New Release...?

 August 2021?

                                                                  JoosTVD is back!

And I've worked my ass off, I tell you... but I love what I do......... Suit Yourself

 

                                                 Frontcover........not yet

Rock'n Rollest of them all

There, next from me on the left there's a picture of a wild, wide eyed screaming guy, the Rock'n rollest of them all (with Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis):  
                             
                                                               Little Richard.

I owe him a lot! Even as kid I was aware of those primal, energetic movements that stirred the earth since the mid fifties. I wasn't even born! But I had roll models. My parents (my mother mostly) always had a smile on their faces when stories about the start of rock'n roll came up. They always had had to turn up the music, loud! To feel it. To express their frustrations, anger but mostly joy!

                                                                 Tutti Frutti!

Sometimes in a low moment on some of my teenage parties, in my self appointed DJ days I could always put on some Little Richard and everyone would go beserk in da house!
I guess growing up hearing Beatles, Stones, the Kinks, the Who indirectly showed me back into history, to the path of this powerhouse that will echo for ages. Look at Prince on stage and I see the same urge and power. Maybe that's why there was an urging, lingering gut feeling inside my belly that had to and would let my hands and feet learn to play the drums someday. To vibe. To get people on the floor. Even now, I always try to get that primal ball of energy back to get in the mood to funk. Thanks Man, I've had a blast!

Next to me

Bluestown Music

The Fly On the Wall Routine: the story behind the Songs

So! 2019, again, a whole year of exploring, writing, playing, recording, mixing 12 new songs. I must have a forbidden agenda in my head somewhere, because the workflow is- maybe predictably- the same everytime. For 40 years I've been exploring my inner creativity. It's like an hypnotic act of fate. I don't think, I do. It's my life in songs. I do think, just right now, after the whole process is over.
How can you describe this album?
The "fly on the wall" is a recognisable person, I guess. The observer, noticing, while watching a great scheme of things passing him/her by. Me? Sure....
For the sequence, the following consequential pattern arose: after an energetic song, a more relaxed one followed... et voila. Also, this album is divided in 2 parts: the first 6 songs each have a more free, stressless atmosphere, after "Kick Together", you'll find the more direct, social concience (serious) songs. Headphones ready?

01.Fly Talk
This was the breaktrough to start a new album. Recognise the fly on the wall type? Guess I'm one of those who kinda look, observe and take notice. This song I happened upon quickly, recorded in a flash. Funky flowing groove, mysterious in character with lots of chopping in between. Before this tune, I had a lot of sketches, motives and melodies for arrangements and other song-ideas and one of them became the instrumental song 12, sort of a coda. Fly talk: deep talk, no chicken talk.

02.Stuck
Laid back, but funky, jazzy Steely Dan-esque hence the chord progression, that's what I bring here. I never got stuck though.

03.Behave
Hypnotic, afro syncopic patterns. I had a lot of fun creating melodies and arrangements on this one. I created piano motifs that changed the vocals I first came up with.That's the way I work a lot: I loop a verse and play along with a guitar or piano to bring another colour to it.
It's all very free and playful, like a kid jumping on a trampoline. Behave!

04.Say The Word
Written on acoustics. let my fingers touch some patterns on piano et voila! Latin groove with a melodic popsong above it. To describe the shape I was in. Say it!

05.Treason
Zappa again? I had fun! Ha, a "Trump" song I hear you say. Triumph! Well, that's too obvious, but that's goovy man. Traitors are everywhere, look in trhe mirror. This took a long time to squeeze out (a lot of tiny little details you don't want to know about), I almost forgot about it.

06.The Vanished Vaudeville
Instrumental shuffle. Just a little dittie I played on my acoustic. Melody on a theramin-like synth. It all went like a flying circus! I had this laying on a shelve for a while, it just happened to fit in now.

07.Kick Together
Kick it! Funky groove. Just dance, freak out!Then a little variation in 10cc (circa 1974) mode in the middle of the song.

08.Not Today
Sort of a ballad with a lyric to express "I'm only human". Still R&B soulgroovy, but basically in a singer-songwriter vain.

09.The Gloves Are Off
Funk with the gloves off. I can get pissed off with moneymakers yes. Not only bankers. The way the worlds rears its ugly head, when it's all show, no tell. All done in the name of funk with a P.

10.Do Your Job
Another one for the hardworking little guys and girls out there. Face the jerk! Laidback, latinesque motives always seem to creep up in my songs.

11.U Know That Now
Slow funky and melodic stuff. Lyrics are about the feasibility of a bucket list.

12.The Fly Off The Wall Routine
Instrumental based on several ideas. "Fly Talk" is the vocal version, the instrumental parts are leftovers put together. They fit! The slow second part I added later. Liked the "concept" method there!

2 Thousand + 5teen

The last blog, before I go.
So what did I do to make my life a little more bearable and more complete in 2015? I've listened. My ears seem to filter out the junk more quicker than before and that's a lot! That saved me a lot of time to focus on the writings, recording and releasing of a bunch of new songs. Thanks world.

As with 2014, the death celebrities of our time, become more frequent as age always proves to be the ultimate killer. Here are a "few" that have more or less influenced my state of being (source http://goo.gl/8871CK):

P.F.Sloan (Eve Of Destruction), Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor (Moterhead's drummer of Ace Of Spades), Andy White (Beatles "Love Me Do" drummer), Daevid Allen (Gong frontman, The Magick Brother), Chris Rainbow (Vocalist, Alan Parsons), Allen Toussaint (composer, producer, arranger, pianist, talentscout, inspirator, what a loss of talent!), Joost Zwagerman (schrijver), Drs P. (dutch singer, poet of humoristic absurdism), Gunnar Hansen (remember the original Leatherface?), Maureen O'Hara (John Wayne's favorite company on screen), Phil Woods (played alto sax on so many of my favorite albums of the seventies, like Billy Joel and Paul Simon), Oliver Sacks (the one who really used his brains), Rico Rodriquez (ska trombonist of the Specials), Wes Craven (horror director), Bob Johnston (sixties producer of Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel), Cilla Black (her rendition of bacharach's "Alfie" especially), Omar Sharif (screen legend), Patrick Macnee (remember when tv was " John Steed" cool), Chris Squire (Yes bassist-extraordinaire), Ornette Coleman (free jazz sax blower), Ron Moody (Oliver's Fagin), Christopher Lee (the best Dracula actor next to Bela Lugosi), BB King (subtle "Lucille" bluesplayer), Errol Brown (Hot Chocolate's "Every1's a Winner"), Andy Fraser (Free bassist, composer of Robert Palmer's "Every Kinda People"), Percy Sledge (voice of "When a Man Loves a Woman"), Ben E King (voice of "Stand By Me"), Günter Grass ("The Tin Drum" writer), Clark Terry (Fluegelhorn/ Trompet player), Lew Soloff (trumpet player of Blood, Sweat & Tears, loved those horn arrangements), Leonard Nimoy (logical Spock versus emotional Kirk), John Renbourn (british folk finger-picking guitarist), Rod McKuen (composer, poet), Anita Ekberg (Fellini's "La Dolce Vita"), Rod Taylor (actor of "The Time Machine"), Armand (60s protestsinger), Thé Lau (singer/songwriter), Hirth Martinez (singer/songwriter).

What did I work on in 2015? I've been having my own fun, writing, playing, recording and releasing two albums:  
                                                                  Lightning Dutchman

A few song hit the radio waves, like: Unscrew yourself, Don't Do It Again, Paranoiac With A Gun, Guru In A Lovetown, Limo, Rock'n Roll Me In Or Out

                                 
                                                and an instrumental For Your Pleasure vol.2

(more and more people seem to be interested in using my music for their viseo projects)

So what about the music of 2015?
The word "emo" fits the description. But is it emotion?
Only a few new albums made it, because as I grow older and greyer (bored? Nope!), the more I seem to dwell back to the sounds I used to listen when I was this green innocent seventies lad. Except for the much younger generations like Mercury Rev, Tame Impala and Steven Wilson maybe, but nothing else seem to linger.....  aaah, I'm such a romantic fool. It's just that a lot of the old guys keep coming back with a more fresher sound... Well not all the "older" ones though. I was very dissapointed by the releases of Prince (I mean HITnRUN Phase One, P. how do you sleep? but...his Phase 2 is just classic P.!). Ben Folds (pretentious, but vague chamber noodlings), Jeff Lynne's ELO (=Jeff Lynne...) or Seal (Trevor Horn is back, but...without any surprises).  All too predictable and safe.
It's the fault of these retro times. Now, every "new" production can reproduce qualities from the thirties up to the sixties, uuuhm, seventies and ....mmm...the eighties to my bemefit, because my mind seems to wander off easily to what I've already heard. It's just like these newbies are saying "Joost, I know you've got that somewhere on vinyl, but who really cares?". It says a lot of these smug, arrogant, narcistic times. Who will rise to the occasion to do the unexpected?

In the meantime, here are my faves of 2015:
                                                              
                                                                              J.D.Souther - Tenderness

Veteran songwriter surprises with less is more. Subtle arrangements, production, subtle songwriting, title says it all.


                                                                    Steve Martin & Edie Brickell - So Familiar

Bluegrass? BanJoost? No, this is just a very comforting listen, very Up, very welcome in these times.


                                                                                       Boz Scaggs - A Fool To Care

The only Boss for me, age can do good. Eclectic and very soulful. That voice never bores me. Less is so much more...


                                                                                     Joe Jackson - Fast Forward

Welcome back Joe the composer, arranger of wide, colourful canvases. Musicians from Berlin, New York, Amsterdam and New Orleans keep this album fresh.

                                                                         David Gilmour- Rattle That Lock

I just love his tone in voice and guitar. The surpringly jazzy "The Girl In The Yellow Dress (Orchestral Version)". The instrumentals don't add anything specific, but overall there's still a comfortable Floyd in the air.

                                                                         Tom Robinson - Only The Now

 
Welcome back Tom! You're still angry and I feel it. Wild, edgy, actual and in your face, the subtle arrangements in quieter moments (title song) though especially, draw me in.

                                                                     James Taylor - Before This World

A new JT album? I've kept playing it a few times more than I'd expect. Songcrafting they call it. Just James Taylor. Nothing less.

                                                                         Prince - HITnRUN Phase Two

I have a love/hate relation with the purple one. But I think this is his most matured collection (with a few exceptions like Screwdriver) since.......fill me in! A more colourful production, especially the organic feel in the arrangements do the trick, if you like horns and slapping basses.

Books.
What usually happens when I read a biography, is the documenting part of it. I obsessively dig up everything I have in my possession (music to listen to, I listen to it again or movies I've watched, I watch again) or try to find it on www.
For example, The Grateful Dead, all the albums I once  indifferently listened to, I can appreciate and understand them better now, especially after reading a biography. The same happened with Alex Harvey, quite a lad! Another band that I've admired since 1977, Talking heads, I appreciate even more now (Remain In Light is my personal fave) than ever. So I read!

Quoting former post 2014:"And for the sensational background information, here's a few books I've read this year. As usual, mostly sleezy (auto)biographies. Recommended:"

Bobby Whitlock - A Rock'n Roll Biography (a lot of misfortunes, Eric Clapton, Derek & The Dominoes singer/keyboardsman)

David Byrne - How Music Works (this works a lot)

Dennis Mcnally - A Long Strange Trip Grateful Dead (the music man, LSD anyone?)

Donald L Barlett - Howard Hughes, his life & madness (exentric guy, strange times)

Gene Wilder - Kiss Me Like A Stranger My Search for Love and Art (talented guy)

John Neil Munro - The Sensational Alex Harvey (what a life!)

Jonathan Lethem - Talking Heads' Fear of Music (the first album I bought of TH in 1979 that made me an obsessive fan)

Martin Kielty - SAHB Story (the versatile band behind Alex Harvey)

Pamela De Barres - I'm With The Band (narcistic tale of obsessive groupie)

Rod Stewart - The Autobio (Rod does Rod)

David Bowman- Talking Heads This Must Be The Place (one of the best bands in the period 1977-1983 that made the eighties bearable)







 

2015: what am I here for and what can you do?

Hey, it's 2015 and here we are again: I'm in the last stages of a new TVD album. Slowly, but with the unavoidable bursts of energy (electricity!) and all the practising experiences I've endured, it is all working out smoothly.

Electric Dutchman

One thing I can't do, is to force this music and...the words.. Got one lyric about a past lovestory I can't finish. Yes, she broke my heart. Damn. But I got over it or did I(?), so the obvious, but paradoxal title "But Do I Miss You" came up. The answer? Two ways: I don't miss you at all, I miss you so bad. Dilemma. Well, that became the refrain. But for the rest it's... guess It's all about the right combination of words that have to gel together and for now they are just too cheesy! In the past I used my personal experiences as lyrics, but I try to make them less navelstaring and more "universal". That's where my goal lays here. Love and cheese, aaargh. Bold love then?
What can you do? (Throw money!) Maybe you can send me some alternative words that can give this story a litle more edge.
Really love to experiment with the homestudio though. It's just an addition to the finishing touch, like a simple palette, but with a wide range of colours to choose from if you mix them.

In the following months you can expect a few more posts, updates, so stand by me. BTW, what time is it?
Have a nice day, night or evening folks!

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.

New album 2014: I Mimic Me

Update! 
What time is it? Yes exactly time for a brand new TVD album!
Routenote has approved the album so distribution is on its way. 
I'm so excited about the songs!

Now keep your/my fingers crossed..... Still 4 to 6 weeks to go though, but iTunes & Spotify are fast, so check them and tell me!

In the meantime, here are the covers:

                                                                       

Front

                                                                
                                              
                                       
                                             
                                        About the Title I Mimic Me

Narcistic as hell that title. It sounds fun to me. "I do Lou Reed better than anyone" Lou Reed confessed to a crowd once. Well in my case, when you reach a sudden age (?), you've come full circle. You learn to accept what you've become (pros & negs) on your own level.

So on the frontcover there's a little me, about 10 years old, in a rare state of relaxing, grinning shyly and there's the grown-up old farty me, trying more or less, but fail to mimic the younger me. Mmmm...

Back

As you can see, 13 songs (+ song 14 is the instrumental promo version of song 1) again, just like last time. Yes, I've got lots of more songs in the bag, but these are chosen as the best buy.

Btw, I also got a few funny vids in the making for ya, so...

.... next time:  Teaser "I Mimic Me" 2014

Discog

All albums on Discog

Popular? Yeah on Jamendo

The only dutch guy up there on the first page....it's not that important, but......
there must someone who's listening to this goofy stuff, HA!
Well, I'm already busy, goofing again, working with protools on some new sounds. Can't sit still.

So, meanwhile look over there at Jamendo, a lot of different new talents are trying to survive in the same pool. One day we'll all be famous, ha ha!
Nietes? Welles