**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…
oh yeah!!! Great song and loving that chord progression. Beautiful with all the changes ...loving it. How did you do all this in such a short time period? Wow, wow, wow.
**Song-writing Demo for FAWM 2022**
Song number 8
Written Monday 14th February 2022
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It's not entirely true. But it's CLOSE ENOUGH!
It was actually the 16th of February.
But we were corresponding by email on the 14th.
Then we…
**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…
**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
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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…
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…
I Hope I Love Them - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1989
Recorded 2nd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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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
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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 Hope I Love Them - A A J Russe
Written sometime in 1989
Recorded 2nd March 2022
The Shoebox Demos Vol 1
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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
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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…
I CAN'T TELL
I can't tell if it's morning or evening
I can't tell night from day
I can't tell if I'm arriving or leaving
Doesn't mean a thing to me
Since you went away
I can't tell if it's sunny or raining
I can't tell if it's…
Happy Sunday Alonetoner's.
I wrote this song yesterday as I had some recent events to ponder.... I hope you like it. Trying for a bit of a bluesy feel. If you'd like to download it and add some background blues bass or guitar, or harmonies…
Inspired by Last Week's Winter Storm where the only people out driving around in it were the people trying to prove Darwin's theory of Natural Selection.
Vocal addition by Colleen Dillon. Colleen also suggested the topic *"Winter Tune…
This is my first upload. I mostly have a vocal here. It's a song that I'd love to get some collaboration on from the guitarists in the community. Let me know what you think?
It seems our hunger to express awe is channeled
into petty things early in our life and when we break free we feel robbed because all the mighty expressions are tied up in silly stories about some jealous being making contradictory demands…
When you come to the end of the road
and all of the signs just say "No"
You never say, "Quit"
Cause that's not your bit
You're not a pup
You never give up...
It's so dark
she can't sleep
She needs more
ice in her water
She lost her smile
It went to Nashville
So she sent
me her address
I didn't know
if I should answer
or go to her
I could call a taxi
Too much wine
Too much coffee
Too…
Jeff's version
FLORENCIA
The tide is going out in Avila
I can feel it in my blood
Here I am in South Beach Florida
Just like you knew I would
There's a place in California
Where the coast is always clear
You said you'd be in…
Like it. I get the Glen Campbell vibe too.
I kinda like how the song is quite relaxed but the bass line is steaming along - almost like the bass-player thinks he's getting paid per note!
Of out tonight for a drink with a few friends but not til 9 so i thought i'd try to write a song and i think i have . i think i'll revisit it later to re-do but for now it will have to do. Hope you enjoy!! A heart-breaker for a Friday night…
Kavin Allenson and I did a NinJam session the other night on a public server. Ninjam is a software which allows real time collaboration over the net. There are some public servers available which you often have 'guests' which you can choose…
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Jan 17 2015 - Remixed. I was always kinda disappointed with what the original mix sounded like. Listening to it the other day I realised what it is - I'd mixed the vocals too loud. This reduced the "stereo" and killed off a lot of the life…
Just posted a remix of this one - I was never happy with the old one and couldn't figure out why...
I finally did yesterday - the vocals were mixed too loud!
So I lowered the vox and took some bottom end off the band (thanx Stoman - You were right!)
Rough Take: Recorded on what I had available (Cell Phone)
Made of iron, I'm made of blood
Raise your arms against me, and you'll feel the flood,
“Cause I don't need to run.
I won't sleep, til you're gone.”
My axe kept eating, wood and flesh…
Had this one sitting around for a year of so. I revisited it on Saturday and put down a couple guitar tracks and did a quick mix and master session on it. The inspiration came from a really cool melody/guitar riff a friend sent to me. Right off…
Unless my math skills have failed me, this is song #50 and 50/90 is complete! WOOHOO!
This song broke my one 50/90 rule... sort of. The rule was that all ideas get used immediately. Nothing gets dropped and everything I try stays. The idea…
Had a blues riff and I was recording on my cheapo. acoustic thru a 58 and my dog Rufus started singing so I kept it and made the song from his point of view. .... just having some fun.
Rar rar rar rar rar rar rar rar rar rar….
My name is…
This is an instrumental song I composed roundabout 7 years ago. Finally we got around to recording it with real instruments, and the band is:
Frank Zax: Guitars
Andy Gupta: Bass
Mark R. Cole: Drums:
Steffen Offermann: Synthesizers, Music…
Oh yes, like it a lot. I was thinking "very pleasant, where's it going to go? We've got another 3 minutes at least"... and then at about 50 seconds it told me.
I was sitting there taking it all in... and it finished before I knew it!
Fine job.
This one is pretty sad. Sad as in, it's not very good, not sad as in it's a sad song.
I spent one afternoon working exclusively in 7/8. This was the third thing I came up with. It's the worst of the three. I still sort of like the groove…
Wow. This 7/8 stuff really works! I like the groove too. Nice one.
I've got this gut feeling it could be really good with very little change - no idea what needs doing though, I think it's arrangement, varying the instrumentation involved mebbe so the choruses stick out... but I don't really know - the 7/8 keeps distracting me! (I might have to see if my drum machine can count to 7...)
Another song that is entirely in 7/8. I like this one a little bit even though the riff seems a bit forced. The guitars are all Les Paul.
I won’t try to hold you back
I won’t try to keep you down
I just want to build you up
I just want…
Like it. I've never been able to write/play anything in an odd time signature. I'm always in awe of folks that can stick a decent melody and lyrics over one.
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
oh yeah!!! Great song and loving that chord progression. Beautiful with all the changes ...loving it. How did you do all this in such a short time period? Wow, wow, wow.
Another beautiful poetic song with such an excellent expressive performance. Love it!
I must take this train after hearing this song! What a great song :)....deserves a second comment.
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.
Comments made by Andrew Russe
Nice one, like it. Is there a February write-a-song thing? Cos I've written one too! (Might be September before I've finished recording it, though...)
I know you can probably hear the "other stuff" - but I kinda like these unaccompanied ones, your voice easily carries the whole thing.
Oh yes, like it. And you even included the chords so's I could play along :-)
What a voice! Looking forward to hearing more.
Beautiful stuff
You create some stunning stuff.
Very short and sweet - love it.
I LOVE this.
Like it. I get the Glen Campbell vibe too. I kinda like how the song is quite relaxed but the bass line is steaming along - almost like the bass-player thinks he's getting paid per note!
Yes. Hits the spot.
Wow - that works. I didn't think it would for me (from reading the about), but I really liked it.
Nice one.
Just posted a remix of this one - I was never happy with the old one and couldn't figure out why... I finally did yesterday - the vocals were mixed too loud! So I lowered the vox and took some bottom end off the band (thanx Stoman - You were right!)
Love it.
Yeah, nice one. I'm with captgene - strong bass part and you're good to go.
Nice one. Like the riffing. Fine ending to this 50/90 thing.
When it started, I was thinking "What's this??!?!" (Sorry Rufus hehe). It's fabulous, that's what. Nice one.
Oh yes, like it a lot. I was thinking "very pleasant, where's it going to go? We've got another 3 minutes at least"... and then at about 50 seconds it told me. I was sitting there taking it all in... and it finished before I knew it! Fine job.
Wow. This 7/8 stuff really works! I like the groove too. Nice one. I've got this gut feeling it could be really good with very little change - no idea what needs doing though, I think it's arrangement, varying the instrumentation involved mebbe so the choruses stick out... but I don't really know - the 7/8 keeps distracting me! (I might have to see if my drum machine can count to 7...)
Like it. I've never been able to write/play anything in an odd time signature. I'm always in awe of folks that can stick a decent melody and lyrics over one.