DONE...almost...

Yesterday was a wild ride. At the beginning of the day I still had four songs to record. I had lost some files, but I was determined to finish recording all the songs before midnight. I did. In fact I did it in style...

About halfway through I started tweeting everything I was doing, step by step and when I got to the last song I decided to go LIVE and stream it...reality baby! It was a ton of fun explaining what I was doing and joking around with all the people who showed up like Monty Harper, Clark the Rock Guitarist, Greg Coony, Captain Jelly Bean and Vogal Joy...there were more, but these guys (and my cousin Tressa) really got into it.I think you can see all of it on my Ustream Channel .

Today I am doing a little remixing, mastering, graphic tweaks and uploading the rest of my CDs to my manufacturing company. If all goes as usual, all 12 CDs will be ready to purchase as REAL PHYSICAL CDs before Tuesday January 1, 2013.

SIDEBAR; the next time I get depressed (yes, I do from time to time) because I think I have no friends (I really think that a lot), I have to look at this CD cover and shut up.

Here is the latest (probably NOT final CD cover...can you see what's new?...

I'm still adding people to the last CD cover. Since not all of the folks that helped me with tracks appeared on the last CD, I thought that they should still be represented here. But I am having a heck of a time remembering everyone that jumped in, some folks have no photos I can find. Bummer. Maybe those people are there but standing so far back they are lost in the shadows? Yes! That is my story and I will stick to it!

Look at that thing; country, bluegrass, jazz, African,  hard rock, pop, folk, classic rock, blues, alternative, singer-songwriter, Christian, computer, IOS, prog and children music makers from all over the globe. How cool is that? I probably missed a few styles sorry.

OK how about a really FUN song to take us out today, huh? This is a song that my wife and I have been doing for years in pop bands, I really wanted to do one or two more great songs for the girls. I added "Swimming with Dolphins" and this little gem (with new lyrics when needed) called (nobody barf...) "Barbie Girl". I'm Ken. See ya later...

Take a sick day? NEVER.

I am sick.

Really, I slept in, made the kids take the bus, no breakfast cooking or podcast recordings for me today, nope.

But I have pulled myself out of bed to try to finish CD # 11, there are now only 13 days left to finish this project. I have redid the playlist yet again and this is what is left to accomplish, today(?)...

Happy and You Know It - final mix of the voices I have. I was hoping to get two more, but other people have lives too and can't drop everything for me. MOSTLY DONE!

Overworld (Mario Theme)- my song arranged and recorded most of this. I tried to add guitar last night but as I said, I don't feel well so I asked Clark (the rock guitarist)Colborn to do it and he said YES! MOSTLY DONE!

Bing, Bang Boom!- a cool song about my daughter by Dave Kinnoin. I am recording this today and I hope to have Taelor play drums on it later this evening. NOT STARTED.

I Go Bananas for Bananas - the very first song I picked for the CD by Monty Harper.I hope I get to it and my voice holds out. NOT STARTED.

I can't remember if I have a song for you today or not...OH YEAH I DO! This is a remake of a song I did way back on the "Batteries Not Included" album. It's a twist on the old kids tune "BINGO" about a drummer from a very famous band called "RINGO". I first heard a version of this by "Andy the Music Man" a long, long time ago. Hope you like it...

One of those days...months...years...

I must admit it, I am REALLY officially overwhelmed and have no freaking idea what I'm doing. There are only 14 days left until the new year. I have not finished CD 11 yet. I'm not sure what songs I am going to use...I have a ton to choose from and I'm starting to think that my big plans for CD 12 are too big and  nearly impossible...but, I'm committed (or should be).

I keep switching songs from CD 11 and 12 around, I want the last project to be all duets and collaborations so any song I have on deck that has duet or collaborations built in by default are going on CD 12. I moved a few more around today.

As of right now, here is the playlist for CD 11, "Another Bunch of Electric Bananas"

1. Another Bunch of Electric Bananas 
2. I Love My Mother
3. Happy and You Know It 
4. Funky Hu  
5. James the Racecar Kid
6. Valentine, Valentine
7. I Go Bananas for Bananas
8. Party Like a Rock Star
9. A Monkey, Monkey, Monkey, Monkey, Monkey, Monkey Tale
10. Swimming With Dolphins
11. RINGO!
12. ?

Before the end of the day it'll probably change again!

I have a bunch of songs to share with you today. last week Wil and I had a marathon recording session in our living room we streamed the whole thing live on uStream, I think you can still see it here at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mrbilly23.

Out the the session came three new songs, "Another Bunch of Electric Bananas", "James the Racecar Kid", A Monkey, Monkey, Monkey, Monkey, Monkey, Monkey Tale" and "Party Like a Rockstar".

Here they are, hope you like 'em.

PS- Please blog about what I am doing or post the songs and tell the story on your FaceBook page, OK? Thanks!

How the Heck Do I Do It???

Over and over people always ask me how I get so much done. To be honest I've been wondering the same this. So today with deadline looming (25 days to finish 3 last CDs) I have decided to take you with me...all day. Maybe we can both learn something...ready?

5:30 - Alarm goes off (that's 5:30 am for all you musicians out there). Keep hitting snooze over and over and over.

6:00 am (guess I should put the AM and PM in, huh?) - Drink coffee and hang out with my wonderful wife till she has to got to work...what? She can't find her keys???

6:30 am - Record my "Mad Music Marketing Podcast" at the kitchen table on my iPhone using the Spreaker app.

6:45 am - Spontaneously write and record a short silly song of the day about St. Nick on the living room piano and post it up to Shout-)-Matic (again on my iPhone).

7:00 am - Make breakfast for me and my daughter.

7:30 am - Try to drive kids to school while arguing with my "usually very awesome" son about taking stuff into the house first...after a long staring match I finally get them to school, almost on time. I WILL NOT pick them up today, no way.

8:00 am - Ready to record. Ooops, the computer is a little cranky and I don't have the files I need downloaded, OK, lets update the booking calendar and send a email newsletter to my fans while I wait.

9:00 am - Newsletter done, took quick shower (TMI?) ready to record.

9:15 am - Working on a track Oliver Kinnoin sent me, I like his demo so much I am keep much of the music and ALL of his vocals. I am adding drum, keyboards, guitar and my vocals. The song is called "Weightless".

10:45 am - dome recording...wow I guess I do record fast huh? Take another shower (TM, TMI? Sorry I get very hot and sweaty when I record stuff)

11:00 am - write this blog post while uploading the song to SoundCloud.

11:15 am - Here is the first song I recorded today, I plan to do three, but we'll see...


11:30 am - More coffee. I think I'll start another song before lunch. What to do...how about "Peanut Butter and Jellyfish?" I just got this demo from Monty Harper and Dino O'Dell late last night. Yeah, let me get the words and demo up...after I check my email...faceBook...OK, gotta stop that, back to work...

12:07 pm - Get all the guitars, drum loops and bass done and recorded in GarageBand on my little cheap used MacBook (not a Pro...anyone wanna donate?). Now I need to edit and arrange the tracks so I can do my vocals...getting hungry and the phone has been ringing...better check that...

12:49 pm - While recording my vocals Cathi (Mrs. Billy) called during her lunch break. Almost done with the vocals! I think I'll finish and then have lunch!

1:15 pm - After the phone call took a nice little cat nap (why do they call it that?), now to finish the vocals, the song and have lunch!

1:30 pm - DONE! Sounds awesome. Saving and uploading now. Time for lunch. But first, here comes the post...



2:15 pm - OK, I'm back. Had some soup and crackers while I listened to the ESPN Football Today podcast (For some reason football stuff is the only think that totally takes my mind off of music and business stuff...weird). Now I need to decide what I'm gonna do next...another song? Let's see what I have on the to do list...

2:35 pm - While trying to pick the next song (I did) I got a call from a library and book a summer reading concert! Had to update schedule, website and make a contract. Kids are coming home from school in less than an hour, things usually grind to a halt when they get home.

2:51 pm - OK I picked the song I want to do next but I have to play piano on it. Problem is I don't have my midi keyboard hooked up to my MacBook (option 1) or a way to record the piano in our living room (option 2). I tried doing it on the keyboard of the iPad (I do a lot of my keyboard parts on that, but this one is real piano stuff). So, I have to see which option will actually work.

3:00 pm - Off to the kitchen to set up a keyboard and try to record it.

4:05 pm - Getting a bit tired now, should take a real nap before I have to go to parents night at my kids school. Oh, I did have to leave in the middle of recording to pick up my daughter...she got too cold walking home..in shorts...in winter...oy.

I have gotten the piano and some other keyboards done on the song, but I don't think I like it, I wish I had a real piano player play it on a real piano...dreamer that I am. I'm gonna take a stab at the vocal before I call it a day.

5:01 pm - Well I did it. THREE songs done! The piano stuff sounded great as an electric piano with some stings way in the background. VERY HARD TO SING! I am saving it now one now, but I don't think I'll be able to upload or post it tonight, I have to be at my kids school in about 25 minutes.

So, there you have it a day with Mr. Billy in the studio and around town...from 5:30 to about 5:30! Any questions?

I'm Taking the Day Off...Mr. Billy Style

I just got back from a gig, a library holiday music show at a library, went great! But, I wasn't able to record today. Now I'm back in the studio and just decided that I'm not recording today.

I am taking the day off...Mr. Billy style. After all I still have 26 days to finish 3 whole CDs...piece of cake.

Now before you check me into some mental facility, I want you to know that 6 of the 12 songs for CD #10 are DONE! So...if I can finish the other 6 this week all is well.

I need to get some booking, graphic design and email list stuff done today and  (check this out) prepare for a holiday craft bazaar this Saturday. I got this wild idea to sell my CDs as holiday gifts at a church craft fair (I'll let you know how that goes!).

Back to my recording news...

I have 6 songs done and I've put them into a set on SoundCloud. All of the music for the songs "Robot Army", "Vacation in Roswell" and "What Will They Think of Next?" was written and performed and produced by my son Wil AKA POD PERSiN.

I hope you enjoy the songs, please leave lots of comments and or suggestions, OK?