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This title is being remixed/remastered for future re-release

Neon Apocalypse Sound & Vision

About Neon Apocalypse

My first album, Neon Apocalypse, was released on November 13, 2001, while I was a senior in college at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. By the time it had come out, I had spent two-and-a-half years on it. It was primarily made up of songs I'd written between the ages of 16-19 (1996-1999), and was recorded mostly in the music lab at the University (though some of it was done in my various dorm rooms in Sykes Hall). It was originally going to be called Lemonymous, (an offshoot of the song "Lemon Tea"), but I panicked that that title was too weird and went with the current title. It was originally devised as a concept album - the main character goes out into the world to change it, falls in love, and is nearly destroyed by the power of that love. Idealized teenage romanticism, really.

To date, I still love most of the work on this album, and I'm excited to be able to present it in a remixed and remastered format - from the early days of mp3.com to today's digital music platforms... quite an evolution indeed!

Release Date: November 13, 2001 | Reissue Date: November 18, 2016

Neon Apocalypse Press

Neon Apocalypse Album Cover

NEON APOCALYPSE Reviewed on TunedLoud

16 November 2016 By Joint Custody Productions in Neon Apocalypse Reviews
Neon Apocalypse Album Cover

Watertown Daily Times Reviews Neon Apocalypse

09 November 2016 By Joint Custody Productions in Neon Apocalypse Reviews
Neon Apocalypse Album Cover

NEON APOCALYPSE Reviewed on JamSphere

31 October 2016 By Joint Custody Productions in Neon Apocalypse Reviews

Neon Apocalypse Original Hill News Review

07 October 2016 By Joint Custody Productions in Neon Apocalypse Reviews

Neon Apocalypse Lyrics

Echo Papa

What is that you're holding in your hand
Is this to take my life from where I stand
And now you hurl it to the wind
Call it faith or call it sin
It's still a poorly thought out plan

Well I'm ready for the sirens
Ready for the rush
Ready for the afterlife

And now!

Echo Papa
Echo Papa

Here we are to cross the line again
Where we say goodbye to other men
Where we point at them a gun
Just a job or just for fun
It doesn't matter where or when

Well I'm ready for the sirens
Ready for the rush
Ready for that mushroom cloud

And now!

Echo Papa
Echo Papa

Lemon Tea

Perched upon your windowsill
Bird of Prey that wouldn't kill
Nevermore to sing your song
Time let you on

Is it fact or fiction
Is love an addiction
Is it time that keeps us holding on
To the things we thought long gone

Piece of cake and glitterstone
Time has never let us know
Cover up and don't say when
Time and again

Time to open up the doors
Cos time could give us so much more
Time will keep us holding on
To the things we thought long gone

Tell me let me know
Underneath the glow
Show me let me see
Lemon
Lemon tea

Reverse lies to rub it in
Never starting to begin
Tiny bubble silver song
Time had it wrong

Is it fact or fiction
Is love an addiction
Time will keep us holding on
Even when we are long gone

Tell me let me know
Underneath the glow
Show me let me see
Lemon
Lemon Tea

ElevenThree

Cold November
As I see you fall
Upon your knees
A pale night
As I'm calling God
I beg him please

He might have heard me
But you'll never hear me

Say

Goodbye
Lullabye
God, you took my hero
Please don't cry
Lullabye
Now I can't tell my hero
Goodbye

I am lost
But your spirit overpowers me
I am stronger
Than the bitter winds
That fell on thee

I know you still love me
Though you look on from above me

Hey

Goodbye
Lullabye
God, you took my hero
Please don't cry
Lullabye
Now I can't tell my hero
Goodbye

La da da
La da da
La da da

I know you still love me
Though you look on from above me

Hey

Goodbye
Lullabye
God, you took my hero
Paradise
On earth we rise
One day I'll see my hero

Again

I Could've Lost You

We see the sun
Shine on our blue room
What a warm and friendly smile

They say that time
Will heal all our wounds
But we'll do that ourselves a little while

I know I pushed you away
But you pushed me just as well
When we pull each other back
We are spellbound

Oh Love!
I could've lost you
Though I was to play the fool

Oh Love!
I could've lost you
But we know time ain't that cruel

We feel the moon
Become our dearest friend
Cold and distant as it is

Well we don't need it cos we have ourselves
Don't as why babe
It just is

I know I ignored you
But you never heard a word I said
Baby when we listen close
We are spellbound

Oh Love!
I could've lost you
Though I was to play the fool

Oh Love!
I could've lost you
But we know time ain't that cruel

I made you who you are
To whose head did it go
Well I guess that's just for us to find out
And for them to know

Here we are
Where are we to go
Are we just a many few

If we're to find the palace on the clouds
Just to bring the morning's dew

I could never second guess
Any kind of consequence
If we think too deeply love
We'll be spellbound

Oh Love!
I Could've lost you!
Doesn't matter when or where.

Oh Love!
If heaven drops you
I'll be sure to catch you there.

Valentine

My a-glossed imagination
Rests inside your dreams
From dawn til dusk
Through the stars' silver sheen

And the words that grow weary
Appear to me once again
Reborn through a candle that shines
Through the land

Hour by hour
My mem'ry consumed
To take up my conscience
And give it to you

No longer I falter
The letters unsent
A future that opens to show
No Regret

A truth untold
But revealed in rhyme
It could only be you
My dear valentine!

I see your smile
I feel your eyes
Can we stay here a while
To see behind the lies

My fastened attention
Explores corridors
Through glittering hallways
And purple-blue floors

Where time is a desert
Unknown in our world
The universe smiles
And the stars become pearls

Alone here we stand
And the earth fades away
A moderate tone
For a now blissful day

The night is alive
And the stars for a while
Contend that the dawn
Couldn't shield your smile

A truth untold
But revealed in rhyme
It could only be you
My dear Valentine!

Weak

So you have forgotten this moment
So you trade your passion for pain
You're so weak
But not like me
You're falling from the heights I can't attain

So you broke your nails in rapture
So I bled to stifle your screams
You're so weak
But not like me
I kiss you so that maybe I'll believe

And I could follow your heart
While you dream from afar
But I'm weak in the knees
And I fall like a star
To thee

So you want my blasphemy broken
So you want to save me from grace
You're so weak
But not like me
You're falling from the heights of my disgrace

So you can't maintain your composure
So you trade your innocence for blame
You're so weak
But not like me
I kiss you so that maybe I'll behave

And you could follow my heart
While I dream from afar
But you're weak in the knees
And you fall like a star
To me

So you tried to salvage the guilty
So you tried to capture the free
You're so weak
But not like me
I kiss you to reveal myself to thee

And we could follow our hearts
While we dream from afar
But we're weak in the knees
And we fall like stars

We could see to infinity
From right where we are
But we're weak in the knees
And we fall like hearts

Bleed

So the world is waiting to break you
I'll stand right beside you anyways

Julia

Oh Julia
Cometh to you I will
Underneath
Your windowsill

That's where I can't see you
Cos you've fallen down so low
Out of sight
Not out of mind
Not above
But just below

Oh Julia
You're not all that far from home
You have me here right now
And I would not leave
You alone

So wake up sweetie
Cos you're here in my embrace
And tonight
When you go to sleep
You'll have a fairytale
In my place

Oh Julia
Like a weeping willow cries
The raindrops surely fall
Gracefully
From your em'rald eyes

So tell me sweetie
Why your yellow shoes are dry
When all this time you've been outdoors
And you've just come inside

Your mystic shiver tells me
Of the things you've left behind
But what is lost you're sure to find

And in your luminescence
Those things you bring to mind
You'll miss the things you've never tried

Oh Julia
The candles are lit for you
So blow them out tonight
And may your wishes be
Granted true

But I'll tell ya honey
Those wishes
You'll never ever need
Cos all those things you want the most
You'll find

In me

Dogtown

Spring in bloom
As we stumble to my room
Waiting for the moment when we kiss

You bat your eyes
Just a porcelain disguise
I'd never known your lips were touching his

It's a dogtown
When a broken hearted sound
Turns your life around
And around
And round

When you sleep
It's his face you see in dreams
A time when I'm supposed to be the one

And when awake
He's the first thing that you take
Even after all the things he's said and done

It's a dogtown
When a broken hearted sound
Turns your life around
And around
And round

Figure four
As I stumble out the door
Soaking to the bone with life's cold rain

Distant sun
Won't you shine upon the one
Instead I see the puddles fill once again

It's a dogtown
When a broken hearted sound
Turns your life around
And around
And round

Torture

Torture me
Hurt me til my heart bleeds
Let me tell ya honey
That's just what it needs

Talk to me
Tell me what I don't want to hear
Let me tell ya honey
I'll still hold those words dear

You that's in my eyes
You that's in my heart
You and I should never be apart
You that's in my world
You incarnate dove
You the only you
The you
I love

Lie to me
Turn me on and inside out
Let me tell ya honey
I love to hear that sound

Poison me
Drinking to my very death
Let me tell you honey
I'd swallow it again

You that's in my eyes
You that's in my heart
You and I should never be apart
You that's in my world
You incarnate dove
You the only you
The you
I love

Something in the words
You left me here tonight
I thought I had it all alright

Still you turn away
And leave me here alone
But I won't let you
Go

You that's in my eyes
You that's in my heart
You and I should never be apart
You that's in my world
You incarnate dove
You the only you
The you
I love

The Ring of Love

It's odd
Isn't it
This you'd given me
Two weeks ago

You assured me
Of our love
And today
You want to go

So here my love
Tonight
Under the stars
The moon

In the same place
We began
And you are gone
You are gone

So nothing I say
And nothing I do
Could bring you to me
Or take me to you

It's weird
Don't you think
Your love
I still display

Like a chain
Around my neck
The ring that shines
Like yesterday

With one last heartbeat
It's suddenly gone wrong
So now I'm pushed away
And you are gone
You are gone

You're just out of reach
But too far to scream
The Queen of my heart
The love of my dreams

So this ring you've given me
Does it mean a thing to you
Do I wear a lie
That once I held so true

Without your heartbeat near
It isn't quite the same
These tears will echo forth
From the mention of your name

Goodbye Silver Hill
You are gone
Gone

So nothing I say
And nothing I do
Will bring you to me
Or take me to you

With you far away
It isn't enough
The Queen of my heart
The ring
The ring
Of love

Neon Apocalypse Trivia And Other Stories

The original working title for Neon Apocalypse was “Lemonymous”, an amalgamation of the song “Lemon Tea” and “anonymous”, intended to play on the fact that no one knew who Ender was.

Neon Apocalypse took nearly two-and-a-half years to record, as portions were laid down in a music lab at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, and other random areas. Part of the problem with the recording was the inconsistency in the storage devices used.

Ender, being a drummer originally, wanted to have real drums on the album, but didn’t have access to them. He instead created beats using a program called Hammerhead, turning the album into less of a rock/pop collection (as originally intended) and more of a pop/hip-hop/tech-savvy album.

The album’s running order was supposed to reflect a character progression, much like a concept album – it was supposed to be a journey. The website at the time told that story (which can be read below).

“Echo Papa” was originally written in 1996, but had very suggestive lyrics at the time. It was re-written in early 1997 to reflect a more socially-conscious anti-violence message. The actual song title comes from a Star Trek: The Next Generation card game.

The lyrics for “Lemon Tea” originally went to a completely different tune, but in the end it was determined they fit better with this one. That original tune has since disappeared altogether as it has never seen the light of day.

“ElevenThree” references November 3rd, 1996, and was written in remembrance of a close friend’s father, who died suddenly on that day. It has had many incarnations, but was originally written on November 2nd, 1997.

“Valentine” included a number of references, including Valentine’s Day, Ender’s girlfriend at the time (whose birthday was Valentine’s Day), and Valentine (the sister of Ender Wiggin in Ender’s Game).

“Weak” was the first Ender Bowen song ever played on the radio, as it received airplay in Canton, NY and in Ottawa, Canada on XFM in 1999. It was recorded twice – the original version’s actual session file was lost, so it had to be re-recorded for this album.

“The Ring of Love” references the same girl from “Valentine”, told in the aftermath of a breakup.

The Neon Apocalypse Story

Chapter One – Echo Papa He awoke like a siren in the dark // And in looking out the window his heart did pulse // His vision like a mushroom cloud of pain // Not that a voice raised in hushed silence could attention gain // So did he rise // Hurled through the wind // To change all he saw

Chapter Two – Lemon Tea But reality lay beyond wild dreams // Its might too proud // For the one can’t overcome // It is a power beyond imagination // And confusion is masked in dazzling lights // So silenced is he who is tempted by fate // Hope’s door left closed but not forever gone

Chapter Three – ElevenThree Retreat he home // Like November leaves to the Earth // Within himself his spirit kept // A heavy heart and swirling head // Though he in himself a hero saw // Under which God’s creation did defeat // A hero, again, he will see

Chapter Four – I Could’ve Lost You But not such a distance traversed // For she with healing hands of love // Doth mend his wounds and raise his head // Pulse and pound his heart once more // For had he in his mission success // Not she could he have // Through which to find a palace in the clouds

Chapter Five – Valentine And so did sing the birds // Through imagination a-glossed, here became reality // In him a sensation of power renewed // Though through her found his conscience life // All became his as does truth to a god // Aware he not of doors to hope // Nor wary of his senses’ betrayal

Chapter Six – Weak Such power by man held corrupt // For whence love strongest they fell // And weak such force became them // But to save through love made weak all the more // His conscience she fed for the evil he escaped // She in his arms kept // As rain, the palace through clouds falls

Chapter Seven – Julia As a grasp to all man is at sometime lost // She with heavy heart impure of thought // Slipped from the clasp of love // Out of sight // Not out of mind // Like a candle, her love // For to take flight he to a beacon

Chapter Eight – Dogtown So he unto her image passed // Less a lover, more a temptress // For love alone his mind’s eye rests // Though she her lips to another // Wouldst surely a river of these tears overflow // He of pure heart then shattered // In whirlpools of chaos to this sound

Chapter Nine – Torture Thus a bleeding heart unto him born // Left alone he to his guilt // She of newer tastes // Though sweet her voice as poison // The drink of lust and lament // But thirsting all the more // Is the choice of life and death

Chapter Ten – The Ring of Love He like a mountain // Not as slow to rise up // Though forth these chills // Like an echo to a siren for all time // A scar her name unto his soul // These experiences like riches // Through life be attained

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