Ahhhh.... the cover. The last oasis of the uninspired musician. I haven't had a lot of new ideas kicking around in my head lately, but seeing as how we're still very likely going on tour at the end of the year with a synthpop group, it was time to bust out a groovy cover... It's pretty much expected that any unheard of band should include at least one popular cover in their set, so I chose "Sentimental Scar", my favorite track off Iris' awakening.... and, despite it being intended as a live track, I decided to polish it up vocally for you, dear readers, so that you might give me your fair critiques.
I decided to take it in a lower-tempo darker direction than I usually go in, but I felt like the mix needed it... There's also some guitar in there provided by my friend Pete from Lakeshore Driving, and some backup vocals by Micheal in the chorus sections.
Can I just say that transcribing this song gave me new respect for Reagan as melodic songwriter? Damn, those are some fracking good hooks.... Micheal was actually floored (not being a big iris fan) "this is iris? this is some @#%@# good songwriting!" was the direct quote. Yeah. So go check out Iris if you're lame enough to not have already. You big old lame face. Lame-o.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
oonst oonst oonst!
When I first started writing music my teacher at the time suggested that the best way to learn theory was by transcribing songs that I enjoyed at the time, meaning: listen to a track you like and dissect it piece by piece. This wasn't an easy process for me at the start, but I soon realized that every song was in the key of a-minor, so that made it a little easier. Of course, I just happened to be choosing songs because I liked the sound of a-minor, but I didn't know that. At the time I thought EVERY pop / electro song was in a-minor.
I did eventually learn better, but the first Son of Rust / Vermillion albums (for those of you who are OLD school) were written mostly in a-minor. Ben and Michael's joke around the rehearsal studio at the time was that it'd be easy to sign on a guitar / bass player 'cause they'd only have to know three chords, Am-F-G-Am. Yeah, hardy-har-har.
Ever since then I've been attempting to avoid a-minor as I feel like I've kind of done it to death, but man, does it ever feel good to just lay down good old Am-F-G-Am again and just effing go for it. Ahhhhhhhh... it's like crack after not having done crack for like, a while... I don't really know what that feels like but I'm guessing it's exactly the same.
So my point is that this song is in a-minor again.
In case you haven't lost interest yet I'll carry on and say that I have another weird addiction that pops up every now and again to write cheesy club songs. This is a total cheese-ball club song. I have no idea why I do this (because I can never quite get them RIGHT, you know?) but I keep on doing it and it feels good so go @%#@ if you don't like it.
Next week I've got a just effing SICK cover of an Iris track that I did for the sheer hell of it for you, I think you're gonna like it.... because I know exactly what you like, whoever you are. I'm inside you're brain! HAHAHA!
Excuse me, I think somebody put something in my coffee. And if they didn't I'm going to go put something in my coffee. See you next time.
I did eventually learn better, but the first Son of Rust / Vermillion albums (for those of you who are OLD school) were written mostly in a-minor. Ben and Michael's joke around the rehearsal studio at the time was that it'd be easy to sign on a guitar / bass player 'cause they'd only have to know three chords, Am-F-G-Am. Yeah, hardy-har-har.
Ever since then I've been attempting to avoid a-minor as I feel like I've kind of done it to death, but man, does it ever feel good to just lay down good old Am-F-G-Am again and just effing go for it. Ahhhhhhhh... it's like crack after not having done crack for like, a while... I don't really know what that feels like but I'm guessing it's exactly the same.
So my point is that this song is in a-minor again.
In case you haven't lost interest yet I'll carry on and say that I have another weird addiction that pops up every now and again to write cheesy club songs. This is a total cheese-ball club song. I have no idea why I do this (because I can never quite get them RIGHT, you know?) but I keep on doing it and it feels good so go @%#@ if you don't like it.
Next week I've got a just effing SICK cover of an Iris track that I did for the sheer hell of it for you, I think you're gonna like it.... because I know exactly what you like, whoever you are. I'm inside you're brain! HAHAHA!
Excuse me, I think somebody put something in my coffee. And if they didn't I'm going to go put something in my coffee. See you next time.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Did I say March? Hmmmmm....
Why is the sky turning that weird red color? Do you hear horses?
Yeah, that's right, it could be a sign of the apocalypse but I've crossed the sandy desert, tasted the blood of the star flower(?), found my spirit animal, completed my existential quest and do in fact have a new track for you. As well as a revitalized, totally rejuvenated passion for Son of Rust that I haven't felt since the beginning if I'm being honest. By all that I mean that I ate a bunch of weird mushrooms I found growing in my bathtub and woke up a few blocks away in my underwear, but it's basically the same thing.
I hate to say it, as we "artists" are generally supposed to have this "it's my art so fuck what you think" mentality and just frakking do art for the sake of doing art, but let's face it, a little validation goes a long way.
...and by that I meant that this is going to be a colossal year for SoR. It's pretty safe to come out and say that right now there will definitely be a west-coast tour this summer, and very likely a european tour later this year. I am, to put it bluntly, totally stoked.
Anyway, about this (rough) track: It's probably the most uplifting thing I've ever written, so it's maybe a little on the lighter side than what all the SoR kids are used to, but hey, I'm in a chipper mood for once in a long time - allow me a little indulgence. Hey, at least I say "miseries" and "pain" a few times so there you go, happiness haters.
Michael and Ben helped me out in the studio on the vocals and you can even hear Michael in the mix if you listen carefully... It was an old-school Son of Rust reunion of sorts.
I've tentatively decided to go with a "perceptions of time" theme for the next album, so this track is basically the flip-side of the previous "Time Devours", looking at more of the "freeing" aspect of the old hourglass and less of the "wasting away".
Here are the lyrics, for those of you who haven't gotten bored by now and gone back to looking at porn:
all we have is memory
that holds us here
in repetition's loving arms
finding peace in anything
twisted things
those things
that do us harm
all those distant memories
that keep me here
that keep me holding on
all those distant memories
of you my dear
I know
will soon be gone
together you and I
time
we will wash away
everything
together you and I
time
we will take away
all the pain
time
is an ally
(leads me here)
time
is an ally
(holds me near)
time
is an ally
(whispers in my ear)
that your memory
will soon me gone
All we have is memory
that chains us here
experience and scars
can't find release in anything
but twisted needs
those things
that do us harm
all those childhood miseries
that formed your fears
a fallen house of cards
all the pieces in the sand
spell anything...
together you and I
time
we will take away
all the pain
....
You're feedback, as always, is appreciated (and by appreciated I mean angrily scoffed at and then discarded).
I've also got a slightly darker more dance floor oriented track on the back burner that's 90% finished so you can probably expect a taste of that in a week or so. Ta.
Yeah, that's right, it could be a sign of the apocalypse but I've crossed the sandy desert, tasted the blood of the star flower(?), found my spirit animal, completed my existential quest and do in fact have a new track for you. As well as a revitalized, totally rejuvenated passion for Son of Rust that I haven't felt since the beginning if I'm being honest. By all that I mean that I ate a bunch of weird mushrooms I found growing in my bathtub and woke up a few blocks away in my underwear, but it's basically the same thing.
I hate to say it, as we "artists" are generally supposed to have this "it's my art so fuck what you think" mentality and just frakking do art for the sake of doing art, but let's face it, a little validation goes a long way.
...and by that I meant that this is going to be a colossal year for SoR. It's pretty safe to come out and say that right now there will definitely be a west-coast tour this summer, and very likely a european tour later this year. I am, to put it bluntly, totally stoked.
Anyway, about this (rough) track: It's probably the most uplifting thing I've ever written, so it's maybe a little on the lighter side than what all the SoR kids are used to, but hey, I'm in a chipper mood for once in a long time - allow me a little indulgence. Hey, at least I say "miseries" and "pain" a few times so there you go, happiness haters.
Michael and Ben helped me out in the studio on the vocals and you can even hear Michael in the mix if you listen carefully... It was an old-school Son of Rust reunion of sorts.
I've tentatively decided to go with a "perceptions of time" theme for the next album, so this track is basically the flip-side of the previous "Time Devours", looking at more of the "freeing" aspect of the old hourglass and less of the "wasting away".
Here are the lyrics, for those of you who haven't gotten bored by now and gone back to looking at porn:
all we have is memory
that holds us here
in repetition's loving arms
finding peace in anything
twisted things
those things
that do us harm
all those distant memories
that keep me here
that keep me holding on
all those distant memories
of you my dear
I know
will soon be gone
together you and I
time
we will wash away
everything
together you and I
time
we will take away
all the pain
time
is an ally
(leads me here)
time
is an ally
(holds me near)
time
is an ally
(whispers in my ear)
that your memory
will soon me gone
All we have is memory
that chains us here
experience and scars
can't find release in anything
but twisted needs
those things
that do us harm
all those childhood miseries
that formed your fears
a fallen house of cards
all the pieces in the sand
spell anything...
together you and I
time
we will take away
all the pain
....
You're feedback, as always, is appreciated (and by appreciated I mean angrily scoffed at and then discarded).
I've also got a slightly darker more dance floor oriented track on the back burner that's 90% finished so you can probably expect a taste of that in a week or so. Ta.
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