As an artist I’m really opposed to the idea of censorship, especially in music.
Censorship History
Recently there’s been a backlash against certain artists and styles of music. Actually there’s probably always been a backlash or at least groups of people wanting to prevent others from hearing music. The simple word for it is censorship. If music history memory serves me, there was a severe backlash by Christians against the music of artists like Buddy Holly and also Elvis. The humor of that is Buddy came from a religious family (unless I’ve been misinformed).
Then in the 80’s there was the PMRC that used a censorship tactic to ban music thru the use of the government and silly stickers on physical releases.
But now…
YouTube
This might be a first. There are police departments in the U.K. that are asking YouTube to forcibly remove music videos with violent lyrics. I don’t condone it, but I can understand the reasoning. Apparently these artists use the platform to tell rival artists what they plan on doing to them, when, and where. Think of it as a public musical version of the Firms that fight at Football / Soccer matches.
That’s an interesting line to be drawing. On the one hand, if its legit musical expression, it shouldn’t be subject to censorship.
On the other hand, if its gang messages disguised as music, then it constitutes as actual threats, hate speech and violence. That presents a problem. Might be reasonable to apply censorship to that.
Drill Music
This style of music is becoming known as Drill Music. Its new to my radar and I’m not gonna sit here and explain it like I’m well versed in it. I’m interested in videoing my first listen to a popular Drill Music video and taping my reaction, much like how the Lost In Vegas boys would do it. Enjoy as its my first reaction video.
Beefs
Even in the early days of rap, which is the parent of Drill, there were rap battles. East coast, West coast blasts that apparently led to the deaths of Tupac and Biggie and likely others. At that point there was also a strong musical resistance that expressed life on the streets in the dark parts of major cities. Music was a great way to resonate that harsh reality.
Drill music isn’t the first style to have a censorship request from law enforcement agencies. I’m specifically referencing N.W.A. as a group that got hit with warnings from the law, amongst others like Ice-T, KRS-One.
As you can see/hear, I’m kinda clueless to the U.K. brand of street music with lyrics like this. But I can certainly imbibe the vibe that they’re laying down, musically speaking.
Late last week I got my first dose of shooting a music video where I’m being choreographed for movement. That was a very different experience. Yesterday afternoon I got a message from the video director that the footage came out ok. I was a little worried about it, but alas I’m likely worrying about nothing. One thing that was fun and hard was learning to do some dance moves and making it look like I’ve been doing for years – and singing at the same time. New experience.
Come in the studio with me as I work with George Leger III at his Utopia Parkway studio to record the final vocals on my upcoming new single “Touch”. Get a sneak peek of what it’s like in the studio and working with a good friend from Canada who helps create some awesome magic.
Find out who I got one of the guitars used on the song from. Figure out a particular guitar riff I play while waiting for George. Hint, it’s from an amazing guitarist out of Texas.
Enjoy the video:
Back in 2011 I had a song I had cowritten with Johnny Elkins appear in a movie starring Colin Hanks. That movie is called “Lucky”. Ever since it’s release I’ve had people contacting me about the song “Happy When I’m With You” which appears in the middle of the movie as the song playing over the montage sequence. People wanting to know what the words are can now do their own karaoke of it with the video below. The only place to purchase the song is here Buy Now.
Happy When I’m With You Lyric Video
Transcript:
“Welcome. Thank you for stopping by in order to watch the official lyric video for Happy When I’m With You, the song that appears in the movie Lucky starring Colin Hanks.”
Doesn’t matter the time or the place
Only know there’s a smile taking over my face
Always seems to be here when you’re there
Just feel it inside and it’s in the air
I’m happy when I’m with you
I’m hap-a hap-a hap-a happy when I‘m with you
Doesn’t really matter what we do
I’m hap-a hap-a hap-a happy when I‘m with
Happy when I’m with you
Jumping over the sun dancing under the rain
Acting seriously or completely insane
Ain’t no place on earth that I’d rather be
Then with me next to you and you next me
Chorus:
When I’m with you there’s sunshine
In my heart the whole time
Everybody around us is catching the feelings
We’re feeling
Chorus Out:
Wanna know more about the song click here.
Looking at the featured image for this post, I’d posit to say that if Taylor Swift actually saw the video I’m talking about – that would be the reaction of her face. Then again I could be overstating it just a little.
In January I saw an internet meme going around that stated something to the effect that one of Taylor Swift’s ex boyfriends should write a song called “Maybe You’re The Problem”. Well, I haven’t dated Taylor, but I thought, what the hell, I’ll write a song as if I had. Thus “Maybe You’re The Problem” was born.
Check it out:
(since this was posted – it seems that YouTube decided to pull the video at Swift’s request – not to worry, I’ve updated and rerecorded the song. It will release to all digital services in 2017)
I did this strictly for fun. Then I told a few friends and within a day it kinda started to viral. It got liked on the Geek & Sundry youtube feed – that led to a bunch of views and comments over on my YouTube page for it.
Regardless, I’ve never met Taylor. I actually do like a bunch of her songs. I don’t hate her, I don’t harbor any ill-will and in all fairness, many of us have been a problem in one relationship or another. Who knows, at some point it would pretty rad if she and I penned a song together.
Until that happens, enjoy the song. Leave a comment. Share it with your friends. Who knows, I might actually hear from her. Or at least I might hear that she saw it, much like Lady Ga Ga apparently saw my cover of her song. I have no delusions that once I hit the ‘fame’ plateau on this forthcoming release I’m doing – I’ll likely get parodies and responses to my music as well. So be it, and I look forward to it.
Two days ago I spotted a tweet about a piece of music. That particular tweet came from a fan of mine. One that runs a few online radio station types like Blip.fm. She goes under the moniker Jalapno. I’m thinking that’s supposed to represent Jalapeno the spicy pepper. The tweet I’m talking about mentioned a song I recorded last year with my buddy Robert Navarro. It’s about how Morning Rays brighten your days. Two fold there, with the sun coming up meaning the world is still here and if you have a special someone who puts a ray of sunshine in your day.
The song was written by me, but it was done for a library. Therefore I don’t own the rights to it for selling and licensing purposes. Though the more it gets around, eventually the better it is for me and for Robert.
As it stands, look no further than here to hear the song:
Since you’re here reading this post, I’m requesting that you share the post as well as share the video too. Heck, while you’re at it – head to the video page and share some of my other videos. Even better, I’d ask you to purchase my tunes, make a video like this, contact me for a license (it’s important to get as YouTube and other places will likely pull it if you don’t get a license from me) then share ’em on youtube, vimeo, or your favorite video site. I’d like to see where the music goes.
Have yourself a fantastic week and may Morning Rays brighten your days.
I got an email recently. One from someone who had seen a movie that was released mid year last year. The movie in question actually has me scratching my head about one of the supposed stars in the film. As it turns out, a song that I had a hand in writing and performing called “Happy When I’m With You” was in this movie. In a way, I could say it’s lucky music in a movie.
The flick is called Lucky. It’s main star is Colin Hanks. Son of Tom Hanks. Other stars include Jeffery Tambor, Mimi Rogers, Ari Graynor, and Ann-Margaret. If I were prone to playing the Sesame Street game of which one of these is not like the other, it would be Mimi Rogers. Why? Well, quite frankly due to the fact that she is credited with a starring roll and I couldn’t find her in a single moving image in the movie. That’s pretty Lucky if you ask me.
Music can often make or break a film. While I would like to think the song I co-wrote in the film made the movie, it did fit very well and didn’t break it. How it got in was a little strange and how it got credited was a bit of a mistake. See, I did write the song with Johnny Elkins. I did perform all the instruments (except for the drums, they were done by my buddy Donny Gruendler). I did sing the song. Where it names the artist performing it should have said: The Pieces. Somehow it got credited to me – Jody Whitesides. Additionally, it got credited with the wrong title too.
I’m not trying to hide from something I created. It was an agreement Johnny and I had that it would go out as a band name rather than a solo artist. Despite that, somewhere along the line, there was miscommunication on the credits part and I got named. Not the end of the world. Oh well.
Getting back to the original first line here. Someone wrote me an interesting email. In it, he had stated how he tried to find the song on iTunes, Amazon, and other digital sites and could not find it. Then he went on to explain how he tried to find it on YouTube, other places and then pirate sites. All to no avail. He likened it to a search of Bigfoot and Nessie. This made me chuckle and I was flattered. Flattered that someone would go to such lengths to find a song from a movie.
Needless to say the song was not released on a soundtrack. Johnny and I never thought of releasing the song. It’s a catalog type of track, that wasn’t really intended for sale. However, I loved the email so much and I felt this fan really wanted the song. So we made an agreement. He sent a $1 and I got him a copy of the song for his very own.
I’m going to guess that you’re reading this post right now having searched for Happy When I’m With You as co-written and performed by Jody Whitesides. Which means you’ve seen the movie and now wondering where you can obtain a copy of that song. Which to me is lucky music in a movie. You can contact me and I’ll work it out with you on how to get the song. I also appreciate that you want to purchase it and not pirate it. That means the world to me.