Here I am last minute again. Cutting it pretty close this time. The month is up in fifteen minutes and I I've just finished recording. It's been an insane month. We've moved, have had 3 separate automotive events, and I've started a new barber. And of course it wouldn't be August if Riley wasn't splitting his head open. This year he was inspired by the Olympics and did a triple header back flip off the couch and caught it on the coffee table. Five Staples!
This song has a close relationship with chaos. I was involved in the reforming of my old band H.M.S. We we're all going to bring new tunes to the table so I found myself needing to come up with 3 songs above and beyond the calendar project. The timing was off but I ended up coming up with one and a half songs. The completed one was Believe it. In the midst of all the chaos this month every time I had a chance I picked up the acoustic at the shop and busted it out. I knew this month I already had believe it in the bank so I just needed time to lay it down. Here I am on the last day of the month getting it done. Perfect. It's in this song's blood to be done in a whirlwind. It's a straight up live take. I even brought the shop guitar to our new home to lay it down.
The other half song has since become "Leroi." It had already been referred to as my Dave Matthews riff (sometimes Rush?). When I heard Leroi Moore died it really hit me. The guy was awesome and his music and presence will be missed. More on that next month.
Two minutes to spare.
Believe It
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wedding Bells (I Do)
Last year my July song was very rushed. Even though I liked it nobody else did. I to this day think it was because the recording was hurried more than anything else. My only complaint was I forgot to say the word July last year. I tried to make it up in August but I guess I never recovered.
Having said that I felt a great deal of pressure for this year's to be better. This is actually one of my oldest tunes that I never could quite finish. One day I was jamming at the barbershop when I stumbled upon the missing pieces. It's the only song since the inception of the Calendar Project that is in an open tuning. I also thought it was fitting since Kate and I celebrated our 5th anniversary this month.
The recording was still done last minute but I think it's much better than last July. My only concern is that it will come across as a poor man's "Om". More Roots than Mercury. I had technical difficulties during the recording process but got the job done.
I'm proud of it. I hope you enjoy it too.
Wedding Bells(I Do)
Having said that I felt a great deal of pressure for this year's to be better. This is actually one of my oldest tunes that I never could quite finish. One day I was jamming at the barbershop when I stumbled upon the missing pieces. It's the only song since the inception of the Calendar Project that is in an open tuning. I also thought it was fitting since Kate and I celebrated our 5th anniversary this month.
The recording was still done last minute but I think it's much better than last July. My only concern is that it will come across as a poor man's "Om". More Roots than Mercury. I had technical difficulties during the recording process but got the job done.
I'm proud of it. I hope you enjoy it too.
Wedding Bells(I Do)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Chew Your Food Good
Chew Your Food Good
This month I was working on a riff one day while the kids where eating their lunch. Riley has a tendency to shove allot of food in his mouth @ once so I started to play something completely different. I started singing "chew your food good" and it was one of those moments where the song only took as long to write as it did to play. The kids liked it so I knew I had something. This is a sincere effort in writing something they would enjoy. I also like how a kids' song is not something I've done with the Calendar Project yet.
Recording it was fun. I got the kids to sing and even play a little percussion. That's them shaking the summer squash out of the tambourines. Their little voices kill me. They are just too cute. Ginny watched on while Lennon and Riley helped Dad express the importance of Chewing Your Food Good.
Each year, more than 17,000 infants and children are treated in hospital emergency departments for choking-related incidents, and more than 80 percent of these occur in children aged four years and younger. Airway obstruction death and injury are especially prevalent in children under age four due to anatomy (small airway), natural curiosity and tendency to put objects in their mouths, and incomplete chewing. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, choking in 2001 was highest in infants. (taken from http://www.answers.com/topic/choking?cat=health)
So please Chew Your Food Good!
My Fathers Day was made good by spending it with the three best kids in the world, making music. Thanks Lennon, Riley, and Ginny.
Happy Fathers Day all you dads out there!
Chew Your Food Good
This month I was working on a riff one day while the kids where eating their lunch. Riley has a tendency to shove allot of food in his mouth @ once so I started to play something completely different. I started singing "chew your food good" and it was one of those moments where the song only took as long to write as it did to play. The kids liked it so I knew I had something. This is a sincere effort in writing something they would enjoy. I also like how a kids' song is not something I've done with the Calendar Project yet.
Recording it was fun. I got the kids to sing and even play a little percussion. That's them shaking the summer squash out of the tambourines. Their little voices kill me. They are just too cute. Ginny watched on while Lennon and Riley helped Dad express the importance of Chewing Your Food Good.
Each year, more than 17,000 infants and children are treated in hospital emergency departments for choking-related incidents, and more than 80 percent of these occur in children aged four years and younger. Airway obstruction death and injury are especially prevalent in children under age four due to anatomy (small airway), natural curiosity and tendency to put objects in their mouths, and incomplete chewing. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, choking in 2001 was highest in infants. (taken from http://www.answers.com/topic/choking?cat=health)
So please Chew Your Food Good!
My Fathers Day was made good by spending it with the three best kids in the world, making music. Thanks Lennon, Riley, and Ginny.
Happy Fathers Day all you dads out there!
Chew Your Food Good
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Bigger Things
Last month's song wasn't received the way I had hoped. I considered it a political satire. It would more accurately be described as long. This is the song I had intended to put up last month. I wrote it in April but then I got excited about "W." I should have maybe stuck with the song I meant to post and allowed myself time to digest the notion of venturing into politics. Regardless both songs found there way to the audioblog and I like how dated April will sound because it is a "calendar project."
I think this song is a better offering. When I shared it with my friend Russ he said that he liked how lyrically it starts sounding like it will be a downer but the message actually comes through as pretty optimistic. I honestly didn't think about it. I just needed words that fit the meter.
This month is dedicated to Erlinda Boyles Espiritu and her family.
Bigger Things
I think this song is a better offering. When I shared it with my friend Russ he said that he liked how lyrically it starts sounding like it will be a downer but the message actually comes through as pretty optimistic. I honestly didn't think about it. I just needed words that fit the meter.
This month is dedicated to Erlinda Boyles Espiritu and her family.
Bigger Things
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
ShamRock
Well I think this month I have one of the strongest riffs of any Calendar Project song. The problem is I never made a song out of it. It's pretty solid musically so I had a hard time trying to write words that didn't follow it exactly or a solo that really worked. I ended up getting pretty sick so that ate a week as well. All in all I like it but the project as a whole is going to need to start getting a little more interesting. April was a turning point last year so lets see what next month brings.
ShamRock
ShamRock
Friday, February 29, 2008
Friction
Today is leap day and I have to say I was a little upset I didn't do many haircuts until I relized that this day didn't exist last year so every cut I did just goes into the void. That's how I feel about this months song. I could have a little fun and write about "friction" because when all is said and done...this song was done on a day that next year doesn't exist. It's like a free pass. A lost weekend done in a day. It's a good day to do something a little unlike yourself. No one can be blamed for taking a leap on leap day.
Friction
Friction
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