Only Three Days Left...Really?

Where did the time go? 

Didn't I just start this crazy adventure?

What...it's been a year?

Now I only have three days left and a half dozen songs to record...I don't even know what the last three are going to be.

I couldn't sleep last night so I did something that has needed to be done for a while, I re-mixed and mastered CD's nine and ten...yep, NEVER DID IT. The files have been sitting on my computer. CD eleven is not mixed or mastered yet and CD 12, well...I'd rather not talk about that now.

If all goes well I should be able to get nine and ten up and ready to distribute/sell today. If I'm not too tired I might be able to get CD eleven up and sometime before the ball drops on New York finish recording, mixing, mastering and uploading CD 12. I can do that, right?

Well I could...IF MY COMPUTERS DIDN'T STOP WORKING AND DESTROYING MY FILES! Not one, but both my MacBook and PC are being very difficult. The MacBook went belly up and took a whole song with it last night and the PC is eating files...NOT GOOD TIMING. 

HULK SMASH!

OK, I feel better now. It's been a few hours since I wrote that Hulk thing, back to normal now.

I just texted Mary Lynn Maestro, got off the phone with Dave Kinnoin and Marla Lewis, after chatting with them I have finalized the playlist for my final CD, here it is...

1. With a Little Help From My Friends
2. Worlds Lamest Superhero
3. Together Again
4. Wipe Out Wil
5. Just Ducky
6. Barbie Girl 
7. Cleaning Up the Table 
8. They're Never Gonna Play This Song on the Radio 
9. Swimming With Dolphins
10. I Don't Want an Easy Life
11. Girl Power
12. Why Can't We Be Friends

The songs in black are finished, the songs in red are in various states of production, but I think they will all be done tomorrow (if the computers hold up).

This CD is all about collaboration and oddly enough this is the CD I have written the least amount of songs for! I have written exactly one and TWO half's of the songs. But I feel like they are all mine in some way (Shhhh...don't tell Paul McCartney!).

I want to leave you with another song from the CD today, speaking of McCartney, here is the (sort of) title track from the CD, "With a Little Help from My Friends", enjoy and share!

Make the Last One Count!

Yesterday was a disappointing Apocalypse...no I'm not complaining...I like it here. It's just there was a bit of hoopla, a few movies and stuff. So I guess the most exciting thing to happen in 2012 was my attempt to record and release 12 new CDs in 2012. Here's where we stand.

I have, I think eight CDs available on iTunes and CD Baby (and other places), all the rest are done (except for one, #12)  but I haven't had time to send them to the record manufacturer or distributors. They all are sitting on my computer just waiting.   

The last CD, "A Little Help From My Friends" is in HEAVY production right now. 

Against all the advice I have gotten from many fans, friends and family to take it easy, be happy with what I have or do a simple CD with already recorded songs, I decided to make this one the most difficult and challenging I could.

The CD is a celebration of teamwork, togetherness, character, the golden rule, the global village, networking, togetherness...I could go on and on (and I probably will), basically I have opened up the last CD to anyone who whats to join in and sing or play. And the word is out! I have had so many song submission, vocal tracks and instrumental tracks sent in that I feel this will be something special.


To really visualize the vibe I am creating a virtual band photo for the CD cover. Betting photos from all the wonderful people that have contributed to the music on CD 12. The picture at the top is what it looks like so far (I still have many more things to add). Here are some of the original photos and changes I made along the way...(oh and there are TWO songs at the bottom for you, one featuring my son and the other featuring my daughter!)

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...

This is how I get myself into trouble

Today I am supposed to be starting CD recording project #11, the sequel to my amazingly popular "Electric Bananas" CD called, "Another Bunch of Electric Bananas" (clever huh? Yeah right!). I now only have 21 days to record two more CDs, better get to it...

BUT NO...I I not happy with one of the tracks on the last CD. "My Flying Car". A nice little waltz by Dave Kinnoin. Great tune, but not really my speed...actually really not my speed...too slow. My vocal is not right either...I just can't release this, so instead of starting the next CD, I re-recorded that song this morning...this my friends is how I get into trouble! Do you remember when I re-recorded an entire CD earlier this year?

Yes I am nuts...or BANANAS! Get it? I crack myself up!

Anyhoot...I redid it, I love it and now I can more on. Here it is (at the bottom of this post) I hope you like it.

Now as far as the new CD goes here is the working playlist (totally subject to change and mad mind boggling revisions)...

1. I Go Bananas for Bananas
2. James the Racecar Kid
3. Happy and You Know It
4. Party Like a Rockstar
5. Just Ducky
6. Bing, Bang Boom!
7. Mario Theme
8. Funky Hu
9. Monkey, Monkey
10. Feet, Feet
11. TBA
12. Another Bunch of Electric Bananas

Recording Happy and you know it right now. This is going to be another attempt to use many different languages, it was my daughters idea...and a good one! 

And now for the updated "Flying Car" song...

Science or Fiction, You Decide

Yesterday was a great day. I finished three songs and did a bunch of other stuff (including the showers!).

Judging from the comments and emails I have received I looks like many of my followers were a bit disappointed that I didn't actually show you "how I do it". I really would love to do that, I'm just worried that it might take too much time, unless I do a live feed. Mmm...what do you think about that, would you like to actually watch me in the studio for a song or a day...maybe a marathon recording session? Let me know about that.

As I mentioned I did finish all three songs. The one that sounds the simplest, "Science or Fiction" by Dave Kinnoin was the hardest to do. This is a FANTASTIC tune. I LOVE IT (how many caps can I use in one sentence?). But to be honest every time I get a demo from Dave or his son Oliver I dread recording the vocal...mostly because these guys are like, vocal Gods...really. Me? I'm just a songwriting rock and roll guitar player that sings because as a solo artist, I kinda have to. BUT, let me say I think that working with great singers has really improved my vocals.

"Science or Fiction" is a perfect example of my new confidence and ability as a vocalist. It was a tough one to sing, the music is minimal, but overall I think it works. Check it out below.

Today I plan to FINISH this CD. I will be recording a song called "Dogs in Space" by Wayne Potash and "Flying Cars" by my most prolific buddy Dave Kinnoin. The last song on the CD is a remix of a classic Mr. Billy song called "30 Minutes or Less" from my 3rd CD "Playground". Wish me luck and spread the word!

The Return of Super Monkey and More

Yesterday I finished recording all the songs for the new CD "Super Superhero Songs". The song my daughter and I wrote "A Guy Named Stan" came out AWESOME! I have included it at the bottom of this post. I also made a change on the CD cover, as I added a remix of a classic Mr. Billy song from a decade ago called "Super Monkey" (which is also at the bottom of the post). I felt that since we were all superheros on the cover I should add Super Monkey too! Can you see him up above?

I am doing the final mixing, mastering and graphic design over the weekend while I'm on the road with Wil. 

I was going to take a break but I only have 31 days to do 36 new songs, so I'm starting the next project today. It's called "Sensational Songs About Science...Fiction?" Like the title?

As I'm getting nearer the end of this project I would really appreciate you  blogging, posting on your FaceBook/Twitter, sending a note to any music writers/newspapers etc. It would be cool to let a ton of people in on this race to the finish...

Anyway, thanks for all the love and support pouring in, here are the new songs, hope you dig 'em!

My next CD is a bit out of my comfort zone

"A Boy and His guitar", the CD that I'm finishing hopefully today, was supposed to be a simple little in and out collection of acoustic guitar and voice songs. Something to help me get back on track after my non-stop crazy summer.

But the old Mr. Billy slowly began creeping in and I started to overproduce the tracks adding extra guitars, harmony vocals and even (gasp!) percussion parts! This was not the manifesto for love next step in my musical madness marathon.

You see, even though there are a lot of people out there that say they like my voice and think I'm a good singer, frankly my singing kind of frightens me. I like it just fine when there are many distractions, like cool guitars, big drums, sound effects and…autotune! But once I striped all that away my insecurity came back with a vengence.

Honestly, it wasn't until I played my cover version of the Beatles, "Blackbird" (which my daughter, the ultimate Beatles fan absolutely hated!) That I realized I had gone too far.

Today, I'm looking back at the tracks that are recorded and I'm tweaking and fixing them, simplifying things and... recording the last new tracks, one traditional tune and two songs by members of the Kinnoin songwriting family (they are so cool!).

Here's my final version of "Blackbird" (daughter approved), I hope you don't hate it too much. Was this CD adventure a bad idea? What do you think? Gentle comments...pretty please? 

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?