* 2022 PLAN
Entering my tenth FAWM, one would have thought I'd have learned by now that making grand plans for FAWM never works for me.
For an experience as compressed and intense as FAWM to work for me, I need to just go with the flow and leave myself the freedom to do one-offs and collabs and challenges and skirmishes as the mood strikes. And *maybe* start some projects that may or may not dead end, or perhaps do a bit on old projects that were never resolved. But above all, do what feels right in the moment and basically just have a good time.
So that's what I'm doing. :D
* BACKGROUND
In junior high a long, long time ago, I elected to take flute as my required instrument. Unfortunately, in my second year, I was put in a third-year class due to a scheduling conflict. Being so far behind everyone else made me miserable. As a result, I did . . . unfortunate things to my flute to sabotage it in order to try to get out of class.
The repair guy figured it out pretty quick.
Nonetheless, while I've always enjoyed a very active listening relationship with music, the whole experience pretty much killed any interest I had in making my own. Until over twenty years later, when for some reason I picked up a keyboard and a computer DAW. And, more recently, a ukulele.
And now, I'm loving every minute of it.
#1 | The Ghost Cow of Griggstown, NJ |
26 Feb 2022 |
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#2 | What To Eat @yam655 |
22 Feb 2022 |
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#3 | Bearded or Beardless |
22 Feb 2022 |
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#4 | Lovely |
24 Feb 2022 |
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#5 | Arma Virumque Cano (I Sing of Arms and Aeneas) |
11 Feb 2022 |
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#6 | Welcome to Pogonos Crossing (Pogonos Crossing #1) |
17 Feb 2022 |
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#7 | Hey Hey Hooray (Jon Cross' Birthday) |
6 Feb 2022 |
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#8 | This is My Valentine |
22 Feb 2022 |
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#9 | The Man Makes the Beard Makes the Man (Pogonos Crossing #2) |
13 Feb 2022 |
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#10 | (Is There A) Superskirmish (This Weekend?) |
6 Feb 2022 |
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#11 | The Race (NOW with music!) |
12 Feb 2022 |
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#12 | Why Can't Everyone Agree (War and Peace) |
11 Feb 2022 |
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#13 | Pogonos Awakes (Pogonos Crossing #3) |
10 Feb 2022 |
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#14 | Every Man's Beard (Is Worthy of Love) |
10 Feb 2022 |
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#15 | The Greatest Sacrifice (Pogonos Crossing #4) |
9 Feb 2022 |
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#16 | Postlude (A Desperate Man) (Pogonos Crossing #5) |
8 Feb 2022 |
Thank you, @odilongreen, for taking time to listen and comment on My American Hero. I'm glad you liked it. I think @nancycunning did a great job with what I was trying to get across. I was inspired by a conversation with the mother of a Navy Seal.
Thanks for your kind words on my flute collab, Lily!
Thank you for the comment on Tulen nielemä hirvenkaataja! I'm glad you used words like "majestic" and "epic", as it was a proper closer for the story of my concept album (the last one being more of an outro), so I definitely wanted to achieve that kind of feeling :)
Thank you for your sweet comments on my songs :)
Thanks for the comment on "Ascension"! Like I wrote in the liner notes, it's setting out to become part of a concept album, the penultimate track in fact, immediately preceded and followed by other songs I've written this year, "Point of No Return" and "Arms of Andromeda" respectively. I wish I had the means to have the whole thing made into an animated film. It would have to be in color, though.
Ha...I think I left most of those comments. The Sharon Tate song is locked because there's another version with music. The other "songs" were really just song titles that I found amusing. I did free-write some "lyrics." I was just fooling around mostly. Thanks for asking :)
Thanks a lot for taking time listening to a song of epic length. When I composed it I did not realize that I hit the 6 min mark! It just happened because I've been carried away by the atmosphere. I am so lucky that @tfish77 nailed the vibe with his lyrics and performance. And I loom forward to complete it with a huge team during the year.
Well I am a big fan of your tunes and I am a big fan of total weirdness and I am also a big Lovecraft fan, so of course I enjoyed your tracks very much!
The beard made out of human souls was inspired!!
Thanks for the info - sounds intriguing- I might try this year!
Where exactly does 50/90 take place? I think it sounds like way too much for me but on the other hand I’m also trying to find alternative ways to make music other than traditional ‘record/release & play gigs” (since I’m not that thrilled w my skill at those I’d like to find ways to make music as a hobby but in a less business like way and a less emulating-professionals kind of way. If you know of any random ct opportunities you could suggest let me know!
thanks for listening again. the friendship one unfortunately is a little more aspirational than autobiographical, but songs about friendships help me sort out thoughts about the topic that i need to sort out. :)
Thanks for listening to and commenting on my Flick It! tune.
And I LOVE your bio! Fun to read.
You leave the nicest comments. I like what I do, though I generally figure that it takes a lot of imagination to hear what I'm trying to accomplish. We should do something this summer, some sort of hybrid: you will make it slick and bring your trademark humor, and I will just do what comes naturally, which is all I can do. Sounds like a recipe for success!!
Thanks so much for your comments on my songs!
Apologies for bad mouthing my song! It wasn’t what I was expecting to write is a better way to say it! Thanks for your kind comments.
Oh and I may or may not make some of my fawm songs longer and do nicer recordings. I have in past years for Bandcamp releases but I don’t really have much more skill beyond the basic chord strumming and singing that i do in my demos so let’s just say I’m not ready to figure out anything more than that I’m the structure of fawm. If I like a song enough I’ll keep playing it and more verses may just appear to me. :)
Your words are so kind! I appreciate you checking out my tunes and sharing such lovely thoughts :)
If you've got Dolly's number, I'd love to get working on that video! :-)
YEAH Lets Feud ... just dunno about what :)
Thanks so much for the thoughtful comments !!
Thank you for your comment. I am familiar with Watchmen, but that was not the inspiration for this one. The initial spark came from the novel American Psycho which I recently read and its cynical and cold world view. I didn't include any gruesome murders in the song though.
That was exactly vision for my cowbell song. High society gathering all prim and proper.
Yes, I hope to get back to ukulele festivals, and seeing as we're not far away, might even meet in person!
Thanks! My ideas folder is bursting with riffs and fuzz guitars, so probably that again. Depends what I can squeeze out of a significantly more difficult time/work schedule this year.
On your marks.....Get set.....Watch out, here it comes!
Have a fantastic FAWM my friend.
Specific, I remember the song well!
Hey! I am happy to see you will be aboard again. I am looking forward to your new songs. Have a great FAWM!
Wearing the beard!
Welcome back Odilon!!
IS THAT REALLY WHAT A KIDNEY STONE LOOKS LIKE?! *horror emoji*
And I hope you have a great Fawm :)
Hey there Mr. Green! Looking forward to hearing your delightful songs next month!
Cheers! Now all I need to do is write some kind of album... If only there was a month for that?
Hi Odilon,
I am glad you liked my "Eurovision Blues"
I'm a keen uke player, so let me know when you have a song featuring your "new" uke.
PS You should join us on the "Seasons of the Ukulele" at the Forum of the Ukulele Underground site.
It's a very supportive community and offers a weekly opportunity to submit songs (original or covers) on the week's theme.
Dear Odilon,
I am full of anticipation wondering what theme will emerge in your FAWMing! I always look forward to your music and the many smiles and sometimes bewilderment they bring. Cheers for a fabulous FAWM!
Hey, Odilon, thanks for the thoughtful comment in my challenge thread. I totally get it, believe me! I appreciate your added perspective, and I am always stressing to people that they shouldn't engage with this type of material if it feels like too much. Sorry to hear about the kidney stone in 2021. I have certainly had my own share of FAWM drop-outs or no-shows, and this year won't be super active either. Just that one challenge. Anyway, wishing you good health and as best a FAWM as you can manage!
I am looking forward to this, I'm expecting a lot of scream metal in the middle :)
I was very fortunate to spend time with Jake 2 years ago. He has a special strap made for him, he was really struggling a few years ago with shoulder problems. He like I believe you fo what you have to and what you want. He doesn't use a pick because he thinks he can do more moves with 5 fingers but he isn't anti pick, it's just his preference.
LOL!!! Your album cover hits too close to home for me!
Kidney stones are NOT fun. :)
Not fun at all for an adventurous several weeks in fact. I am cured thanks to antibiotics and thanks for asking :).
Aha, there was a typo! Should be good to go now. :)
Hey, I was just thinking, "I need to say hello to OG," and there you were. Is there going to be any screaming in your rock opera. I'm stoked to hear it, with or without screaming
Thank you so much Odilon. I'm looking forward to hearing your great songs.
I had what felt like could have been kidney stones that turned out to be a prostate infection in Sept 2020 so I hear ya. That was a tough 5090. Yikes. Glad that you are back and have a great FAWM!
PS I had three attacks in 2 week...so freakin' painful...like shoot me painful.
Nope - but I've heard many stories from friends who have had it and it indeed made me cringe. Plus, I also had the dreaded Q-tip into the urethra process many years ago.
OUCH....I hope you have a good FAWM....but no kidney stones!
I'm glad the song continues to get played! The full-band version occasionally gets spins over on Spotify. I want there to be an animated video someday, haha
May you never pass another kidney stone and may you find just enough time in February to delight in FAWMish goodness.
I CANNOT WAIT for this FAWM project. Excited to hear it!
Pumped that you're back! Nothing "rocks" more than music about stones,
I, uh...really don't know what to say about your album cover. I cringe and I laugh at the humor that is uniquely you, my friend. I'm interested to hear how this plays out.
Have a great FAWM!!
I've had Burger Stuffer rhymes in my head for weeks now - hope you have a fantastic FAWM!
Howdy, my good man! Happy FAWMing!
Hey there, happy FAWMing!
I am really looking forward to hearing more of your wonderful tunes!
Have a great FAWM!!
I hope you'll be back this year!
Maybe we could even try for another collab!