Deke Dickerson: The Year That Got Away

What do I know about rock anthems? I’ve never written one before. But I had to admit, this was a really, really catchy song. It really captured how I felt about the pandemic year. I decided if it was a rock anthem, I was going to record it like a rock anthem. There was going to be a chorus everyone could sing together, at the top of their lungs, while holding a cigarette lighter in the air. There would be cowbell! It features my friend Jim Laspesa, who currently plays percussion in Brian Wilson’s band. I buried myself in the studio for a couple days chasing sounds and by the time the video was done, this thing had really taken on a life of its own. Once I got the background vocals and handclaps and cowbell on there, I started getting an itchy feeling all over me. Goosebumps.