2026 RPM Challenge idea number 10 becomes finished song number 16. This is the last one for this year. It fell through the cracks because I wasn't feeling it at all. It turned out a lot better than I thought it would but overall it's pretty…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number nine becomes finished song number 15. I should have left this one unfinished. All guitar parts are a Gibson Les Paul Custom into a Fender Bassbreaker 15. No pedals this year, just plugged straight in. A…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number eight becomes finished song number 14. Another FAWM success! I feel like I am scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point, but at the same time this one seems better than I feared it would be. I like the…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number one becomes finished song number 13. The word of the day is: Padding. I had this thought that the songs this year should all be on the long side. This one fit the bill. It could probably stand to have the run…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number seven becomes finished song number 12. I'm not sure what to think of this one. I listen once and I think it's okay. I listen a second time and I think it's awful. The vocals are terrible, objectively, but everything…

2026 RPM Challenge song idea number four becomes finished song number 11. I almost dropped this one without finishing it. I somehow managed to really intimidate myself with it. The sections were so long and the melodies were busy and it was…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number 16 becomes finished song number 10. This song feels like evidence that this year's project is running out of gas. I'm happy it exists but that's about the best I can say. All guitar parts are a Gibson Les…

2026 RPM Challenge song idea number 15 becomes finished song number nine. Another in a long line of attempts at writing The Great American 3/4 Rocker. I think as I typed the previous sentence I decided that my album title this year will be…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number two becomes finished song number eight. iTunes is telling me I just reached 35 minutes but I think it's rounding up. I might have enough to submit a finished RPM Challenge at this point, but I'll keep going…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number three becomes finished song number seven. Is it obvious that I started dumbing things down just so I could get the 9/8 time signature to work? I don't think I've ever written anything in 9/8 before. I mean…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number 14 becomes finished song number six. There's something about this one that I like but it's not the singing. Yikes! I did very little guitar playing after the 2025 RPM Challenge and my finger tips were in really…

2026 RPM Challenge song idea number 13 becomes finished song number five. Kind of indifferent to this one. It's not the worst thing I've ever done. The hook section has a nice pep to it, I guess. I'm thinking it should fade out. Maybe if…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number six becomes finished song number four. You might think this song is worth it for all the stopping and starting fun, but for me it's worth it for the four bars of guitarmonies. All guitar parts are a Gibson…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number five becomes finished song number three. This one is really frustrating. I had a ton of gear problems when recording the guitars. I broke my prime RPM directive and re-recorded some of the parts a few days later…

2026 RPM Challenge idea number 12 becomes song number two. This one might be good if I wasn't such a crummy singer. All guitar parts are a Gibson Les Paul Custom into a Fender Bassbreaker 15. No pedals this year, just plugged straight in…

The 2026 RPM Challenge is underway at last. Idea number 11 becomes song number 1. Simple little rocker. It's not bad. My guitar playing is bad and my singing is worse and more often than not the songs are atrocious, but I'm kinda digging…

2025 RPM Challenge song idea number 19 becomes finished song number 20. The 20th and final song worked on for this year's RPM. I think we're going out on a high note this year. I like this one. Everything is working for me except for the…

2025 RPM Challenge song idea number eight becomes finished song number 19. Do I like this because of the swing groove, or in spite of it? I don't know. The rhythm guitar in your left speaker is a Les Paul Custom and the one in the right…

2025 RPM Challenge song idea number seven becomes finished song number 18. I kinda like this one. I think it's going onto the final RPM Challenge album. I just wish I couldn't hear the keys on the saxophone clicking. I don't think I've ever…

2025 RPM Challenge song idea number four becomes finished song number 17. I'm waffling between not liking this song and thinking it's just meh. The guitar in your left speaker is a Les Paul Custom and the one in your right is a Les Paul…