2025-Apr-12 - Drawn to the Stars
This week's randomly selected song Drawn to the Stars is track #9 from disc #3 of my triple CD album It Was All Just a Dream.
Drawn to the Stars first appeared on my 2019 album Electric Sky. The final version on It Was All Just a Dream features a more dynamic mix that helps tell a better musical story.
The Story Behind The Song
The inspiration behind Drawn to the Stars comes from my lifelong fascination with space. I grew up with Star Wars, Star Trek, Buck Rogers, and Battlestar Galactica. And before I was seven years old, I was living on Hawaii Island, aka The Big Island, which is home to some of the most scientifically productive astronomical observatories in history.
Growing up in the shadow of these observatories perched atop the tallest mountains in the entire Pacific Basin, I never imagined I'd actually have the chance to work there. But back in the early 2000s, I started seeing positions open for roles that were a perfect match for my technical skills. So in 2009, I decided to go for it... and I got the job!
Over a decade and a half later, this is the longest position I've ever held, and I hope to be able to eventually retire from this job. I have the honor and pleasure of working with world class scientists from all over, and I am humbled to be able to consider many of them to be friends.
So in some respect, Drawn to the Stars is an autobiographical piece. But it's also a tribute to the amazing people I work with who are literally unlocking the mysteries of the universe. But I also feel like it's just a facet of our shared human nature to be drawn to the beauty and mystery of the celestial tapestry of the night sky.
Joining me on the song is my friend Alco. We first met at the 2018 Vai Academy camp in Palm Springs, CA. We were roommates at the camp and immediately hit it off. Ever since that camp, we've stayed in contact at least weekly. When I was looking for guest soloists for my 2019 album Electric Sky, Alco volunteered and I was so happy to have my former roommate as a part of the project. As you can hear at the 3:01 mark, Alco comes in with a tasty melodic solo that fit the song perfectly!
The Music Theory Behind The Song
Drawn to the Stars isn't particularly complicated in terms of chord progressions or melodic content. The entire song is in the key of D minor. The intro, verses, and outro are a simple repeating [ Dm → Gm ] progression. To help with building tension, during the verses the bass drones on the note D even while the chords are changing between Dm and Gm.
The choruses, interlude, and guitar solos are built on the progression [ Dm → Bb → A → Gm ].
While the theory itself isn't overly complicated, the challenge with a piece like this was the sound design on the synthesizers and electronic drums, and also the dynamics throughout the different sections. There are parts of the song with a driving bass line, electronic & acoustic drums, synthesizers, heavy rhythm guitars, and soaring guitar melodies, while there are other sections where the sparse guitar melody is only accompanied by a subtle synthesizer part. Blending these parts together was what made the song into a story.
Guitars and Amps
I used three guitars on Drawn to the Stars. For the heavy rhythm guitar parts, I played a pair of hard tail Ibanez guitars: my S5521 and my J.Custom RG 8571, both through my Mesa Boogie Mark V:25 IIC+ voice. I played all of the lead guitar parts including my solo on my Sully Guitars 624 Conspiracy Series Prototype through my Mark V:25 IIC+ voice.
Guitars:
 2015 Ibanez RG8571 |
 2014 Ibanez S5521 |
 2018 Sully 624 Conspiracy Series |
If you love what you hear and want to support the music I make, please consider purchasing It Was All Just a Dream on CD or digital download. I will gladly personalize and autograph your copy.
https://chrisstark.com/it-was-all-just-a-dream
Keep an eye out for next Saturday's song spotlight, and as always, thank you sincerely for all of your support!
Love, Aloha, and Rock!
❤️😎🎸