Jamie (Internet remix)

jamiek:

thingamonth:

So here it is: My thing for January.

I covered Warren Zevon’s “My Ride’s Here.” I was going for a more rock feel than either the album version or Bruce Springsteen’s (perhaps better known) live cover, so I upped the speed. Zevon was a studio musician at heart and a hell of a producer, so the original has the slick sound you’d expect from him, and the Springsteen cover is clearly a live piece. I wanted to take a middle way. I thought just playing the guitar and singing would be too simple for this project, so I added the keys and drums. I hope the ghost of Warren Zevon doesn’t haunt me for ruining one of his songs.

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The Good: My vocals are pretty much in tune, and I created everything except the drum track myself. I used a loop for that because 1) I don’t have a drum set and 2) I can’t play the drums, hence my not owning a drum set.

The Less Good: My vocal tone/timbre and guitar playing are pretty weak these days. Lack of use will kill proficiency. I can still make the chord shapes and everything, but I’m 10 years removed from daily practice and that makes a difference. The key/synth sounds are a bit cheesier than I’d like. That’s mostly because I don’t have a keyboard, so I had to enter the notes by hand into a sequencer, which made them less expressive than I was hoping for.

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I want to write up a few of the things I learned this month, and then it’s on to the next thing!

So here we are. My first thing is finished. Onward!

Reblogging this for the evening/night crowd who might not have seen it. That’s the last of my shameless self-promotion for a while, I promise.

thingamonth:

So here it is: My thing for January.

I covered Warren Zevon’s “My Ride’s Here.” I was going for a more rock feel than either the album version or Bruce Springsteen’s (perhaps better known) live cover, so I upped the speed. Zevon was a studio musician at heart and a hell of a producer, so the original has the slick sound you’d expect from him, and the Springsteen cover is clearly a live piece. I wanted to take a middle way. I thought just playing the guitar and singing would be too simple for this project, so I added the keys and drums. I hope the ghost of Warren Zevon doesn’t haunt me for ruining one of his songs.

---

The Good: My vocals are pretty much in tune, and I created everything except the drum track myself. I used a loop for that because 1) I don’t have a drum set and 2) I can’t play the drums, hence my not owning a drum set.

The Less Good: My vocal tone/timbre and guitar playing are pretty weak these days. Lack of use will kill proficiency. I can still make the chord shapes and everything, but I’m 10 years removed from daily practice and that makes a difference. The key/synth sounds are a bit cheesier than I’d like. That’s mostly because I don’t have a keyboard, so I had to enter the notes by hand into a sequencer, which made them less expressive than I was hoping for.

---

I want to write up a few of the things I learned this month, and then it’s on to the next thing!

So here we are. My first thing is finished. Onward!

scholvin:

Box Full Of Letters // Wilco

For Laura, whippersnapper, who missed what me and Ron, old farts, were talking about last night.

I keep waiting for Wilco to make a record as good as their first one. I may wait forever, it seems, since Jeff discovered his white noise generator and his status as Official Genius, Purveyor of Fine Soundscapes.

Too bad. A.M. goes on my desert island list, one of my favorite records of all time. If they make one half this good again, I’ll be thrilled.

I got a lot of your records in a separate stack
Some things that I might like to hear but I guess I’ll give ‘em back 

I’m waiting with you. This is one of my favorite albums of all times, esp. Passenger Side.