The other night I heard Blaze of Glory while watching a Mark Wahlberg movie called Pain & Gain. I remember seeing the movie in the theater, but I decided I’d put it on in the background. It’s a crazy ass story, but there’s a point in the movie where Bon Jovi’s tune Blaze of Glory comes on during a botched safe break in. I started to laugh strictly for the fact that it’s starts the whole sequence of them going down in a blaze of glory.
After the movie ended I decided I had to hear the tune again. I recall seeing Young Guns and really enjoyed the “cowboy” rock style of the Bon Jovi. Mind you he did have a bigger hit with Dead Or Alive which is an 80’s power ballad that’s still a staple in bars across the country to this day. I felt it prudent to pass along the song here because it’s still a pretty rockin’ tune and has a great melody. So thanks to Michael Bay for Pain & Gain making use of the tune.
Blaze Of Glory by Bon Jovi
I wake up in the mornin’
And I raise my weary head
I got an old coat for a pillow
And the earth was last night’s bed
I don’t know where I’m goin’
Only God knows where I’ve been
I’m a devil on the run
A six gun lover
A candle in the wind, yeah
You’re brought into this world
But they say you’re born in sin
Well at least they’ve given me something
I didn’t have to steal or have to win
Well, they tell me that I’m wanted
Yeah I’m a wanted man
I’m colt in your stable
I’m what Cain was to Able
Mister catch me if you can
I’m goin’ down in a blaze of glory
(Down)
Take me now but know the truth
I’m goin’ down in a blaze of glory
(Down)
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I’m no one’s son
Call me young gun
You ask about my conscience
And I offer you my soul
You ask if I’ll grow to be a wise man
Well I ask if I’ll grow old
You ask me if I known love
And what it’s like to sing songs in the rain?
Well, I’ve seen love come
I’ve seen it shot down
I’ve seen it die in vain
Shot down in a blaze of glory
(Down)
Take me now but know the truth
But I’m going down in a blaze of glory
(Down)
Lord, I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I’m a devil’s son
Call me young gun
Yeah
Each night I go to bed
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
No, I ain’t lookin’ for forgiveness
But before I’m six foot deep
Lord, I got to ask a favor
And I’ll hope you’ll understand
‘Cause I’ve lived life to the fullest
Let this boy die like a man
Starin’ down the bullet
Let me make my final stand
Shot down in a blaze of glory
(Down)
Take me now but know the truth
I’m going down in a blaze of glory
(Down)
Lord, I never drew first
But, I drew first blood
I’m no one’s son
Call me young gun
I’m the young gun
Young gun, yea eee yea
Young gun
Have great gain of a day!
It’s not often where you’re in a studio talking about a drum fill. At least not often where you’re proclaiming you love it. This is precisely what happened during a moment in the recording process of Till We Meet Again, a song written by myself and the awesome Jesse Stern. We’re in the studio doing vocals with George Leger III when George blurts out something entirely unusual for an engineer / co-producer.
Talk about getting caught off guard, especially when drumming is like ESL. I remember wanting to be a drummer when I first wanted to learn an instrument. However that got nixed by my mom due to saying it would be too noisy. Instead I got a guitar and an amp. How much noise did that make? A whole lot more.
Imagine my surprise when a drum fill part I created elicits a response like what I get in the video. Of course the most polite response is what I gave, but seriously, in my head I was like – hey! I did that. Maybe I should have been a drummer first. What a different world I’d be in if that had been the case. I might not be the songwriter I turned out to be. Who knows, I could have become an on call studio or touring drummer. Ah, who am I kidding – I love the musician I am, but there are times. Times when I do wish I were a better drummer.
Drum Fill Love
Transcript:
I said I love that drum fill!
Thank you.
Fuckin’ love it.
It’s a cool drum fill.
It’s totally cool.
I done did that.
Totally fuckin’ cool.
yeah.
I have to make that a Phil Collins thing somehow.
Get it to sound like it’s in a fuckin’ glass room or something bizarre.
Oh lord.
Aw, c’mon man.
Have you subscribed to my YouTube Channel yet?
In Love With My Car is probably my favorite tune about cars. I imagine it’s probably the favorite tune for many people that really like their cars. Why wouldn’t it be? It’s a cool rock song from one of the biggest bands in music history, Queen. I suppose I’m feeling a bit ready for this song today because I’m going through a period of needing to fix things in my car. I drive an Audi A4 Quattro. Little things are starting to fall apart, but I have a hard time parting with the car because it drives so well.
Yesterday the A/C decided it didn’t want to kick on. At least that’s what I thought it was. Instead in sussing out the situation, I discovered that the servo that controls the temperature wasn’t moving to change the temperature. Now it comes down to figuring out if it’s an issue with the control unit, or if there’s an electrical short. Mostly because I’ve been able to get the servo to move – thus it’s not bad. Ah the joys of cars. I’m gonna put another hour into it today, then I’ve got to get to making some music. Thank you Roger for an awesome tune.
In Love With My Car
The machine of a dream, such a clean machine,
With the pistons a pumpin’, and the hubcaps all gleam.
When I’m holding your wheel,
All I hear is your gear,
When my hand’s on your grease gun,
Oh it’s like a disease son,
I’m in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile,
Get a grip on my boy racer rollbar,
Such a thrill when your radials squeal.
Told my girl I just had to forget her,
Rather buy me a new cartburettor,
So she made tracks sayin’ ths is the end now,
Cars don’t talk back they’re just four wheeled friends now,
When I’m holding your wheel,
All I hear is your gear,
When I’m cruisin’ in overdrive,
Don’t have to listen to no run of the mill talk jive,
I’m in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile,
I’m in love with my car, string back gloves in my automolove!
Enjoy your car today!
Come with me inside RA Audio studios as we set up a Taylor Guitar’s K4 EQ. Here’s an outtake from the recording of my upcoming single called “Till We Meet Again” as Robert Navarro and I go through the pre-production of my Taylor 615ce. The amazing thing is that it didn’t take a very long time to plug in the guitar, plug in the K4, wire it to the pre-amp. Of course Robert and I spent a bit of time listening to several settings then proceeded to make a few minor tweaks. Then it was off the race, or rather off to the recording track.
Watch the video and find out what setting we used on my K4 EQ to get one extremely awesome sound for the acoustic guitars on “Till We Meet Again”. Yes, in the final mix down of the song I did use a combination of the K4 direct sound mixed with the KM184 Sennheiser microphones. Definitely a very awesome addition to the sound of great acoustic guitar recording.
Till We Meet Again K4 Setup
Transcript:
The whole concept of, what did I use for this recording? For Taylor Guitars website.
Right now we’re about to set up the sound for the direct sound coming out of the 615 that I’m going to record for “Till We Meet Again” into the infamous Taylor Guitars K4 equalizer.
And Robert and I, who is currently the owner of RA Audio, are about to set all of this up. He’s waving at you. And, get the sound happening. And then we’re recording through a couple of nice Sennheiser KM184’s that… [you’re welcome]
Thank you.
That I got for Robert. Uhm. So yeah, we’re about to do some pre-production on getting the right sound. Then we’re gonna do a track.
So let’s get started.
One second he says.
Wish I had a remote. Tink. Tink.
Ok, should I bring some treble down and the bass up?
That’s sorta nice? Well, I don’t want sorta. I want bad ass nice.
Back off a little on the bass. Ok, this is half of what the bass was when I raised it. So that’s a nice direct tone? Wow! No mid or anything huh?
Interesting.
So for all those out there in Taylor land who want to know the K4 setting that I just used. We’re probably talking 12:30 on the bass, on the low end. We’re looking at about 11 o’clock on the high. And the mids? Nada. Zero. Center all the way. The volume is set at medium, like right at whatever 12 o’clock is.
So the K4 is set, for the 615ce.
One of the things an artist will discuss during the recording is how they will go about singing a breakdown. Which is exactly where I’m about to take you in the following video. George Leger III (co-producer), Jesse Stern (co-writer) and I take a moment to figure out the correct way for me to be singing the breakdown in Till We Meet Again. Jesse takes charge to give a mental picture of an example that should give the right vibe.
What would you do?
Watch and enjoy!
Singing A Breakdown
Transcript:
Carry on.
This is the breakdown where you go out onto the key, that like goes out into the middle of the crowd. And you like, hold the mic stand.
And the band.
You hold the mic stand in your left hand and you get down on your knees.
Exactly.
And you’re just like…
Well then I should the carry on… Right?
Don’t. Do, do, what you would do in that situation.
I’m thinking, carry. Well I, I think it. A softer version of what the original was.
Don’t tell us. Just do it.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Fuck it.
The age old dilemma for musicians going it alone without a record label often wonder how they can call attention to their music. Musicians working on surviving in today’s music business are attempting to figure out where things are going. The biggest issue is often what happens after they get the music written, recorded, and are ready to release.
If there is someone who had a more direct line on what did and didn’t work for musicians forging a path without a record label, I don’t know who it would be. The best source for such information is Derek Sivers. He created CD Baby. He helped to usher in the paradigm of the music industry with allow non-signed artists a platform for selling CDs away from their shows.
Derek ushered in another change when he gave CD Baby artists an avenue to get their music onto iTunes (albeit, he had a little coaxing from me as well). Which is still one of the better platforms to use for most non-signed artists to get their music onto iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.
Derek wrote a book called “How To Call Attention To Your Music” and put it up on his website sivers.org as a free publication for any interested musicians. I recently decided to take a look at it and realized this book is in PDF format. Great format for a wide range of portability. However, many of us are now using more modern devices like iPhones, iPads, Kindles, Kindle readers, eReaders, etc. Thus I took a few minutes out of my day today to convert the book into EPUB format. That way, everyone who is interested in Derek’s sage advice can now read it in iBooks, Kindle, Nook, etc. Like it was a real book that can be paged through on an electronic device.
Grab “How To Call Attention To Your Music” EPUB format.
As per Derek’s page for getting the book, I’m making it available for others to have as well. I would really appreciate it if you would sign up on my email list (http://hearjody.com) if you grab this copy of the book in EPUB format. Mostly because it’s a cool thing to do for someone that took the conversion step out of making it easy to read on your favorite eBook reader.
Now go forth and rise above!
p.s. – welcome to May!