Sent Away, the digital way: Q&A

Ok, here's a Q&A with me and myself.

Gimme proof!

 
As you can see, you'll be able to stream my new album officially 30 April 2019. Check Spotify regularly, it takes often only three weeks over there.
AMAdea, who again handles the distribution, notes:
"It takes from 3 weeks minimum, to 7 weeks maximum to get it up and selling, once you've given us ALL the info we need. (Usually 4 weeks) Once we send it to them, it's out of our hands and they do what they can to get it imported and active in their service. We push them to get it added as soon as possible, and they always do it as soon as they can."

I was wondering, how many years...?
Ah yes! This is my 40th (!) year in the, ahum, "business" as songwriter, I guess you'd be expecting a "Greatest Hits" or another sort of a celebration box by now, do ya? Well, all of my works have been the "Greatest Kicks" I've had in my life anyway, so I don't need to be that nostalgic. I'm just glad to release more new stuff. Prolific guy!

1998: my first self burned cd!

What can we expect?
Tunes. 12 songs (two instrumental) with my stamp of typical energetic flavor of melodic pop songs with grooves, influenced by jazz, funk, R&B, latin, cabaret and humour.


When will you be famous?
When I'm dead and done of course. Legend in my own time. I'm happy with that, haha.

How do you write?
Mostly with a pen; everything that widens my eyes and opens my mouth I'll write down. I often start with the music, mostly late in the afternoon/ evening. The best songs come, when I've got a positive energy. Explosive jamming. I play around on acoustic guitar or bang on the piano. Combine a few funny or heartfellt sentences, words that fit the vowels. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes, sometimes 2 years to get to the end result.

Tell us about the recording process
Guts, sweat and beers. And a monk's patience.

When can we see that promo?
Ah, I've got two promo's for ya, they'll be up on Youtube in no time. All to watch before bedtime, before the official release, 30th april.

What are the covers and title? 
I'll show them all in my next blog.

Well, anything else to declare?
Um, well, yeah, no, um....CU.

 Next: Show Us The New Stuff!

I.Am.Working.On.It!

Short. Update:

Shoot or Vanish!

I. Am. Almost. Satisfied. Then. Will. Sent. Tunes. Away. For distribution. Worldwide. Working. On two video's also. Great. Fine. I. Am okay. Doing it. So. Coming up. 12 songs. Titles. Sleeve design. Pictures, covers. Promo's. One. Man. TVD.  Pop grooves. Jazz. R&B. Funk. Latin. Cabaret. Slapstick. Melodies. It will be fun. Smooth. I. Am. Cool. Right. On.

Sunday Findings

Hey Folks, here's little visual-in between- post about two different things, although they do/ can relate to eachother. One picture (1) reflects the old way of scribling thoughts on paper, the other (2) reflects the modern way of connecting with the digital highway by clicking and scrolling.

 

 

1.The old habit: Lyrical Painting

I do love both ways though. They are both means to the same end.

Picture 1 shows all my latest lyrics of my new album. Free expression of mostly specific or remarkable words and sentences, one-liners that I've  heard.

2.The modern communication: my new Trackball Mouse

Picture 2: I wish you all the best health possible, hope you wish the same for me. This modern way of scrolling is my latest addition to keep my workflow (yes on the musical side of editing) happy!

In the Zone with Ozone

As I reach the finishing line with mixing and mastering my new tunes, I want to share the new Ozone series. Great insight in what sound really does and what you can do with it. So I have to get into this zone, I'm still learning you know. I'm using a lot of Ozone plugins these days, so great to find all of these tuturials on youtube.

Izotope Ozone mixing and mastering series

The shape I'm in...

The energy flow

The title refers to a lyric of one of my new songs: how to express oneself freely these days with all the social media that crawls around ya. The daily routine. Questions. Does it make me feel good or bad? I don't follow easy, you know, don't conform to the hype of the day. I kinda keep up with the news, without taking topics or VIPs even for one second serious. It's still fascinating to know what's the new hype though. I always think about  the words Frank Zappa used to say: "there's a song in this", after watching another stupid, motherf..king asshole making a fool of him/herself on TV. There you have it! Enough topics to write about without pointing the dirty finger directly. Swearing is easy, writing with wit and selfreflecting spirit will get you much further in the end, I dare say. Imagination. I'm not a storyteller though, like a, say Ray Davies. I too observe almost obsessively, but the words that I write on paper are mostly fragmentic stuff. Ironic one-liners. I just need to touch some keys or strings to get the energy flow going. What's the shape I am in? There's a sudden burst of absurd energy that makes me wanna run through the jungle strip-naked, do a John Bonham drumsolo on piano and get away with it. Or scream without making a sound. Or keep silent with an all well-known nod on my face. People gotta move. That's my kind of music man. I want to join the circus...in my mind. Shape it up!

Homecooking

Here's a songlist with snowballs throwing in including "Not Now", chosen by (Homecooking):

Homecooking says "If you have not had the time to listen to everything this month, we give you a little help. Each month, a 15-track summary of what happened here will be proposed

The methodology of choosing the 15 titles is obscure and can not be explained. In no case the unsorted tracks would be worse (again we are not there to judge the quality).

At the limit, if a track meggles the cat, it can influence the final choice.

Enjoy!"

Playlist January 2019

Putting Dots On The I

Staring Dutchman

Hai folks, glad you're here... A new year brings new possibilities. See the grey hair? Well, I've been working my ass off and I guess the labour on my music has taken the original colours away, but... I always feel like a mountain though, rocking fiercely at these times.
Ok, for me it's mostly the music that gives me the ultimate satisfaction. What's up then? I am deep into the final stages of mixing my new songs. Excitement in the air. A few brushes here and there. It takes time to smooth the rough edges out of my way though. So far, I'm very happy with these tunes: they funk me right in the gut. I'm getting better bit by bit. That's the road I'm traveling on... I have to do this alone. Am I arrogant, narcistic, ego-centric? Yes, just like anybody else, haha! Whatever you do, how important you think you are for any community, you do it for yourself first. I'm just more aware of what I can do and that gives me the confidence that I've never ever had before. I also need some distance from the predictable sound, so I distract myself with housekeeping, family get togethers (mostly my own children, wife and my mother by phone), reading, watching TV series and the lot. Inspiration. Just live my life, stay healthy. keeping it up, just we all try to do. CU TVD

Fanatics use your magic!

Hai there world! Still here after all...making music is the main thing, but we musicians need feedback once in a while. So here's the deal. Soon I'll release a new album (and more) and here's a way you can come up with a few words of support. Maybe you're a musician as well and have a gift of a great chatterbox, show your magic tricks on this platform:

 
Reviews on Drooble

2018?!

What? Music?!

So this must be my last blog of 2018! A few last words then on what I've been doing those 12 months.
Guess you have witnessed the silence on this blog lately ("Vanished" remember?), but that will change once again in 2019 with the release of my new album, that's now "almost" finished. All the music has been recorded. I have just a few lyrics to complete that will take it to the final mixing and mastering stage. Excited times ahead......

Back to 2018 then.

I've enjoyed the weather. Both hot and cold....

What did I come up with?

My song libary is expanding constantly, I mean, I've got a lot of ideas and although sometimes they do not fit on the regular albums, they deserve a destination home too. So I decided to fill another 2 instrumental albums: For Your Pleasure Vol.4 and Vol.5, especially made for the public to use. These licenses, only available on Jamendo and Bandcamp, you can use for your video projects!

Of course, I've released that regular album too. My main thing to complete the year's cycle, it's another part of man's growing lifework.. Learnt a lot again. Still, I am a musicain, not a sound engineer. I try to do my best. Very proud of the work and the feedback it has got. I received more radioplays and reviews than ever!
                                                                    
                                                                     Just Say KNOW....

Back & Front

              
Grateful for the words:

       Bluesmagazine
                                          Muziekwereld
                                                                            Timpaanmuziek
                                                                                                                 KeysAndChords 
                                                                                                                                                    Drooble


My favourite albums of 2018

Close contenders: Chris Bowden - Unlikely Being, Kamasi Washington - Heaven & Earth, David Byrne - American Utopia, Paul Weller -True Meanings, Mark Knopfler - Down The Road Wherever, Thomas Dybdah -  All These Things, David Crosby - Here If You Listen.

Yes, I've been listening and these ones stayed longer on my playlist, in random order, check:


Chris Stills - Don't Be Afraid

The son of Stephen. You can hear it in his voice and intimacy of the songs. His typical seventies production and his songwriting skills caught my ears.


Curtis Harding- Face Your Fear

Retro isn't always that bad. Beautiful, deep (retro soul/ R&B) arrangements, soulful, brooding and intense atmosphere (hence the title "Face Your Fear" I guess).


Michael Franks - The Music In My Head

One of my songwriter heroes (74 years old!) still delivers unexpected subtility


Joan Armatrading - Not Too Far Away

I've got a weak spot for Joan for years (her seventies period especially). An example for all the upcoming (lady) singer-songwriters. She always lifts me up with her upbeat (optimistic) songs.

Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Look Now

Elvis is back. With the most colourful crafted songs in years. Eclectic to the core. What a surprise. Wow!

Field Music - Open Here

Tight-fit, fresh, genius artpop! Something that's been missing these days...

Jacob Collier - Djesse Vol. 1 

Out of this world harmonies, music as it suppose to be in 2018 (the young can deliver!) and this is only vol.1....!


In between, I have read these books in 2018:

John Einarson - Forever Changes Arthur Lee Story
Marc Eliot - Charlton Heston
Andy Summers - One Train Later A Memoir
Paul Woods - The Curious Life & Work Of Scott Walker
Eric Clapton - Clapton The Autobiography 2007
Fred Schruers - Billy Joel
Andy Partridge Todd Bernhardt - Complicated Game Inside the Songs of XTC
Stephen Davis - Stevie Nicks Gold Dust Woman
John Densmore - The Doors: Unhinged
Marcus Baram - Gil Scott-Heron Pieces Of A Man

A little history

Vinyl Dutchman

 Did you know?

JoosTVD (aka The Vanished Dutchman), born 1963(?), started out as a drummer, playing with in several bands (Natural Gas, Second Street Left, Pret In Pettoband). Became restless when he found out he could write songs. Sneaking in his brother's room to play guitar. Together with his enthousiastic buddy Wijnand Brant- formed a duo that recorded a lot of JoosTVD' songs. He assembled some fitting musicians to start a full band "Catch My Drift" around 1987. Untill 1995 they developed a grooovy eclectic show around JoosTVD' songs and toured the Netherlands. Differences about the commercial direction, Wijnand and Joost drifted apart. Since then JoosTVD concentrated on songwriting and recording his own material. After 33 (!) cassettes, he now uses the digital highway to spread his ever growing discography.