The Exclusive

Today my son, Joel, is getting married to Tharushi.

There is a song I’ve written for the occasion of course. But you can’t hear it yet, because my son and his wife to be haven’t heard it yet.

Some people should get the exclusive.

And If I, as a songwriter, had an exclusive tip to give you, it would be:

Always write for somebody. Not for everybody.

From The Earth

I think Gabe makes a good point here.

The point being that we shouldn’t get sniffy about the latest new technology and the way that music is changing. There will always be a new thing, and for the next generation that new thing will probably have the potential to build all the memories and nostalgia that our thing had.

And maybe all the kicks we need in the future will come from phones, and 3D headsets, and anything else yet to come. Maybe, perhaps, the acoustic, unplugged sound that moves me most will die away completely in the future.

But I don’t believe it will. We are human. And our connection to the ground means that digital experience will never be quite enough. I think we will go on needing something to hold, something to touch, and something to make.

Acoustic music was around for thousands of years before electronics came along. And even if it becomes less influential for a season, I think something primal inside of us will always rediscover it.

The brave new digital universe is an addition, and sometimes an enhancement, to the simpler acoustic world. Not a replacement.

We are from the earth.

Not About You

It’s liberating to forget for a while about how I can get ME to succeed, and start working on ways to help HER to succeed.

Or THEM. Or HIM.

Very refreshing, when it’s not all about YOU.

It feels a bit like growing up.

Another Ode To Moving Slowly

Another ode to moving slowly.

I’ve not been able to do my hill walking for a week or two because of a knee injury. Ironically, I got my knee injury by overdoing the exercises that were intended to strengthen my knees so that I could do more hill walking without causing myself injury.

Everything has to slow down at the moment, not through intention, but because it cannot be otherwise. That has its own benefits and lessons to be learned of course, though I’d prefer not to be experiencing them right now.

The main one, one I’ve had to relearn, is that it’s better to intentionally slow down in order to get better. At anything. If I’d done that with my strengthening exercises I wouldn’t have had the issue forced upon me.

Also, knees are a very useful body part, and they should be maintained as well as we are able. But don’t run before you can walk.

Singing The Phone Book

My son is getting married on Saturday and I’ve been asked to say a few words. Most of them will come in the form of a song, you won’t be surprised to hear.

It’s so much easier to get to the heart of the matter with a song.

And, given the choice, I would or should have written a song to put my thoughts and feelings into words, at all occasions that required a more complex, detailed or deeper form of expression.

School exams. Interviews. Funerals. Asking them out. Pep-talks to the weans. Proposals. And responses to cold call telephone sales reps.

But, so far, I’ve only been chancing my hand at weddings.

One day I will spread my wings and fly….

A Good Man

Some people have a hard life, and it can help to bring me out of my occasional, indulgent self pitying reveries, when I see that some of those folk, despite hardships that I can’t even imagine, stay good and true till the very end.

I heard recently from my friend and Homesong supporter Steve Byrne, that one of life’s beautiful souls, Nick Greenwood, recently passed away. He wasn’t a man I knew incredibly well, but everything I saw and heard about him spoke of a man with the kindest of hearts, the gentlest of spirits, only lacking the proverbial bad bone in his body.

He often had a very tough time of it, and the words “rest in peace” couldn’t be more meaningful, more appropriate, or more strongly wished for, than for a man like Nick.

The world could use a lot of more people like him. A good man.

For Posterity

Next up!

A little bit of bridge burning from one of my very favourite almost unknown artists. Great little video too.

Mary Cigarettes (aka Gregory Gray) passed away before I heard his music. But he took the wonderful chance we all now have to make his music available for posterity. It’s not something that was ever available to performers until the advent of recording

But now the unknown can, potentially, become known at some point

It’s not an opportunity to be sniffed at while we have breath.

Just A Man

The ghost of a man woke up this morning.
His dreams passed through walls
As though the walls weren’t there.
And suddenly, the dreams weren’t there.
His songs moaned in the corridors.
Tuneless tunes that needed some loving care.
And then the tunes weren’t there.
Were they ever there?

The ghost of a man
Had a history, he was sure.
But it had flown out of the window,
The creaky window.
And now, it too, had gone.

Somewhere over there.


The memory of the ghost of a man
Shook himself.

A blast of air
Blew the creaky window shut.

He sniffed the smell of coffee.
Then danced like a Banshee.
And with some strange Alchemy
A body emerged into the morning.

With hands and feet
And the gift of Today.

It was tomorrow’s ghost.
Not yet a ghost.
Just a man for now.

Patience

This can wait.

So can that.

Everything can wait. It’s just that we’re not very good at waiting these days. Press a button and get it next day. Or sooner.

Get it now.

We all pursue these temporary pleasure hits. We all become addicts. And when we do, life inevitably becomes emptier and more confusing. Because we have to move even faster to get the same kick.

Patience can build something much more worth our while.

Nothing else can.

For Your Ears Only

There are people I know who play an instrument, and even write songs, but who can’t be persuaded to perform in front of an audience. Even a small, loving and forgiving one.

It’s not the law that you need to become a performer once you’ve learnt to play or sing something. I get incredible enjoyment and release myself, just from singing and playing out loud to an empty room.

Of course, if someone is capable of making a lovely sound it is natural, for someone like me, to try and do a little coaxing. Because talent can be a gift that, when given, uplifts and encourages others.

But it’s not the law.

Somethings can, and should be, for your ears only.

Music Publishing

Sentric is a British music publishing firm that registers your songs and provides “briefs” to which you can submit recordings for the purpose of placement (known as “synchronisation”) on media such as film, tv, and adverts. If your song gets a placement they take twenty percent of the proceeds. It’s not a bad deal, because you can also do what the heck you like with your songs outside of that. In other words you keep all the rights. And there are no upfront costs at all.

I put up a number of my songs a long time ago. Nothing much happened. And then I stopped uploading, and I stopped putting the songs that were already uploaded forward for placement.

Suddenly, out of the blue, and without me doing anything more than leave them there, I got an email yesterday to say that a song (an old and not fantastically recorded song) had just earned me over £120.

I’ve no idea how that happened. This wasn’t a song I had put forward for synchronisation. It had simply been found by someone searching the Sentric library, which must be vast, who then purchased some sort of license to use the song.

I don’t know what my take on this is. Maybe I should put more effort into getting my hands on some of that cash that people obviously seem still to spend on music. Maybe this was a completely random event, that couldn’t possibly be repeated it.

Either way my motivation continues to be very much making music, not making money from music.

But I wanted to mention it, and also recommend Sentric, who seem to be an honest, easy to use publishing company, with no upfront costs as I mentioned. And on top of that, I am finding their customer service via responses to recent questions to be brilliant.

It might be something for some of my songwriting readers.

No, THAT’S Shite

I heard a beautiful song last Friday. A friend was playing it at lunch time in the pub. Really lovely. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my pal.

Then an old fellow, a regular drinker, walked in and said “That’s shite”.

Everybody is entitled to their opinion of course. And every performer knows that you take your life in your hand when you perform in a pub. Even on a quiet lunch time.

But more often than not, when someone gives that kind of un-constructive, unkind, negative opinion about something we are doing, it is always more of a reflection on them, that it is on us.

And it’s really quite sad, that anyone can grow so old, bitter and grey, and be left with nothing better to say.

Martyn Joseph

Here is a lovely interview (and live songs) on the Rob Brydon podcast with Martyn Joseph, a true pro and a really nice fella, who has never been mainstream, but who is a great song writer and excellent performer, and has earned a large “underground” following down the years.

I came across his music a long while ago and though I haven’t heard much of him recently, it was nice to see his name pop up on this podcast, amongst Brydon’s normally far more famous interviewees.

Martyn Joseph is a great example of someone who has just gone about honing and perfecting his craft, probably dreaming of greater success than he got, but living graciously with the hand he has been dealt.

I don’t think you’ll regret giving this half and hour of your time if you’re having a lazy Sunday.

You Got Me Good Today

You just never know which ones people are going to like.

If you’re a songwriter, you love all your “little babies” at the moment of conception. But over time, some of them you find yourself singing a lot more…and some you forget about.

Not always because they’re bad. It’s hard to keep an eye on all the offspring when there are a few hundred of the little blighters. But they often disappear into the proverbial mists of time.

I got a text from my daughter-in-law this week, who had happened to hear one tune that I’d forgotten about. This is what she said:

“Omg David, you got me good today!! We were driving back from our holiday, and had random songs from Spotify playing in the car, and your song Gravity Is Calling came on, and I instantly fell in love with it. It’s such a stunning song!! I cried listening to it!! Amazing work!!”

Well that’s the sort of reaction you want to get. But as well as a chance to blow my own trumpet, it’s also a reminder that it’s worth getting a song out there in some way or other. Because you just never know.

ps. This song was a co-write with Eddi Price who wrote and played the guitar part you hear, and which inspired the words I sang over it. It is performed as a duet with Clair Tierney who has an absolutely gorgeous voice and is a fantastic writer too. We all only met once, for a project which brought songwriters from Argyll together to make an album from the region, called In The Wild Country.

Everybody Wants To Be Taken Seriously

I recently received a link to a thesis that a young, former Homesonger, Sonny Scott, wrote about Homesong for his university studies under the title: Music In It’s Social and it’s Cultural Context.

He got 82% apparently. Not bad.

It’s interesting, for me at least, to hear Homesong being discussed in an academic setting. It’s an encouragement, and it motivates me to keep going.

I think we all need that kind of thing, whatever it is we are doing with our lives. Not necessarily a thesis of course, but the knowledge that someone is listening to our story.

Everybody wants to be taken seriously.

Going Naked

Personally, I feel most relaxed when I’m performing without mics or amps.

Yesterday I did a search online - “performing live without amplification”. I was struggling to find any positive information. At best it was all about how to “manage” if your equipment wasn’t working.

I’ve obviously spoken about the possibilities of completely unplugged performance in a Homesong setting. But even when playing in pubs I’ve had it work to my advantage by virtue of the fact that I can move around when I’m singing. It gives a lot more freedom and flexibility. And it always feels like there is less separation between performer and audience.

I love the things that “electrification” can do to the sounds we make. It has many practical and artistic benefits.

But that doesn’t mean, if we play acoustic instruments, that we need it all the time.

Try going naked sometimes, if you dare.

Giving Somebody Else The Job

I’ve always loved to sing. That love didn’t change when, as a 5 year old, my head teacher at the time heard me belting a hymn out in school assembly and kindly pointed out that I wasn’t in tune.

Mostly I am in tune these days. And sometimes I think I really nail a song.

But often it’s nice to imagine a great singer doing a version of a song that I’ve written. I expect most songwriters feel the same way.

Here’s one I didn’t sing because I wrote it from a female perspective. Alison Moffat Leith provided a wonderful vocal for Aliens In Slovenia, which was part of a series of mainly co-writes that turned into an album that I made with friend and fellow writer Les Oman.

Sometimes it’s great to be relieved of the responsibility.

Private Property

It’s good to share. That’s what community is all about.

But everybody needs their own space. “Me” time. Boundaries over which nobody should be able to cross, without permission.

I’m not paranoid

And almost everything in life is better when it is shared.

But somethings are, and always should be, private property.

500 Songs

A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs is a fascinating, brilliantly written podcast for anyone who loves songs. Andrew Hickey, in fascinating detail, tells the story of the song, its influences, and the historical and political context in which it was released.

I’ve only listened to one episode…Last Train To Clarksville…but it has certainly whet my appetite for more when time allows. Hickey plays plenty of music along the way too…songs that I knew and many that I had never heard of.

It provides a unique insight into modern music, and I recommend a listen.

Poles Apart

Yesterday I drove six hours straight to get to the campsite as quickly as possible. The weather was promising to be good and we were looking forward to a complete break in another beautiful part of Scotland.

The site was busy, but we managed to find a lovely, quiet corner. To camp we have a neat contraption in the back of our car that becomes a bed, or a table. The two foster boys with us were going to be sleeping in the tent and we got it out immediately. And…um….we had left the poles behind. Oh shit.

No matter. Very close by there was space between four large trees. With a little bit of exciting tree climbing, guy ropes, and some dodgy knots we managed to pitch it in a fashion. All was fine.

The boys were happily ensconced inside when a site warden came cycling past to tell us that, not only couldn’t we tie the guys to the very sturdy trees, but nor could we sleep in the back of our car.

I was summoned to speak to the Park Commandant, I mean manager. She was very much an Upholder Of The Rules, with No Mercy Whatsoever. The options were either: go and buy a 4 person tent or, probably, painful torture and a stretch of solitary confinement.

We decided not to stay, got our money back, and, because everywhere was so busy, ended up driving another 2 hours further to stay in a family room at a premier inn in Aberdeen. From where I write to you now.

Folks, you need to realise something. No amount of songwriting or promotion of music in the community will allow you to escape the need to learn this very important lesson: DON’T FORGET THE TENT POLES!