middle 8
The birds of light tonight that are dancing on the clouds
that revolve around our house
with a rainbow smiling down.
The birds of light that say I still love you dear
Let us know that you are near
But we wish you were still here.
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Friday 7 August 2009
Credit where credit is due
A couple of years ago when I was writing Post Life (Good Things?) I went to visit my wee granny in an old peoples home, where she had been living for quite some time. Typically, I was stuck with lyrics for a couple of verses.
My granny had been suffering with altzeimers (or a form thereof) disease for quite sometime and her memory had been getting progressively worse. She had become basically incoherent to the point where she couldn't finish a sentence.
During this visit she had attempted several sentences to varying degrees of success. So the last thing we were expecting to emerge from her frail chops was the most profound statement we had ever heard. I had the line
'How can you say goodbye to me if we've never even met'
I should point out the writing of this song was not at the forefront of my mind during said visit.
What did she say, you ask?
She said 'I know..' then there was a pause, at which point we had come to expect that rest of the sentence would drift into the ether. The pause lasted about 5 seconds. Just when we were about to accept that there was nothing else on its way she proclaimed '...the colour of my own regret'.
To this day I don't know if she knew what that meant but for a moment we were all stunned by the magnificence of the statement. I knew almost instantly that I was going to use it, and where. So credit where credit is due this was your line granny.
Lets all just take a second to think about what colour our own regrets are....(mine are green).
R.I.P Granny Panny 1920-2009
My granny had been suffering with altzeimers (or a form thereof) disease for quite sometime and her memory had been getting progressively worse. She had become basically incoherent to the point where she couldn't finish a sentence.
During this visit she had attempted several sentences to varying degrees of success. So the last thing we were expecting to emerge from her frail chops was the most profound statement we had ever heard. I had the line
'How can you say goodbye to me if we've never even met'
I should point out the writing of this song was not at the forefront of my mind during said visit.
What did she say, you ask?
She said 'I know..' then there was a pause, at which point we had come to expect that rest of the sentence would drift into the ether. The pause lasted about 5 seconds. Just when we were about to accept that there was nothing else on its way she proclaimed '...the colour of my own regret'.
To this day I don't know if she knew what that meant but for a moment we were all stunned by the magnificence of the statement. I knew almost instantly that I was going to use it, and where. So credit where credit is due this was your line granny.
Lets all just take a second to think about what colour our own regrets are....(mine are green).
R.I.P Granny Panny 1920-2009
Saturday 27 June 2009
Anyone Else? Again or?
OK so that didn't work, stupid MySpace video upload was acting like knob (actually it was probably me not reading the instructions properly), don't fret you should be able to watch it here on the brand new hastily organised Radiola YouTube site....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWy11XxoD6g
There should be a permanent link to the site over there >>>
Here is a wee picture of another song being played on the piano to get your multimedia juices flowing...
If you are enjoying this Blog and the music then you could opt to send an email to radiola.band.music@gmail.com, you may also wish to include the email address of like-minded colleagues and we can develop some kind of mailing list. Or if you are into the whole social networking thing (I can't really get into it) you could spread the music on Facebook or Twitter or sumink.
Cheers
OUT!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWy11XxoD6g
There should be a permanent link to the site over there >>>
Here is a wee picture of another song being played on the piano to get your multimedia juices flowing...
If you are enjoying this Blog and the music then you could opt to send an email to radiola.band.music@gmail.com, you may also wish to include the email address of like-minded colleagues and we can develop some kind of mailing list. Or if you are into the whole social networking thing (I can't really get into it) you could spread the music on Facebook or Twitter or sumink.
Cheers
OUT!
Anyone Else?
It is probably about time I just played a song live and direct.
It was really a straight head to head between 2 songs, one called 'What I'm trying to say!' and 'Anyone Else'. You can, hopefully, watch it here...
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=59638702
I chose 'Anyone Else' for several reasons.
(1) I enjoy playing it, especially the big harmonica instrumental bit.
(2) I have a few ideas of how to turn it into a full song and it will be very different from the video version on MySpace when it is finished.
(3) I have a concept whereby I plan to build this song from the ground up and post each stage on the site for you to hear it going together.
(4) I think you will like the song.
Here are some notes about the video:-
This was the first time Radiola have ever been recorded on film and I wanted this to be what you see, one continous first take, chins and all. I was drinking some vino and waiting for Neil Young to come on Glastonbury and suddenly had the notion to bust it out live for you future delight.
I appologise for the hideous double chin, it exists for three reasons (1) it have an odd shaped face designed to maximise chin-age (2) it was filmed from a low perspective a technique which worked to great effect in Citizen Kane, but unfortunately not quite so successfully in this video (3) I have my head bend forward, primed to explode shards of blues from the moothy at any moment, not a flattering angle.
The straw hat is for aesthetic purposes but I have taken to wearing one quite regularly and enjoy it so looking like a tit didn't come into the equation.
Here are some notes about how it will sound as a full song so you can imagine it with your brainboxes:-
The intro will be awash with echo-ish feedback and organ based dissonance out of which the acoustic guitar may or may not appear.
Over the line 'fanfare plays distorted drunken drones' in the second verse a fanfare will play distorted drunken drones. Which will signify the start of brass in the song which will continue til the end.
When the instrumental bit starts the bass and brass will follow the harmonica going dah-dum! dah-dum! dum dum dah dim-dim. I propose the harmonica part but played in a shredded electric guitar solo.
Enjoy! Feedback welcome!
It was really a straight head to head between 2 songs, one called 'What I'm trying to say!' and 'Anyone Else'. You can, hopefully, watch it here...
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=59638702
I chose 'Anyone Else' for several reasons.
(1) I enjoy playing it, especially the big harmonica instrumental bit.
(2) I have a few ideas of how to turn it into a full song and it will be very different from the video version on MySpace when it is finished.
(3) I have a concept whereby I plan to build this song from the ground up and post each stage on the site for you to hear it going together.
(4) I think you will like the song.
Here are some notes about the video:-
This was the first time Radiola have ever been recorded on film and I wanted this to be what you see, one continous first take, chins and all. I was drinking some vino and waiting for Neil Young to come on Glastonbury and suddenly had the notion to bust it out live for you future delight.
I appologise for the hideous double chin, it exists for three reasons (1) it have an odd shaped face designed to maximise chin-age (2) it was filmed from a low perspective a technique which worked to great effect in Citizen Kane, but unfortunately not quite so successfully in this video (3) I have my head bend forward, primed to explode shards of blues from the moothy at any moment, not a flattering angle.
The straw hat is for aesthetic purposes but I have taken to wearing one quite regularly and enjoy it so looking like a tit didn't come into the equation.
Here are some notes about how it will sound as a full song so you can imagine it with your brainboxes:-
The intro will be awash with echo-ish feedback and organ based dissonance out of which the acoustic guitar may or may not appear.
Over the line 'fanfare plays distorted drunken drones' in the second verse a fanfare will play distorted drunken drones. Which will signify the start of brass in the song which will continue til the end.
When the instrumental bit starts the bass and brass will follow the harmonica going dah-dum! dah-dum! dum dum dah dim-dim. I propose the harmonica part but played in a shredded electric guitar solo.
Enjoy! Feedback welcome!
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Arguably too deep?
I promised a blog entry with some background on the previous song posted on MySpace, Post Life (Good Things).
I am not sure how much to write about the meaning of the songs. I always like it when bands or artists reveal some of the meaning of a song but I also like trying to interpret a meaning for myself. A song really doesn't mean anything until it is listened to and the this interaction between the listener, with their mood/ emotions/personal taste/interpretation etc with the song itself give the song a context and could potentially make it something that I could never imagine when I am writing and recording it.
Given the nature of all that new shit I have decided not to give too much away on this particular one, that's not to say I won't change my mind or provide a line by line description on other songs. I will tell you now boy-ohs that this is not a cop-out we are talking about some seriously deep shit, arguably too deep.
I will, however, provide you with the lyrics for you to interpret it whichever way you see fit.
Verse 1
Turn the camera on yourself when there's too much love to bear,
Dig a hole by the family tree and bury some over there.
Stumble down the garden path just a placid bag of bones,
In the ponds reflection, you're on your own.
Chorus
You believe in love
You believe good things can happen
You believe in truth
Do they believe in you?
Verse 2
How can you say goodbye to me if we've never even met,
After all that's past and passed you know the colour of your own regret.
How can you walk 500 miles if you're lying on your back,
With eyes like a thousand razor blades but no will left to attack.
Chorus
Middle eight
And then it starts to end up with the walls closing in
And then it starts to end until the walls are closing in, are the walls closing in on you?
Verse 3
Can't stay still for very long again its flight or fight,
The days they last forever and precede endless nights.
Its winter now in this old town so you pitch your discontent
To crawl inside and hibernate and think what summer meant
Chorus
End.
I am not sure how much to write about the meaning of the songs. I always like it when bands or artists reveal some of the meaning of a song but I also like trying to interpret a meaning for myself. A song really doesn't mean anything until it is listened to and the this interaction between the listener, with their mood/ emotions/personal taste/interpretation etc with the song itself give the song a context and could potentially make it something that I could never imagine when I am writing and recording it.
Given the nature of all that new shit I have decided not to give too much away on this particular one, that's not to say I won't change my mind or provide a line by line description on other songs. I will tell you now boy-ohs that this is not a cop-out we are talking about some seriously deep shit, arguably too deep.
I will, however, provide you with the lyrics for you to interpret it whichever way you see fit.
Verse 1
Turn the camera on yourself when there's too much love to bear,
Dig a hole by the family tree and bury some over there.
Stumble down the garden path just a placid bag of bones,
In the ponds reflection, you're on your own.
Chorus
You believe in love
You believe good things can happen
You believe in truth
Do they believe in you?
Verse 2
How can you say goodbye to me if we've never even met,
After all that's past and passed you know the colour of your own regret.
How can you walk 500 miles if you're lying on your back,
With eyes like a thousand razor blades but no will left to attack.
Chorus
Middle eight
And then it starts to end up with the walls closing in
And then it starts to end until the walls are closing in, are the walls closing in on you?
Verse 3
Can't stay still for very long again its flight or fight,
The days they last forever and precede endless nights.
Its winter now in this old town so you pitch your discontent
To crawl inside and hibernate and think what summer meant
Chorus
End.
Sunday 7 June 2009
Post Life (Good Things?)
Hello, Long time no see!
After a day chipping away at 'Post Life (Good Things?)' I have finally knocked it into a presentable state. I will post soon with a bit of background to the song but this time I thought it better that you hear it first.
I hope you get a chance to listen to the song and that you enjoy it if you do.
Again, you comments/appraisals will be gratefully received.
OUT!
After a day chipping away at 'Post Life (Good Things?)' I have finally knocked it into a presentable state. I will post soon with a bit of background to the song but this time I thought it better that you hear it first.
I hope you get a chance to listen to the song and that you enjoy it if you do.
Again, you comments/appraisals will be gratefully received.
OUT!
Thursday 14 May 2009
Be careful what you ask for
A wise man once said 'be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it'. I asked for feedback/comments and I got 'em.
I am only joking of course, I am very grateful to anyone who took the time to listen and even more so to those who processed what they heard and formulated opinions, digested them into a comment and conveyed that in my direction.
I got 2 things from this process
(1) That I don't take comment well, I assume that it is negative feedback (even if it is proactive). I must kinda invite people to comment in a bid to get people to tell me how great I am. I have a narcasistic streak that I don't think will ever go away. But I do listen to whats been said and still would like to encourage comments that could potentially hurt my precious feelings.
(2) The second is more specific to the songs. It was queried more than once {why I didn't/if I had considered} singing in my own accent (Which is Glasgow, Scotland accent if you don't already know).
Well I think I was only semi-aware of singing in any accent, though on reflection I do sing, pretty much, with a sortof American Twang. I don't think this was ever a conscious decision that I made but it has happened. This has had quite a profound effect on me, because I would like to be true to my roots especially given the nature of my songs and my pride in where I am from.
Since the comments arrived, I have been trying to sing in my accent like Glasvegas have had recent success doing. I tell you what it is not natural for me to do this, it feels forced and my singing Scottish accent is different to my talking Scottish accent. I end up talking songs instead of singing them.
As you probably have guessed by using your earholes I am not a natural singer and it turns out that I have been singing all songs in this American voice, well forever. So this is now my actual singing voice.
What I have decided to do is think about how I sound and try to erradicate some of the more riculous Americanisms from the delivery and see how that goes for a while, but I don't want to end up with that generic Scottish accent that exists in modern rock bands (no I won't name names). Hopefully though it doesn't actually matter either way and the songs with pass or fail on their merits as they come from the right place regardless of the voice that delivers them.
OUT!
MMP
I am only joking of course, I am very grateful to anyone who took the time to listen and even more so to those who processed what they heard and formulated opinions, digested them into a comment and conveyed that in my direction.
I got 2 things from this process
(1) That I don't take comment well, I assume that it is negative feedback (even if it is proactive). I must kinda invite people to comment in a bid to get people to tell me how great I am. I have a narcasistic streak that I don't think will ever go away. But I do listen to whats been said and still would like to encourage comments that could potentially hurt my precious feelings.
(2) The second is more specific to the songs. It was queried more than once {why I didn't/if I had considered} singing in my own accent (Which is Glasgow, Scotland accent if you don't already know).
Well I think I was only semi-aware of singing in any accent, though on reflection I do sing, pretty much, with a sortof American Twang. I don't think this was ever a conscious decision that I made but it has happened. This has had quite a profound effect on me, because I would like to be true to my roots especially given the nature of my songs and my pride in where I am from.
Since the comments arrived, I have been trying to sing in my accent like Glasvegas have had recent success doing. I tell you what it is not natural for me to do this, it feels forced and my singing Scottish accent is different to my talking Scottish accent. I end up talking songs instead of singing them.
As you probably have guessed by using your earholes I am not a natural singer and it turns out that I have been singing all songs in this American voice, well forever. So this is now my actual singing voice.
What I have decided to do is think about how I sound and try to erradicate some of the more riculous Americanisms from the delivery and see how that goes for a while, but I don't want to end up with that generic Scottish accent that exists in modern rock bands (no I won't name names). Hopefully though it doesn't actually matter either way and the songs with pass or fail on their merits as they come from the right place regardless of the voice that delivers them.
OUT!
MMP
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