Jack of no trades…
I’ve now officially got more album-recording time behind me than in front. And I’m starting to arrive at the conclusion that I’m not going to finish. Balls.
I’ve got some good work done though, so I’ll keep plugging away, and see what comes of it. The thing is, it’s dead easy to fill 35 minutes with music – it’s just making good music that is the trick. If I get even half that time filled with quality material, I still say it’s been a productive month.
That’s very droll, isn’t it? I’d like to remove the “congress” from the door, as it’s not exactly pertinent in this example, but frankly I feel bad enough stealing some poor bugger’s cartoon and not giving him any credit for it – let alone modifying it as well.
I actually had a dream last night that a couple of rather large people in suits paid me a visit and recquisitioned my CD due to a plagiarism accusation. Apparently they weren’t concerned with the melody or the lyrics, but rather the drum sound. I was halfway through explaining to them that drum sounds are not exactly copyrightable as part of a composition, but then it all shifted into some sort of spaceship flying around thing (with monsters in pursuit – although the suit people were more frightening). I remember waking up hoping it was portentious, and now here I am blithely appropriating other peoples hard work. I just don’t learn.
So, where was I? Procrastination, yes. I’ve done absolutely nothing toward the album since the last entry – and time is starting to seem like it’s moving a bit faster. I had expected the house to myself the second half of this week, but Clare has come down with something, and so she’s stayed home from work. So I’m working hard to try and overcome this slight sense of self-consciousness about working on songs while there’s someone in the house.
That does sound very silly, I know. Clare knows I play and write music – this is not something I’m ashamed of. It’s just that it’s a slightly messy, scrappy process, and to a person who is used to hearing finished, fleshed out compositions, seeing the foundations being dug and the frame going up – well, I’m sensitive about that. Actually in my case, it’s usually a matter of the roof and windows first, then try to jam some walls and a slab underneath – which is even more embarrasing.
Nevertheless, this is something I’m going to have to overcome – so today I will finish another song. Definitely. Yes.
For sure.
Things I did from February 3rd through 6th:
Things I did not do from February 3rd through 6th:
It’s ok, it’s only the 6th… I’ve got time. No worries.
That’s how old I’m turning tomorrow 
I made a little more writing progress yesterday, but I’m afraid the well is dry for now – and I’m taking a break over the weekend to celebrate the ravages of time.
Hopefully I’ll be able to write more next week, once I have the perspective of old age to look back from 
Ok, done with that line now
The clock has started ticking – I have less than 28 days to write and record an entire album. What the hell am I thinking?! If you take an average of the last few years, I typically write less than one song in that period of time… although I suppose that’s exactly the creative/procrastination deadlock that this thing is supposed to break. I actually made a fairly good start today – I have the first song entirely roughed out in terms of chords and melody (just nonsense lyrics for now, with a few snippets of goodness that I can build the rest around), and similar bits of sketching for another three, one of which is probably closer to finished than not… So if I can keep up this pace, then I’ll be set. We’ll see if I’m still feeling this optimistic later in the month.
Other news – work still plows along on the second T3E album. We’re not recording yet by any stretch, but we have a lot of material already floating around. Curtis brought a great new contribution to us last night, which I also have to have a bash at adding some lyrics & melodies too in the near future.
I also played the last gig of my 20s last night… I turn 30 on Sunday, which is an odd prospect indeed.