Archive for the ‘songwriting’ Category



PRF Songwriting Challenge – Week 71 – I Win!

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010




So, it’s 11pm last Sunday. I’m watching a Dr. Who episode I’ve seen before and it suddenly strikes me that the PRF songwriting challenge is due in one hour.

So, I whipped out the ‘ol baritone uke and wrote a simple, little ditty in about 20 minutes, recorded in 2 takes , with 1 mic and ended up tying for first place. Woo hoo! I’m kind of a winner!

The challenge was the write a song that somehow has to do with vegetables. Here is a link to the whole week’s entries:
http://www.purevolume.com/PRFWeek71/albums/Call+Any+Vegetable

Mine is titled: Iamnotavegetable

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Song Collection

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

So, I’ve had it requested from a couple of folks that I post the songs that I’ve been writing and submitting to the PRF Song Challenge. Basically, Jason and I (and in one case Rick) all wrote and recorded these songs in a few of hours. Fast and furious but lots of fun.

For those of you who don’t know, the PRF Songwriting Challenge is a weekly competition where songwriters from around the globe submit songs based on a theme or challenge. It all started on the Electrical Audio forum: READ ABOUT IT HERE

CHALLENGE: Write a song about cats / bonus points for a cappella
An Animal – Just me this time, although J did the engineering and the snapping. It sure is nice to have an audio engineer as a boyfriend.


CHALLENGE: Write a holiday song
I Don’t Believe in Santa Claus – J and I – a light-hearted Christmas romp

CHALLENGE: Write a song based on this painting
King for a Day - J and I – I really do want a collection of mini-moos.

CHALLENGE: Write a Sci-fi song
Invasion Trilogy – Jason, Rick and I – Three way song writing trilogy / Does that mean it’s cubed? Sidenote: we are expanding this and trying to work it into a piece we can perform live.

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Jeff Mangum come back. We miss you.

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

I’ve been kicking myself for missing the Elephant 6 Orchestra reunion tour that came to Chicago this fall. What was I thinking??!?!??!!
The truth is, I didn’t know about it…
But that’s NO excuse, damn it.


Thankfully, NPR did a recording of the show and I’ve been able live vicariously through that.
Here is a link to the goods.


On a side note: Julian Koster just gets weirder and weirder-in a good way. He makes me wanna get my saw, bow and resin out again.

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Sci-Fi Invasion Trilogy

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

So, Jason, Rick and I  wrote a Sci-Fi trilogy for the PRF Songwriting challenge.

Yes, we were ambitious. The theme was inspiring (sci-fi) and there was fresh snow impeding travel.

It’s little rough around the edges… but not bad for a few hours work.

LISTEN TO IT HERE:

OR HERE:

http://www.purevolume.com/PRFWeek23/albums/99587454

It’s called Invasion Trilogy.

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Ukulele Cabaret – Valentine’s Day style

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

I’m gonna go join the rest of the freaks in the ukulele circuit and play some tunes tonight. Thankfully, I’ve got a lot of songs on the chosen theme. Come if you get a chance.

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More songs – I Don’t Believe in Santa

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Well, I did it again. I wrote another song for the PRF Songwriting challenge. That’s three weeks in a row. I guess I qualify as a repeat offender at this point.

I didn’t really plan on writing anything this week. I’m as sick as a dog that is as sick as a very sick cat. Post nasal drip, voice an octave lower than it should be, etc, etc… Plus, the theme was “Holiday Songs.” Perhaps, it’s post-traumatic stress from growing up in the bible belt or a more general revulsion to holiday cheer but i just wasn’t terribly inspired.

Regardless, come 8:30 last night, Jason and I decided to give it a go. And I’m pretty happy with the results. I’m gonna caulk this one up to pure and complete winter boredom. What else are going to do when it’s a wind chill of -29 ? Cry? Drink? Write songs? How ’bout all three.


Here is the latest offense : “I Don’t Believe in Santa”
http://www.virb.com/prfweek14


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Well, I entered another one. King for a Day…

Monday, December 15th, 2008

Yeppers, seems I’ve caught the songwriting bug. I cranked out another one this week (with the extraordinary help of Japmn). It’s been really awesome making songs together.

You can hear all the entries here:
http://www.virb.com/prfweek13
I’m the last one on the list: King for a Day
(I really would love to have a collection of miniature cows.)

We are trying to get more people to participate and vote, so if you aren’t busy, vote here:

http://www.electrical.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40997

(You have to register first… and I won’t blame you if you don’t vote for me. This is all in the spirit of fun and fair play. Vote for the best.)

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So, I actually won…

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

Yep, I won the cat / acappella songwriting challenge. Go figure.

Mine’s the 7th one down and titled “An Animal”.

http://www.virb.com/prfweek12

As the winner, I get to decide the next week’s challenge. I’ve decided to have it visually based. So, I’m asking the songwriters to write a song, somehow related to the this painting (which I painted a few years ago):

Personal Demons

Personal Demons

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yes, I’m actually posting one of these ridiculous things…

Friday, December 5th, 2008

I’m trying to write a song for The PRF All-Star Songwriting Challenge Week 12 : http://www.virb.com/prfweek12

My man won/tied last weeks competition with a song he hated but everyone else liked. Go figure. This week’s challenge is to write a song about or in some way related to CATS… bonus points for making it an a cappella piece.

So yeah, I’m spending the afternoon trying to write and record an acappella song about cats. Life is grand.

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