Ready To Love 2017
Mere hours into the new year and I’m ready to love 2017 already. See, I got to spend time with my main squeeze at a really amazing party somewhere deep in wine country (a.k.a. Napa Valley, CA). Cool friends, cool place, great times. That’s an amazing way to get the new year started off right.
Happy New Year to you!
Ultimate New Music
My first thing I’m ready to love 2017 for is new music. My ultimate new music. That doesn’t mean I’m not looking forward to new music from other artists, but I do have a lineup of some amazing tunes. Tunes that cover a gamut of lyrical ideas – plus they are all sonically different as well as being stylistically different too.
In a time of when so many songs and artists all start sounding the same, I’m still sticking to the catch 22 land of proven difference.
Deliver More Themes
My second reason to love 2017 is another juicy opening theme. It was easy to miss last year when I snagged the opening theme to Nightwatch on A&E. A clever show that follows the engaging stories of police, fire and EMT heroes working the night shift in New Orleans. The show has been a rousing success.
I’m looking forward to having the opening theme on yet another show. I get all tingly thinking about having two shows running concurrently with music I created as their opening salvos.
Not sure how many Alan Thicke had, but I’d definitely love to measure to the number he had. I envision hitting 10 in my future.
Increase Live Performances
The third damn good reason to love 2017 is for the work I plan on putting into performing more live shows. There’s something in the works that should lead to the initial explosion for a particular song released a few months back.
I’m excited to be talking to some managers and agents about taking the show on the road and bringing it to you!
Plus it means getting the share the music with you. Which is what I want my 2017 to be all about.
In case you missed it, I played the Elixir in Las Vegas last weekend.
Elixir
It’s kinda hard to express how red. I mean RED. Really. Really. Really. R.E.D. The elixir is. In the immortal words of Nigel Tufnel, “It’s so red, its like it can get none more red.”
After getting over it’s redness, I got busy with cranking out an acoustic set of music for this fancy vampirey establishment. Knocking out originals and some covers to great response from the crowd. Unfortunately, the video clip I have from the show was shot using the 8mm app on a friend’s phone. Apparently he didn’t know he was recording 8mm camera noise instead of the actual audio.
https://vine.co/v/OqEqq3MPzmu/embed/simple
Why I oughta…
Pow, right in the kisser.
Right?
I’ll have to let you know that the crowd enjoyed the show. Comments were along the lines of: “It was awesome!” “Your voice is amazing!” “You sounded great!”
I’m working on returning to the Las Vegas area in mid January. So mark your calendar to join me in Sin City then! It could be Elixir again.
Ah Falling In. This is one of those songs where I constantly get asked to play it. Especially for the girls. Must be something about the acoustic guitar and a guy singing at them that causes them to swoon. Aw who the hell am I kidding. It’s the fact the song is about what every girl or woman on this planet wants. That is, to fall in love. At least all the ones I’ve met. I decided to essentially throw down a live acoustic performance of the song then put up the lyrics on it. What better way to enjoy and ‘read’ the song at the same time. For those out there who’s wondered – how the hell is he playing that song?!? Wonder no more. It’s pretty plain as day to see what it is that I’m doing guitar wise on the song.
Yes, that’s slap ‘n’ pop on an acoustic guitar. It all came down from a dare from someone who felt slap ‘n’ pop couldn’t be effective for playing a guitar. I took that challenge and Falling In was the result. Another tidbit about the song is that major songwriters whom I’ve shared the stage with have always been amazed by the guitar line and how it works with the melody. One of the funniest comments from a star writer was “You’re a victim of your own coolness with that song.” It’s definitely one that people always comment on. In fact, I ask you to comment on it too.
Falling In
In the speechless hush of the 5 a.m.
She’ll spy upon what my sleeping brings in
And if the coffee burns before we see again
The she’d never learn how my feelings creep in
I better grab her with both arms
And hold on tight ‘cause shes’s
Falling in to trouble
Falling in to my life
Falling in to fables
Falling in and it feels so right
In a crowd of thoughts I can wonder how
I’ll ever figure out what may be in her head
And if the world should end before we meet again
Then I’ll never know what two lovers can hold
She better grab me with both arms
And hold on tight ‘cause I’m
Falling in to trouble
Falling in to her life
Falling in to fables
Falling in and it feels so right
Through the course of the day
I think of things to say
And then they fade away
In the course of a fight
I feel things aren’t right
Then it goes all night
We’re falling in to trouble
Falling in to our lives
Falling in to fables
Falling in and it feels so right
Hit me up with your rendition of my tune. Especially want to see all the budding guitarists out there playing along!
Don’t you hate it when you’ve missed something awesome? If you’ve been following me for at least the last two months or longer, then you know that I was in Anaheim for the NAMM show in January. The show/convention is so damn large it’s impossible, not virtually but truly impossible, to see everything that goes on. As it turns out, one of my favorite musicians was there and I had no idea. Grrrr. Ian Thornley is a powerhouse of a writer, guitar player and singer. Powerhouse! Not only was Ian there, but he also performed at a private party for an amp manufacturer Suhr. I’ve heard of their amps, though I’ve never played one. A few nights ago as I was prepping the video I released this week as part of the recording process for vocals on a new single – I came across video of Ian’s performance at NAMM. It’s so damn amazing that I had to share it you all.
So many live performances sound so horrible that live music can often leave a lot to be desired. However, when you watch this, you should be floored by how awesome it sounds. I know I am. It sounds like a freakin’ recording. That’s how tight, how solid, how rich, how in tune these guys are. Remember, this is live, and it’s a band that had one rehearsal (it’s not Ian’s regular band). This is why I love playing with awesome professionals. They make it look and sound easy – and it is if you’re like Ian. There’s a real joy when working with musicians who transcend to this level. I remember my first album and how I wanted to be able to pull it off live – to sound just like the record. Wish that band could have stayed together, they had the calibre.
Blown Wide Open Performance I Missed
Do yourself a favor, go buy his music. Go see him live.
Maggie May Cover
I’m not often prone to doing cover songs. Mostly because I’m usually so busy writing and creating new music. However, I’m being asked more often to realize songs by other people. Thus, right now, you get to witness an experiment utilizing the power (or lack thereof) of the internet. I’m posting a video on YouTube of myself doing a Maggie May cover of Rod Stewart with my friend Chris Hellstrom.
Mind you, be aware neither Chris or I had ever “Jammed” over Skype before. We now know why. It’s not an ideal way to play music live, specifically because of the massive delays between participants. Chris and I did our best to make it work and there are a few stumbles. That’s to be expected when you’re flying blind. There’s so many variables that apparently go into this. Connection speed, something that isn’t as much an issue for me as it was for Chris. I enjoy a speedy 10Mbps up and 50Mbps down. Chris on the other hand not so much. Video obviously adds a lot of data to the bandwidth. I hear there are other things like data packet loss and such. Either way, if Skype really wants to make it’s world domination complete, they will have to figure out how to reduce these delays down to milliseconds. Enjoy our little escapade.
Since I’m a glutton for punishment, I just made arrangements to do this again with another friend. The twist is next time I’ll be playing guitar and he’ll be singing. My goal is to gather video from both sides so it can be side by side.
For now, I’d be happy to have you share this barebones rendition of the infamous (well, ok, it’s famous) song written by Rod Stewart called Maggie May.
– Jody
p.s. – don’t tell Rod I screwed some of it up.
p.p.s – this was posted before the video went entirely live on YouTube, so you’re an early watcher!