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Love your sound, your songs and your productions Al ... I could listen to you all day long, never gets old.
Thanks so much Linda. That's very kind of you. Any songs in particular? I've become very forward in my old age. Working on my own album (never done one before) I've contacted Bob Clearmountain to see if he'll mix one of my songs. The nerve lol!
Hi Al, "Dear John" is beautifully brilliant!
Thanks Penny! So are you!!
:) !
Just finished the latest version of my song At Christmas Time a very talented lady singing it.
Hi Al, I enjoyed the new version of your Christmas song. Happy Holidays! Jim
I can feel the tension between you and 5 here in this dark tale! But sometimes great things come from that. Nicely done Peter!
perhaps we misunderstood each others heart. still and with all, 5 and I had some interesting conversations ending with each and the other wishing the best.
I'm convinced 5 in life was a psychic of sorts... Able to see multiple dimensions and unable to ascertain what was fact and what was fiction once he was fully immersed in his abilities. I think he would push in the exact opposite way we were meant to go in order to solidify a bond or provoke thought. Peter was most set in his ways... 5 laid into him the hardest. He sure loved Peter... He just wasn't sure all of us wouldn't sell one another out for a pay check or the promise of better things. He pushed Peter hard. The hardest of all of us I'd imagine. God knows... The dream he gave me is still unfolding... But at least when experienced in a dream... I don't have to hear the words spoken in person... I can write it off as a mis interpretation. Peter got the calls just like I did... His calls... Well... They went a different way. I'd imagine... It's because Peter was given his gift a long long time ago... Long before any of us ever met.... That's for sure. Perhaps 5 was disappointed that the two of them weren't able to do more in life... But I'm told... Life is really a quantifiable term that we don't have a full grasp on... and Peter will have an opportunity to tell 5 to go fuck himself proper... yet again:) I love the fact there was friction. It speaks volumes of our humanity while struggling to find the good in this life. N
Heh Al, I went to respond to your message about five but noticed I didn't have an option to. You should reach out to protilius@gmail.com when you're ready... Throw out those silly recording you were looking at. They really don't serve the issues their just dues in the presentation the are offered in. I guess I won't be talking to you through broajam unless its a public conversation... So it might be best to get a convo rolling in private. Best: 6
That... and seriously? This particular story has kind of burned every relationship of value that I have on this website. Funny what honesty gets you in a world of people who don't believe in the impossible. (Chuckles.) Hope you're well Al. N
Are you saying you've lost the ability to reply to messages in Broadjam? That's weird!
Not sure. Can't reply to your own though. It's been this way with several members. (Shrugs.) It's of no concern to me how I communicate with others though. Plenty of platforms. Big world. Anyhow. N
Hey Solangee - Wow - love your voice and energy - amazing girl! -Al Hovden
Hey Doug - great job on I Still Need You! #1 in my books!!
Thanks Al. It's probably my fave that I've done but don't get a lot of people that seem to appreciate it the way I do, so thank you so much, friend. :-)
I know that feeling - seems the songs that are closest to me don't resonate with others all that much - but I think it's because the only road open I have to getting them out there is film or tv opps. Those usually like pretty blase types of music that won't get in the way. That's one of the reasons I've been trying to do my own film - I can toot my own horn so to speak lol! Hope you're doing well Doug!
Congratulations of the 6 Pack wins Doug! Awesome stuff my friend!! -Al
Thanks so much Al. Hope you have a great Christmas holiday.
Just heard "Dear John" Al...Beautiful tribute song!
Thanks Penny! Very sweet of you to download and pay - I would sent you a high-quality version for free!! (Want one?) Merry Christmas to you and yours! -Al
You are welcome Al...Great song..I would love one thanks!
That's very exciting news Hal about your song "When You Were Here"! Congratulations! :)
Thanks Penny! It's going to be featured in the film I'm working on as well.
That's wonderful! Great work!
Doubly good :)
Hope you're doing well Penny!!
Thanks, doing alright...
Hey thanks for the 5 stars for Wish You Were Here! Much appreciated. Just listened to some of your stuff - really good as well! Keep up the good work and "don't give up" :-)
Thanks, I 'won't give up'. ha I'm also a fan of the Beatles and enjoyed your song a lot. Best of success. - JP
It looks like one of my remixes will be under consideration for a Grammy by an independent panel this year. Just got word that both an album (that I engineered) and a remix (I produced) are qualified entrees in this year's race to fame. I'd like to thank the independent panel for their consideration this year, and hope they enjoy the experience surely... My intent was only to inspire a conversation worth having. Best of luck to everyone participating in this years Grammy selection process. On a more personal note, a big thanks to Jay and Ron for bringing me on board their "Dull Unconscious Man" album. It was a blast to work on, and I loved the creative freedom they gave me with the remix that's currently in this year's line up. Thank you surely. I appreciate the opportunity to shine. N
Congratulations Nathaniel; hope you win a Grammy this year! All the best to you all......
Well, a Grammy win would certainly increase your profile a little. Good luck! A win for you is a win for independent musicians everywhere.
The odds of winning this year are slim. But... It's not about winning this year, it's about having a place at the table this year, we'll worry about winning next year:)
Way to go N! You've got my far northern vote :-)
That's amazing, huge congratulations! :)
What an honor! Best of luck to you! Susan
Thanks for the 5 star rating on When You Were Here guys! As always you are the best!
its a pleasure, my friend. I am also a huge fan of George Harrison and you did an outstanding job producing this song. Hey, any further progress on your film project? best, jay
Thanks for the 5 star rating on When You Were Here Cyndi! Much appreciated!!
Hi Al, "When You Were Here" is such a beautiful tribute to George Harrison, and I must say, you captured his musical energy and penchant for those sweet guitar renderings, so much a part of his trip. Great song, and the pleasure, all mine!
Thanks so much Al for the 5-star rating for I Still Need You. :-)
Hey your welcome Doug! BTW I'm talking to Chris at Sundown Sessions about working on one of my songs. Did he use any of your tracks on stuff he's done for you or did they recut the whole song? Keep up the great work! :-)
I paid for them to recut the whole song. They used my own versions as templates. Chris is a serious genius at what he does by the way. I can't say enough good things about him and his work. He was never happy til my socks were blown off, and wouldn't stand for good enough - must be his Canadian background :-)
I'm looking forward to talking to him. We've just emailed up to this point but will talk on the phone in the next couple of days.
Thanks for the 5 stars on Song To You! I wrote that song for my mother years ago remembering what she went through raising four kids by herself after my father died. She went through some tough years! Hope you guys are well and happy new year!!
10 Thumbs up Al very well done! Hope all is well & Sailing off into a wonderful Year 2016! Dean & Jacalyn
Put my comment in the wrong place. Congratulations from the West Coast Michael!
Hey Al, thanks for the congratulatory wishes! Was in Vancouver in 2011 for a hockey tournament. Didn't get to see too much of the city but I did manage to snag some last minute tickets to watch the Canucks win their conference...beating out the Sharks in an exciting double overtime win. Remembering the energy in that building when the OT goal was scored still sends chills down my spine! City was electric! Hopefully next time I'm out there I'll have more time to actually do some sightseeing. I heard Vancouver and the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for reaching out. All the best, Mike
You're welcome Michael. And yes Vancouver is a beautiful place. Much to see and do. Some of us try to keep it a secret so we're not overwhelmed by tourists but I'll let everyone know you're OK lol! All kidding aside I hope you can make it out again sometime. Are you in TO?
Haha..thanks Al! Yes I was born and raised here. Live about a 15 min drive from the downtown core. We are experiencing some pretty mild weather for this time of year, probably similar to the what you're used to in Vancouver. Ever been out here?
I was out there once for a couple of days quite a few years ago but had a lot of fun. My hotel room looked right down on the roof of Maple Leaf Gardens. Had an interesting evening in the bar with Bob Cole the CBC announcer and John Davidson his colour commentator at the time. Bob was trying to pick up a couple of hookers - they were allowed in the bar in case any out of town hockey players wanted one for the night - and John was doing the play by play for us. Just hilarious. Cole struck out with the hookers apparently because he was such an dick (according to Davidson). I left the bar later and met the two hookers outside. Turns out one of them used to live a block from me in Vancouver before going to Toronto. Crazy world!
Lmfao...I just fell off my seat...hilarious! Glad you had such a blast here!
Congratulations to a fellow Canadian on your win in the 6 pack! Well done!
Congratulation Michael! Great job!!
Hi Steve, thanks so much man! Appreciate it! How's the weather out in Thunder Bay? It's been a few years since I've been out there. Got a few relatives there. I'd imagine it's quite a bit colder than Toronto. We're experiencing some pretty mild weather here...not that I'm complaining lol Take care, Mike
Hey Doug, Congrats on the Top Ten placement in the 6-Pack Competition. Very cool. That is quite an honor and recognition. Best to you....and Happy Holidays. Chet Nichols
Thanks Chet! Very happy with my finish. And a very deserving artist won it all, which made me happy.
Way to go Doug! Congrats to you for your excellent work!!
Thanks a lot Al. Congratulations always mean so much to me when they come from other songwriters I admire so much, so thank you.
Heh wait, lets set this damn record straight right now!!! ITS TOP 3 CHET!!!:)))) (Chuckles.) "By precise with your words." (Says like an English teacher.) Hahahahhahahaha I'm 100% convinced Doug needs to be in the opening credits for a bond film eventually. Maybe I'll even get to produce it. N
Yes it is Top 3 indeed - I believe Doug said it came in 2nd? So Top 2!! Nathaniel - you didn't capitalize "bond". I'm assuming you meant a "Bond" film - or was that a "bondage" film? Just trying to be precise here :-)
Haha, that'll learn me to speed type and not check grammar:) Bond indeed!!! I just mastered a song where it was just Oozing with that style. He's got a few, his vocals are just warm and classy. N
Another post that I left on Will's site with an interesting (and unexpected) story attached. Will's story is something I've just stumbled on - truly amazing. Left the practice of law to pursue his dream as a songwriter and ended up in the songwriting finals of American Idol! A great talent who will be missed. http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/04/23/law-blog-former-lawyer-of-the-day-will-hopkins/ 1 1 "What a long strange trip it's been..." ...but I feel blessed to be part of this crazy community that follow their muse instead of the money. RIP Will. -Al
so few actually see the 'money'; yet, we continue this mad artist's pursuit of creating music. Will was closer than many of us to making an impact on the industry commerce side of business. yet, there was often a standout story, a theme that challenged our imagination while feeling so familiar. yes, what an amazing songwriter/lyricist/storyteller.
Amen brother!
Our brother in song Will Hopkins has left us. His wonderful talent will be missed. http://www.roanoke.com/obituaries/hopkins-william-dewar/article_1da08bbf-b488-520c-922b-82077c485639.html 1 -Al
thx for sharing the link - a fascinating man, indeed.
Small world. Roanoke is 2 hrs south west and Flint Hill 1.5 hours to the NW of where I live. And he went to UVA here in Charlottesville and became a "double 'Hoo" (undergrad and law) where I'm a "triple hoo" (3 degrees).
I'm so sorry to hear this news. I never got to know you well on this site but knew of you and your exceptional work. You were a talented man. Rest In Peace Will
Will's story is something I've just stumbled on - truly amazing. Left the practice of law to pursue his dream as a songwriter and ended up in the songwriting finals of American Idol! A great talent who will be missed. http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/04/23/law-blog-former-lawyer-of-the-day-will-hopkins/ 1 "What a long strange trip it's been..." ...but I feel blessed to be part of this crazy community that follow their muse instead of the money. RIP Will. -Al
Thanks for sharing this article Al :)
Heart Touching Al of a beautiful truth of all life. You are your father's smile......The River ....takes the heart of the listener to creation & eternity. Outstanding New version....Sail friend with hope in your Wings........Dean & Jacalyn Abram Band
Thanks you guys - that's a lovely thing to say! Have a wonderful holiday season with your friends and family.
Hey Al, Thanks for th 5*'s on my song "Little Dixie Dancing Queen". Very much appreciated. Rex Benson! a tough nut to crack there so, way to go! Hank Thomas.
That's a great song Hank. How was it working with Music City Demos? I've got a couple of country tunes that l'd like to get cut.
Do it man. Martin Young is great! Glad you liked the song. Nathaniel Jones did the mastering. My advice: use'em both Hank
Thanks Hank - I'll be looking into this soon.
Tell him I sent you!
Hey Doug - I like your Christmas song! Very cool!
Thanks so much Al. Just waiting to save enough to get it performed and produced properly at some point :-) Best of luck in the 6-pack finals by the way.
Hey you too Doug. I'm waiting for the inevitable collapse lol! Hope you're doing well!
Jeff - listened to a bunch of your songs again tonight - great stuff!
Not sure if you are still reading this 5 (I hope so :) - trying to get a short version of our film off the ground. If this is successful I'll work on trying to get the feature length version funded. You can check out the trailer and vote for it here. Still love ya after all these years! http://www.storyhive.com/project/show/id/858 1
Hi Roy. Just a thought for an idea for next year's 6-pack if possible. Instead of just scoring the top 20 songs in any can on a sliding scale, how about scoring the top 30. You would still only show the top 20 positions, but this would mean someone with songs in the 22nd and 28 th positions, which is still quite impressive, wouldn't necessarily get squeezed out of a top 20 spot by someone with tons of song submissions (none of which may even be close to top 20 but they score a single point per song submission, and so can knock out some worthier songwriting talent). Just an idea. Thoughts?
Doug, Thanks for the feedback. Every year we tweak the 6-Pack and your input is timely. I am not sure what changes will be made, but we will address all of the suggestions that come in. All the best, Roy
Thanks Roy. I really appreciate how you address members' concerns. Part of what makes me proud to share Broadjam with my friends from all over.
Hi Roy, long time since we've corresponded! How's everything? I notice a major increase in broadjam's daily postings of licencing opportunities. Just wondering what's going on "behind the scenes". I guess you've reached out to a bunch of new opportunity providers? Looks like maybe ad agencies and song shoppers? Are you expecting to or have already seen a proportional increase in placements? What can you tell us? Thanks for any info!
Michael, Thanks for this. As you pointed out, we have aggressively reached beyond film and tv into labels and agencies. It's a little too early to tell, but generally our numbers have been consistently around 9-11% for years. While I do expect more licensing and placement deals as the volume increases, I believe the percentage will stay about the same. Label deals are little more difficult, but we feel we have made some strong inroads into the pop & r&b worlds. Agency deals are a less difficult, but there is a lot of good competition here as well. We'll keep trying. Thanks for your observation and all the great dialogue. Best, Roy
Hey ROY--still in a lot of pain--but I managed to get to the library today for a little bit--THANXS FOR EVERYTHING--I might be back in action soon! Been pretty warm here in Florida--Hope all is well with you and your family--cheers--joe
Hey Joe, Thanks for the note and glad you are up and around. All the best to you. Roy
Hi Roy! Just a suggestion... about the page that always pops up after you submit a song... that "What would you like to say to the reviewer" page. It would be nice to see that automated. I save a notepad file with per-song comments I want to enter, always have to browse for that file, open it, select, copy, paste. I really do know how lazy I am, but it's a repetitive task. it would be nice if those per-song comments were extracted and saved/updated when the page is submitted, and then auto re-populated next time the songs gets submitted??? Best wishes for your holidays!!
Hey Tom, Thanks for the suggestion. It doesn't seem like it would be that hard to do. I'll check with the guys. All the best to you as well. Roy
Hi Roy Many thanks for including my piano pieces in top jazz. Best regards John Wayre
Roy, I have to say congratulations on your success with BroadJam. I just started doing song reviews again after a 7 year hiatus, and am amazed at the vast improvement in quality. Thanks again for BroadJam.
John, Congrats. Good work. Pursuit, Glad to have you back in action. Best of luck, Roy
Thanks for the 5 star rating on When You Were Here Roy! I really appreciate it!
Al, You are welcome! Well deserved.
hey brother AL I still live and breath--cancer has really been a bitch--but I get to live
We are all so sorry you are going through this but we are for selfish reasons so glad you and your beautiful spirit still walk here with us
Glad to hear your still here Joe - this place wouldn't be the same without you (you know where I mean! :-) Have they managed to put it into remission?
Thanks so much for all the adds my friend!
welcome