Ok, I’ve been re-doing all things web in my world and I managed to lose a few blog posts. I’ve replaced the ones I could find and if I remember anything else I’ll post it. So let’s call it a clean slate and we’ll start anew. It’s still the beginning of a new year.
I know I had recent posts that included a link to my new coaching program:
And a link to my CD pre-sale page which I have also LOST! arrrrgh. I’ll be working on it and have things back together soon. It was fun to revisit some of my old posts. I invite you to do the same.
Chris and I had a really fun day in the studio this week. One of the reasons I asked Chris to produce this record for me is that he knows what I’m capable of as a player and singer even when I don’t.
We spent the first part of the day laying down electric guitars on a song called “Houston”. The track is very textured. Chris playing swelling pretty stuff and me on slide. It was fun. Then after a dinner break it was time to sing again. Yikes!
After the last time I was a bit nervous about singing again. It’s really silly. I’ve sung on hundreds of recordings. I did manage to sing a little bit during the week between our sessions and I was stretching and pretty well rested. And I may have had a beer or two before jumping in to the first track of the evening.
It went well. I’m back! I knocked out lead vocals for three tunes and we called it a night. It feels like Chris and I have hit the groove now in how we work together. I can hardly wait until our next session.
My first day of singing in the studio for the new record was rough. The human voice is such an interesting thing. There are times when I can sing anything. (or at least it feels that way) And then times when singing feels like peddling a beach cruiser up mount everest.
When I’ve coached singers I talk about things like drinking water and getting plenty of sleep, but I’m realizing that for me as I age, I need to keep the muscle active. Sometimes not singing for awhile can be a good rest, but let it go on too long and the muscle loses strength.
We had a short day that first day of singing. I got one song done, but totally ran out of gas on the next one. I couldn’t even get some of the notes out. I felt beat up afterwards.
Then I was off to a gig at Schriner College in Kerrville with Walt and Johnny. That’s always a good thing and I remember this particular show as being very fun when we did it last year. They do an open mic before and after the main set and as I heard the poetry and songs of the students that night I started to settle down a bit.
We played a good set. We hadn’t done the three acoustic guitars set in awhile, but it felt good. Walt asked me to sing something from the new record. You can imagine that after my less than satisfying studio experience that day I was apprehensive. But, hey it’s a gig. So I performed “Next Time”. John and Walt sang along beautifully and I was redeemed.
So, while I didn’t enjoy getting kind of stuck in the studio it did help me refocus. I’m a singer. All I need to do is act like one.
Hey I found the Schriner College performance on youtube. Here you go:
I’m very excited to announce that recording has begun on my new record. Yeah I know I still say record. I guess I show my age a bit. I spent 3 days starting on Labor Day at Moonhouse Studio in south Austin with Chris Gage (producer, engineer), Glen Fukunaga (bass), and fellow Mystiquero Ray Rodriguez on the drums.
Chris and I have been talking for years about making a record together. I learned the hard way that even though I have had some success producing records for other people, it doesn’t work for me to produce myself. I can’t get far enough away form the music to be properly objective. Chris is a great friend and I usually describe him as the best musician I know. His list of credits is almost as impressive as his playing. He’ll be lending his talents as a player and singer to the project as well, but most importantly he knows me very well. He knows better than I do what I can do and is making sure that I perform up to the level that I’m able.
I had never worked with Glen before but have seen him play numerous times with Joe Ely and Eliza Gilkyson among many others. Glen is pure magic. As some of you know I play bass quite a bit myself, but Glen’s ability to capture the right feel for a song in the studio is unparalleled. And he’s a great person to boot. Really fun to be around.
What can I say about Ray? I love this guy. He and I have been the rhythm section for Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros for over 2 years now. We’ve logged a lot of miles. Traveled the world. He’s like a brother to me and I never have to worry about what he’s going to play. He’s always right on.
We finished basic tracks, drums & bass, and I’ve begun recording some of my final acoustic guitar tracks for 11 songs. I’ll be recording one more song without the rhythm section. I’ll be back in the studio on Tuesday to record more guitars and Chris and I will be working whenever our schedules permit over the next several weeks to finish up the project.
I put together a short video below that shows some of the action from those first sessions to the tune of a great Sam Cooke song.
A big thank you to everyone who has supported me financially and helped me get this far with the project.
I’ll keep you posted on how things progress from here. Enjoy the video!
Last Monday and Tuesday I spent several hours with my amazing, talented and compassionate producer Chris Gage. We went through all the songs I have that might be good for my new record. I already knew I had a few winners. Songs like “The Next Time”, a crowd favorite and the most likely title track, were a no brainer. I found a couple of new / old things as well.
All in all I found the experience of going through my songs VERY confronting. I got positively freaked out thinking about not having enough songs for the project. I have to send a big thank you to Chris for being so great with me. I haven’t been “The Artist” on a project in quite some time. I’ve either been producing, engineering or with my fellow Mystiqueros. I forgot how scary it can be to open your heart and the heart of your songs fro public inspection.
So, now I have good homework to do. Writing, rewriting and collecting more songs for what will be an amazing new musical journey. I’ve also been gathering financial support from family, friends and fans. If you haven’t been to my pre-order page, you can check it out here:
Thanks for all the great support so far and a big thank you to Chris Gage for his unfailing belief in me.
Ok, many of you probably know this already, but Joss Stone …. Wow!! I had quite a bit of road time this week and I grabbed some of Julie’s CD’s on my way out the door. One of them was Joss Stone’s first record. From what I gather she was in the neighborhood of 16 when the album came out. I’ve heard her on the radio a bit and certainly heard her name, but as usual it has taken me awhile to actually sit down and listen to a whole record. I not going to write a record review here. I’m sure there are some great reviews of that record already. What I was struck with was the authenticity in Joss Stone’s voice.
As a singer and a coach of singers, the one thing I’m always looking for is honesty. Sometimes it doesn’t matter whether a person has an incredible singing voice or not. Bob Dylan is a classic example. Best singer? Maybe not, but I believe every word he sings and that makes him a great singer. So many young singers out there are trying to sound like some version of some singer in their heads and not finding the voice that is theirs. Their true voice. Or they are blessed with a great instrument and can’t stop singing long enough to say something. Tell me something true. That’s all I ask.
Listening to Joss’s CD in the car I was reminded again that what makes a singer truly great is if they can find their true voice and let you hear it. If they can express themselves fully. Say something. It’s what makes it all work.
What is all this Law of Attraction business anyway?
One of the things I do these days when I’m not touring, performing, writing or in the studio is I coach people in the Law of Attraction. I’m what you might call a life coach or a success coach. I’ve been participating in personal development courses for years. I’ve coached a lot of people both as a vocal coach and a life coach. It’s one of the ways I get to make a difference in the world and contribute to people.
For people who primarily know me as a musician it raises a question or two when they find out that I also work as a coach. One of those questions is, “What is this Law of Attraction stuff anyway?” Simply stated, like attracts like in the universe. That’s the Law of Attraction. What does that mean to us and our lives? Well, look at it like this. What you put out is what you get back. What you focus on is what you attract. The Law of Attraction is at work all the time. We are creating our lives, our reality all the time. Sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. You might ask again, “So what does that mean to me?” Well, it means that you have the power to create your life, your work, your relationships any way you want. This can take some effort. It’s not the way most of us are used to looking at our lives. Sometimes it helps to have someone outside of you to speed the process. That’s what I do as a coach.
If you want to know more about the Law of Attraction, there are some great resources out there. If you haven’t seen the Secret, that’s a great place to start. I’ll keep writing about it here and I also recommend books by Bob Doyle, Joe Vitale and Eckart Tolle. There are many more as well. Look into it. You may like what you see.
I’ve been performing in front of audiences for 31 years. I remember seeing a performance of our school chorus half way through 5th grade. They did a Beach Boys song. I knew immediately I wanted to be a part of that. I sang my first solo in front of an audience during our end of semester choral show that year. I sang “Where Is Love” from the show “Oliver”. I’d never felt anything like that before. It was amazing.
I’ve spent the majority of my life learning how to perform, write and record music. It’s been and still is a gas for the most part. But, I’ve also made a living as a musician. And sooner or later the question of value always arises. What is the value of my skills, my experience, my talent, my voice as an artist? In a world of failed record companies, digital downloads and American Idol it can be a hard question to answer.
Much of my experience comes from playing in nightclubs and bars where the primary goal, from the venue’s point of view, is how much alcohol they can sell. It’s about volume. It doesn’t really matter whether the performer is of a high caliber. What matters most is sales. How many people in the door and how much beer sold. This “volume” model is pervasive in the music industry at large. For the major record labels that still exists it’s always about big numbers. Even at the mid level of touring around Texas, most booking agents run the same bands through the same clubs for the lowest amount of money they can get away with. It’s not about creating an experience. It’s about volume. More bands, more shows = more money.
So what is the value? I meet a lot of very dedicated music fans while traveling with my band the Mystiqueros. People who are moved by music. People who get in touch with how amazing this life really is when they hear music. I know there are people out there who greatly value music and the people who create and perform it. So now the question becomes:
How do we reflect that value in the business itself?
How do we create a music business that honors the value of an authentic and moving artistic expression?
originally posted 5/19/08…. Neil Diamond: “Performing is the easiest part of what I do, and songwriting is the hardest.”
I saw Neil Diamond on American Idol recently. Yes I watch american Idol. I like to see if the judges and I agree. I find I agree with Simon a lot. I read this quote today and it really struck me. I’ve performed a lot in the last several years and written less than ever. Performing is an art in itself which I can and will go on about, but sometimes I get out of the habit of songwriting. Why is it that the things we love the most, that can give us joy, that express some wonderful piece of us, are so easy to not do?
Sometimes writing does feel hard, but that’s just the noise in my head. It’s that noise that gets in the way of the words. I’ll be recording a new record in July, so I’m thinking about writing right now. I’ve been going through old songs. Both finished and not. Looking for gold. I found a thing or 2. I’ll be creating a few demos in the coming weeks and I’ll post something. And I’ll be writing.
Speaking of posts, if you go to www.hi-iqmusic.com you’ll find 2 live performances from my studio in Austin. we’ll be launching more fun stuff on hi-iq soon, so stay tuned for that. One of the songs here is “Houston” which I wrote several years ago in Nashville. The other is “18 Days of Rain” written by Liz rose and my good friend and Walt Wilkins. I’ve been proudly sharing stages with Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros for 2 years now and when it comes to the art of songwriting, Walt is up there with the best.
So, what’s the point? Well, I think agree with Neil. At least today. I guess It makes me feel better that Neil has to work at it too. And now it’s time to get to work. I’ll share whatever songs and insights come along the way. And I’ll think of Neil Diamond on American Idol. A lifetime. A legacy of music. He was poised. Peaceful and gracious. I can only hope to be that cool one day.
It’s a beautiful saturday in Austin, TX and I’m about to take my 4 month old puppy Midas to the dog park. He’s making a bunch of noise right now, so I don’t have much time.
This is my first ever blog post. I’ll be posting my thoughts and experiences with music, writing creating, coaching and well, just being a human being. You’ll be able to come here and find music you may not have heard from amazing artists in Austin as well as insights into creating art, creating business and creating life.
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tracking sessions 1: 