I Walk The Earth

Trust Me #11 I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

A funky beat and bass introduce us to I Walk The Earth before Steve Mason's beautiful voice comes in and after the first couple of verses ends we're into a real groove. Mason sings about being taken away and rising higher, this is exactly what the song does to the listener.

It's a beautiful groove and the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate how Mason melds everything together to work. The layers of bass, beats, melodies, backing vocals, bleeps, percussion ... it's incredible.

Mason has recorded and released in various guises post Beta Band, his work under the name of King Biscuit Time was the most immediate after his former band broke up. His work was pretty sporadic until he started releasing under his own name, with 4 fine albums coming in 9-years.

Mason's voice is sublime, his melodies are so natural and his ability to find a groove is uncanny. If you've never heard this song then trust me, it's a cracker.

When I walk through the earth

I get stuck in the middle

I can't see your love

I don't know your love

When I walk through the earth

I get stuck in the middle

I can't see your love

I don't know your love

Why won't you take me away?

Take me a day

Keep on rising higher

Why won't you take me away?

Take me a day

Keep on rising higher

Hey knock me

Picking on your own reality

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James

I will now sell 5 copies of The Three EP's by The Beta Band

I read something recently that made me go hunting for my old Beta Band cd's. I do have a couple of Beta Band 7-inches, but it was the 3 EP's compilation that I was after and anyone who has that on vinyl is extremely lucky indeed.


I couldn't find them. I used to have all my cd's in alphabetical order. Now they are all over the place in the racks and on shelves, in piles on the floor. I need to spend a pleasant evening getting them into some sort of order. I'm pretty lazy, I've still not transferred all my cd's to my laptop and itunes as I still like to have an excuse to browse through them.


So I went on to YouTube and searched for 'Dry the Rain', my favourite Beta Band song. I was a bit shocked to discover that there isn't a video for it. Now the Beta Band were very careful with their art, they liked to be underground, not sell out etc etc. But this still surprised me.


There are some home-made efforts and there is a live performance from the Beta Band, but no video. Anyway, I'm blabbing on. The purpose of this blog was to highlight what a f**king brilliant song 'Dry the Rain' is and for me to reminisce about going to their last gig at the Liquid Rooms in Edinbugh. It may well be in my top 10 gigs of all time.

The Beta Band were suitably charged for a gig in their home city. They jammed, went off at tangents and when they played 'Dry the Rain' the place went nuts. My sister and I were down near the front and it turned out quite a large contingent of the bands girlfriends and close friends were too. So when the song finished we all kept singing the refrain/mantra.

'if there's something inside that you wanna say, say it out loud it will be OK'

'i will be alright, I will be alright, I will be alright, I will be alright.'

It was an absolutely spine tingling, magical moment with people punching the air, hugging and the band looking genuinely pleased, a little shocked and possibly wondering if they should stay together. The same thing happens in the live recording above, glorious....and I thought it was just at the Edinburgh gig! I still have my ticket....They didn't want to come off and Steve Mason ended up freestyle rapping!

Of course when I went on YouTube and typed in The Beta Band, the famous scene from High Fidelity came up near the top and I couldn't resist watching it. I'll need to order it from Love Film as well, I used to have it on video tape! Check it out below;

Jack Black (Barry) on top form (in the film that made him unless I missed something) pushing a Jesus & Marychain album and bringing out Dylan's Blonde on Blonde and saying 'it's gonna be OK', Dick flirting with a girl over Green Day and pushing The Clash, and then Rob saying 'I will now sell 5 copies of The Three EP's by The Beta Band.' Just brilliant, I imagine Stephen Pastel and Dep in Monorail having conversations like that.

So there you have it, a glorious song. It's DIY indie, punk, folk, pop, euphoric, shambolic, funky, groovy....I love it. Check it out.