Hello and happy Friday to ya.
This week we begin rolling out video footage from our 11/15 show celebrating the release of the new EP, Sun Studio Session. I’m sharing a 1 minute snippet on social media but here on Substack you get the full song (lucky you!). We’re starting with this spirited live version of “Guts”.
Our friends over at the music blog The Reconnoiter recently analyzed this song:
Struggling to express one’s true feelings. The song is about sensing something powerful, but being unsure, overwhelmed, and afraid of saying it too soon. The other person feels distant and hard to pin down, which makes it even harder to speak up. In the end, the pressure builds until the truth spills out anyway. It’s another fave song from the latest EP by the Trenton, NJ-based band.
It wasn’t what I had in mind when I wrote it but I can’t say they are wrong. Check out the lyrics (at the bottom of this post) and decide for yourself.
Before I leave you to watch the video…I want to share that the new EP has been getting significant radio play all over the country from Winter Park, FL (WPRK) to Portsmouth, NH (WSCA) over to Bowling Green, OH (WBGU) up to Fargo, ND (KRFF) and out to Placitas, NM (KUPR) and a bunch of stations in between and out of the country as well. Plus some good play closer to home on 90.3 The Core in Piscataway, NJ (Rutgers U) and super excited that Little Steven has added us to his “Coolest Songs in the World” playlist right out of NYC on The Underground Garage on SiriusXM! Also special thanks to our friend Di Kulka for her continued support of our music in Chicago, IL on The Razor & Die Show on WLUW. Cool stuff!
Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend. - Mick
P.S.
Thanks to the following for the video:
Jim Parker: Camera One and Audio Capture
James Wieszczek: Camera Two
Brooks Wieszczek: Mobile Camera
Joey Scelza: Editing
If you haven’t gotten a chance to have a listen to our new EP here are the links:
Order the vinyl record or CD via Bandcamp (and get a digital download of the EP - we’ll sign the vinyl cover for you if you ask nicely)
What I’m listening to:
Listening a lot to the John Prine album Pink Cadillac (1979) on vinyl, recorded in Memphis by Sam Phillips’ sons Knox Phillips and Jerry Phillips.
New Guided By Voices Thick, Rich, and Delicious (2025) on vinyl.
I picked up the Pete Townshend album Iron Man on vinyl from Princeton Record Exchange for $2.99. This is a concept album from 1989—for whatever reason I ignored this for years even though Townshend is one of my all time favorite songwriters. This is a fun listen. Surprise guest vocals from John Lee Hooker—his voice jumps out of the speaker!
What I’m reading:
I’m reading Harper Lee’s new book The Land of Sweet Forever, a posthumous collection of eight previously unpublished short stories and essays. It’s an interesting look into her years in NYC in the 1950s while she was writing To Kill a Mockingbird.
I also just started the 3rd novella (it’s about a creepy library) in Stephen King’s book Four After Midnight (1990)
Guts By Mick Chorba ©2025 Dinner Time Music ASCAP Counting the lights on the ceiling Making this right is appealing It’s taking me once It’s taking me twice It’s taking me some time I can’t tell you what I see In the moon I can’t tell you what I see Cause it’s all too soon, ooh ooh ooh You wander around like a cloud dear You never touch down much around here I’m telling you once I’m telling you twice Tell me what the deal is I can’t tell you what I see In the past I can’t tell you what I see Cause it's all too fast, ooh ooh ooh Solo / Instrumental Bridge I can’t tell you what I feel Though I must I can’t tell you what I feel Then I spill my guts, oh oh oh
