Doesn't Ring A Bell : the story behind the Songs

Doesn't Ring A Bell Front & Backcover

Hey!
I do ring a bell once in a while... 12 times!
I didn't expect to do an album like this again, as I've put out a lot of those I guess, but.... I couldn't help myself. I'm writing "all of the time". Some sort of positive energy creeps in.

I had a lot of fun writing again in a more traditional way (on guitar or on piano). Tried to keep things upbeat, melodic, groovy. You can hear that in the first 6 songs. Then it gets a bit serious, deep, slow, but not that you fall asleep. Did ya? Noooo..

01.The Heavy Donut Discount Blues

Well this started the whole process all over again! I thought I lost my muze, but the melodies and the upbeat, bluesy chord progression took me by surprise, it's all very infectious. A lot happening here. I was inspired to challenge myself here. A bit classical (intro), latinesque and poppy. A quick write on guitar then! About donuts...

02.Flower Power Festival

I was on a roll as this song continued the melodic side I seem the pursue. Fun to do. Just some chords on guitar and melody (written on piano).

03.When U Go Rong

Still in the upbeat mode, this latinesque number had me by the balls, as I had to push the energy factor up high. All fun to do. Can't go rong...

04.Do It Without Love

A simple, easy to the ears, melody, sometimes does the trick. I am proud of this one, because it only took a symbolic 5 minutes to write. Well... the arrangements, that's a whole different story...!
10cc's "I'm not in Love" comes to mind i guess, hence the title: anti-love song.

05.Smart

This is one of the finest, compact grooves I've made thus far. I've worked hard all of these years to get to this. It all began to float when I had the melody to the chorus: "Do you wipe your ass before You Shit?" across that slapping bass.
I had an enormous kick doing this. Without a wipe!

06.And Again

Bossa nova spirit. Something I've grown up with, basically written on guitar. Melodicwise I like this a lot.

07.Midnight Cowgirl

Instrumental, started off on piano. Relaxing mood used as a contrast for the first energetic songs. Title? One of my favourite scores is "Midnight Cowboy".

08.Cold

Introspective acoustic song. Only guitar and voice, a few piano motives. The less instruments I use, the more difficult I seem to have with the vocal performance. The subtilities, details are getting noticed. A challenge for the next record?

09.Get Your Facts Straight

Jazzy, funky, sophisticated stuff always comes my way. I still listen a lot to the seventies groove I guess. Steely Dan, Ned Doheny comes to mind. Today a band like Young Gun Silver Fox seems to draw from the same inspiration, all retro blue-eyed soul, but very infectious.

10.U Save Lives

Slow shuffle, a bit darker than the rest. I had this melody creeping around the groove. I saved my life.

11.To An Inchworm

Instrumental, melodic tribute to Danny Kaye, dreamlike like the song "Inchworm" from his movie Hans Christian Andersen".

 12.Over My Very Dead Like

Ragtime, slapstick? Just an antidote to all the heavy stuffWell in a funny way, I've use that phrase a few times on ocasion. And Yes, I don't need or like Facebooks likes!


Does that ring a bell enough?

Just say yes to them Songs

Ok. Fine. Did the work. Did you listen? Of course.
Just say...YES! Thank you.

A whole year just writing songs- and there were a lot of them- always makes you wonder which ones will make it to the finish line. I'm tired, but fulfilled and I ain't gonna stop now..so much to do....I'll just vanish again.
Now, pay attention, let me tell you all about the tunes on "Just Say KNOW".

01.Not Now
A quick and fun one to write, so obviously the first one that motivated me to create a new album again. Upbeat and funky. Fun to dance to. No, not now! Always looking out for the right groove to get me going. A lot of dancing tunes inspired me (especially those from the seventies).

02.The Vanished Romeo
One of my favourite songs of the album. I like the smooth shuffle, jazzy arrangements in the verses and the latin groove of the refrain. Slowly building up a tension. That's a combination that does it for me. A lot of sweat involved here that almost turned into a bloody mess. O Romeo....

03.Indie
What does that mean "Indie" anyway these days. Independent? It's a DIY world already!
Strumming chords can be boring, but this pattern kept me busy, playing for hours.

04.My Cat Is Stoned
A normal cats and dogs day... Cat wants to be a dog and vica versa. I simply wrote this on guitar.
I always try to come up with a fun song that keeps the balance between sad/glad/serious/fun.

05.Loaded
The latin infection. Latin stuff keeps creeping into my songs. Why? I love rhythm.
As long there's a melody/hook it's allright I guess. I'm loaded with that. This is a song about friendship and the love involved.

06.Gameface
On edge all the time...
That's my songwriting spirit sometimes. A bit more darker/ angrier  than the rest of the album. Good for the balance. Maybe a bit Peter Gabriel (So, Us) influence. I've payed a lot of attention to the dynamics.

07.Rottendance
I like dancing. Rhythm. Hypnotic beats... If it falls flat it's just what "disco" did at the end of the seventies  and what "house" does today. To me, it's not human, it's too safe, superficial (they all sound the same!), generetically rotten.
Here, I even give you a pulsing beat that evolves into a reggae pattern in the chorus. But don't misunderstand: I just want to dance again.

08.Crest Of A Wave
Bossa style dutchman. I've always admired brazilian music for its subtle, passionate and smooth patterns. Exotic music oozes summer. I'm just an old fashioned melancholic guy here.

09.There's No Sense In Making Sense
Stop making sense! A terrific Talking Heads concert movie said it all. Restless song, but floating. A little experimenting with the rhythm breaking up did the trick.

10.All The Way
The vanished crooner. As we reach the final, an easy-on the ears ballad can do wonders to comfort your soul and mind. All the way.

11.Not Ever
Coda: a dreamy instrumental and a serious contrast to the first (upbeat) song "Not Now". Say NO. Do not give in. Not Now, not ever.

That thing about "Open Up My Parachute"

The process of songwriting/ recording/ mixing/ mastering

May 2014 I began writing and  recording the new stuff. Already had a flow of ideas in the bag, so no worries in that department. I've been spending a lot of time mixing and mastering the songs though.  Youtube and other friendly sound engineers helped me out with the technical know how much more further. Yes, I try to learn about every aspect of the process. Next time I hope to do things much more efficient in the recording process.

Inspiration for the title

Every year I try to come up with another appropiate title that epitomise what these songs stand for.
Guess Zappa's quotes brought me the one that connects those 12 songs. 

    

And...I already had a few songs with a "parachute" reference. Your mind only works if one opens it. With songwriting, that seems not that difficult for me. Just jump fearlessly into the free air...just dare.
That introvert face on the frontcover stands for my introvert side and my wife's selfie reflex has captured that right on the spot.

I sort of invite you all to open up my parachute and you'll see/hear...... the songs will jump out of my head.


(next: released a parachute and where did it land?)

                                                                                                                                                          
You've listened already? Here's some information about the 12 parachutes. I think this is my most accessible and dancable record so far, so let's follow our restless feet, while reading. Hope you like.

It's all in the mind

01.Chalky
A burst of  restless energy I tried to put down in a tight fit arranged funk. Started as one of the first new songs for this album, inspired by the dense grooves of 1980's Remain In Light era Talking Heads, but heading (totally?) elsewhere eventually. The working out of the tightness in accents and the finishing of various arrangements took me almost a year, before I was really satisfied. I am now.

02.Dancing Dutchman
A little nostalgic  throwback to my numerous dance moves I left on the dancefloor hearing those seventies soul (Chic, Kool & The Gang, Rose Royce, KC & The Sunshine Band) in those after midnight discotheques. Proud of the melodic chorus and the groove, which convinced me to put on my dancing shoes again.

03.Everything Is A-Okay
Is it okay? Most of the time. With this song I think I've reached a very accessible side of the melodic and the rhythm of exotic coolness with a few instrumental adventures in the middle too.

04.Jump For Your Life
Searching for that parachute that brings joy and playfulness. Just jump and watch what happens. Old fashionated pop and bluesy funk.

05.The Riddle Room
One song idea from the last album sessions that needed more time to develop. Just a funny motive on piano started another riddle in my room.

06.It's A Struggle Honey
Two ideas (one melodic, another rhythm) put together in dreamlike fashion. An old trick: use that mod & pitchwheel on the keyboard. I freaked a lot throughout the album.

07.Hipster Mind
Hipster was the word of 2015 (but it's so old), but the hipness is gone. A piano & guitar motive accent on a pulsing  groove pushed this into a song. Starts off like an voice-over intro to a hip chatty radioshow, but that slow, threatening groove gets in the way.

08.Issues?
The question mark says it all. I connected this funky bassline with a accenting guitarpattern and voila. Just dance the seventies (Gap band, Ohio Players,...) to it.

09.Parachute
A song for superman! Slapstick enters. Silent movies. Finally flying! Goofing off.

10.Cosmopolitan Circus
Instrumental stuff to rest my voice. I liked working on this a lot. It's different. A bit Kurt Weilish. European vaudeville? I recorded piano parts in a few takes. I put a few "hymnlike voicing" plugins on the melodies for the angelic atmosphere. Proud of this.

11.The Slippery Slope
Inspired by the 1965 movie "Mirage" featuring Gregory Peck. I like mystery, so a song developed from there. It begins and it ends more or less the same.

12.Ha Veda Va
Latinesque. That chant doesn't mean a thing, just a few fitting spanish words put together for us to sing: Ha= it has. Veda= farewell. Va= will. Cryptic? Yes maybe, but what does "trolololololo" mean? Hope I don't offend anyone.
Solo on keyboard at the last part, that's me pitching the sound, combining horns, organ and guitar.

That's it folks, my story. Maybe you listen to these songs with other ears now.