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*Song Description By Noles*

"Primal Desire" is the quasi-title track from the Primitive Normative album. With the sister quasi-title track being the acoustic piece "Normal Life". I wrote the music for "Primal Desire" on August 15, 2015. The low string on the guitar is tuned down to drop-D, and that's an adventurous tuning for guitar riffs. The riff I came up with for "Primal Desire" is similar to the riff from "Take The Power Back" by Rage Against The Machine. But the initial inspiration for the guitar riff was "Keep On Swinging" by Rival Sons. They were a band that influenced me quite a bit while I was making the Primitive Normative album. I saw them in concert at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto on May 7, 2015. Then I saw them again in Toronto on May 8, 2017 at the Danforth Music Hall, during the time I was recording the Independency album. A top notch live act, Rival Sons have influenced Plaid On Flannel's music greatly since I discovered them in 2014. The best rock and roll band from the 2010s! On the guitar riff for "Keep On Swinging", guitarist Scott Holiday uses an extra guitar an octave above the main guitar. He might just be using an octave pedal, but it's something I applied to the guitar riff for "Primal Desire". Giving it more power while it hits the blue notes with a funky feel.

The lyrics for "Primal Desire" were written on October 30, 2015. Like a few of my other songs, "Primal Desire" dives into psychoanalysis. Even though I failed psychology in high school, I've always been fascinated with it and the work of Sigmund Freud. The father of psychology was fearless when covering taboo topics. "Primal Desire" is a song that's simply about sexual ambition. Where I used Freud's psychosexual stages theory as a guide for the lyricism in "Primal Desire". The theory states that a person's sexual development begins when they are an infant. That person goes through 5 different stages until they're an adult. As the 2nd track from Primitive Normative, the lyrics for "Primal Desire" elaborate on the lyrics from the opening track "Welcome Aboard" in a more risque kind of manner.

I began recording "Primal Desire" on October 26, 2015. A key instrument I used throughout the entire song was a good old fashioned piano. The effect I used on my MIDI is called Steinway Grand Piano. A concert hall type of piano. This piano brings out the chord colours in "Primal Desire" while the guitars play power chords. The guitar solo in "Primal Desire" uses a wah pedal followed by a slide guitar leading into the final chorus. The guitar solo section has a chord progression that's not used in any other part of the song. I added an off-time bongo loop to give that section a "Primitive" type of vibe. Like it's being played by a monkey. Notice the album cover?

"Primal Desire" is a song that I played with the Plaid On Flannel band after Primitive Normative came out. The key was transposed down a minor third to the key of B. So I redesigned the original drop-D guitar riff. We played it live a little bit from 2016-2017, and the song just might come back to the POF live set again.

lyrics

Words and music by Nolan Randall

We have an impulse deep inside of our souls
It's hard for us to keep it under control
Through different stages we develop the need
For we are hungry and there's so much to feed
The urge is often shown, feel the testosterone
So many ways to occupy our own minds
Our cup is seldom full, it's psychological
Since we were born, we feel the need to unwind

Walk along these dead-end streets
Greet the friends that we might meet
We've got our destination
See the mountains in our eyes
And it comes as no surprise to fight the temptation

Think about everything left to transpire
Fascination of the primal desire
Many things that we will want to inquire
Take a ride into the primal desire

The energy becomes an eager affair
Have to do something to repair the despair
Yearning for what we crave
No choice but to behave
An inclination that is always around

Walk along these dead-end streets
Greet the friends that we might meet
We've got our destination
See the mountains in our eyes
And it comes as no surprise to fight the temptation

Think about everything left to transpire
Fascination of the primal desire
Many things that we might want to acquire
Take a ride into the primal desire

Think about everything left to transpire
Fascination of the primal desire
Many things that we might want to acquire
Take a ride into the primal desire

credits

from Vol. III: Primitive Normative, released December 31, 2015

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Plaid On Flannel Toronto, Ontario

Plaid On Flannel is an alternative indie blues rock act from Toronto, Canada. With 80+ original songs recorded since 2011, singer-songwriter Nolan Randall has remained the sole constant member of the band. POF's music is known for guitar riffs/solos, memorable hooks, catchy melodies/harmonies, evocative lyrics, & superb musicianship. While keeping a focus on originality and songwriting quality. ... more

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