Branden

Really kind of you to say. Thanks Glad you got something out of the poem without having the reference points.

Moved flat. Internet back on. Back in business haha. Agreed. I find it so difficult to critique poetry further than 'I like it' or 'doesn't speak to me'. Bit of a problem when trying to engage on poetry sites. Glad you enjoyed the poem and appreciate the humour Got quite engaged with poetry writing in the last fortnight, so if you want to read others they are up on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/timbranden Tried audio but the mic I have is awful. Soon as I get a better mic I will give you a nod when audio is added

Writing poetry was the last thing I ever thought I'd do but here is my first attempt. The only problem is my voice as I can't sound like anything other than John Cooper Clark. Ah well, he can't have copyrighted performing poetry with a Manc accent 😆 Wrote two other poems now. Punchy, irreverent Gen X takes on society and pop culture seems to be my natural habitat. As it's written to be performed, thought I'd present the poem in video format too. Apologies if too fast, its how i talk. Moving house this week so when the dust has settled I shall add the spoken word and put audio over the video. Wipe Off That Grin. Remember the nineteen eighties? When Phil Collins was the king Ignore all those prototype hipsters who said he couldn't sing A troubadour of the troubled, patron saint of bitter guys For whom getting divorced was a very sudden, sharp surprise. Just like numerous family members, too many to name Acting just like their fathers, expecting wives to be the same But it was the eighties, a wave of feminism had returned Leaving men alone in the dark, wondering why they'd been spurned. Phil sold grief and absolution, with a gated reverb sound Moving on from Genesis and Selling England By The Pound The rise of shattered families really started to climb Giving him more US chart hits than any artist of the time. But Phil Collins is a romantic and hates to cause pain He may have divorced by fax but then he married her again A groovy kind of love? Trust me, it really isn't cheap His previous settlement had already paid for her keep. He was accused of being a Tory. You all called him scum I don't care about party politics, but it made Phil glum Bowie took the piss but what did he do during that era? Apart from being a Goblin King trying to groom Sarah. McCartney had a pop too, but Phil was too busy to care He topped the charts with Philip Bailey, not Rupert f*cking Bear Copying The Beatles, Noel from Oasis had a go Refusing a jam in Mustique, it must have been the blow. Always compared with Peter Gabriel, seen as more highbrow By dressing up as a daffodil?? I've no idea how Peter Gabriel was Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, Frosties for pseuds Phil was simply himself, a geezer. No art-pop attitudes. But if not for his ballads, preventing suicide of men You wouldn't have modern blended families, happy(ish) again So if you have one of those, raise a glass and withdraw your scorn Without the songs of Phil Collins, you wouldn't even been born

Sounds like a great time (the impromptu jam session that is, not the train lady) 'You've had your freedom of speech now please shut the f*ck up and let us pursue our happiness." - great quote haha. It's always those with the least to say that shout the most 😄 I've busked once. With a friend. Heavily under the influence. Singing the same three Christmas songs. With a pack of toy instruments. Bought from the shop for £1. Back when £1 was a kings ransom. Put it this way....it was a poor investment haha

Haha, I must only have eyes for Little Richard...never really noticed the crowd before. Now I'm reminded of a short lived night I had on some Thai beach. The very same awkward hand claps and nodding heads from rich tourists towards the house band *cringe* The more things change 😄

Tried a few DAWs but found Ableton made most sense to me initially as computer software...got lost installing and using VSTs in the others. The more I learn though, the easier I might find it to use other platforms and another DAW could be better for me. Can't recall if i tried Cubase so will keep that in mind

Great idea, thanks. Will give that a go 🙂

Good tip that. Made me think. I may be guilty of trying to achieve the whole 9 yards in one go. I should view learning and working on smaller sections as accomplishments in their own right, rather than just the big picture. Cheers

This was sad news. To my ears, Maiden never sounded as good since he stopped production duties. Rainbow's 'Long Live Rock and Roll' was recently on the end credits of an episode of 'Billions' and still sounded fresh and full of energy. Purple, Maiden, Whitesnake, Sabbath and Rainbow? Not quite the worst body of work to be remembered for 🙂 First album I ever remember listening to so his passing brought back memories...

Think I'm going to try meeting in the middle. Do a handful of rough songs then focus on one. Shall see how that works out I know what you mean about fitness routines in recent times. Difficult to transition from my gym to home exercise. I'm overdosing on Leslie Sansone videos these last months 🤪

Good points.. I work out a couple of times a day for health and fitness. If i just did that when I felt in the mood, i probably wouldn't do much 😄 I get results from my fitness workouts. Makes sense that creative results could increase using the same mentality. Cheers

Cheers Tend to pick tracks through instinct. Thinking about it: Long Tall Sally - Spin the wheel. Pick a Little Richard song. Every track a winner. Helter Skelter - In response to accusations of mere sentimentality, McCartney possibly invents Heavy Metal. Love the attitude of it, and I always hear a frustration and a release beyond the musical criticism. No, Mr Lennon...I am the f'n Walrus 😄 Rebel Rebel - Love the strut of the song and the straightforward authenticity of the lyrics. No hiding behind concepts, aliens or dystopia. Bowie says it all, drops the mic and leaves the glam rock stage. Wasted Years - Again, lyrics and beat. Rare for Maiden to write personal lyrics so it makes the song punch through a little more. Odd I chose this though,as I love the Somewhere In Time album for its use of synths. This is the only track on the album that doesn't use any. Judge Yr'self - The myth of Richey Edwards encapsulated in 3mins of angry guitars and great lyrics. Anything to do with Judge Dredd doesn't hurt either (well, maybe except the film this was written for) Thank You For The Venom - Could literally just pick a song at random from that album. But a bit like 'Rocket Queen' on Appetite For Destruction, its an often overlooked track. It Never Ends - Hidden pop hooks, youthful exuberance, screaming vocals. As much as I enjoy their recent stuff, its always nice to return home.

I decided to go with pure data 🧐 The artists I listen most to from each decade (songs from that decade only). The results are in. 1950's No competition. 1960s Probably should have guessed. An easy winner... 1970s No surprises in this decade either... 1980s A strange fascination with 'Somewhere In Time' album probably has something to do this 😆 1990s No joke, 4 real...Manics win the 90s 2000's Looking at the previous 2 decades, this actually makes a bit of sense. 2010s Well....despite my eclectic taste, it looks like I primarily listen to chart music. No Parliament, Big Black, Mayhem or even Brokencyde? Nil hipster points for me 🤣

Definitely food for thought here. Cheers all My initial takeaway points - Get writing lyrics. They help with melody. Work on multiple tracks, and concentrate on one if inspiration comes naturally. Don't force it. Songs are rarely 'finished'. Try and know when to stop tinkering. Will continue to ponder...

As a beginner, I wondered how others approach writing songs. Do you concentrate on writing one song at a time, hone it to perfection, and only then move on to another? Do you prefer to constantly jump between different songs? Doesn't matter as long as you enjoy the process? I have 3 songs to work on at the moment, but could easily see myself getting lost in trying to perfect a single track or losing focus and having dozens of half finished songs ideas.