Is there a better way to kick-start your week than with a Sunday night rock ‘n’ roll show? The crowd lined up to see The Needy Visions, JEFF The Brotherhood and legendary Japanese pop-punkers Shonen Knife this past Sunday at Allston, MA rock club Great Scott would definitely say “no.”
Archive for the 'Editorial' Category
Names like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and a young Bob Dylan are synonymous with the origins of folk music. In particular, Dylan and Baez are heralded as folk icons of the 1960s and will forever go down in the books as musical heroes and purveyors of the sound. However, there existed another man whose unabashedly direct songs became the under-appreciated anthems for the anti-war movement during the decade. Phil Ochs was his name, and he fought battles of racial inequality, war, the draft and corruption with only a guitar and pen in hand.
Continue Reading about Phil Ochs
Every musician—Jay-Z and Ryan Adams included—comes down with writer’s block at some point in his or her career. Just like swine flu, there’s very little you can do to prevent it. Then again, like swine flu, a full recovery can be made with a little help.
When you feel your creative juices dwindling, or when your well of ideas is as dry as the Sahara, use these simple tips as fodder for songwriting success.
• Feed your inspiration. If you’re running low on good ideas for lyrics, go take a walk around your neighborhood, read a book or watch the news. Keep a notebook on hand to jot down ideas. Sooner or later a story will present itself to you. If you’re looking for musical inspiration, turn on your iPod. What songs move you? Figure out precisely what element is resonating. Don’t try to copy it; simply use it as a starting point for your own journey.
• Stay focused. Keep whatever first inspired you to write the song (be it a lyric, melody, chord progression, etc.) as your focus. Don’t second guess that.
• Know when to take a break. It’s easy to loose perspective if you’ve been working on one song for too long. Put it down and come back to it.
• Record yourself. Even if it’s with a crappy handheld tape recorder. You will hear the song in a whole new light when you’re not distracted by the physical aspect of playing and/or singing.
• Call for backup. Sometimes two or three heads are better than one. Many great ideas come from collaborative environments. Recruit some of your musician friends and, for lack of a better term, jam. See what ideas rise to the top.
Follow these guidelines, and the symptoms of your writer’s block should improve. Truly great songs are a labor of love, so hang in there.
Erin McKeown Is Kinda Coy
The economic down-turn has forced many musicians to get as creative with their marketing as with their music. One artist that is especially inspirational in this regard is Massachusetts-based Erin McKeown. The singer/songwriter/ace guitarist hosted a series of Pay-Per-View streaming online concerts called “Cabin Fever” from her home and raised the funds to finance her wonderful new album, Hundreds of Lions.
The clever “Cabin Fever” concept paid off as great advance publicity for the album. Not only has Lions reached #1 on Amazon.com but the Internet series also helped Erin score a deal with Righteous Babe Records, as well. On December 3rd she will be featured on NPR’s “Song of the Day.”
All four episodes of “Cabin Fever” were shot last summer from Erin’s home — in her living room, on her front porch, in a river and in her front yard. Special guests include Sonya Kitchell, Kris Delmhorst and Garrison Starr among many others.
Continue reading ‘Fine Tunings: Erin McKeown — Road Warrior’
Sunday evenings have always held a special place in my heart— a time to relax, a time to reflect, a time to look forward. When Sunday evenings are spent enjoying live music in the company of strangers, the weekly occurrence gains an entirely new level of satisfaction. I was fortunate enough to spend this most recent Sunday night enjoying the authentic folk sounds of J. Tillman. Most widely known as the drummer for folk rock quintet Fleet Foxes, J.Tillman has a surprisingly extensive solo catalog under his belt, having released 7 albums in the past 5 years. Continue reading ‘J. Tillman Live Performance Review’
