This is the only full song written for RPM '08 by me. Was hoping for a Nammond part, but it never panned out. Wrote the progression for Mick to blow over in a different arrangement, but that never panned out either. I got some good help with lyric mind-joggers, specially from Sister Savage who slipped me a great opening line. So I do have RPM to thank for this thing.
Now if I can just find a new singer.
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?songs=9123&T=5124
The little town I live in had a small convenience store/BBQ hut/Hangout that had become the center of socialization for the working classes (of which I consider myself pretty damn prol). This past weekend was it's last days of operation (until it's sold and reopened, but these days how knows when that might be?).
It also served as the central point for a small group of talented musicians and their 'fans' and friends to gather for jams and such. I'm not the player these guys are, but I was ... (1517 more chars)
The first of a few I've been working on. Very much wanted live drums, but my 'guy' never came through. Oh well.
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=1131333&t=2371
I made the ghastly mistake of leaving my '07 Americana/Roots/Country compilation CD (still in the case) on my dashboard for the briefest of store run-ins after showing it off and came back to find it warped, partially stripped of 'shiny' and unplayable.
This broke my heart, for not only is my song on that disk, but many of my favorites as well.
So I'm hoping that some sweet considerate person might be willing to rip me a new copy. Would be nic e to have an original with artwork, but that... (252 more chars)
You're thinking, "I didn't get to hear enough Tangmo in '08!" And I have the remedy. This is a song written over two and a half years ago which never really got 'finished', but it's close enough for publication (and pretty damn full as it is). Taken from real life when one of my old flames thought she could reignite a fire under me after my heart had already been melted by another.
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=1108572&t=2739
CD's owed or promised to others will go out whe... (88 more chars)
I'm gearing up to go offline for an undetermined period of time. Part of it is a bid to save money, and part of it is a reaction to years and years of dialup. I'm just tired of the frustration--that which I experience from my own lack of a fast connection, and that which I experience collatorally from people who don't have a clue what connecting at 28 kbps means.
Love or hate the source, Noam Chomsky is reported to have said (to the effect): The internet is an elitist organization when y... (632 more chars)
Some years ago, the good folks at AE set out to make a different kind of collaboration...an experiment in the unity of music. Each of the participants submitted one or more renditions of verses of this familiar song. Using a common key and tempos, each set out to put their own unique stamp on things.
Most of the vocals you hear were recorded to a very simple rendition of the verse. Files were sent to me as producer and shepard of the project and I arranged them in order and laid the pre-rec... (1110 more chars)
I've got a little soft-rock song going (think Christopher Cross) with a great little melody and am wondering if any of you out there would either like to match up a lyric you may have abandoned in your project or start up a new one. I could do a quick whip-up and demo the vocal melody with Dee Dee Dee's to help with the writing.
I can't get it out of my head, so the sooner somebody can help, the sooner my sanity will return.
I can be as 'business-like' as you would like, but prefer a sim... (401 more chars)
I have been intrigued with the musical concept for what turned into the album E is for Everything from Angie Fights Crime's blogs before the official start of RPM '08 and just got the album out of the PO box today and have been listening. Rather quickly...almost immediately...I forgot the 'concept' and just got knocked over time after time with the strength of the individual songs.
From the first track (Sleep--haven't heard slowness used to such great excruciating effect since Nillson's ver... (736 more chars)
..and any of his little helpers. My '07 Jukebox entry is FIXED! And it was quite a mess with missing songs and duplicated entries to the point I gave up worrying about it. But thanks to his can-do volunteer spirit and effort, now YOU (yes, my friends YOU) can hear it the way it was done lo those many months ago.
Thanks, Mosfet.
either my agreement or disagreement.
These might wind up being place holders to help me get the structure down, but I'm right fond of the 3rd verse.
Chorus:
Frida do what she wants. Frida do What she wants.
She do what she wants and she wants to do just what she wants to do.
(Which will morph into Free ta do whatcha want. You're free ta do whatcha want.)
vs1.
Cherry lipstick smeared in haste. No other reason 'cept she likes the taste.
She don't need no chi-chi pret... (657 more chars)
If you had been paying attemtion, you would already know that I'm not going to be able to produce an album this month. A series of technical failures and a reshuffling of priorities doomed me pretty early on. With luck, I'll have one song--but damned it it's not gonna be a doozy. Doozy? Did I just say "Doozy?"
Anyways. Before the final bell tolls, I just want to say 'thanks' to the RPM staff and to all of you who are participating for letting me tag along in the message board and enjoy ... (584 more chars)
This seldom works, but I'm trying it anyway.
The song is about is about a girl who does exactly what she wants. She might be spoiled from an early age, or have been sheltered and finds herself free. I see her as about 20-22. I have a little sister in that age range, but she's too well-behaved to give me much inspiration.
What would you do if you could do anything you want?
It's going to be a blues-rock thing, so a little salty is cool...but I don't want to go too sexy. It wouldn't ... (106 more chars)
It's just not meant to be this year for me.
My struggles with technology are kicking my skinny ass and everything I have done to at least make this possible has only resulted in requiring me to do three things to make it work...and it's still not working.
I lack the time this year...or more exactly, I lacked the initial enthusiasm to propel me through a month of spending every available minute on the project. Truth is, I don't really 'need' RPM to force me to get off my ass and make musi... (973 more chars)
OL..so may main computer was not going to be reliable for the challenge. My attempts to 'fix' it have resulted in better operation, but NO SOUND! So I'm in the process of moving my software to a better computer (something I had been planning anyways) and reorganizing this laughable 'studio' into something I can actually use again. In the meantime, I'm still 'writing'. The little quoty things are there because I haven't actually finished a single song yet, but I've got enough of at least fou... (230 more chars)
1.5/29 = (1/4 x 3)/10 Am I gonna make it?
Oddly, I am also 70,000 words into first draft of a novel which is a sort of alt-historical action-adventure/political thriller full of violence and moral ambiguity...and it's starting to get really interesting.
1 Brain / 3 projects = Alcoholic nap Sleeyalator.
OK, it's cheezy. But I was just a boy, and it still means somthing to me.
Sentence by sentence, measure by measure Does it all come together at my Muse's pleasure?
Save me with fire like flint upon rock Make me feel warmth from the wool of the flock Grace me with leisure to work with my hands Bless me your servant who fretfully stands
Sentence by sentence, measure by measure Does it all come together at this artist's liesure?
Flow like a river, you labor of love Fall like a ... (236 more chars)
I had decided a couple of days ago to regretfully decline to participate in RPM this year. There are too many hindrances--not least of which are the loss of my main 'band-mate' from last year and a computer that's taken to just shutting down a random times.
But hanging out, reading blogs, getting back into the whole community thing has refired my enthusuasim and rekindled good memories of '07, so I'm going to wade in this year with fingers crossed and lowered expectations concerning 'produc... (473 more chars)
I still don't know if I'm going to produce an album, or what to do if I decide to fully participate.
I do know that I want whatever I do to be worth doing. I already have a lot on my plate...almost all of it worth doing. I don't want to add a half-assed RPM project to that. Last year, I cleared my plate of everything non-essential and replaced all those things with RPM--both community and creativity.
Like a soldier contemplating the mission in the lull before battle, I'm allowing mysel... (92 more chars)
I've been on something of a jazz jag lately. Not that I'm a great composer, but Lordy, I do love them chords. So I'm thinking about a Jazz album.
But I'm also thinking about Gospel...traditonal southern, black...whatever. I'd like to study that music in the weeks leading up to the challenge. It would certainly be easier to write lyric for, and might be even more of a challenge.
Still weighing whether or not to fully join in for '08. But I'll definately be around to give cheers to you... (38 more chars)
That's what my 'new' rpm 07 album is to the one-of-a-kind disk at RPM HQ. I've burnt the midnight oil before my little Holiday road trip to get it ready to upload to Kunaki on a broadband connection (my last CD with them took almost five days on dialup). Remixed, remastered, reworked. Took away one song and added another. Replaced the 'bonus tracks' with some instrumentals to get to my Beatle's inspired 14 count. Redid the artwork as well.
But I still think of it as my RPM album, as it ... (534 more chars)
I'm in the last stages of wrapping up the more formal release of my RPM album. It will be greeted by friends with a smile, by strangers with a tiny bit of curiosity, and by the music industry with a giant shrug. Still, I want to make the best album I can with the material.
My issue is one of track selection. Since I wrote the album with the 10 commandments as a very rough creative guide, there is one song related to Thou Shalt not Lie. The problem lies in the politically-based song "Li... (822 more chars)
that people with broadband connections don't actually listen to music. They simply hoover it up for storage in thier Ipods like those rich dudes that have libraries full of books which they never read. It's a collector's item, rather than something to be sullied with actual ears. "I don't want to get earwax on my 100,000 favorite tunes." said Bob Bissell when asked about the phenomenon.
In addition, many people are bored with fat-pipe connections and have begun to embrace a new technology... (702 more chars)
I've had a song selected by the powers at Acid Planet to be included in one of thier weekly podcasts. I (we) are sharing the bill with 4 or 5 other acts. These podcasts typically get thousands of listens. One of their shows has had close to 100,000 downloads/listens, and since they started thier show, well over 1 Million people have listened.
The song is call 'The Mighty Miss' and I was joined on it by two of my oft-time collaborators (Thom P of Kiss the Sky and PhillyC, both of whom are ... (300 more chars)
Still jetlagged from a 12-hour time difference (but well worth it). I've been working on updating a song from the RPM album. Attempts to fatten it up morphed into this.
I'd love to right a harder-hitting song on this subject, but I'll have to leave that to other harder-hitting folks. I just took some recollections from last Christmas's dinner and what I was thinking while it was happening and carried that internal conversation to it's logical end.
Give a listen, and do better if it's i... (84 more chars)
I'm off in a few hours for vacation and a reunion with the love of my life. But I didn't want to leave without first saying 'bye' to friends I've made here, and secondly to put out a plea for your involvement in the Hear Music CD compilation program being ably shepherded by felow RPM atist Michelangelo.
It could be that's Mick's PM inbox is bulging every day with comments from people listening thoughtfully to those artists nominated to appear on these compilation disks with opinions and ide... (1203 more chars)
Not being a band, I took the RPM challenge primarily as a songwriter. I've been having fun since working with partners and alone to flesh out some arrangements, performances, or mixes,
Little One was a simple acoustic/vocal song (and a sort-of 'bonus track') on the submitted disk, but with the participation of my friend ThomP it's been reworked into a lite-jazz/easy listening/soft-rock thing that I'm quite proud of.
You can hear it here:
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=99534... (10 more chars)
A buddy of mine has started a web-radio thing that seems to be picking up steam. He's looking for material to play. It's an open-format station (no genre bias...if he likes it, he'll play it)
You can check out the station at: http://www.radiojaxn.com
Contact Jeff with your interest or questions at: jaxn_radio@jaxonavestudios.com
I have no other involvement with the station. I just want to help him (and you) get some music out there.
Still having fun with RPM songs (as well as writing some new ones). "The Dog's Name" from my RPM album has gotten a new production workout. A few of you have heard the simpler version and I've gotten a lot of encouragement to revisit it.
Anyways...you can listen here, if you are so moved.
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=938722&T=5355
Still tinkering with the mix, if your ears have lips.
Cut # 7 on the CD was an acoustic/vocal song about fidelity in a long-distance relationship. I got in touch with a frequent collaborator and he worked some additional music and production magic on it. Especially those of you who have the CD in swap might get a treat out of hearing this updated arrangement.
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=969234&t=5240
I hope it gets you laid.
I haven't really 'blogged' in a while, but here's what I've been up to.
I've been reworking some of the songs on the album and posting the updated versions on my Acid Planet page. Some have just gotten a little mix tweak, some have been updated with better sounding backing tracks, but others have had a serious re-working including the addition of new tracks. I've been highly blessed in my time sharing music online to meet a lot of really talented players, arrangers, and songwriters who've ... (863 more chars)
I'm in the process of burning off a few last copies of my album for people outside of RPM who I've enjoyed swapping with. So I'm asking again if anybody would like to trade. Besides, like the RPM HQ folks themselves, enjoying a physical 'thing' holding music, having a slow dialup connection just makes it impossible to DL albums worth of material. I'm having a hard enough time with the preliminary Jukebox just sampling singles.
You can listen to me here. http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.... (568 more chars)
I was fortunate enough during the challenge to not have to make any road-trips. Well, the guy we were going to see got the flu...I shouldn't be TOO happy. But he's all better now and I'm taking off for a few days. I'll be armed with a fresh supply of new music supplied by RPM friends and suitable for listening. Ought to be fun. Thanks.
The little mini-controversy that erupted after the first version was posted served to make this a better song...so I thanks ya. This is my selection for the listening party. It might or might not be the best, but it's probably the coolest.
I was doing a search there on Yahoo
Reading headlines like smart people do
Kylie Minogue's got a museum
Like her hot pants? You can see 'em!
I won't be in line. How 'bout you?
I have wept in the garden at Graceland
And I've toured th... (1448 more chars)
but I still haven't heard my CD all the way through yet, a day after I put it in the mail. I just checked that I had the right song order, then listened to the ends and beginnings to see if the 'mastering' was at least acceptable.
Something to do over lunch, I guess. LOL
...I'd be living in your place, eating your groceries and having sex with your partner. Sometimes I wish I could be someone else, especially when it comes to music and creative pursuits. Oh, to be able to write like Ian Anderson, to play guitar like Knopfler, to sing like Ray Charles. But that's not an option available to me. I'm me and I can't be anybody else.
More than any other musical pursuit I've ever been involved in, this album is "me". That's not to say I didn't have lots of won... (409 more chars)
Have been determined since the beginning to 1. Write ten new songs and 2. Put 14 tracks on the CD, even if some over 10 didn't meet the qualifications. At work this morning, I reminded myself what Peter Jackson said about the LOTR films. They aren't finished until the truck pulls up to take the masters.
Well, niether am I. As of now I have 9 brand new songs and 11 tracks...all of which meet the qualifications
Rather than putzing with finalizing and doing one more mastering pass, ... (347 more chars)
Since I'm not a band, and since I want to do as many produced numbers as possible, I've gotten a lot of help in putting these songs together so far. There's no way I could gather the talent locally that I'm often able to go to on the internet. When I do my last big blog, I'll introduce the full cast of characters, but for now I'll just shout a big THANKS into the ether.
It's a sweet way to work most of the time. It does at times present some problems, and requires a lot of patience and ... (381 more chars)
I wrote a song earlier in the month tentatively titled 'Costa Rica' and a friend of mine heard it (who actually lives in Costa Rica) and decided to help my little scratch demo out. He did up a basic arrangement that turned out beautifully. Then we sent that mix to another friend who added his magic, and I just got it back today. It's so beautiful that I can't believe I had anything to do with it.
It's a freaking shame I have to paste my vocals over it, but I do. So I've decided to repri... (177 more chars)
1. grapefruit juice is handy in the production, dimunution, and regulation of
2. phlegm required to do an acappella blues/spiritual number since
3. autotune is out of the question.
4 half-note triplets are very hard to play against a straight click track (especially when you don't know for sure that's what they are), but
5. finishing requires just the right juice and rythm.
I'm glad it's a weekend coming.
After a (for me) marathon recording session, I find myself with one more song to write to fulfill the challenge, two more if I want to fulfill my own promise of writing ten this month...but that's sort of been moved to the back burner. Besides that one, I have to re-record one tune and that's it. I've been mixing and semi-mastering as I go, so another quick pass for CD and they'll be ready to burn.
I'm very happy with most of the new material. One or two suffered more from the time cons... (436 more chars)
I've been struggling with an anti-war song, both having difficulty expressing my thoughts and feeling kind of ooky about giving such a serious subject the somewhat light-hearted approach it seemed to be asking for. Then I remembered Arlo Guthrie's anti-draft/anti-war song of the Vietnam era and sort of felt his blessings. It may not be 'finished' but it's in such a state that I'm confident it will be. A shout out to Endicott Road who gave me good advice. War without end...Amen.
Here's a snapshot of the CD so far.
I. "The Lord Your God"...written, recorded, and ready. Sort of an alt-country piece that stands alone, but also introduces the album.
II. "Her Own Museum" written, recorded, and almost ready. What the Beatle's would have done if they had all lived and lost thier senses. Features my friend and collaborator PhillyC on two homemade instruments.
III. "The Dog's Name" written, recorded and ready. A funy bluesy piece.
IV. "Costa Rica" written a... (2400 more chars)
Started feeling a little ill yesterday afternoon...by evening I was miserable and went to bed early. Feeling some better today, but don't know what I'm going to be able to accomplish...maybe run to the bathroom between takes?
Also, going on a short road-trip starting monday and will be unable to record...but will still be able to write.
Anyways...I feel like it's starting to come unravelled...then I look at what I've done and what time remains and feel better. A little Immodium for the ... (6 more chars)
I don't know how I got here, but I'm doing production on three songs and in the middle of writing songs 6 and 7. That certainly wasn't the plan two weeks ago. My brain is a jumble of half digested verse, circular progressions, and one overall theme melody that will repeat as often as I can squeeze it in.
How do you spell ADD? And is there a cure?
I've taken my song-writer hat off the last couple of days and donned my fancy producer hat and engineers visor. Besides looking funny, it's been a necessary step to get some sonic quality and polish on what I've got so far.
While I make plenty of compromises with the notion of perfection for the sake of soul and song, and while time-constraints will likely mean more compromise than usual for the sake of the CD and the challenge, I don't want to be standing up nekkid and hatless next to yo... (649 more chars)
and I have to say I'm very pleased with the quality of the writing. I wouldn't have guessed, when two songs a month has been a 'busy' month, that I could write 5 in ten days which all still excite me to listen to.
I don't know how they are all going to sound...still five to write...and learn...and record...and produce. Online friends and collaborators are showing up to help polish these little gems, but it's still going to be iffy whether I can get all ten to sound like more than scratc... (199 more chars)
I'm not sure if or where it fits into my RPM album plan, but I think I've just done the best bit of songcrafting of my life. I'm insanely proud of it.
I spend a fair amount of time among creative types. Many of them seem to be of the opinion that 'art' happens only when one is the blessed recipient of some kind of emotionally charged visitation by the thing which we call "The Muse". While I love them all like brothers and sisters, I think they are full of shit.
At the least, I think they a... (646 more chars)
Four songs written, three recorded. Also have gotten some good news from an extremely talented online friend/composer/instrumentalist/percussionist who, while he wouldn't sign up for the challenge himself, is very willing to help me. I've worked with him several times before, and he's both excellent, and quick. And besides him, another online friend has taken a shine to my crappy recording of Costa Rica and is working up an arrangement for it. That one really needs to be done over. There... (1091 more chars)
I'm sorry if you're a fan. I truly don't even really know who she is or what kind of talent/person she represents. But since she's celebrity, and since I need fuel for the challenge, I took a hint from a headline and went with this. No shame. I was doing a search there on Yahoo Reading headlines like smart people do Kylie Minogue's got a museum Like her hot pants? You can see 'em! I won't be in line. How 'bout you? I have wept in the garden at Graceland And I've toured the downstairs... (662 more chars)
