New Month New CD to Record...YIKES!

My New Year resolution, make 12 CD's in 12 months...no problem! Yeah, right.

The first one went pretty well. Recorded in about two weeks, got it up for sale in three (still waiting for it to show up on CD Baby and iTunes, etc.)

Here comes number two..."ELECTRIC BANANAS", "A Bunch of Super Silly, Rockin' Fun Songs for Kids with Appeal". I have been planning to do this CD for years and years, but I never really decided what songs to do, etc. I need 12. Here is what I have planned so far...

1. Electric Bananas (not actually written)

2. Banana Split Song (Cover)

3. Birthday Bop (not actually written)

4. Angry Birds (Ready)

5. Yellow Light, Red Light, Green Light, Go! (not actually written)

6. A Song About a Fire Truck (Kinda written)
7. Pizza! Pizza! Pizza! (Pretty much written, we do it live all the time)

8. Yellow Submarine (Cover) 

9. Hokey Pokey (Cover)

10. ?

11. ??

12. ???

So, my helpful friends out there. Any ideas for songs 10-12? Or arrangements or music riffs, jams. loops for the covers? I'm pretty open today.

OH, I forgot the BIG problem with recording this CD...I am booked solid with gigs ALL WEEK LONG!!! Great planning huh?

HEY!!! Before you take off PLEASE do the poll over on the upper right, OK?

Thanks, you rock!

Would You Like to Perform on My Next CD?

I have a great idea!!! At least I think it's great, let me know what you think...

I know there are a lot of awesome musicians and singers (and a ton of little future performers too, right?) out there following my quest to record 12 CD's this year and so far it's been a little passive, I mean, you've been sitting and watching, listening from the sidelines...well today I want to change all that.

Here is my "awesome?" idea...

If you play anything...guitar, bongos, spoons, trumpet...whatever and would like to send me recordings of you doing rhythms, jammin' riffs or making some type of music noises I would love to add you to the next batch of songs. I can give you the key, chords, tempo, etc. and if you have the means (which you do if you are reading this on a computer) to make an acceptable recording and can add your parts to a song or two.

Also if you have any song ideas or lyrics you want to run by me, that's cool too.

There's no payment for this but I will put you name in the credits and blog about you like crazy!

What do you think? Anyone want to try recording with me long distance over the Internet?

Kids? (you can use Garage Band on your iPod too!).

If you want to join in email me for details ASAP, the next recording sessions start in less than a week...I move fast! LET'S ROCK!

Hey Derek, Stani, Peter, TJR and the rest of the Music Thoughts gang...do it, I triple dog dare ya!

One Down, Eleven to Go!

TA-DA! I did it. CD #1 is officially available directly from my manufacturer, click here to see it. 

Soon I will have it at CD Baby and iTunes and everywhere else music is sold, shared or borrowed.

It took a few extra days to get it done, I just couldn't find the right order or the perfect mix, oh yeah...and my van blew up!

But "Rock and Roll All Night" is in the can the first of 12 and my...ummm...16th CD? I'll have to check that number.

I added a poll to this blog page, please do that. I also revamped my website, have you seen it lately?  Visit now and tell me what you think, OK? www.misterbilly.com 

I just have to share my favorite track with you. It's called "Reach for the Stars", it's a movement song. Here are the lyrics, the track is below...rock on!

Reach for the Stars!
© 2012 William Charles Grisack III

Raise your hands to the sky
Prepare yourself and get ready to fly
Hold your head up and bend at the knees
Take off and jump as high as you please

Reach for the stars!
Up, up, up, up!
Reach for the stars!
Up, up, up, up!
So long Venus, seeya Mars
The Milky Way will soon be ours
Reach for the stars!
Up, up, up, up!
Reach for the stars

Everybody drop and have a seat
And listen to this groovy beat
Goodbye gravity your work is done
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!

Now wave your hands above your face
Like you’re floating out in space
Move ‘em left and swing ‘em right
Orbit like a satellite…real slow
Nowhere to go
The earth is far below
Get ready here we go! Everybody…

Reach for the Stars by Billy Grisack

One Day Behind Schedule...Why?

Yesterday I was supposed to launch the new CD online and have it delivered to my manufacturer and distributor. Well, my van had other ideas! The day started off with me re-listening to the final mix of the CD and deciding that it needed one more re-mix...OK, but I had a gig to go to, so I planned to re-do the mix and finalize the artwork after I got back, still in plenty of time to meet my self inflicted deadline.

Got to the van and it started to overheat, took it to the shop..out of anti freeze...OK, get it serviced and then they told me my water pump kicked the bucket...goodbye gig...SORRY TO EVERYONE IN JOHNSON CREEK WI...REALLY!!!!!!!! I'LL BE BACK SOON, PROMISE!

So I took it to the local auto repair place, who informed me that it was not a water pump, my van was DEAD.

So I spent the rest of the day looking at new vans...I think I found one, but I have to barrow a friends van (THANKS BOBBIE!) to get to my gig in Watertown, WI today. I did re-mix and master and finalized the artwork, so...expect to see the new CD available this week. I'll be in touch and let you know ASAP!

Hope you are having a better week than I am so far.

Almost Done, Now the Work Begins

Remember the movie "Field of Dreams"? There is a famous line, "if you build it they will come", I think it is. Well, sad to say, that isn't usually true. Building is just the first step, getting the word out there is the next, and that is what I've been working on for the past few days.

I finished the cover artwork, here it is...what do you think?

I've set up a new website for librarians and other folks interested in summer reading, check that out at www.summerreadingsongs.com , I'm blogging (as you know), Tweeting, FaceBooking and Google + ing too.

I took a little extra time to make a promo video for YouTube...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE share these links with your email, FaceBook, Twitter, Google and other social (and REAL) friends or anyone you think might find my project or any of the resulting CDs interesting, OK?

Back to the Drawing Board!

Today I am trading in my songwriting hat for my artist beret (fancy French name for hat), time to create the CD artwork.

I've been thinking about this for several days...what does rock and roll all night look like? I think I found an image in my head that works great.

In the past I always hand draw the images with pencil and then trace them with a marker before I scan them into my computer. After that me or my daughter will colonize them and move them around until they look great.

This time I wanted to try to do all the artwork on my iPad, so I got a really nice art app and spent hours trying to make something that was not terrible. I failed. Back to the drawing board...for real.

Here is what I have so far, what to do think? I think I make a pretty cool astronaut!

Recording of CD #1 is DONE!

Break out the juice boxes!

I have just finished the recording of the first of 12 CD's I will release this year just one day behind schedule!

Here is the list of songs recorded in alphabetical order...

1. A Hard Days Night
2. Before the Morning Light
3. Counting Sheep
4. Cricket Love Song
5. Everybody Needs Sleep
6. Fireflies
7. Living in Dreamland
8. Martin Luther King (He Had a Dream)
9. Reach for the Stars
10. Read a Book and Dream
11. Rock and Roll All Night
12. Things That Go Bump in the Night

12 songs on 12 CD's done in 12 months in 2012...off to a great start.

Now I need to mix 'em and do the album artwork...a lot left to do if I want to still meet my release date.

BTW-I checked my master song data base and with the release of this CD I will now have 197 tracks available for sale worldwide. Amazing.

Another Song Done, Question for Gene Simmons

Got up this morning with an  idea for a new beat and rhythm for the KISS classic "Rock and Roll All Night", the title track from my new CD. It has a kinda swing to it, like Gary Glitter or Cheap Trick's "Ain't That a Shame". Mrs. Billy and I don't totally see eye to eye on this one, but I like it and want to get your opinion, but here is my question for Gene Simmons...are you there?

I am licensing the song through Harry Fox, but I don't think that covers posting it here. Is it OK if I do, or do I need to send you a check, if so where do I send it? Gene? I know you're out there and can smell money just like Mr. Krabs!

One or two more to go (still need one more song to make a perfect dozen...any ideas?), mixing , mastering and artwork, release on January 23...yeah right!

My Progress So Far

Technically I planned to have all songs written and recorded by this weekend, but due to gig and football playoff schedules I'm a little behind. Here are the titlesI have done so far:

Reach for the Stars
Fireflies
Read a Book and Dream
Martin Luther King (He Had a Dream)
Living in Dreamland
Counting Sheep
Everybody Needs Sleep
Before the Morning Light
Thing That Go Bump in the Night

I still plan to record "Rock and Roll All Night" by KISS and "Hard Days Night" by The Beatles. I need one more to make an even 12 songs (12 CDs with 12 songs in 12 months in 2012).

Does anyone have a great song, lyrics or an idea for something that would go with the summer reading theme? Let me know ASAP!

Only Two Songs Left to Go

I am actually being a bit optimistic right now, as I write this I am still not done putting vocals on the song that has been my arch nemesis throughout this project. The song that was supposed to be a cakewalk...the dreaded "Fireflies". But my vocals have gone so well today that I think I can knock this one out...no jinx!

Well hopefully the next line will be, "I'm the man!", Fireflies done. Well...it's 9:01 pm, wanted to be in bed by 10, have a 3 hour drive to get to an 11 am show tomorrow...

OK almost there, some little edits to do. All in all this has been an amazing day!

Yippie! I did it! 9:50... Ten minutes to spare. I'll post a bunch of stuff tomorrow after the show, goodnight.

I'm Singing My Life Away

I have 2 and a half songs done, with no vocals, so today I decided to just concentrate on recording the vocals to these songs. If keep up with my schedule I need to finish recording the entire CD this weekend.

I had to spend the entire day yesterday booking shows and tomorrow I have a show very far away, football on Sunday (Go Packers!). I don't think that is going to happen, I still need to do these songs and record two more.

The computer is running so slow, every time I save it takes a few few minutes...ticktock...

So for those of you who wonder what it's like to have a home studio, here is a short glimpse into my vocal recording process, enjoy!

Writing New Songs at 3 am

It's 4:21 am, I've been up since 3 am. Can't sleep. I think it was the double chocolate cake my son made (from scratch) for cooking class...yum!

Before I went to bed I had an idea for what should be the last song I need for the new CD. So, since sleeping is not an option I decided to finish it.

I don't know if I will stay up and record it yet tonight, but here are the lyrics...

Living in Dreamland
© 2012 William Charles Grisack III

Floating around in a vacuum place
No gravity to hold me just endless space
I was riding a rocket off to the stars
I got to visit the moon on my way to Mars
Living in dreamland imaginings
Can you guess what I was in my dream?
Can you guess what I was in my dream?

I had a helmet on, it was time to rock
Surrounded by a team of super jocks
Running really quickly on the green, green grass
A crowd was cheering when I caught the pass
Living in dreamland imaginings
Can you guess what I was in my dream?
Can you guess what I was in my dream?

Living in dreamland every night
I’m the star in every scene I write
Watching the movies inside my head
Living in dreamland from my bed

An alarm was ringing I had to be quick
Got in the truck I was fully equipped
Climbing the ladder swinging my axe
Saving lives was my only task
Living in dreamland imaginings
Can you guess what I was in my dream?
Can you guess what I was in my dream?

A New Song About Sheep and Sleep

While trying to find great ideas for nighttime, bedtime, dream time songs I wrote this one morning a month or two ago in the car on the way to a show. "Counting Sheep" is the song. I wasn't going to record at all today, too much to do...but this song seemed simple enough.

I recorded the music using only Apple Garage Band instruments, I recorded most of the song sitting in my recliner in the living room. I used the on board sampler to record my voice saying BAAAaaaa, and re pitched it to sound (hopefully) like a sheep-ish creature.

I let my son hear it and he asked if I went to 100...I said no, the lyrics I wrote only went to 20. He said that was wrong. So I added words and went to infinity...I like the new words. I will add them after the song link.

So tell me my wonderful friends, fans, peeps and peers...like this one? It's a little goofy and short. http://snd.sc/AfQh4Y

Counting Sheep by Billy Grisack AKA The Mighty Mr. Billy

Counting Sheep
© 2011 William Charles Grisack III

One, two, three, four
Five, six, seven more

Eight, nine, ten, eleven
Twelve, thirteen up to heaven

Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen more
Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen soar

Twenty, thirty, forty…plump
Fifty, one hundred watch them jump

One thousand, one million, one billion…beyond
A trillion, gazillion, infinity …who yawned?

Too tired run, hop,  jump  or leap
Goodnight pillow, goodnight sheep

Everybody Needs Sleep...Me Too!

Wow, I had no idea how funny it was that the song I decided to stay up late and record is about the importance of getting sleep!

Well today was the first day I lived up to my goal, I recorded two songs. One on the iPad and another (older song I had written long ago) on my desktop computer. The song is called, "Everybody Needs Sleep".

Here it is, now I need to get to bed, I have another long day tomorrow! Goodnight 'yall. http://snd.sc/wrBqxY

Everybody Needs Sleep by Billy Grisack aka The Mighty Mr. Billy

Today I Moved My Studio to the Kitchen

It was easy, all I did was carry my guitar, iPad, headphones and a few cables to the kitchen table and BAM! Instant studio, just add coffee. Check out the photo, that's it...no mic, no big computer, just me, my guitar and the iPad.

I used the drums and bass in Garage Band, played guitar using the Garge Band Amps and pedals and sang right into the iPad mic...not too shabby! I think I'll try a better mic tomorrow and see the difference.

 I finished by 2 pm, the song is called "Before the Morning Light" (see last post for lyrics).

Listen to the results..http://snd.sc/wbSEXp

Before the Morning Light by Billy Grisack AKA The Mighty Mr. Billy

Watching Football and Writing Songs

Yesterday I decided to take the day off to watch the NFL playoffs, that was until I got my new iPad...change of game plan.

I did watch the games, but during the commercial breaks I whipped out the iPad and wrote new song lyrics...maybe I should change my name to The Mighty Mr. Muli-tasker?

Any hoot, here is the latest set of lyrics of a new song titled, "Before the Morning Light". I am working on the music right now using Garage Band on the iPad. My plan for today is to record two new songs on the iPad before bed. Can I do it???

OK, back to work...check out the new lyrics...please leave a comment it you can figure out how to do it. A lot of followers are having problems with that, can anyone out there help?


Before the Morning Light
(c) 2012 William Charles Grisack lll

When I look into the sea of stars and distant galaxies
Constellations fill my gaze Cassiopeia lights the stage
At night before the morning light

When I lift my head up high to see an airplane in the sky
Moving lights are all I see the body moves invisibly
At night before the morning light

When the moon comes up, the sun goes down
The crickets make that chirping sound
Mothers put their kids to bed
And it's time for dreams to fill their heads

When I look out into space with my nighttime dreamy face
Will I see a UFO? Where is it from, where will it go?
At night before the morning light

When I look into the dark sky on the forth of each July
I see the rockets as they fly racing to explode up high
At night before the morning light

When the moon comes up, the sun goes down
The crickets make that chirping sound
Mothers put their kids to bed
And it's time for dreams to fill their heads

Mixed Feelings About My Fireflies

This morning I played the first verse and chorus of my "Fireflies" cover to my family to mixed reviews...

1. My wife thought the music was great and the vocals need to be fine tuned, but she loved the overall vibe.

2. My son (who LOVES Owl City and originally turned me on to this song) also loved the music but thought that my vocal needed to sound a bit different.

3. My daughter (the new Simon?) pretty much hated it...well not really hated, she said that my covers are always awesome and since this song is already awesome she expected more...she is 12 and is already grading me on a curve.

Overall I think they all agreed that the acoustic guitar and banjo music arrangement was a really neat idea, maybe I need a better singer for this track. I wonder if former American Idol Sanjaya Malakar is available?

Second song done, wish I had done more today

I guess I should be excited, I finished the track "Read a Book and Dream" today, but I am a bit disappointed. The goal was to get two songs written and recorded today. Bummer.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Some of you are having trouble posting comments on the blog...anyone have a solution for this? Can you post it? Do you know if you can leave comments without using a Google account?

In addition to recording this song, I booked about 3 or 4 shows, took a shower and had lunch...what a time waster I am, huh? I did not check email or post to my social networks...too much...yet... I'll do that after I finish this post and my recording for the day.

There was some more progress made on Fireflies...I hope I don't regret this one...it's like, the hardest song I've ever tried to sing!

But on a happy note (note, get it...I crack myself up), here is the track  "Read a Book and Dream"  from the upcoming CD "Rock and Roll All Night" (yes, I plan to cover this KISS classic too) submitted for your approval.

http://soundcloud.com/misterbillyrocks/read-a-book-and-dream

Time to call it a day...soon...

Another New Song - Read a Book and Dream

I must be on a roll with writing, I was getting ready to do my morning routine and I had another song idea to go with the library summer reading theme "Dream Big @ Your Library" . It's called, "Read a Book and Dream".

I hope to have it recorded by lunchtime (computer willing).

Here are the lyrics (5 minutes old...be nice, it's still a baby!) , thoughts?

Read a Book and Dream
© William Charles Grisack III

When I read a book before I go to bed
Echoes of the story spin inside my head
And it seems like these are not dreams
When I read about space I’m an astronaut
Or a dragon and a princess and a battle fought
It still seems like these are not dreams 

Read a book and dream, oh yeah
It’s so easy to do
Read a book and dream, oh yeah
And you might just learn a thing or two

In between chapters I close my eyes
And imagine myself the hero guy
And it seems like these are not dreams
I travel the world and cure a disease
Visit the moon and the redwood trees
And it seems like these are not dreams

Read a book and dream, oh yeah
It’s so easy to do
Read a book and dream, oh yeah
And you might just learn a thing or two

Imagination is the only thing
You need to be crowned the Pumpkin King
And it seems like these are not dreams
Living underwater in Atlantis style
Singing this song and making children smile
And it seems like these are not dreams

I Made $10 and the CD isn't Done Yet!

I checked email on my phone this morning and got an email from a school teacher who loved the first song from my CD so much she offered me $10 to send her a instrumental track for her students. Wow, that's like selling 10 downloads. Not bad. Anyone else need a karaoke track?

I have to work a little harder today, try to get 2 songs done, I hope my computer is cooperative.

I just ordered my iPad 2, I may have to do some of the songs with it using Garage Band if this keeps up.

Computer crashes 3 times in one song, so far!

I'm posting this on my iPhone because my computer is a giant paperweight right now. 3 major meltdowns when editing vocals! Not a happy Mr. Billy right now. :-(

My first song is recorded!

OK, I did it.

In the middle of taking phone calls, checking email, doing bookings I managed to get up at 6 am, write a song (see last post) and record it! Computer crashes and all! (anyone want to donate a Mac Mini or iMac??? This old Windows 7 machine sucks). I honestly have no idea how I am doing all with this $400 Wal-Mart machine!

Here it is, please give it a listen He Had a Dream (Martin Luther King)

I changed some of the words.

I will start work on Fireflies again soon, but it feels good to get the first track done! Well...is it done? Any suggestions? I still have to do the final mix, mastering...maybe some sound bytes? Thoughts?

Oh, BTW - if you want to know what else I'm up to this month check out my CRAZY update video

I have a dream

OK, yesterday was another wash on the quest of getting the first CD done. I ended up doing more business work. Made a website, made a promo video, made my January update video (which BTW is hilarious...please check it out), book a few gigs...but two interesting things did happen...

I recorded the lead vocals to the first verse and chorus of Fireflies and in between takes I kept thinking I needed a few songs about "dreams" for the CD (the over-all theme for the CD is "night", but the specific theme for children at the library will be "Dream Big"...so I need a few "dream" songs. That is when I noticed that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up...mmmm...yo, HE HAD A DREAM!

I was so excited that I got up at 6 am and wrote these lyrics (I have music in mind too)...what do you think?

Martin Luther King, He Had a Dream

(c) 2012 William Charles Grisack III (yea that's me, now you know)

He was born on 15^th day of January in 29
He was a man a peace, he saw the warning signs
He stood up for equality, peace and harmony and civil rights
He did his best to erase the line that divided black and white

Dr. Martin Luther King
He had a dream; an amazing thing
Dr. Martin Luther King
He had a dream; an amazing thing

He was truly a man of faith, who couldn’t bear to be silent
He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi he would never be violent
He became the leader of a movement that would forever change us all
He inspired countless generations in the  60’s with his wake up call

Dr. Martin Luther King

He had a dream; an amazing thing
Dr. Martin Luther King
He had a dream; an amazing thing

Even when evil tried to take it away
His dream was so big, it’s still alive today
You can’t be radical or too extreme
When you know you’re right and you dare to dream!

He once said all men are brothers, so let’s do our best to live in peace
He believed that love has the power to abolish war, injustice and grief
He was a man who could not be silenced, his voice still echoes strong
He left us many words of wisdom, everybody sing along

Dr. Martin Luther King
He had a dream; an amazing thing
Dr. Martin Luther King
He had a dream; an amazing thing

Day two, nothing recorded yet

Day one did not go well. I did get the chords, MIDI track and lyrics down to Fireflies (figured out best key to sing it too), but did not get to actually record. My wife informed me that we don't have enough gigs booked for this month and February, so I had to stop recording and do some marketing. I did get one show for February and did a new promo video for my Six Traits CD. Here we go...day two, what will I get done today?

My first song will be a cover of Fireflies by Owl City

The recording has begun. I am kicking it off with a cover of "Fireflies" by Owl City. The CD I am working on first will be for the 2012 library summer reading theme "Dream Big-Read @ Your Library". I will post what I have as I go. Until then...check out the original. It's pretty cool...my son turned me on to this song and video a few years ago.

12 CD's in Just 12 Months, am I Crazy or What?

Hello everyone, here we go. Today is the big day. Today is the day I start my new project...recording and releasing 12 new CD's in just 12 months. Can I do it?

Join me here and follow my progress. Make suggestions, cheer me on.

The plan...

1. Decide what the CD theme will be
2. Write (or find) awesome songs and record them in 2 weeks or less.
3. Mix and master the music
4. Do the artwork
3. Have the digital version available on sale world wide
4. Have the physical CD available for sale on CD Baby and my web site shortly after
5. Rinse and repeat 11 more times.

Wish me luck. Comments?

A Zebra and Elephant talk about my new project