In the late 80s playing with band HARLOT Mike Koch, Alex Nyborg Madsen, Thomas Kromann and Kim Ruzz, I wrote a beautiful piece of music becoming a song. Truly inspired Alex adapted to the song and was writing splendid lyrics for the two first verses. The title of the song was “Bells”. When the band split shortly after Alex told me to please take good use of the written lyrics if I could.. Years after in JACKAL we started playing the song and Brian was composing the additional lyrics. The band performed the Bells for the first time live in Tokyo on Christmas night and the night before. The Japanese fans that are very dedicated and specific noticed we did not play that song in Osaka and Nagoya and they were a bit upset about that. JACKAL wanted to track the Bells for the third album “A Safe Look In Mirrors”. Being in Horus sound Studio, Hannover Germany 94, Producer Charlie Bauerfeind made a phone call to our record guy Clemens Watts at Rising Sun Productions: Charlie: “The band is working on a Ballard but they need three more days in the studio to finish” Answer from Clemens: “Ballard, I don’t need a Ballard”… This of course was a huge disappointment to the band ! Afterwords still at the studio in Hannover, in front of the mixing console with folded arms, Charlie looked at Brian asking: “I wonder what this song is about anyway ?” It seemed that Brian‘s rebuilding on Alex’s lyrics ended somewhere making not much sense as the two authors had a different approach to the meaning of the lyrics.. These are the reasons why Bells never made it to the JACKAL album A Safe Look In Mirrors.. BUT !! When we left the studio, I brought with me a cassette tape containing the recording of Bells with only 12 string acoustic guitar and drums. Five years after, in 99, I decided to finish the song in my back then Cubase home studio. I changed a bit of the arrangement, adding additional drums, electric guitars, bass, keys, piano and subtle orchestral programming.. everything but the vocals. For 23 years Bells remained instrumental ! ! ! Late Aug 22 I suddenly stumbled upon the idea to do the vocals and add the song as a special bonus track for the October Child CD. . but I had an obstacle, the lyrics did not make sense and I was obligated to do the third-party authorship on top of Alex’s and Brian‘s creation.. For some days I went contemplating looking deep into myself to find the right angle vibe approach and words to justify fulfilling the story and the meaning of the lyrics of Bells. Some lines were taken out, others were added and to sum up the whole story and making sense, a brand new part in the end was created. A mission is fulfilled and the result is stunning 🙏🌹✨💫 ——————————— Lyrics The Bells ⭐️ The bells tolls like voices in the air It must be more than thousand people here Smiling not a frightened face to see Seems the only one afraid is me Stepping to a hall of light that almost makes me blind The sound of footsteps are slowly ringing in my mind Pounding in my chest what should be pure I hold my breath before the overture Dreams expressed in words out through the air Revealing all my feelings how do I dare Trying to show myself as me The light is on for everyone to see.. The bells tolls like voices in the air It must be more than thousand echoes here Smiling not a frightened face to see Seems the only one afraid is me And when the echoes are fading Voices disappear You’d be left with silence Just the same as before you were here