I’ve always admired the age old saying, “if there’s no scene, make your own”. Singer and songwriter Todd Burge has done just that. Big things are happening in the little town of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Over email, we did a little interview which explains the concept behind the growing success of their Songwriter Night: Blogging [...]
Florida’s own Mofro plays my favorite sort of groove – a southern funk swamp shuffle that can easily switch to different genres, without compromising their fundamental sound. Their debut album was deemed one of the “Best Albums of the Decade” in 1999. Their third – and latest – album is called “Country Ghetto” and sounds [...]
Went to Eddie’s Attic last night for their Monday Night Open Mic Competition, along with fellow Asheville Singer-Songwriter Chris Jamison. It was a three-and-a-half hour drive from Asheville but well worth it. Got there around 5:30pm and checked in. Went for a quick dinner around the corner at Raging Burrito (highly recommended). Changed clothes. Walked [...]
The Wood Brothers “Ways Not To Lose” is an album that should be required listening for any real music fan. With doses of Delta swagger, Chicago blues and New Orleans shuffle, this album is a keeper. Smart lyrics, stellar songwriting and flawless performance have earned this album’s keep in heavy rotation on my stereo, iPod [...]
To ask a songwriter if he has ever been frustrated during the process of writing a tune is like asking a drowning person if they need a life raft. So when I saw the title The Frustrated Songwriter’s Handbook – I knew I had to take a look. The book was first recommended to me [...]
For some, being a solo performing songwriter is tricky. On one hand you have the freedom of not having to compromise with other band mates. You also get to keep all the money from gigs. Less scheduling conflicts and less gear to haul around. On the other hand the style of gigs you can play [...]
How to Write Songs on Guitar: A Guitar-Playing and Songwriting Course is less about the specifics of guitar playing and more about the craft of songwriting. I purchased this book myself (as opposed to the many review copies of books that are sent my way) because an initial flip through the pages had me thinking, [...]
Contributed by recording and songwriting expert Cliff Goldmacher. As a result of recording and producing literally hundreds of demos, I’ve learned that it is always better to “Prepare and Prevent” than to “Repair and Repent.” Here are a few steps you can take to help make your demo recording experience more successful. Song Preparation It [...]
Contributed by: Dainis W. Michel Are you curious about how to write song lyrics? I’ve put together a few tips that might help you. Be sure to go through the free music composition lesson on [the] site [listed below] to gather further information on what will help you grow as a songwriter. There are many, [...]
So you’re here to do a bit of inspirational brainstorming for your next music composition eh? OK… What makes you mad? Seriously, what makes you really f-ing mad? Anyone make you mad recently? Anyone do anything that makes you mad? What about our air, water, soil, natural resources, peacefulness? Happy about all of that? Isolate [...]
