4-23-10, Things are just happening in a good way for me. I might as well roll with it and see where it takes me. Originally this tune was going to be called "Cool Cat Cunning" or "Kicking About", but I think "Downtown" will work out better. This is nothing more than a lyrical idea that I came with about 7 years ago. I can remember driving in the mail truck and singing the chorus. About 2 years ago I came up with the verse lyrics (it's me versus the police chief, mayor and governor ... guess who ends up going downtown). After a good workout at Anytime Fitness, I came home, sat down with the acoustic and came up with some chords. This is definitely going to be a fun, playful novelty song. I think that one of the tricks to being a good songwriter, is to always carry a notebook and write things down. You never know when an idea is going to hit you. Besides all the old songs I have recorded on cassette, I also have a bunch of lyrical ideas written down. I have another one that is called "Wilderness Of Mirrors", which has a CIA/spy theme. Maybe if things go well with this tune, I'll work on that one
* I also want to add that I am totally impressed with my BR 1600 digital recorder. When I started out, it was all foreign to me. As time has gone by I have become very comfortable with it. I originally thought it would only hold about 7-9 songs. Well, I'm at 11 tunes now and there is still plenty of memory space left. I still have to learn the mastering tools, and how to burn Cd's, but I'll cross that road when the time comes.
4-24-10, I am starting to get the drums together. It's another chromatic song. I think that's about 3 in a row using this approach. It's usually a bit of a challenge with song keys but, if it's done right, it gives the tune a unique character. This song tells such a fun story, if it's done right, the listener should be able to concentrate on the words and not get too distracted by the music. On the other hand, I also want the music to compliment the lyrics, so I need the groove to be upbeat and interesting. The arrangement, so far, is falling into place. The swing on the song is set to 66 (50 being lowest and 75 highest). The bass line is going to walk it's way through the entire song (using every note). For the most part, this should leave the acoustic guitar free to do some straight forward strumming. Maybe, if it's needed, I'll add some rythym solo's. The 3 main keys to be used in the song are G Minor, A Minor and D Major. The biggest challenge to writing fun novelty tunes is to make sure that the whole thing doesn't get too hokie. Fun and playful is cool, because listeners usually appreciate the change of pace. I like to be known as a creative writer, so the playful tunes are just part of my repertoire.
4-25-10, The drums are recorded. It's a very short song at about 2:45, which is alright. The drum track is nothing flashy ... nice, tight, straight forward and strong on the accents. The drum and bass should blend together well for a nice backbone to the tune.
4-26-10, Dang !!! Another lesson learned. I almost had the bass track finished, I was doing one last edit, when my recorder froze up ! I ended up having to unplug it. Well to cut to the quick, I lost the entire bass track because I didn't have it saved. 4-5 hours of work gone in a flash. The lesson learned is to save frequently. On the positive side, at least I have the track worked out. I'll just have to lay it down tomorrow. I do have a lot of songs and data saved in the recorder, so I may want to keep a closer eye on things. I am hopeful that the freeze up was just an odd occurrence, and nothing more.
4-27-10, Today was for me ! An afternoon at the beach, a few pints at a local Irish pub and a night of partying at some local beach bars. Of course my clumsy ass couldn't make it through the night without spraining my ankle. Maybe someday I'll figure this walking thing out.
4-28-10, That's more like it. The bass is recorded ! The song is mostly in G Minor and D Major, the A Minor wasn't needed. There is a lot of chromatic work in this song, I actually did end up using every note (another first).
4-29-10, Yes !!!! Sam Ash was running a 20% off sale today, so I went and bought a pair of Samson Resolv A5 active studio monitors. With the cable it came to only $231. The speakers were out of stock, so I am using their floor model until mine comes in (2 weeks). I tested them out when I got home and they rock ! It was cool hearing my tunes outside of the headphones. With my last 2 Cd's I used my home stereo as my monitor, so this is my first pair of official studio monitors. April, 2010 (my birthday month) has been my best songwriting month ever ! I have completed nearly 5 songs ("Same Old Troubles", "Where's The Sun", "Doppelganger Blues", "Coming For You" and I'm working on "Downtown"). I started the month with 7 songs finished, and I am ending it working on song #12. I listened to all of them through the monitors and I am very happy. This Cd is going to be excellent ! I am still working out the guitar for this tune. It will probably be recorded within 2-3 days. I will also have to resume trying to find a place where I can record the lead vocals.
4-30-10, For the most part the lead guitar is recorded, I just need to do some final editing. I have a funny feeling that I may need to add another track or 2 (this track mostly follows the bass line). At a minimal, I am going to need something during the chorus to make the whole thing bigger. We'll see what develops. I came pretty close to finishing in the song in April. Happy May Day !
5-1-10 (10:30 p.m.), Away from home most of the day, visiting with family. I'm sure I'll be up till the a.m. hours finishing the guitar track. (4:30 a.m.) I've got the lead track finished. I have also been working on a rhythm guitar track, to pad the verses and add more uplift to the chorus. Since things are going well I may even experiment with the keyboards. I don't know if it will lead to anything, but then again, maybe it will.
5-2-10, I did it ! The music for "Downtown" is finished. Today I completed the rhythm guitar and 2 keyboard tracks (orchestra and trumpet). I also saved/protected the song and backed up the data. The 2 keyboard tracks are mostly used in the chorus and fill part. The tune ended up becoming a really cool composition, with a big chorus. Well, this means the music is completed for 12 tunes. It would be an absolute dream come true if I could finish 2 more (a 14 song Cd release would be perfect). I didn't experience any more troubles with the recorder, so the freeze up was probably just an odd occurrence. The 2 ideas I am still contemplating are "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (lyrical idea) and "Simple Minded"(2/3 worked out). "Simple Minded" would be the easier of the 2. It's a straight forward Rockabilly tune with a Catholic theme. Acoustic guitar, bass, drums and some slide guitar would do the trick (it's been a while since I used the acoustic). In the meantime, I also need to get out and find somewhere to record the vocals.
5-3-10, Good things just seem to happen for me when I go headfirst into songs that aren't worked out, like with "Sweet Adelaide" (bought my keyboards and came up with "Under The Weather"). During the process of this tune I bought my studio monitors and may have also found a place to record my vocals (see "Miscellaneous" post). If the storage unit works out, it will be my 3rd wise investment this year. The keyboards were $100, monitors $230 and the storage unit $120. That's $450 of well spent money !
5-4-10, I got the call this afternoon that the storage unit was available. It ended up costing $150 for 2 months. As you probably guessed, I just couldn't wait ... so, I went and finished the lead vocals for this song and "Coming For You". It was a bit on the hot side in there, but I managed to grind it out. I discovered another cool feature in the BR 1600, it has phantom power built in. This meant that I was able to use my AKG C3000 Condenser Mic. The reverb in the unit was perfect. This turned out to be a very interesting song. It has kind of a melancholy vibe to it, which actually sets up the storyline real well. The decision to use G Minor during the verses and D Major in the choruses was a good move.
5-5-10, I listened back to the vocals today and everything is good to go. A few hisses and slurs, here and there, but that's alright. Vocals are similar to recording an acoustic guitar. The extra little sounds are always going to find their way into the mix, but that's just how it is. If I dwell too much on perfection, I'll never finish anything. The vocals are clear enough that there shouldn't be any trouble with the listeners understanding the words, which was one of my priorities. I cleaned up the track, saved/protected the song and backed up the data. Since it is Cinco de Mayo, I will take a break from recording tonight to enjoy some of the festivities. My voice is also a tad hoarse today. I imagine this will be a common occurrence over the next few weeks. I had a very good night hanging with a few acquaintances later in the night, we eventually ended up in Dunedin. There were a few rough experiences trying to flirt with the ladies, but oh well. I actually am a shy person, it's kind of funny that my persona fits my name. I am not embarrassed to admit that I have never been very good at being a playboy (I'm a songwriter so I'm much better at being an observer). After a few drinks my courage does go up, but it also causes me to come across more like a bumbling idiot. Thankfully, I have a good sense of humor and I don't take things too seriously.
5-9-10, This song is good to go. I am happy with the vocals !
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Miscellaneous
4-22-10, I started looking around at various places where I could record the lead vocals. Unfortunately most of the storage units don't include electricity. I may have found a break, however, while visiting a local Uncle Bob's. They have an old office in their facility (maybe 8'x 10' with a bathroom) that hasn't been used in a long time. It's sounds like it may be a bit run down and there is no AC, but I am definitely interested. I am going to meet with the manager Saturday. Maybe I will get lucky. Since I am somewhat idle, I am going to see if I can get my ReverbNation numbers to improve. I'm going to be sending out a lot of fan invites !
4-24-10, Well things didn't work out with Uncle Bob's space. The manager pretty much said that the old office was in real bad shape, and that the front doors were barely hanging on. He wouldn't even let me look at it. He also said that it would be more than $150/month, which was my offer. Oh well, I'll just have to keep looking. Something will open up ... somewhere. I'm working on a song right now, anyway. Ideally, finding a place with AC and electricity by the middle of May would be a realistic goal. Ultimately, having all the recording finished by the end of June would be a reasonable time line. That would leave me 4 months for mastering/mixdown, copyrighting, putting the graphic design together and Cd replication. The only major expense is going to be the replication (when Cd copies are made), which might run around $1,500-$2,000 depending on the number of copies. That leaves me about 5-6 months to save up. I may also have to buy a couple monitor speakers for the mastering/mixdown, which will cost around $300. It all still seems a bit overwhelming at this point, so it's probably best that I just focus on recording the music for the last 2-3 songs. One step at a time, things are rolling along real well right now ... why screw it up. 3 more would give me 14 tunes, a creditable amount for an independent release. Like with my previous Cd "Like The Freak You Are", I will use my artwork in the Cd's graphic design. The trick with artwork is to make a piece as memorable as possible. When it's used on a Cd, many people will see it. It's kind of like using one hobby to support the other. Well anyway, I don't need to worry about that for at least a couple more months. There is a good chance that I may just use a couple of my homemade voodoo dolls for the front cover of the Cd. It would definitely be memorable, and add a bit of a freaky element to the release (always a good thing) !!!
4-28-10, This is just too funny not to share. I get notification today that my bank is charging me $2,500 for some mandatory homeowners insurance policy. They don't even realize that they foreclosed on my home nearly 1 1/2 years ago ... what is that ? Did these brainless geniuses go to fancy colleges just to learn how to be inept idiots ... and I'm the problem ? We are still at war, and hard working people in our country, are being blatantly attacked by our own ... and they are getting away with it ? How is this not terrorism ?
5-3-10, YES !!!! I'm going to keep my fingers crossed but I think I found somewhere to record my vocals. It was a local storage facility with AC (77 degrees). They are going to install an outlet for me which will take about 2-3 weeks. They said they would also be able to give me a key card so I will have 24 hour access. The unit is 10'x10' and is indoors. I checked it out and it was absolutely perfect ! Kind of like my own personal jail cell. Two of the walls are concrete, the other 2 are metal. The natural reverb was excellent. If this works out, it is a perfect scenario for me (10'x10' room with AC, electricity, good reverb and 24 hour access). And the best news of all ... it will only cost $120 for 1 month !!!
5-4-10, And just like that it happens ! I got a call today from the storage facility saying that they had a unit already ready for me. I went there right away ! I ended up getting a 10'x15' room with AC, electricity and 24 hour access for just $150 .... for 2 months !! This is the best setup I have ever had for recording lead vocals. It's a nice quiet area with lots of trees around it. The unit is big enough that I can move around and get into the moment, concrete/metal walls ... and the reverb is perfect ! No excuses ... it's time for me to kick some ass !! Thank you to my friends Adam and Eddie ! You guys rock !!!
5-9-10, Happy Mothers Day to all the moms. I love mine !! Well, things are going well with the studio/storage unit. I didn't realize it had only been 5 days. I have finished the vocals for 3 songs already ("Coming For You", "Downtown" and "Horrible End"). "Hard Times", "Sweet Adelaide" and "Nothin" were already finished. So this means that I have finished 6 out of 12 tunes already. I have also recorded vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life", but I am strongly considering redoing them with a better vocal effect (so it's not included as a finished song). I'm having a blast !! My throat is is a bit torn right now, and my ears are exhausted (headphones), so I need to take a couple days to recoup.
5-15-10, I redid the vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life" tonight. I also laid down the lead vocals for "Doppelganger Blues". Earlier in the week, I finished "Under The Weather". I have decided that I am also going to redo "Coming For You" (I kind of like how it is now, but I am positive I can make it better). Technically this means that I have completed 9 songs ! I only have 3 more left to work on "Same Old Troubles", "Where's The Sun" and "Won't Be Home Again". In about one more week, or so, I should also have them finished. I have the storage/studio rented through the month of June, so time is on my side. Once I'm done with these 12 tunes I will move on to writing a couple more. It's cool because I will still have a place to lay down the vocals when I finish them. I think the end of June will be my measuring stick. That will be exactly one half of the year. At that point I will put the songwriting/recording aside and move on to the business side of things (Cd's graphic design, copyrighting, mastering, replicating, joining ASCAP, releasing the CD, marketing, etc).
5-18-10, I just finished the vocals for "Same Old Troubles". Only 2 left to work on ! In between working out and recording, mom and I have been on a steady diet of "24". It started with season 3 about 1 1/2 weeks ago. We just started season 6 tonight. The finale for the current season is just one week away. By then we will through season 6 & 7. I was a huge fan of The Soprano's, but I think this series is much better. Definitely a lot more action going on. Once the current season is over, I'm sure we will backtrack and watch seasons 1 & 2. This series has inspired me work out my CIA/spy song "Wilderness Of Mirrors". Yesterday I started to mess around with a guitar arrangement for it. I still need to finish the vocals for 2 more songs ("Won't Be Home Again" and "Where's The Sun", then possibly a couple of redo's), once they are finished I will start putting the drum track together.
5-22-10, I just finished up the vocals for "Where's The Sun". 2 nights ago I finished "Won't Be Home Again". This means that I have completed vocals for all 12 songs. Considering that I am only 4 months and 3 weeks into the year, this is a heroic achievement. Next week I will start writing "Wilderness Of Mirrors", after that "Simple Minded". Time is on my side ! I have 5 weeks to write/record 2 songs, including the lead vocals. If all goes well, I will finish these 2 songs and still have 2 weeks left to work with. These 2 weeks will be used for any vocal redo's that may need to be done. I may also bring the monitors to the studio and work on some final mixes. I am so thankful that I found this storage unit ! Just 2 1/2 weeks ago, I had 12 songs with the music finished, and only 3 with the lead vocals finished. 2 1/2 weeks later, they are all finished with lead vocals. Thank you to the powers that be !!!
5-23-10, Whew ! I am still exhausted. Whomever said that recording vocals is easy, was lying. I am very proud of my progress. It has been about 5 years since my previous Cd release "Like The Freak You Are". With all the other stuff (house, job woes, etc.) going on, I just didn't have the opportunity to work on any recording. I have to admit that I was a bit unsure when I first started out. What I have learned is that my determination is much more stronger than my insecurities. I guess that's the Aries in me. I make up my mind that I'm going to do something, then I put my head down and do it. I think the positive part, about having 5 years between releases, is that it gave me time to come up with a bunch of song ideas. Sometimes the mental approach to the songwriting process gets overlooked. The truth is ... you have to be able to hear it in your head before you can record it, and bring it to life. After 5 years of having all these tunes bouncing around in my head, it is such a relief to finally have them finished. Once I get these next 2 finished, I will feel even more relieved ! It's kind of funny, because part of me doesn't want to stop. I am going to have to control this urge and be realistic with myself. 14 songs is more than enough material for one release. I am positive that this Cd is going to gain me a lot of recognition, and credibility, as a songwriter. It probably does put me at a disadvantage that I don't have a band, or perform live. On the other hand, it is fun being mysterious and working behind the scenes in a semi-anonymous capacity. It's all part of my Foxman persona.
5-26-10, Wow !!! Lee DeWyze wins American Idol. I thought Crystal had it locked up. The final show was excellent ! There were some classic performances. Congratulations to Lee !!! Also, a big farewell to Simon. Love him or hate him, he created a platform for total unknowns to rise up and become famous.
5-31-10, While working out tonight I came up with a brainstorm. I am thinking about including songs from my previous Cd's on my "Crazy Like A Fox" release. In a way it would be somewhat of a "best of" Cd. The songs I am considering are "Shadows" (my ominous instrumental), "Black Cat Saloon", "City Streets" (underground love song), "Shake For Me Now" (stripper song). "Have Another Cigarette" and "Sunday Morning". "Sunday Morning" is the last song on my "Songs From The Gallery" Cd, and all the rest are from my "Like The Freak You Are" Cd. All together that is 6 songs, which would give me 20 for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. This would also add value to owning original physical copies of my first 2 Cd's. There will only be approximately 1,000 copies of each in existence, making both of them collectibles. All 6 of the songs are excellent, and it would definitely help elevate this Cd to groundbreaking status. I'm thinking of selling it for $15, which would be an excellent deal for 20 songs. On the other hand, I might not want to fire all my cannons in one release. Anyway, I'll think it through a bit more before I make up my mind.
6-1-10, I am pretty much positive that I am going to do it !! My 3rd Cd "Crazy Like A Fox" is going to be a blockbuster. Most people don't know who I am yet, so there is nothing wrong with including tunes from my previous releases. In the long run, I think it will make my first 2 Cd's more valuable. If things go well for me, it will be so much more easy to replicate one Cd instead of 3. Not to mention, my art work on the "Like The Freak You Are" Cd was a bit political, and controversial. By taking 5 (out of 9) tunes from this Cd and placing them on my current release, it chops off my critics at the knees. For what it is worth, I am in this game for the long run. Win or lose, I don't plan on stopping. In the big picture of things, this is just my 3rd Cd release out of many. Ultimately, I will end up with fans who want to own one of everything. So, an early word to those of you with an eye for collectibles ... hurry up and act now. Original, physical, copies of my first 2 Cd's are currently only available at my art studio. You'll have to visit my sites to find your way there :o) Look at it like it's a treasure hunt. (11:00 p.m.) Rays Win !!! A come from behind 9th inning win at Toronto. We are still in first place, with the best record in the league (35-18). Another year like 2008 would be awesome !
6-6-10, Things are going very well. I just finished the music for "Wilderness Of Mirrors", and I have begun to work on my last song "Simple Minded". I have decided to change my target day, for having all the recordings (vocals and music) finished, to July 4th (this is actually the day that my 2 month rental ends/rented on 5-4-10). After that, I will have 3 months to finish everything else (mastering, copyrighting, graphic design, ASCAP, replication, etc). Everything is right on schedule ! I am so glad that I decided to add 2 more songs to the Cd. I am also glad that I have decided to add 6 songs from my previous releases. This Cd is going to kick ass !! (7:30 p.m.) Just finished my online safe driving class. The fee for the class was $30 (it keeps the points from the ticket I received in April from appearing on my record). All I need to do now is run by the courthouse tomorrow and drop of the certificate, that says I passed the class. I also got the paperwork together that I need to register my name in a claim against Countrywide H.L., for identity theft (I will make a copy and mail it out tomorrow). After everything I went through with Countrywide it doesn't surprise me at all that they were also selling personal data. My home was foreclosed on in April, 2009. My problems with them had begun about 6 months prior to that. During one of my remortgages, I realized that they had placed me under an insurance policy that only covered their assets. Once I caught on to this, I went to my original insurance company and had the amount of my coverage bumped up to the amount of the remortgaging. This policy was to then replace their policy. Countrywide then claimed that this left me with a negative escrow, and they began charging me an extra $250 every month. The negative escrow amount was around $1,000, so I paid the extra amount for 4 months. After that, they just kept charging me the exaggerated amount. I wrote to them for help, but got no reasonable assistance. Ultimately, the exaggerated monthly payments were more than I could afford (I even tried renting and selling the property but got nowhere with the ruined economy). This is, ultimately, what led to my moving back in with my parents. Basically, Countrywide took a good 10 + year client and ran him right out of his home. Now the place has sat dormant for about 1 year. The whole thing is an absolute total mess at this point and I don't care. They wanted my house and they got it .. now it is their problem. The cool part for me, is that I have saved ALL the paperwork needed to prove everything I have stated here. Now that these 2 things are dealt with, I have to deal with the IRS again. They are claiming they didn't receive paperwork for my 2009 taxes, which I sent to them about 3 months ago. I had used Turbo Tax in 2009, and forgot to mail in the actual W-2's. They had everything on file but it wasn't valid until I mailed in the actual copies. I have had a lot of trouble with the IRS, over the last 4-5 years. I am living on just a $17,500/year retirement ... and I have to deal with the IRS busting my balls ? Just another crudded up Government agency. I will give them a call and deal with this new problem sometime this week. I am not complaining about all of this, though it is a lot of stress. The same problems that I am enduring many Americans are enduring. I am thankful that I have a strong family to fall back on. The Post Office, IRS and Countrywide are all broken entities .... my family and I aren't !!! Which one is better for America ?
6-7-10 (3:45 a.m.) Well my headphones zonked out on me. I will have to make a trip to Sam Ash, after I visit the courthouse. They are both located pretty close to each other. I am still waiting for my set of studio monitors to come in (I have their floor model right now). It has taken them about 3-4 weeks longer than expected to arrive. Maybe I will get lucky and they will be in. Maybe I will also be able to get a good deal on the headphones, for having to wait so long. I also have this vintage 1970's Shure microphone (no idea at all how I acquired it). I haven't been able to use it because it needs a mic cord with a 4 prong connector ? Maybe they will have one of these cords there. If it works, I am thinking about using the microphone for the "Wilderness Of Mirrors" vocals. If it is a bit old and crackly sounding it will be perfect for the cell phone effect I want. Anyway, I may be able to accomplish 3 things with just one visit to Sam Ash. (5:00 p.m.) Just got home from running errands. I dropped off my safe driving school certificate, so there are no points on my driving record. I sent out the claim form for the Countrywide data theft settlement. Then, I went to Sam Ash ! My studio monitors weren't in yet, but I did manage to get a few dollars taken off the cost of my new Samson CH700 Studio Reference Headphones !!! I brought the Shure mic in with me, but they didn't have any cords with a 4 prong connector. I guess the mic just wasn't meant to be used. Just for kicks I autographed and dated the old pair of AKG headphones. If I ever become successful they will be a collectors item since I used them on all 3 Cd's.
6-8-10, I have decided that I am now going to address the IRS through certified letters. Things are a bit strange right now and I really need to start protecting myself. With certified letters it gives me a legal way to document my contacts with them. This is the same approach I used with both the post office and Countrywide. It's unfortunate that I have to use this approach with another government agency, but it's just a sign of the times. One can't be too careful these days.
6-17-10, I have thought it through, and decided against including songs from my previous releases on this Cd. These new 14 songs are more than adequate, and I want to keep moving forward with my efforts. Just last night I finished up the acoustic and lead vocal tracks for "Simple Minded". All that song needs now is a lead guitar track and it is finished. I also, still need to do the lead vocals for "Wilderness Of Mirrors" and possibly some vocal redo's for "Best Days Of Your Life" and "Coming For You" ... and that is it !!! I still have 2 weeks left to finish these, so I am right on schedule.
6-25-10, "Wilderness Of Mirrors" is completed (vocals and all). Last night I redid the vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life", and everything turned out perfect ! I have listened to "Coming For You" on 2 different occasions, and both times I concluded that the lead vocals are good enough. Basically, all that is left (recording wise) is the lead guitar for "Simple Minded" and a redo of one vocal line in "Doppelganger Blues" (in the bridge section). I may also need to add a few sound effects to the bridge section. About one week ago I started putting together the Cd's graphic design. I pretty much already have the front cover and back panel worked out. I know it is hard to believe, but I am still waiting for my monitors to come in at Sam Ash.
6-26-10, I am going to take part in "Hands Across The Sands" today. It is a protest against off shore oil drilling in our coastal waters. We are supposed to arrive at 11:00 a.m. At 12:00 people will join hands for 15 minutes. It is a cool cause and am proud that I am going to be a part of it. (3:30 p.m.) Well, we showed up at Indian Rocks Beach at 11:45. There were hundreds of people there enjoying the sun. The only problem was that they were all totally oblivious to the cause. Me and my parents, and and one other person, joined our hands for the requested 15 minutes (12:00 - 12:15). None of the hundreds of people around us joined in. Of course we weren't at one of the arranged staging areas .. still, it is frustrating that there are so many complacent people. I kind of felt like the 4 of us were being looked at as radical protesters. A couple people walked by and acted snooty. Others just looked the other way and pretended like we weren't even there. The thing is, that it was a peaceful showing of solidarity with no political affiliation whatsoever. All we did was dress in black (as requested, signifying the oil) and hold hands for 15 minutes, while looking out into the ocean. It's not like we were a bunch of panhandlers begging for change. It is very frustrating that we live in a country where people would rather sit back and bitch, rather than actually doing something. On this occasion, all they had to do was hold hands along the ocean for 15 minutes ... and they couldn't do it ! Oh well, I am proud that my parents and I took part in the occasion.
7-1-10, I am taking care of business today. I typed out a letter for the IRS in response to their letter saying they had not received my tax return for the period ending on 12-31-2008. Like I mentioned previously, I had to resolve this matter when I filed my taxes this year. My W2's and a copy of that tax return were sent in with this years return. I was under the impression that the matter had been resolved and that my account was in good standing. This is basically what I wrote in the letter. I will send it out certified mail tomorrow. I also called Sam Ash in regards to my studio monitors. This is the 3rd time I have had to call since the April 29 purchase date. I ended up getting the same story again ... the monitors aren't in yet and they will call me when they are. I ended up getting the phone number for Paul Ash at the corporate office in New York. I gave him a call and explained my situation. He said he will look into the matter and get back to me. We'll see what happens. Maybe I will get lucky and end up with a store credit I really don't have a problem with keeping the floor model that I have, it's just that I paid the price for a new pair. (4:30 p.m.) Within 1/2 hour I got a call from George at Sam Ash saying that he wasn't aware of the problem, Paul had just called him, and that he would make sure that the monitors would be in within a few days. He must have been the store manager. His voice sounded a bit humble, so my guess is that Paul tore into him pretty good.
7-2-10, I have got my IRS paperwork together. All I have to do is make copies and send it out certified mail. What I have learned through all of my experiences (Post Office, Countrywide, IRS, etc.), is to always make copies and send everything certified mail. That way you always have documentation. Here is a perfect example of why this approach works. I went back through my IRS paperwork from earlier in the year. This recent letter from the IRS, located in Austin, TX, says that they haven't received my tax return for the period ending on December 31,2008. A letter I saved in my files from the IRS in Atlanta, GA says ... we have received your tax return for the period ending on December 31, 2008. The Atlanta letter was sent in May 2010, and the purpose was to get my signature to make everything official. Well, there you have it. The IRS in Austin is totally out of touch with the IRS in Atlanta. Neither one knows what the other is doing.
7-4-10, Happy 4th Of July !!! I went and cleaned out the storage unit yesterday. This means there is no turning back with the lead vocals, they are what they are. Thank you to my friends at UHaul Self Storage Rental for being open minded and allowing me the opportunity to make this Cd happen. I am also proud to announce that I have completed the graphic design for the Cd ... way ahead of schedule ! I still need to work out the actual disc part, but I will do that when I get to the replication stage (I do already have the picture selected). All that is left now is the mastering, copyrighting, joining ASCAP and then the replication. At some point in July, I am going to take a 10 day vacation to visit my brothers in California. I really need a break !!! I have spent the last 6 months working my ass off on this Cd.
7-7-10, Yes !!!! My set of studio monitors finally arrived today. That's one less thing for me to fret over. I gave them a test run, along with some of my new compressor knowledge, and they sounded excellent. It is such a welcome relief to be able to hear everything outside of the headphones. My 6 months of relentless recording has produced some very original music. I really do believe that I am going to surprise a lot of people with this Cd release.
7-11-10, I did it ! All the recording is now completed. All that is left is the mastering, copyright and replication. My goal release date at the beginning of the year was around Oct-Nov. Once everything is finished, the replication process will take about 1 month. Anyway you look at it, I am way ahead of schedule ! If I use all of July and August to finish the mastering, then the Cd should be available for purchase by the first of October. If things go smoothly with the mastering process, I may even have it available somewhere in September.
4-24-10, Well things didn't work out with Uncle Bob's space. The manager pretty much said that the old office was in real bad shape, and that the front doors were barely hanging on. He wouldn't even let me look at it. He also said that it would be more than $150/month, which was my offer. Oh well, I'll just have to keep looking. Something will open up ... somewhere. I'm working on a song right now, anyway. Ideally, finding a place with AC and electricity by the middle of May would be a realistic goal. Ultimately, having all the recording finished by the end of June would be a reasonable time line. That would leave me 4 months for mastering/mixdown, copyrighting, putting the graphic design together and Cd replication. The only major expense is going to be the replication (when Cd copies are made), which might run around $1,500-$2,000 depending on the number of copies. That leaves me about 5-6 months to save up. I may also have to buy a couple monitor speakers for the mastering/mixdown, which will cost around $300. It all still seems a bit overwhelming at this point, so it's probably best that I just focus on recording the music for the last 2-3 songs. One step at a time, things are rolling along real well right now ... why screw it up. 3 more would give me 14 tunes, a creditable amount for an independent release. Like with my previous Cd "Like The Freak You Are", I will use my artwork in the Cd's graphic design. The trick with artwork is to make a piece as memorable as possible. When it's used on a Cd, many people will see it. It's kind of like using one hobby to support the other. Well anyway, I don't need to worry about that for at least a couple more months. There is a good chance that I may just use a couple of my homemade voodoo dolls for the front cover of the Cd. It would definitely be memorable, and add a bit of a freaky element to the release (always a good thing) !!!
4-28-10, This is just too funny not to share. I get notification today that my bank is charging me $2,500 for some mandatory homeowners insurance policy. They don't even realize that they foreclosed on my home nearly 1 1/2 years ago ... what is that ? Did these brainless geniuses go to fancy colleges just to learn how to be inept idiots ... and I'm the problem ? We are still at war, and hard working people in our country, are being blatantly attacked by our own ... and they are getting away with it ? How is this not terrorism ?
5-3-10, YES !!!! I'm going to keep my fingers crossed but I think I found somewhere to record my vocals. It was a local storage facility with AC (77 degrees). They are going to install an outlet for me which will take about 2-3 weeks. They said they would also be able to give me a key card so I will have 24 hour access. The unit is 10'x10' and is indoors. I checked it out and it was absolutely perfect ! Kind of like my own personal jail cell. Two of the walls are concrete, the other 2 are metal. The natural reverb was excellent. If this works out, it is a perfect scenario for me (10'x10' room with AC, electricity, good reverb and 24 hour access). And the best news of all ... it will only cost $120 for 1 month !!!
5-4-10, And just like that it happens ! I got a call today from the storage facility saying that they had a unit already ready for me. I went there right away ! I ended up getting a 10'x15' room with AC, electricity and 24 hour access for just $150 .... for 2 months !! This is the best setup I have ever had for recording lead vocals. It's a nice quiet area with lots of trees around it. The unit is big enough that I can move around and get into the moment, concrete/metal walls ... and the reverb is perfect ! No excuses ... it's time for me to kick some ass !! Thank you to my friends Adam and Eddie ! You guys rock !!!
5-9-10, Happy Mothers Day to all the moms. I love mine !! Well, things are going well with the studio/storage unit. I didn't realize it had only been 5 days. I have finished the vocals for 3 songs already ("Coming For You", "Downtown" and "Horrible End"). "Hard Times", "Sweet Adelaide" and "Nothin" were already finished. So this means that I have finished 6 out of 12 tunes already. I have also recorded vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life", but I am strongly considering redoing them with a better vocal effect (so it's not included as a finished song). I'm having a blast !! My throat is is a bit torn right now, and my ears are exhausted (headphones), so I need to take a couple days to recoup.
5-15-10, I redid the vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life" tonight. I also laid down the lead vocals for "Doppelganger Blues". Earlier in the week, I finished "Under The Weather". I have decided that I am also going to redo "Coming For You" (I kind of like how it is now, but I am positive I can make it better). Technically this means that I have completed 9 songs ! I only have 3 more left to work on "Same Old Troubles", "Where's The Sun" and "Won't Be Home Again". In about one more week, or so, I should also have them finished. I have the storage/studio rented through the month of June, so time is on my side. Once I'm done with these 12 tunes I will move on to writing a couple more. It's cool because I will still have a place to lay down the vocals when I finish them. I think the end of June will be my measuring stick. That will be exactly one half of the year. At that point I will put the songwriting/recording aside and move on to the business side of things (Cd's graphic design, copyrighting, mastering, replicating, joining ASCAP, releasing the CD, marketing, etc).
5-18-10, I just finished the vocals for "Same Old Troubles". Only 2 left to work on ! In between working out and recording, mom and I have been on a steady diet of "24". It started with season 3 about 1 1/2 weeks ago. We just started season 6 tonight. The finale for the current season is just one week away. By then we will through season 6 & 7. I was a huge fan of The Soprano's, but I think this series is much better. Definitely a lot more action going on. Once the current season is over, I'm sure we will backtrack and watch seasons 1 & 2. This series has inspired me work out my CIA/spy song "Wilderness Of Mirrors". Yesterday I started to mess around with a guitar arrangement for it. I still need to finish the vocals for 2 more songs ("Won't Be Home Again" and "Where's The Sun", then possibly a couple of redo's), once they are finished I will start putting the drum track together.
5-22-10, I just finished up the vocals for "Where's The Sun". 2 nights ago I finished "Won't Be Home Again". This means that I have completed vocals for all 12 songs. Considering that I am only 4 months and 3 weeks into the year, this is a heroic achievement. Next week I will start writing "Wilderness Of Mirrors", after that "Simple Minded". Time is on my side ! I have 5 weeks to write/record 2 songs, including the lead vocals. If all goes well, I will finish these 2 songs and still have 2 weeks left to work with. These 2 weeks will be used for any vocal redo's that may need to be done. I may also bring the monitors to the studio and work on some final mixes. I am so thankful that I found this storage unit ! Just 2 1/2 weeks ago, I had 12 songs with the music finished, and only 3 with the lead vocals finished. 2 1/2 weeks later, they are all finished with lead vocals. Thank you to the powers that be !!!
5-23-10, Whew ! I am still exhausted. Whomever said that recording vocals is easy, was lying. I am very proud of my progress. It has been about 5 years since my previous Cd release "Like The Freak You Are". With all the other stuff (house, job woes, etc.) going on, I just didn't have the opportunity to work on any recording. I have to admit that I was a bit unsure when I first started out. What I have learned is that my determination is much more stronger than my insecurities. I guess that's the Aries in me. I make up my mind that I'm going to do something, then I put my head down and do it. I think the positive part, about having 5 years between releases, is that it gave me time to come up with a bunch of song ideas. Sometimes the mental approach to the songwriting process gets overlooked. The truth is ... you have to be able to hear it in your head before you can record it, and bring it to life. After 5 years of having all these tunes bouncing around in my head, it is such a relief to finally have them finished. Once I get these next 2 finished, I will feel even more relieved ! It's kind of funny, because part of me doesn't want to stop. I am going to have to control this urge and be realistic with myself. 14 songs is more than enough material for one release. I am positive that this Cd is going to gain me a lot of recognition, and credibility, as a songwriter. It probably does put me at a disadvantage that I don't have a band, or perform live. On the other hand, it is fun being mysterious and working behind the scenes in a semi-anonymous capacity. It's all part of my Foxman persona.
5-26-10, Wow !!! Lee DeWyze wins American Idol. I thought Crystal had it locked up. The final show was excellent ! There were some classic performances. Congratulations to Lee !!! Also, a big farewell to Simon. Love him or hate him, he created a platform for total unknowns to rise up and become famous.
5-31-10, While working out tonight I came up with a brainstorm. I am thinking about including songs from my previous Cd's on my "Crazy Like A Fox" release. In a way it would be somewhat of a "best of" Cd. The songs I am considering are "Shadows" (my ominous instrumental), "Black Cat Saloon", "City Streets" (underground love song), "Shake For Me Now" (stripper song). "Have Another Cigarette" and "Sunday Morning". "Sunday Morning" is the last song on my "Songs From The Gallery" Cd, and all the rest are from my "Like The Freak You Are" Cd. All together that is 6 songs, which would give me 20 for my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd. This would also add value to owning original physical copies of my first 2 Cd's. There will only be approximately 1,000 copies of each in existence, making both of them collectibles. All 6 of the songs are excellent, and it would definitely help elevate this Cd to groundbreaking status. I'm thinking of selling it for $15, which would be an excellent deal for 20 songs. On the other hand, I might not want to fire all my cannons in one release. Anyway, I'll think it through a bit more before I make up my mind.
6-1-10, I am pretty much positive that I am going to do it !! My 3rd Cd "Crazy Like A Fox" is going to be a blockbuster. Most people don't know who I am yet, so there is nothing wrong with including tunes from my previous releases. In the long run, I think it will make my first 2 Cd's more valuable. If things go well for me, it will be so much more easy to replicate one Cd instead of 3. Not to mention, my art work on the "Like The Freak You Are" Cd was a bit political, and controversial. By taking 5 (out of 9) tunes from this Cd and placing them on my current release, it chops off my critics at the knees. For what it is worth, I am in this game for the long run. Win or lose, I don't plan on stopping. In the big picture of things, this is just my 3rd Cd release out of many. Ultimately, I will end up with fans who want to own one of everything. So, an early word to those of you with an eye for collectibles ... hurry up and act now. Original, physical, copies of my first 2 Cd's are currently only available at my art studio. You'll have to visit my sites to find your way there :o) Look at it like it's a treasure hunt. (11:00 p.m.) Rays Win !!! A come from behind 9th inning win at Toronto. We are still in first place, with the best record in the league (35-18). Another year like 2008 would be awesome !
6-6-10, Things are going very well. I just finished the music for "Wilderness Of Mirrors", and I have begun to work on my last song "Simple Minded". I have decided to change my target day, for having all the recordings (vocals and music) finished, to July 4th (this is actually the day that my 2 month rental ends/rented on 5-4-10). After that, I will have 3 months to finish everything else (mastering, copyrighting, graphic design, ASCAP, replication, etc). Everything is right on schedule ! I am so glad that I decided to add 2 more songs to the Cd. I am also glad that I have decided to add 6 songs from my previous releases. This Cd is going to kick ass !! (7:30 p.m.) Just finished my online safe driving class. The fee for the class was $30 (it keeps the points from the ticket I received in April from appearing on my record). All I need to do now is run by the courthouse tomorrow and drop of the certificate, that says I passed the class. I also got the paperwork together that I need to register my name in a claim against Countrywide H.L., for identity theft (I will make a copy and mail it out tomorrow). After everything I went through with Countrywide it doesn't surprise me at all that they were also selling personal data. My home was foreclosed on in April, 2009. My problems with them had begun about 6 months prior to that. During one of my remortgages, I realized that they had placed me under an insurance policy that only covered their assets. Once I caught on to this, I went to my original insurance company and had the amount of my coverage bumped up to the amount of the remortgaging. This policy was to then replace their policy. Countrywide then claimed that this left me with a negative escrow, and they began charging me an extra $250 every month. The negative escrow amount was around $1,000, so I paid the extra amount for 4 months. After that, they just kept charging me the exaggerated amount. I wrote to them for help, but got no reasonable assistance. Ultimately, the exaggerated monthly payments were more than I could afford (I even tried renting and selling the property but got nowhere with the ruined economy). This is, ultimately, what led to my moving back in with my parents. Basically, Countrywide took a good 10 + year client and ran him right out of his home. Now the place has sat dormant for about 1 year. The whole thing is an absolute total mess at this point and I don't care. They wanted my house and they got it .. now it is their problem. The cool part for me, is that I have saved ALL the paperwork needed to prove everything I have stated here. Now that these 2 things are dealt with, I have to deal with the IRS again. They are claiming they didn't receive paperwork for my 2009 taxes, which I sent to them about 3 months ago. I had used Turbo Tax in 2009, and forgot to mail in the actual W-2's. They had everything on file but it wasn't valid until I mailed in the actual copies. I have had a lot of trouble with the IRS, over the last 4-5 years. I am living on just a $17,500/year retirement ... and I have to deal with the IRS busting my balls ? Just another crudded up Government agency. I will give them a call and deal with this new problem sometime this week. I am not complaining about all of this, though it is a lot of stress. The same problems that I am enduring many Americans are enduring. I am thankful that I have a strong family to fall back on. The Post Office, IRS and Countrywide are all broken entities .... my family and I aren't !!! Which one is better for America ?
6-7-10 (3:45 a.m.) Well my headphones zonked out on me. I will have to make a trip to Sam Ash, after I visit the courthouse. They are both located pretty close to each other. I am still waiting for my set of studio monitors to come in (I have their floor model right now). It has taken them about 3-4 weeks longer than expected to arrive. Maybe I will get lucky and they will be in. Maybe I will also be able to get a good deal on the headphones, for having to wait so long. I also have this vintage 1970's Shure microphone (no idea at all how I acquired it). I haven't been able to use it because it needs a mic cord with a 4 prong connector ? Maybe they will have one of these cords there. If it works, I am thinking about using the microphone for the "Wilderness Of Mirrors" vocals. If it is a bit old and crackly sounding it will be perfect for the cell phone effect I want. Anyway, I may be able to accomplish 3 things with just one visit to Sam Ash. (5:00 p.m.) Just got home from running errands. I dropped off my safe driving school certificate, so there are no points on my driving record. I sent out the claim form for the Countrywide data theft settlement. Then, I went to Sam Ash ! My studio monitors weren't in yet, but I did manage to get a few dollars taken off the cost of my new Samson CH700 Studio Reference Headphones !!! I brought the Shure mic in with me, but they didn't have any cords with a 4 prong connector. I guess the mic just wasn't meant to be used. Just for kicks I autographed and dated the old pair of AKG headphones. If I ever become successful they will be a collectors item since I used them on all 3 Cd's.
6-8-10, I have decided that I am now going to address the IRS through certified letters. Things are a bit strange right now and I really need to start protecting myself. With certified letters it gives me a legal way to document my contacts with them. This is the same approach I used with both the post office and Countrywide. It's unfortunate that I have to use this approach with another government agency, but it's just a sign of the times. One can't be too careful these days.
6-17-10, I have thought it through, and decided against including songs from my previous releases on this Cd. These new 14 songs are more than adequate, and I want to keep moving forward with my efforts. Just last night I finished up the acoustic and lead vocal tracks for "Simple Minded". All that song needs now is a lead guitar track and it is finished. I also, still need to do the lead vocals for "Wilderness Of Mirrors" and possibly some vocal redo's for "Best Days Of Your Life" and "Coming For You" ... and that is it !!! I still have 2 weeks left to finish these, so I am right on schedule.
6-25-10, "Wilderness Of Mirrors" is completed (vocals and all). Last night I redid the vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life", and everything turned out perfect ! I have listened to "Coming For You" on 2 different occasions, and both times I concluded that the lead vocals are good enough. Basically, all that is left (recording wise) is the lead guitar for "Simple Minded" and a redo of one vocal line in "Doppelganger Blues" (in the bridge section). I may also need to add a few sound effects to the bridge section. About one week ago I started putting together the Cd's graphic design. I pretty much already have the front cover and back panel worked out. I know it is hard to believe, but I am still waiting for my monitors to come in at Sam Ash.
6-26-10, I am going to take part in "Hands Across The Sands" today. It is a protest against off shore oil drilling in our coastal waters. We are supposed to arrive at 11:00 a.m. At 12:00 people will join hands for 15 minutes. It is a cool cause and am proud that I am going to be a part of it. (3:30 p.m.) Well, we showed up at Indian Rocks Beach at 11:45. There were hundreds of people there enjoying the sun. The only problem was that they were all totally oblivious to the cause. Me and my parents, and and one other person, joined our hands for the requested 15 minutes (12:00 - 12:15). None of the hundreds of people around us joined in. Of course we weren't at one of the arranged staging areas .. still, it is frustrating that there are so many complacent people. I kind of felt like the 4 of us were being looked at as radical protesters. A couple people walked by and acted snooty. Others just looked the other way and pretended like we weren't even there. The thing is, that it was a peaceful showing of solidarity with no political affiliation whatsoever. All we did was dress in black (as requested, signifying the oil) and hold hands for 15 minutes, while looking out into the ocean. It's not like we were a bunch of panhandlers begging for change. It is very frustrating that we live in a country where people would rather sit back and bitch, rather than actually doing something. On this occasion, all they had to do was hold hands along the ocean for 15 minutes ... and they couldn't do it ! Oh well, I am proud that my parents and I took part in the occasion.
7-1-10, I am taking care of business today. I typed out a letter for the IRS in response to their letter saying they had not received my tax return for the period ending on 12-31-2008. Like I mentioned previously, I had to resolve this matter when I filed my taxes this year. My W2's and a copy of that tax return were sent in with this years return. I was under the impression that the matter had been resolved and that my account was in good standing. This is basically what I wrote in the letter. I will send it out certified mail tomorrow. I also called Sam Ash in regards to my studio monitors. This is the 3rd time I have had to call since the April 29 purchase date. I ended up getting the same story again ... the monitors aren't in yet and they will call me when they are. I ended up getting the phone number for Paul Ash at the corporate office in New York. I gave him a call and explained my situation. He said he will look into the matter and get back to me. We'll see what happens. Maybe I will get lucky and end up with a store credit I really don't have a problem with keeping the floor model that I have, it's just that I paid the price for a new pair. (4:30 p.m.) Within 1/2 hour I got a call from George at Sam Ash saying that he wasn't aware of the problem, Paul had just called him, and that he would make sure that the monitors would be in within a few days. He must have been the store manager. His voice sounded a bit humble, so my guess is that Paul tore into him pretty good.
7-2-10, I have got my IRS paperwork together. All I have to do is make copies and send it out certified mail. What I have learned through all of my experiences (Post Office, Countrywide, IRS, etc.), is to always make copies and send everything certified mail. That way you always have documentation. Here is a perfect example of why this approach works. I went back through my IRS paperwork from earlier in the year. This recent letter from the IRS, located in Austin, TX, says that they haven't received my tax return for the period ending on December 31,2008. A letter I saved in my files from the IRS in Atlanta, GA says ... we have received your tax return for the period ending on December 31, 2008. The Atlanta letter was sent in May 2010, and the purpose was to get my signature to make everything official. Well, there you have it. The IRS in Austin is totally out of touch with the IRS in Atlanta. Neither one knows what the other is doing.
7-4-10, Happy 4th Of July !!! I went and cleaned out the storage unit yesterday. This means there is no turning back with the lead vocals, they are what they are. Thank you to my friends at UHaul Self Storage Rental for being open minded and allowing me the opportunity to make this Cd happen. I am also proud to announce that I have completed the graphic design for the Cd ... way ahead of schedule ! I still need to work out the actual disc part, but I will do that when I get to the replication stage (I do already have the picture selected). All that is left now is the mastering, copyrighting, joining ASCAP and then the replication. At some point in July, I am going to take a 10 day vacation to visit my brothers in California. I really need a break !!! I have spent the last 6 months working my ass off on this Cd.
7-7-10, Yes !!!! My set of studio monitors finally arrived today. That's one less thing for me to fret over. I gave them a test run, along with some of my new compressor knowledge, and they sounded excellent. It is such a welcome relief to be able to hear everything outside of the headphones. My 6 months of relentless recording has produced some very original music. I really do believe that I am going to surprise a lot of people with this Cd release.
7-11-10, I did it ! All the recording is now completed. All that is left is the mastering, copyright and replication. My goal release date at the beginning of the year was around Oct-Nov. Once everything is finished, the replication process will take about 1 month. Anyway you look at it, I am way ahead of schedule ! If I use all of July and August to finish the mastering, then the Cd should be available for purchase by the first of October. If things go smoothly with the mastering process, I may even have it available somewhere in September.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"Coming For You "
I dusted out the archives and found this old gem. I recorded the song between 1994-95 on a Tascam 8 track cassette recorder. All in all, I recorded about 30 songs in this format. They definitely aren't of the highest quality, but it's cool that I have an inventory of old material to choose from when needed. I guess I won't ever have to worry about writers block. This is a very simple, catchy, love song that uses somewhat of a grungy punk approach. The arrangement will include only guitar, bass, drums and a vocal track. The theatrical compositions of "Same Old Troubles" and "Doppelganger Blues" have me worn out. It will be a nice change of pace to work on a simple straight forward song. I was wondering what in the heck I was going to do for the last 2 tracks. Just like that, in one day, my entire thought process changed. This song shouldn't be very hard at all to record, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to have it finished in less than one week. A grungy punk approach to a love song .... what ? I never imagined when I wrote this song that I would be re-recording it 15 years later on my 3rd Cd. Unbelievable, I now have 12 tunes planned for this Cd. "Crazy Like A Fox" is going to be one wide open epic release, with a little something for everyone.
4-15-10, I've got the drums recorded. Basically this song is a lesson in Songwriting 101. Very simple, straightforward and effective. I'm going to have to fight the urge to add more.
4-16-10, I think that should do it. The guitar and bass are recorded, and the tune rocks ! Good upbeat energy !! I will listen again tomorrow and make my final decision. If everything still sounds good I will clean up the tracks, protect the song and backup the data. I ended up using a 70's guitar effect, instead of standard distortion ... it turned out real well ! This is a real cool tune, I am very happy that I decided to redo it for this Cd. Things are rolling along well right now. When it's all said and done, it only took me 2-3 days to finish the song ! I'm going to have to check my archives some more, maybe I will stumble upon another hidden gem. It sure was a lot fun working on this one !!!
4-17-10, It's all good ! I cleaned the tracks, protected the song and backed up the data. I think this may be my most uptempo song at 192. I did spend part of today listening to my old cassettes. Other than this song, and the 2 I am combing for "Where's The Sun", I don't hear anything else that is worth using. It was still fun listening to them, it makes me realize how far I have come with my songwriting.
5-4-10, My first day at the new storage unit (studio/see "Miscellaneous") went real well. I finished the lead vocals for this song and "Downtown". This is a fun song ! With just vocals, guitar, bass and drums it is also a very simple song. A Punk/Grunge love song, who would have thought.
5-5-10, Happy Cinco de Mayo amigos ! I think the vocals turned out good enough. I cleaned the track, saved/protected the song and backed up the data. I am never going to amaze anyone with my vocal prowess, and I guarantee you will never hear me hit a diva note. With me, it is more like I picture myself acting out a role and I do what I can to sell the drama. My songs, for the most part, are all about telling stories.
6-20-10, This song is one of the 2 that I am thinking about redoing the lead vocals for. I am a perfectionist, and I definitely want to get it right. I just finished the vocals for "Wilderness Of Mirrors" tonight (my last song). I still have the storage unit rented for 2 more weeks, so there is plenty of time to work on this tune. I am going to try using the small AKG mic, instead of the C3000. I have been having very good luck with it on my other songs. I will also dabble with some different vocal effects to see what will work best. This is such a fun song ... I want to get it right !
6-21-10 (2:00 a.m.), Hmmmm ... I don't know ? I listened back to this song, and dabbled with some effects on the vocals (doubling, reverb, EQ). I actually thought that it sounded pretty good as is. I'll have to listen to it through the monitors before I make my final decision.
6-25-10, I gave this song another good listen today, and I think there is no need for a vocal redo. I still need to hear it through the monitors before I make my final decision, but I really think it is going to be alright.
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
4-15-10, I've got the drums recorded. Basically this song is a lesson in Songwriting 101. Very simple, straightforward and effective. I'm going to have to fight the urge to add more.
4-16-10, I think that should do it. The guitar and bass are recorded, and the tune rocks ! Good upbeat energy !! I will listen again tomorrow and make my final decision. If everything still sounds good I will clean up the tracks, protect the song and backup the data. I ended up using a 70's guitar effect, instead of standard distortion ... it turned out real well ! This is a real cool tune, I am very happy that I decided to redo it for this Cd. Things are rolling along well right now. When it's all said and done, it only took me 2-3 days to finish the song ! I'm going to have to check my archives some more, maybe I will stumble upon another hidden gem. It sure was a lot fun working on this one !!!
4-17-10, It's all good ! I cleaned the tracks, protected the song and backed up the data. I think this may be my most uptempo song at 192. I did spend part of today listening to my old cassettes. Other than this song, and the 2 I am combing for "Where's The Sun", I don't hear anything else that is worth using. It was still fun listening to them, it makes me realize how far I have come with my songwriting.
5-4-10, My first day at the new storage unit (studio/see "Miscellaneous") went real well. I finished the lead vocals for this song and "Downtown". This is a fun song ! With just vocals, guitar, bass and drums it is also a very simple song. A Punk/Grunge love song, who would have thought.
5-5-10, Happy Cinco de Mayo amigos ! I think the vocals turned out good enough. I cleaned the track, saved/protected the song and backed up the data. I am never going to amaze anyone with my vocal prowess, and I guarantee you will never hear me hit a diva note. With me, it is more like I picture myself acting out a role and I do what I can to sell the drama. My songs, for the most part, are all about telling stories.
6-20-10, This song is one of the 2 that I am thinking about redoing the lead vocals for. I am a perfectionist, and I definitely want to get it right. I just finished the vocals for "Wilderness Of Mirrors" tonight (my last song). I still have the storage unit rented for 2 more weeks, so there is plenty of time to work on this tune. I am going to try using the small AKG mic, instead of the C3000. I have been having very good luck with it on my other songs. I will also dabble with some different vocal effects to see what will work best. This is such a fun song ... I want to get it right !
6-21-10 (2:00 a.m.), Hmmmm ... I don't know ? I listened back to this song, and dabbled with some effects on the vocals (doubling, reverb, EQ). I actually thought that it sounded pretty good as is. I'll have to listen to it through the monitors before I make my final decision.
6-25-10, I gave this song another good listen today, and I think there is no need for a vocal redo. I still need to hear it through the monitors before I make my final decision, but I really think it is going to be alright.
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
"Where's The Sun"
Okay, this is song #3 on my April folklore hit list (2 weeks left to go). The tune is about a tired, burned out vampire who is trying to fight the urge to feed. What I am going to do is to combine 2 songs (both written a very long time ago) into one. I'll have to rummage through some of my storage boxes to find the cassettes for the original. The bass groove for this tune is going to be awesome, kind of James Bond-ish.
4-14-10, Alrighty then ! It seems I am going to take a bit of a u turn. I finished cleaning, protecting and backing up the data for "Doppelganger Blues". After that I went through my storage and found the cassettes for all the songs that I wrote many years ago. I was driving around in my jeep checking out the 2 tunes I planned on using for "Where's The Sun". The song is definitely going to workout, I just need to think it through a bit more. The cool news is that I stumbled upon another tune that I had all but forgotten about, called "Coming For You". It's a very simple, and fun, love song. Who would have thought ? The vampire song will just have to wait a bit longer.
4-17-10, After finishing up "Coming For You", I began putting the drums together for this song. It's kind of cool because I am blending 2-3 different kits together. If I do this song right it will be a little bit on the scary side.
4-19-10, (12:30 p.m.) I got the drums recorded last night and started to work on the bass. There is a lot of chromatic fingering in the bass line for this song (D# is the only note not used). I was having trouble with a dead fret on the G# (4th fret on the E string). To remedy the problem I tuned the E string up to an F#. The other 3 strings are still in standard tuning. I did some experimenting with the drum track, and there is an eerie section that occurs after chorus 2 and at the end of the song. I made the section up with no idea what will be played over it. Maybe the spontaneity will lead to another song idea, like what occurred with "Sweet Adelaide". The bass line will have to wait until later tonight, because I have to go to the courthouse and take care of my speeding ticket ... thanks again Officer Friendly. (11:00 p.m.) I think the bass is finished. I'm still not 100% happy with the arrangement. At this point, there seems to be a lot of awkward tension. I did want the tune to be a bit on the scary side, so maybe that's a good thing. I think I might need to add some keyboards before I tackle the guitar. Maybe it will help spice up the composition. I want the guitar to have some personality, not just a bunch of power chords.
4-20-10, Smoke em if you got em ! I wish I did, but I don't .. Oh Well. I had an excellent recording day ! I recorded some keyboard tracks that are perfect, they brought the whole song together. I ended up using 3 different keyboard effects (Church Organ, Glisten, Dreams and Ritual). The eerie section worked out real well, it even makes way for an ominous chant at the very end of the song. The thing that has me the most excited, is that I also worked out the guitar track !!! I did a scratch track to check it out and it rocks ! I will probably get it recorded tomorrow.
4-21-10, I did it !!! The music for the song is finished. I also cleaned the tracks, protected the song and backed up the data. I am very proud with how this tune turned out. I think I did a good job of capturing the scary, chilling vampire vibe. The chant at the very end is excellent. The guitar track, though simple, still rocks ! The James Bond-ish bass line during the verses is perfect. April was supposed to be my folklore month ... and it was ... and more ! I finished all 3 of my planned songs plus a redo of "Coming For You". The amazing thing is, that there are still 10 days left in the month ! I'm not sure where to go now. My only other somewhat worked out song is "Simple Minded", an acoustic Rockabilly Christian tune. I am also entertaining the idea of doing a CIA/spy song called "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (the lyrics are worked out, but nothing else). For now, I'm going to take a day or two off ... and relax. The weather is nice and warm, maybe I will go and enjoy a couple beach days.
5-20-10, Another good night at the studio, I think I finished the vocals for "Won't Be Home Again". That means that this song is next on my vocal hit list. It is the last tune left of the first 12 that I have recorded. This song is going to be a blast to work on ! I am going to use a lower range, scary/vampiric, voice for the verse sections. I will definitely need to find a real cool vocal effect to make it happen. On my first Cd I recorded another vampire song called "Oh Desiree". With the recent successes of "True Blood" and "Twilight", I think the market is ripe for a song like this. The lyrics for the tune are awesome, very chilling ! A vampire song called "Where's The Sun" ... what more could you want ? (7:00 p.m.) Yep, "Won't Be Home Again" is good to go ! I have also worked out the rest of the lyrics for this song, so everything is ready to roll. I'll need to wait a day, or two, for my voice to recover ... but once it does, I'm going to own this tune !
5-22-10 (5:30 a.m.) Another fun and grueling night at the studio. I am pretty sure that I nailed the vocals ! It took me a while to find the right mood, but I did find it. I will need to listen back to it when my ears aren't so tired, before I give it my final approval. I found a cool vocal effect that worked real well. It actually did turn out to be a bit on the scary side, which means I did a good job of selling the drama. Well I am exhausted ! Time to go to bed.
5-23-10, Yes !!! I did it ! This song turned out excellent, very chilling .. yet a bit playful. Unleash the vampires ! I am glad I saved this song until last, because it was a blast to work on. All that is left now is to write 2 more songs. I still have 8 days left in May and the entire month of June to work with, so I am way ahead of schedule. Yes !!!
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
4-14-10, Alrighty then ! It seems I am going to take a bit of a u turn. I finished cleaning, protecting and backing up the data for "Doppelganger Blues". After that I went through my storage and found the cassettes for all the songs that I wrote many years ago. I was driving around in my jeep checking out the 2 tunes I planned on using for "Where's The Sun". The song is definitely going to workout, I just need to think it through a bit more. The cool news is that I stumbled upon another tune that I had all but forgotten about, called "Coming For You". It's a very simple, and fun, love song. Who would have thought ? The vampire song will just have to wait a bit longer.
4-17-10, After finishing up "Coming For You", I began putting the drums together for this song. It's kind of cool because I am blending 2-3 different kits together. If I do this song right it will be a little bit on the scary side.
4-19-10, (12:30 p.m.) I got the drums recorded last night and started to work on the bass. There is a lot of chromatic fingering in the bass line for this song (D# is the only note not used). I was having trouble with a dead fret on the G# (4th fret on the E string). To remedy the problem I tuned the E string up to an F#. The other 3 strings are still in standard tuning. I did some experimenting with the drum track, and there is an eerie section that occurs after chorus 2 and at the end of the song. I made the section up with no idea what will be played over it. Maybe the spontaneity will lead to another song idea, like what occurred with "Sweet Adelaide". The bass line will have to wait until later tonight, because I have to go to the courthouse and take care of my speeding ticket ... thanks again Officer Friendly. (11:00 p.m.) I think the bass is finished. I'm still not 100% happy with the arrangement. At this point, there seems to be a lot of awkward tension. I did want the tune to be a bit on the scary side, so maybe that's a good thing. I think I might need to add some keyboards before I tackle the guitar. Maybe it will help spice up the composition. I want the guitar to have some personality, not just a bunch of power chords.
4-20-10, Smoke em if you got em ! I wish I did, but I don't .. Oh Well. I had an excellent recording day ! I recorded some keyboard tracks that are perfect, they brought the whole song together. I ended up using 3 different keyboard effects (Church Organ, Glisten, Dreams and Ritual). The eerie section worked out real well, it even makes way for an ominous chant at the very end of the song. The thing that has me the most excited, is that I also worked out the guitar track !!! I did a scratch track to check it out and it rocks ! I will probably get it recorded tomorrow.
4-21-10, I did it !!! The music for the song is finished. I also cleaned the tracks, protected the song and backed up the data. I am very proud with how this tune turned out. I think I did a good job of capturing the scary, chilling vampire vibe. The chant at the very end is excellent. The guitar track, though simple, still rocks ! The James Bond-ish bass line during the verses is perfect. April was supposed to be my folklore month ... and it was ... and more ! I finished all 3 of my planned songs plus a redo of "Coming For You". The amazing thing is, that there are still 10 days left in the month ! I'm not sure where to go now. My only other somewhat worked out song is "Simple Minded", an acoustic Rockabilly Christian tune. I am also entertaining the idea of doing a CIA/spy song called "Wilderness Of Mirrors" (the lyrics are worked out, but nothing else). For now, I'm going to take a day or two off ... and relax. The weather is nice and warm, maybe I will go and enjoy a couple beach days.
5-20-10, Another good night at the studio, I think I finished the vocals for "Won't Be Home Again". That means that this song is next on my vocal hit list. It is the last tune left of the first 12 that I have recorded. This song is going to be a blast to work on ! I am going to use a lower range, scary/vampiric, voice for the verse sections. I will definitely need to find a real cool vocal effect to make it happen. On my first Cd I recorded another vampire song called "Oh Desiree". With the recent successes of "True Blood" and "Twilight", I think the market is ripe for a song like this. The lyrics for the tune are awesome, very chilling ! A vampire song called "Where's The Sun" ... what more could you want ? (7:00 p.m.) Yep, "Won't Be Home Again" is good to go ! I have also worked out the rest of the lyrics for this song, so everything is ready to roll. I'll need to wait a day, or two, for my voice to recover ... but once it does, I'm going to own this tune !
5-22-10 (5:30 a.m.) Another fun and grueling night at the studio. I am pretty sure that I nailed the vocals ! It took me a while to find the right mood, but I did find it. I will need to listen back to it when my ears aren't so tired, before I give it my final approval. I found a cool vocal effect that worked real well. It actually did turn out to be a bit on the scary side, which means I did a good job of selling the drama. Well I am exhausted ! Time to go to bed.
5-23-10, Yes !!! I did it ! This song turned out excellent, very chilling .. yet a bit playful. Unleash the vampires ! I am glad I saved this song until last, because it was a blast to work on. All that is left now is to write 2 more songs. I still have 8 days left in May and the entire month of June to work with, so I am way ahead of schedule. Yes !!!
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
Sunday, April 4, 2010
"Doppelganger Blues"
Doppelganger - (German word for double doer) - A ghostly double, or look-alike, of a living person. They are regarded as harbingers of bad luck. Seeing one's own doppelganger is considered to be an omen of death. The term may also apply to an evil twin, body double or alter ego. They are similar to a vardoger (Norse Mythology), which is a ghostly double who precedes a living person and is seen performing their actions in advance. The word also describes the sensation of seeing oneself in peripheral vision, where there is no chance of it being a reflection.
4-4-10, I came up with the idea for this song about 2 years ago. It's pretty much going to be an alternative folk song. I will probably need to capture a bit of the Gypsy vibe to make it work. I already have a pretty good idea how the guitar is going to go for the verses and chorus. The drums are going to be a bit tricky, and will probably take about a week to work out. I'm still elated about my success with "Same Old Troubles" ... and a bit burned out too ! I will probably take it easy for a couple days so my senses can recover.
4-5-10, I had a cool laid back day today. I went to the park and jogged (mostly walked), then hung out at the beach. It was a beautiful Florida day ! While at the beach, I also fine tuned the lyrics for this song. I am very happy with how they turned out. I am also proud to announce that this song will have a lyrical bridge section. As an added bonus, I started fine tuning lyrics for the next song "Where's The Sun". This month is definitely my folklore month: "Same Old Troubles" (voodoo), "Doppelganger Blues" (evil twin/double) and "Where's The Sun" (vampire) ... fun stuff ! When these 3 are finished, I have my Catholic song "Simple Minded" (which would be song #11). And that's it ! I'm just starting the 4th month of the year and I am already able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I still have 2 more songs to write. My goal for this Cd was to have at least 13 tunes on it. Both of my previous releases only had 9 each. What has made all the difference, with this Cd, is that I already had most of the ideas (lyrics, chords and riffs) worked out before I began recording. The other blessing in disguise, is that I don't have to wake up early to go work at some stressful job everyday. I am very fortunate that the economy, and my home/job woes, led to my moving back home. My parents rock ! I am very proud that they are also my best friends ! See ... this is how one takes an extreme negative and turns it into an extreme positive. I'm sure that many of my former employers would prefer to see me broken down and miserable. Well, that's just not going to happen ... I'm the Foxman !!
4-6-10, I'm thinking about joining my bothers softball team (Tuesday night league). The cardio, and fresh air, will do me good. I joined Anytime Fitness about a week ago, so I also have a 24 hour gym to workout at. The cool part about Anytime, other than their night owl hours, is that they have a Hydro Massage machine. Nothing beats a 20 minute massage after a good workout (that's how the athletes do it). I'm not a fitness freak, but I do like to do what I can to stay in respectable shape. It's all relevant !
4-7-10, I'm easing my way into this tune. It is going to be a bit tricky to work out. I did manage to spend some time today getting the song keys together. This song is going to bounce around between 5 different keys (B Blues, C# Minor, F# Minor, F# Blues and G# Minor).
4-8-10, I'm starting to put the drums together. Just the solo section, bridge and outro are left to ail me. For this song, I'm doing the tracks in real time. Usually I quantize the drum machine so the notes never fall off beat. In real time it is a bit more wide open. With this approach, not every beat will be dead on perfect. I think this will add a bit to the gypsy caravan vibe I'm shooting for. We'll see ...
4-10-10, Here we go ... the drums are recorded ! I think this may end up being the shortest song I've ever written (approx. 2:50). I had a fun night hanging out in Dunedin. Brick oven pizza, wine, cheesecake, a cigar and a chocolate martini ... what more could you want ? Dunedin is a real classy artist friendly community. I'm definitely going to go back.
4-12-10 (5:30 a.m.), Yes I pulled an all-nighter and got the bass recorded ! I ended up using a slap approach. This is the first tune on the Cd where I didn't use a pick on the bass. It turned out very well. Off to bed I go ... before the sun comes up !
4-13-10 (4:30 a.m.), I'm at it again ! The guitar is now finished. It turned out to be a very fun track. The song is really taking form. Now the real fun begins ... keyboards ! I don't have a clue what I'm going to do yet (just like with "Same Old Troubles"), but I'm sure I'll make it happen. I'm shooting for the gypsy vibe, so I am positive there will be a panflute track. Beyond that .... who knows ? (7:00 p.m.) I am working on the panflute track. It definitely adds the gypsy element I was looking for.
4-14-10 (5:00 a.m.) ... Success !!! I did it ... unleash the doppelgangers ! I finished it in less than a week. I recorded 2 tracks tonight, panflute and cimbalom (large piano-like hammered dulcimer). Everything turned out excellent ! I did a great job of capturing the folksy gypsy vibe I was aiming for. Tomorrow I will do some mixing, track clean up and backup the song data.
5-15-10 (5:00 a.m.), I had another excellent night at the studio. Originally my plan was just to redo the vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life". Things went so well with that song that I just couldn't stop. I ended up laying down the vocals for this tune also. All in all, this song wasn't difficult at all. I am very happy with the results. I think I did a good job of capturing the gypsy/folk vibe I was aiming for. It is definitely a novelty song. I doubt this tune will be a hit like some of the others, but I do think it will gain me a lot of credibility as an open minded songwriter ... and that's cool. How many other artists can say they have written a song about doppelgangers ? I will listen back through everything tomorrow (today) before I give my final stamp of approval.
5-16-10, I listened back today and I am happy with the vocal track. It's good to go ! Of all the vocal tracks I have recorded, this one was the smoothest. It didn't take very many takes at all to get it right. Of course, I am not gloating because it was also one of the simplest. Still, I am happy it turned out the way it did. It is a very, very unique song. This is probably a very good example of how I like to work. I take pride in being a bit unpredictable and I like to keep my listeners guessing. Well, this song will accomplish just that ! Unleash the doppelgangers !!
6-25-10, I like everything about the vocals for this song ... except, for one single line in the bridge section. It drives me nuts every time I hear it. I have decided that I am going to redo the line. I had the original vocal settings written down, so it won't be any trouble recapturing the moment. I have listened to all my songs and this is the last vocal correction that I need to make. I may also need to add some more sound effects to the bridge section. There is an open track, so this won't be a problem at all. I guess it's that perfectionist in me taking over again. It's a fun folkish novelty song and I want to get it right.
6-27-10 (5:00 a.m.), The vocals in this song are alright ! It's the keyboard effect in the background that make it feel awkward. During mastering I will probably edit them out, and everything will be fine.
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
4-4-10, I came up with the idea for this song about 2 years ago. It's pretty much going to be an alternative folk song. I will probably need to capture a bit of the Gypsy vibe to make it work. I already have a pretty good idea how the guitar is going to go for the verses and chorus. The drums are going to be a bit tricky, and will probably take about a week to work out. I'm still elated about my success with "Same Old Troubles" ... and a bit burned out too ! I will probably take it easy for a couple days so my senses can recover.
4-5-10, I had a cool laid back day today. I went to the park and jogged (mostly walked), then hung out at the beach. It was a beautiful Florida day ! While at the beach, I also fine tuned the lyrics for this song. I am very happy with how they turned out. I am also proud to announce that this song will have a lyrical bridge section. As an added bonus, I started fine tuning lyrics for the next song "Where's The Sun". This month is definitely my folklore month: "Same Old Troubles" (voodoo), "Doppelganger Blues" (evil twin/double) and "Where's The Sun" (vampire) ... fun stuff ! When these 3 are finished, I have my Catholic song "Simple Minded" (which would be song #11). And that's it ! I'm just starting the 4th month of the year and I am already able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I still have 2 more songs to write. My goal for this Cd was to have at least 13 tunes on it. Both of my previous releases only had 9 each. What has made all the difference, with this Cd, is that I already had most of the ideas (lyrics, chords and riffs) worked out before I began recording. The other blessing in disguise, is that I don't have to wake up early to go work at some stressful job everyday. I am very fortunate that the economy, and my home/job woes, led to my moving back home. My parents rock ! I am very proud that they are also my best friends ! See ... this is how one takes an extreme negative and turns it into an extreme positive. I'm sure that many of my former employers would prefer to see me broken down and miserable. Well, that's just not going to happen ... I'm the Foxman !!
4-6-10, I'm thinking about joining my bothers softball team (Tuesday night league). The cardio, and fresh air, will do me good. I joined Anytime Fitness about a week ago, so I also have a 24 hour gym to workout at. The cool part about Anytime, other than their night owl hours, is that they have a Hydro Massage machine. Nothing beats a 20 minute massage after a good workout (that's how the athletes do it). I'm not a fitness freak, but I do like to do what I can to stay in respectable shape. It's all relevant !
4-7-10, I'm easing my way into this tune. It is going to be a bit tricky to work out. I did manage to spend some time today getting the song keys together. This song is going to bounce around between 5 different keys (B Blues, C# Minor, F# Minor, F# Blues and G# Minor).
4-8-10, I'm starting to put the drums together. Just the solo section, bridge and outro are left to ail me. For this song, I'm doing the tracks in real time. Usually I quantize the drum machine so the notes never fall off beat. In real time it is a bit more wide open. With this approach, not every beat will be dead on perfect. I think this will add a bit to the gypsy caravan vibe I'm shooting for. We'll see ...
4-10-10, Here we go ... the drums are recorded ! I think this may end up being the shortest song I've ever written (approx. 2:50). I had a fun night hanging out in Dunedin. Brick oven pizza, wine, cheesecake, a cigar and a chocolate martini ... what more could you want ? Dunedin is a real classy artist friendly community. I'm definitely going to go back.
4-12-10 (5:30 a.m.), Yes I pulled an all-nighter and got the bass recorded ! I ended up using a slap approach. This is the first tune on the Cd where I didn't use a pick on the bass. It turned out very well. Off to bed I go ... before the sun comes up !
4-13-10 (4:30 a.m.), I'm at it again ! The guitar is now finished. It turned out to be a very fun track. The song is really taking form. Now the real fun begins ... keyboards ! I don't have a clue what I'm going to do yet (just like with "Same Old Troubles"), but I'm sure I'll make it happen. I'm shooting for the gypsy vibe, so I am positive there will be a panflute track. Beyond that .... who knows ? (7:00 p.m.) I am working on the panflute track. It definitely adds the gypsy element I was looking for.
4-14-10 (5:00 a.m.) ... Success !!! I did it ... unleash the doppelgangers ! I finished it in less than a week. I recorded 2 tracks tonight, panflute and cimbalom (large piano-like hammered dulcimer). Everything turned out excellent ! I did a great job of capturing the folksy gypsy vibe I was aiming for. Tomorrow I will do some mixing, track clean up and backup the song data.
5-15-10 (5:00 a.m.), I had another excellent night at the studio. Originally my plan was just to redo the vocals for "Best Days Of Your Life". Things went so well with that song that I just couldn't stop. I ended up laying down the vocals for this tune also. All in all, this song wasn't difficult at all. I am very happy with the results. I think I did a good job of capturing the gypsy/folk vibe I was aiming for. It is definitely a novelty song. I doubt this tune will be a hit like some of the others, but I do think it will gain me a lot of credibility as an open minded songwriter ... and that's cool. How many other artists can say they have written a song about doppelgangers ? I will listen back through everything tomorrow (today) before I give my final stamp of approval.
5-16-10, I listened back today and I am happy with the vocal track. It's good to go ! Of all the vocal tracks I have recorded, this one was the smoothest. It didn't take very many takes at all to get it right. Of course, I am not gloating because it was also one of the simplest. Still, I am happy it turned out the way it did. It is a very, very unique song. This is probably a very good example of how I like to work. I take pride in being a bit unpredictable and I like to keep my listeners guessing. Well, this song will accomplish just that ! Unleash the doppelgangers !!
6-25-10, I like everything about the vocals for this song ... except, for one single line in the bridge section. It drives me nuts every time I hear it. I have decided that I am going to redo the line. I had the original vocal settings written down, so it won't be any trouble recapturing the moment. I have listened to all my songs and this is the last vocal correction that I need to make. I may also need to add some more sound effects to the bridge section. There is an open track, so this won't be a problem at all. I guess it's that perfectionist in me taking over again. It's a fun folkish novelty song and I want to get it right.
6-27-10 (5:00 a.m.), The vocals in this song are alright ! It's the keyboard effect in the background that make it feel awkward. During mastering I will probably edit them out, and everything will be fine.
UPDATE (2-16-14): All songs from my "Crazy Like A Fox" Cd can be heard in their entirety through the tune player below. Please make sure to also check out my home website at: www.foxmanmusic.com
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