Tuesday
Mar252008
Searching for the Song
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 08:49AM
Yeah, I've started playing Scrabulous on facebook. It's their version of Scrabble, where you get to play your friends. I'm not going to lie to you, people. I'm good at Scrabble. But this Scrabulous. I call it "Scrabble that lets you cheat" because, well, it lets you cheat. Or rather, the fact that you're not at a table in front of everybody means you get to look up words (cheating) and try them out to see if they're valid (cheating) and beat me (cheating).
I've been starting to write some new songs, which I'm really excited about. It's interesting, I've been writing songs for a living for eleven years now and this is the first time that I've got a pile of music and not lyrics. Usually it's been the other way for me. I'm actually feeling like I have a lot to say with my guitar this time around. I'm fluent there in a way I never was before, and I'm just bursting with melodies and sounds and things there that are itching to get out, but finding what the songs are about hasn't come as easily.
I had lunch with Eric Peters yesterday, which was great, and he mentioned to me that he can't write if he's not reading, and I think I may be like that. I read so much and historically I've written so proficiently that I probably haven't noticed a connection. But recently our girls have been getting up so early that my reading time has all but disappeared.
When I do get the time to read, though, I'm really loving what I'm in the middle of. That book about the Underground Railroad I told you about, and one Randall has suggested for our neighborhood gang to all read; a very old book about prayer by Madame Guyon. It's a bit overwhelming in its simplicity. I think I've gotten used to shades of grey, and this book doesn't have any. It breaks it down so simply that it kind of unnerves me, but in a way that I know is good. (CLICK HERE and you can read it for free.)
All that to say, I feel like the songs will come. I think a few of them are on the way now. I think the next step is to start recording what I have and building from there. My hope is that my records continually get better than the one before, but I think they've also gotten continually more me, and less me trying to be someone else. It's going to be a good process, ever deeper in the search for my own voice and what I, and my guitar, really have to say.
So today it's back to the studio to finish up a little pedalboard wiring (pictures when it's totally done), sing a few bgv's for Mitch, and dive into these growing songs. I can't wait.
I've been starting to write some new songs, which I'm really excited about. It's interesting, I've been writing songs for a living for eleven years now and this is the first time that I've got a pile of music and not lyrics. Usually it's been the other way for me. I'm actually feeling like I have a lot to say with my guitar this time around. I'm fluent there in a way I never was before, and I'm just bursting with melodies and sounds and things there that are itching to get out, but finding what the songs are about hasn't come as easily.
I had lunch with Eric Peters yesterday, which was great, and he mentioned to me that he can't write if he's not reading, and I think I may be like that. I read so much and historically I've written so proficiently that I probably haven't noticed a connection. But recently our girls have been getting up so early that my reading time has all but disappeared.
When I do get the time to read, though, I'm really loving what I'm in the middle of. That book about the Underground Railroad I told you about, and one Randall has suggested for our neighborhood gang to all read; a very old book about prayer by Madame Guyon. It's a bit overwhelming in its simplicity. I think I've gotten used to shades of grey, and this book doesn't have any. It breaks it down so simply that it kind of unnerves me, but in a way that I know is good. (CLICK HERE and you can read it for free.)
All that to say, I feel like the songs will come. I think a few of them are on the way now. I think the next step is to start recording what I have and building from there. My hope is that my records continually get better than the one before, but I think they've also gotten continually more me, and less me trying to be someone else. It's going to be a good process, ever deeper in the search for my own voice and what I, and my guitar, really have to say.
So today it's back to the studio to finish up a little pedalboard wiring (pictures when it's totally done), sing a few bgv's for Mitch, and dive into these growing songs. I can't wait.
Reader Comments (10)
Hey Andy! That's exciting news about your growth as a songwriter-very cool stuff and I look forward to seeing what you create. Thanks as well for mentioning the book on prayer- I can never get enough reading recommendations. :)
i'm not cheating.
You can also enter your entire Scrabble board on certain sites, like http://www.scrabblewordfinder.com/" rel="nofollow">this one, and it will figure out the answer that will give you the most points. It's Scrabble without any of the human element whatsoever.
How/when is the new website coming?
i'm looking forward to hear what you'll come up with next as a perpetually maturing artist. don't save all the great songs for caedmon's.
if you're stuck for ideas i'm sure that there are people here willing to help, just like letters. :)
can't wait to hear the new stuff [or see pics of the new rig]...any old gear that you're gonna be getting rid of with these new pedalboards being created?
Much old gear, actually. I just need to find the time to take pictures of it. Maybe tonight?? (Fingers crossed...)
sweet
You're just bitter because I destroyed you.
OK, so I'm gonna read that book on prayer. Looks interesting.