About 5 years ago bought myself a guitar, learnt a few chords and started writing a few songs. I found my self hopelessly addicted to the song writing process and find it fascinating that I can do something new at my age. I love a huge range of music but I'm hugely inspired by my 'ladies', female singer songwriters who I love such as Patti Griffin, Mindy Smith, Shawn Colvin, Ricki Lee Jones and Eddi Reader. Joni Mitchell is the Mummy of them all and, like every English girl of a certain age, my first love is Kate Bush. I'm not a great guitarist, or a great singer, but I love what I do with both and have such fun doing it.

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Not really news just sharing my anxious anticipation for the UKSC results. Any day now!!

Comments

Author
Phil Oakwood
over 30 days ago to Jo Robertson

Congrats on your success in the UKSC. Joni Mitchell is one of my early inspirations.



Author
Keith Isaacs
over 30 days ago to Jo Robertson

Hi Jo - Thanks very much for you review of Beating Wings of Her Angel - much appreciated. Kind regards
Keith

9 Replies
 
Jo Robertson
over 30 days ago

Hi Keith - hope it was OK. i am a new user and this was my first review but it is a fun thing listening to lots of different songwriters music. You can get your own back and have a listen to my efforts! Take care Jo

Keith Isaacs
over 30 days ago

Yes, spot on. Honest, truthful options and fair criticism. Ah! I did listen and liked :-) The Golden Wings verse chord progression sounds a bit like Alice Coopers Only Women Bleed. Good lyric and melodies on all. Have you recorded them at home? You have got a really good clear sound but I was picking up some popping.

Jo Robertson
over 30 days ago

Thanks for this. yes recorded in a spare room at a friends house. The occasional sound of a wall radiator and his kids playing piano in the background. Not high production standard but what we did to enter the UKSC competition. I was very pleased with the sound because it was simple. We had done some very fussy arrangements before this. It all takes too much time..

Keith Isaacs
over 30 days ago

Haha! Nothing better than natural percussion! Same here, I thought I'd give the UKSC a go. Never done anything like it before and thought it would be a laugh. Haven't written anything seriously before. So I've entered my 2 although I don't expect to get anywhere but the free membership to here and the USong website sounded good anyway. Good Luck!

Keith Isaacs
over 30 days ago

Hi Jo - Just listened to your new one, Over Me. Liked that too, keep em rolling. A few comments. I think you've captured the song mood with the keys and strings but I think the guitar strum is to hectic for that mood. First, I would listen to it again without the acoustic altogether - I think that will sound really cool and haunting and match the lyric. If, no good and the guitar needs to go back try dropping the 1, 1,2,3,1,2,3 stum and go with the beat and tempo of the piano lead. I know the guitar and theme are folk but everything sways towards the song being a dark ballad. Only ideas!

Jo Robertson
over 30 days ago

Thanks so much for this. You are kind. Yes it would be fun to change the arrangement like that. My guitar playing is not great or very versatile but we tend to use it to set the tempo. My friend did the final mix and we tried to keep it all very simple I know what you mean about the haunting mood and a slightly more ethereal sound would work better. By the way results are in today apparently. Have alook on the chat on the facebook page!!! Many thanks for your comments. Jo

Keith Isaacs
over 30 days ago

Got results - 5 for Beating Wings and 6 for Right Time. Well pleased for first attempt! :-) How'd you do?

Jo Robertson
over 30 days ago

Well done Keith. That's great isn't it. What a boost. I submitted 7 songs. 6 of them got a 6 and one got a 7 (Jazz/Blues category) Called the sweetest sound. I haven't uploaded it yet. Not quite what i was fantasizing about but of course if you hear the winning songs no surprise really.

Keith Isaacs
over 30 days ago

Excellent! Well done you. Right, back to the drawing board! We're got to have one in there somewhere!



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