During
preparations for a new album you learn all kind of new things. For instance,
today I skyped for the first time in my life, going back five hours in time. No
big deal really, which figures when you are seeing good friends again. There was
a small effort from a provider to sabotage our rendez-vous, but we are a tough
breed of musicians and never did we panic. Anyway, all the rest is going
according to plan and I must say I am getting pretty excited about these
recordings. A webcam shot of the studio confirmed my high hopes with stacks of
amps, a Hammond
organ (!), two banjos (!), a pedal steel (!) and loads of other instruments.
And there will be people to play them too. And all that just a couple of steps
from the beach.
woensdag 30 april 2014
zondag 27 april 2014
The Notebook
Where does
a new album start? With songwriting, of course. And in my case it starts with
words and ideas scribbled in a notebook. Once in a while I browse the pages,
combine words and sentences and start a train of thought that ends up as a
lyric. I pick up my guitar or my banjo and usually some melody and chords will
surface and behold: a song is born. For the Rocket Swing album I did something
very daring. I made the arrangements and set a recording date when I had about
four songs more or less ready. And in a few months I wrote six more and I must
say I am quite happy with the results. Now this may not sound as a big feat to
you. But I am a slow writer and very critical of the results, so I am kind of
proud of myself.
zaterdag 26 april 2014
The Diaries
This year
will be a crucial year in my career as a singer-songwriter. I will be thinking
out of the box, leave my comfort zone, get on a plane and fly to Canada to
record my next album with working title “The Rocket Swing”. I use the word
crucial, because several signs point in that direction. I wrote ten new songs
that I truly think are good songs. I will be recording in a studio from which I
have heard some great productions. And I will be working with some musicians
that I admire very much. How lucky can one man get? Because I want to keep a record of this
adventure and all the highs (and the lows), I am starting this blog.
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