Imagine, if you will...a warm Summer scene in a breezy New Jersey park. An idea for a song. A lone songwriter's need for expression. The outcome is hopefully listenable. See you in the studio! By all means leave a comment!! Let your voice be heard.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Vlog #6 - Song Preview: A Girl and Her Dog
Harking back to a previous post about some song titles being working on, well - we're making progress! Here's an example of one of them that I'm laying the tracks down to now; like right now - over to my left!
Imagine, if you will...a warm Summer scene in a breezy New Jersey park. An idea for a song. A lone songwriter's need for expression. The outcome is hopefully listenable. See you in the studio! By all means leave a comment!! Let your voice be heard.
Imagine, if you will...a warm Summer scene in a breezy New Jersey park. An idea for a song. A lone songwriter's need for expression. The outcome is hopefully listenable. See you in the studio! By all means leave a comment!! Let your voice be heard.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Alive - Frampton Is!
Got a last-minute chance recently to see Peter Frampton on his "Frampton Comes Alive 35th Anniversary Tour". How could I resist? It took place a mere 5 miles from my house!
In case you haven't heard, Peter has been touring and revisiting/playing his entire blockbuster 70's album for the first half of the evening's performance. Why do I feel compelled write? Well, "Frampton Comes Alive" was a HUGE guitar influence for me. I remember going over some of his songs as a youngster with my guitar teacher back home in Downey and talking about the scales PF was using. And I sang all the ballads, too. I wore my record (vinyl!) out!!
And how could I not buy the CD recording of the very show that I attended?! Especially when he makes sure to reference "Riverside" in his songs...
By the way...
Did you see the photo I took with Peter at the NAMM Show in 2010?
And further, a video from that very show...
Unfortunately I did NOT sit this close. Not having ever seen him live, I was real glad I got the chance. And I had no idea how cool the material from his latest instrumental CD was!
Fun!
In case you haven't heard, Peter has been touring and revisiting/playing his entire blockbuster 70's album for the first half of the evening's performance. Why do I feel compelled write? Well, "Frampton Comes Alive" was a HUGE guitar influence for me. I remember going over some of his songs as a youngster with my guitar teacher back home in Downey and talking about the scales PF was using. And I sang all the ballads, too. I wore my record (vinyl!) out!!
And how could I not buy the CD recording of the very show that I attended?! Especially when he makes sure to reference "Riverside" in his songs...
By the way...
Did you see the photo I took with Peter at the NAMM Show in 2010?
 |
| Bad phone-camera shot, but there I am with one of my guitar heroes! |
Unfortunately I did NOT sit this close. Not having ever seen him live, I was real glad I got the chance. And I had no idea how cool the material from his latest instrumental CD was!
Fun!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Reflections on New York City - Part 2
Had a nice, though brief, recharging at home and now I'm at the midway point to my final destination of Des Moines, IA. The nice lady at George Bush International has ever-so-thoughtfully picked up my lunch trash, so here I sit and ponder until flight #2.
Had some time nice family time as well as some writing time this past week. Even started a new song. In addition, added 61 keys (ie "keyboard") to my modest studio arsenal.
(Ed. Note: This post was eventually completed en route to Amarillo, TX after a successful engagement in Riverside IA)
And now for "Reflections....blah, blah, blah..." ;)
"Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh
It's slightly riveting seeing these works of art all your life and then actually seeing them in person. Expect a crowd of people waiting, as I, for the chance to get up close.
I spent as much time looking out the windows of the Museum of Modern Art as much as looking at what was inside! (Okay, an exaggeration, but I did love gazing out the window from many a perch above the city streets.). Snapped a photo of this apartment just after I saw someone come out onto the balcony to water plants or something. Wondered what it's like living in the heart of Manahattan.
Photo on left: Without actually seeing Marcel's creation, I was intrigued just by the medium description alone. Guess eggshells are less costly than say, matching shoes and purse? And did Maria have these? To see the actual work CLICK HERE
Yes, it's "Kichka's Breakfast I" by Daniel Spoerri.
Had some time nice family time as well as some writing time this past week. Even started a new song. In addition, added 61 keys (ie "keyboard") to my modest studio arsenal.
(Ed. Note: This post was eventually completed en route to Amarillo, TX after a successful engagement in Riverside IA)
And now for "Reflections....blah, blah, blah..." ;)
It's slightly riveting seeing these works of art all your life and then actually seeing them in person. Expect a crowd of people waiting, as I, for the chance to get up close.
I spent as much time looking out the windows of the Museum of Modern Art as much as looking at what was inside! (Okay, an exaggeration, but I did love gazing out the window from many a perch above the city streets.). Snapped a photo of this apartment just after I saw someone come out onto the balcony to water plants or something. Wondered what it's like living in the heart of Manahattan.
Photo on left: Without actually seeing Marcel's creation, I was intrigued just by the medium description alone. Guess eggshells are less costly than say, matching shoes and purse? And did Maria have these? To see the actual work CLICK HERE
Yes, it's "Kichka's Breakfast I" by Daniel Spoerri.
Just to be absolutely clear, the woman taking the picture is on the floor - the "wood chair hung on wall with board across seat, coffeepot, tumbler, china, eggcups, eggshells, cigarette butts, spoons, tins cans, and other materials" are on the wall. ;)
I wonder how far "out of the box" in songwriting I will go after experiencing the MoMA in NYC?
UP NEXT TIME: In part 3, we finally leave the Museum!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Reflections on New York City - Part 1
Looking out the window to my right, I see the corn fields, suburban movie theatres, and other swiftly moving scenes fly by as we bus up and through Illinois to our final stop in Minneapolis before a flight home. Farther and farther west we go from what may be my all-time favorite place to visit, New York City!
Please allow me from time to time on this blog (and probably expect it!) to share with you, as I'm about to do (whether anyone reads this or not) some photos and accompanying poetically drippy thoughts. If it made me think, or inspired me in some way, that made it worth while enough for me to wait on my...."smart" phone until it was good and ready take the shot.
To many a brave soul a sign like this may mean drudgery + paycheck, but to the eye of a tourist-ically inclined fellow such as I, it means adventure. Let's take the bus into the city, shall we?
"Interior with a Girl Drawing"
Made it over to the Museum of Modern Art. I stared at this portion of a Picasso painting for a good long time...close up, than far, close, than far...Thought, "What inspires a painter to put the colors where they do?" It made me think, so I took a picture of it to remember my...thinking.
Think he was thinking outside the box (or...face) with this one?
Ya, think? (Okay, enough!)
"Bicycle Wheel" by Marcel Duchamp
I quote from the MoMA website: "...Duchamp’s first readymade, a class of objects he invented to challenge assumptions about what constitutes a work of art...By simply selecting prefabricated items and calling them art, he subverted established notions of the artist’s craft and the viewer’s aesthetic experience."
I walked around this, chuckling to myself, lest I be booted out of the exhibiit. But then again, maybe that's the reaction good 'ol Marcel wanted. The audio tour said he wanted people to "ask questions". Mission accomplished!
BONUS READING! (for those with more time):
"The 1913 Bicycle Wheel was lost, but nearly four decades later Duchamp assembled a replacement from newly found prefabricated parts and affirmed that the later version is as valid as the original.
Sure would have.....,liked to have seen.....,the.....,"original" one...
Stay tuned for Part 2 and beyond!
Please allow me from time to time on this blog (and probably expect it!) to share with you, as I'm about to do (whether anyone reads this or not) some photos and accompanying poetically drippy thoughts. If it made me think, or inspired me in some way, that made it worth while enough for me to wait on my...."smart" phone until it was good and ready take the shot.
To many a brave soul a sign like this may mean drudgery + paycheck, but to the eye of a tourist-ically inclined fellow such as I, it means adventure. Let's take the bus into the city, shall we?
"Interior with a Girl Drawing"
Made it over to the Museum of Modern Art. I stared at this portion of a Picasso painting for a good long time...close up, than far, close, than far...Thought, "What inspires a painter to put the colors where they do?" It made me think, so I took a picture of it to remember my...thinking.
Think he was thinking outside the box (or...face) with this one?
Ya, think? (Okay, enough!)
I quote from the MoMA website: "...Duchamp’s first readymade, a class of objects he invented to challenge assumptions about what constitutes a work of art...By simply selecting prefabricated items and calling them art, he subverted established notions of the artist’s craft and the viewer’s aesthetic experience."
I walked around this, chuckling to myself, lest I be booted out of the exhibiit. But then again, maybe that's the reaction good 'ol Marcel wanted. The audio tour said he wanted people to "ask questions". Mission accomplished!
BONUS READING! (for those with more time):
"The 1913 Bicycle Wheel was lost, but nearly four decades later Duchamp assembled a replacement from newly found prefabricated parts and affirmed that the later version is as valid as the original.
Sure would have.....,liked to have seen.....,the.....,"original" one...
Stay tuned for Part 2 and beyond!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Huntington, WV & (We Are) Marshall University
And now a quick look back at the site of our show at the Huntington Rib & Music Fest in Huntington, West Virginia along with my day trip meandering around the town in search of Marshall University and the accompanying filming locations of the 2006 film, "We Are Marshall". Thanks Huntington!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Heck of a Homecoming, Dearborn!
What a great time at the 2011 Dearborn Homecoming (Michigan)!
The day started with a police escort into Ford Field Park.
Big stage! Big fun!
Wish I had a shot of the crowd looking out from the stage during the last tune. It was a cool site, the sea of people and all those glow-in-the-dark, throw-away flexible light sticks twirling in the dark.
This gig has the distinction for me as being the closest I've ever been to a constant, explosive ear-drum-splitting impact of fireworks being set off!
Wish I had a shot of the crowd looking out from the stage during the last tune. It was a cool site, the sea of people and all those glow-in-the-dark, throw-away flexible light sticks twirling in the dark.
This gig has the distinction for me as being the closest I've ever been to a constant, explosive ear-drum-splitting impact of fireworks being set off!
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