Two Thousand and Fourteen

That's it, this is the end my friends......another year vanished. Let's take a walk back into, mostly my musicyear.

2014: a year of the surprising and unexspected losses:
R.I.P. actors I have enjoyed, like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Williams, but so many in a short time! See a full list IMDB deathlist 2014
To many musicians I have admired, like Bobby Keys, Jack Bruce, Johnny Winter, Bobby Womack,  Jesse Winchester, Paco De Lucia, Phil Everly, Pete Seeger, Joe Cocker (!)
Full Ranker death musicians 2014

A "few" words on Jack Bruce, because he put me on another planet and back. Everyone surely knows Cream, that supergroup from the sixties. Eric Clapton was God (to his fans and media), pushed forward as the star of the band by his american  record label at the time (Atlantic).

Not everyone knows (guess after Jack's death everyone suddenly knows!) that Jack wrote the most adventurous songs and the main hits (with lyricist Pete Brown) for the group. After Cream, Jack pursued his own musical route and his main goal was to test the boundaries in composition and arrangements of a song. His unususal and complex songwriting was a commercial flop in many obvious ways. No instant hits, no white room with sunshine peeking through it. No glamour. Just adventurous music, to keep things interesting. Searching, that was Jack, who could play many instruments (cello, bass, piano, guitar) and used them in his own personal expressive way, often resulting in composing beautiful melodies. As a working musician he became a paradox of styles, as he often guested on other albums from extreme avantgarde (Carla Bley, Michael Mantler, Zappa), "pop" (Lou Reed) to almost straight hardrock (West, Bruce, Laing). The list goes on.


I was just a green kid when Cream played their last farewell concert in the Royal Albert Hall in 1968, so I was a late Jack discoverer. Indirectly, because it was not by listening to his solo albums that already took off in 1969, but through the very intensely and inspired works of Kip Hanrahan. Especially  his 1984 album Vertical's Currency did it for me. In the middle of the sterile eighties, it was such a welcome and organic contrast to discover. That beautiful soft, intense and sensitive voice of Jack's subtle singing, bossa nova styling in the midst of a ritmically masterful band and unexpected songstructures, the whole album oozes and breathes like the human spirit: I couldn't believe that this was the former Cream bassplayer. As if Kip knew how to stir up Jack's eclectic strenghts.
So I seriously went back into his work. I found a bridge to his second 1971 soloalbum, Harmony Row, because of a few new songversions from that on Vertical's Currency, like Smiles And Grins. I was immediately intrigued by the songstructures and eclectic style. After a wild and sometimes fruityless search (it was the bloody eighties remember?) I had all of his soloalbums explored, but at the same time around 1988 Jack was crimically overlooked and seemed passé.

I couldn't believe it. Luckely he came back and got the respect he widely deserved.
I insist you "meet" him. It's not an easy listen at first, but hey, take your time.
Thanks Jack, for your expression and inspiration.







2014: I Mimic Me, my latest collection arrived in april. I'm not as musical as Jack, let that be clear. He's an example for me. Who am I anyway? I can only be grateful that I can bring them albums out. Submitted a few songs to more internetradio than before. Created some funny vids. Lots of airplay, downloads & streaming again, nice words on blogs, reviews, thanks to the digital world. And thanks to you! So musicians: just stay at home folks and meet new people!


By november I put out a short instrumental album, only exclusively on Jamendo, which also specialises in license music. (backgroundmusic/ multimedia projects) So much stuff up there, take a look:
For Your Pleasure Vol.1  

2014: Same as it ever was. Time to listen? Yeah, I follow a few interesting blogs for the more obscure, artists from the past mostly. The missing pieces in my collection.  
The new 2014 albums? Good to see so many great young, talented and enthousiastic musicians these days learning from the roots. A critical note here. Too much to listen to. So many contests. But just too little to mention, sorry. Guess as you get older, you think you've heard it all, ha.  So many releases now are so highly acclaimed by some of the press- so the hashtags on their tweets make the stories popular, it's so ridiculous. Especially in the more "o so intellectual thinking" musicscene. Interesting, fresh, hip. Yes, I'm talking indie. No, I'm not an "indie" fan at all. Is it really Indie in Independent? Or in style? Post Rock? Post what? Empty, vague, confusing and hypocritic words. They talk about it all the time, so therefore it becomes commercial. For me the word "Indie" is just as boring mainstream as U2 became! U2? There, where the money goes. Industry sucks.
It's just music, listen to it. Don't talk just head. Same as it ever was.

Jack is one of the main reasons why I love the searching, the craft of songwriting. 
As Joe Cocker sang his heart out: that's the true artist.
And hey, my list of 2014 consist mostly (!) old "boring" veteran musicians with that consistent craft!
One thing they have in common: they don't have to scream to get attention.

Hipster albums of 2014:

Ben Sidran- Blue Camus

You don't have to shout to be cool! This is smooth, intimate, hipster to the core, very organic. 70(!) old  jazzy beatpoet Ben did it again and his son plays the drums. Hooray!

Leo Sidran- Mucho Leo

Talking about his son (aha the only younger hipster here), what a pleasant surpise to hear these warm, subtle songs.

Loudain Wainwright III- Haven't Got The Blues (Yet)

Nothing new, but still fresh with words. Loudon already stole my heart with his painful sense of humor. Typical: sometimes uplifting, but bitchy folksy, melancholic next. Reflective as a mirror.

Herb Alpert- In The Mood

Yes I'm in the mood. It works, if you're in need of some. Production surprises in colourful arrangements. Herb knows and blows: warm, easy, smooth, just too subtle to call it ordinary muzak.

Neil Young- Storytone

Some critics have slaughtered this cheesy album. I think it's his best since I don't know when. More ambituous productionwise (strings like on Harvest). The full strings/ orchestra is such a beautiful contrast to his fragile delivery.

Ben Watt- Hendra
                           

Everything but the boy. Ben creates a haunting, intimate atmosphere. John Martyn comes to mind.          

Jack Bruce- Silver Rails

Needs repeated listens. Jack's personal vision. Worth it.



Neil Finn- Dizzy Heights

Surprised by this atmospheric, trippy sound. Neil tries to lift up the songs, reaching many dizzy heights.


Quoting former post 2013:"And for the sensational background information, here's a few books I've read this year. As usual, mostly sleezy (auto)biographies. Recommended:"

Victor Bockris- Lou Reed
Donald Fagen- Eminent Hipsters
Graham Nash- Wild Tales 
Rod Stewart- Autobio
Tracey Thorn- Bedsit Disco Queen
Steve Martin- Born Standing Up
David Browne- Fire & Rain 1970
David Byrne- Bicycle Diaries
Don Felder- Heaven & Hell
Judy Collins- Sweet Judy Blue Eyes
Keith Richards & James Fox (Contributor) - Life
Paul Stanley- Face The Music A Life Exposed
Ace Frehley- No Regrets
Peter Criss- Makeup to Breakup
Nick Mason- Inside Out
Rob Chapman- A Very Irregular Head Syd Barrett
Harry Shapiro- Jack Bruce Composing Himself

Shockpopradio 2014 list

Yes, with that 2013 (stupid)song of mine. Ah, what the heck...



ShockPop play list November 30, 2014
Every Sunday, Noon to 2PM Eastern 
on www.ScrubRadio.com 
Podcast Mixcloud

ShockPop podcast - November 30 2014 by Shockpop on Mixcloud

... wherein we dig mostly 2014 releases! It's been a very good year...

1. ShockPop! - ON THE AIR with Sparkwood!
2. The Penguin Party - I Wanna Be A Cult
3. Dana Countryman - The Summer I Turned Seventeen
4. Ali Ingle - The Locker
5. Alex Highton - Everybody Loves You When You're Dead
6. Dead Heart Bloom - Broken Babylon (edit)
7. 8X8 - Stop The Madman
8. Paul Handyside - Love Lies Elsewhere
9. Paul Butler - She runs with the foxes
10. Captain Wilberforce - Johnny Depp Memorial Cafe
11. Les Bicyclettes de Belsize - Beatnik My Guest
12. The JAC (featuring the Christmas Crew) - Sweet Tooth Ache
13. JoosTVD - Stupid Song(s)
14. mylittlebrother - Lovers of Life, Unite!
15. Expo - Old Friends Don't End
16. The Big I Am - Clothes (Snippet Remix)
17. The Click Beetles - The Changes
18. James M Carson - Money (We Don't Need)
19. Joe Crookston - tuesday morning
20. Identical Suns - Show Me A Sign
21. Dermot - This Moment
22. Dave Caruso - I've Tried To Write You
23. Martin Newell - Ghosts Of Christmas
24. Gordon Weiss - Listening
25. Rick Hromadka - Dreams Of A Hippy Summer
26. Alexander Khodchenko - Children Descend To The Balconies
27. Butch Barnette - Good Hot Cuppa Joe
28. Nine Times Blue - This Time
29. Charley Says - Tabletalk
30. The Squires Of The Subterrain - Dr. Van Der Jagt
31. Biscuithead & the Biscuit Badgers - Our Dog
 32. Sonofold - The boil is up to you
33. Wim Oudijk - Tree stands tall at Times Square

For Your Pleasure!

Is this the new album? Naaah...just an in betweenie. All instrumental. Short songs. All kinds of moods. Just listen and get in the mood. Yeah. The real new album will arrive somewhere early 2015. Yeah. Dig.

On your radio

It's always fun to hear your song on the air or on a mixtape. So many talents that need to be heard.
I've already told you about Croydon Radio (London) and here are some other platforms on www to get your music heard. It's all about spreading the goods. Have fun!

ShockPop play list October 19, 2014
Podcast on Mixcloud

Every Sunday, Noon to 2PM Eastern 
on www.ScrubRadio.com

1. ShockPop! is ON THE AIR with Sparkwood!
2. Rick Hromadka - Dreams Of A Hippy Summer
3. Mama Got Five - Ocean
4. The Brigadier - Just a little kiss Miss Busy
5. Danny Trashville - Big Fish
6. The Well Wishers - Over and Under
7. The Hi-Nobles - Big Black Car
8. Paul Butler - Sweet sea creature
9. The Heart Strings - The Five Minute Wonder Boy
10. Baby Scream - Twenty Seven
11. Wim Oudijk - Naughty Little Flea
12. Maxi Dunn - Perfect Sorrow
13. Dermot - This Moment
14. The Mockers - Little Girl Blue
15. The Dixie Bee-Liners - (I Need) Eighteen Wheels
16. Butch Barnette - News These Days
17. Maini Sorri - Moira
18. Toy Horses - Sordid Little World
19. Bigfellas - 4:20
20. Geggy Tah - Giddy Up
21. JoosTVD - Stupid Song(s)
22. Shoes - Out of Round
23. PT Walkley - Leeches
24. Two Sheds Jackson - Memory Lane
25. Paul Butler - I remember Mabel
26. The Milk Carton Kids - I Still Want A Little More
27. Pete McCabe - The 6 A.M. Train
28. Seth Swirsky - Twenty Minutes to Myself
29. Justin Kline - Heart Attack
30. Lannie Flowers - Come On Girl (LIVE)
31. The Legal Matters - We Were Enemies
32. Brian Ray - Sub Atomic
33. The Duckworth Lewis Method - Rain Stops Play


USA Pittsburgh Radio Madein
 

1.	Come Clean	Action Camp	PA	2014
2.	Dark Surf	Action Camp	An Introduction to   Action Camp	2012
3.	You Don't Even Know   My Name	Action Camp	PA	2014
4.	Gasoline	Ben Dumm And The   Deviants	Ben Dumm And The   Deviants	2012
5.	Homestead Greys	Big Snow Big Thaw	Big Snow Big Thaw	2012
6.	Lonesome Highway	Bill Jasper Acoustics	Deviled Soul EP	2014
7.	Today It's Raining On   Just You	Broken Fences	Broken Fences	2013
8.	Deviant	Chalk Dinosaur	Dawn	2013
9.	Doubter's Blues	Chet Vincent and The   Big Bend	Unconventional Dog	2014
10.	Plumage	Dazzletine	Heart, Mind, Bodies	2011
11.	Skin Period	Dazzletine	Heart, Mind, Bodies	2011
12.	Track 04	Dolce Gueverra		2012
13.	S&M	Fist Fight in The   Parking Lot	Fist Fight in The   Parking Lot	2012
14.	Jesus and Johnny Cash	FOOD	Four Pieces From   Candyland	2012
15.	Santa Maria	FOOD	Four Pieces From   Candyland	2012
16.	Train Hound	Grand Piano	America's America	2013
17.	Sailor's Life	Harlan Twins	Old Familiar	2012
18.	Velvet Shoes	JoosTVD	I Mimic Me	2014
19.	Everything you Have	Joy Ike	All Or Nothing	2013
20.	Honky Tonk Angel	Legendary Hucklebucks	Rattle All Night Long   and Shake You	2005
21.	Cowboy's Lament	Lukas Read	Ramble Man, Ramble	2013
22.	Innocents Abroad	Meeting of Important   People	My Ears Are Having a   Heart Attack!!	2012
23.	Keep Your Eyes On Me	Meeting of Important   People	My Ears Are Having a   Heart Attack!!	2012
24.	Allegheny Mountain   Queen	Slim Forsythe	Down on My Knees at   Nied's Hotel Again	2012
25.	Why   Can't I Get Duquesne On This Sad Lonesome Train	Slim Forsythe	Down on My Knees at   Nied's Hotel Again	2012
26.	Major Moves	The Come Up	Change Of Plans	2012
27.	Torn	The Danzas	We're The Boss -   REMASTER	2013
28.	Won't Last	The Options	Rob's Couch EP	2013
29.	Magic Touch	The   Semi-Supervillains	Tricks	2013
30.	She Put a Spell On Me	The   Semi-Supervillains	Tricks	2013
31.	Clambake	The Turbosonics	The Turbosonics	2013
32.	Zombie-A-Go-Go	The Turbosonics	The Turbosonics	2013
33.	Acid Love	Ursa Major	Never Worried About A   Thing in My Life	2012
34.	Getting Warmer	Ursa Major	Never Worried About A   Thing in My Life	2012
35.	I Get Dreaming	Whiskey Holler	Hive Songs	2012
36.	Let's Go Home	Whiskey Holler	Hive Songs	2012

Songwriters fog

No, I don't have writer's block, never met any. Just want to talk a bit about the impenetrable fog that can cloud your overindulgent mind, when you've got a sudden burst of creativity. I've been there a few times. So for the aspiring, enthousiastic songwriters, here's my 50 cents.
Here's your first, ok second. working on it.... no, rewrite, aah here it is....your 550th song. Freshly composed with the help of those unstoppable brains that pour out emotions through your fingertips. "Is it that good? Wow, I can't believe what I just did! And I only know three chords! Better put it on tape now -just like that sleepdrunk Keith Richards did with the riff of Satisfaction- before I forget that special little ditty."

Keith is almost satisfied....

Don't be shy! If you' ve got the drive, the chops, the writings will be all over the place. Go with the flow, don't force it and before you know it, you've got that hook. Next thing, you want to play it over and over again....ok, now stop... before your mind is getting too much out there, like in a constant high. You imagine yourself on a stage in front of thousands of adoring and screaming fans: wow, bang, starstruck!
It's a pity, but there's a- too good to be true- foggy cloud that hangs all over you. There's always hope. Something like a dark vaderish voice comes to the rescue and says: "better come down to earth Luke (Skywalker). Think it over. Let the song breath for a while. You need some distraction, go and do the dishes, walk the dog, or throw out the trash. O, is it that late? Go to sleep. Sweet dreams. When you wake up (look in the mirror of truth first), listen to that wonderful stuff again with fresh ears. Does it still gives you the same thrills and chills? Yes? There it izzzz." Even if you've forgotten to record it, as long as you can remember the melody, there's nothing to fear.
It lies in the continuity of songwriting to build up your confidence and your personal style brothers and sisters. Trust in yourselves. Keep writing, playing, practising. I still do.

The obvious well-intentioned, but often false feedback every artistic talent gets and craves for in the beginning and too soon, is this: do my parents like it? "No mam/dad, stop the biased way of pleasing your obvious talented, but eagerly waiting for approvement son/ daughter!"
Well, it's a start. And even if your friends think your voice has got that special sound that belongs in some hyped TV contest, the best is, in my opinion, the humble attitude way.

JoosTVD used to gig you know...

Recording a song is like a selfie. Listening can be a painful ear experience in the beginning, but it will keep you on your toes. When I used to perform back in the day, we used to record almost every gig. Not just for laughs & kicks alone, but to use it as a truth mirror to get tighter as a band.
These days you don't have to gig to get some attention, although it's the most rewarding situation, if one exposes himself directly.
Find out what's working best for you. Are you an introspective singer-songwriter (James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens) or a frontman (with a band)- songwriter? So why not expose yourself in a small way. Bring your guitar/ bongos/ mouthharp (what else?) and good humour to your friend's party. Invite the whole neighbourhood if you like. Mouth to mouth advertising, next to the social media can be crucial in broadening your horizon.
Laaaaaazzzzzzy?
Hey, the world is flat, because of the unavoidable www, it's easy to try out a few tunes on some of these social interactive platforms (appreciate the feedback and return the favor). Because of the tsunami of songs these days, don't expect anything though. Just write, write, write and after that, write. The Pollock way. Cut/paste words, jumble chords, do it. The next song will/can be better. The most curious, hidden things about myself I have discovered through songwriting. It's a discipline, a way of life, a commitment.
The homestudio then?

Todd at work

A small setup (for example, these days wizz kid Todd Rundgren only uses a laptop, interface software, guitar/keyboard and some already discovered creativity) is enough to get things going and is relatively cheap. There's so much for the DIY on the internet by the way. Take advantage!
So I guess you already know where to go, but as an example I've put a few of my favourite (and if you don't mind, personal) links up here:

Emeraz
Bandcamp
Jamendo
Soundcloud
Reverbnation
Youtube
Amazing Tunes
Fresh On The Net

Yes, there's always more....

Update the up to date

Animated Dutchman

Although I'm in the middle of recording and writing some fresh tunes, there's always other things I have to take care off, like experimenting with the artwork for the new album. By the way, the above rainbow gif pic will not be used as a frontcover. It's just a example of what an amateur can do these days with a modest picture. Just a simple google search (photo-editor) is enough to find some great ones like Lunapic with gif animation. Back to the colourful acid area circa 1967!                                    

As I said earlier, I'm in the middle of recording new songs (these are mostly the most obvious studio  happenings, like writing melodies & lyrics, mixing, arranging, playing and goofing off) and there's a  lot to choose from, worthly of as least two albums(!) What comes quick, will last, that's my motto.   Sometimes I've got a-wow brilliant-idea (on piano or guitar or a lyric) so guickly played, arranged and recorded, that I often stand amazed afterwards. Two days work. For me, that's the most organic and satisfying way to do it. Ok, it's not like the mind blowing fast Pollock method, but hey, I would if I could play all the instruments  simultaneously. I just try to put the ideas on tape in the moment  you're one with the song. Wow, I must have got an acid brain!  I hear you think: "why not put out the songs ASAP then?" Well, that's because I still believe in the concept of making an album as a whole, not just spreading a few songs as loose ends. Fleshing out the finishing touches takes the most time.   The quantity helps for the learning process. Maybe I will put up some rough mixes here on the blog. I  guess it's just the kick of hearing the perfect fitting sounds, melodies and the exploring, experimenting and finishing of your creations, that makes you work faster. And as I'm getting older, the more flexible I've got. I've read somewhere that Prince- guess any prolific songwriter- works all through the night to finish a song, just to get it done.                                                                                                                                                                 So I better move on.....  In the meantime I'll need a title for the new album, suggestions anyone?

Bandcamp update (!)

Hai there!  Hope you're all enjoying your rest. Now get up!

Sometimes I have an enormous urge to do a complete make-over. Yes it's that time. My face needs a lift(!). Ahem, yeah wait for it.
Nope, it's just that some platforms needed some reworking, in my case Bandcamp. There's a lot you can add to a release (pictures, etc). I found out that a few older releases had just one or two tracks on them, so I've uploaded the full albums:

Gift Shot [2005]

Volumed 10 [2007] 

Hey José [2008] 

You Know Your Dad [2009] 

When The left Foot Fits The Right Shoe [2009] 

Orson Nietes [2011] 

& Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy [2012]

have got the "full album" treatment. Some tracks don't even appear on the official Spotify/ iTunes releases. Which ones? You figure it out.
You can pay what you want or have it freely handed over with a click (only your emailadres is required, so I can SPAM you, gna, gna)
You want free links? Yeah, they can be found somewhere around this blog...

More, more more tracks! Free full albums on Bandcamp

The full Bandcamp version of?

Sketches Of Lou (the video)

Sketches Of Lou

Ok, we have all been waiting so long...no you didn't!
It's almost a year now since the man left the planet.....so the right moment for me to put out that video for "Velvet Shoes" that I've promised. It's the last thing I do for my the album "I MImic Me", because I'm already on a whole other level in the process of creation: got some brand new songs coming up! Yes, it never stops (I'm glad), just can't sit still. Excited!

Busy

I have put a lot of work in this, mostly a drawing supporting video. It shows me (wishing it is me that is walking on the wild side) and some different familiar Lou's most of the time, all sequenced rhythmically in a lot of frames. That took ages, before I was really satisfied. For the singalong fan I've included lyrics to yell out.
Originaly I had some black & white drawings. Later on I "coloured" them in with a handy online photo editer called Picmonkey. You can see and read about them in my earlier posts if you like sketches.

!Viewers with photosensitive epilepsy, beware of visual intensity!

Enjoy and spread 'em!

Lyrics   Velvet Shoes                                                          

Now Andy Boy And Mary Lou
They Used To Wear Those VELVET SHOES
They Did The Walk On The Very Wild Side
In The White Heat And The White Light

Now Mary Lou She Used To Play
All Of Your Records On A Perfect Day
Until She Couldn't Listen No More
Now She's Walking Out Of The Door

You Want To Have a Good Time
You Want To Get It Out Of Your Mind
You Want A Change Of The Scene
You Can Blame It On The New York Dream

Well You're Wasting Time
Your Precious Time
Drinking Cheap Cheap Wine
All Of The Time
Now You're Out Of Your Mind
But You Have A Good Time
Down In Your Hole

Hey LOU This Is My Ode To You
Finally Learned To Talk Like
You're Supposed To Do
Maybe I Walk More On The Safer Side
Well This Ain't The Big Apple
But I Give It A Try

I Have Jolly Good Time
I Want To Get It Out Of My Mind
I Wanna Change Of The Scene
I Blame It On The New York Dream
I'm Wasting Time.....



                                                                                      (lyrics & music: JoosTVD) copyright.2014

Paycheck!

1.Hey José, where the hell have you been? 
2.Where is that tribute video of Lou Lou you've been promising since don't know when?

1.Relaxing in the backgarden thinking about what to do with that bonus

Ok, sometimes I'm so deep down digging in my musical cave, I don't even know where the entrance was. Too pre-occupied with the nice moments of inspiration maybe, but on the other hand I am a compassionate familyman for the full 101%.
So to answer those obvious questions:
1. I'm "always" writing, playing, noodling, even at night, a burst of silent energy has to be written down in words. Kicks all around! The new music is very groovy, funky, slick and dirty, I can't stop this hypnosis.
I can relax a bit. See picture: a few weeks back I found out I've earned a "few" bucks on licenses at Jamendo. More than I could have imagined!
Since I've been distributing my music on Jamendo, a lot of people have listened to my stuff and even more effectively, have used it as background music for their benefit, like public places, projects, restaurants and more.

It's about being played. Streaming is not that profitable now for artists maybe, but it will, because more and more people do that. Downloading (piracy, iTunes) is outa here!
Radioplays are the best way reach more people. As you know Croydon radio (suburb London) has been playing my songs (playlisted) almost every week since the beginning of 2013. (Brouhaha, Stupid Song(s), The Route Through The Quiet Jungle, Talkwalk, Trip Together, The Root Of My Belly, Alice Tea, I See You, Cowboy On The Moon, Social Suicide have been played on various radioshows). Here's the list of the most played 499 artists on Croydon (I am on number 10!)
Croydon most played all time

2.Try to make a nice fitting video, well it's a difficult thing to do that yourself as an amateur. Even though I'm not a professional with the best movie editing skills, I can still see all those nice little drawings I spontaniously scribbled down (Scribbles) a few months ago, come together more and more as I flesh out all the tiny, little details in those moving frames. All it needs a bit more time and... time is the healer.

2.boy from that promised video

And now.....listen and enjoy:

JoosTVD- Velvet Shoes on soundcloud 

Now what? Sketches of Lou Lou

Quick update...
Hey, folks from the other side! Just came back from a trip to Madrid. A beautiful place if you like art and cities that go on 24/7. I surely needed some distance from my music room. Needed a dose of fresh inspiration.
You all may think: he's obsessed with that Lou Reed. Noooo! Well a little maybe.
I wrote a tribute song (Velvet Shoes) and from there the story went even further. It started out with some spontanious drawing, some sketches that gave me an idea for a video. The colouring I did online with a nice photo editor, Picmonkey
Finish what you started they always say (at least my mom and dad did).
I studied some famous and some unfamiliar "street" pictures of Lou, just to creep inside his character. It's a lot of hard and difficult work for an amateur, because smooth framing and perfect timing those pictures with the flow of the music, eats away concentration and drives you crazy, so you have to stop in time. These are some examples of the portrets I'll be using. Hope you like!
In the meantime, I'm in the middle of the crossroads. I mean, which way José with the songwriting? I've got lots of nice ideas, but I don't know which will work best, especially for my limited voice. Some are very humorous, some are sad. I like both directions though, so now what? Don't push, let it flow, walk on boy......CU!

Autobiographies, bad albums(?), Youtube Topics

                                                                                    The Root Of My Belly

Hai there, fellow world citizens, hope you're all doing well......even when the ups seem to be going down, there's always music to comfort you in all in its mysterious ways. Since I don't know when, I've been enjoying that magical mystery of discovering new or old sounds. And when I'm hooked, I want to hear the whole story (also the really "bad" albums that artists have put out, they are there for a reason!). I also read a lot about the background of an artist/band and about the specific period when they had their thrills and frills. More mystery, curiosty kills the cat! Details about their spent youth I find mostly boring though, but that's the unavoidable, cliché part of biographies. As is the road to hell and back (drugs, more drugs, meditation, fame, goeroes, religion, good or bad music and more drugs), but I also find this a fascinating and welcome treat.
A different approach to this, Ray Davies did with his X-Ray book. Almost in a Wellesian thriller-like surreal way, he reflects back on his life. Excellent.
Sometimes the most narcistic auto-bios are the most fun to read, like the ones from the ex-members of KISS (no, I'm not a fan, just curious), Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Talking about the typical sex, drugs rollercoaster stories and how they reflect back on their masks and..... lizzard-tongue Gene Simmons haha. Yes, some of those life lessons you just don't want to try out at home!

                                                                                       Vanished Dutchmen

Youtube is growing in numbers and in songs. Any prolific artist/band has got a "topic" there, generating all the stuff relating to your own favourites for easy access. Great when you're just reading another biography of Zappa, Townshend, Barrett and the like, you can create a fitting biography playlist to set the mysterious mood...

I will not write a biography of this vanished dutchman, no. I did not do drugs, banged the other man's wife or trashed the occasional hotel room, or did I? When I was young and o-so selfimportant brash, it was the grey, boring and fricking Eighties man! I'm so neat.....
But... JoosTVD has got few vids up there on Youtube (JoosTVD Topic), some have been uploaded by me from my own JoosTVD official (this is the stuff for biography-philes to find out about TVD), but a lot by one of my distribution labels iMusician. You can subscibe to different channels (pop, urban, rock, etc) up there. As common with all stream platforms, it's just another fun way to create personal playlists within a few clicks. So all my favourite artist are up there as "Topics".
The same is happening on facebook by the way, here's my topic of That Vanished Jojo. It's all generated by different sources and the listening behaviour of the curious ones.
Still, with all this accessibility, I will not, ever, give away my vinyl, cassettes, singles, cds, self-build racks, it's my life, you're talking about here, man!
So gather all your favourites and read some, I'm going back to my favourite drug....Bye, buy!

                                                                                                         Ragman

Free Record Store

Updated the old "Grabbelton", changed it in my own (digital) free record store (well the old one in the Netherlands has closed its doors now). Open 24/7! Just search and you'll find...

Now what?

Take a holiday?
Yes that would be nice, but what do you do when an album is finished?

Walking Dutchman

Well, all birds that can, fly away. Babies grow up and leave you ultimately.
Songs? They will float in digital space and I'm content with that. After a year of explosive and enthousiastic writing, playing, recording, singing, mixing and videomaking, there's always that difficult phase/ moment I'm going through of letting them go. When I'm fed up listening maybe...haha.

A lot has happened since my last album came out though, like more radio airplay, reviews and reaching a few new listeners. All because of the way the digital world works these days. Happy now?
Well yes, but it's like a beautiful feelgood movie that has ended and you just don't want it to end.

Work!
So what mostly works for me when I cannot touch the old songs anymore and at the same time to create a little distance with them, is the "go ahead, write some new tunes" attitude. And so the whole proces begins again. Don't know where it ends though, but do I really want to know? It only makes you uncertain of what will happen (writer's block!?) and it can spoil the surprise of finding fresh melodies. And they always come unexpectedly! I'm already busy with capturing the right words to 2 songs I've completely recorded and arranged instrumentally. One has got fast-paced latin feel and the other has got a funky groove with a jazzy, romantic melody. Just what I needed!

Lou?

Next to all this soulsearching and songcatching inspiration, I'll be working on a video that will support "Velvet Shoes", my tribute to the late Louie Reed.
Before I became this addicted musician, I already did something with my creativity, something my parents used to demonstrate to me when I was a greenish little kid. I became especially fascinated with the technique of drawing faces.
As you already can see, these are a few portrets that I will use in comic-style, but there are a lot details that I still have to work on. Although I'm just another Youtube amateur, I' m very excited about it, so that will also keep me busy for a while.

Now what? Just that!

Magazine Wasser-Prawda

Download





Great!
(german)

Je größer die Zahl von Autorinnen und Autoren in unserem Magazin wird, desto mehr Vorschläge kommen, wie man unsere Arbeit verbessern kann. Das ist absolut großartig. Denn mit der Zeit entwickelt man doch eine Art Tunnelblick von Monat zu Monat, versucht lediglich, möglichst viele Artikel und Rezensionen zu bekommen. Und man denkt dabei zu wenig über die Zugänglichkeit der Inhalte und ihre Präsentation nach. Und wenn dann Fragen kommen, wie denn die Entscheidung für das jeweilige Album des Monats getroffen wird, muss man jedes Mal neu erklären. So werde ich ab sofort diejenigen Alben, die in der engeren Wahl zum Album des Monats standen, und die durch die Bank weg sehr empfehlenswert sind, nochmals gesondert präsentieren.

(english)
The greater the number of authors and female authors becomes in our magazine, the more suggestions come as one can improve our work. This it is absolutely great. Since, nevertheless, with the time one develops a kind tunnel look of month by month, tries merely, possibly many to get article and reviews. And, besides, one thinks not enough the accesibility of the contents and her presentation after. And if then questions come, how then the decision for the respective album of month it is dripped, one must explain every time anew. Thus I become from immediately those albums, in the narrower choice to the album of the month stood, and every single away are very recommendable, again
separately present arms.

Recommendations derRedaktion

1. Big Daddy Wilson Trio -
Live in Europe from Bremen
to Paris (S.
2. Dave Moretti Blues Revue
- Th ats Swing
3. JoosTVD - I Mimic Me
4. Mark Harrison - Th e
World Outside
5. Meena Cryle & Th e Chris
Fillmore Band - Tell Me
6. Th e Holmes Brothers -
Brotherhood
7. Th e KutiMangoes - Afro-
Fire
8. Th omas Stelzer - Fuff tsch
9. Tommy Schneller - Cream
of the Crop
10. Tweed Funk - First Name
Lucky

You can download as pdf and read that german review and many other cultural ditties, mine on page 51.

Thanks Nathan (journalist Wasser-Prawda)!

Croydon radio updates

Hai there,
It's always a pleasure to know that what you do is appreciated. There's a lot talent out there and I'm not here to win a contest, just wanna create songs! And I'm already busy with a few that will definately become future hits. Not in my lifetime, no.

I let my music spread as far and as wide as possible, but I guess it's just a raindrop that's reaching a few listeners, but what the heck...

Nice to be played on the radio though! Song?
Cowboy On The Moon

Here:
Podcast
Info (a lot of footbal talking):
In The Den (UK Croydon radio)

Update (12-09-2014): 

Playlisted and frequently played: Different Kind Of Cool

7th on the plays alltime charts Croydon radio, at least in Croydon right now! Thanks!

Last.fm charts 547 times played

I Mimic Me, the songguide

                                                                           A Quicky! The 14 song sampler

Ok, now it's out of the bag...
As usual (am I boring, predictable?), once a year I invite the listeners to read about the "inside" story of a new album. How I vanish into my reclusive hole and come back with some new, fresh & above all: haha, brilliant music. But hey, there's no hidden message here!. For me, music has to be fun, joy, melodic, funky, over the top, ironic, colourful and full of character. I Mimic Me.
After my last album "The Ballooning Brouhaha" floated through digital spaces, I immediately sat down to the work. Ideas "always" come quick, emotions keep pouring out of my fingertips. But how to shape them in attractive little ditties?
I always start recording with a basic track (rhythm pattern) and the first instrument (piano, guitar) I've chosen to write on. I want to record as fast as possible to capture the energy and/or the emotion of that particular "high" moment of inspiration. Record as if in "performance". Forget "studio".
Choices, doubts, solutions, inspiration going back and forth. Well, mostly for me, I'm working around the more technical shortcommings I have as a recording-in the flesh- musician. So the last few years I've been watching some show-off sound engineer pros showing their flashy studio stuff on Youtube. There are a lot of choices you can make, details you can alter with your workstation (Pro Tools is mine), especially in the mixing process, which makes the whole process even more challenging to keep things as organic as possible.
As long as it helps me further. But it all starts with a tight rehearsed performance, so what you can't fix....

Listen carefully!

Now, press on your application of choice (sorry no vinyl), like Deezer, Spotify or iTunes or maybe your free download and let those little stories stir up your imagination.


01.Cowboy On The Moon
Build around a chord progression I luckely found on the piano almost a year ago(!). I wrote a few countermelodies (guitar and woodwinds) that brought more layered excitement arrangementwise that I wanted for the song. I had lot of fun with this one, never stopped developping ideas in that department. Took a long time to write about cowboys-no indians-but moons though...
O U T L A W

02.Velvet Shoes
This took 3 minutes to write, but the vision to work it out, took a lot longer....
You can guess this is about Lou Reed, my indirect connection with him, expressed in a an uplifting, I hope, tribute song. His death and his music got me closer again to the legend and his work (my fave is 1973's Berlin). Yes, I tried to use some of his typical pronounciation (but "I mimic me" right?) and a few of his familiar lines (wild side, white heat white light). Fun song!
Btw, great read: two biographies of Lou and the Velvet Underground by Victor Bockris. 
N E W Y O R K

03.Buy (Bye Bye)
Topic: a pact with the devil/Faust: selling out in favor of becoming successful. Bye, buy...
I used this funkbeat for intensity, although I can never be that hypnotic like James Brown, but I can in a, uuh, funny JoosTVD kind of way.
F A U S T

04.Ballroom Blues
Overblown ballroom showstopper (took a lot of mindslapping working this out!) about windbags and other loudmouths. You know who you are. Now shut the f... up!
O V E R K I L L

05.Social Suicide
One of those fun songs that wrote itself and relatively quick both musically and lyrically. All 13 songs came quick, but mostly musically.The choice of intruments, how to colour the arrangements...they' re already there in my head when I wrote this song.
H A P P I N E S S

06.I Mimic Me
Here I go again! The same burst of creativity happened like song 5. Short and sweet. I really like that. Maybe the next time I can put out an album even quicker. Well.....these explosive moments are rare though. And I love what Jack Bruce did with Kip Hanrahan. (great album: Vertical Currency 1984)
M I R R O R

07.Different Kind Of Cool 
Yeah, a fast, funpowerpop rocksong. Something (rock) I do not do often, but it gives the album a different- rockier- colour.
O U T C A S T

08.Intermission Of Love
Hey lunch hour! A little (one minute!) Tin Pan Alley love song. Yes, I really love the creativity of Irving berlin and Cole Porter. These chords say it all: melodic, romantic. Ahh, my soft side...
S I N P A N A L L E Y

09.Cats (Walk With A Swagger)
One of the first tunes I wrote for this album. It gave me purpose of direction. A lot of funny (real cat sounds) stuff happening, surprising breaks and stops in combination with melodies. (thanks to Arto Lindsay & the Ambitious Lovers)
D O G G Y C A T

10.Sin Pan Alleyman
Unexpectacly, former musical mate Wijnand Brant (WB) helped me out with his unstoppable fingers & guitars on this forgotten instrumental idea, one of many I've piled up on my harddisk.
(C O N) F U S I O N ? !

11.Lovesong For The Ghetto
Wrote this relatively quick on guitar, sang the title (and liked the melodic refrain a lot) and voila...it's a bit dark (ghetto), but eased, counterbalanced with some eerie female voices, which I found fitting with my own low male singing.
G H E T T O

12.Coffin Song
Also one of the first more uplifting (listen to the guitar chords, variations in D), funky song I wrote, musically that is. The theme is a little dark though: "put the sickness in the ground". No, no cofee needed. A coffin with a "n". Not a special message I have here, it's just dark humor, sardonic wordplay.
C O F F I N

13.I See You
To counterbalance the more energetic songs, there' s always some sort of melancholic ballad I come up with- developped on the piano- after much rehearsel, this was recorded live. I've tried to come up with something uplifting, melodic, not too self-important or dramatic.
P I A N O

14.Cowboy In Your Room
Reprising song nr.1 here, it has got a few nice breaks in it, so the idea for an instrumental promo (see video post) was born.
P R O M O

Thanks again for listening!
Listen again!

Tanzen! Dance! JoosTVD on german radio

Tuesday evening, between 20.00u-22.00u

Listen here: Radio 98eins

Okay, here's the playlist for tonight:
1 Johnny Angel You Got Me Jumpin
2 Dave Moretti Blues Revue Good Morning Judge
3 The Holmes Brothers Stayed At The Party
4 Blue Ribbon Sweet Sixteen
5 Blue Ribbon Breaking Up Somebody's Home
6 Saidah Baba Talibah Revolution
7 Meena Cryle & The Chris Fillmore Band Take This Pressure Off Of Me
8 Meena Cryle & The Chris Fillmore Band Give It Back
9 Mary Washington Brooks Leave Your Checkbook On The Bed
10 Back On The Road If I Was No King
11 Albert Castiglia Sway
12 Andres Roots & Raul Terpe Pärnu Hambone
13 Jonah Gold & His Silver Apples I Can Tell
14 Big Daddy Wilson Trio Baby's Coming Home
15 Mark Harrison Hard Times
16 Maik W. Garthe Black Lemon
17 Brandon Isaak Gamble On Love
18 Brandon Isaak Up The Frisco Line
19 Thomas Stelzer Ev'rybody Loves Saturdaynight
20 Thomas Stelzer John & Mac In Dublin
21 Fabian Fritz Big Chief
22 The Kuti Mangoes Fire
23 Avner Strauss African Magician
24 Avner Strauss Blues Together
!!!25 JoosTVD Cowboy On The Moon
26 Dave Moretti Blues Revue That's Swing
27 The Holmes Brothers Amazing Grace

"Selfie" on Youtube

I only went to the bathroom, and well, um...here's the supporting video of the title track

Next: I Mimic Me, the songguide (yes it's coming)

Wow, great review from Nathan (Wasser-Prawda)!

So glad with this. Some feedback! He (Nathan Nörgel) knows his way with words and you have to read carefully to fully understand the german symbolic meanings he gives of various songs. So I'll give you a "not so perfect" translation after. If you understand it, tell me! If you don't, well I can try to explain!

"I Mimic Me" Review in Wasser-Prada

Original:
Auch auf seinem bislang zehnten (wie immer nur rein digital veröffentlichten) Album, bleibt der niederländische Songwriter Joos TVD alias The Vanished Dutchman vor alleim eines: unwahrscheinlich unterhaltsam. Musikalisch erkundet er auf „I Mimic Me“ so ziemlich jedes Territorium zwischen Rock, Fusion-Jazz, Pop und sogar Blues.
Mit Blues hat es der Multiinstrumentalist eigentlich nicht so. Umso überraschter war ich, als ich auf der Tracklist des neuen Albums einen Titel namens Ballroom Blues entdeckte. Doch wer jetzt auf die heiligen zwölf Takte wartet, der kennt Joos TVD schlecht. Denn das Stück über vergebliche Versuche, als jemand anderes wahrgenommen zu werden ist anfangs Rock, zwischendurch bricht es kurz in swingende Jazzgefilde auf. Und insgesamt ist das wieder ein melancholisch-humorvoller Song, wie ihn heutzutage vielleicht auch Zappa hätte schreiben können. Der Anfang von „I Mimic Me“ hatte mich da musikalisch schon mehr überrascht. Denn Stücke wie „Cowboy On The Moon“ oder „Velvet Shoes“ perlen zunächst elegant wie der jazzige Pop von Steely Dan.
Was mir besonders auffällt, ist die Melancholie der Lieder, die oft nur wenig von der Musik verstellt wird. Hier - und damit sind wir beim Titel des Albums - versucht der Künstler, sich selbst als Kind nachzuahmen. Und natürlich ist das zum Scheitern verurteilt. Was unwahrscheinlich schade ist. Denn als Erwachsener ist man bei aller Anstrengung oft nicht mehr als ein „Cowboy On The Moon“, also völlig am falschen Platz, man begeht unablässig sozialen Selbstmord, wenn man sich um die Regeln nicht schert.
Selbst die Beziehungen drohen an solchen Banalitäten zu scheitern, dass man selbst seine Katze liebt, während die Partnerin in ihren Hund vernarrt ist und die beiden Tiere sich vertragen wie Schweine und Frösche. Also wie sprichwörtlich Hund und Katze.
„I Mimic Me“ - ein tolles Album musikalisch und auch von den Texten her. Und auch wenn hier die Musik ganz dem Thema entsprechend Stile der letzten Jahrzehnte nachahmt, heißt dass noch längst nicht, dass die Stücke von Joost van Dinther nicht äußerst orginell wären. (bandcamp)

English:

On his tenth so far (as always purely digitally published) album, the Dutch songwriter Joos TVD aka The Vanished Dutchman remains: unlikely entertaining. Musically, he explored on 'I Mimic Me' pretty much every territory between rock, fusion jazz, pop and even blues. 

With blues, this multi-instrumentalist has actually not so. The more surprised I was when I discovered a title called Ballroom Blues on the tracklist of the new album. But who is now waiting for the holy twelve bars knows Joos TVD bad. Because the piece on futile attempts to be perceived as someone else's first rock, between it breaks up briefly in swinging Jazzgefilde. And overall, this is again a melancholic and humorous song, like him nowadays perhaps Zappa could have written. The beginning of 'I Mimic Me' had me as musically surprised even more. For songs like 'Cowboy On The Moon' or 'Velvet Shoes' pearls initially elegant as the jazzy pop of Steely Dan.

What I notice is the melancholy of the songs that is often adjusted only slightly from the music. Here - and brings us to the title of the album - the artist tries to imitate himself as a child. And of course, this is doomed to failure. What is unlikely shame. Because as an adult you are with all the effort often no more than a 'Cowboy On The Moon', so completely the wrong place, one commits suicide relentlessly social, if you do not care about the rules.

Even the relationships threaten to fail in such banalities that even he loves his cat, while the partner is fond of her dog and the two animals get along like pigs and frogs. So like the proverbial dog and cat.
'I Mimic Me' - a great album musically and also from the lyrics here. And even if mimicking the music here all the topic according to the style of the last few decades, that is, by no means, that the pieces of Joost van Dinther would not be extremely orginal. (Bandcamp) 

Dutch:

Op zijn tiende tot dusver (zoals altijd puur digitaal gepubliceerd) album, de Nederlandse songwriter Joos TVD aka The Vanished Nederlander blijft vooral: onwaarschijnlijk onderhoudend. Muzikaal verkende hij op 'Ik Mimic Me' vrijwel elk gebied tussen rock, fusion jazz, pop en zelfs blues.

 

Met blues, heeft het multi-instrumentalist eigenlijk niet zo. Des te meer verbaasde mij toen ik ontdekte een titel genaamd Ballroom Blues op de tracklist van het nieuwe album. Maar wie zit nu te wachten op de heilige twaalf bars dan kent die Joos TVD slecht. Omdat het stuk op vergeefse pogingen worden gezien als iemand anders eerste rock, tussen het breekt kort in swingende Jazzgefilde. En over het algemeen, dit is weer een melancholisch en humoristische lied, zoals hij tegenwoordig misschien Zappa had kunnen schrijven. Het begin van 'I Mimic Me' had mij als muzikaal verrast zelfs meer. Voor nummers als 'Cowboy On The Moon' of parels 'Velvet Shoes' aanvankelijk elegant als de jazzy pop van Steely Dan.

Wat ik merk is de melancholie van de nummers die vaak slechts in geringe mate wordt aangepast van de muziek. Hier - en brengt ons naar de titel van het album - de kunstenaar probeert zichzelf te imiteren als een kind. En natuurlijk, dit is gedoemd te mislukken. Wat is onwaarschijnlijk schande. Omdat als een volwassene je bent met al de moeite vaak niet meer dan een 'Cowboy On The Moon', zo helemaal de verkeerde plaats, een zelfmoord pleegt meedogenloos sociale, als je niet de zorg over de regels.

Zelfs de verhoudingen dreigen te mislukken in zulke banaliteiten dat zelfs hij van zijn kat houdt, terwijl de partner is dol op haar hond en de twee dieren opschieten zoals varkens en kikkers. Dus als de spreekwoordelijke hond en kat.
'Ik Mimic Me' - een goed album muzikaal en ook uit de teksten hier. En zelfs als het nabootsen van de muziek hier al het onderwerp volgens de stijl van de laatste decennia, dat wil zeggen, geenszins, dat de stukken van Joost van Dinther zou niet extreem orgineel zijn. (Bandcamp)
 

Next: I Mimic Me, the songguide