After missing the application dates for the Woodford Folk Festival for two years in a row I have decided to make it public and make myself accountable. Yes folks I’ve decided to make a ‘core’ promise, which is politician talk for ’something I hope like hell I can do’. So here’s the poop, the scoop, the plan the ‘don’t have a cow man’. The idea is that I chronicle each day, with what I’ve done towards completing the application. I’d like to have two new songs written and demo-ed as well as some snippets of recent releases for the application. I’ll also need some photos, a compelling description of what it is that I actually do and some kind of workshop idea that I can offer to make them pick me from the literally thousands of solo singer songwriters who apply.
Day 1
The Ritual Known as 'Reading the Manual'
The first step is to start songwriting again. I’ve spent the past couple of years getting myself into a position where I might have some time to return to the craft and here I am starting over…again…. I’m using a boss RC 50 digital loop machine as I want to be able to recreate rhythms and harmonies on stage. I’ve had a little play with this beast but there’s a lot more to learn so I started with the ritual known as ‘reading the manual’. The other benefit of this little black box is that it’s a good rough sketch songwriting tool. After a bit of a play, I laid down a couple of wicked loops and Voila – a new song idea. Unfortunately it’s not quite as simple as that. Now I have to record the song properly in the studio and see if it gets past the inner ‘door bitch critic’. I’ll know when you do..in a couple of days.
