New microphone...

I love Christmas - the boys conjured up a new room mic so I put it to use yesterday afternoon. A buddy was going to come over and record a track as a present for a friend but the session got cancelled - so I thought I'd record one instead.

I worked as a writer on a Country gig a few years back; there are several songs from those sessions that I'm very happy with and thought I'd bring them out for a spin. When I listen to this I imagine Kelli or Patsy Cline singing it - I suggest you do the same - my vocals aren't exactly my A game!

It's a super loose recording - everything was done in a couple of hours yesterday afternoon - so - with all those caveats aside - here is:

What Am I To Do?

co-written with Kelli Lidell

Annual Members Thank You Clip

After we publish a new piece of music2work2 we always produce an additional piece that is sent to our paying members as a thank you.

Having recently published Nath, here is an unedited clip from the 11 minute thank you piece that will be go out to annual members next week.

Annual members of music2work2 get to download the entire music2work2 catalog - over 433 minutes of music to work to - plus they get all new music produced in the year of their membership plus they get special bonus tracks like this one. Membership costs $15 a year and you can sign up here.

Free members get to download the Writer's playlist which contains Frustration - the most popular music2work2 track.

Playing Again - Wendi 720

I cannot describe - (although clearly I'll have a shot at it!) - what it is like - not to play - or I guess more appropriately - when you can't play. [audio:720-wendi.mp3| titles= Wendi theme - July 20, 2010 Development|artists=music2work2 ]

I'm not talking about an injury or about Golf - I'm talking about a blockage - I'm talking about the creative process.

I'm beginning to get a handle on mine - having listened to the amazing Elizabeth Gilbert - I wish it was slightly less intense -however -I'm very thankful that it is there at all.

The nearest analogy I can come up with is a writer who's pen - for some reason or other - stops writing. They can see the ink in the barrel - there's no malfunction with the ballpoint or nib - and yet - nothing comes out.

I imagine the writer looking at the pen - initially with curiosity, then frustration and then usually kinetic energy - shaking it and banging it on the desk. And then I imagine the pen splitting open and the ink exploding over the writer's face - leaving them ridiculous with nothing to record the event.

When I don't play - the ideas stay in my head - it's as if - if they can't get out one way - they'll explode and create a new way out - it's fucking bizarre - but actually kinda logical in a way.

I've worked out how I want to move forward and it involves further development of the themes I've been working on over the years. I have a lot of good reasons as to why this makes sense which I'll write about at some point.

Here's a development of Wendi's G Minor theme - no tempo - just the first time I've played in 4 weeks - I think it's sounding pretty cool.  You can download the track by joining the mailing list using the widget below.

Image Credit: C Explosion by mary.streepy - Flickr