Singin’, thinking…trying not to write a hook a day. There are few things better to fail at that, than not songwriting.
I can’t help it. I programmed my mind at the tail end of college to make playing my upside down guitar like a diary. A way to think outloud and collect my thoughts. To make sense of something. Anything. To focus everything into a message and a melody.
1000 words a day; an essay is easy. It’s breathing. It’s a wonderful little habit.
Ranting, jeremiads, the dozens, truth to power, or “Ah f☆ck nah” is a traditional. A power for the powerless.
The only hard part is, in terms of rants and chants, and little diddes that make girls get up and dance, is which stones do you polish into gems and which do you throw back to eternity.
Analog used to make that a much more serious question.
In the Digital world, it’s everywhere until it’s nowhere.
I hope I can collect even 75% of em’ all. Ricky and The East Portland Blog have been a huge ally. So has Tyler Weber from the band Northern Shakedown. A real force behind the scenes.
In the END, I think I might donate my left overhooks to young bands when I die.
“Hey kid, here is a hook. You invest your own resources finishing this tune, my label Soul United will help promote the song if it turns out incredible. I’m gone but earworms are forever. This little thing here is something I came up with on the last 90 seconds of a ten minute break. There are 1000s of them. Go get it Tiger.”
Big day tomorrow. First practice with a new potential line up of Soul United All-stars, good chat with Tuff Gong about release date, finding out whether I am flying to Jamaica next week.
Some of it is out of my hands. But getting a good night of sleep and bringing my A Game.
Que Sera, Sera. I did my best…now the fates have to handle the rest. And of course some people I really appreciate have a big hand in how this all plays out.
Building that team…
– Musician and writer Davin Michael Stedman has many ventures, such as the AMAZING blog, 100milesofmusic.com. Davin’s new song has become a global earworm and Caribbean dancehall hit. Listen here on Reggaeville: DAVIN MICHAEL STEDMAN & ANTHONY RED ROSE – FREE YOUR MIND FEAT. SLY & ROBBIE WITH LENKY MARSDEN. The video is now available on Youtube. His single with British band Sherlock Soul is available here.
