**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…
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
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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…
**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!
****
**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
****
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…
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…
Foolishness - A A J Russe
Written 3rd January 1988
Recorded 1st March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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While writing and recording songs for FAWM 2022 I discovered that I can create acoustic demos of nearly any song I've ever written…
Hehehe... there's LOTS of youthful angst is these Songs from the Shoebox... possibly an embarrassing amount... You wait... let's see if I'm brave enough to record the ones from 1978/9!!!
Foolishness - A A J Russe
Written 3rd January 1988
Recorded 1st March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
While writing and recording songs for FAWM 2022 I discovered that I can create acoustic demos of nearly any song I've ever written…
Foolishness - A A J Russe
Written 3rd January 1988
Recorded 1st March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
****
While writing and recording songs for FAWM 2022 I discovered that I can create acoustic demos of nearly any song I've ever written…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 5
Written Thursday 10th February 2022
****
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 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…
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 5
Written Thursday 10th February 2022
****
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 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…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
I've been missing in action for ages - apologies to all, I'm about to start listening again too.
For ages, I'd been considering a move away from my trusty Boss BR1600 on which I've recorded and mixed nearly everything…
I saw your comments on my site. Thanks. It sounds like you’ve got this recording process figured out. I’m still learning as I go. Thank God for YouTube. 😎
**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…
**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…
This is kick-ass! You have a great voice and I love your guitar playing. When you have great ingredients like that, you don’t need much more than good material, of which there is plenty here! I am very inspired listening to this. I appreciate you sharing it and I look forward to delving deeper -bjk
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 6
Written Friday 11th February 2022
****
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…
**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…
I think we have a winner here.
I already had 50 songs in process for the 50/90 challenge and I was starting to feel like I was going to finish with time to spare. Then my wife and I were having a Facetime call with my step daughter who is…
I think you're right ("I think we have a winner here"), I've been enjoying all of them playing (it's turned up quite loud, I'm kinda digging it) ... but this one made me come back to the window that's playing it, there's something about this one that commands attention. Nice one! (Back to work now!)
50/90 runs from July 4 through October 1. Three months. When I work on it I tend to break the project up into four pieces. Songs started and finished in each of the three months, and songs that cross between months. This is the only cross…
You've posted SO many songs since I was last listening, I'm just gonna pick up where I left off and let them play while I'm working. I can see you completed the challenge, 51 in 88... WOW! Congratulations :)
A first venture into open G tuning ....... Poor old Reg has been let down by a lot friends in his time and now he's down to just a few fingers on one hand .........So he thought he'd write a song about it ... Gibson acoustic tuned to open G recorded…
Oh yes, like this - very inventive. On the Steel... Hehe... I've used G for years and years and years for slide playing... and it's only recently I discovered that G is the secret to this guitar part (that I've loved for even longer!). I think I watched some Earls Court footage a couple of years back and the penny dropped.
The second one born from my first week of quarantine. I dusted off my 5 string Sandberg bass guitar and wanted to evoke a Motown-ish vibe on this one and really got into the snare and bass guitar following the same rhythm rather than the usual…
Only 1 week ago I was luxuriating at a beautiful hotel in Dubai, floating blissfully in a lagoon pool... Forward wind one week and I'm here in the cold, wet, windy UK having to quarantine...
Now, at the aforementioned pool, they played a chill…
Yep. Cool sounds (although I feel less in need of chilling out, more a case of "where's my long hot water bottle I bought the other week but my missus has nicked so she can have two at once...")
Well... this took a left turn at Odd Street. The main melody started off as riff written and played on bass guitar and the early version had guitars, and real drums etc.... Then I got introduced to a suite of 80s synth plugins and it all went…
I'm playing catch-up. I was about to listen to your latest and realised there's been an upheaval... so I've come back here to the oldest one I haven't heard so I get them in the order you posted. In case you haven't revisited it to decide on what it is... may I suggest it's "a steaming pile of really catchy electronic pop"! :)
Song #50!! Another part of the super-skirmish weekend. Prompt was to use 5 of 10 randomly generated words. I used: cowgirl, alaska, fools, madness, top, taco
V1:
Drivin' down Main I noticed her license plate
Man, she was a long, long…
Last skirmish of this years 50/90. Great prompt: "Wonder"
A1:
The days
The Days of Wonder
Are they gone
Gone forever
It makes me sad
I thought I'd never
I'd hoped my hard-nosed nature was a fad
With blinders on
Can't see the beauty…
Engine stalling
Redwood falling
Babies bawling
Sheriff come calling
Another child missing
Black snake hissing
Radio squawking
Searchers walking
Media stalking
Everybody talking
Mother in ruins
What’s black snake doing?
Fox in the…
Another collab with Paul Chapman (Chaperzee) from the other side .....
Nothing here
Is this all you had to say
When you talked to me today
I can’t see the games you play
Is it that you with your minds astray
I stand here in dismay…
So, as a major change from countryside walking...a random leap for no. 6 in this series to visit the Greek Goddess of the Hunt...Artemis. More discordant, but hopefully capturing some drama!!
OK, for some reason, this has put an image of Angelina Jolie in my mind... (In a Lara costume, obviously!). Nice one... both the soundscape and the image!
Well... I have a feeling that many of us may wish for a 2020 do-over. So here's a simple song to make that wish for us all!
Oh Mulligan
I wake up every morning
My jaw is clenched so tight
Even in my dreams it’s a battle
Who’s wrong and…
Reg was reading the Sunday papers today and he's finally had enough he's going to get a shovel and dig himself a big hole and dissapear into it he's had enough of their silly games ....all of them he's off..being him....being the thespian that…
WOW! I've missed quite a few songs over the last couple of weeks... got some catching up to do... I was wondering where to start, and a notification arrived for this... and it's just WOW! This is a stunner. It was an instant fave for me, and it didn't let up. Bravo.
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
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
Great tune Andrew. we held back on a few old ideas too. i'm glad you put it out there
Hehehe... there's LOTS of youthful angst is these Songs from the Shoebox... possibly an embarrassing amount... You wait... let's see if I'm brave enough to record the ones from 1978/9!!!
That's rather wonderful ...... a bit of youthful angst ??
You've been a writer / poet for so many years!!! How delightful to put these songs out. I'm glad you found the shoe box.
Another beautiful piece of storytelling through haunting voice and gentle music
You sing these words perfectly … I am just in awe of your story telling
So lyrical
Intrigued … who is this written for? Whoever it is is a lucky person … love this
I saw your comments on my site. Thanks. It sounds like you’ve got this recording process figured out. I’m still learning as I go. Thank God for YouTube. 😎
Another little gem ......
This is kick-ass! You have a great voice and I love your guitar playing. When you have great ingredients like that, you don’t need much more than good material, of which there is plenty here! I am very inspired listening to this. I appreciate you sharing it and I look forward to delving deeper -bjk
Good stuff. I'm always amazed at how versatile you are.
That's a good song. I like the "acoustic demo," but do you also envision this as a rocker (2 guitars, bass, and drums)? I think it'd kill.
Comments made by Andrew Russe
I think you're right ("I think we have a winner here"), I've been enjoying all of them playing (it's turned up quite loud, I'm kinda digging it) ... but this one made me come back to the window that's playing it, there's something about this one that commands attention. Nice one! (Back to work now!)
You've posted SO many songs since I was last listening, I'm just gonna pick up where I left off and let them play while I'm working. I can see you completed the challenge, 51 in 88... WOW! Congratulations :)
Oh yes, like this - very inventive. On the Steel... Hehe... I've used G for years and years and years for slide playing... and it's only recently I discovered that G is the secret to this guitar part (that I've loved for even longer!). I think I watched some Earls Court footage a couple of years back and the penny dropped.
Oh yeah. Mighty cool.
Yep. Cool sounds (although I feel less in need of chilling out, more a case of "where's my long hot water bottle I bought the other week but my missus has nicked so she can have two at once...")
I'm playing catch-up. I was about to listen to your latest and realised there's been an upheaval... so I've come back here to the oldest one I haven't heard so I get them in the order you posted. In case you haven't revisited it to decide on what it is... may I suggest it's "a steaming pile of really catchy electronic pop"! :)
What a vocal! I was about to pause it and move on, thinking "fair enough, things to do, though..." and then the vocal kicked in. Woof!
Very cool sounds.
Yeah!
Woo! Nice one. Followed. Looking forward to hearing more of your stuff (I'm playing catch up after being quiet for a few weeks)
Welcome!! I've had a bit of a hiatus, but I remember this from a few weeks back on songcrafters... loved it then, love it now, so well put together.
Yeah. That's pretty cool.
Hehe... kinda "March of the cloth masks"
OK, for some reason, this has put an image of Angelina Jolie in my mind... (In a Lara costume, obviously!). Nice one... both the soundscape and the image!
Oh yes, I likes this
Oh yess... tantalising sounds... finding that groove... there are ears here ready :)
Awww. That's fabulous. I had to look up a "Mulligan", never come across it before. What gorgeous song and performance. I love the magic bottle line.
WOW! I've missed quite a few songs over the last couple of weeks... got some catching up to do... I was wondering where to start, and a notification arrived for this... and it's just WOW! This is a stunner. It was an instant fave for me, and it didn't let up. Bravo.
This too. Yeah, wow... love it. I'll be back for more...
Like it. Not sure I've ever heard your stuff before... I like this a lot.