JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum Magic Music Box

Hey there, Lynn,

Thanks very much.

Yeah, I listened to some country radio, but it was mostly the guy I was producing, a really good singer who sounded like a country George Michael, who would bring in demos for me to consider working on with him--and he'd play current country stuff to give me ideas about what to do in the studio. The problem was, I was a home studio wiz and guitarist, and not much else, and so trying to "fake" a true country sound was still about twelve years from being possible. I could do it now, so I might work on this again, when I find time...

Cvan, the demo singer I worked with, loved this song, but never considered doing it, so I never bothered recutting it properly, at the time.

Glad you found your way over, and enjoyed it!

Mike

this is just so cool Mike!I remember those times all too well myself.

That's really good Michael. Everything sounds spot on.

"Modern Classical"... My publisher just created a new genre for my new solos titled "Contemporary Classical". Sounds like we're on the less traveled road to success.

Good luck with this gem.

Best, John

Thanks, Michael. I mostly listened to top 40 radio out of Los Angeles--namely KHJ 930, but Glen Campbell's "Gentle On My Mind" album was my very first album purchase, at the long defunct Wallach's Music City, somewhere in Hollywood, Ca.

"Gentle On My Mind" still sounds good too; it's a great example of how to be as "flowery" you want, in a lyric, as long as you are connecting to it in some way, an audience will too.

Mike

Hey thanks again, John.

Yeah, I use NI's Kontakt for many of my sampled instruments, and its scripting engine lends itself perfectly towards the kind of post-minimal/rhythmically driven music that I have been attracted to, ever since I first heard Steve Reich's "Music For 18 Musicians" back in the late seventies.

I still write "longhand" like you, but for me that's strictly onto the piano roll. Linear composition is still the only way to flesh out melodic/harmonic ideas that might come to a composer like you or I.

Mostly though I create "sonic situations" using various softwares, that can transform one set of information into another--such as converting a picture, say, of an aurora borealis, and converting that to midi information, then doling that info out amongst several instruments. Doing stuff like that is where my heart has been lately. It really connects me up to my "inner child" -- as crazy as that sounds. It's cuz I really don't know what I'm gonna get, before hand, and the element of surprise is always fun to have, in the compositional process.

I also realize that "making one choice, then another" is all that composition or art in general, is really about. When I am "composing" in this modern way, I am basically just listening to something, and saying either "yes" or "no" --iow using it or tossing it. After going through hundreds of prospects, I will choose the one that has the most potential for further work. Oft times, there will be things going on that I could NEVER have thought of, without having made allowances for "experimenting" --and so, I am happy with my process! As you should be with yours. Process seems to come from a deeper place. Folks could pay more attention to the "how" of their work, and grow leaps and bounds, in THAT process, I think!

Oh jeez, have I just derailed my own thread? haha...thanks again, John.

Mike

Michael, this song is awesome. I love the way you incorporate some of the old country jems into the chorus. The melody is wonderful, it's a catchy tune! The guitar playing is great. I guess if I had to complain, and I'm not, I'd love to hear a "cleaner" recording done of this. It's a hit!

Thanks Tom,

Hey, it's true, it's pretty low quality. I do have the means to redo this well. I don't know if I can "fake" the Guy Clark background singers like I used to. I have been toying with the idea of maybe a "swing" feel to it, and making the solo a kinda Buck Owens-y affair...well see!

Thanks again,

Mike

Wow, I never knew you had the country gene, Mike!
What a nice country folk tune.

Everything about it oozes musical surplus and happy vibe. Love the playful vocals, and the great groove.

It's a funny thing feeling out of sync with the present. For one self it's dequalifying, and for others it can be the next big thing. Sadly what happened since then is less complexity in harmony, less dynamics in melodies, more emphasis on production values, and more copywriting style (write to sell) in lyrics..

So of course this is traditional stuff, even somewhat romantic, and it's about a decade late even for the scene back then. Now it's a time piece, I think. Sounds 80'ies. Probably no place to go with it now due to the specifics in the verses, but I could hear the chorus being used in historical tv/film shows.

Either way, it was a great listen!

Hi Magne,

Thanks...yeah...I wrote it about fifteen years to late to do anything with it, even if I had tried to push this in '95.

I never played this one out in Nashville song-circles or anything, so the only feedback I had, was from Cvan, the guy I was cutting demos for. He thought it was great, but it wasn't his cup of demo tea. Maybe if there was a JPF back then, I would have thought differently about it.

Thanks for the appreciation, and thoughtful comments, Magne.

Mike

This is pretty perfect Michael.

The only slight imperfection was the phrasing of 'music' in the line "And I tried to picture how music could travel".

That's it though. And a pro singer would make that line 'work'. It's a wonderful tune and the hook rhyming 'boondocks' w/ 'music box' is stellar.

This is a really great tune and I hope someone famous does something with it!

Peace,

Ian

Mike,
Kind of stunning work here. I would have never guessed it was you in a million years. I would have thought the writer only wrote country. There are no concessions or hints of any other genre. I couldn't do a pure country song if my life depended on it. This shows not only significant songwriting chops (which you show on every song I have heard) but some discipline and studied approach.

And on top of that I totally relate to the song. To those of us old enough to remember transistor radios. They were magic. ( I was listening to Beatles, Stones, Hollies, Tommy James etc.)

I wrote a song recently that mentioned a "phone ringing off the wall". I thought immediately boy that dates me. I wonder if half the people on this forum ever saw a wall phone???

Very good work Mike,
Tom

Thought Id bump this up for another round!

Cheers
Paul

Hi Michael!

I am kind of a newcomer here and I just now came across this absolutely delightful song of yours. The lyrics are killer and it is probably one of the best country songs I've heard in a very long time. Super creative with super vocals. Nice job!! We do mostly Rock/alternative, but on occassion we try country...

http://www.reverbnation.com/thedifferenz/song/20223002-fender-bent

Wow, glad this got bounced. That imagery including the artists, the whole vibe, is right in my wheelhouse. REALLY enjoyed it.