Backstory:
Striped Mortgage is the creative brainchild of three high school friends: Steve “the Riff” Rafferty, Tommy “Bassmaster” Baxter and Jerry “Thumper” Thompson. They formed the group in their parents’ garages in the small New Hampshire town of Benton. Initially, they were making music as a way to pass the time and express their feelings about the world around them. However, as time went by, they found that their music began to resonate with their peers and they started to gather a local following. This was the starting point of their musical journey which eventually took them far beyond the boundaries of Benton. Their band name, Striped Mortgage, was drawn from a line in a local newspaper article about property foreclosures. They felt it embodied their collective struggle to make sense of the complexities of the adult world whilst still being young and carefree.
Genre:
Striped Mortgage is primarily known for its unique fusion of Alternative rock with elements of folk and a touch of blues.
Title:
“Rust on the Tin”
Full Song Lyrics:
(Verse 1)
[Am]Wake up in the [G]morning, sun begins to [C]shine
[Em]In the rusted mirror, see the [Am]ticking time
[Am]The old man working the [G]nine-to-five
[Em]Chasing dreams that [Am]never arrive
(Chorus)
[F]Rust on the tin, [C]can’t keep the rain out
[Am]Holdin’ on fast, but still filled with [G]doubt
[F]Striped mortgage standing, [C]weathered and worn
[Am]In the land where we were [G]born
(Verse 2)
[Am]Fields once green, now [G]faded to grey
[Em]In the wake of progress, they [Am]withered away
[Am]We’re left with tokens of [G]yesteryear’s charm
[Em]In the heartland that’s been [Am]harmed
(Chorus)
[F]Rust on the tin, [C]can’t keep the dreams in
[Am]Standing tall, but feeling [G]thin
[F]Striped mortgage standing, [C]weathered and worn
[Am]In the land where we’ve been [G]torn
Fan Testimonial:
The band’s favorite fan is a woman named Molly O’Brien. Molly has followed Striped Mortgage since their early days, attending every local show and even traveling to see them in neighboring states. According to Molly, “Striped Mortgage isn’t just a band, they’re the articulation of the struggle, the joy, the fear and the dreams of our generation. Their songs aren’t just tunes but stories that reflect our lives. From ‘Rust on the Tin’ to their other songs, every chord strummed, every beat of the drum, every lyric sung, resonates with my experiences. They’ve grown and evolved with their music, and as a fan, I’ve grown with them. To me, they’re not just musicians; they’re poets, storytellers, and above all, friends.”