By: Susan Van Dongen, TimeOFF 08/12/2005 After a full day of playing politics, Hightstown Councilman Patrick Thompson likes to unwind by playing some punk rock with his guitar. Weren't the "straight kids" the ones who were supposed to be the community leaders of the future? You know, the kids who liked nice unthreatening ballads and soft rock? Not the ones in punk bands who made pilgrimages to see the Ramones. Goodness knows where they were supposed to go, but you wouldn't think it was corporate life and a seat on the town council. That's why Patrick Thompson is a breath of fresh air, maybe even a glimmer of hope for those former punk and metalheads who were told by their guidance counselors they'd end up living in a van down by the river. The 34-year-old singer-guitarist also is director of sales at McGraw-Hill Construction and a councilman in Hightstown. But just a few years ago, he played bass and guitar in rock and punk bands. In high school he had groups with dubious-but-colorful names like "...but ugly" and "Black Vomit." And he was nuts for the Ramones - says he's seen them more than 100 times. Not to give the wrong impression. Mr. Thompson doesn't get up with his guitar in the middle of council meetings and shred. But the music still needs to come out sometimes, like last winter when John Peluso, a friend with a mobile recording studio, camped out for a few days. Another friend, Mark Hoxit, brought his drums. Mr. Thompson dusted off some of his original songs, plugged in and began to play. Five days later, the friends realized they had enough decent material to put a CD together. The result was Mr. Thompson's 45-minute, 11-song 5 Winter Afternoons. They even took the CD "on the road," playing some casual gigs in the area. Mr. Thompson returns to the Slow Down Café in Hightstown Aug. 26 for an acoustic performance. South Asian musician Oddme opens. "John and I played in a band in the early '90s and he mentioned he had this portable recording studio, so I said, 'Come on over,'" Mr. Thompson says. "After one session, we were surprised with how well things came out, so we spent four more days recording. It's amazing that you can do something like this in your living room." Mr. Thompson credits his wife, Hojoung, for being a good sport, keeping their household going, stepping around the sound equipment, instruments, and wiring. Their two children, an 8-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter, were also on their best behavior - and fascinated with the sounds coming out of Daddy. The music has tinges of Kurt Cobain, Hank Williams Sr. and, especially, Neil Young. Mr. Thompson, who grew up in Jamesburg and moved to Hightstown about seven years ago, doesn't see anything odd about combining his musical avocation with his seat on the council, or his position with McGraw-Hill. Being in bands taught him how to manage a group, how to speak in front of an audience and how to think outside the box. "When I entered the corporate world, I learned that there are three key elements to success - sales, marketing and creativity," he says. "Creativity is rewarded more than some people realize, and that's where my musical side comes in. You need to think beyond the horizons." Mr. Thompson, a Democrat, isn't afraid to put his opinions into his music. In the song "Chief?" he questions President Bush's politics and he expresses frustration with the continued U.S. wars in the Middle East in "Oil, Blood and Palestine." "'Chief' was written during the (2004) campaign and it's about emotion," Mr. Thompson says. "It might be viewed as an indictment by some, but these are genuine, valid questions." He says "Oil, Blood and Palestine" was "...written during the first Gulf War. I had forgotten about it and then had a chance to sing it about a year ago. I felt this tingle going up my spine. I was struck by how disappointingly relevant it still is." On Mr. Thompson's more tender side is "Lullaby (A Valentine)," the most recent song on the album. "The shows the evolution of my creativity," he says. "I think there's genuine emotion coming through. It shows that my wife and children are the most important thing in the world to me today." Quite a switch from the days when Mr. Thompson imagined himself and his bands really making it in the music business, playing gigs, writing songs and scheduling sessions in the recording studio. But times and technology have changed. One of the biggest changes is the portability of sound and recording equipment. So Mr. Thompson doesn't have to be a big star to cut a CD. He can still make music and, best of all, do it in his living room. "It's mind-boggling how much wildly more efficient the process has become," Mr. Thompson says. "I used to have my own small record label and released my own recordings, and it used to be much more expensive. Now you can produce and distribute the music for a fraction of the cost. I think this is something I will always do. Playing music gets into your blood and it's really a part of who I am." Patrick Thompson will perform at the Slow Down Café, 110 Mercer St., Hightstown, Aug. 26, 8 p.m. No cover. For information, call (609) 448-9900. 5 Winter Afternoons is available at www.cdbaby.com, www.itunes.com and www.napster.com. It can also be found at the Princeton Record Exchange, 20 Tulane St., Princeton. For information, call (609) 921-0881. On the Web: www.prex.com. To reach Mr. Thompson via e-mail: thompsonhightstown@yahoo.com ©PACKETONLINE News Classifieds Entertainment Business - Princeton and Central New Jersey 2005 oil, blood, and palestine (what are you doin', chief?!?!) Written by: patrick thompson oil blood and Palestine (written 1992 and 2004) over and over and over again where will I be then there is nothing wrong, it's just another bomb and it's already too long and I heard what they said but I'm staying in bed, yeah, I don't care if everything's gone and there is too much mess, and what is coming next and maybe it's really the end but I don't know and I'm not gonna go I'll watch it on CNN over and over and over again where will I be then over and over and over again - I'll watch it on CNN Tie the yellow ribbon around george and saddam necks' Everyone likes the lies Ans all of that is fine but oil. Blood, and Palestine is not going to make me want to die And all of that is fine but none of it is mine The burning wells are full And all of that is fine, but oil blood and Palestine Is not gonna make me want to kill Over and over and over again More and more people die Over and over and over again Oil, blood, and Palestine Over and over and over again But I'm not gonna die Over and over and over again For oil, blood, and Palestine >>>(the somewhat selfish sounding belligerence of a 20 year old boy, sounds even more haunting these many years later to the man. The players and playing field disconcertingly similar, the stakes stunninigly even higher.....the mistake somehow more glaring) these lines added on the morning of recording, March 2004 what are you doing chief what can't you hear they're blinded by hating you you're misplacing our fears what are you doing chief what's in your head what are you doing chief what's in you head they are standing over our graves until they are sure that we are dead