Influences: Ergo Phizmiz, Depresstival, James Hall, Netta Goldhirsch, Bridgett Bowen, John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Jellyfish, The Cardigans, Susy Blue, JPEGMAFIA, St Vincent, Ren Harvieu, Corinne Bailey Rae, Nadine Shah, Motown, Sly Stone, Betty Davis, Deleuze, Isabelle Huppert, Vicky Hall, Old Films, Depression, Anxiety, Free Jazz, Old Funk, Bad Singing, Abstract Poetry, Codeine (the drug, not the band), The Fun, The Not Fun, and lots more...
Pronouns - he / him
FAWM 2022
Hello,
I've been taking part in FAWM (and 50/90 on and off) since 2012.
It is where I learned to write lots of songs in a short space of time.
In 2017 I started releasing my solo music, mainly due to the help and encouragement of the lovely people here (I'm lookin' at you, Mr Fatchen, Mr Graham, et al). I've made around 40 albums and 12 EP's in the last four years.
In 2018 I started having some of my music used in TV shows and films, again thanks to the advice / encouragement of some of the people here. I've since had music used in lots of shows, including The Voice USA, which is quite funny if you read on a little, and find out what's going on with MY voice.
In 2021 I discovered that I've been living my whole life with an undiagnosed case of what used to be called Asperger's syndrome (but is now called ASD), which has been a very helpful and freeing thing to find out.
Onto now. The present. Here. This moment...
This year I'm doing things a little differently.
I pretty much can't sing any more. My voice is, as they say in all the top singing schools, faaacked.
I can talk, but that mid range belting thing (which is pretty much the only style of singing I could do) decided to have a strop and run out the back door when I wasn't looking. The last thing I heard from said voice was a rather disturbing phone call late one night, which went -
Me - hello?
My ex-voice - ha. Ha. HA! HA! HA!
I have several albums worth of songs that are musically recorded, but I've been unable to finish them because I can't do the vocals. They're packed away in a nice little velvet lined box, just in case my voice decides to return. It's a blue box, but that's not important.
So, I've adapted...
I've spent most of the last year doing spoken word collaborations. I've loved doing them. I LOVE doing them. I've been working with musicians, non-musicians, psychoanalysts, actors, and lots more. I've just released a solo spoken word album that heavily leans into the cut up technique (y'know, the chopping and rearranging of words to make a new thing, like the Eno / Bowie, William Burroughs, Brion Gysin type stuff). I love this stuff. Like, I LOVE this stuff.
So I guess spoken word is my new thing.
This leads me to...
Collaborations -
Last year I mentioned to someone (can't remember who, but it was a fellow FAWMer) that I would like to do an entire FAWM that is all collaborations.
I don't think this year will necessarily be ALL collabs, but recently it got me thinking that I'd like to put some extra focus on that aspect this time around, for a 'Pete Murphy and Friends' album (to be released on my Bandcamp page as a free download).
This is how I see it working for anyone who might like to be involved...
(TL:DR at the bottom)
* This is, first and foremost, about fun and enjoyment. I'm all about the fun and enjoyment when it comes to making music. Aren't you? I hope you are.
* I'm mostly interested in / inspired by lyrics that are surreal / absurd / erotic / weird / avant / experimental / random.
* Ideally you'll be able to recite + record your lyrics, then send me your vocal file so I can build music around it. I mean, you can sing it if you want, or yell it, read it backwards, upside down, inside out, your dog can be barking in the background, you can record yourself talking whilst making a cup of tea or singing in the shower or riding an exercise bike or taking a walk or doing the weekly shopping or any other way you want to do it, but being able to send me a recording would be helpful.
* Some of the people I've recently been working with prefer me to cut up their vocal and make it into something new and completely different to what they actually said.
Other people prefer me to leave their vocal as it is (other than maybe making gaps between the lines longer or shorter, in order to fit with the music).
I'm good either way, or doing a bit of both, or listening to any other ideas you have.
* Hopefully you will be cool with our collaboration being on the album, which will be released as a free download on Bandcamp. Obviously if you hate the song, it doesn't have to be included, but the plan is for it to be listened to by people outside of FAWM. (I know, scary huh? I feel ya)
* Ideally I'd like a bit of choice, so if you have several lyrics to see which one inspires me the most, that would be cool.
If not, and you only have one thing to show me, that's cool too.
* They don't have to be structured like a pop song (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc). In fact, I rarely work with traditional song structures these days. I don't mind if it's just random words shouted into the voice recorder app on your phone. Whatever you want. It can be 10 seconds long or 2 minutes long or 5 minutes long (it would be good if it wasn't 60 minutes long, because I might run out of music, and not have any left to put into the other collabs. A chap can run out of music, y'know. Then I'll have to wait until Tesco can deliver some more, and with the pandemic and all that, they might not be able to fit me in until next Thursday)
* Other things may be added later, but that's all I can think of right now, and I hate lists. Do you hate lists?
TL:DR - send me weird vocal shit, I'll put music to it and release it as part of a 'Pete Murphy and Friends' album on Bandcamp as a free download. Hopefully we'll have fun doing it.
#1 | Knives Out For Kitchen Mouse |
21 Feb 2022 |
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#2 | Rainbow Bleeding In Monochrome |
10 Feb 2022 |
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#3 | Hell Money |
7 Feb 2022 |
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#4 | Walking On The Surface Of The Sun |
5 Feb 2022 |
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#5 | A Propensity To Smoke And Take Illicit Drugs |
13 Feb 2022 |
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#6 | The Limbic System |
11 Feb 2022 |
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#7 | I Used To Work In Retail |
15 Feb 2022 |
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#8 | Wordspeak @pbtaylorjr |
7 Feb 2022 |
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#9 | Head First Mondrian |
12 Feb 2022 |
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#10 | Lick My Eye |
6 Feb 2022 |
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#11 | Edificios Muertos @jonmeta |
16 Feb 2022 |
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#12 | Before Eden |
6 Feb 2022 |
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#13 | I Work In The Factory @stephenwordsmith |
16 Feb 2022 |
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#14 | Waltzing In 10 |
2 Feb 2022 |
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#15 | Oh Gee I Wanna Be In The Bee Gees |
11 Feb 2022 |
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#16 | I Spy @fuzzy |
15 Feb 2022 |
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#17 | Words For Wordle @mikeskliar |
19 Feb 2022 |
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#18 | Alliteration @leepat |
8 Feb 2022 |
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#19 | The Parallax View |
4 Feb 2022 |
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#20 | Cats Grow Names @wobbiewobbit |
35 Feb 2022 |
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#21 | The Day After Valentine's Day |
5 Feb 2022 |
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#22 | What If Animals Were A Bit Different, Like. |
4 Feb 2022 |
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#23 | I'm Lost @tcelliott |
10 Feb 2022 |
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#24 | Passion @nicetrip |
3 Feb 2022 |
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#25 | An Erotic Masterpiece |
7 Feb 2022 |
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#26 | Under Mongolian Skies @mahtowin |
9 Feb 2022 |
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#27 | Permanent Headache |
4 Feb 2022 |
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#28 | Suck It Up, Buttercup @fearlessflight2014 |
17 Feb 2022 |
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#29 | What If Animals Were a Bit Different, Like? @pippa |
6 Feb 2022 |
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#30 | Wet Paint @karlsburg25 |
12 Feb 2022 |
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#31 | Have A Word @ayehahmur |
9 Feb 2022 |
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#32 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 01 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#33 | Off-site Collab With Dr Vanessa Sinclair 02 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#34 | Off-site Collab With Dr Vanessa Sinclair 03 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#35 | Off-site Collab With Dr Vanessa Sinclair 04 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#36 | Off-site Collab With Dr Vanessa Sinclair 05 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#37 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 06 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#38 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 07 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#39 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 08 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#40 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 09 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#41 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 10 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#42 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 11 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#43 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 12 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#44 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 13 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#45 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 14 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#46 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 15 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#47 | A**hole @cowboydick |
4 Feb 2022 |
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#48 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 16 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#49 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 17 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#50 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 18 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#51 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 19 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#52 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 20 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
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#53 | Off-site collab with Dr Vanessa Sinclair 21 |
ZONG Feb 2022 |
Pete, I keep coming back for more.
My health issues for the past 3 FAWMs has hampered my participation....especially this year
I would love to have collaborated with you again.
But like yourself, the creative part of ourselves takes over. You are dealing with vocal issues, but found a way around it.
With everything you go through, you find a way.
I believe your voice will return when it's ready
I am the same way.
Writing my first FAWM song from my hospital bed. recovering from getting a pacemaker 2 days before was important in my recovery.
I did not have the energy to create music and melody, but I got to experience myself as a writer and got wonderful people to collaborate.
I wrote my most universal song this FAWM and the recording of it by another FAWMer gives me joy and hope. If you have time it's called Sea of Uncertainty.
Keep on being you!
The links I sent earlier should be working now ( soubdcloud ones I think)
Thank you, Peter for your kind comments. I forgot some of the pieces I composed and put Life Situations on to find the chords changes you wrote about. It came naturally at the time but now I was listening after your comment and I thought: oh, I might have gone to quickly from one key to another :) Anyway, it was very heart-warming to read your beautiful words. I hope you are doing well. Have a lovely weekend.
You commented on @sherrycanary's defiant "Will of the Heart" https://fawm.org/songs/132639/ earlier (thank you). We now have Sherry's voice on it and a slightly better piano. Whilst there are some production issues which I can't fix at this stage, it's definitely an improvement over me singing it (!), if you'd like to listen again, or download the fresher version.
Hey Pete.....If you have time, I did get a few demos up and hope you will listen
Thanks, Pete. I'm glad you like it. I had a blast trying to figure out the right note for those 7 chords! I kept thinking, those chords can't be right, but the song insisted. So I was like WHAT? OK... then.
Yes matey of course . Go for it. woohoo
Thanks for getting back with me on the Wobbie song. And yes, she's fine with that. And I'll explain that it's not finished. THANKS! And I'm still working on your animals song... your words are good and my melody is rudimentary, so I feel kind of awkward there, and can I leave off the ARGHHH! at the end?
Hi Pete, I’m having a horrid FAWM due to being exhausted, anxious and over-committed outside, but I’ve put aside some time to send you something tomorrow. I’m looking forward to listening to your work this year but I’m so time poor I’m leaving listening to March this year. I hope you are enjoying your creative process this year.
How do I submit a vocal track to you? How much fidelity do you need in the recording? I don't have a high-end mic setup but I'd like to contribute. Thanks.
Pete, thank you, it’s well done, you catched the mood of narration. Definitely, post it if you’re ready!
Thanks, Pete, I'll have a go at a tune, I've also written you about the Wobbie collaboration...
Thank you so much for your words on A tomb of moonlit streams. I hope you and both L and the dogs are well.
Your comments are so kind and generous - thank you very much - they inspire me to create more.
Ha!!! I think you're on to something there! I LOL all the time...it may be why I keep getting the dick pics? LMFAO!!! Thank you for your kind words on LOL and kudos to you on all the songs you have here this year!! Kudos to you! I'll be back again for more listens!!! :)
Hey, Pete. Today I've recorded a bunch of poems I've written in the past. Here is one of them. It'd be great if you make something cool with it.
I tried to stick to a tempo of 104 bpm (metronome was playing into my ears while recording).
The file is downloadable.
The original lyrics in Russian and literal translation in English are provided in description.
Feel free to give any feedback or request anything you need for work.
https://soundcloud.com/riflexia/passion-strast-104-bpm/s-FqWsy2bPLEN?si=c28ded7692d142e7ab6c026428db9079
zero rush at all matey. you take all the time inthe world. Big luv to your Ma x
ok they rewetransferring hopefully without a silly click ;-)
Oh balls . I’ll resend them and it was so instant it’s at logics 120bpm
have we transferred some pretty rough files for your amusment matey. Feel free to bin it or use it as you please.
I may have a little ditty for you Pete if you want it. Will be basicllay a guitar acoustic riff you can play around with do whatever with or whatever. Let me know if you want me to send. I haven't even recorded it yet. Ha ha ;-)
I've given our collab a proper listen just now.
Excellent job there for sure.
It worked - you got an email :-)
Hi Pete! i wanna sent you a spoken word tune per WeTransfer. but I cannot find your emailadresse in you bio ...
How the hell did you write 16 songs already? That's past impressive. That's like, pact-with-unseen-forces impressive.
No rush!
I look forward to hearing it!!
Good lord! I thought that I was keeping up! Cruising along nicely! So far, it plays out like a series of shorts, but maybe there is a unifying theme that I will end up "getting".....hmmmm....
The idea of the album sounds perfect. Really perfect.
Tell me pete this question always pops up about other writers in my head during FAWM. Spoken word or formerly with singing do you generally create the melodies first then add words or do you work the other way around? or is it a bit of both.I only wondering with yourself as there's often such intricate melodies and i know a lot of my more complext melodies come from having words first . hmmm
Hi Pete, thanks so much for your super lovely comment. Sorry to hear about losing your voice..... booo. I'm sure you've looked into it but I've really got a lot out of the Estill method, seems to be based a lot on anatomy, you could get an endoscopy? Anyways sorry if you've already heard all this!
Yikes 10 songs already - how do you do it?!
Ah cheers Pete, and i tell you what drawing in all the piano notes is quite a challenge i'd imagine. I have to admit to being lazy as in the past i've written piano solo parts in my head which i know i can't play to any standard so end up giving up on them . and bless you pete never ever worry about jumping on the Karl (ooo me in the third person ;-) songs or messaging. I just getting myself into this new routine of actually full time working during the whole of FAWM. Its usually my summer holiday time ;-) . Weirdly i get back from work around 8pm and cos i know i only got then until i sleep to do most FAWM stuff (i am simply shit during the day) it feels quite nice. Like i've given myself permission. For example tonight is a listening eve. Well relaxing i must say ;-) . Keep em coming dude. Its great to have you back
So glad to see you, Pete! Other than your current vocal problems, it sounds like you're truly in a place where you are content and happy with the world around you. I've been in a rut for the past two years, but your bio gives me hope.
Cheers,
John
Thanx for your comments.
Now I want a poodle named Ian.
I love cut up too! I'm sure it's hard to lose your voice, but I'm glad you're making cool, creative stuff still. The spoken word is so versatile as I'm sure you know. Do you like Tanya Davis? Ken Nordine? I wish I was more familiar with hip hop, but Saul Williams both raps and sings, and his music is really varied. I'd love to contribute something to your project. I also don't usually start with traditional song structure but sometimes I feel like I need to regularize things
Hey Pete :) I responded to the collab thing on the Forum, but thought I'd also let you know here that I am game ! I think I would like to sing something really abstract and weird, and it will have the added strange thing that I seriously CAN'T SING ! :) You can then do whatever you want with it :)
Hey Pete. Sent you an email of me saying some words into the mic. Should come from "Homeschool Promking" or hspromking at place. Happy FAWM'ing.
Hey Pete! Thanks for listening to The Smoke! Indeed I do play a 1977 Les Paul Standard! But in 2007 I bought a candy apple red 1957 reissue Stratocaster. Mine looks exactly like this one,
Vaughan Daniel is here btw.... under Vaughan. mctown
You've got a song up already! *panic*
And yes. The Ergo train is a rarefied ride. I think I found him (and a billion other amazing acts) through WFMU, but alas memory is a tricksy beast.
Digging your first track. It's going to be a weird, fun month, innit?
Hey Pete! Sorry it’s been so long. Glad your back and I’m looking forward to hearing your new FAWM catalogue. Happy FAWMing
I’ve got some Spanish lyrics ready that i’ll record (spoken, dry) and send ypu to manipulate if you give me an email. DM me at Twitter if you like.
Hi Pete - just to say after following up on your suggestions in the Most Influential Albums thread, I've been listening to Simon Warner's album today. And Oh My God On Buttered Toast it is amazing. Like if Scott Walker, Julian Cope and Neil Hannon got off their tits in a studio amazing. I utterly love it, so thanks for the nod.
Would love to matey and just out of interest has any expert told you what’s happened with the voice ? There may be alternative solutions . Hope you’re well otherwise and still enjoying your amazing doggies ! Am contemplating a move for the four legged variety at the moment .
Hi Pete!! Have a wonderful FAWM!!
Pete its so good to see you back, and i'd really like to catch up with you re your voice at some point, but more than that, I too have half decided (in an indecisive period at the moment) to also go for collab fun this year, so will defo try to tap into a side of me that syncs with you and get something whizzed over to see what we can create. Happy fawm matey
do you ever guess how many songs you’ll end up with before starting fawm each year? my prediction for you is... a lot. :)
can’t wait to listen to your stuff!
greetings from the carrot fields of instagram!
Hi Pete! Glad to see you here again. Let's rock.
I’m truly sorry for your voice crapping out! And admiring your perseverance. My February plans may change as my dad needs care and I’ll have to go trans Atlantic to be with him and won’t have music facilities. But I’m working ahead for the days I won’t be able to write and have some Spanish lyrics for you already that I’l send (audio) after the starting bell sounds on the 1st. Take care!
Have a great FAWM Pete!!
Yay, I will look forward to it.
I hope you have a superb FAWM. I could send you a Spanish lyric if you like.
Hey, Pete, nice to see you are here again! Feel sorry for trouble with your voice. I’m very interested in your approach for this year. I’ll definitely send you something to work with.
You rock! Happy FAWMing!
Great bio, really interested in reading what you have been up to. Sad to hear it's been a bit of bummer and you can't sing anymore .
On the Collab front I would love to lend my vox for you to use as you please. Please ping me if that is of interest.
Yes! hey fab gear...no, it's not Paul but I'm happy to borrow his bass for a little bit till things get sorted in Fawmland....
So sorry about losing your voice but great to see your rolling with it...
and let's face it everything you do is magic...can't wait to hear what's percolating here in Brum land...xxc
Hi, Pete! Hope you have a fantastic FAWM 2022!! My oldest daughter has Asperger's. There's a book out there that really helped her immensely called "Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's" by John Elder Robison. It's good because it's written by someone who has Asperger's, not someone who has studied it. She connected with it. My experience is people that have Asperger's have the sweetest hearts and personalities, very creative and unique ways of thinking, and I was always wanting my daughter's perspective because she'd see things in a way I never could. Always love your work and looking forward to hearing your new works this February!
I might be sending you a voice file at some point this February for your collab album. Of course, once FAWM starts, all my plans seem to fly out the window...
Would it be possible to send you something in March if not in February?
Cool beans. I guess what I’m trying to say his, how do I go about sending you my spoken word brilliance?
Hey, Pete. Glad to see you. Sorry to hear about your voice. Sometimes those we love hurt us the most. I would be greatly interested in sending you some shit to turn into a song. Let me know exactly how to go about doing it and let's make sweet sweet beautiful weird fucky art.
Your collab project sounds fascinating!! I’d certainly love to send you something. It would be awesome to break out of my usual verse chorus bridge rut and try something lyrically more intense and obscure.
It’s been a rough couple of years in so many ways, especially in regards to mental health but I’m still in the game.
Wah, thanx for naming me in the "Favourite albums of last year" thread.
I am extremely honoured!
Thank you so much! I see that you also got a P Bass, and i can’t wait to hear what you do with it!
Hi Pete, thank you. I'm okay, thank you. Please take care. I hope one day your voice will return. It was truly amazing. I know though your speaking voice is absolutely awesome.
Hey, hope you have a great FAWM!
Likewise looking forward to hearing your stuff this year!
Mr. Murphy.
I'm looking forward to hearing new music from you this FAWM!!!
Eyup, Pete!
I'm really looking forward to hearing what you come up with this year!
Hi Pete. Have a wonderful fawm time. There are so many different ways of creating. So glad to see you are finding new ways and you are happy to collaborate.
So glad to see you here. Let's get up to some antics. Or possibly shenanigans. Tomfoolery if you're feeling up to it.
good to see you up and at it over here, Pete :) love the sound of your collaboration project, i will get to you on that :)
A very big hello to you!! I hope that you’re back again this year!
Good to see you my friend! I've been wanting to tell you that I'm in awe of how prolific you are. You inspire me! Can't wait to hear what you do this FAWM :)
Pete! great to see ya here! and yeah, that spoken word collab idea you detailed in your soundboard sounds great, I'd love to send you something in Feb for it!
PETE!!!! Have a great FAWM!
It is always good to see you here. It made my night! Looking forward to all kinds of amazing creations. Perhaps a creation together... it could happen! :)
So great to see you here again!!!