(Remastered 22/10/2021)
And here is the first reply to In Your Hands.
I say "first" because I've found another one, When I Try To Be Me, that Mrs R says I have to do too... but that's unlikely to be the next one I post because I'm working…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
OK, let's delve once more into the magical shoebox of unused songs...
I've already recorded several that were written in 1994 (Sleeping with the Ghost, Elizabeth's Room, With Mum Again, If You Knew, A Hundred and…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
And here we go - Edith FINALLY gets it...
Actually, she's been getting it ever since I wrote it on the 29th May. I thought it would take a week or so, but it proved to be more of a fight than I was expecting.
On…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
Here it is in all of its glory...
THIS is the song that Mrs R and I had decided was a suitable response to a request to "Upload something HAPPY, stat!!!!!!!!!"
I tried to record it back in 2013 when I wrote it…
I was once asked to write a happy song. It turned out to be about a woman who killed herself and when I found out THAT SHE ACTUALLY KILLED HERSELF I wasn't sure what to think about my premonition.https://alonetone.com/jamesmichaeltaylor/tracks/a-happy-song. THEN, later an old friend asked if I had any happy songs so I wrote this:https://alonetone.com/jamesmichaeltaylor/tracks/if-it-makes-you-happy-092914-1
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
I was asked (told?) to upload something happy. Hmmm, I thought. This will end well...
So, a few days later, I was rehearsing a pleasant little thing I wrote several years ago that has a working title of "She Was…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
Here's the very latest from the broom-cupboard.
I wrote it one dark night over 23 years ago.
****
**All I Have To Do - A A J Russe**
There isn’t much time to get this out
You won’t hear me if I have to…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
Okies, so I'm working on some other thing and it's taking a while... drums to do and wotnot. But in the middle of it I'm digging how my Martin acoustic is working out. You probs won't even be able to hear it amongst…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
I wrote this one last September.
Allison Jane Sixsmith 1965-2016.
****
**Forever - A A J Russe**
I can see you on your rocking horse now
The one that turned around and kicked you in the teeth
He thought…
I hear you’re drinking at the chocolate fountain
You pulled the handle off the door
But they won’t mind
They’ll be mending it forever..." Great images...
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
I wasn't even sure the recording machine was still going to work after nearly five years... Certainly, bits of me don't work anymore... But, surprisingly, I got this done in 24 hours, start to finish... Strange old world…
As If It Really Matters - A A J Russe
Written 16th January 1999
Recorded 12th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
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…
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…
As If It Really Matters - A A J Russe
Written 16th January 1999
Recorded 12th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
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…
No-one To Blame - A A J Russe
Written 1st January 1988
Recorded 6th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
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…
What's really cool about these songs written long ago is that you are still able to remember the melody... I'm always having to remember my own music. I really like this one! Wise words of a twenty something... wiser that his years!
Who Is My Neighbour - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1992
Recorded 12th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
I wrote this 30 years ago when I was 29. There were a bunch of people killing other people. There were refugees.
By the…
As If It Really Matters - A A J Russe
Written 16th January 1999
Recorded 12th March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
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…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 15
Written Wednesday 23rd February 2022
****
I wasn't able to stop! I really meant to, but... Oh well.
It's still February, so it can go with the others.
IT IS MY FIRM INTENTION TO…
Congratulations!!!! Ended with another amazing tune - YES! That is a wealth of creativity in you my friend. I look forward to hearing all your other tunes. I hope you took a good rest after all this!!!
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 14
Written Monday 21st February 2022
****
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…
Amazing how this came towards the end of the challenge...simply gorgeous. I don't hear any fatigue in it. A sad song though and I'm imagining the story behind it. Beautiful.
**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…
This is another great one!!! and catchy too. I also loved hearing your description of how this came about - I totally relate!!! I actually don't like most of my own songs. This song captures the spirit of these challenges :)
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 11
Written Thursday 17th February 2022
****
Feels like I'm on the last lap now. Only 3 more needed.
This one came from a suggestion from Mrs R this morning. I didn't quite fancy it, but…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 10
Written Wednesday 16th February 2022
****
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…
I haven't been listening to your stuff enough recently - kinda catching up here.
This is fab. Luckily I'm too old and creaky to attempt to dance to it, thanks for the warning anyway lol
Bethan wanted to make a lullaby for her new grandson and asked me for to make a music track for her to sing to.
Tess added 2 extra riffs and pitched it down as well. She also did the mixing and the vocal arrangement.
Shadows Come, Day Is All…
Fantastic, gorgeous, yum...
Bethan, so far, this is my ABSOLUTE favourite vocal of yours (not heard them all yet, though! lol).
And I reckon Tess must have the same muse bothering her as the one that watches over and hassles me: I was getting ready to type...
"and that line 'My love sits in the front row' is just fabulous"
... when I read the previous comments!
Superb job everyone. Now, does it actually work as lullaby on the chap in question? :-)
Wooo... Not heard this one before - I assume it was the same punkfest I know about and, as I didn't pay too much attention to the stuff getting posted, I must have missed this.
Love it. What it most reminds me of is Motorhead's first album (and, actually, the originally unreleased first album, On Parole), before they "became" Motorhead. So they were still a mixture of Hawkwind, The Pink Fairies, and goodness knows what else that went into it (speed and vodka lol).
My old live sound engineer from the 80s would have LOVED this, he always trying to get me more into stuff like this. Looks like some of it stuck, I love it too.
Had a bad day when I wrote this.
There is a rule I stick by though.
"Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy"
So I did..
Picked up the Kay G101 and pressed record on the iPhone voice memo…
Ah - you've uploaded this one as well, nice one :-)
But I still don't quite understand how you manage to channel stuff so apparently effortlessly, and invariably produce a song worth listening to at the same time. (And do it so often)
Mebbe I'll just press record one day and see what happens! (And then spend 3 hours/weeks/months twiddling with the EQ afterwards lol)
Once upon a life
By OsCKilO
Once
Upon a life
Do we find
A happy ending
More
Are the times
That we try
To race from the line
Slow down Laddy
Wont you go a little bit Slow
So Daddy can
catch up
Hey there Laddy
I could run fast in my day
And…
No problem :-)
I hope a lot of people hear it. For me, it's one of those songs/performances that gives the listener a lot of reward for just listening.
My missus thinks so too (and she's the one who ALL of my stuff goes through before it gets out - I don't post anything without her reassurance first!).
Not all songs do this. And the writer never really knows that they've done it, or whether they're imposing on people with it if they have... The minute I heard it I knew this was one (might not be for everyone, I guess, but it is for me and Mrs R), and I suspected you might need to know it was cool and needs to be "out there"...
Once upon a life
By OsCKilO
Once
Upon a life
Do we find
A happy ending
More
Are the times
That we try
To race from the line
Slow down Laddy
Wont you go a little bit Slow
So Daddy can
catch up
Hey there Laddy
I could run fast in my day
And…
T
So glad you put this one up on here. Tis still as beautiful as when I first heard it this morning.
The song itself, simple and from the heart. And the performance matches it.
Wonderful creation.
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…
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…
"I like that notion of optimism right around the corner . . . but not quite here yet."
Yep, I like that as well now, VERY much... but I didn't really believe it when I wrote it! lol - it was more of a yearning for it to be true.
This is Mark's First adventure into Song Writing
Big Legged Woman -- Written by Mark Imsdahl
Mark's alonetone site: http://alonetone.com/imsdahl
Mark Imsdahl -- Harmonica
Greg Connor -- Dobro
Here is Ron Rouch's version of Mark…
Oh yeah, faved immediately.
I bought some blues harmonicas once - this'll be easy I thought... NOPE! lol (I ended up giving them to a harp player I knew)
I might try again one day, and it's performances like this that make me want to do it.
Fine song, fine everything :-)
A tune I wrote and recorded last year as a result of a good friends hungry teenage daughter sitting in the dance tent at the Sunrise festival chanting 'pizza, pizza!'. Working on a new album if yer interested. New tracks soon with any luck.
a mind
escaped
destruction
signalling
for help
taking refuge
with the dead
afore arrival
of the shifter
o you who turn the wheel
and look to windward
o you who turn the wheel
consider phlebas
the search
ensues
determined
are the foes
questioning…
it finally happened the guys from jemima's kite got together for a gig in otley yorkshire, with geir and osckilo joining in the festivities.
this was a wee practice before the event, with me on vocals and greeny on guitar and backing vox live…
it was my intention to use alonetone just for my solo endeavours but i couldn't resist introducing you to jemima's kite
http://songcrafters.org/JemimasKite/index.html
I tied Jemima's kite
To my bicycle
We're gonna send it
Soaring through the…
And of course this version :-)
I don't think I've listened to this one this close before - or mebbe I've better headphones on, I dunno - it's fab, worth two faves.
WOW!!
This must've been for the Beatlesfest over at Songcrafters? How did I miss it???!
I nearly skipped this one in a mood of "oh this old chestnut..." (I do love the original, but you kind of dread a cover of it).
But I reasoned, "you never know with orh..."
So I thought I'd listen to the first "I read the news today" and then decide...
FLIP!! lol
recorded on this day one year ago in geirs hut in porsgrunn norway.
met are: Geir (geir alfsen)Guitar
osckilo (tharek mokbul)guitar
flash harry (mike fife) bass guitar and homemade tambourine
oldrottenhead (jim higgins…
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
Simple and clear...
"Teddy bead kisses..." So sad.
Sounds like another suicide song to me... We can feel the pain in your voice.
I was once asked to write a happy song. It turned out to be about a woman who killed herself and when I found out THAT SHE ACTUALLY KILLED HERSELF I wasn't sure what to think about my premonition.https://alonetone.com/jamesmichaeltaylor/tracks/a-happy-song. THEN, later an old friend asked if I had any happy songs so I wrote this:https://alonetone.com/jamesmichaeltaylor/tracks/if-it-makes-you-happy-092914-1
"But still I love the comfort I find in misery…" Great line. Beatle like...and that's always good.
Great guitar sound.
Love this. Beautifully done. Tonight I was trying out a song from that era: Twilight Time...https://www.e-chords.com/chords/the-platters/twilight-time
I hear you’re drinking at the chocolate fountain You pulled the handle off the door But they won’t mind They’ll be mending it forever..." Great images...
Rock on Dude...! Good to listen to some of your tunes. It's been a while. Strange relationship in this song.
Another great song! Maybe it’s time to get the band back together!,!
Like it.
Beautiful piece.
What's really cool about these songs written long ago is that you are still able to remember the melody... I'm always having to remember my own music. I really like this one! Wise words of a twenty something... wiser that his years!
This is a universal message with a hauntingly sad melody. Everyone should be open to these words. Thank you Andrew.
The words really speak to me … as ever!
Congratulations!!!! Ended with another amazing tune - YES! That is a wealth of creativity in you my friend. I look forward to hearing all your other tunes. I hope you took a good rest after all this!!!
Amazing how this came towards the end of the challenge...simply gorgeous. I don't hear any fatigue in it. A sad song though and I'm imagining the story behind it. Beautiful.
This is another great one!!! and catchy too. I also loved hearing your description of how this came about - I totally relate!!! I actually don't like most of my own songs. This song captures the spirit of these challenges :)
I can't help but comment again! This is fabulous!!! Love how it came about - thank you Mrs. R.
What a loving ballad .....just perfect. That "little guitar bit" found its home :) Beautiful vocals here too.
Comments made by Andrew Russe
Yep, still more of a Geir than a Hen (I can hear reverb on it for a start!) lol. VERY cool, sir
Crazy! :-)
I haven't been listening to your stuff enough recently - kinda catching up here. This is fab. Luckily I'm too old and creaky to attempt to dance to it, thanks for the warning anyway lol
Fantastic, gorgeous, yum... Bethan, so far, this is my ABSOLUTE favourite vocal of yours (not heard them all yet, though! lol). And I reckon Tess must have the same muse bothering her as the one that watches over and hassles me: I was getting ready to type... "and that line 'My love sits in the front row' is just fabulous" ... when I read the previous comments! Superb job everyone. Now, does it actually work as lullaby on the chap in question? :-)
Wooo... Not heard this one before - I assume it was the same punkfest I know about and, as I didn't pay too much attention to the stuff getting posted, I must have missed this. Love it. What it most reminds me of is Motorhead's first album (and, actually, the originally unreleased first album, On Parole), before they "became" Motorhead. So they were still a mixture of Hawkwind, The Pink Fairies, and goodness knows what else that went into it (speed and vodka lol). My old live sound engineer from the 80s would have LOVED this, he always trying to get me more into stuff like this. Looks like some of it stuck, I love it too.
Ah - you've uploaded this one as well, nice one :-) But I still don't quite understand how you manage to channel stuff so apparently effortlessly, and invariably produce a song worth listening to at the same time. (And do it so often) Mebbe I'll just press record one day and see what happens! (And then spend 3 hours/weeks/months twiddling with the EQ afterwards lol)
No problem :-) I hope a lot of people hear it. For me, it's one of those songs/performances that gives the listener a lot of reward for just listening. My missus thinks so too (and she's the one who ALL of my stuff goes through before it gets out - I don't post anything without her reassurance first!). Not all songs do this. And the writer never really knows that they've done it, or whether they're imposing on people with it if they have... The minute I heard it I knew this was one (might not be for everyone, I guess, but it is for me and Mrs R), and I suspected you might need to know it was cool and needs to be "out there"...
T So glad you put this one up on here. Tis still as beautiful as when I first heard it this morning. The song itself, simple and from the heart. And the performance matches it. Wonderful creation.
Wow, I'd forgotten all about this one. She's upstairs having a lie-in. Gonna make her a coffee in a minute... Thanks guys :-)
Oh this is brilliant. BRILLIANT.
Oh yes, I do like this. Love the kind of 60s vibe to it. I'm going to have to listen to more of your stuff.
"I like that notion of optimism right around the corner . . . but not quite here yet." Yep, I like that as well now, VERY much... but I didn't really believe it when I wrote it! lol - it was more of a yearning for it to be true.
Oh yeah, faved immediately. I bought some blues harmonicas once - this'll be easy I thought... NOPE! lol (I ended up giving them to a harp player I knew) I might try again one day, and it's performances like this that make me want to do it. Fine song, fine everything :-)
Oh yeah. I wasn't too sure as it started... but by the end I had a big smile on my face. Gorgeous sound and groove.
Nice... I love the way the vocals work in headphones. And some juicy Ronson-esque guitaring.
I love this still.
I thought I'd pressed send on this one!! It was along the lines of "yes, like this version, nice job" :-)
And of course this version :-) I don't think I've listened to this one this close before - or mebbe I've better headphones on, I dunno - it's fab, worth two faves.
WOW!! This must've been for the Beatlesfest over at Songcrafters? How did I miss it???! I nearly skipped this one in a mood of "oh this old chestnut..." (I do love the original, but you kind of dread a cover of it). But I reasoned, "you never know with orh..." So I thought I'd listen to the first "I read the news today" and then decide... FLIP!! lol
Ah... I have heard this elsewhere... it doesn't get any worse, though - it fact it gets better - superb job chaps