“DIY?”
I don’t see myself as an excellent player that has to perform to show his chops. I do play and figure out songs of other composers once in a while, for educational purposes only. I have learned to play a few instruments (started out as that muppet Animal drummer), just enough to make records! I’m not a professional sound engineer, but I’ve learned along the way. Do It Yourself. That’s my kick. Yes, i 've had a few piano lessons and I had some voice training, singing opera too, but.
To put my own creations on “tape”. Play and push record. I already started recording my own songs around 1980…playing (drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals). Learned a whole lot about self-reflection in the meantime. Produced around 43 cassettes (remember it was the analog age!) of work in progress.
Although I like performing/ entertaining and I did play in a few bands
(between 1980-1995), more and more I became aware of my real strengths:
songwriting and shape a song into a complete version as I hear it in my
head. It’s “hard” work though. Talent is not enough. You can’t push it,
it will “push” you! It’s in the back of my head all the time. 24/7.
Don’t worry, I do sleep and I like to vanish from time to time.
'Somebody tore my world apart and put it back together
Somebody tore my world apart and put the pieces back the wrong way'
A World Of Make Believe was basically done with the help of an acoustic
guitar and a slow, but urging drumloop with a sort of hiss in its mix.
Lyrically I had the word fake in my mind, as I regularly have lately,
when I read the news. Make believe. Create your own reality or bubble
and watch what happens to the sheep when you spread the word. A sinister
and hypnotic tone of voice. You can hear that in the way I sing, I even
almost rap or narrate the words.The chorus is more melodic with a latin
feel around it for some contrasting relieve.
Gil Scott-Heron tapping on my shoulder
A lyric 'promo' video. One of 12 brand new songs from the album 'Suit Yourself out 30-07-2021
...and to be heard. So I've finally came up with a new batch of songs. Well, I never thought I'd make an another album, but here we are again.
This is the first of twelve songs, this one slowly building up, crawling under your skin, I hope. I've shared it with soundcloud and the online magazine Homecooking Share.
Process.
A World Of Make Believe was basically done with the help of an acoustic guitar and a slow, but urging drumloop with a sort of hiss in its mix. Lyrically I had the word fake in my mind, as I regularly have lately, when I read the news. Make believe. Create your own reality or bubble and watch what happens to the sheep when you spread the word. A sinister and hypnotic tone of voice. You can hear that in the way I sing, I even almost rap or narrate the words.The chorus is more melodic with a latin feel around it for some contrasting relieve. With Gil Scott-Heron tapping on my shoulder.
Yes it's time to get myself together...or not. I've been recording again, a lot of ideas fell into place so it's been fun and I guess I can come up with a new album next year, but.... it's too predictable now. Yes, I can look back at this great body of work now and be proud, but something is missing... I've been doing that for so many years now, it has become a habit, maybe a nice routine. The latest reviews have giving me exactly the kick in that direction. Break with the mold. Every song has been worth releasing, so no regrets in that department. I just want to experiment, explore more with ideas so I need time and space to do that. I'm gonna break with the "releasing things" to the public every year. Quality comes first.
Will I ever release a song again, you wonder? Only when I'm perfectly and naturally okay with it, but I'm too addicted to songwriting, recording, playing singing to give it all up. Hey TVD, let's not get too serious, nothing is broken. Let's have fun again. I've got the toys and the playground!
Motivation is the key, I can't do it without love.
Tat's a song from the last album. I'm profetic I guess!
This
song is about love...without feeling it exactly. Written in a burst of
energy on acoustic guitar, I found a fitting melody on the piano and
the rest followed.
Just let it flow..... Spotify Video
Everybody, thanks for your support. I'm gonna vanish again, but I'll be back.
I Forgot about this! I don't like compilation in general, but this one... well, I had the chance to put together a few favourite songs and release it. Et voila! On apple music
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!
