T
tomy
New member
hey ! what music style u guys like to write, i always write some pop rock, funk. how about u all?
VTgreen81
Active member
Our guitarist writes the music, but as the drummer I have a strong influence on the feel so it usually has a jazzy or funk feel. The guitarist is mainly metal influenced so we get some interesting crosses. I'd like to refrain from categorizing our stuff, there'll be enough people trying to do it for us once it's released.
The lyrics (my contribution) usually make a political or social statement.
(this thread probably belongs in the cave, anyone know how to move a thread?)
The lyrics (my contribution) usually make a political or social statement.
(this thread probably belongs in the cave, anyone know how to move a thread?)
philboyd studge
New member
Songs about California's history, usually through it's state historical landmarks in an americana/roots style.
www.johnmalcolmpenn.com
www.johnmalcolmpenn.com
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
The music promoters tell us we need to make a clearer musical statement. I think bebop with a lyrical focus on issues facing modern suburban rodents would put us in a clearly defined and unique space.
I'll get writing as soon as I find out what bebop is
I'll get writing as soon as I find out what bebop is
stonepiano
Member
interesting.... I like this thread. Although I disagree, VTgreen. It certainly does belong here.
as for me, I used to try to write with a socio/political agenda but now I just find most lyrics in that vein utterly boring and many times disrespectful and preachy.
I'm far more concerned with personal songs. Character sketches. Vignettes. If you want to comment on the macro, do so by defining the micro.
Absolute kiss of death for songs for me is preachy attitudes.
oh yeah. and as for musical style, I tend to write acoustic folky stuff but dabble in classic rock sounds.
as for me, I used to try to write with a socio/political agenda but now I just find most lyrics in that vein utterly boring and many times disrespectful and preachy.
I'm far more concerned with personal songs. Character sketches. Vignettes. If you want to comment on the macro, do so by defining the micro.
Absolute kiss of death for songs for me is preachy attitudes.
oh yeah. and as for musical style, I tend to write acoustic folky stuff but dabble in classic rock sounds.
VTgreen81
Active member
stonepiano said:
YES! I agree, I was wrong. Actually at 4:35 AM, up all night with a sick kid, I forgot which forum I was in, this'll be fine thanks!!
stonepiano
Member
lol!
bummer about the little one...
and you actually had me confused w/ the new avatar. almost didn't recognize you.
any other thoughts? 30,000 members and we have 5 opinions?
bummer about the little one...
and you actually had me confused w/ the new avatar. almost didn't recognize you.
any other thoughts? 30,000 members and we have 5 opinions?
VTgreen81
Active member
stonepiano said:
she'll be fine, just a bit o' the croup.
Sorry about the confusion, I wondered a bit about that but I've had my eye on Taz since I joined, just needed to hit "50" so I could have it.
T
TaoManna Don
man of [quite a]few words
Garry Sharp said:I'll get writing as soon as I find out what bebop is
I don't know either; but I remember something about "bebop a lula bop bam boom" from a few years ago. That might be what you're thinking about.
Don
Toonsmith
New member
Solo acoustic guitar pieces. Hard to define. Friends say a cross between Leo Kottke and Al Di Meola, with a little Pierre Bensusan thrown in. Everything from slide guitar to classical stuff.
I guess you'd classify it as new age jazz, but without the religious connotations that people associate with it. Maybe the best description is world music. Like I said, hard to define.
I guess you'd classify it as new age jazz, but without the religious connotations that people associate with it. Maybe the best description is world music. Like I said, hard to define.
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
On a less frivolous note than my first post, we are having this style debate within our band at the moment (we are primarily a gigging band, recording is more sort of my private side hobby, when I can persuade them to do it). Anyway....it's not as straightforward as you might think, or perhaps it is.
We have a strong female lead vox, a newly recruited female backing vox (classically trained, finds harmonies instinctively), me on bass and most songwriting, a guitarist (who has also written some good songs) and a drummer.
We were all weaned on 70s / 80s blues, rock, punk, and the sound we naturally gravitate to is probably something like Texas, or alternatively as one promoter promoter put it "Kate Bushery bluesy out-thereness".
Problem is that this puts us between two stools - we are not heavy enough for the indie club circuit, where the promoters are just following fashion (as you would expect) and booking basically metal bands, but we are too rocky for the jazz / blues type circuit. We do a few bluesy numbers, and our guitarist wants to be Gary Moore, but personally I get very bored with too much blues - I'll listen to Clapton if I can't get to sleep.
We're all pretty experienced and can move a bit in either the heavier or the jazzy direction, but my own feeling is that we should stick to what comes out naturally from our jams and keep flogging away until we find a market.
Sorry about the long post, bu you did ask
We have a strong female lead vox, a newly recruited female backing vox (classically trained, finds harmonies instinctively), me on bass and most songwriting, a guitarist (who has also written some good songs) and a drummer.
We were all weaned on 70s / 80s blues, rock, punk, and the sound we naturally gravitate to is probably something like Texas, or alternatively as one promoter promoter put it "Kate Bushery bluesy out-thereness".
Problem is that this puts us between two stools - we are not heavy enough for the indie club circuit, where the promoters are just following fashion (as you would expect) and booking basically metal bands, but we are too rocky for the jazz / blues type circuit. We do a few bluesy numbers, and our guitarist wants to be Gary Moore, but personally I get very bored with too much blues - I'll listen to Clapton if I can't get to sleep.
We're all pretty experienced and can move a bit in either the heavier or the jazzy direction, but my own feeling is that we should stick to what comes out naturally from our jams and keep flogging away until we find a market.
Sorry about the long post, bu you did ask
stonepiano
Member
it's an interesting dilemma, Garry. The only way to solve it is to have the band sit down over a pint and discuss the band's goals.
If it's to have fun, then by all means continue with "what comes out."
If it's to make a few quick quid, (nobody really says this there but I dig the alliteration) then conform, conform conform!
If it's to make a metric ton of sterling or absolutely nothing (aaahhh see?) go back to "what comes out."
To thine own self, be...something, I can't remember exactly how it goes.
If it's to have fun, then by all means continue with "what comes out."
If it's to make a few quick quid, (nobody really says this there but I dig the alliteration) then conform, conform conform!
If it's to make a metric ton of sterling or absolutely nothing (aaahhh see?) go back to "what comes out."
To thine own self, be...something, I can't remember exactly how it goes.
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
Yup, you got it stonep. More than one pint, I think. We're certainly not out to make money - we'd be a covers band and play parties and weddings if that were the objective
We've got a decent sized audience coming to our gig tomorrow night, which is for one of the good London promoters, so we'll see how that goes.
We've got a decent sized audience coming to our gig tomorrow night, which is for one of the good London promoters, so we'll see how that goes.
Jimbo Jones
smells like ramen
Garry, if you've got a decent size crowd coming to your gigs, you must be doing something right! If you feel compelled as a band or as a songwriter to change styles then go for it, but outside pressure never makes for good changes in a band.
My band is kinda in a similar situation. We are punk but we are poppy, sometimes heavy and always very fast. we don't realy fit in any specific genre of punk. We are too sappy to be hardcore and too hard & fast to be emo. Some times we play shows that are all hardcore bands except for us, so we get a lot of people with crossed arms standing there waiting for the next band, but as long as a couple people come up to us afterwards and say that they got a kick out of us, i guess it's worth it. there are always going to be people that don't go along with the crowd, i write music for them.
That being said, when i noodle around on guitar, sometimes i come up with some decent stuff that really just doesn't fit the band. So i just goof with that stuff at home on the pc and have fun with it that way.
My band is kinda in a similar situation. We are punk but we are poppy, sometimes heavy and always very fast. we don't realy fit in any specific genre of punk. We are too sappy to be hardcore and too hard & fast to be emo. Some times we play shows that are all hardcore bands except for us, so we get a lot of people with crossed arms standing there waiting for the next band, but as long as a couple people come up to us afterwards and say that they got a kick out of us, i guess it's worth it. there are always going to be people that don't go along with the crowd, i write music for them.
That being said, when i noodle around on guitar, sometimes i come up with some decent stuff that really just doesn't fit the band. So i just goof with that stuff at home on the pc and have fun with it that way.
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
I think this post is on topic - apologies if not, but our gig last night was revelatory in terms of our direction. It was only our third in front of a paying audience for a commercial promoter, but everything went to a whole new level. Despite it being all (but for one cover) original material, we got them moving and (first time it's happened, lovely feeling) chanting "we want more" at the end.
The point is that the songs that worked best were the funky ones, written around a bass riff, groove driven where the rhythm guitar and vocals sort of sit on top of that drum and bass vibe. We had a post mortem on the gig today and are all excited by going this way.
We're about to record a new demo to promote this kind of sound - I'll post the results in a couple of weeks and it would be nice to know what you think.
Hope this post wasn't too self indulgent - we're all on a huge high right now
The point is that the songs that worked best were the funky ones, written around a bass riff, groove driven where the rhythm guitar and vocals sort of sit on top of that drum and bass vibe. We had a post mortem on the gig today and are all excited by going this way.
We're about to record a new demo to promote this kind of sound - I'll post the results in a couple of weeks and it would be nice to know what you think.
Hope this post wasn't too self indulgent - we're all on a huge high right now
philboyd studge
New member
Hardly self indulgent. You have a rare opportunity here in that you can play original material for an audience. Have fun and pay attention to the crowd, they can be a great influence on your direction.
One thing though, that direction may not be where everybody in the group wants to go. Have meetings or discussions on a regular basis to keep things in the open.
Sounds like you're on to something........good luck.
One thing though, that direction may not be where everybody in the group wants to go. Have meetings or discussions on a regular basis to keep things in the open.
Sounds like you're on to something........good luck.
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
Thanks philboyd. Good point about the whole group feeling the same way - strangely in this case the guitarist articulated exactly what I and the singer had been feeling, so everybody is on board. We start recording our new demo tonite
D
Dyson Steel
New member
tomy said:
???
I saw a post some where about style.
1. What is style?
2. How do we define what a style is?
3. Aerosmith, Otis Redding, Pink Floyd, Buddy Holley,
Elvis Presley (1956,1957,1958) are these Rock & Roll
or some deviation from, or of, Rock and roll?
4. Country? Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams, David Allen Coe,
Jim Stafford (how do you class him), [Shania Twain (not!!!
IMO),] Alabama...
5. Where does "Shel Silverstein" fit in ? (He wrote "A boy
named Sue") [ and a sequil "The father of a Boy Named
Sue"] {which if you never heard it you outta!!!!}, and
he wrote Sylvia's Mother.
http://members.tripod.com/~ShelSilverstein/
Myself, Guess I'd say:
Progressive-Alternative-Easy Listening-Folk-
Rock- Blues-"Country".
Glad you ask.
D
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