As an explorer, I believe in the theory that one gains knowledge through sensory experience. I am always down to try something at least once, whether it goes against mainstream society's boundaries or not, in order to add a notch of experience to my belt. As an avid reader, my "experiments" never go unresearched, so I usually know what I'm getting myself into.
Okay enough of the lame introduction to try to explain my sanity, I've used drugs. Just about all of them. (I WAS CURIOUS OKAY.) But I wanted to blog about my personal favorite: LSD. Inspired by a trip a buddy and I had a few nights ago, let me tell you, acid isn't for everyone. Everything is enhanced as far as your five senses go. It's not to drive on, and its not to wander out into society tripping balls either. Grab a couple trusted best friends, and a comfortable place where you wont be bothered for seven or so hours. Throw on The Division Bell by Pink Floyd, or The Beatles Love album, and enjoy. Doesn't sound too crazy does it.. but your life might be forever changed after the night, in a good way (shit, or bad), by the deepest perceptions of thought that cannot be explained while sober.
Like when I mean I cant explain it, I really cant explain it. It varies by the mind of the user. Thought goes so deep that I wish I could just write it all down as its happening in that very moment. WAIT A MINUTE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'LL DO!
Yeah, this week I'm writing a post while I'm under the influence of lsd. Call me a wackjob all you want, the power of creative thought on lucy is something many people do not understand. So I'm going to see how it goes. Stay tuned.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
The Wisdom of Songwriting
Songwriting is indeed an art. It's an art in the sense that you can learn to play the instrument, and you can learn to sing, but no one can definitively teach you how to write a song. This is because there are no right answers to this. Writing in any form truly has no rules behind it. And when one tries to follow those man-made rules to a tee, he limits his creativity, locked away behind the thought of breaking the rules. The secret? Break the goddamn rules.
When I first started playing acoustic at 14, I worked my way from learning beginner songs all the way up to some hard stuff. For the longest time, I judged skill by how technically difficult the song was to play. This is where people get mixed up. Technicality does not define greatness in writing a lot of times. I realized that when your inspiration for a song comes from just trying to make it difficult to play, it limits its aura. And while most people love music, only a select few can even understand the true value of where difficulty is measured. So if the goal is getting people to appreciate and listen, a good balance between skill and sound is key.
Technically hard and abstract - Attracts the wisest of people, but a lot smaller of a crowd.
Simple, yet easy on the ears - Attracts clueless people, but a larger crowd.
So my theory is this: A smart balance between technically difficult, yet a simple melody at the same time. An equal balance between attracting appreciation between more than one crowd of people. Whether aware or not, majority can hear and recognize something different, something that stands out with a balance of talent between multiple genres.
When you learn to appreciate each chord as a sound, and each sound as a color, you can paint the appropriate tone for interpretation through emotion. Minor keys are generally more sad/dark setting, Major for a happier theme. The imaginative setting a certain color of sounds can provoke coincides with the theme your lyrics are about. The lyrics and the guitar progressions compliment each other on emotion feel. Lyrics should be symbolic, never truly defining what is literally happening, but is open for the listener to interpret into their own meaning of it.
Even further, songwriting is born through your influences. Who you follow, who you worship musically the most..? Those influences are going to shine through you. Everyone you choose to study and learn from, will be a factor in who you become. A talent itself is being able to recognize true talent and being able to learn from the right people. People's opinions on who are the right people to learn from are often different because we often relate music to our own lives, and what we want to associate with, hence being entirely in our hands and decisions. This is why a true artist is respected so highly for real talent, because many factors are involved in becoming a person in theory that well-rounded music will match a well-rounded individual. If you are an aspiring singer-songwriter; you are a modern day shepherd, a traveler, explorer, poet. An artist. You are these things first, rather than a money-maker. You write because it is your passion to live, and money is just a lucky reward if you follow a path of passion.
It is recognizable in someone who pursues the money first rather than the art. Neither way is wrongheaded, but there is more truth in one path than the other.
With that said, great songwriting is painting imagery of real emotion through who you are, while looking at the sounds as shapes and colors, rather than limiting oneself in the binding of too much theory rule. There are no true laws on art, except that it is a self-reflection of who you are. Correct balance of genre-blending is also important for uniqueness. Uniqueness is necessary for innovation. Music innovation is necessary to push the human race forward, rather than recreating another sound in an already defined category. That is great songwriting.
Great songwriting is not a classroom subject, but it is a philosophy. You want to write and perform wise and well-rounded songs? Then you should strive to become a wise and well-rounded individual, who's music clearly coincides neatly with its composer.
Only when you truly live life and let experience flow through yourself, and into your words and sounds and voice, will it set you apart from attempting to create from following a rule book. There is no rule book.
When I first started playing acoustic at 14, I worked my way from learning beginner songs all the way up to some hard stuff. For the longest time, I judged skill by how technically difficult the song was to play. This is where people get mixed up. Technicality does not define greatness in writing a lot of times. I realized that when your inspiration for a song comes from just trying to make it difficult to play, it limits its aura. And while most people love music, only a select few can even understand the true value of where difficulty is measured. So if the goal is getting people to appreciate and listen, a good balance between skill and sound is key.
Technically hard and abstract - Attracts the wisest of people, but a lot smaller of a crowd.
Simple, yet easy on the ears - Attracts clueless people, but a larger crowd.
So my theory is this: A smart balance between technically difficult, yet a simple melody at the same time. An equal balance between attracting appreciation between more than one crowd of people. Whether aware or not, majority can hear and recognize something different, something that stands out with a balance of talent between multiple genres.
When you learn to appreciate each chord as a sound, and each sound as a color, you can paint the appropriate tone for interpretation through emotion. Minor keys are generally more sad/dark setting, Major for a happier theme. The imaginative setting a certain color of sounds can provoke coincides with the theme your lyrics are about. The lyrics and the guitar progressions compliment each other on emotion feel. Lyrics should be symbolic, never truly defining what is literally happening, but is open for the listener to interpret into their own meaning of it.
Even further, songwriting is born through your influences. Who you follow, who you worship musically the most..? Those influences are going to shine through you. Everyone you choose to study and learn from, will be a factor in who you become. A talent itself is being able to recognize true talent and being able to learn from the right people. People's opinions on who are the right people to learn from are often different because we often relate music to our own lives, and what we want to associate with, hence being entirely in our hands and decisions. This is why a true artist is respected so highly for real talent, because many factors are involved in becoming a person in theory that well-rounded music will match a well-rounded individual. If you are an aspiring singer-songwriter; you are a modern day shepherd, a traveler, explorer, poet. An artist. You are these things first, rather than a money-maker. You write because it is your passion to live, and money is just a lucky reward if you follow a path of passion.
It is recognizable in someone who pursues the money first rather than the art. Neither way is wrongheaded, but there is more truth in one path than the other.
With that said, great songwriting is painting imagery of real emotion through who you are, while looking at the sounds as shapes and colors, rather than limiting oneself in the binding of too much theory rule. There are no true laws on art, except that it is a self-reflection of who you are. Correct balance of genre-blending is also important for uniqueness. Uniqueness is necessary for innovation. Music innovation is necessary to push the human race forward, rather than recreating another sound in an already defined category. That is great songwriting.
Great songwriting is not a classroom subject, but it is a philosophy. You want to write and perform wise and well-rounded songs? Then you should strive to become a wise and well-rounded individual, who's music clearly coincides neatly with its composer.
Only when you truly live life and let experience flow through yourself, and into your words and sounds and voice, will it set you apart from attempting to create from following a rule book. There is no rule book.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Artist Of The Day: Esao Andrews
Remy's Ascension
Letting Go
Joyride to the Nettle's Summit
Monsoon
Spring Hare
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
A Blessing to Live in Michigan - ELECTRIC FOREST
Lets not get it confused though. This is no five star resort. Camping out in a crammed area in 95 degree weather, waiting in line to take a piss in a portajohn is not for everyone. I don't know if I'd go into too many details of everything you saw at EF in a discussion with your parents either. Keep it simple.
Drugs and alcohol are more than encouraged. Chances are you won't be sober at any point of the festival. If at one point you felt like dancing around butt ass naked, go for it. The freedom is unbelievable. There are no arguments, and there are no fights between anyone, despite all the substance. Everyone is friends here and your camp neighbors become family for a few days.
Did I mention there's a glow-in-the-dark disc golf course? AND a waterpark?
By day the festival has live acts of all sorts. Lots of jam bands and stuff. Art everywhere. At night its a huge rave of the best sounds in electronic music.
But hands down the best part of this festival is the actual Sherwood Forest. The forest takes some walking to get to, but is without a doubt one of the most sought out and applauded attractions within the festival. I can't even describe it really. The lights are fantastic. There's music. There's bars to get a drink. There's hammocks if you need a rest. If you feel like climbing a tree to get a better view, go for it. Not to mention the fact that the forest will literally change your perception of life if you experience it on a psychedelic. I highly recommend it.
Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I have no problem saying that I am thankful to live two and a half hours away from Rothbury. Electric Forest isn't for everyone, but for the avid explorers, risk takers, and creative minds, you will have no problem enjoying yourself. You will meet so many awesome people from everywhere; with each a new story or knowledge to bring to the table. Valuable wisdom can be acquired here. Something to experience before you die? You bet.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Artist of the Day: The Tallest Man On Earth
Okay so here's someone I want to talk about today. His name is Kristian Matsson, or aka The Tallest Man on Earth. He is an indie-folk singer-songwriter from Sweden, (because we all know not much real music comes out of America anymore) and is COMPLETELY underrated in my book. If were judging true music on being creative, and different, and unique, and innovative, with actual writing skills, and guitar playing abilities.... this guy is pure genius. Hmm...how could I describe him.... Like if heaven and hell had a baby they would give birth to The Tallest Man on Earth. With a definite Bob Dylan influence, his voice sounds like his throat has been tortured with gravel and whiskey, and I mean that in a damn good way.
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| Look at this guy. Badass in every way possible. And yes this picture is recent. Revives my faith in good music. |
Adding to his creative composure, I like how he didn't just call himself Kristian Matsson. He very well could have, being just a solo acoustic songwriter without a band and all. What do you think is the underlying meaning behind "The Tallest Man on Earth" though? He certainly isn't very tall. The guy writes with an enormous amount of symbology to paint his masterpieces and puzzles of words and meanings. So even though you don't always know what he's talking about, his lyrics are open for the world of interpretation, usually creating a wild ride in the listener's mind and into the pastures of the soul.
This is the first song that really got me hooked on this guy. It's called "The Gardener". Just listen to it. Listen to the voice. Listen to the guitar rhythm. LISTEN TO THE LYRICS. This song is about death, and killing people. Basically, my interpretation of the song is this: Dude meets a girl he really likes, but there are people out there from his past who can tell the girl that he's not who he claims he is. He kills these intruders, and buries them in his garden, to remain the tallest man in his girl's eyes. So basically it's a love song. About killing people. And he uses his stage name as a theme in his song. How genius is that. Here's a snippet of the lyrics from the last three parts of the song.
"I know the leak is going to tell you
There ain't no puppy on your leash
So now he'll fertilize the roses
So I can stay the king you see
In your eyes babe
In your eyes babe
So now we're dancin' through the garden
And what a garden I have made
and now that death will grow my jasmine
I find it soothing I'm afraid
Now there is no need for suspicion
There ain't no frog kissin' your hand
I wont be lying when I tell you
That I'm a gardener I'm a man
In your eyes babe."
Awww. I never thought killing people could be so heartfelt and sappy. Impresses your local prison inmates and your coffee bean cuties at the same time.
As a musician myself, I have the utmost respect for this guy right now. He could be my favorite artist at the moment. Definitely keeps it real. Check him out, he has three full length albums out now, and two EPs. Not to mention some killer live shows on Youtube. Support real music, it is a dying breed in this day and age.
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