles recently issued by Loiacono and The Mother Hips’ longtime record label, Blue Rose.
The track, which Loiacono performs on acoustic guitar over a subtle bed of synthesizer drones, also features bits and pieces of EBow guitar by Scott Hirsch (Hiss Golden Messenger). It harkens back to Loiacono’s youthful days, when he discovered American Primitive Guitar Music and learned about open tunings.
As Loiacono explains of “Last Day Of June”, “When I was sixteen I found a record in my father’s collection that had a trippy cover on it with two dragons and the kind of archaic imagery I was into at the time (and still am today). It had three names on it: John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and Peter Lang. When I listened to the masterful guitar playing and read the comical bios of these unique individuals, I instantly became enamored with the whole sound and vibe. This changed my perception of what guitar playing could be.”
“A year later,” he continues, “I was at a renaissance faire and a hippie sitting under a tree was playing ‘That’s The Way’ by Led Zeppelin. I noticed that he wasn’t playing the usual fingerings I was familiar with. He showed me open G-tuning. Once I learned about that I realized that many of the remarkable sounds and chords I was hearing on the aforementioned compilation album involved open tunings. It was a cool revelation to have my teenage rock world and this American Primitive Guitar music that I had recently discovered, collide and inform me. ‘Last Day of June’ certainly wouldn’t have come about if it wasn’t for my Dad and that Takoma Records compilation.”
“The song is a result of reflecting on impermanence and how no matter what kind of plans you make, things can and will change whether you want them to or not,” he adds. “The piece was written on June 30th, 2020 which was my wife and I’s 20th wedding anniversary. The world was deep in lockdown and many of our life plans had fallen by the wayside. It did not feel like a time to celebrate. Continuity, patience, and acceptance seemed to be almost antidotes to the sometimes nerve-frying characteristics of the unknown and are some of the qualities that helped see us through. The blend of acoustic guitar and synthesizer allowed me to meld juxtaposing thoughts and feeling through tone. And it was good to leave words out of it and let the music guide the way. The result is a dedication to our love and journey, thus far.”
Watch the video for “Last Day Of June” by Greg Loiacono.