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!