**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 5
Written Thursday 10th February 2022
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What can I say? Mrs R likes it.
I knew she would.
Scheduling-wise, songs per day, I've now caught up with having missed the first 5 days of…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 3
Written Tuesday 8th February 2022
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So, here's today's little ditty.
(I don't know whether folks outside the UK would know what a Chelsea Bun is. I love them, they are extremely yum…
Great story line - has a true troubadour feel about it! Love it - kind of dark.
I have had the pleasure of a Chelsea bun here in Canada - yup, extremely yummy.
Very creative song. I'm listening to a great concert of all your songs ...loving it.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 2
Written Monday 7th February 2022
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I wrote this one a couple of hours ago.
I set up for recording, and busted a string on the Martin... GAH!!!
I tried a big ole dreadnought thing…
holy cow......I hadn't heard this one before! Gorgeous!!! That Fender did it's job well. Absolutely love this. I think this one is perfect as an acoustic version.
As If It Really Matters - A A J Russe
Written 16th January 1999
Recorded 12th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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Crumbs, even this is 23 years old!
We used it as a set-opener in the last band I was in.
I've been trying to make…
Wow!!! This song did not age ....it is gorgeous. Truly beautiful and I love the complexity of the melody and how it moves about. I imagined hearing it live at a concert (I'd be in the front row!).
No-one To Blame - A A J Russe
Written 1st January 1988
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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Nearly forgot to post this one! (it's been a busy week at work)
I was 24 when I wrote it. What more can I say…
The Feast - A A J Russe
Written 26th September 1985
Recorded 3rd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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This one's been sticking out of the shoebox for a long long while. It always shows up in a list of maybes. And it did this time…
Just To Make It What You Want - A A J Russe
Written 1st October 2016
Recorded 4th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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I was going to choose a more uptempo one next, then this one jumped out of the shoebox at us, shouting "me me ME…
Gates Of Heaven - A A J Russe
Written 15th January 1988
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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This is about as naked as I can get.
This is how I wrote it. It's never had any accompaniment.
I was a bit young to sing…
Isn't This Fun - A A J Russe
Written 1980 (Completed 16th June 1991)
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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I wrote most of this in my first year at university.
But the Shoebox says I completed it 16/06/1991 - and the…
I Want You To Know - A A J Russe
Written 21st June 1987
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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This was to the same lady who inspired Foolishness. There's a couple of others from the same period, related to her, that will…
I Want You To Know - A A J Russe
Written 21st June 1987
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This was to the same lady who inspired Foolishness. There's a couple of others from the same period, related to her, that will…
Gates Of Heaven - A A J Russe
Written 15th January 1988
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This is about as naked as I can get.
This is how I wrote it. It's never had any accompaniment.
I was a bit young to sing…
I Hope I Love Them - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1989
Recorded 2nd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This one has tugged at me for many many years.
I absolutely adored it from the moment I wrote it in 1989... But I thought…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 1
Written Sunday 6th February 2022
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OK, this is a bit of a departure for me - posting songwriting demos.
This is a one mic recording made this morning in the living room, touch of reverbs…
First time hearing your stuff. After the first song, I love your writing. I'll be listening through what you have posted for the rest of the day!
Completely agree with RPM. I do enjoy it, however this year, my focus was more on songwriting and having fun. Production took a back seat.
I Want You To Know - A A J Russe
Written 21st June 1987
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This was to the same lady who inspired Foolishness. There's a couple of others from the same period, related to her, that will…
I Hope I Love Them - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1989
Recorded 2nd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This one has tugged at me for many many years.
I absolutely adored it from the moment I wrote it in 1989... But I thought…
The Feast - A A J Russe
Written 26th September 1985
Recorded 3rd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
This one's been sticking out of the shoebox for a long long while. It always shows up in a list of maybes. And it did this time…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 13
Written Saturday 19th February 2022
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UPDATE: 8 Hours after posting I just spotted that I listened to and favourited a song called... um... "We're Done" by oldfolks2 - check it out…
I had your FAWM playlist going and sort of forgot I was supposed to be active listening, but this one pulled me right back into it... then I saw your liner notes. I know the feeling of not being happy with something but needing to get it out, but this is great. I'm curious to see what you do with it, because I think it works far better than you it seems.
You better close the stadium with this one, because all those lighters and voices in unison are going to violate some sort of by-law.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 3
Written Tuesday 8th February 2022
****
So, here's today's little ditty.
(I don't know whether folks outside the UK would know what a Chelsea Bun is. I love them, they are extremely yum…
I'm a little perplexed at the narrative, but oh what a great narrative it is. That second verse paints a pretty vivid picture, although I'm a little unsure that being denied pastries is an apt consequence, but then Ive never had a Chelsea Bun.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 1
Written Sunday 6th February 2022
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OK, this is a bit of a departure for me - posting songwriting demos.
This is a one mic recording made this morning in the living room, touch of reverbs…
Congratulations on the FAWM "win", especially with only 23 days to do it. A great start as well.
I share the sentiment on production. Part of me wants to do RPM next year because I wonder if I had too, could I move fast on production? It sounds a lot more exhausting than FAWM, that's for sure.
You know how you're listening to the track above, and then the next one starts, but you've already heard it just now, so you reach for pause...
Didn't click it this time lol
This is fab.
A song about my dad. Written a few years ago but I wanted my family to do the harmonies. Finally I got the last two laid down week. There are 10 harmonies featuring sisters, sons, daughters, nieces and nephews and I thank them all for their amazing…
Well, that was 19 second Fave :-)
(It was nearly 2 seconds, but I thought I'd better wait for the vocal lol)
And then when the backing vocals came in I wished had an "Even Better Than That" button to press...
Fabulous. Love how the melody skips.
This started up as someone else's favourite... knees immediately turned to jelly... once I'd recovered my composure, I thought "hang on a minute, I only know of one voice that... oh, I see" lol
New recording after being forced to take a few weeks off due to personal health issues. It's a little all-over-the-place (hence the name) but I'm excited to share it with you fine folks all the same.
Special props to my buddy Karl Ridgeway…
2nd song for the RPM challenge in 2012. As always, feedback is appreciated!
Lyrics:
Hold on little girl. Don't lose hope.
Even though things seem so damn broken now,
I want you to know that it gets so much better.
My thoughts flow out, like…
Words and music by me.
Lyrics:
Love is trying to find a way around,
Somebody else who's laying down,
Right in the way of where I want to go.
These words have many meanings.
I'm not just walking blindly any more.
And if you'd lend…
This weekend I was thinking about artists that I used to enjoy listening to in highschool. Toad the Wet Sprocket came to mind, and I thought it would be fun to cover one of their songs. I've always liked "Pray Your Gods" - even though the chorus…
None of us knows where we'll be tomorrow,
Let alone 2 weeks from this date.
Will I still be in this place?
"It's okay", she says, "I'll definitely call you later."
If I don't go and forget to,
And if I'm still living here.
Can we say we see a…
Excellent stuff - big smile on my face.
And anyone who can master a tambourine is ok in my book (wretched instrument of the devil that it is lol)(guess who, still, after too many years, can't get a tambourine to do sensible stuff?)
This is the first Irish song I started working on. When I was trying to learn to play the penny whistle I needed a song to practice with, and this is what I ended up going with. I was playing it so often that I figured I might as well record…
A bit of comic relief is good when you have some writers block. I had he song mapped out years before I recorded it. I need to record its companion "Won't you please squeeze my udder Farmer Joe?".
Did this many years ago. It came together very quickly. There are know synths, all guitars and backwards vocals, sped up vocals, detuned vocals.....whacked sounds. I wrote the lyrics on the spot. I love its deep personal message...lol!
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
Absolutely beautiful! Warm and an interesting narrative :). Loving it!
Great story line - has a true troubadour feel about it! Love it - kind of dark. I have had the pleasure of a Chelsea bun here in Canada - yup, extremely yummy. Very creative song. I'm listening to a great concert of all your songs ...loving it.
holy cow......I hadn't heard this one before! Gorgeous!!! That Fender did it's job well. Absolutely love this. I think this one is perfect as an acoustic version.
Wow!!! This song did not age ....it is gorgeous. Truly beautiful and I love the complexity of the melody and how it moves about. I imagined hearing it live at a concert (I'd be in the front row!).
I think I dated this one. I like the guitar lick. The song really moves along well.
I can feel that being a great Rockin' song .....
That's a great song in the making ......
A little bit of magic ...
Very good ..... afraid the 80's are so far away for me ..... old age ;)
Top notch my friend ....
An enjoyable listen, and a little different.
This is beautiful.
Poignant, affecting. Something everyone can relate to. I'm glad you were able to revisit this old song, and I also hope recording it was cathartic.
First time hearing your stuff. After the first song, I love your writing. I'll be listening through what you have posted for the rest of the day! Completely agree with RPM. I do enjoy it, however this year, my focus was more on songwriting and having fun. Production took a back seat.
Funny I don’t get stalker vibes but I can see if one knew the backstory that might be the outcome. Another great piece of writing!!
Sparse and beautiful
This is a good listen.
I had your FAWM playlist going and sort of forgot I was supposed to be active listening, but this one pulled me right back into it... then I saw your liner notes. I know the feeling of not being happy with something but needing to get it out, but this is great. I'm curious to see what you do with it, because I think it works far better than you it seems. You better close the stadium with this one, because all those lighters and voices in unison are going to violate some sort of by-law.
I'm a little perplexed at the narrative, but oh what a great narrative it is. That second verse paints a pretty vivid picture, although I'm a little unsure that being denied pastries is an apt consequence, but then Ive never had a Chelsea Bun.
Congratulations on the FAWM "win", especially with only 23 days to do it. A great start as well. I share the sentiment on production. Part of me wants to do RPM next year because I wonder if I had too, could I move fast on production? It sounds a lot more exhausting than FAWM, that's for sure.
Comments made by Andrew Russe
You know how you're listening to the track above, and then the next one starts, but you've already heard it just now, so you reach for pause... Didn't click it this time lol This is fab.
Like this one. Kinda tricky lyric though - I can see why you haven't sung it lol
Nice one. I don't think I knew this song - looked it up and now I have the lyrics... Fine version.
That's beautiful :-)
Oh yes, love this.
Wonderful. The song's lovely, there are some very interesting chords going on behind it, and those harmonies on the top are just fabulous.
Well, that was 19 second Fave :-) (It was nearly 2 seconds, but I thought I'd better wait for the vocal lol) And then when the backing vocals came in I wished had an "Even Better Than That" button to press... Fabulous. Love how the melody skips.
This started up as someone else's favourite... knees immediately turned to jelly... once I'd recovered my composure, I thought "hang on a minute, I only know of one voice that... oh, I see" lol
Wooo... Doesn't sound all over the place to me. Another fave.
You rock, it's melodic, it's inventive, superb vocals - such timing. Excellent production. Everything I love.
Oh good grief... another one. Superb everything. How have I missed all this? Why so few people listening to you? Very glad I found your stuff.
I keep trying to comment this one - not sure if I'm getting confused, or wot... Love it, fantastic. At least I've managed to fave it
This is wondrous. Song, performance, vocal, recording, everything. Nothing's ever perfect, but this comes pretty damn close for me. Lovely.
Excellent stuff - big smile on my face. And anyone who can master a tambourine is ok in my book (wretched instrument of the devil that it is lol)(guess who, still, after too many years, can't get a tambourine to do sensible stuff?)
Nice one guys.
Superb. More!!!
Awww... one of my FAVOURITE songs. Had to come in and listen... and wow, got some of my favourite instrumentation as well... Love it to pieces
Like this very much.
lol Been trying to make some sort of reasoned critique/comment, but I'm laughing too much
Now this one grabbed me immediately. Really well put together.