A song about my wife. Recorded 2005.
I'd just taught myself how to play piano (badly).
I'd always wanted to be Freddie Mercury when I was younger... still got a bit of a ways to go.
****
**Now It's Done - A A J Russe**
I said it…
Electric blues. Recorded 2007. I was learning how to use my DAW and trying to figure out how a one-man-band could get to sound like a bunch of old bluesers in a sweaty bar...
*****
**Rabbit Boy - A A J Russe**
Well she don't mind crying…
Electric blues. Recorded 2007. I was learning how to use my DAW and trying to figure out how a one-man-band could get to sound like a bunch of old bluesers in a sweaty bar...
*****
**Rabbit Boy - A A J Russe**
Well she don't mind crying…
Acoustic blues. Recorded in 2005. I was trying to record something else, can't remember what, and the missus was going out. She had cyclist Lance Armstong's book, or was talking about it. Sounded like a great title for a song as well as his book…
Rock instrumental. Recorded Christmas 2008.
I'd struggled with a DAW. I'd stopped recording. And then my lovely wife got me a Boss MBR for Christmas. I thought this little thing the size of a fag-packet would be a nice "scratch-pad" songwriting…
A cover of Larry Wallis's fine ditty (it's always been one of my favourite Dr Feelgood songs).
This was my second recording with my Boss MBR, recorded early 2009. It confirmed for me that I was a "standalone recorder" kind of guy, and there was…
Pop-rock song. Recorded 2009.
I wrote this several years earlier and rehearsed it with the last band I was in.
The recording was my first "serious" project on my Boss MBR, I was stunned that you could do something like this on a little silver…
Acoustic tale of revenge. Recorded 2010 on a Boss BR1600CD.
*****
**The Knife - A A J Russe**
A dark and star-less night
Probably driving rain
That's what they think became of me
A foolish walk along the cliff when he was drunk…
Haha! My mum wrote this in 2011: Andrew, welcome to Alonetone.
Oh love your sound.
Man, you’re really good.
A little gruesome lyrically, but brilliantly well performed.
:) I concur.
A cover of Justin Currie's Sleep Instead of Teardrops. Recorded 2010.
It has always been one of my favourite Del Amitri songs. I was strumming away at it one day and my missus said I should record it...
A cover of Justin Currie's Sleep Instead of Teardrops. Recorded 2010.
It has always been one of my favourite Del Amitri songs. I was strumming away at it one day and my missus said I should record it...
A cover of Justin Currie's Sleep Instead of Teardrops. Recorded 2010.
It has always been one of my favourite Del Amitri songs. I was strumming away at it one day and my missus said I should record it...
Recorded Oct 2010.
It was meant to be a full band pop-rock song. But I started overdubbing on the original exploratory demo I'd done to work out the arrangement (with no click track). I kept coming back to it intending to start afresh... but…
Acoustic tale recorded Christmas 2010.
I wrote it years ago. Even tried rehearsing it with the band I was in at the time. But I couldn't play it properly. It took several weeks of practicing DADGAD (never really used it in anger before) until…
A tale of keeping your head above the water, or not...
Recorded Jan-Feb 2011.
I wrote it many years ago, never thought I'd ever do anything with it.
I intended to record this with just an acoustic and my new EDB (electric upright bass…
New one from me. It's ended up as a bit of a "crying into yer beer at Bob's Country Bunker" sort of song lol...
I've been sat on these lyrics in some form or another for absolutely years. I first wrote them one very dark night a few years after…
First new one from me in a long time.
Kind of a love song, I guess.
Recorded in my new "studio" (3rd bedroom in the new house). Almost up and running now... shine and don't stop wondering!
****
**Shine - A A J Russe**
On my way…
Not enough is made of your talent for musical arrangement as it's taken for granted in the shadow of your vox. You have such a huge talent, Russe. More please.
A new original from me. Another one-voice, one-guitar, "live" performance in my broom-cupboard. This time it's the good ole tin guitar.
I wrote this one in 2002 during the "dark years" lol. I've ummed and aahed over the years on whether to…
One of the many things I love about your voice is that you can turn from low key rev to buttock-grabbing throttle in a split second. That's pretty fantastic.
So I was locked in the broom-cupboard, checking out some old songs that need recording.
I'd just picked one and then suddenly this thing came out of nowehere. It started with one of those guitarist doodles that other musicians love so much…
Well, here we go then...
****
**Cobwebs - A A J Russe**
Yeah you know what it is that I want
Oh you knew, didn't you, before I did?
How many times did you wonder whether I would dare?
Oh never mind...
Take off your underwear
Over…
Here we go.
This one started out one morning several weeks ago when the sun was still shining...
If it's as wet and dark as it is here, just close your eyes, I'm sure you can imagine it if you try hard enough...
Lollies, chips, and beer…
THE TIDE POOLS OF CALIFORNIA
When you're born in California
There are things you take for granted
The sunshine and the desert and
The forests, and the bears and the beaches
In the tide pools of California
In the memories of one little…
LOVE this. I first listened while finishing work earlier, back then I mainly noticed your signature lush backing vocals on the chorus (bit loud on this one maybe?). But when I listened again in comfort, able to concentrate... woah, gorgeous song.
2013 was a decent year, song wise. I came up with a few good ones during the RPM Challenge in February, and one good one during NaSoAlMo in November.
This version is faster, shorter, has a bunch of new key changes, and has a little bit of…
Oh yeah. Nice. Love the guitars, as usual. The sound effect is cool, glad you left it in. AND, it was always a cool song, but it REALLY improves for just a little increase in tempo. There's more of a bounce to it... and it suits the vocals a lot more at this speed. That breakdown at 3.40 with the slide is mighty cool too (makes me think Jimmy Page 1969 lol) - it would be interesting to hear a whammy bar version... but I SUSPECT that the slides are the better effect.
JUNK
This week's prompt is "DIRTY LAUNDRY"
Key C
I got a call from Russell
He had to move his Junk
He'd filled his car
He'd filled his trunk
Big black bags of Something
I said, "What's with these?"
He said…
Another song from my 2013 RPM Challenge album. I always like this one, but I'm not sure I did it justice this time. There is a lot of really sloppy guitar playing, even if the Klon KTR overdrive pedal sounds EPIC. Sorry, gear nerd.
This…
Yep, like it. I recognised the chorus - and I probably only heard it once back in 2013 - it's quite memorable. I checked the original out earlier (I was typing when a windows update crashing my machine got in the way!! That's an hour of my life I'll never get back again ... I thought my laptop was dying!) ... Anyways, I found that this one, for me, is an improvement on the original...
Love those guitar harmonies, by the way.
So it has been a while since my last RPM. I felt this song was the best was to reintroduce myself with the insane process that is the RPM Challenge....
Funny situation about a love they refuse to give up on. Need a break every now and then.....
I was a happy boy with you as my girlfriend
You talked me into marriage, we've been fighting ever since
then came the time I didn't cry when you…
A funny song about someone's poor luck in marriage. Not being judgmental, but sometimes we just need to laugh.
My first Ex-wife, she bet me, I'd never marry again
She said no woman with half a brain would have me for her man
Well, I proved…
A song about regrets. Luckily I changed my hectic schedule and was able to spend time with family, especially my Dad before he passed.
If I had time? I'd go visit with my Dad, and listen to those stories of when he was just a child.....If I…
After the visit to Spain in no. 7, I found myself drifting over the continent of Asia for no. 8 !! Hopefully have captured some of the flavours of that area of the World.....
As ever, 13111y supplied the final mastering.....cheers Billy.
Nice one. Like the tinkly motif on the top that's there at the start and the finish... feels like it's been there all the way through... makes me feel like I've been on a journey.
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel.
Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel.
Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
I struggle with the same sort of thing over songs... it's why I tend to take so long with some - I can't tell whether a song of mine's any good, never can. But often I have a suspicion it might be "WOW" and so I want to give it the best chance of receiving a WOW or two... and so I worry and stress about it until I can't do any better, then I say it's done and post it (or file it, or sometimes bin it). I'm always proud of them, every single one of them, but I never know whether any of them are any good until other people say so. Somehow, when I was young, I set myself up with "if it's popular, it's good pop music", and I'm kinda stuck with that now... too late to change!!
This song scares me. This song stresses me out. This song confuses me. I could write a song about how messed up this song makes me feel.
Is it the best song I've ever written? Not even close. Why then do I insist to myself that it's the…
Lyrics:
and i am worn down and i was torn out.
all the things i could've, filled a form right out
is it a worm hole is it a warm hole?
should i take a jacket is it cold outside?
is it a worm hole is it a warm hole?
should i take…
So my lovely wife bought me a guitar this week... I started by learning some basic and easy chord shapes and this song came together. It's the first one I've done where everything is played by me.
It also features my voice on lead and backing…
Catching up here... Saw the comment from Sister Savage about vocals at last... and YESS! ... I'd been wondering what your vox would be like ... perfect! (even with the restrictions of iphone). Looking forward to when you get reunited with the kit and finish the other tracks... Meanwhile, love the dreamy vibe on this one.
So, when the current unpleasantness is over, are the MTBottles gonna tour? Mrs R says she expects to catch you at C2C at the O2 in the UK next year... she might even get me out of the house too if you were on the bill
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
*holds lighter in the air*
One of my extra-faves. This is a topnotch, toe-tapping slice of...oh nooooesss!!!!! Over too soon!!!!
Loving your blues vibe - sounds like the real you.
Authentic and shamelessly cool.
Cool jam!
Super fine cover.
E-P-I-C, A-N-T-H-E-M-I-C.
Haha! My mum wrote this in 2011: Andrew, welcome to Alonetone. Oh love your sound. Man, you’re really good. A little gruesome lyrically, but brilliantly well performed. :) I concur.
Ooh no - I can't claim credit for this one. Justin Currie of Del Amitri wrote it. The original is absolutely GORGEOUS :-) (even makes me cry)
World class song-writing.
That melody is rip-your-heart-out gorgeous. Tear-jerking evil man.
BANGS IT HARD AGAINST THE WALL. Dude.
My first middle name, thanks.
Enjoyed!
Just spectacular song-writing (oh, and performance, SHOCKER!!).
Not enough is made of your talent for musical arrangement as it's taken for granted in the shadow of your vox. You have such a huge talent, Russe. More please.
One of the many things I love about your voice is that you can turn from low key rev to buttock-grabbing throttle in a split second. That's pretty fantastic.
Beautiful vocal - beautiful.
OK. I'm up for it.
Sauce.
Comments made by Andrew Russe
WOW!
LOVE this. I first listened while finishing work earlier, back then I mainly noticed your signature lush backing vocals on the chorus (bit loud on this one maybe?). But when I listened again in comfort, able to concentrate... woah, gorgeous song.
Oh yeah. Nice. Love the guitars, as usual. The sound effect is cool, glad you left it in. AND, it was always a cool song, but it REALLY improves for just a little increase in tempo. There's more of a bounce to it... and it suits the vocals a lot more at this speed. That breakdown at 3.40 with the slide is mighty cool too (makes me think Jimmy Page 1969 lol) - it would be interesting to hear a whammy bar version... but I SUSPECT that the slides are the better effect.
Love it.
Cool sounds.
Yep, like it. I recognised the chorus - and I probably only heard it once back in 2013 - it's quite memorable. I checked the original out earlier (I was typing when a windows update crashing my machine got in the way!! That's an hour of my life I'll never get back again ... I thought my laptop was dying!) ... Anyways, I found that this one, for me, is an improvement on the original... Love those guitar harmonies, by the way.
Mighty fine album MTC - sorry I didn't spot it earlier.
Oh yesss... I was going to maybe go to bed and listen to this tomorrow... but... change of plan : I'm gonna listen now, sleep can wait :)
Well I know I'd only reappeared a month after this, but how did I miss this album existed? Magnificent opener.
Excellent chorus - love the lyric. Yep. Welcome :) ... Looking forward to hearing more of your stuff.
LOL, faved before 30 seconds... Love it.
Oh yeah, cool song. And slide guitar! What's not to like.
Nice one. Like the tinkly motif on the top that's there at the start and the finish... feels like it's been there all the way through... makes me feel like I've been on a journey.
But this one of yours, it's a GOODIE
I struggle with the same sort of thing over songs... it's why I tend to take so long with some - I can't tell whether a song of mine's any good, never can. But often I have a suspicion it might be "WOW" and so I want to give it the best chance of receiving a WOW or two... and so I worry and stress about it until I can't do any better, then I say it's done and post it (or file it, or sometimes bin it). I'm always proud of them, every single one of them, but I never know whether any of them are any good until other people say so. Somehow, when I was young, I set myself up with "if it's popular, it's good pop music", and I'm kinda stuck with that now... too late to change!!
Oh yeah... this is a goodie.
Yep. Cool track. Like the lyrics
Catching up here... Saw the comment from Sister Savage about vocals at last... and YESS! ... I'd been wondering what your vox would be like ... perfect! (even with the restrictions of iphone). Looking forward to when you get reunited with the kit and finish the other tracks... Meanwhile, love the dreamy vibe on this one.
So, when the current unpleasantness is over, are the MTBottles gonna tour? Mrs R says she expects to catch you at C2C at the O2 in the UK next year... she might even get me out of the house too if you were on the bill
This is another goodie from you guys - loving what you're doing :)