Kitchen Sink Post

The band continues to hump along. I've written another song, called The Cult Magnetic. I like how it's shaping up pretty well. With that on the list we have 15 or 16 songs to work with. About 9 of them fit the theme I have for a record called Serenity is Far Away.

I am thinking of another one called Villains. There are at least 3 songs I've written with the band that work along that theme as well.

I've also got a few ideas in the bag for some slower, solo work. Maybe acoustic. We'll see how that goes. I might try to save up an EPs worth of material and record it in my brother's basement, as he has a rad little home studio to work wonders on my mediocrity.

We skipped originals practice this week to focus on covers. It was not great. Weirdly, whenever I feel I'm absolutely killing a song the band inevitably feels their own parts are turble. I think we might just need to gig and deal with it. I'm sure we will rise to the occasion.

I will anyway.

I want to get our home recording nonsense going so we can at least make our own stuff happen. I know it's too late for stardom but I at least want to stop howling at the void alone, with nothing to show for it.

-Merlin

Catchup Post

I'm not sure that I blogged about music last week. It's been going pretty well for me at least. Robb and I have managed to play acoustic twice, which is great for working on vocal harmonies.

Practice itself wasn't great. I was pretty stressed out that day, and I was a half hour late, so not as much got done as I'd like. There are a lot of little things getting in the way of me being more efficient in musical productivity.

For instance, Robb finally got me some song sketches from Static Factory practices so I can work on lyrics and vocal melodies, but iTunes has ceased functioning on my laptop. It's been a pain reinstalling it.

Then I went to practice again, and it went fairly well. Static Factory went through our entire catalogue. The guys were wondering just how many songs we have. Let's see. . .

E-tuned guitars a half step flat:
The New Gods
(Promethean) Halo
Stutterstep

Drop-D a half step flat:
The Operative
My Companion
Payroll
Lazarus (Pit)
The Road's Home
MAD
Body Piercing Mandatory
The Truth is a Virus

Drop-B guitar (half step flat?)
Blow the Lid

We are also working on several other songs. Hopefully Haven No More and All Mighty Dolla' will be fleshed out next week. That's a decent catalogue.

I also want to write a song called Those Left Behind, but I haven't heard the music for it yet. I did just get some more stuff from Robb.

We'll see what comes of it.

The Ugly Americans are focusing on a handful of songs to do a series of videos in an attempt to do a gig. We've chosen a song from each decade from the 60s to around now.

Here Comes the Sun
American Band
Jessie's Girl
No Excuses
Then either Show Me How to Live or This Love

We also played some new stuff that I learned behind everyone's back. Robb was all pissy about that, but it's also his disposition to be vinegary, so whatever. One day we shall play a porcupine tree song. . .

-Merlin out