**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 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
****
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
****
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
****
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
****
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
****
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…
One Last Christmas 2011 – SKEEN
So this is our festive holiday,
A time for forgiveness, a time to pray…
You say that our future’s all but gone, mmm
Gone are the thoughts of our world as one
You say it’s all over; forget everyone, yeh
One…
Stunning.
My wife will love this. I won't show it to her yet, we have enough problems with Christmas songs chucking my rock CDs off the stereo by about late October anyway lol
La la land , by David Bevan and Tiggy Acworth
When you’re in lala land the sky is always blue,
Yeh in between here and never land is something quite untrue,
CHORUS
You’ll amaze as you gaze into your imagination,
A world of makebelieve…
WOW!
I'm obviously about to fave all your stuff if this anything to go by lol
Inventive, melodic, and extremely fun to listen to. And a superb voice.
Faved and followed :)
This Guy's In Love With You Skeen Remix 120728(Burt Bacharach)
You say, this guy, this guy's in love with you
Yes I'm in love, who looks at you the way I do?
When you smile, I can tell we know each other, very well
How can, I show…
This is a lil tune I had written over fifteen years ago. It is one of my favorite progressions and I figure in the near future to record a full band arrangement with vocals. This is just a ruff take working out a melody over the changes.
This song was inspired by a long walk....
Lyrics:
Down by the river, down by the shore we go
The moon above cast a beautiful glow
We walked around talking through the night
I can’t help but think how it felt right
Hey Constance, don’t you feel…
I keep trying to comment this, but it keeps disappearing into the ether...
Obviously there's a "Gushing Bullsh1t" filter on the comment engine on alonetone lol.
I'll tone it down then - This is brilliant. And the way you sing her name makes you want to meet her. Love it to pieces.
This is a song about questions, especially after experiencing the loss of someone special.....here are the lyrics:
Down past the bridge
By Saint Peter‘s church
She hums a prayer
Her eyes blue and bare
She’s longing for comfort…
It's definitely worth following Bethan around on this site...
Fine, fine song.
I love "She wants the truth... she says"
... ALL boys need teaching this (before they find out disasterously for themselves) lol
For my Wife
Liz and the boy are currently staying with her sister by the coast.
Just to catch some chill time after all that has happened this year.
They are gonna spend the school holidays up there.
Should be cool for the both of…
Back for another listen. It's early morning, I'm having a coffee and doing some emails and a bit of listening before disappearing back into the room with too many guitars.
The one I'm working on now isn't acoustic, but this is what I wanted to listen to first.
This is kinda uplifting and the right thing to start with :)
This song written by Mark Imsdahl..I found it over at Greg Connor's ...I liked it so much that I asked Greg and Mark if I could do an electric version of it and they agreed...i want to have Mark blow some harp on it when he gets back from vacation…
Right from the opening guitar notes...
(faved right then, didn't care what might follow!)
... stately stuff, superb.
I've been fave-ing a lot of stuff recently, this is one where I felt like I needed a "super-fave" button...
Love it.
In my late teens I was in a hard rock band and this was one of our songs. This recording is not the band but myself doing all the instruments and vocals. Our singer Kevin wrote the lyrics but I forgot some of the lines and adlibbed a bit of it…
Ah, I remember this kinda stuff. Don't listen to it much at all nowadays, but it's nice to hear every now and then. This reminds me of "Ultimate Sin" period Ozzy - can't remember who the guitarist on that is (probably someone really famous in the guitar world!).
And Ronnie James Dio - WHAT a voice that guy had...
I'm with captgene on this one - "Rocks"
This was from about 4 yrs ago thru a Guitar Center King of the blues online collaboration. I was using Guitar Rig Jimi Hendrix Octavia on this.....pretty hairy sound right there.
For my Wife
Liz and the boy are currently staying with her sister by the coast.
Just to catch some chill time after all that has happened this year.
They are gonna spend the school holidays up there.
Should be cool for the both of…
It's just past 8am on a Saturday morning, no work, thank goodness. Got my strong black coffee and cigarette...
... and this is the first thing I hear.
What a set-up for the day.
Fabulous...
Many thanks
Here's my second submission to the Stones Fest.i'd have liked a bit more time to play....but with four children under6 you take your time when you can or it don't get done...hope you enjoy as much as i did doing....another stripped Reg Version…
Here's my second submission to the Stones Fest.i'd have liked a bit more time to play....but with four children under6 you take your time when you can or it don't get done...hope you enjoy as much as i did doing....another stripped Reg Version…
Aww yeah... fabulous
Not sure that I'm going to get involved in the fest myself, but if I do get time, this was the main one I wanted to do but I couldn't figure out how to approach it. I'd have wanted to strip the famous hook out as well, but I couldn't see what was left that I could make something of...
THIS on the other hand is exactly what's left and you've grabbed it by the short and curlies.
Fine job sir.
I took an old track that was a cover of Hear my train and dropped the vocals and added some new electric guitar tracks. I had just upgraded my recording setup and was testing some hardware and software when I did this. It has a punchy lil guitar…
Tasty.
Does sound very summery - almost enough to block out the rain going on here.
Maybe it's cos I'm a guitarist, but I felt no "rambling on" without the vocal. It's almost got an Allman Brothers vibe to it.
Please also listen to the second part of this track, "John Capulator".
This part represents first scenes of comics, John Capulator's appearing from the morning fog in a narrow alley, huge double chainsaw massacre near crowded underground station…
Please also listen to the first part of this track, "Man of the morning fog".
Lots of letters downstairs.
John Capulator is a comics character drawn by my uncle. This is his own description of JC:
well first we must know what John Capulator…
I was about to comment when I listened earlier but a bunch of other stuff happened.
Really like this. Very atmospheric. And like B says, some fantastic guitar all the way through. The lyrics weren't up when I first listened, and I wasn't really listening to the words, but the moods the music and vocal were painting really fits the words.
Nice one
Comments on Andrew Russe's stuff
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
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 ......
Comments made by Andrew Russe
Stunning. My wife will love this. I won't show it to her yet, we have enough problems with Christmas songs chucking my rock CDs off the stereo by about late October anyway lol
Beautiful
WOW! I'm obviously about to fave all your stuff if this anything to go by lol Inventive, melodic, and extremely fun to listen to. And a superb voice. Faved and followed :)
Awww, I LOVE this. Fine song obviously... But it's a wonderful and fabulous rendition of it.
Oh this is beautiful listening. Might just be working out changes and melody, but it stands as it is. Very relaxing.
I keep trying to comment this, but it keeps disappearing into the ether... Obviously there's a "Gushing Bullsh1t" filter on the comment engine on alonetone lol. I'll tone it down then - This is brilliant. And the way you sing her name makes you want to meet her. Love it to pieces.
It's definitely worth following Bethan around on this site... Fine, fine song. I love "She wants the truth... she says" ... ALL boys need teaching this (before they find out disasterously for themselves) lol
I keep coming back to this one as well. Such feel-good music.
And I need another listen to this as well. This is gorgeous, utterly gorgeous.
Back for another listen. It's early morning, I'm having a coffee and doing some emails and a bit of listening before disappearing back into the room with too many guitars. The one I'm working on now isn't acoustic, but this is what I wanted to listen to first. This is kinda uplifting and the right thing to start with :)
Right from the opening guitar notes... (faved right then, didn't care what might follow!) ... stately stuff, superb. I've been fave-ing a lot of stuff recently, this is one where I felt like I needed a "super-fave" button... Love it.
Ah, I remember this kinda stuff. Don't listen to it much at all nowadays, but it's nice to hear every now and then. This reminds me of "Ultimate Sin" period Ozzy - can't remember who the guitarist on that is (probably someone really famous in the guitar world!). And Ronnie James Dio - WHAT a voice that guy had... I'm with captgene on this one - "Rocks"
Short and sweet... but what a tone! Made me think of Jack Black in School of Rock - I think this one qualifies as a "face-melting solo" lol
And a new one from T as well! Bliss... This is wondrous. Love the "Three thousand pennies..." line.
It's just past 8am on a Saturday morning, no work, thank goodness. Got my strong black coffee and cigarette... ... and this is the first thing I hear. What a set-up for the day. Fabulous... Many thanks
Hey, second listen, the hook is there!!
Aww yeah... fabulous Not sure that I'm going to get involved in the fest myself, but if I do get time, this was the main one I wanted to do but I couldn't figure out how to approach it. I'd have wanted to strip the famous hook out as well, but I couldn't see what was left that I could make something of... THIS on the other hand is exactly what's left and you've grabbed it by the short and curlies. Fine job sir.
Tasty. Does sound very summery - almost enough to block out the rain going on here. Maybe it's cos I'm a guitarist, but I felt no "rambling on" without the vocal. It's almost got an Allman Brothers vibe to it.
I've listened to them in the wrong order! But, hey, it's fabulous. I see how this fits on the front of John Capulator.
I was about to comment when I listened earlier but a bunch of other stuff happened. Really like this. Very atmospheric. And like B says, some fantastic guitar all the way through. The lyrics weren't up when I first listened, and I wasn't really listening to the words, but the moods the music and vocal were painting really fits the words. Nice one