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
****
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
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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…
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
****
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.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 14
Written Monday 21st February 2022
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This is it ... FAWM's all finished for me... time for a lie down now.
There's still nearly a week to go, but I'm done, 14 songs written in 16…
Well sir, you smashed this challenge - and ended up with a stunning unplugged album. It's made me want to hear some of your established tracks with similar stripped-down arrangements, leading the listener to concentrate on the sheer artistry of your words and astonishingly soulful vocal. Next challenge for you is the 24 hours album. 24 minutes of original music in 24 hours. I believe it originated on alonetone. Off you go.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 13
Written Saturday 19th February 2022
****
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…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 10
Written Wednesday 16th February 2022
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I've had the little guitar bit in the middle for years and years and years.
Even my wife recognises it, I play it so often.
Yesterday while…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 9
Written Tuesday 15th February 2022
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I decided it was time I wrote a song that wasn't so hard to sing and play!
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**Once Again - A A J Russe**
Every day
You keep asking…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 7
Written Saturday 12th February 2022
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This one was easy to write but hard work singing and recording.
I'm fairly certain this one is high on the list of "arrange me later" - I kept…
Great song writing - loving the sentiment and your tender vox here. I love it when the FAWM and RPM parameters draw out his kind of track, any more of an arrangement would detract from the message - IMHO.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 6
Written Friday 11th February 2022
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I was meant to be resting and chilling.
In fact, I was resting and chilling.
But then I got a message from Lala saying she was listening to the…
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…
Originally conceived as a mellow-ish, Stephen Stills sounding number (at least the verses), then the chorus came to me out of nowhere and turned the whole song on it's ear. I think that was for the better. I have to admit that I surprised myself…
Monster stuff.
It rocks, it's melodic, big in-the-face scrunchy guitar, love those vocals. And the bass at 3.10 or so!
Then the build up to 4.35 and the guitar and last chorus... Those top harmonies at the end.
Big grin on the face time...
A masterpiece.
Figure Out- There are about 4-5 takes of this song, all different. The song started off in the key of D, but I couldn’t hit the notes in the chorus. I then tried it in A, but it was lacking drive and energy. I tried it in G, but I couldn’t get…
Matter Of Fate- This song started as a riff I was doing while tuning my guitar. It sounded cool, so I happened to record it on a small dictation recorder I have so I wouldn’t forget it. When I listened to the riff it just screamed Sticky Fingers…
Reg has decided to write this song about an English serial killer known as the Crossbow killer to make those young trusting women well aware that some men are not always what they seem ................. as in the case of Stephen Griffiths who…
Final version
Day 28
Anyone else still writing songs?
this is the result of trying to listen to too many mixes in one day. Sometimes it's just easier to record something else.
Final version
Every so often when i'm thinking of something else a western song pops up as if there is a soundtrack to a movie running in the back of my head. I might have to gather em all up into a playlist some day.
track nine, or at least…
Final version
Guitar, mandolin and voice.
this doesn't fit with my rpm project AT ALL so i may not use it but i like the way it came out. I recorded the music for Bethan Mathis' RPM project but she didn't have time to use it (her album is…
And then this started up when Nocturne finished...
I love your stuff Igor. This is beautiful, makes me want to go and play my piano (I can't very well!). I need to practice - these are the sorts of piano sounds in my head, thanks for creating them :-)
~Bless the Beasts & Children~
Shades of feeling. How do I transfer them to the music unless only I can is to roar as the buffalo? Overload from top, firmament from below. Play one note. Then another, then a third. Then overdrive them, all…
Wow. This is mighty fine. It goes places but it's still obviously the same piece. I wasn't expecting it to hold my attention all the way. But I was actually sorry it finished!
Written & Recorded: Feb 26, 2011
GADGAD Capo III, DADGAD Capo III
This is probably my last track for this year's RPM Challenge (leaving it incomplete for 2011). I'm kind of worn out and not feeling super inspired this year and I sort of…
Bookending the "Late December" CD, this song about my little girls on Christmas morning holds a special place in my heart. Thanks to Sam and Mick for making it perfect.
One Perfect Day
Go to sleep my blue-eyed girl
The sun is on its…
Sometimes it's easier to run with the flawed routines we're familiar with than to turn over a new leaf..
Compare to "Firecracker" and "Livewire" from RPM 2010 and 2009 respectively.
Really enjoyed this - not my usual kind of thing at all, but there's something in it that grabbed my attention. I'll check some more of your stuff out.
This song was born on the 18th of Feb. 2011. It was the last piece I wrote/recorded for the challenge. It was a very sad day for me, almost as if all my usual winter sadness was concentrated and crammed into one day. The process of writing and…
Had these backing tracks laying around on my drive for a while and didn't know what to do with them, so grabbed my Ebow and a fretless electric that I built for myself a couple years ago and had a go. My fretless playing is really in its infancy…
Kinda rough. I'm uploading this mainly to share a guitar technique I've been working on. I'm wearing a slide on my picking hand and using it to alter pitches in single line phrases. There's a lot more can be done with this technique that I've…
Lovely sounds. I can't figure out how you're using the slide on the picking hand - or I can't here where it might be in use... but just as a piece of music and playing this is beautiful.
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
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.
Well sir, you smashed this challenge - and ended up with a stunning unplugged album. It's made me want to hear some of your established tracks with similar stripped-down arrangements, leading the listener to concentrate on the sheer artistry of your words and astonishingly soulful vocal. Next challenge for you is the 24 hours album. 24 minutes of original music in 24 hours. I believe it originated on alonetone. Off you go.
Glad you didn't bin it! Liking the driving feel - immediately hooky also.
A sweet almost-lullaby - glad this one found a home in your February. So very pretty.
Really love this melody and the breezy feel. Some gorgeous little acoustic guitar runs in there too.
Great song writing - loving the sentiment and your tender vox here. I love it when the FAWM and RPM parameters draw out his kind of track, any more of an arrangement would detract from the message - IMHO.
Woohoo! Logged in and back from Brighton. <3 Can now fave this utter classic.
Hauntingly sad and beautiful
Comments made by Andrew Russe
Monster stuff. It rocks, it's melodic, big in-the-face scrunchy guitar, love those vocals. And the bass at 3.10 or so! Then the build up to 4.35 and the guitar and last chorus... Those top harmonies at the end. Big grin on the face time... A masterpiece.
And this - rockin!
Whoa! I like this very much. Yep Sticky Fingers, but with, I dunno, a Joe Walsh kind of vocal. Nice one.
Like this one too. Good stuff.
I said "And fine guitar playing." earlier... Ah! It's James Burton - no wonder :-)
Love it. Smooth. And fine guitar playing.
Ho hum... Like it... (I think!) We've all got it in us :-)
Another goodie
Almost perfect. I love your simple approach, it creates such immediate sounding recordings. I wish I could restrain myself to do the same...
Simple, bare, and really good to listen to.
Woof!! This is superb
And this too :-) You make the thing talk, many thanks.
And then this started up when Nocturne finished... I love your stuff Igor. This is beautiful, makes me want to go and play my piano (I can't very well!). I need to practice - these are the sorts of piano sounds in my head, thanks for creating them :-)
Wow. This is mighty fine. It goes places but it's still obviously the same piece. I wasn't expecting it to hold my attention all the way. But I was actually sorry it finished!
Came back for another listen - it's a fascinating sound, really hypnotic
Lovely, really lovely - enjoyed it a lot.
Really enjoyed this - not my usual kind of thing at all, but there's something in it that grabbed my attention. I'll check some more of your stuff out.
Loving this. I've not got the time right now, but I have to check out some more of you guys' stuff
Wow, you're making sounds that are just so expressive. I've had a great time listening to just a selection this evening.
Lovely sounds. I can't figure out how you're using the slide on the picking hand - or I can't here where it might be in use... but just as a piece of music and playing this is beautiful.