FinnArild

Silver Rainbow - Genesis - (Genesis)

Man of our Times - Genesis (Duke)

While we are on Phil Collins I think his beat on "In the air tonight" is probably the most iconic one by him. Another interesting (if not so recognizable) drumbeat is on Peter Gabriels "That voice again"

1. What way do you find most productive to start writing a song? Do you start with a song concept? Do you start with lyrics? Melody? Rhythm? I usually have a melody or chord progression in my head, then I usually start Cubase and record it with Piano - sometimes pads. Other times I can sit and droodle on the piano and guitar and something interesting will pop up. I can play around a bit with effects or multitrack and get some cool themes going. Then when the initial idea is in, I often put some bass, drums and other stuff on right away. Sometimes that brings me to other themes - which I then record again. Sometimes I have a song right away, other times I store it as an idea in my - now rather huge - archive of ideas. 2. Do you have a common way of developing your original idea? Then it's the matter of connecting ideas - every now and then I go through them all. I have found it important to make some sort of system for them, so they will be in "prog", "rock", "ballad", "classical" catalogs. Recently I also found out that it was prudent to make mp3 of them all, since opening each one in Cubase to listen to them just took so much time. When the ideas become songs I move them over to the "finished songs" folder (no lyrics yet, necessarily). When I start a new project I then move them over to a project folder which has categories after the level of how finished the song is: "concept", "lyrics", "arrangement", "recording", "mixing", "mastering" 3.At what point do you start recording? I work on the recording all the time, but at some point I say I am finished with the melody structure, lyrics and arrangement (which I of course never quite am) - then I start on the actual recordings. I will do these much more thoroughly than the demo recordings, which are often full of bum notes. Sometimes I can use much of the demo part, though. I imagine this time around I will have a bigger challenge here, since I want to record live drums and will have to adjust the recording to them.

The Musical Box - Genesis (Nursery Cryme)

I usually have a hook and/or a melody line going before I start on the lyric. Then I think about the theme for the lyric - what sort of ideas does the music give me? Do I have anything in particular I want to write about? After that it is work - hard work. I work out line for line, trying to get the idea and story out. There's a lot of rewrites! I frequently use the following tools: http://www.rhymezone.com/ http://www.dictionary.com (thesaurus part is invaluable) and sometimes: http://www.brainyquote.com/ I also use google and wikipedia a lot to find possible interesting, usable facts around what I write about. Then I try the lyric out on people - my wife, friends and songstuff. Often I rewrite stuff even on recording day.

No Son of Mine - ... Genesis ... (We Can't Dance)

Keep It Dark - by *drumroll* Genesis (Abacab).

Duchess - Genesis

Hey - I'm on a mission here !

Robbery, Assault and Battery - Genesis

Harold the Barrel - Genesis

Twilight Alehouse - Genesis

It - Genesis

Lilywhite Lilith - Genesis

Hold on my Heart - Genesis

Back in N.Y.C. - Genesis

Undertow - Genesis About what you would do if you died tomorrow, one of my favorite lyrics: The curtains are drawn Now the fire warms the room. Meanwhile outside Wind from the north-east chills the air, It will soon be snowing out there. And some there are Cold, they prepare for a sleepless night. Maybe this will be their last fight. But we're safe in each other's embrace, All fears go out as I look on your face - Better think awhile Or I may never think again. If this were the last day of your life, my friend, Tell me, what do you think you would do then? Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you, Make the most of all you still have coming to you, [or] Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you, Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees Let me live again, let life come find me wanting. Spring must strike again against the shield of winter. Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me, Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again. Laughter, music and perfume linger here And there, and there, Wine flows from flask to glass and mouth, As it soothes, confusing our doubts. And soon we feel, Why do a single thing to-day, There's tomorrow sure as I'm here. So the days they turn into years And still no tomorrow appears. Better think awhile Or I may never think again. If this were the last day of your life, my friend, Tell me, what do you think you would do then? Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you, Make the most of all you still have coming to you, [or] Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you, Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees Let me live again, let life come find me wanting. Spring must strike again against the shield of winter. Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me, Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again.

The Battle of Epping Forest - Genesis ... Rudi: Broadway = road = Traffic ... and this one: Epping Forest in the English lowlands

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - Genesis

"Open Door" - Genesis

Raven - Genesis

"The Battle of Epping Forest" - Genesis (Selling England by the Pound) ... starts with a march ... or parade ... long shot, I know - but my target is to get all Genesis songs on this thread.

For Your Eyes Only - Easton Sheena

Wake me up inside - Evanescence