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MIKE SHANNON & Big Bus Dream

Mike Shannon & Big Bus Dream are from Charlotte, North Carolina. Mike is a songwriter, vocalist, keyboardist and a programmer who founded 4th Ward in 2000 and Big Bus Dream in 2006 and is a product of CBGB's post-punk scene. The members of the band on this album are Mike Shannon on vocals, Chick Tsikouras - guitar, Jeff Kephart - drums, Henry Pharr - bass and Brian Bayne - bass. After being out of the music business for 9 years, 4th Ward's self titled release debuted #20 on the National CMJ Top 200 charts. Celebrity Cafe awarded the release, "Album of the day!". The group spent 4 years playing the circuit opening for the likes of Angie Aparo and Hootie and The Blowfish before regrouping as Big Bus Dream.

Big Bus Dream's 2006 self-titled debut earned Editor's Pick by CD Baby and 8 of 10 stars by Americana UK, as well as topping the main European music site charts. Several tracks found their way onto MTV's Pimp My Ride as well as film (MY life as Abraham Lincoln) and TV (WBTV documentaries). The Jesters of Xmas Town (2008) continued the band's songwriting and recording success.

Instruments with creative layering. Cohesive. Understanding the emotions while trying to convey them to their audience. There are big dreamers in this world and you can never have enough of them. Mike Shannon continues to bring out his inspirations within My Dream  My Fantasy.

  • Just A Tear - 'It's like a shot to the middle. Kinda takes away your breath. How come? If everybody loves me, you're not like the rest.  . . . . '

  • Really Tired - Slow funk and rap working into relaxed rock. 'It's a rat race like a cat being chased. It's a hustle for a dollar without living in disgrace. Ordinary people in their travel machines, on the phone, emailing home coming at me on a one way street.  . . . . '

  • See It In Her Eyes - Many people talking within a room while a guitar plays. 'Five o'clock when your granddaughter walked down the isle. Light filtered through the trees just right for May. The minister she was from some universal church of light and Barbara E. flew in from up north.  . . . . '

  • Jones Is In The House - Upbeat easy rock. 'Lucy's by the backdoor she's stubborn today. Lucy's by the backdoor not going away. I'm the preacher by the window.  . . . . '

  • Smoking Guns And Jesus - 'This small southern town when life was just a bore. People gathered at the ammo store. A small town girl she grew up wanting more.  . . . . '

  • Maybe This Time - A sad tune. 'Maybe this time we'll have a big old castle surrounded by a moat with a view. I want to be a man's man who never takes chances but knows damn well what he's told to do.  . . . . '

  • Already Gone - Easy rock. 'She still enjoys her flowers. A garden and her bird. No more TV. She just stares and she can't see. She's already gone. She's been leaving, for so long, she's already gone.  . . . . '

  • Private Ghetto - Easy listening and seemingly rushed. 'Inside of you inside of me special place where we were free. Rolling hills and putting greens no longer mine I'm living in a ghetto.  . . . . '

  • Sweet Kisses - Sweet yet sad and subtle. 'Driving to the airport. Remembers all the talk. I told you it'll comes to this. Sweet sorrow like this.  . . . . '

  • Lies - Easy listening contemporary rock. 'You are the moon. You are the clouds above. Don't ever change just like the setting sun.  . . . . '

  • Feel The Pain - Funk and rock. ' Johnny's kind of slow. He has hate in his weapons and his smokes, and he's gonna teach us how to pray. A shot rings out. He's on the go. Faceless murderer. Disaster.  . . . . '

  • Growing Old With Me - Slow and contemporary. 'Standing by the window and we'll watch the snow fall. Never dreamed, after all these years, that you'd be standing here with me.  . . . . '

  • No Valentine for You - Upbeat rock. 'Here I am feeling all alone. Broken refuge, a lonely warrior, still I know. I hope. Well, at least I hope.  . . . . '

  • Real Love - Slow ragtime blues. 'It's not love, smoldering fire. A hidden need, burning desire. She's a dangerous drug playing with fire.  . . . . '

Mike Shannon on the left and Chick Tsikouras to the right are the prominent two of the band in the photo. Indie acoustic, alt pop and rock. Blending roots and powerful electric arrangements. To find out more about Big Bus Dream go to:

http://www.bigbusdream.com/

Denise L.  @DL7855  2018

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