Settle down with a cold one, kids, it's going to be a long one. I think. We'll see...
1. I'd like to thank artwhore and Tangmo in this forum review thread for their thoughts on my CD. Even though the opinions in it were almost polar opposites of each other, I found usable aspects in both of them - especially Tangmo's! LOL!!! :D
Hey! Some people feel you, some people don't. It's great to be felt. And when someone doesn't feel you, at least you can appreciate it when they have the temerity to specifically say why.
I thought Artwhore's perception of my work as being more folk than anything else was rather astute, especially given that the two reviews I did on that thread were for folk performers. In fact, my earliest influences as a songwriter were in fact - surprise surprise - Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, folks like that. Even Tangmo caught that. Quite nice.
As for the observation Tangmo made about "Ringed By Lovers", I had to chuckle, as for a while, I really hated that lyric. It took me about 3 rewrites to get it right, and the version of it that's on the RPM Challenge jukebox was actually rewrite #2. I'm still not sure if I like it or not. It was also the last song I wrote for the CD, and it was pretty much down to the wire at that point. So it was all simple synth bass, hand claps, et. al. An attempt at a very basic electroclash track. Hopefully, the purists will understand. But yes, there were hardly any change ups. I was pretty exhausted by that point to come up with any. So his comment on that was quite fair.
2. I'm noticing a blog entry about how NPR's Second Stage picks the songs here to be featured. I remember the email blast that went out announcing this. Initially, it frankly made me kind of sad. I mean, here we are, getting involved in this challenge to better ourselves, better our music. And now we've been put in the process of being judged, possibly looking in jealousy at the folks who got the prize.
I thought this WASN'T supposed to be a competition?
On the other hand, if you are a professional/semi-professional musician, and you feel your work is damn good for the time you took to make it, why shouldn't a nationally recognized show and website not be given the opportunity to showcase you and your work? Certainly, it's great publicity for the Wire, and the resulting trickle-down effect to the rest of us would be pretty sweet! Should it happen.
I mean, if it weren't for the RPM features, I wouldn't have found "Be Quiet". :D
I'll be sending my CD to NPR 2nd Stage in May for review, when they reopen that part of their site for submission. I have no illusions about them finding me among 800+ "preferred tracks". Especially since the one I choose to represent me as a "preferred track" doesn't really do justice to the rest of the CD.
3. While poking around the above noted thread, I came across this guy. Sweet Jesus, can this guy SING! Sure his songs are rough, but he has the voice of an angel.
Anyway, if you want his CD, you can download it for free from his his Last.FM page. Get it now before some nasty ass who signs on as his a&r guru forces him take it all down!
4. Don't...buy...SanDisk...Sansa...Express...MP3...players. ...EVER!!! Mine came in the mail today and died after two hours! Right after I finished charging it up! And my power button cracked while I was trying to turn the damn thing on! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG!!!!!
Yeah, it was only 35 dollars, but Tiger Direct has something to answer for. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Since he's already up to Day 11, I've got some catching up to do. Since there's no music involved, this should be a tad easier. No sleepless nights, at least.
6. The Hubster and I are going to Ireland in May. I know some of you dear readers live there? Anyone playing out there during the first two weeks in May?
That, and some anti-obvious-tourist tips would be appreciated. :)
7. And last, at the risk of coming off as an attention whore, New
pic?
Ok...you can wake up now...
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