Meite U's Recording Sessions Blog

The Heavenly Virus - 9 New Songs

2009-10-30T20:29:00.004+01:00

EP: The Heavenly Virus
Songs:
1 - Selected Aeroplanes Nudging North-East
2 - The Secret Of The Stone Dead Clown
3 - Fantastic Vibes
4 - Groce
5 - The Return Of The Pain Grocer
6 - Sixty-Seven Bears
7 - Pain And Susan
8 - The Night That Jeremy Flied
9 - Baby's Blue Gauntlet
Session Date: October 2009
Recording Gear: Zoom H4 digital fourtrack, PC with Audacity Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, Ibanez electric guitar, Faridah Western guitar, Vox AD15VT amp
Log: I'm in daytime treatment therapy, and making and recording music is one of my therapeutic assignments. So here you go.
Lyrics: Not this time. Too much work.

New Toss-Off Song and Fragments of Band Session

2009-05-03T17:20:00.003+02:00

Song: October Sun and Fragments of The Lost Ingredients' First Session

Session Date: May 2nd 2009; a Tuesday-night in April

Recording Gear: Zoom H4 digital fourtrack, Audacity

Music Gear: Farida D-10E steelstring; Ibanez electric guitar

Log: I have some serious inhibitions concerning musical creativity. To get me started once again I recorded this toss-off song. The other mp3 is more than a full minute of fragments of two songs we're working on with my new band, The Lost Ingredients. The band might not survive very long, which makes the material even rarer. The songs are in an embryonic phase.

Lyrics: Said I'm sorry that I even exist / You're the golden goal I shouldn't have missed / I'm so worried that I might be a mouse / I have left behind those wonderful vows / I am scared of the sun / I can hardly be one / I'm intelligent or so it appears / I'm a giant in an ocean of fears / Pick your number and be gone for a week / For the next eleven years I won't speak / I'm so sober anew / Oh, October sun do / Shine on

Four New Songs: The Firstfruits Of My New Zoom H4 Digital Fourtrack

2009-02-09T13:26:00.005+01:00

Songs:

1) Without A Warning
2) When You Move Into The Void
3) Painfully Missing From The Floor
4) Won't You Tell Me Your Name

Log: Recorded on my new Zoom H4 digital fourtrack. Edited in Audacity.

Lyrics:

[Without A Warning] Seasons change / Without a warning / They return / Attacking your mind / Golden cage / For terrible darling / I must walk / 'Till I'm in a coma / I must work / Until I'm defied / I must talk / Until I am / Swept away by the Final Day
[When You Move Into The Void] I / Am looking for ways to get hold of / The time that expires when you / Move into the void / And you leave me paranoid / High above the skies / Counting the days while I'm looking for ways to ignore you / 'Cause I ain't true / Terrible days in which voices are raised in the morning / And I can't get out / Rolling away with the prizes they pay in the morning / Just to be alive / I cannot say / I cannot say who I am now / But Im alive
[Painfully Missing From the Floor] She said there was no / Other way to take it / Bad news from hell / She could take it well / She was planning to leave anyway / And I watched her big head / Her beautiful big head / And I still heard what she'd said / When she was finally gone / And I had to check on her work / She'd / Been a pin-up / But now she was / Painfully / Missing from the / Floor
[Won't You Tell Me Your Name] Tomorrow / I'm gonna be a better man /My sorrows / Are gonna have to face my plan / I'm broken / I'm shattered and I'm left behind / I will need some time to heal / This is how I'm gonna feel / Ain't it right to wait for the morning / I'm gonna make a last appeal / Fly to the ceiling of the moon / This is how I'm gonna... / Hey, I ain't gonna climb my way up to the heavens / You have to let me in for your own sake / Everything I make is tumbling down / I ain't never gonna wear no crown / You gotta believe me / I gotta believe you / Wow, and I know your life and truth / Won't you tell me your name?

Experimental and romantically desperate: fourteen and a half glorious minutes: 'Into The House Of Solid Souls'

2008-10-22T15:43:00.005+02:00

Album: Into The House Of Solid Souls
Songs: 1. Old And Buried In Sorrows; 2. Naked In The Sea; 3. Messy Mezzo; 4. Into The House Of Solid Souls; 5. He Fell In Love With A Patient Whore; 6. A Welcome Song For Little Sunshine; 7. The Messianic Age; 8. For A Good War, You Can Wake Me Up In The Middle Of The Night; 9. Never Been No Hiker; 10. Good Morning Crocodile
Session Date: The recording of #5 dates from Dec. 2007; that of #6 from April 2008. All other songs except #8 (which was recorded around May or perhaps June 2008) were first recorded on fourtrack around June or perhaps July 2008. I edited and mixed all songs in October 2008. The process took a couple of weeks, with intervals of course.
Recording Gear: Fostex fourtrack; cheap dynamic mic or semi-SM58 mic, can't remember; Audacity; headset-mic
Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar; Casio SA-1 keyboard
Log: This was mostly a project of fourtrack-songs that I'd left, but have tried to revive with excessive digital editing. I took a couple of strange runaway songs on board as well. Jeroen Breebaart saved my ass once again with his brilliant plugins.
Lyrics: [1. Old And Buried In Sorrows] I never thought I would be here / Amazed and bewildered / I now that you /Can disappear and suddenly strike me / Intrinsically mild / But like fire / That burns to make sacred / You've made me your child / Take away / The greed and the hatred / Oh, oh / I never thought I'd be so old / And buried in sorrows / I try to find instant delight / Like there's no tomorrow / Hurried and wild / I'm on fire / Blow out like a candle / You've made me your child / For you I can't / Be too hard to handle [2. Naked In The Sea] Naked in the sea / Stung by a sacred bee / Leafs whisper goodbye / 'Don't you even try / To die / Unsaved' [3. Messy Mezzo] [4. Into The House Of Solid Souls] Into the house of solid souls / Swim in a bath of burning coals / I close my eyes in disbelief / Enclosed in a garden filled with grief / And I'm afraid my life has ended / I have com here to just let go / I'm haunted by your love offended / I could just shake my feet / I know / Shrunken back and disarranged / I just wish that nothing'd ever changed / You are real and you can laugh / Don't know how to lose all that I have / And I'm afraid my life has ended / I have com here to just let go / I'm haunted by your love offended / I could just shake my feet / I know [5. He Fell In Love With A Patient Whore] Ooh, not a trace of delight / And the face of [sorrow] shining bright / Scorched heights of [hell] with the flags of the sweet / [Sunbird] burnt down to swart / Swallow and wag / Manhandled and put in a bag / Oh, the sun ain't shining no more / He fell in love with a patient [whore] / Oh, with a patient whore [6. A Welcome Song For Little Sunshine] Wake up / Little sunshine / The world's been dark / For such a long time / You are welcome / Welcome in our home / Little sunshine / Little sunshine won't you come / Won't you come? [7. The Messianic Age] Won't let down my hope / For the messianic age / Life that I can't grope / Like a torn out final page / I'm a man / Filled with blood / And I can / Talk to God / Searching for the start / With the finish far behind / Brainboard full of darts / There's a multitude of signs / I can't miss / My last train / Here them hiss / Fear and pain / I shouldn't fear / But I do / Shouldn't look back / But I do / Shouldn't look down / But I do / Training me again / For the road that lies ahead / Unexpected friends / Make me feel I'm not dead yet / I'm alive / But I'm bruised / Life or death / I can't chose / I shouldn't fear / But I do / Shouldn't look back / But I do / Shouldn't look down / But I do [8. For A Good War, You Can Wake Me Up In The Middle Of The Night] Shadows're gonna stone me / Truly I don't know how to reverse my skin / Bable boy gone to the shore / To dance in the moonlight with the wolves / Oh, how cruel / Is that ego on top / For the ego on wheels / [Drop me a line / Father ] / Thirsting for war / For a good, good, for a good, good, for a good, good, for a good, good war / Yeah [9. Never Been No Hiker] If this is only / A test for Meite / Gonna like me Bobby / You don't know I'm so sad / In the world I suffer / Never been no hiker / Never been no hiker.. [10. Good Morning Crocodile] Not heat / The cold sun / Empty nutrition / I bleed / Am not one / Roll me away / No hiding place for me / No sugar-coated eyes / The snowman holds me back / I've come too far / Trembling / Good morning / Crocodile belly / Mortuary / Thunderstruck ally / Good morning / Crocodile belly / Mortuary / Thunderstruck ally / Good morning Croc!

Nine-Minute Constellation of Lo-Fi Songs: 'The Fallen Hemisphere'

2008-10-06T18:23:00.004+02:00

Song: The Fallen Hemisphere

Session Date: Between September 20th and October 6th 2008

Recording Gear: Cheap headset-mic, PC, Audacity

Music Gear: Talamine acoustic guitar, Farida D-10E western guitar

Log: Fed up with having to re-install my recording equipment because of a bug that has appeared ever since I moved my stuff to another room, I decided to say ^(&*$-it and just do some improvized recordings with that good ol' headset-mic. I edited the stuff in Audacity with a minimal amount of effects because even most of my plug-ins were gone after the move. Anyway, here is a nine-minute constellation of songs that I think fit the weather.

Lyrics: Hello, papa / I'm a hellhound / In love with the tides / I just wish I could recall my number / 'Cause now I have to hide / Between the sandhills /
.....
She was standing in the doorway / Murmuring about gold / Things that I have never told her / I could only go away
.....
Hovering just above the ground / Sergeant Impulse keeps on letting me down / Patiently keeping an eye on the bathroom-door / She might come out and slap my map to the floor ! / Drunken stars, please step to the fore / I have only heard of you tenthousand times before / If you hover black between black between twinkle Jack specks / Drunken stars, please.. / Please, step to the fore..
.....
You said be silent / But silent was the last thing that I could be / Escape to the city with a bag full of garlic in our bones / Rise up full moon / With the flickering of bloodstained teeth below / You said / I want it to be slow and special / Like an evil snail
.....
If I could never cherish you / I would go back / And try to dig up the truth / Holding you and me aloof / We walked a pretty while together / You were naked / And I was all alone / Terrorized by inner drones / And if you'd rather be / Untied and free / Why don't you eat your pain / Take it all and all away / And if you are / Superfar / I thought that we could be best friends / But I didn't / Know about your withered hand / Buried in a rental tent / I choked below the yellow ceiling / She was smoking / Smoking under silver skies / Exploded into distant cries / And if you'd rather be / Untied and free / Why don't you eat your pain / Take it all and all away / And if you are / Superfar / Away from the enemy / Take the enemy away

Newsflash: Gig on August the 1st in Joure!

2008-07-28T14:41:00.004+02:00

What & Where?! Yes! U is gonna gig once more. Friday the 1st of August 2008 on the Street Festival of Joure. Look here for the program.

Erik Klinkhamer is going to support me on bass. We're practicing our asses off right now.

Featured will be a couple of brand new songs along with MURSB's classics like Solomon's Choice, Moonspells, Arrows of Hope, On a Monday He Stepped Out of His Grave and Went to Work, Lester, Lester, Filling Out Coordinates, Knick-Knackery Peace, The Story of the Three-Legged Horse, Only the Son, The Potatoe-Plate Midday-Break.. Stuff like that. Probably. Don't bet your money on it.

Just be there!!

'Before the Gates of Answer Flood' : 13 hitlets!

2007-10-20T17:21:00.000+02:00

Songs:
1 - Someone Who Didn't Rot Away
2 - Who Cares?
3 - Arrows of Hope
4 - Pageturner
5 - Sugar and Bones
6 - What's a Man Without Eternal Passion
7 - I Was a Happy Clown
8 - The Side-Effects of Jesus Christ
9 - Sing for the Planter of Souls
10 - Before the Gates of Answer Flood
11 - The Emptiness Cage
12 - 'Welbehagen'
13 - Time for a Release

Session Date: September and the first bit of October 2007

Recording Gear: PC using Audacity, Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic, cheap dynamic mic

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, Yairi acoustic guitar, Squier bass, percussion stuff, toy xylophone, wind-organ

Log: This was born out of the enthusiasm of beginning something new. I wanted even shorter songs - and lo, I succeeded. With Sunblisters, I arranged the songs in chronological order of recording. Now I've arranged them strategically. It's only 12:47 minutes, but it's meant to seem much longer. There are different atmospheres here: lovely and absurd, cynical and honest.
The cover was created by Jonathan Sterkenburg (thanks pal. And thank your granddad for cooperating.)

Lyrics:

1 - Someone Who Didn’t Rot Away /And if I dream – somebody pinch me - but I don’t feel a thing! / I’m alive with all the hazards of you /And if I cry, it’s because I can’t remember a thing / Of all the miracles that I have seen / Through the curtain / And it is certain / That we die / But hey, hey, hey! / There’s someone who didn’t rot away..

2 - Who Cares? / Don’t say you’re sorry / When you ain’t / Don’t say: ‘Don’t worry’ / To a saint! / Don’t say anything at all when you got no message for the unrich / Are you sandwhiched? / Between hope and despair / Like everybody cares / But someone does / Yes, he does

3 - Arrows of Hope / From the city I fled when I lost all my pets / I thought it was a joke.. / I’m a supersad guy with the moon in my eye / And I am always broke / Come to me, arrows.. / In the village of grey I am lost in today / I’d like to travel back / To the years of delight when the future shone bright / I always hit the deck / Come to me, arrows / Of hope..

4 - Pageturner / Don’t wanna hurt nobody / I’m in too much pain / I’m gonna throw a party the day it’s gonna rain / It’s gotta be stopped, and started / Someone open this cage / It’s gotta be robbed or guarded / Someone’s gonna turn the page / I am a simple fellow, all I see is blood.. / I just don’t know why I know that there’s a God / It’s gotta be stopped, and started / Someone open this cage / It’s gotta be robbed or guarded / Someone’s got to turn the page

5 - Sugar and Bones / Riding the waves of a million flies / I’m heading back to this paradise / If you feel cold or cannot sweat / I’m not so bold, I’m just a head / Carry the stones / Oh oh oh / Sugar and bones / Oh oh oh

6 - What’s a Man without Eternal Passion? / You’re extraordinary and afraid that your moment won’t last / All catastrophes in a box, always up to the test / Several sequences later you’re still on the very same spot / All exacerbates when you don’t have a passion from God

7 - I Was a Happy Clown / Rain is falling down on the highways of desire / And the sellers are so tired / Wearing heavy crowns / I have been around / For a short while and I think back / To my schooldays, oh how happy / Yes I was a happy clown

8 - The Side-Effects of Jesus Christ / I’m sick and tired of these crazy meds / They steal and lie and have no regrets / There’s only one medicine / That really works / It’s the Son of God / Who was killed by jerks / Like you and me / But can you handle the side-effects, the heavy side-effects? / Can you handle the side-effects of Jesus Christ?

9 - Sing for the Planter of Souls / With my cold head on the playground / I should just stand here, I suppose / Breathe the air that I still take for granted / If I’m broken, then it be so / I know the one who loves the most / Will never leave the souls that he has planted

10 - Before the Gates of Answer Flood / I’ve entered a new story / The tunnel of a green light / I lingered till she came with force / The night / A dozen teardrops falter / The night is endless and without / A goal / Clap in your hands, it’s appalling! / The shameless way you’re happy to exist

11 - The Emptiness Cage / I need a break here, I step to the side / With a hole in my head, and a knife in my thigh / I feel so lucky, I’m one of the few / With the problems of Mars, yes I do! / Gather together all the flocks of delight / But when you got no mustard well them dogs gonna bite! / There’s sorrow and wisdom in the eyes of a child / But the beggars and tramps have gone wild / Beggars and babies in need of our love / Prisons and parties, keep spending your time / Your time and your money, your sugar and honey / I’m with the emptiness cage!

12 - ‘Welbehagen’ / Pictures of hot chicks abound / If you feel an unclean spirit, cast it out! / All the good things that the Lord has bestowed upon us, we try to steal them away / All my petty sorrows are bizar / My cravings and my longings are at war / I want to feel like a high botherbugger but I’m really just ripping myself apart / He wants to make us feel good / He wants to make us feel good / He wants to make us feel good

13 - Time for a Release / It’s time for a release / The stars are sighing: ‘please’.. / I’m hardly ever on my knees / I want the honey without the bees and flowers / Trepidation, yes / I hardly can believe that I’m alive / With all that’s hunting me / I hardly can believe what I can see / It’s time for a release / The stars are sighing: ‘please’..

Copyright and attribution: You are free to copy and/or share this album or the songs on it on a strictly non-commercial basis. This album is licensed under a Creative Commons Music Sharing License (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0) which can be found at the following internet-address: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed-music

Cover created by Jonathan Sterkenburg. Thanks!

I used the following sound files from Freesound (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu):
By Spandau: rainoncarroof.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=40700); by sazman: 070422-cats-sample.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=34094); by sandyrb: USAT BOMB.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=35643); by Paracelsus: radio.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=32266); by ERH: Sweethearts at war.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=31645); by freesound: Bye_Bye_Claps_ses1.wav (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=25292)

The New EP: 'Sunblisters'

2007-09-09T09:57:00.000+02:00

Songs: 1 - Rearing Dogs That Never Bark
2 - Solomon's Choice
3 - Post-Euphoric Blunder-Soup
4 - Whatever Happened to My Calling
5 - Maximum Output, Minimum Gain
6 - Secrets of the Night-Air II
7 - The Old Light-Searcher
8 - Moonspells
9 - Funkin' with Cornelia
10 - The Daily Mysery
11 - Waiting for the King

Session Date: Last third of August and first bit of September, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, cheap dynamic mic

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guita, Yairi acoustic guitar, Squier bass, shakers, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer

Log: Rather different from 'Cool World', both musically and lyrically. Short songs again. Used a lot of samples of every day sounds. Recorded in less than a month. Only 'Whatever Happened to my Calling' (original title 'Called for the Job') is an older song that had to stand in for a weaker little brother that died prematurely.
'The Daily Mysery' is not a misspelling.
Reception by small fan base was enthusiastic. Now what do you think of it, world? (Comment!)

Lyrics: 1 -Rearing Dogs that Never Bark [1:15] Questioning the question-marks / Never taking stand / Rearing dogs that never bark / Laugh while shaking hands / Wasn’t cruel otherwise / Had a puff too much / Had a passion to argue / Always feeling too slow / See, believe, if you don’t stop yourself / You’re gonna travel low / On the road to where you find the end / Of everything that grows / Having a good time you suppose / A fatal overdose

2 – Solomon’s Choice [2:10] A Solomon’s choice / Raise your voice / And speak to the terrible boys / Confident stuff / Opened wide / But closed when the going gets tough / I feel fresh tonight / Don’t think that I will ever sleep / Lost my cash tonight / Climbing a mountain way too steep / Warmer than me / All you see/ Are bits of spectacular dreams / I’d like to be/ Far away / From faults and failures today / I feel hot tonight / Don’t think that I will ever sleep / Talk to God tonight / Climbing a mountain way too steep

3- Post-euphoric Blunder-Soup We wondered if it was real after all / The feelings we had were giant and small / Striking us like a power we didn’t know did exist / It was a fortunate explosion / Of disproportional emotions / I wanted to grasp the magical past / Preserve the contact that came with a blast / Muddling in a soup I didn’t know much about / It was an unfortunate exception

4 – Whatever Happened to my Calling [1:26] Haven’t you called me for the job of saving? / Haven’t you been true to the life that you’ve given? / Haven’t I lied to myself and to you? / Haven’t I died to the world to be your son?

5 – Maximum Output, Minimum Gain [1:11] Maximum output, minimum gain / Without you I just can’t sustain / In every season / There is you / Devil-dead-end at the corner of the road / Wish I could push a little button / And implode / You long for love that burns away / Everything else

6 – Secrets of the Night-Air II [1:01] I spend some time with the night / She tells me that everything’s right / But I can’t hear the cries of those / That get hurt / I can’t get out of this train / Of thoughts that drive away pain / Now I can’t hear the voice of him / Who got hurt/ And died to fill the universe / With his life

7 – The Old Light-Searcher [0:57] I’m a silent crow / Waiting for a glistening light / To catch my old eyes / I just wanna grab and to hide it / Don’t ever play no more / I can feel the weight of my bones / I’ve seen too many nights / But I still hope that I will find it

8 – Moonspells [1:20] Once again I hear the church-bells / Hear the living call the dead / I’m swimming in a sea of moonspells / I’m driving around in a bed / And all the pills that make you sober / They’re gonna turn you into an elephant / They’re gonna work until your brain is fried / Might it not be better to turn to God? / Might it not be better to turn to God?

9 – Funking with Cornelia [0:30]

10 – The Daily Mystery [1:48] In the middle of the week I fall down / Lying blinded on the floor / Struck by lightning that has come to turn around / In my mind I see the door / This is how I wish my life would start / Because I’m not as smart as you are / ‘Read your Bible and pray every day’ / But when you fade away, it’s hard / The dishes are waiting for me / Cold and absorbing / Rude and exhausting / I’m building a tower of songs / Their destiny is falling / Gibberish they’re calling to you

11 – Waiting for the King [1:37] Far horizons / Glorious reminders of our hope / Shattered puzzle-solving / Newspaper, coffee, I’m alive! / Don’t you sit down / Forever in an electric chair of fear / The future is waiting / The future of the king who will appear / The binding of the anointed one / Has freed us from our strings / He died a torturous death for us / The creator of all things / And now I wish to praise his name / The living one of old / You love me and I stand ashamed / How could I grow so cold?

Newsflash: Got Some Five+ Songs But Am Waiting Till Full Release

2007-08-31T12:48:00.000+02:00

Yeah, I got some five+ songs, but as I said, I'm workin' on an EP, and though my EP's may be short, five short songs is too short even for me. So hang on, it's gonna happen, just give me some more time.

Newsflash: Workin' on a New EP

2007-08-18T15:44:00.000+02:00

I've decided to start working more project-wise, that is, creating collections of songs (EP's or CD's) rather than individual songs. This will significantly slow down my output but I think it's a better way of working eventually, one from which I will learn more. So I'm working on another collection. I'll keep you updated.

Seven New Songs: 'Cool World'

2007-07-23T23:20:00.000+02:00

Songs:

1 - Rushing, Blushing and Reality-Crushing [2:08]
2 - Accidental Semi-Pig [1:35]
3 - Lamebrain's Sad Silly Song [0:58]
4 - Happy with You World [1:20]
5 - Wrong Lane [1:03]
6 - Martyr in the Wrong Arena [1:36]
7 - On a Monday He Stepped Out of His Grave and Went to Work [2:57]

Log: I recorded this little lo-fi sucker for a friend of mine, Dirk in Amsterdam (cheers mate). It's a bit of a concept album, mixing biographical elements with a harsh critique (clothed in harmonic sarcasm) on our modern day hedonism and escapism.
It was recorded between Tuesday, July 17 and Tuesday, July 24, 2007. It's got seven songs that were all primarily recorded on my Tascam 8-track and edited in Audacity, sometimes adding extra tracks.

Session Date: July, Tuesday 17 till Tuesday 24, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic, dictaphone

Music Gear: Ibanez electric guitar, Squier bass, Takamine acoustic guitar, eggs, shaker, wind-organ

Quick and Drowning in Cult: 'Snapfastener Pre-Breakfast Kick'

2007-07-08T17:27:00.000+02:00

Song: Snapfastener Pre-Breakfast Kick

Session Date: July 7-8, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 4588 MKII used as a mixer, PC with Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic for guitar, cheap dynamic mic for vocals

Music Gear: Ibanez electric guitar, Vox AD15VT amp, Squier bass, conga's with paint-brushes

Log: The title is admittedly slightly Pollardish.
Played a guitar with the Vox's tremolo; played them old conga's with one euro paint-brushes bought at Xenos (flung quite a bit of delay over that track). That was yesterday. Wrote the lyrics this morning and recorded the vocals in the afternoon: 2 times the same part plus a higher voice. Used some reverb and delay over the first two vocal tracks. Mastering: Compression, hard limiter... You know how it goes.

Lyrics: Straightforward and shy at the same time / I die in the midst of a telephonic poll / Hey sandgirl, Stop lookin' at me! / I'm just a stand-in for the better part of me / Stop cookin', We're all gonna die / I'd like to order an airballoon - oh my!

Plain, Simple and Possibly Beautiful: 'Diarrhoea'

2007-07-06T21:02:00.000+02:00

Song: Diarrhoea

Session Date: Friday July 6, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as mixer, PC using Audacity, Behringer C1 condensator mic for guitar, cheap brandless dynamic mic for vocals

Music Gear: Old Yairi guitar in alternative tuning, Vox AD15VT amp

Log: Alternatively tuned my old Spanish guitar and plugged it into the Vox. Put the Behringer C-1 in front of it. Used the amps' tremolo. Strummed around.
Grabbed an old cheap mic that my wife once bought for singing in a band called 'Fudge' (long, long ago). Invented some lyrics, sang, didn't bother 'bout perfecting it so sticked with the first track. Put some classical delay over the vocals as well as some reverb. Duplicated the vocal track and ran a high pass filter over the dub.
Mastered the whole thing. There you are. Plain and simple.

Lyrics: You found me high and dabbling in plastic truths / Got no reply / You let me go lo[o]se / Stepped into the world with a broken radio / Lookin' for a girl that would speak and make me slow / There was anguish / I was sandwiched / Between hope and bitter curse I pronounced / Over myself and over her / So we drowned / I didn't get it / I didn't know how love would feel / Thought it was just diarrhoea / It never made me kneel / There was sorrow / No tomorrow / But you have led us along paths unknown / Taking out this heart of stone

Dreamy Alt Country: 'Closing Up the Hatred Chapters'

2007-07-03T22:01:00.000+02:00

Song: Closing Up the Hatred Chapters

Session Date: Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic for instruments, semi SM-58 mic for vocals

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, eggs, shaker, Squier bass

Log: I wrote this song the day before yesterday, at least the chords and the melody, in about five minutes. Today I decided to record it. Invented the lyrics on the roll as I usually do.
Mixing the song took quite some time. I used a classic decay effect over the vocals, amongst others.

Lyrics: If you take me to the perfect storm / Where hearts are warm / And we get harmed.. / Don't believe that it comes today! / When it comes it will rain and rain / If you draw me to those poison eyes / I'd rather die / Than to hear him speak / But you gave me the words of truth / When you come, you renew my youth / The starlight shines again / The parlour is my friend / And I will close up all these chapters again

Experimental but Song-Like: 'Simply So Little Time'

2007-06-29T12:36:00.000+02:00

Song: Simply So Little Time

Session Date: Friday June 29, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Ibanez electric guitar, Vox AD15VT amp

Log: An attempt at using my new amp's delay. Lots of cutting, copying and pasting here.

Lyrics: There is only a phrase in the sand / Are you stuck in the middle / Of something falling out of your hands / There is simply so little / Time / That's why you should make the best of the rest of your life

Just Another Imperfect Beatlesque Song: 'Fighting Snakes' (Bonus-Track: 'The Swinging Stellabirds')

2007-06-19T21:52:00.000+02:00

Song: Fighting Snakes

The Swinging Stellabirds

Session Date: Tuesday June 19, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; PC using Audacity; Behringer C-1 condensator mic for instruments; semi SM-58 mic for vocals

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, Squier bass (new strings!), percussion

Log: Wrote the song yesterday and recorded it, but the first session crashed and the second was bogus. So I did it all over today. I think it's not so bad; a beatlesque song. The lyrics are inspired by my preparation of a sermon on Numbers 21:4-9. I've been editing the vocals heavily to straighten up volume-wise imbalances. Used an 'anechoic room simulator' on the verse vocals with a large room. Recorded the chorus vocals with boosted hi frequencies; then edited the sound with some classic LP equalization; then pushed it through a hi-pass filter..
Yeah, it's a lot of work.
'The Swinging Stellabirds' was the aperitive.

Lyrics: I don't know how / I could ever trust you again / 'Cause I am hardly innocent myself / I don't know who / Could ever clean up this mess / When will we ever get some rest at home / But you need Jesus in your heart / To fight the snakes that bite your heal / Only he can heal you / But you need Jesus in your veins / 'Cause there is comfoprt in his blood / You need a blood-transfusion / Your pain is no illusion / I don't know how / I will ever love and be loved / I find that my wells have all dried up / I don't know who / Could ever wake 'n shake me up / Misery will never stop, they say / But you need Jesus..

Semi-Taperecorder to Taperecorder Songlet: 'Seed'

2007-06-08T17:54:00.000+02:00

Song: Seed

Session Date: Friday June 8, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, pC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic for guitars, semi SM-58 mic for vocals

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar

Log: This is an attempt to do some taperecorder-to-taperecorder-like recording. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I used to record that way. It was an effective way at beating perfectionism: I used to overdub everything so many times that making mistakes was no longer an issue as you wouldn't hear it in between all the overdubs anyway.
So, for this song, I recorded some six semi-identical guitar-tracks and ditto vocal tracks. Did some ping-ponging here. It sounds... Well, not as quirky as the real thing, but quirky it is, no questioning.

Lyrics: It is too warm today / To be afraid of distant wars / The sun is spoiling our heads / And wealth has made (up [Hollandism]) our beds / There's babies everywhere and / Mums who care about their / Brand-new families they / Wish to do a better job / And we're still childless we are / About to enter a new world / At least we hope that we will / We know we're ready for life / You put us together, didn't you / Say that you had our seed in mind / We know we can't do it / Only you..

Another Impressively Simplistic Ditty: 'Knick-Knackery Peace'

2007-06-06T22:15:00.000+02:00

Song: Knick-Knackery Peace

Session Date: Tuesday and Wednesday June 5 & 6, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic, PC using Audacity

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, shaker, eggs, Ibanez electric guitar, VoxAD15VT amp

Log: Another improvisation that grew into a song. Not an easy birth, this one.

Lyrics: Don't gimme / No knick-knackery please / I see a swarm of bees / Failing to find the flowers of peace / They suck the nectar of disease / Hey now, seems like you're struggling / Just to find a place to be safe / Hey now, seems like you're smuggling hope from the cradle to the grave / And the thingies aren't quite what they seem / Are we living in a dream? / Everything has a price and everyone wants reliable lies / Happy money, happy food and neuro-sorcery / For a happy-snappy mood / Hey now... / Razor-edge coins fall from the clouds inside your head / The fire in your loins could drive you home until you're dead

Lo-fi is cool-fi: Five Brand New Songs!

2007-05-30T22:25:00.000+02:00

Songs: 1. Deaf & Dumb & Blind
2. Called for the Job
3. Morning Zombie Needs to Pray
4. The Will That Didn't Work
5. Laughing at the Juncture

Session Date: Tuesday and Wednesday May 30, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII and PC using Audacity

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, Ibanez electric guitar, Vox AD15VT amp, Squier bass, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic, eggs, shaker

Log: Decided to start recording some real lo-fi sh*t right on my Tascam. I only have a 90 minutes tape left, which is not good for quality (you need 60 minutes). Sixties weren't available anymore. What the heck. I want it to sound bad. Lo fi is cool fi.
Did these songs yesterday and today. Just improvising, guitars first and then the vocals. Juts mixing it down on the Tascam and then recording it on my PC. Added no digital effects, as far as I remember.
O yeah, the guitar amp is new, as well as the electric guitar. I bought them with the money my parents gave me for finally finishing my studies. My Godin Radiator is gone now. This Ibanez is the sh*t. The amp ain't too bad either, though a bit over-fancy.

Lyrics: Deaf & Dumb & Blind:

I'm so afraid that maybe I will die / Without blooming up into the sky / Without being whom you had in mind / Without seeing / Deaf & dumb & blind

Called for the Job:

Haven't you called me for the job of saving / Haven't you been true to the life that you've given / Haven't I lied to myself and to you / Haven't I died to the world to be your son?

Morning Zombie Needs to Pray:

I wake up and feel like a zombie again / I'm glued to my bed, Sister Sleep is my friend / But I know her older sister is Death / I get up and head for the shower / I shoot at ideas as the water comes down / Get dressed and I eat so I know I won't faint / There's no way to beat the new day / Man, I need to pray 'cause I long for you

Laughing at the Juncture:

Listen to me and dust the moon / Wipe off the cheese and cry / You had a fight for eleven years / And lost every natural high / Go blow the trumpet, they will see / You never chose thsi hour / Clappin' and jumpin', let them be / First we all need a shower / 'n All this rivalry, it's only good for adrenaline / Too much too high for me / I just need food, please no channelling! / There's so much left that we can count / We need to take a break / There's so much lost that could be found / We must stop being fake

It Began with Alternatively Tuning a Rattling Guitar: 'Between Death and TV'

2007-05-23T22:33:00.000+02:00

Song: Between Death and TV

Session Date: Wednesday May the 23th 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Old ragged acoustic guitar, Squier bass

Log: Oh boy, does that guitar rattle. Anyway, lo-fi is lo-fi, and the question is: are you willing to go all the way with me? Did some percussion with my bare hands on this one. Guitar was in alternative tuning.

Lyrics: Well, I think that I am wrong /As I tell every hurt to get lost, oh! / And all options have been thoroughly discussed / I didn't come here just to watch TV and die / And release some kinds of tension in between / Neither is this a commercial enterprise / Well, I think(/know) that I am wrong.. / Couldn't we get a new morning?

Spaced Out Synths: 'On the Verge of Going Nuttiebops'

2007-05-23T16:38:00.000+02:00

Song: On the Verge of Going Nuttiebops

Session Date: May 17th 2007

Recording Gear: PC using Audacity

Music Gear: Tuareg 2 (freeware tracker with in-built synths)

Log: Played around with software synths.. Results are completely random and completely cool. Almost.

Lyrics: -

Semi-Disco: 'Are You Hungry, Nino?'

2007-05-22T15:02:00.000+02:00

Song: Are You Hungry, Nino?

Session Date: Monday & Tuesday May 21-22th, 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, Squier bass, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer

Log: A jam that rather quickly grew into a song. In the end you hear my wife asking: 'Are you hungry, Nino?' and our cat affirming her question with heartbreaking intensity.

Lyrics: Gonna find another reason / To hide inside myself / Anticipate the orange season / Gonna cut the world in half / And all this juice is gonna make me / Be a prisoner of fun / And all these bombs are gonna shake me / Leave me searching for the pun / Now I know that I'm too late/ I have to pay back what I ate

Sunday Afternoon Vibes: 'Henry & Cinderella'

2007-05-20T18:08:00.000+02:00

Song: Henry & Cinderella

Session Date: Sunday May 20th

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer (what's new?), PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar

Log: A quicky. Tried to add some space guitar after the basic two guitar tracks and the two vocal tracks - didn't succeed, just left it like this. Not pretending to be anything special.Those I often like the best. Has a peculiar quality about it - the quality of earlier four-track-stoned-on-a-sunday-afternoon recordings. Not that I'm stoned, far from it. Won't touch that shit again, preferably. Might go to hell if I do.

Lyrics: I sailed the seven seas / And hoped that you would find me in a dream / I could find no release / I looked behind the screens of plastic trees / And plastic minds / Lying in the grass with you / Are we through / With the games that aliens play / And they do / Try to fool / Henry Hunter and Cinderella Drool

Toy Instruments Out of Pandora's Box: 'P-Box Ditty'

2007-05-19T20:24:00.000+02:00

Song: P-Box Ditty

Session Date: Saturday May 19th 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer, PC using Audacity, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Kawasaki toy keyboard, toy trumpet, Takamine acoustic guitar

Log: This is typically a song born out of despair. I bought a one euro Kawasaki toy keyboard which turned out to be hardly functional. The keys were so stubborn that for getting the bass and higher keys together I had to record two tracks. I played a passionate piece on a little toy trumpet and threw a bunch of reverb and delay over it. Played a rythmic acoustic guitar bit which serves as a bass as well. Wrote some lyrics, recorded two vocal tracks.. There you go.

Lyrics: Will you raise up in the sky a new breed of clouds to follow me / Will the end come to the world and wake up dead parts of me / Coming to swallow me, coming to make me see, coming to open up Pandora's box / Coming to chase the sea - there's the moon! / I feel dead but I must live cause I'm alive ain't I / He has touched me and I cried cause I was all hurt by / Stinking fish I kept as pets behind the cellar-door / But they krept under my bed and made a lot of noise

Video of 'You Belong to Me' Performed at the 5th-of-May Gig

2007-05-09T23:05:00.000+02:00

Song: You Belong to Me (audio extracted from camcorder)

Log: Here we are, P o r c u p i n e, risen from the ashes. This song was one of the songs I recorded for my first demo in 1995. The lyrics were inspired by a friend of mine, Jelmer van der Leij, who asked me if I couldn't write a songtext with the lyrics 'As the flowers bleed in heaven'. Well, I could.
The song, though most often performed alone and acoustic, suited the band real fine. The last time we played it was some ten years ago, but it surfaced immediately when we got together again. Rocks.

Lyrics: As the flowers bleed in heaven / You belong to me / As the hours fail to severe / You belong to me / Up in the sky / She looks at me / I whisper Love / For you and me / She aks me Why / We cannot flee / And I sing: You belong to me

Melodic Mystery: 'Travelling through the Night with My Lungs Full of Cosmos'

2007-05-07T22:47:00.000+02:00

Song: Travelling through the Night with My Lungs Full of Cosmos

Log: I was restless. Instead of sitting in a chair and biting my nails (a very non-productive way of coping) I wrote a song about travelling through the night with your lungs full of cosmos. Somehow, it was like having a bowel movement, or like giving birth. It all came very naturally. I like the song, I think I even love it. I like the melody and the atmosphere. It doesn't sound quite as what I had in mind or as it sounded when playing and singing on the couch. But I still love it.

Lyrics: Yearning for your silence / Leave the hairy violent home / On the road I'm dead, I / Bite my nails and head for Rome / I still hear the ringing / Telephones are singing songs / Night is bringing thrills and / Summer fragrance fills my lungs / I am still so weary / Feel alone and very old / Hear the television / Whispering magician's gold / Outer space or sea, it's / All the same to me today / Wake me with a kiss so / I can win the quiz and pay

Prayer and Soft Rock or a Kind of Gig-Evaluation

2007-05-06T21:41:00.000+02:00

Song: Prayer

Log: This one was taped rather quickly, using Audacity and Tascam 488 MKII as a mixer if I remember correctly, just before taping 'Risk Unspecified'. It's short and nice if you ask me.

By the way, the gig was 'great'. My hands were shaking but the audience was pleased. Our drummer needs a beer infusion on stage next time. If he ever gets it I want an audiologist to tour along with us and a 90 decibel limit on stage and before the stage. Let's be the first band that rocks softly.

Lyrics: Will you be with me forever / I can't live without your blood / Will you give yourself forever / I want you to be my God!

Recorder Frenzy and Neat Prog-pop: Rebel Clowns and Rebel Semi-gods & Desultory Speech-machine

2007-04-27T18:41:00.000+02:00

Songs: Rebel Clowns and Rebel Semi-gods & Desultory Speech-machine

Log: RC&RSG was a desperate attempt to use the recorder in a recording. It was finished on the 4th of April.
I made Desultory Speech-machine today and yesterday. It was a lot of work, but I'm not really satisfied - I think the vocal style is a bit overdone.

Lyrics: Rebel Clowns and Rebel Semi-gods:

I see the stars / The evil wars / Schemes of self-destruct / Reluctantly I take your hand / 'cause you are God / You blow my mind / With the way that you still love / Your rebel clowns and rebel semi-gods / You break my heart / Just like I asked you to / But I'm holding on / To all that isn't true / Show me your eyes / In the beggar-junkies' lies / The fierce innocence / Of a homeless child

Desultory Speech-machine:

Detribalized and detoxed / I am young, I am boxed / A diskette with a lost code in mint condition / They have asked me to win /And I know where to begin / I will feel every starburst through competition / Have I told you that the crowds are lost and they must be entertained at any cost and they must wear / Blindfolds, so they won't see / The blood of their brothers and sisters and children and mothers and fathers and others / Remarkably rearranged / I am old, I have changed / A dispute without warning or superstotion / They have pushed me up the stage / In a colorific cage / I'll be free from every thread of wrong ambition

Het optreden op 5 mei: de setlist en nieuws

2007-04-12T11:23:00.000+02:00

De setlist van 5 mei, de Lawei te Drachten (13.00-14.00 uur, gratis!):

* Little Fly (klassieker; zeurderig liedje over het doden van een vlieg)
* A Farmer's Son (enthousiaste, bluesy, melodieuze en swingende ode aan de besluiteloosheid; Hendrix-invloeden)
* One Heck of a Lot (één van de eerste liedjes die ik schreef; poppy en stoer, klinkt als een kruising tussen de vroege Bryan Adams en Hendrix)
* Indian Girl (betoverende zwijmelhit over Pocahontas)
* Your Good-Times Novelette (logge britpop met gepassioneerd apathische zang)
* She Leaves, She Opens the Window (lyrische, intense ballad met tokkelgitaar en lijzige zang met lang aangehouden noten)
* Botherbugger (poppy en raar; pet-shop-boys-achtige zang in de coupletten; op holgeslagen gospelfunk in 'r refrein)
* Johnny Go to the Loo (punk met een knipoog naar het middelbaar onderwijs)
* Filling Out Coordinates (alt.country hit)
* The Final Flattening of Proudheart Hill (verpletterende gitaarballad over lijden en vergelding)
* I Need Your Love in Dangerland (dampende, melodieuze pop-rock)
* Beyond the Age of 8-bit Computers (kort, melodieus met typische staccato-baspartij)
* Blame it on the Amalgam (tikkeltje jazzy en gestoorde rock)

en als toetje:

* You Belong to Me (swingende gitaarriffs, zang knipoogt naar Eric Clapton)
* The Blood Dried Up (het ultieme beatlesesque swingende gitaarpopliedje over de effecten van de liefde op het darmenstelsel)

Sicco, Gerben en ik hebben ondertussen op maandag 9 april voor de eerste keer geoefend voor het optreden. Arme student als ik ben heb ik alleen maar waardeloze rotzooi, dus gelukkig mocht ik in Sicco's muziekwinkel gitaren en spullen uitzoeken. Gerben kwam helemaal uit Zeeland die dag. Sicco en Gerben hadden elkaar al zo'n 2 jaar niet meer gezien en waren bij het weerzien als twee jonge honden die dolblij tegen elkaar opspringen.
Bij Sicco thuis in de geluidsdichte ruimte van zijn muziekschool hebben we van de namiddag tot een uur of half tien in ieder geval het hele repertoire kunnen doornemen. 's Avonds haalde Mieke chinees, wat best erg lekker was, op één bakje na dat gevuld was met een vlezige substantie die rook naar de bacterieregen van een niesbui van een vreselijk zieke verkouden hond.
Tijdens het oefenen sloeg af en toe de meligheid behoorlijk toe, wat de sfeer natuurlijk slechts ten goede kwam. Gerben stond af en toe zo wulps te swingen dat ik mijn stembanden bijna niet meer onder controle kon houden.
We zullen zeker nog twee keer moeten oefenen, en met de krappe agenda van Gerben en mijn kaakoperatie er tussendoor wordt dat wat lastig.

De set is echt een hele mooie, chronologisch opgebouwd, van 1995 tot nu. Er zit van alles tussen, van een lange lyrische ballad ('She Leaves, She Opens the Window') tot nog geen anderhalve minuut durende pretpunk ('Johnny Go to the Loo').

We schijnen buiten te spelen. Wellicht is er aardig wat volk op de been. Wij hebben er wel zin in. Laat de Canadezen maar komen!

Meite U treedt op in de Lawei Drachten van 13 tot 14 u. op bevrijdingsdag!!!

2007-03-21T17:38:00.000+01:00

5 mei aanstaande speel ik op het bevrijdingsfestival in de Lawei in Drachten, 's middags van 13.00 tot 14.00 uur in de foyer. De andere artiesten zijn Armand (van 'Ben ik te min') en Ernst Langhout. Blijkbaar is mijn status ondertussen mythisch genoeg om tussen dergelijke oudgedienden mijn opwachting te maken. Wij (zie onder) zijn de openingsact; Ernst Langhout speelt geloof ik van 14.30 tot 15.30 uur en Armand van 16.00 tot 17.00.

De legendarische drummer Sicco Kloosterman is reeds bereid gevonden om zijn medewerking te verlenen. Ook de al evenzeer legendarische Gerben Duisterwinkel heeft verklaard zijn bas tijdens dit evenement te willen beroeren. Daarmee is de complete line-up van het oude Porcupine aanwezig!

De organisator van het festival, de legendarische Teunis Spits, vroeg mij om 'singer-songwriter dingetjes' te doen. Ik ben van plan klassiekers als 'Indian Girl' of zelfs 'Little Fly' te gaan spelen, en nummers uit mijn 'kale periode' zoals de britpop-kraker 'Your Good Times-Novelette'; maar natuurlijk ook de nieuwere nummers die op dit weblog verschenen zijn. Wij zullen op verschillende momenten van de set waarschijnlijk ook een weinig rocken.

KOMT ALLEN! Het festival is gratis en met een beetje geluk regent het de hele dag op 5 mei, zodat je echt geen alibi meer hebt om niet te komen.

Heavy Revealing Weirdness: 'Risk Unspecified'

2007-03-06T17:21:00.000+01:00

Song: Risk Unspecified

Session Date: March the 5th-6th 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII; PC with Audacity using Tascam as mixer; Behringer C-1 condensator mic; semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Epiphone EP-10 amplifier; Johnson DEQ2 distortion pedal; Squier strat; Squier bass; eggs, shaker, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer

Log: I finally did some ping-pong-recording on the Tascam. Played a Squier over a cheap amp using a distortion pedal; put the C-1 (condensator mic) in front of the amp. Jammed a bit and knocked some riffs together. Played a couple of guitar tracks. The bass: same recipe, heavily distorted. Added the RY-10 drumcomputer - as always played manually - through the amp as well. By this time I recorded these six tracks to the last two tracks of the Tascam, track 7 and 8. This way I could reuse track 1 to 6. Added some percussion; eggs, shaker. . Wrote down some lyrics and sang a couple of tracks. There was some jamming at the end of the track. Now I transported the whole thing to PC, using Audacity. There I continued: I added some singing to the last part of the jam at the end of the track. I also took some sound fragments and added them at strategic places. I've developed a fascination for reverse sounds so I use some in this song as well. The russian sounding guy is me reading my own prose. I finally wrote some more lyrics for the jam at the end and did the vocals.
For the final mp3 I export all tracks to one wav file, use limiter and compressor on this wav and then export it as an mp3. That's the way I work usually.
Of course, I've still left out numerous details like panning and stuff.

Lyrics: I've encountered dangers / I can't specify / Flew right through a black hole / Thought that I would die / Oh, what's this journey got for me? / Oh, I dive and I float low / Search for the merry mind I once owned / I wanna give my life to you / ..... / You build your temple inside / Of my heart / And I start / To see the things that you hide / From the ones that refuse / To be used / By their maker / And accuse and excuse / I wanna give my life to you / May my old double mind be ruined

Music vid for 'Goal-miss-bearer'

2007-03-05T16:06:00.000+01:00

I made a music vid to 'Goal-miss-bearer'! Click the 'play' button and enjoy.

Jamming Along: 'Driving West'

2007-03-03T21:55:00.000+01:00

Song: Driving West

Session Date: Saturday the 3th of March 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; PC with Audacity; Behringer C-1; semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings; eggs; shaker; Squier bass

Log: Jamming along.

Lyrics: And as wild as I go / I want to show you, oh, that I matter! / And I'm a child moving slow / I love to fantasize in bad weather / I am the bridge that controls / The traffic driving west to the city / I hear the thunderclouds roll / But I sing my wee little diddy

Dreaming Away with Background Schlagers: 'Let's End This Conversation'

2007-03-03T20:12:00.000+01:00

Song: Let's End This Conversation

Session Date: Saturday the 3th of march 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; PC with Audacity; Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: My neighbours are radio-pirates. On Saturdays, I hear a huge hum on my equipment and the kind of music that is supposed to cheer you up but makes you wanna throw up. Nevertheless, I managed to record a song.

Lyrics: Let's end this conversation, dear / It is leading to nowhere / I feel that there is bitterness / In my heart and I just don't care / I wish I could change into /A royal frog and kiss your lips / I wish that I could look into / Your weary eyes and touch / Your fingertips

Semi-fourtrack enthusiasm: 'Goal-miss-bearer'

2007-03-03T13:32:00.000+01:00

Song: Goal-miss-bearer

Session Date: Between the 28th of Februari and the 3th of March 2007

Recording Gear: PC with Audacity; headset mic; Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; semi-SM 58 mic

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings; Squier bass

Log: First, I recorded a guitar track with the headset mic, recording two (nearly) identical tracks panned left and right. Then I recorded the bass through the Tascam. After that I recorded the 'drums', hissing in the headset mic and adding lots of reverb. Later, I added the vocals through the Tascam; I added some 'Classic Reverb' to the vocals. I compressed all tracks a couple of times in the process as well as the final track; I also used some hard limiter.

Lyrics: Crazy entertainers try to draw into the moonlight / And there's a curse that staines us / Why can't we roll our eyes and do right? / You've come to take my hand / And I walked away / I still don't understand your love / So what can I say? / I'm a window starer / Tryin' to fade into the tree-leaves / But you're a goal-miss-bearer / Why don't we give away the dream-sheets?

Headset mic all the way: 'Song Has Been Deleted by the Artist'

2007-02-23T11:20:00.000+01:00

Song: Song Has Been Deleted by the Artist

Session Date: Friday Februari the 23th 2007

Recording Gear: Headset mic, PC with Audacity

Music Gear: Yairi old Spanish guitar with steel strings; Squier bass unplugged; egg; shaker

Log: Inspired by a phenomenon seen on many Myspaces: somebody put a song on their Myspace but apparently there was a copyright issue, resulting in the text: 'Song has been - Deleted by the artist' in the fields covering the song titel and the artist's name, resoectively.

Lyrics: Song has been deleted by the artist

Nonsense diddy: 'The Secret Knowers'

2007-02-21T22:59:00.000+01:00

Song: The Secret Knowers

Session Date: Februari the 21st 2007

Recording Gear: Headset mic, pc with Audacity

Music Gear: Squier bass, Yairi old acoustic guitar with steel strings in alternative tuning

Log: This is nonsense but perhaps a better waste of time than surfing.

Lyrics: Moving borders, New World orders / Finding pennies in the corners / Yeah / Whistle blowing, secret knowing / Missing body, Illuminotti / Yeah /Who is there around the corner / New peace leader is disguised / Still we know him, he's no foreigner / No he is the anti-christ

New Album Out: 'A Low Budget Warp into Neitherhaze'

2007-02-07T18:35:00.000+01:00

The new album is out!!! It's called 'A Low Budget Warp into Neitherhaze' and it can be found here. ('Here' directs you to a page dedicated to the album where you'll find a player that'll play 'ALBWIN' as soon as you click the play-button..) Though the songs had already been published on this blog, it's the arranging of the material as well as some final (low-profile) mastering that turns these loose songs into a concept and an enjoyable album, if I may say so myself. For downloading the songs or for complete control over which song you want to hear and for how long, go to the mp3's page.

Music Video for 'Filling Out Coordinates'

2007-02-01T00:18:00.000+01:00

I also made a video to 'Filling Out Coordinates', which you can find here. It's almost totally composed of old, uncopyrighted movie-fragments. It's not so bad and a great excuse for putting my music on Youtube.

My First Music Video: 'Riddle Mind'

2007-01-30T17:18:00.000+01:00

I just finished my first music video! Go watch it on Youtube here.

I had been looking for some free software to make videos for ages, and yesterday I found out that all the while I had 'Windows Movie Maker' on my computer.. I shot myself (in a cinematographical sense) a couple of times, with instruments, shot the tascam, and used some fragments of old (uncopyrighted) movies. And there you are. After I uploaded my video to Youtube, I was a bit disappointed at the significant amount of quality loss. Ah well.. It's still a small step for mankind.. But a giant step for U!

Could Someone Please Solve This One: 'Riddle Mind'!!!

2007-01-28T23:17:00.001+01:00

Song: Riddle Mind

Session Date: Sunday January the 28th 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII; Behringer C1 condensator mic; SM-58 clone mic; PC with Audacity

Music Gear: old Yairi Spanish guitar with steel strings in alternative tuning; Squier bass; Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer; Vox minivox-amplifier.

Log: I had the idea for the guitar-riff that starts the song for a while and made up a melody a couple of days ago; today I invented a chorus-riff to go with it. Recorded two 'identical' guitar-tracks first; then the bass with a plectrum; then the drumcomputer over the minivox amplifier. I added a bass-synth part in the choruses. Then I recorded the voice in two 'identical' tracks, inventing the chorus -melody on the fly. I like the chorus being lower than the verses, which is most unconventional. My room was a mess while recording this song; I could hardly move with all the cords around me.

Lyrics: I know I can't show how deeply dreadful.. / My works have gone bezirk / I creep to mouthful / Oh no, the wish-station goes / The stars are banned from.. / Riddle mind / You go with this unarmed this time, I / Have to cry / Riddle mind / The speaking voice of when she tries, I / Have to cry / We will all be thrilled when lights are lazy / Blood is life and this / Can drive you crazy / I want to smell you again / I hope you'll stay here / Riddle mind..

Spaced Out Synth-Gop*: 'The Tunnel of Hope and Despair'

2007-01-15T15:03:00.000+01:00

* 'gop' = gospel-pop

Song: The Tunnel of Hope and Despair (click link to listen!)

Session Date: a couple of days in January 2007

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, PC with Audacity, semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Yamaha RY-30 drumcomputer, Squier bass, Godin Radiator electric guitar

Log: I finally unpacked my Yamaha RY-30 that I'd bought quite some time ago - I never actually used it and once gave it to a friend who has programmed some very nice patterns into it. Since I got it back I never touched it, until a few days ago. I started creating sounds with it, because it really is sort of a synthesizer, this drum-machine - and out of one of these sounds came the idea for a song.

Lyrics: The night is all around / We hear the roaring of the sea / We know that we can't see / The particles of fear / The demons drawing near / We know / That you will guide us through / The tunnel of hope / And despair / You gave your everything / Became a humble Nazarene / And touched a wordl obscene / Awaken nowe, my king / And hasten to the battlefield / Your love will never yield / To humanity's pride / And our cunning

Steamin' Semi-Rock: 'The Keymaker's Glasses'

2006-12-19T13:19:00.000+01:00

Song: The Keymaker's Glasses (final mix)

The Keymaker's Glasses (pre-final mix)

Session Date: Tuesday December the 19th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, semi SM-58 mic, PC with Audacity

Music Gear: Godin Radiator electric guitar, Squier bass, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer, kazoo

Log: A song improvized and taped in the morning and mixed in the afternoon. Except for the guitar part, which I taped yesterday evening. The song is partly stolen from one of my older songs, but hey - I got the copyrights, I can do with it what I want to. Besides, shouldn't creativity be defined as the creative (re)ordering of existing materials? That's what the Creator has been doing mostly. What is more amazing: the similarity between our genes and those of a fruitfly - or the difference between us?!

Lyrics: And then I hope I will find back my nerves in the dirt / Came to see / Came to check / Came to be / Came to wreck / Tend to be a lost frontier / Let me see the cost of fear / With the keymaker's glasses I run to the shore / Where I hope to be with you in the wind for evermore / I'm alone in the woods of pain / I know now I won't go insane

My Reply To Bianca Ryan: 'Poisoned Xmas Ground'

2006-12-18T22:14:00.000+01:00

Song: Poisoned Xmas Ground

Session Date: Monday December the 18th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar with steel strings tuned down and alternatively, Godin Radiator electric guitar, Squier bass, shakers

Log: . You lucky bastards! You get two songs on one day!!
This.. is my reply to Bianca Ryan's xmas-hit!

Lyrics: The days are dark it's cold outside / I'm cycling through the village and I watch the lights / My eyes are dark, I want to hide / I'm thinking of the shatters that I left behind / My favourite stars have fallen into her backyard / And poisoned the ground / Be merry now, it's christmas time / Life is a commercial and we do just fine / We win through electricity / And eat and drink ourselves out of this misery / My favourite star has fallen into her backyard

Musical Feces: 'More Than Zero'

2006-12-18T16:42:00.000+01:00

Song: More Than Zero

Session Date: Monday December the 18th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII; PC with Audacity; Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar with steel strings; shakers (outro)

Log: I need to finish my study.. Yeah. I know. Let's tape some musical feces first.

Lyrics: The day is calling through my window / Water's dripping down to the streets /The warmth that I breahte / What when there's no structure / What if there's too much luxury / I keep on asking what will I be / When I'm home / When life endows me / When I don't know where to go / When frustrations arouse me /That train's coming slow

Amalgam-Ill-Music: 'Blame it on the Amalgam'

2006-12-14T20:07:00.000+01:00

Song: Blame it on the Amalgam

Session Date: Thursday December the 14th

Recording Gear: Fostex X-12 fourtrack; PC with Audacity; semi SM-58 mic

Music Gear: Godin Radiator electric guitar; Vox mini-amp; cheap dynamic mic; Squier bass

Log: This is what happens if you have too many amalgam fillings.

Lyrics: My mouth's full of amalgam fillings / That are slowly releasing mercury into my body / I quit smoking / But how should I quit amalgam / Quit amalgam / Oh, I didn't choose this / Tell me it's a myth / Tell me I'm gonna get away with this / My braincells suffered millions of killings / I find it not really pleasing / Where's the antidote to this monster / Didn't I have a spare head somewhere in the loft / In the loft / Oh, I have no control / Tell me it's a joke /Let's laugh till we choke / Oh my focus is bad and it makes me so sad when I'm alive like this / Zero progress is me but I know I can't see that you will never miss

Absurdistic Semi-Easy Listening: 'Mountainsick Mind'

2006-12-09T22:38:00.000+01:00

Song: Mountainsick Mind

Session Date: Saturday December the 9th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII; Behringer C-1 condensator mic; semi-SM 58 mic; PC with Audacity

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar with steel strings; Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer

Log: .A hell of a lot of work to mix this bastard. Quite an absurdistic song. It needed a bit of rest every now and then, but fading out and in the drums was too tricky.

Lyrics: ..I will post the lyrics later...

Is This Bad Enough for Underground Labels? 'The Dead Pig of Fort Valerio'

2006-12-09T17:31:00.000+01:00

Song: The Dead Pig of Fort Valerio

Session Date: Saturday December the 9th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII; PC with Audacity; Behringer C-1 condensator mic; SM-58 clone mic

Music Gear: Godin Radiator electric guitar; Squier bass; Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer; Vox mini-amplifier

Log: I almost went nuts, so I decided recording a song was better. The singing is inspired by my dad's style of singing (or maybe it's genetical), which makes it genuinely underground.

Lyrics: I'm flying through the clouds of decay / With a smile of despair if I may / I'm getting used to bouts of pain on the way / Quite sure that I'm gonna reach another day / Hope's diffused / When you get used / To stayin' away from pain / I'm the proud owner of a brain / I take my toolbox and try to make it sane / When I find temporary peace I want more / But who's that ringing at my door

Short Minimal-Music Style Jam With Myself: 'Desynchronized Flubberwuckles'

2006-12-02T11:08:00.000+01:00

Song: Desynchronized Flubberwuckles

Session Date: somewhere in the end of November 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, PC (Audacity)

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: Either it was right after, but I think it was some days after the Friday Kitchen Improvisations, I recorded this jam with myself at the very end of the tape.

Lyrics: Instrumental..

Lazy Softpop: 'Beware of Dead Things'

2006-11-26T12:30:00.000+01:00

Song: Beware of Dead Things

Session Date: Friday November the 17th

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, PC (Audacity)

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: This is the last of the Friday Kitchen Improvisations. After recording this song I went to the 'Walk Inn' to eat fries with mayonaise.

Lyrics: Will you find your home at last / Are you digging in the past / You won't find it there / 'Cause dead things are a snare / Are you emperor of all / Will you fly or will you fall / You can't stand back and look / You'll have to answer that call / Oh, I'm amazed at how stupid we are / We're so far / Removed from the spring of our youth / Oh, I'm amazed at how stupid I am / I'm so far / Removed from the spring of my youth

Newsflash

2006-11-24T11:47:00.000+01:00

News: The player doesn't seem to work for several days now. I don't know what's wrong - and I don't feel like diving into it. Also, there are quite some songs now that I haven't added to the player yet. But if it doesn't work anyway - ... Maybe I have to get a new player.

Another thing is that rumour has it that Blogger is going to force all it's members to move over to Blogger Beta or the new Blogger. The new Blogger uses templates with different codes which would mean that I would lose the lay-out I have now and would have to build it up from scratch again. Nice, eh? Well, we'll see...

Yet another thing is that I would like to find a small label that would be interested in my music. Perhaps Morc records is an option. But my music is probably to neat for them. If you have a better idea, mail me.

Acoustic, melodic gospelpop: 'Flourish'

2006-11-24T11:36:00.000+01:00

Song: Flourish

Session Date: Friday November the 17th

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, PC (Audacity)

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: The third Friday-last-week-kitchen-song. I was happy while recording this song and the original biblical Sabbath had just begun.

Lyrics: I'm so glad / That I'm here / And I'm glowin' / And I'm near / To the life that you give to all / 'Cause you got life / You got a heart / You give away / You'll never depart from your creation / I'm so glad / That I own / What I've got / And I'm owned / By a God who's just and real / 'Cause you are truth / You are the lamb / I'm accused / But you have been damned so we could flourish

Simple and swinging: 'Beyond the Age of 8-bit Computers'

2006-11-23T20:53:00.000+01:00

Song: Beyond the Age of 8-bit Computers

Session Date: Friday November the 17th

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, PC (Audacity)

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: Another and the 2nd song I recorded Friday last week in the kitchen.

Lyrics: Will I ever turn around / When I'm on my way to bow down then / Low / In the future all is gold / When we leave the garbage mold, my friend / At last / Have we sunk like ship / Have we whored like a bitch / Our case's not strong / But the judge of heaven and earth has agreed to punish his son / He will never turn around / When he's on his way to strike down all / Power / Thirsty children they will drink / Mighty private parts will shrink down in / That hour / We will praise and be glad / When his gace shines in red / His anger's holy / But we must get offa this plane and be headed for Calvary's cross

The Friday Kitchen Improvisations - '#2'

2006-11-19T21:12:00.000+01:00

Song: #2

Session Date: Friday November the 17th

Recording Gear:.Tascam 488 MKII, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, PC (Audacity)

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: Yeah, got out of work Friday and put my stuff in the kitchen because of the great acoustics there. Recorded four songs in a row, improvizing. This is the first, logically called '#2'..

Lyrics: Somehow / I'm gonna do now / Nothin' special but / Sit like a bird on a lazy cow / And the sun pierces / The crown of my head / And I think of a rainbow in the middle of the desert where I try to find a bed / Oh no, not that sound again /I have no friends / When I'm missin' out on sleep and I have to work again / Oh no, not that smile again / I can't laugh 'cause / I have to be a brute and I have to be a man

Semi 8-bit blues: 'Obviating Obstacles'

2006-11-11T23:30:00.000+01:00

Song: Obviating Obstacles

Session Date: Saturday 11th of November

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII; Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: This song was built up as an 8-bit computer-tune. I started out with a 'bass'-line, and added some other voices. Then I wrote some lyrics and did the vocals, adding a second vocal that gets punched in at the choruses.

Lyrics: Immunize myself for my ill-judged choices / Lose my better half in a choir of voices / I seek completion but find nothing at all / Find a way to die, try to live a lie / I can't imagine that I'll wake up and fall / O, what a lonely place: the Purity Fair / I tried to make it but the cops cut my hair / Will I be blended into majestic grey / I just want a screen that says: 'simply OK' / I want to be in and I want to be out / I'm tired of being and I'm tired of these doubts

Swinging drumsless gospel: 'Sunny Bird Up'

2006-11-03T17:37:00.000+01:00

Song: Sunny Bird Up

Session Date: Friday November the third

Recording Gear: PC using Audacity; Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; Behringer C-1 condensator mic; SM 58 clone mic

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: An improvisation based on a smooth bluesy riff. I added some string-bending, then wrote some lyrics. First I tried to sing loud and high-pitched. That didn't work out well, so I tried a more casual style, crooning a bit. I added a guitar solo and threw a Wah over it. There you are.

Lyrics: I wanna push away seas of pain / Walls are stained / With the blood of a long lost friend / I heard the sound of war / The silent scars of things that used to be / Can you understand me / When I mutter in the rain / Oh, the waves of the ways in which I try to escape / From life and the fire of God / Stand up, sonny bird up! / You must fly into the sun and die and be dyed from red to white / With the paint of his righteousness (2x)

Warm blurt: 'I Wished To Be Alone'

2006-10-28T23:00:00.000+02:00

Song: I Wished To Be Alone

Session Date: Saturday October the 28th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; Behringer C-1 condensator mic; PC - Audacity

Music Gear: Takamine Spanish guitar with steel strings

Log: A blurt. An improvisation. A heart that 'smacked like a stone' - is that English? Dunno. Whate4.

Lyrics: An unexpected visitor / Came waving at my window / The wind was howling like a baby / And I tried to hide my tears from the moon / What, what could I do for him / The house was empty / Could he fill it up for me / My heart was broken / Smacked like a stone / I wished to be alone

Wastetime: 'Comfort Hell'

2006-10-28T21:32:00.000+02:00

Song: Comfort Hell

Session Date: Saturday October the 28th

Recording Gear: .Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; PC - Audacity; Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Godin Radiator electric guitar

Log: .What can I say? This is a processed piece of sound that began as an experimental jam with Dutch lyrics expressing misery.

Lyrics: Beyond recognition.

At doctor Emmet's request: 'Alone in the Not So Silent Woods'

2006-10-24T10:06:00.000+02:00

Song: At Doctor Emmet's Request - Alone in the Not So Silent Woods

Session Date: Tuesday October the 23th 2006

Recording Gear: This is a remix.

Music Gear: .Remix, I said.

Log: .This is what doctor Emmet said:

really nice to see you experiment with sampling. allow me to interfere a little, with a couple of wild ideas

> why don't you play the sample way below the original pitch, thus slowing down the whole thing

> lose the bluesy guitar lines you added later, or reverse them like you do at the end of the track. the whole thing sort of oozes "c&w" now

> add some really heavy slap bass line, played in a totally different groove

> put in an amen break

see what happens!

So.. That's what I did... Are you satisfied now doctor Emmet?!

Lyrics: see before

Psychedelic experiment: 'Alone in the Silent Woods'

2006-10-22T21:31:00.000+02:00

Song: Alone in the Silent Woods

Session Date: Sunday October the 22th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as mixer; PC with Audacity; Behringer C1 condensator mic; SM-58 clone mic

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar; Takamine Spanish guitar (both with steel strings); Godin Radiator electric guitar; Vox mini-amp

Log: This song was based on a sample I created from a guitar track. I repeated the 'sample' over and over again and used it as the base for the song. It wasn't too hard to come up with a melody for the vocals. The bassy vocal creates a special effect. I tried to make a drum-track playing live on the drumcomputer, but that didn't work out. So I just added some guitar parts. I played around with some effects in Audacity. And when I had mixed the whole thing, I realised I forgot the bass. I've been trying to add a decent bass track, but somehow I can't find the perfect bassline and everything that isn't perfect seems to waste the song...
You can regard this song as a first experiment with repeating self-created samples. The song doesn't feel/sound finished yet. And it's got a bit of an eerie touch to it, doesn't it?

Lyrics: I'm so tired but I cannot sleep / I've been workin' like Barry Blue /I'm gonna dive into the poignant deep / I'm gonna walk on the oldest shoe / When I rise, when I fall and weep / I'm so full of her starlight eyes / I walk alone in the silent woods / Forever banned from this paradise

Musical Fart: 'Can't Sleep So Tired'

2006-10-21T09:38:00.000+02:00

Song: Can't Sleep So Tired

Session Date: October the 20th 2006

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII used as a mixer; Behringer C1 condensator mic; pc - Audacity

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar; pc keyboard drum program

Log: This is not a song, but more like a musical fart. I've always shrunk back from recording large experimenting sessions. The idea of just letting the tape run and play and sing whatever comes to mind is of course to catch ideas or perhaps even find ready made diamonds among the junk. But I'm afraid I'm too much of a perfectionist for that. Anyway, I do think it's a good idea to force myself into doing this, because loads of good ideas have already gone to waste simply because I forgot them.
So, yesterday I pressed 'record' in Audacity and played whatever came to mind. The cool thing about recording with a pc is of course that you can save loads of recordings to harddisk. Anyway, I picked out a short piece of guitar and vocals, added a stupid pc keyboard drum, put a wahwah over that drum, duplicated the guitar and vocals track and added distortion to the dup. Et voilà.

Lyrics: (Just wanna do something and see what comes..) / I, I don't know what to say now / 'Cause I'm so tired / Well, I can't sleep / 'Cause it's still light

Back From Work.. With a 'Split Second Killer Hook'!

2006-10-05T22:14:00.000+02:00

Song: Split Second Killer Hook (1st mix)
Split Second Killer Hook (2nd mix)

Session Date: Thursday October 5 2006ssion

Recording Gear: rTascam 488 MKII, pc (Audacity), Behringer C-1 condensator mic, SM-58 clone mic

Music Gear: mTakamine C-128 acoustic guitar, uGodin Radiator electric guitar, Squier bass, percussion

Log: Worked like a dog this week, so when I got home I wanted to record a song. Taped some simple guitar parts on the Tascam, added bass, electric guitar parts, and then wrote some lyrics and recorded some vocal parts. Filled up my 8 tracks already, so recorded it on my pc in Audacity and added some percussion and the guitar solo in Audacity, using the Tascam as a mixer. And there we are.
..........
Worked on a second mix, added wah to the guitar solo, compressed stuff..

Lyrics: Putting sensors in the lion's den / Saving bugs for dynamite / Fencing in the danger area / Wish this time I get it right / I'm a brand new musketeer / I lift my thumb to the world / But now there's noone waving back / I don't know what I'm doing here / Guess only myself can only get help from heaven / I feel so lonely / I pray that you fill my heart with your love / I need your light so badly / Being fragile is like surgery / How it hurts to be myself /I know I have to leave the nursery / Get on my way to Galilee / I will impress you like an open book / But turn the page and I am closed / I want a split second killer hook / I want the truth exposed

A Quick One Before I Have To Get Back to Work: 'Happy Shalom Searching'

2006-09-30T21:03:00.000+02:00

Song: Happy Shalom Searching

Session Date: Saturday, September the 30th 2006

Recording Gear: Fostex X-12 fourtrack, SM-58 clone mic, PC (Audacity)

Music Gear: Takamine spanish guitar

Log: This is another song made on the couch. Really, literally. I take my fourtrack downstairs, put it on the couch, and record a song. I put the mic on some big books to capture the guitar. Improvized a little something a couple of times. Lo-fi charm. You can hear some household-sounds in the background, and in the end you can hear my eight year old foster-sister whistling.

Lyrics: The day outside is beautiful / Inside the struggle lingers on / The children and the butterflies / Are paintings that have come alive / Oh, lord creator you are great / You show yourself in what you've made / Oh, teach me on this seventh day / To be a humble jar of clay / Your love is not an artefact / You know the pain of being cheated on / You are the greatest lover

MP3-player-recording-glory: 'Lester, Lester'

2006-09-08T13:36:00.000+02:00

Song: Lester, Lester

Session Date: Sept. 8th, 2006

Recording Gear: Victory LT-200P MP3-player; PC - Audacity; headset-mic

Music Gear: Takamine and Yairi acoustic guitar

Log: Got out of bed and recorded this song on my MP3-player. A program that I used for converting my MP3-player-wavs to normal wavs had expired, so I looked for free similar programs on the web; couldn't find anything. Finally, it dawned on me that I could just play the song with quicktime (which recognizes rare wav-formats) and then record the audio in Audacity. In Audacity, I just duplicated the track and had the second track begin a fraction later, thereby creating an echo-effect. I also added second and third voices with the headset-mic on the second and fourth strophe. Finally, I added one chord at the end.

Lyrics: Lester, Lester / Where have you gone / Missed out on the mustard /Struck a son /Whereby, whereby / Oh, will you survive / Together with baby /Fire and a knife / A new day broke / Too late.. / Lester, Lester / Why don't you come back / Life's not just a tester / Free to try / Somehow, somehow / You will be renewed / By the power of him who's / The A and the Z / A new day breaks / Step in!

New Job, New Dangers: 'I Need Your Love in Dangerland'

2006-09-01T19:32:00.000+02:00

Song: I Need Your Love in Dangerland

Session Date: Friday Sept. the 1st 2006

Recording Gear: PC; Audacity; Tascam 488 MKII 8-track used as a mixer; Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar; Squier bass

Log: 15.36: I've composed a new song - guitar and vocals, lyrics need to be written still - about an hour ago. Got an idea while playing my guitar and worked it out, recording it with a headset-mic in Audacity so I wouldn't forget it. Now I've just created a drumtrack in Tuareg. Cool program. I've exported the drumtrack as a wav-file and gonna import it in Audacity now...

19.28: OK.. The song is ready! I recorded the guitar track two times and panned them a bit. Then I recorded the bass - I really had a good time playing this track until it was good enough. After that, I did the vocals: I quickly wrote some lyrics and then recorded the vocal track two times standing in front of the condensator mic. After that, I started mixing... It was a hell of a job, as usual, and in the end I dedided not to use any reverb on any of the tracks. I 'endorphinized' the guitars (that's basically pumping them up a bit) and used compression on all tracks except the drums. And here it is! I think I like it, but I've been mxing too long to be able to listen to it objectively.

Lyrics: But now dangerland appears / And I don't know what to do / Should I welcome back my fears? / Or should I try to steal the clue? / Completely lost anew / I need your love in the middle / Of crazy goings-on / 'At least I have some fun' / But that's just me on the fiddle / And I come back to your heart / I don't need to leave my room / Will you please rip me apart / And reassemble me in your womb / (You're) the sacred supergroom / We need your love in the middle / Of crazy goings-on / 'At least we have some fun' / But that's just us on the fiddle

Shabbat shalom!

Instrumentally, I mean 'Sentimentally Yours'

2006-09-01T16:13:00.000+02:00

Song: Sentimentally Yours

Session Date: a couple of afternoons in summer 2006

Recording Gear: PC, Audacity, Tascam 488 MKII used as mixer, guitar directly plugged into Tascam

Music Gear: Godin Radiator electric guitar

Log: This recording took me hours and hours.. It was done in Audacity, using the Tascam 8-track as a mixer. It was meant to grow out into a song, but the recording and mixing process didn't work out as I hoped it would, so I forgot about it. Today I incidentally stumbled upon it.

Lyrics: -

Ever seen spacedogshit? - 'Tired Head'

2006-08-28T14:25:00.000+02:00

Song: Tired Head

Session Date: somewhere in 2002

Recording Gear: Korg D12

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar, Stagg condensator mic, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer

Log: This is one of the 'Korg D12 sessions'-songs. The original mix contained the sound of a car claxon that was incidentally caught on 'tape' and that I repeated using the 'scene'-function of the D12 ('scene'-programming was really horrible and extremely time-absorbing). This mix hasn't been retrieved yet, and this version was mixed by my friend Temme Sikkema, who borrowed me the Korg D12. In the words of a retired rock-journalist:

"The original mix entices the audience to come back every time and push that rewind button, because it contains a really beautifully captured honking car [no sampling devices used]. This story ofcourse reminds the reader of the Rolling Stones track Country Honk on the Let It Bleed album. However, a not so talented technician apparently cut this "version" of the track, explaining the omission of the honking car. A not-so-subtle pan shift in the vocal track sadly reminds one of the first stereo mixes that were done in the early sixties, when it was more used as an "effect" and not as a spatial concept. For fans only."

Lyrics: Into outer space / Flying like a lady-bird / I know I can't keep pace / With a universe / This absurd / Come home / Wait no more / Wipe the gore / From your tired head / From your tired head / Look down at the earth / That is where / You are / Come home / That is where you are /Look up at the stars / That is where you'll be / Into streets unknown / Hovering like spacedogshit / I know I'm on my own / And I still rehearse: / 'I have been hit' / Come home / Wait no more / Wipe the gore / From your tired head / From your tired head..

Early John Lee Hooker Style: 'Chaos Blues'

2006-08-18T16:27:00.000+02:00

Song: Chaos Blues

Session Date: August 18th 2006

Recording Gear: Victory LT-200 mp3 player

Music Gear: Yairi spanish guitar

Log: I'm amazed how well my new ultracheap mp3-player records. OK, it's got a 8 Khz sample rate, but the mic is quite OK! It does a better job than the headsetmic we bought a while ago.

This blues improvisation was edited in Audacity. Basically, I added iZotope Vinyl. As a kid I listened a lot to 'Tupalo Blues', one of the early records of John Lee Hooker. That was before they took him to the city and gave him an electric guitar. All acoustic and magnificently idiomatic and spontaneous. And oh, that deep, dark, warm voice..

Well, too bad I'm a white boy. For a long time I have been dreaming of playing the blues like early John Lee Hooker. I find it hardest to sing the blues, in sync with my guitar. And I find it hard to improvize and switch between strumming and soloing and keeping the rhythm up. But this small afford inspires me to perhaps give it a try again and record some old school blues songs one day.

Lyrics: It is a chaos in my life / Chaos, chaos, chaos.. / How am I ever / Gonna order / All the chaos / All the chaos in my room, in my house, in my mind..

Newsflash: I've Launched My 1000th Blog!!!

2006-08-15T02:04:00.000+02:00

News: I've launched a new blog. It's gonna be an allround blog, but probably focused on (personal) life, theology and music ('cause Meite U is a listener too). I've been working for ages on the template and I think it's pretty neat. So go have a look at DOCTERBLOG.

Zeronairs, return to your Maker! - 'Jumping Off the Edge of the World'

2006-08-13T14:39:00.000+02:00

Song: Jumping Off the Edge of the World

Session Date: August 11-12, 2006

Recording Gear: pc, Audacity, Tascam 488 MKII as mixer, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, SM-58 clone mic

Music Gear: Godin Radiator electric guitar, Vox mini-amp, Squier bass

Log: I wrote the lyrics of this song a couple of days ago, when I was very hyperactive and looking for a way to canalize my energy. So I started writing an alphabetical poem, just as you find many alfabetical psalms in the Bible.
Later that day I wrote the music.
Yesterday and today I've recorded the song. All in Audacity, using my Tascam MKII as a mixer. After every couple of tracks I mixed them to one new track, saving the progressive steps, because my pc can't handle too many tracks at the same time.
The lyrics are rather cynical. But, even for a world that is metaphorically jumping off the edge of the earth, there is still hope.

Lyrics: Angry clouds are piling up tomorrow / Best before a hundred years ago / Chewing eyes are dim with bitter sorrow / Dishy lies are keeping up the show / Easy minds are buried in good fortune / Fancy-free forever and a day / Gauntlets off after the abortion / Hindsight pain is chasing you away / Indescribable arrangements appear in the night / Juggling with the tears of the ones we left behind / Karting with the devil in a race towards the end / Lionizing the thiefs that won't repent / Mighty hands are clapping for the future / Numerous, explicable and vain / Overcome by promising computers / Packed up in a slow titanic train / Questioning the source-code of the programs of our lifes / Rearranging furniture until the day we die / Staggering the pitious ones who still know how to feel / Tautologizing gibberish until we get the deal / U-turning around ourselves forever /Vacuum-cleaning our hearts in vain / Wirepulling, sharp and clever / Xenophobic, allergic to pain / Yielding well for the blood-thirsty snake-god / Zeronairs, return to your Maker!

Family Feedback

2006-08-10T11:16:00.000+02:00

My brother has emailed me a classification schedule showing what he thinks of the different songs I've posted on this blog. At the moment he likes the latest song, 'The Final Flattening of Proudheart Hill', best. He didn't like 'The Potatoe Plate Midday Break'.

This is very good! I want to know what my audience thinks!

Thanks Christiaan.

Another Song-Sketch: 'The Final Flattening of Proudheart Hill'

2006-08-09T23:38:00.000+02:00

Song: The Final Flattening of Proudheart Hill

Session Date: Wednesday the 9th of August 2006

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar, Behringer C-1 condensator mic

Recording Gear: pc with Audacity; Tascam 488 MKII as a mixer

Log: I wrote this song yesterday. It's just an idea, actually, but I'm interested in songs that are just ideas - I'm interested in never working them out. Or is it a handicap? Let's say I have ADHD.

Anyway, I recorded this one in Audacity, using the Tascam 488 MKII as a mixer (I connect the Tascam to my pc, you see?). Just two guitar tracks and two vocal tracks.. But after I'd duplicated the guitar tracks to put some reverb on them, had some extra vocal tracks because of re-recordings (Audacity pops up a new track every time you press record; I don't know how to / if it can record on a given track), and duplicated the vocal tracks for reverb too, my pc tilted. I could save my work, restarted, deleted the vocal duplicates and reverberized the originals instead. I put some phaser on the guitar part after the chorus (or what is supposed to be the chorus).

The lyrics speak for themselves, I guess, and were inspired by the writings of this guy.

No.. This can't be true.. I listen to the song now and I'm afraid I've accidentally put the phaser effect over one of the vocal tracks too!

Lyrics: Their innocent blood / Is crying / For judgment / We never have enough / We're dying / To break free From robbers in our souls / That we invited in / And then we get so cold / We have no hope within /He will come / To settle up the score / To every war-maker / He declares war / And he will / Dispose of / Proudheart Hill /The hungry don't knw / Why a good God / Is waiting / And little ones oppressed / Are told there's / No saviour / From the law of who is strong / The one that we have crowned /But they do not belong here / They are prison-bound / He will come...

Back to the nineties: 'The Potatoe Plate Midday Break'

2006-08-07T23:37:00.000+02:00

Song: The Potatoe Plate Midday Break

Session Date: Monday August 7th, 2006

Music Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar

Recording Gear: Fostex X-12 four-track, SM-58 clone mic

Log: This song is about highschool. It's about a tall guy, Douwe, a humoristic, friendly guy who had the (unhealthy and expensive) habit of using the midday break for visiting a snackbar where he would order a potatoe plate. Once, we went along with him. Today, we had dinner in the same snackbar - this probably explains the association.

My wife was skyping with her sister, so I took my four-track and a mic and sat on the couch recording some improvized cords. For the lyrics, I really had to sit at the table and think. But I squeezed them out again.

The SM-58 clone mic isn't really suitable for recording a guitar; the input signal is too low. When I recorded a second track over the first, I could hardly hear the first track (I have this problem often, on my 8-track as well - the track I record is superloud while the rest is too soft! Does anybody know how I can solve this?!), so the guitars are a bit unsteady here and there. Ah, whatever. I'm fighting perfectionism! Do you think I do a good job?

Enjoyable song - nice chorus - nice lyrics. Just my opinion.

Lyrics: Do you remember the time when the world was an ocean / Full of possibilities / We were ready to get all the credits / Begging on our knees / For a little bit of attention /We were eager to reach the top / We were just too lazy to climb there / And wondered why we dropped? / And the tall guy / In the midday break / He used to go get / A snackbar dinner plate / And we went along / On a sunny day / And we sat and ate / All our sorrows away / Do you remember the time that we hated the system / We were really so in love / Fun was good, and sorrow was distant / And we were wild and tough.. / Are you happy today when the world is on fire / Would you go back just for a day? / Hey let's make it even shorter / Just for a midday break.. / And the tall guy..

Hey... Can anybody see through the 'Ozon Dew'?

2006-08-06T19:02:00.000+02:00

Song: Ozon Dew

Session Date: August 6th 2006

Music Gear: children's xylophone piano, chinese babypiano, genius mouse (Yes. You can use a mouse as a musical instrument. Why not try it yourself?!)

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII 8-track recorder, Behringer C-1 condensator mic, PC: Audacity, digital effects

Log: This isn't just music - this is art! Why won't you understand that?!
Started out with the children's xylophone piano (the price is still on it: it was 2 euro's at the second-hand shop). Added a bit of babypiano. Wrote down some lyrics, sang. Added a second vocal. As for the mixing: the xylophone sounded horribly shrill, so I threw in a low-pass filter. Threw in some reverb as well, sounds cool with the xylo. These days I just copy the basic track first and then edit it, so you can balance the original tracks with the applied effects, if you know what I mean (if you don't, just read on). I then cut the reverb out in the parts where there are vocals, because the vocals sounded shitty with the reverb. So you get this strange alternation of heavy reverb / dry as dust. Also reverberatelized the end. Finally, I put a huge wahwah on the last part so it sounds like the wind, in line with the lyrics.

Lyrics: Yes, I'm gonna move up into my heart / 'Cause I gotta proof that I wanna start / Yes, I'm gonna be what I've chosen to / 'Cause I gotta see through the ozon dew / Oh, I know that three is amazing / Oh, I know that two is a goal / Oh, I know that one can be chasing / After zero / Set for the storm

'Teasers, Pleasers and Feeling-Freezers': Updated Version

2006-08-06T16:18:00.000+02:00

Song: Teasers, Pleasers and Feeling-Freezers (II)

Session Date: August 6th 2006

Music Gear: see previous post; added: Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer, Squier bass, Sm-58 clone mic

Recording Gear: see previous post

Log: Today I added some ugly RY-10 drums and some extra vocals at the end, as well as a bass in the end. Took quite some time to mix it off. Don't know if it's better than the first version.

Lyrics: see previous post

Quick and Easy: 'Teasers, Pleasers and Feeling-Freezers'

2006-08-05T22:02:00.000+02:00

Song: Teasers, Pleasers, and Feeling-Freezers

Music Gear: Yairi Spanish guitar, Behringer C1 condensator mic

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII 8-track analog recorder, pc - Audacity

Log: I wanted to do a quick session on Saturday night, at the end of the Sabbath. Having this irrational feeling that I want to record dozens of songs every day. Lo-fi rough diamonds. Well, this is what came out. Recorded it on the 488, recorded it on my pc, added a bit of a new free reverb I downloaded (DX Reverb Light; simple but quite nice) and the 'Columbia LP'-eq (bassy).
Maybe I'll build out this song one day. The tape won't fly away, I guess.

Lyrics: I don't know how to stand / On my feet / Without trembling / Go away / All you teasers / Pleasers / And feeling-freezers / I wanna live a life / Full of meaning / Oh, won't you go away / All you teasers / Pleasers / And feeling-freezers..

Old School Falsetto's: 'The Desert Disputants'

2006-08-01T19:18:00.000+02:00

Song: The Desert Disputants

Session Date: A day in June and August the first 2006

Musical Gear: Wind-organ, Squier electric guitar, SM-58 clone mic, handdrum, egg

Recording Gear: Tascam 488 MKII 8-track analog recorder, PC - Audacity

Story: This was the second jam with Erik Klinkhamer, who again plays the guitar. (The first one evolved into The Horrid Tale of a Heartless Key-Thrower). Come to think of it, I forgot to play a bass-track... Ah well, never mind. Pretty hard to record a decent bass-track anyway. Wind-organs rule. They're pretty atmospheric (or noisy, just how you look at it). This song was 100% improvised: I penned down some lyrics today and just started singing along with the jam. Added a second vocal. And the old handdrum. The end-result is pretty weird and sounds like my old-school four-track recordings: quirky vocals (those falsetto's!), capricious melodies. Theological lyrics, that's how I like them. Used the dictionary a couple of times, I admit. Like I said - old school..

Lyrics: The irresistable disputant clung to his disquisitional harangue / But we don't listen to him anymore / The weak died in the desert / But they weren't weak 'cause they had no strength / They were weak /cause they kept harping on, my friend / Will you take your judgment / Accept his loving discipline? / I don't know where to start / But you can start all over again / Because of his love / They were weak / Not because they had no strength / They were weak / 'Cause they kept harping on, my friend

Emergency!

2006-07-27T17:28:00.000+02:00

People, I have joined a blog-contest for the BNN Blog 40. Would you please all vote for my blog here? You must pick a mark between 1 and 10 (don't let me down here..) and then vote. Thanks!

Jam evolved into song: 'The Horrid Tale of a Heartless Key-Thrower'

2006-07-27T12:32:00.000+02:00

Song: The Horrid Tale of a Heartless Key-Thrower

Session Date: a day in June and July the 26th 2006

Together With: Erik Klinkhamer on guitar

Gear: recorded on Tascam 488 MKII; Behringer C-1 consensator mic; National GA-99TR amplifier with tremolo effect; mini-Vox amplifier; Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer; Squier bass; Godin radiator; SM 58-clone

Log: Somewhere in June, Erik came by for a jam. We put the condensator mic in the middle of my room; Erik played his guitar over the old National with the superb tremolo effect and I played the RY-10 drumcomputer over the mini-Vox. I left the recording for some weeks. Yesterday I finished it - it was a very hot day, I was sweating my head off, especially when wearing the headphones!! I took some beers to stay alive (I don't drink usually - this was an emergency). First, I played a bass track (directly into the Tascam). Then, I wrote down a hodgepodge of lyrics and used them for improvising a vocal track. Eventually, I added a second guitar, played over the mini-Vox. All this might seem simple but it took many hours. There's so much stuff I don't understand about recording. Half the time stuff doesn't work as I think it should and I have no clue why. Is there anybody out there who wants to be my engineer?! Hm, better get famous first I guess..

Lyrics: Aby Blurry Boo / Is really getting to you / Shouldn't you throw away / The key to all that you say / I think I'm so amazed / But it's really only gruesome blues / Disguised as peaceful fruits / Sitting in the middle of the road / Tryin' to order a vegetable soup / Noone showing up / Just a couple of cars / Riding over my head / I will soon be dead / All seems lost / 'Cause my ears got buzz, buzzy boom / Have I left the room? / 'Cause I don't know where I am / Exactly / Who is gonna smack me / When I persist in going wrong / Where's the key to the one true song? / Where's the key to the one true song..

Help me! My tongue's leaking ink!

2006-07-20T23:05:00.000+02:00

Song: Ink

Session Date: somewhere around 2002, probably

Gear: Korg D12, I think Takamine acustic guitar, Stagg condensator mic, Eric's bass

Story: Personally, I really like this song, music and lyrics.
The ongoing sentimental string-bending was inspired by one of Deus' songs that they played at Pinkpop in about 1995. I don't know which song it is, but it almost made me cry back then, it was so beautiful what these audiosmiths were doing.
Anyway, in the beginning of the song you hear the sound of the D12's harddisk together with a radiostation that for some reason interfered (fitting violin). I thought it were my amalgam fillings, which is why at one point I put Temme's condensator mic into my mouth to check if I'd hear any radiostations.
To bad there is clipping at the end.
Well, the song is about a loved relative, and the sad stuff that happened in her life.
I think this song is a relief after 'Bring Me to China'..

Lyrics: She was a sister / That begged to be thrown / Out of the window / So we did throw her out / She fled like a mouse / Absorbed into the void / She ran / And came at a little house / A witch was inside / And she gave her potion / Then she turned into someone new / She grew / Into an island / With very much violence / And she owes me a drink /'Cause my tongue's leaking ink

Newsflash: IE-friendly now

2006-07-19T16:40:00.000+02:00

News: Yes, people, this blog was a mess in Explorer. Who can tell how many thousands of people missed out on my music because they came here with Explorer?! I've worked on it, and it's IE-friendly now. Recommand Mozilla Firefox for everyone though.

The Korg D12 sessions! ... 'Bring Me to China'

2006-07-18T20:50:00.000+02:00

News: My friend Temme Sikkema (internationally famous bankrobber, now working on the project of his life: robbing each and every bank in Europe (see link)) offered to send me the songs I recorded on his Korg D12 around 2002! I never finished the job of mixing and mastering the material and putting it on tape or CD. There are some 5, 6 songs involved. Very kind to dig them up, Temme.
Botherbugger was one of them, and here it is in decent mp3, finally!

Song: Bring Me to China - warning: extreme lo-fi, pushing digital clipping to the absolute limit!

Session Date: probably somewhere in 2002

Gear: Korg D12, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer, Yairi Spanish guitar with built-in element, Stagg condensator mic

Story: Somewhere in 2002 when I was trying to record something, the fragility of digital recording drove me nuts. The input meters kept on going into the red. I freaked. So I decided to shove the trims to the max and record as far up in the red as possible. First I recorded a 'bass-track' played simply on the lowest guitar-string. Then the guitar part. I think I then recorded the vocals, not so much in the red, with loads of exciter to make it match with the guitars. For the lyrics I took some verses that I once wrote down on a notepad. Then I recorded the drums on the RY-10, and boy did that sound awesome up in the red! It made the percussion sounds sound like Nintendo 8-bit.. (Check the legendary end of the song). The whole song was now so much in the red and so extremely loud (my ears never totally recovered from mixing the song) that I had to compress it like nothing else to make it bearable. By the way, you can hear finger-snapping in the beginning if you listen closely.
Concerning the lyrics, Temme regards the verse 'Calm down love / I'm down with bad karma' as possibly the coolest lyric ever. Well, it's rather cynical, of course, and yes, very comical, but one thing: I don't believe in karma. I believe in grace. Bono has something nice to say about it in this interview (I don't agree with his positive valuation of the Roman Catholic Church, though. No sir.) The song is about lies, obviously; about chasing after illusions (the heffalumps..); about dragons that won't change into princes and seductive mayonaise-smiled ladies with crocodile-thighs... About life without God.. Remember: this is not a test!

Lyrics: There is the dragon in a bottle of piss / I'm sure when you kiss it that it won't be amiss / The bottle will burst and the stinking truth stand: / Here is not a man / Bring me to China and bring me to hell / There must be a place where the heffalumps dwell / They consider existence as such / Here is not a clutch / There is the lady with the mayonaise smile / Her eyes fried tomatoes, her thighs crocodiles / Run while you can or forget all the rest / This is not a test.. / Calm down, love / I'm down with bad karma / Calm down, love / I'm down with bad karma /Calm down, love / I'm down with bad karma / Calm down, love / I'm down with bad karma

'Of Deadly Pride and Heartless Men'

2006-07-17T21:37:00.000+02:00

Song: Of Deadly Pride and Heartless Men

Session Date: Monday 17th of July

Gear: Takamine acoustic guitar; headset-mic; pc (Audacity)

Story: This is a newbie. It's based on an idea I recorded on tape a while ago, singing in nonsense-English (as I always do when recording ideas). I worked it out and now it's a song. It's still gotta grow, I like playing it. My wife likes hearing it, which is really something. This is a 'demo'-recording, obviously - that headset-mic isn't the world's best. But with Audacity's effects I've tried to make the best of it.. In fact, I used some reverb and compression on the track (and Decca 78 EQ), then copied it twice, then put a classic delay-effect (think of John Lennon's 'Instant Karma') on the second and a heavy reverb (100% wet for those of you who know) on the third. I put track 1 loudest, track 2 (classic delay) a bit softer and track 3 (heavy reverb) hardly hearable. I kinda liked the mix. But - it was too soft. It took me another two hours to find a VST plug-in on the web that works in Audacity and could pump up da volume (Endorphine did the trick). In Audacity, VST-effects aren't graphic and if there're too many parameters, you see a box going over the edge of your screen while you can't scroll it down. It was like that with Endorphine, but it sounded good enough tweaking only the parameters that fit onto my screen. Only a bit of darn clipping.. And it's still too soft.. Ah, just turn your volumes up! Lazy listeners! Can't do everything for you!
The lyrics are breathtakingly honest, as usual.

Lyrics: Won't you tear down, tear down all / That comes up against your gracious love / Will we hear now, hear now all / Instructions descending like a dove / Enter the flawless plan / Who's gone out to take a stand / Against deadly pride and heartless men / Of old / Enter the sinless son / He's gone out for everyone / Became a curse / The cosmos won / Anew / Won't you bear now, bear now all / The darkness and lack of faith in me / Are you near now, near now God I'm so enclosed and far away / Enter the flawless plan..

Toby Teardrop: 'I Was a Teenage Guitar Heroe'

2006-07-13T10:16:00.000+02:00

News: I've accidentally reset the counter of this blog to zero. Too bad.. Anyhow.

Song: I Was a Teenage Guitar Heroe

Session Date: somewhere in 2005

Gear: 4-track, Takamine Spanish guitar, Godin radiator, Squier bass, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer

Story: A nice short jam with myself.

Ouch.. That's hard! ('Sleeping On a Stone')

2006-07-11T00:04:00.000+02:00

News: I have a lot of inspiration, and a nice new song ready for take-off (recording, that is). I'm also planning to record some live-performances with my webcam. Don't touch that dial. O yeah, I changed the lay-out around here. Been busy with it for almost a zillion hours. What have you done to me, you Christiaan my little brother who said I should really change the lay-out of my blog?!

Song: Sleeping On a Stone

Session Date: June/July 2006

Equipment: Tascam 488 MK II analog 8-track-recorder, Takamine acoustic guitar, Godin radiator electric guitar, Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer, semi-SM-something-mic, Squier-bass, kazoo

Story: A quick post round midnight. I had this ready before I left for Terschelling, but it's really nothing more than a demo which is why I won't pen down the lyrics. The RY-10 drums really suck - listen for yourself. The second chorus is a lot better than the first, but don't ask me why 'cause I couldn't figure it out.

Newsflash

2006-07-03T15:25:00.000+02:00

News: I'm off to Terschelling for a couple o' days.

Less-Than-Two-Minutes Wonder.. 'Would You Please Confirm My Name?'

2006-06-28T10:45:00.000+02:00

Song: Would You Please Confirm My Name?

Session Date: June 27, 2006

Equipment: my dad's old Spanish guitar, Godin Radiator electric guitar, voice, Squier bass, 'National GA-99TR' flea-market amplifier, head-set mic, old worn handdrum set, pc, Audacity

Story: This is another shorty, like 'Toby Teardrop'. I was working on my final paper and getting very hyperactive. To release my energy, I began working out a simple guitar-riff into a song in Audacity. I recorded everything with the head-set mic, starting with the riff and then adding three vocal tracks. Then I called in Erik's flea-market amplifier for recording my Godin Radiator, just hanging the head-set mic in front of it. I recorded a loose-chords-track with the amp's magnificent 'reverb', and a plain rhythm-track. Then I recorded my bass through the amp as well, boosting the track up in Audacity. But how about some drums? I grabbed the handdrum-set I once got from a housemate and tried recording it. The first seconds were brilliant, but then my 'swing' disappeared. So, leaving the first bit unimpaired, I spent lots of time trying to record a decent handdrum-track. When the 'drums' were finished, I added huge reverb to them which almost gives them a nintendo-like sound. After that I've been editing and mixing for a long time, cutting parts and noises out, panning etc. My pc constantly jammed so it wasn't easy. But the result isn't too bad. Now back to my final paper.

Lyrics: Grace is all the world I need / Put my feet on Calvary / Help me now, I'm far and wide / Splintered 'till I lose my pride / Can I come and just belief / Lead me through this pain and grief / Would you please confirm my name? / Who am I without this game? / Who am I without your choice? / Who am I without your voice?

Give fur the cold shoulder! - 'Only the Son'

2006-06-26T17:36:00.000+02:00

Song: Only the Son

Session Date: somewhere in 2003

Story: Talking about legendary recording sessions, this sure is one. It's a gospel ballad recorded at Manuel's, a scratcher/DJ/rapper/sound-technician/producer also known as DJ Devastate. On the front-window of his house was a browned poster with a photo of a naked, shivering and angry Pamela Anderson saying 'Give fur the cold shoulder'. At first I was amazed at Manuel's engagement with the fate of seals. Later it turned out that his ex once put it there.

I came by a couple of times for recording this song. Parts of the recording were done in Manuel's kitchen. After recording, we discovered that the fridge's buzzing was caught on the record. Manuel selected the fridge-buzz-frequency and cut it out.
I played the old, kid-sized bass that Manuel once got from a friend (didn't have a bassguitar at the time). The strings were so old that we had to heavily equalize the track because the bass sounded so dull.

We never finished the project, and this version has only the basic tracks. Unfortunately, I got it in a slightly chipmunked version. Audacity couldn't pitch it down so I downloaded some other software for that. It seems the song suffered some major quality loss underways; it sounds rather shaky. I could have put it on a higher bitrate but didn't want the file to get too big.

These sessions sure had a surrealistic feel to them. Manuel often made me laugh with the moody way that he was being nice to his whole bunch of cats. They all originally belonged to his exes.

Lyrics: All answers have gone up in smoke / There is no air - I will choke / If you don't come / There is no second chance / I can't escape the dance of life / I feel cripple and obscure / There is no fast romance / I've seen the love that couldn't live / If not somebody first died / Only the son can help me / Cruel voices grew into stones / Bad choices grind through my bones / If you don't come / There is no second chance.. / Only the son can help me / Can help me / Can truly help me

That Good Ol' Dictaphone! ('Riding My Stalking Horse Unarmed')

2006-06-23T10:57:00.000+02:00

You know, I think I'm not quite ready for the lo-fi scene yet... My songs just aren't enough... Lo-fi, you know? But hey, what about that old dictaphone I used for taping ideas? Wouldn't that sound bad enough?! Let me see, what have we got here.. Hm, that sounds a little bit slow.. Maybe if I put in new batteries? Ah, that's
better. Where is that song I recorded.. Ah!

Song: Riding My Stalking-Horse Unarmed

Date: somewhere in 2005

Story: Once I bought a couple of dictionaries and dived into some old-school dictionary-songwriting, riffling through the pages and associating like a true alpha-scholar. I penned some lyrics down and added a britpop-ballad guitar-strum later. This is what came out - taped on dictaphone. I've recorded it with the head-set mike and added some compression as it sounded rather horrible.
Absurdistic as my lyrics sometimes are, to me they're always full of meaning. I feel the seduction to go analyse my own lyrics.
The last thing you hear is my voice saying 'kwamen haar haren tegen mijn voorhoofd' ('her hair was touching my forehead') which was part of a spoken dream-log.

Lyrics: My house is scheduled / As a building of historic interest / Scaremongering ravens / Live in the basement / But I'm out riding my stalking-horse unarmed / With not a dicky-bird to say / And I am terrorized into submission OK / I speak with reverence / About the breadline that is waiting for your throne / I am a revenant / My heart is beating but / I've entered a persistent vegetative state / There are no crocodiles today / And I am terrorized into, oh well it's OK / As long as you pray

Newsflash

2006-06-21T16:17:00.000+02:00

News: Friends, I've put all the blogged songs together in the scroll-bar under 'Greatest Hits' (apparently regarding anything I record as a 'greatest hit') for quick listening. Also, I've put up the Spinus EP (home-released April 1st, 2005).

I've had some recording sessions with Erik Klinkhamer yesterday. I see forward to developing these into songs, but I must work on my final paper first and I can't continue this endless fumbling about with my blog.. So, if it be quiet here, that would be my self-discipline finally starting to work. And if it's not.. You figure it out.

' The Inner Dialogues of Toby Teardrop' - quirky soft-pop shorty

2006-06-21T13:33:00.000+02:00

Song: The Inner Dialogues of Toby Teardrop

Session Date: 21th of June 2006

Story: This one was done in Audacity fully. I improvised two Spanish guitar tracks through the headset-mike. At the end of one track I added a software wah. Then I used my Tascam 488 as a mixer and recorded my bass. Went downstairs for a bite and made up melody and text. While recording and mixing the vocals (through the 488 as well), my pc couldn't handle it anymore. I shut it down, turned off all programs, and tried again. After I already posted the song, I discovered I had lost the bass-track somehow in the editing process. Also, the guitars were too soft. So I recorded the bass anew (you can hardly hear it) and tweaked around some more. And this was supposed to be a quick take before getting off to working on my final paper!!!

Lyrics: If I only had (Not so fast!) / A panacea pill (That won't last!) / Dr. Zapper what's (wrong with you!) / I know I flee by the things that I do / Yes I want to heal (Not so fast!) / Lose my heart of steel (That won't last!) / Toby Teardrop what's (wrong with you?!)

Blog Reviewed and 'I Am a Refridgerated Mollusk'

2006-06-20T23:59:00.000+02:00

News: Dear readers, our blog got a very sympathetic review on 'My Old Kentucky Blog'. I've been having a good laugh several times over the line "Not much is known about the guy other than that (other than it's time for a sunglasses upgrade)". (See upgrade)
Especially for new visitors, I've changed the order of posts a bit, putting the more interesting stuff on top.

Song: I Am a Refridgerated Mollusk

Session Date: August 2004 and March 2005

Story: From the Spinus EP, this baby was taped in Rumania as well, in the cool stone congregation hall. It was a hell of a job recording it since I was in a state of mental depression during the session, which contrasts sharply with the playfulness of the song. I like the lyrics a lot (especially "I am an artificially intelligent computer /Resisting a system-scan"), stretching metaphors into outer space, so to speak. At a closer look they reveal much of my inner strugglings but also of my faith. The whistling was inspired by the old 'Peppi en Kokki'-tune, a tv-series of prehistoric age. I just whistled while almost eating the microphone , overdubbed it, and it sounded great. At home I finished it with drumcomputer, bass and compression (a bit too much perhaps) on my digital 2488.

Lyrics: I am a refridgerated mollusk / On top of a sky-scraper / I am a debilitated bulldog / My teeth are made of paper / I am an air-conditioned oven / Crowded with business men / I am an artificially intelligent computer /Resisting a system-scan /I feel I don’t have the time / To run away from fear / I’m looking for a life sublime / But it comes searching for me / Right here /Will You be gentle with me / So much don’t fit me / Blow my mind / Evil is mental you see / But evil will be / Left behind /I feel I don’t have the time..

Headset-Microphone Glory: 'Filling Out Coordinates' - First Entry!

2006-06-20T17:55:00.000+02:00

(Originally posted on June 2nd)
Song: Filling Out Coordinates

Session Date: 2/6/06

Story: Allright, it ain't easy, but finally I found a way to put audio on my blog without having to learn to master impossible computer techniques first. So, for your enjoyment, here's my first audio-post: a 'demo-version' of my new song 'Filling Out Coordinates', simply played through a head-set microphone so it doesn't sound too good (a bit in the red sometimes - digital distortion.... aaargh! - the ticking sound is the microphone-cable ticking against the guitar...). I might try to post the full-blown eight-track analog-recorder version later. We'll see.. Better not promise anything.
Let me know what you think.

By the way, I'll be offline the following days, celebrating sabbath and Shavuot - the Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost.

Lyrics: Just as the happy clappy crowd arrives / I feel a maturation pain inside / 'Hey little daddy' sings the children's choir / I feel a miracle of pain swell up inside / Nowhere ride / Won't you go home / Tying in / Just when the matrimony mix gets mild / I feel a sorrow for the rose-hip child / Swing little daddy like you got no time / I feel a giant overconfidence arrive / Buy my time / Won't we go home / Tying in / Take me in you / Dead to sin

8-track analog/digitally edited version of Filling Out Coordinates!

2006-06-19T23:37:00.000+02:00

(Originally posted June 10th)
Song: Filling Out Coordinates

Session date: May 2006

Story: Hey guys and gals, here's the 8-track analog/digitally edited vs. of Filling Out Coordinates. It's nice to compare it to the 'head-set version' that was my first post (just scroll all the way down [right.. I wouldn't do that..]). This one is older, actually, and taped on a Tascam 488 MKII 8-track analog recorder (the MKII uses ordinary cassettes). The recording was a bit messy (totally in the red) but I recorded it on computer with low input volume, then added reverb, then compressed it (this is tech-talk for musicians, obviously). Hope you like it. (Although my life doesn't depend on it. At least, that's what my therapist says ;) ).
O yeah, I finally found out how to record in stereo (on my pc).. I know, I'm a bit late, most people had moved over already...

Lyrics: see above

Lo-Fi Drama

2006-06-18T21:15:00.000+02:00

Song: A Robber Gone

Story: Allright, now we're talkin'. I got inspired by checking out the lo-fi scene a bit - surprisingly there seems to be a market for people who produce tapes with four-track-recordings. I've always liked the four-track, and know I'm not alone now. Well, this song was recorded on.. four-track, to begin with: guitars and bass. Then I recorded the four-track on my Tascam EIGHT-track (488 MKII). I then added my Yamaha RY-10 drumcomputer (which actually belongs to Temme Sikkema) recorded with a condensator mike through a Vox mini-mini-amplifier that a friend of mine (Erik Klinkhamer) once got for free when he bought a guitar-mag. Then I added vocals with a fake SM-58, and there we are.. Recorded it on my PC, added reverb, Decca 78 sound, compression, amplifier.. and voila. Lo-fi scene, here I come! ... ?

Lyrics: I got no time and I feel so alone / A robber gone to the very first show / I feel alive but I'm rotting away / Don't tell me lies, 'cause I know what to say (2x) / I feel so cold but I'm way overdressed / I'm in the mold of the sh*t I confessed / I cried at night, hidden deep in a dream / Don't tell me now, I must go to extremes (2x)

Jazzy improvisation with a peculiar sound: 'Jazztronic'

2006-06-18T18:24:00.000+02:00

(Originally posted June 15th)
Song: Jazztronic

Session Date: somewhere in 2005, -6? I don't know.. Time management isn't my strongest quality..

Story: Dudes and dudettes, I'm working like a dog to get my final paper done, or at least I should be working like a dog, when I'm not, but I am, really. Anyhow, this recording isn't brand new either, I throw it in because I don't have time to record. Plans are to put my latest EP ('Spinus') on this blog soon, that's 8 more songs to go. See you around.

Lyrics: what lyrics?!

Frustration Caught On Tape - 'I Can't Wear What Doesn't Suit Me'

2006-06-17T23:02:00.000+02:00

(Originally posted 12th of June)
Song: I Can't Wear What Doesn't Suit Me

Session Date: somewhere in.. 2006?

Story: This piece is in mono again, since I didn 't know how to record in stereo on my pc when I recorded some analog pieces a few days ago. Now I don't feel like gearing all up again and doing it all over again now I know how to record in stereo. That will have to wait - possibly forever.

Anyway, this song was written after my girlfriend (now my wife) entered my room during a recording session which got me really pissed ánd really frustrated about being pissed. She was happy and didn't seem to mind, but I felt awful. Notice that the 'you' in the lyrics is ambivalent - it refers not just to a person but also to the source of all personhood.

Lyrics: This is not supposed to happen / I'm in hell and you're in heaven / This is not the way that's paved for me / I long for rest, I long for beauty / But I can't wear what doesn't suit me / God I'm sorry I'm blocking out your care

Collage of Tiny Songs: 'Rise And Fall Of A Collapsing Stranger Pt. I, II & III'

2006-06-16T22:21:00.000+02:00

(Originally posted 9th of June)
Song: Rise and Fall of a Collapsing Stranger Pt. I, II and III

Session Date: 6/6/06

Story: Well, rather snapshot-like, this song. At least the parts were really recorded one after another. Oh, I like the title so much.. I would like this song only for the title..

Lyrics: [Pt. I: Rise and Fall of a Collapsing Stranger] In this town / You saw her there / In a wrong-way corridor / All the way, you show yourself / In the town, you tore it up / Could be an embarrasment / And the rise of fallin' / [Pt. II: Splintered Mezzo] / [Pt. III: Vanishing Focus] I feel hurried and I'm rushing into life / Carried away by all that is possible / I feel worried 'cause I know something ain't right / It's not OK to focus on what's vanishing

'Crushed Feet' - Analog Sweetness Digitally Boosted

2006-06-16T11:14:00.000+02:00

(Originally posted 6th of June)
Song: Crushed Feet

Session Date: 5/6/06

Story: Yesterday I recorded some songs, improvising them on tape, sitting on the couch with a four-track and a microphone from China (probably). It was late already, so the input level was very low. I've been working on it in 'Audacity', very cool free recording software. I'm still in the phase of experimenting when it comes to producing (and will probably always stay there as well).

I would say that some of my greatest influences are Guided By Voices/Robert Pollard, Beck and Sufjan Stevens. I don't listen to the first two much anymore, but I've been listening to Sufjan Stevens lately, and you hear this back in this song. Well, it's better than hearing James Last back in your song, isn't it?

I like this kind of recording: creating a song while working on it; fast, spontaneous and thrilling. I like short songs.

Lyrics: I got time to reach you if I speak / If I don't I will die incomplete / Give your hand, I will climb up to you / You came down 'cause our feet had been crushed / Naadaadaadaa... / I got land that is mine where I live / And a house made of stones secretly / Well you are beautiful and true to me / I got land but there's no place where I can stay / Naadaadaadaa...

Am I a singing hamster?

2006-06-15T23:46:00.000+02:00

Song: I'm So Tired of Standing Still

Session Date: August 2004 and March 2005

Story: I once heard it being said that John Denver was a singing hamster. I never listened to John Denver intensely enough to verify this, but I sure hope this country-song of mine won't lead you to a similar judgment. This is the first song of my 'Spinus' EP, of which the bigger part was recorded in a Romanian village called 'Spinus', where my girlfriend and I were staying at an orphanage. This song was recorded on four-track in the small but cosy living room of our little house right in the middle of the Rumanian countryside. Later I added drumcomputer, bass and guitars with a Tascam digital machine with which I also mixed and burnt the whole thing. The lyrics speak about spiritual frustration and are actually very up-to-date.

Lyrics: With all that I am / I tried to lose but it was a scam / You called not for this / But for joy and eternal bliss /I want to hallow your name / I’m full of anger and shame / Please show me home /I was free at last / But I’m still captured in the past / You gave all you had / But it still seems my curse ain’t dead / I know you’re speaking the truth / You are my life and my food / Your blood I drink /But if I can’t explain what You did for me / I wish I was a wonder for all to see / But then I ain’t He /I’m so tired of / Standing still / Make me fly /Then I know / That I will /I long for your love / I’m in need of your peaceful Dove / Drain my head of lies / Please forgive my short-sighted eyes / I am a child of the light / I say farewell to the night / But You must help /I have pain inside / Nameless fears that I just can’t hide / Desire was my cover-up / Got empty-handed ‘cause I let it drop / Lord Jesus show me your face / I live because of your grace / So wake me up /What if the promises that You made came true / We would be healing, raising the dead like You /O, what should we do? /I’m so tired of / Standing still / Make me fly /Then I know / That I will