Hope the hurricane passes swiftly and without too much trouble.
Digging the groove you've got going here for the first couple of minutes and then the explosion into fierce guitar - great track!
I declare my ADAT 8-track to officially be a dinosaur. Welcome to the 21st Century.
This is the first completed song written and recorded entirely in GarageBand. I started it last night and finished it this morning. The rhythm guitar is my…
I declare my ADAT 8-track to officially be a dinosaur. Welcome to the 21st Century.
This is the first completed song written and recorded entirely in GarageBand. I started it last night and finished it this morning. The rhythm guitar is my…
This is an expirement. I started this song during my first RPM Challenge attempt in 2007. All I had recorded was the rhythm guitar, bass, and the drum program. I want to start using garageband for my recording but I had never gotten around…
The riff was inspired by an electronic device that has two speeds. I kept switching back and forth and listening to the hum popped this into my head. The lyric was supposed to be George W Bush bashing (the twit) but I don't really know what…
Agree with Jesmiaus that it is a great song but you should work a bit on the vocals. If you are singing unisono with the guitar line you might check to use equalizers making sure that the guitar does not suppress the vocals
The riff was inspired by an electronic device that has two speeds. I kept switching back and forth and listening to the hum popped this into my head. The lyric was supposed to be George W Bush bashing (the twit) but I don't really know what…
I like what I hear although and not to worry about this but need a little scruff in your vocals or something that makes your vocals genuinely individual. So when you here these songs you know it's not just Robert James. Love all the stoner riffs and how righteous they are just a little less on the church choir vocals. Great to hear your stuff Robert!
My plan for the 2009 RPM Challenge was to get up a couple of hours early every day and take care of business before the business day started. I didn't want to take any time away from the family so that was my only option. This song is from the…
One of three songs with lyrics written about my RPM 2009 strategy. Something about this song appeals to me. I think it's my favorite one out of the ten.
Early morning
no sun in the sky
undergrounded
sleep still in my eyes
Buried alive
I try…
Beginning to run low on ideas. I went back to my standard add-a-minor-seventh-to-every-chord gimmick. As for the lyrics, I wrote them on NHL trade deadline day and couldn't believe my Bruins traded for Mark Recchi. One month later it's looking…
My plan for the 2009 RPM Challenge was to get up a couple of hours early every day and take care of business before the business day started. I didn't want to take any time away from the family so that was my only option. This song is from the…
"Stupid Punk Song" is... well... stupid. I woke up one morning and the entire song, lyrics and all, was stuck in my head. I let it rattle around for a few days before putting it down on my new 8-track. I played it for Break Even once but they…
I probably wasn't there, because if I was I would have voted for it... I played it for the wife and she loved it as well.. Hope all is going well for you... Steve
So, what do you think... could it use more wah-wah?
This was written for the 2014 RPM Challenge. The chromatic thing at the beginning had been rattling around in my head for years and years but had never found a home.
The lyrics here…
That plinky little sound in the verses is an organ with some distortion on it. I wanted Jon Lord to play the part but he wasn't available. It's playing eighth notes in the verses and a sustained pad in the chorus. If I remix this I might bring it up. I haven't decided yet.
The sound at the end is actually a grunt of frustration. This is the easiest song every written in all of the history of music and it took me 700 takes to get the rhythm guitars right. I was going to cut it out but when the time came I thought it was funny so I left it there.
The first song completed for the second round of re-recorded Quarantine Tunes. This one was written on the last day of the 2016 RPM Challenge. I had written a bunch of songs saying that people who think the Earth is flat are somehow defective…
It's not a cocked wah, all of those mids are coming from the Klon pedal. I was a scooped mids guy for 30 years before I finally figured out that if I just boost the mids a little the rest of the band can hear me without me cranking my amp until it hurts. Now I overdo it in the other direction. heh
(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…
RPM 2k15
vocal by Gregg Todt
is it the medication
that makes her stare off into space?
those little pills in the bottle
grab your collar
smack you in the face
i want to make an appointment to see
that drug, so he will give her back to…
I thought going into 50/90 that I would need to do some quick recordings of really simple arrangements. Maybe just acoustic guitar and voice. Nope, not really.
This isn't meant as filler. This idea is something I noodle on almost every…
So 50/90 is an unnatural forcing of a crap ton of songs in a relatively short period of time. We're half way though and I've learned one thing. I've learned how easy it is to repeat something you've already done. This one sounds a LOT like…
I appreciate wanting to bring the vocals out in the mix more but that would mean someone might hear my awful voice and nonono we can't have that. Not to mention the terrible lyrics. Urgh. Bury those vocals!
I also like having the excuse that as I am a guitar player first and foremost, I naturally want the guitars to overpower everything else.
In all seriousness, I agree the vocals need to come up... I just can't bring myself to do it.
Opening song by Kent Good. We played pretty good in Feb. We are not "chops" players, but i think we rocked this one pretty good.This song will evolve a bit as we break it in live.
Apologies to Peter and the rest of Genesis - from back when they were good - 1974
And the lamb lies down on Broadway.
Early morning Manhattan,
Ocean winds blow on the land.
The Movie-Palace is now undone,
The all-night watchmen have had their…
"Stupid Punk Song" is... well... stupid. I woke up one morning and the entire song, lyrics and all, was stuck in my head. I let it rattle around for a few days before putting it down on my new 8-track. I played it for Break Even once but they…
This is a pre-release of a song from my new album. The song still needs some polish and rubbing. I will change it out once i get done with the final version. The lyric was written a long time ago, of what could or couldn't have been:) Thats the…
Comments on Robert James's stuff
Hope the hurricane passes swiftly and without too much trouble. Digging the groove you've got going here for the first couple of minutes and then the explosion into fierce guitar - great track!
vocals are a bit lost on some of these - which is a shame cos they sound like they deserve to be more prominent. great track
rip roaring! good skills
nothing like a good waltz! really enjoyed the melody in particular.. very catchy.. and the solo was spot on. Nice work chappy
Really good for a first try.
Rock and Roll. Super guitar playin'
intresting mix, love it bro. turn up the bass just a little bit.
Nice build, love the guitar tone
Good solid bit of rock, nice guitar playing
Cool tunes.
Snappy percussion - rockin guitars!
Great feel - love your laid back vox!
No it isn't! Feels gooooood!
Agree with Jesmiaus that it is a great song but you should work a bit on the vocals. If you are singing unisono with the guitar line you might check to use equalizers making sure that the guitar does not suppress the vocals
I like what I hear although and not to worry about this but need a little scruff in your vocals or something that makes your vocals genuinely individual. So when you here these songs you know it's not just Robert James. Love all the stoner riffs and how righteous they are just a little less on the church choir vocals. Great to hear your stuff Robert!
Nice one mate dig this.
koool song dude guitar sounds greaat
Oh Recchi is always a good move. I applaud your passion for puck though.
I think it sounds really good, the opening riffage reminded me of Rush for some reason, you are are heck of a guitar player.
I probably wasn't there, because if I was I would have voted for it... I played it for the wife and she loved it as well.. Hope all is going well for you... Steve
Comments made by Robert James
That plinky little sound in the verses is an organ with some distortion on it. I wanted Jon Lord to play the part but he wasn't available. It's playing eighth notes in the verses and a sustained pad in the chorus. If I remix this I might bring it up. I haven't decided yet. The sound at the end is actually a grunt of frustration. This is the easiest song every written in all of the history of music and it took me 700 takes to get the rhythm guitars right. I was going to cut it out but when the time came I thought it was funny so I left it there.
It's not a cocked wah, all of those mids are coming from the Klon pedal. I was a scooped mids guy for 30 years before I finally figured out that if I just boost the mids a little the rest of the band can hear me without me cranking my amp until it hurts. Now I overdo it in the other direction. heh
Love the slide! What a great song. No one warns us that vowel sounds matter when writing lyrics, but you nailed it.
Damn it man, each song is better than the one that came before. Nice work. Really loving it.
The acoustic bass sound comes from GarageBand. I haven't been using it much lately, but every once in a while I feel the need.
I appreciate wanting to bring the vocals out in the mix more but that would mean someone might hear my awful voice and nonono we can't have that. Not to mention the terrible lyrics. Urgh. Bury those vocals! I also like having the excuse that as I am a guitar player first and foremost, I naturally want the guitars to overpower everything else. In all seriousness, I agree the vocals need to come up... I just can't bring myself to do it.
I love everything about this song.
Live music! Sounds great.
Have I mentioned that this is the BEST! SONG! EVER!!!!? Because it clearly is the BEST SONG EVER!!!
BEST! SONG! EVER!!!!!
Syd would be proud. Thanks!
Put on a fox head mask and channel Peter Gabriel. Nice!
Hey Steve, I don't think you were there that night. I know i played it for at least Jeff and Dave and they both sort of looked at me funny.
I like both of these songs a lot. Thanks!
Great song! Here's to hoping you add some more.
Some excellent guitar playing! Thanks
I'm so impressed that I can't think of anything complementary to say. Thanks!
Wow!