Topsy Turvy
Aug 22, 2009 DIY
I guess it’s a matter of my schedule to why Saturday is generally the day I sit and banter with myself about what’s going on, and write a blog entry that might make sense or entertain me in a couple of months when I come back to re-read it. This past week was no less hectic than others, but did provide time for preparing to get into the studio to cut tracks for a 4-song EP, so I’m excited, and a bit overwhelmed.
A couple of weeks ago, Bruce Johnson sent a timely email to our NSAI Yahoo group with a link to an excellent document from Disc Makers titled “Planning Your Album from Beginning to End”. I won’t be producing a record, per se, baby steps for now, I’m still feeling my way through the indie forest. But reading through the document a couple of times helped me list out key focal points necessary to even the mini-project I’m about to undertake.
Picking only 4-songs is one of the toughest parts. But financially, it’s all I can do for now, and I’ll take that stepping stone across the stream. One thing I am forcing myself to do, though, is write one new song as part of the first four. The main reason for making this a self-imposed requirement is to try and infuse a fresh edge to the overall set of songs.
I’ll be working with producers Jimm Mosher/Alan Grossman at Hit Music Studios in Spencer, NC. We are scheduled to meet on Monday for pre-production planning and perhaps lay down some scratch tracks for the first couple of songs we settle on. I’m working on narrowing down the list of songs to choose from, plus writing charts for the couple of songs I’m pretty sure we’ll do as well as finish writing at least one new song to throw into the mix out of the batch swirling in my head.
Truth is, since this is my first studio effort with my own material I’m trying not to envision the end state because I want to let things unfold rather than make them happen. Not that I don’t have any idea what I want but heck, Jimm and Alan are way more experienced and will open my ears to creative possibilities I won’t think of on my own.
A few weeks ago we bought a Topsy Turvy, and upside down planter for tomato plants. The thing works great, but oddly enough the tomato plant we bought was mislabeled and turned out to be a green pepper plant! The peppers taste great and I didn’t have to dig a hole to grow them. Just threw a bunch soil in the Topsy Turvy and watered the plant every day. It’s kind of like this indie thing… plant seeds in good soil, water daily and enjoy what grows — even when what I get is the unexpected.
Virtually Inspired
Aug 14, 2009 muse
This past Thursday evening I was looking forward to the “Writing A Song With Dave Berg” session in the SongU.com (SU) e-Auditorium. Since I was playing the role of TA (teacher’s assistant), I made sure my Mac was ready to record the session, and about 10-minutes before it started I logged in and fired up the “classroom” application. This was my first session with video, I knew Danny [Arena] was working on this piece, and it really works well. I need to find out the application he’s using because the quality and responsiveness was quite good.
Dave Berg is one of the hottest writers in Nashville these days, and it took just a few minutes for me to feel totally at home with his attitude and personality. I mean this guy is the real deal, but he’s as unpretentious and humble as can be, which made his words and wisdom all the more meaningful.
As he shared his back story, it was clear Dave hadn’t done anything like this before, that is, a virtual discussion with songwriters from all over the world. For all his success he kept iterating that he was relentless in grinding out songs and learning what it takes to be a successful songwriter in Nashville. His background is playing in rock bands in Portland, OR, so he didn’t grow up listening to country music.
The main topic was around the back story for Stupid Boy, which he wrote with Deanna Bryant and Sarah Buxton, and worked out pretty well for Keith Urban. Interestingly, they (Dave/Sarah/Deanna) chose that day to write a song from a very personal perspective that they thought would never get cut, aside perhaps on their own CDs. It was great to hear Dave keep harping on the fact that sure we have to learn our craft, and learn it well. But it’s not about formulas and writing what we think people want to hear.
Dave proceeded to play a verse/chorus of Stupid Boy live, jaw dropping! Next time in Nashville seeing Dave will be a top priority, provided he’s in town, of course. He then talked about co-writing and the process, the disappointments, the luck, the vast chasm between the ups and downs… but through it all, we write because we want to, because we have to.
Another point he shared that was key for me is that his publishers never tried to take the edge of his writing. Early on A&R folks would say they loved his songs but they weren’t necessarily marketable in the country market. But his management didn’t give him that feedback, they hedged bets his edgy-ness would pay off, cha-ching.
I “enrolled” at SU in the early years, and hazard to guess learned more about songwriting holistically in this environment than others. I’ve considered dropping my membership when I get discouraged and think the change would be good. Truth is, for all the great training and mentoring and collaboration I’ve gleaned from SU, I’ve not exhausted the resource, it’s more about my own lack of discipline and persistence. There’s no way to put a dollar value on the [virtual] inspiration I got from Dave Berg — and this is what SU is about.
Hairballs
Aug 8, 2009 ramblings
Yep, life’s a hairball… a tangled mess. We either live in it or hover just beyond it, but can’t live without it. Get too close, you get sucked in — too far away and you’re isolated from the hairball — but then, what’s life without life?
After my first pass through Gordon McKenzie’s “Orbiting the Giant Hairball,” a book touted to address the mayhem inside large corporate work environments, I got to thinking the same is true of life. Very interesting read, IMO, from the format and style of delivery to the content… I’m buying a copy to keep on my nightstand with the other books I periodically thumb through.
I work in the corporate hairball described and addressed by this book, and have for many years. Having to navigate the gravity surrounding the tornadic swirl of red tape and politics and not get sucked into it — yet not get so far from it that I either quit or get fired, wears the heck out of me. But, as an artist, I’m totally with the proclamation McKenzie makes in the last chapter about “my life’s masterpiece”, entertaining and profound.
[begin rant]
Now, I don’t write politically charged protest songs, and don’t necessarily intend to start — but of late I’m really struggling with all the yak about who’s to blame for the current economic hairball we’re experiencing, why we’ve gone from digging an economic hole with a shovel to a backhoe and all that jazz. Uh, not the [only true] American art form, but the fuzzy math and self-centered “if you don’t agree with me you must be stupid” type of jazz.
Does anyone read history anymore? I mean accurate stuff, not the interpretations and CNN/MSNBC commentary. I mean stuff like how economies cycle, and people get blinded by poop-y promises made by politicians put on pedestals built on the frustration and disillusion of the masses? And how societies crumble because we seemingly [choose to] avoid learning from those mistakes?
Are we so entangled within the hairball, that the simplicity of hope and trust between good people seems out of reach? Has the collective isolation of minds shut off from reality by earbuds, the web, addiction to virtual reality, etc., made it easy for those holding the reigns to steer us down roads we shouldn’t be on?
Sadly, me thinks — YES.
I’m not saying anyone should compromise on what they believe, or give up our 1st Amendment rights. But should we be required to fund (via taxation) abortion and Acorn… should these type of social issues and vehicles of manipulation really be part of the Washington [funded] agenda? Shouldn’t our “representation” be more concerned with ensuring federal funds [aka stimulus] allocated to states keep teachers teaching, roads built and maintained and beefing up local law enforcement and fire departments, instead of building tourist attractions and funding bogus research projects? It concerns me when “we the people” allow the 10 Commandments to be torn down in the name of separation of church and state (and to appease those who like the great opportunities we all have by living in America but aren’t signing up for the heritage part of the deal), then time and again vote in government officials who endorse billions in illicit gain… help me out here?
Any chance we can get back to basics (like “Thou Shall Not Steal” from the taxpayer to bail out the boardroom) before my hairball adventure is over? Is common sense passé?
[end rant]
I recently read CB’s blog about “needing to write,” which really speaks to me. I do need to write, but sometimes avoid writing what I’m really passionate about. Like God, the one who I believe sent Jesus, so we could have a reason to hope in a future past the hairball… controversial, for sure. And I believe in living life to the fullest, while not abusing my body or taking advantage of others, also controversial to many. I also believe the music industry has blown its feet off up to its hips, and now barely keeps its collective head above water with gimmicky playlists.
True artists will keep good music and song alive, for the sake of art, in the name of hope. I can only hope to be part of this troupe, and that I’ll continue to create my own masterpiece. One thing’s for sure, whatever it is I write next will be from the gravity surrounding the hairballs I’m living with… whee!
Spectator Sport
Aug 2, 2009 muse
Sometimes a couple of weeks go by when I feel more like a spectator than participant, life on auto-pilot. Good news is auto-pilot helps keep the bus out of the ditch and I’m a fairly tuned-in spectator.
Last night I played a show in the midst of a very busy modern day village (Birkdale). Lots of restaurants and shops and people. Right in front of the stage there is grassy area encased by hedges where folks sat on chairs or blankets or the grass to listen and enjoy the transition from late afternoon sun to moonlit evening. It’s not a very large area, and there’s no broadening it because of the hedges and fencing that’s part of a perimeter surrounding a really cool fountain and pergola covered sitting areas with benches.
Not just any fountain, mind you, but a playground for kids to have an absolute blast while mom and/or dad stand by with towels and snacks. Of course lots of pics and video were being shot — everyone is just hangin’ and relaxin’ and having a good time. Then, at one point, Kevin, our lead picker asks (and I’m paraphrasing), “What’s it say about us that only the kids are running through the fountain?”.
Well, that thought didn’t resonate until later when I got home, unloaded, and sat down to unwind… why were there no grown-ups in the midst of the fountain, getting wet and letting go, too? Heck, it was a real sticky summer night, still 80+ degrees at 9:00 as we were winding down our set (love these early gigs). Truth is, I doubt I would have been getting wet either, but in retrospect, and if the opportunity comes up where I’m there with my kids, I may be more inclined to so after pondering Kevin’s question… the essence of which is, why be a spectator when you can participate?
Serendipitously, on Friday I’d decided to get back to my indie game plan. Now some of this means serious contemplation of what’s next… committing to decisions and living with the outcome of choosing to do something or not, and having no regrets. Which also means dipping into the fairly shallow pool of funds I’ve managed to scrimp and save over the last few months. Seems deciding how to use these bucks is always tough. But decide I must if I’m going to play the game, rather than sit in the stands and watch. It’s all good, and I’m thinking, about to get a whole lot better.
So thanks to Kevin and the big splash those kids were making last night… this ain’t no spectator sport.