Words and Music

“Our dreams do not die because we grow old;  we grow old because our dreams die.“ Gabriel G. Marque z

I rarely kiss and tell publicly (or even privately for that matter), but yesterday was a good day for me with regards to library submissions, and I truly want to thank my co-writers for their amazing musical interpretations of my words. A 'very romantic' newly established upper end library accepted 3 more tracks on which I am the co-writer (lyrics obviously), alongside the 3 tracks of mine they already have since they started.  Thanks to my talented co-writers things are continually getting better and better. The songs in this library are: Heart of Stone - with Robbie Hancock From This Burn - with Robbie Hancock Washing In Washing Out - with Ethan Okamura & Louise Goldberg Better Off Blue - with Steven Guiles Blanket of Love - with Steve Collom and Dave Walton This Is The End - with Michelle Lockey I met all of these co-writers through Taxi Independent A&R, and many of these tracks were originally written for the amazing songwriting group GYAWS (Get Your A

I recently wrote an article about collaborating with professional lyricists, and how it can improve your songs and your time management, for the TAXI A&R monthly online magazine. I thought that I might share the article here also. Thank you TAXI ! Link to the actual article on TAXI's website -  Eight Reasons to Collaborate With a Lyricist Article as in TAXI Newsletter:  Eight Reasons to Collaborate With a Lyricist  I recently asked some of my co-writers why they liked working with a lyricist so much. The following eight reasons are a summary of their responses. These aren’t my ideas, they are the reasons that successful TAXI composers and songwriters gave me for preferring to collaborate, rather than write the lyrics themselves. Remember, a good lyricist also understands music, how and why it creates an emotion, how a singer sings different sounds and stresses, as  well  as being able to write words. To collaborate well we need to understand each other, and how we w

I belong to a wonderful Facebook group called GYAWS - Get Your A$$ Writing Songs. It's just about the most supportive and fun group I belong to, although I have to admit that FAWM comes a close second. Each week the group writes to a theme which has been selected by a group poll.  We don't critique each others work, unless someone asks something specifically.  We encourage each other to actually write and record every week, which is the purpose of the group. GYAWS has it's own SoundCloud account, called GYAWS Music .  Every week, I compile a GYAWS SoundCloud Parade playlist of the songs submitted that week, and that the writers have agreed can go 'public'.  It's an eclectic and interesting playlist each week, with amazingly high standards, considering that these are not finished projects, and often just recorded as a one take into a phone ! So this week I decided to include the playlist in a blog post, as the theme was a favourite subject of mine 'Oc

When you are working on your lyrics, have you ever wondered why it's so hard to think of a good way to say what you want to say, without it sounding boring or clunky or awkward ? Are you sometimes not happy with the lines you have written, and would like to say the same thing only in a more powerful or unusual way ? I think all songwriters and lyricists come against this from time to time, and as a friend recently asked me for help with some lines he wasn't happy with, I thought that I would share the way that I personally try and overcome this when it happens. It's pretty simple, I brainstorm, with myself, alone, on paper.  Yes I know, I'm old fashioned. How I brainstorm: *   I write the offending line, or pair of lines, at the top of the page. *   I then write every conceivable variation of how I could write the same thing using different words and phrases, that I can think of.  No matter how silly, daft, weird or over the top sounding they may be.   *

I found this interesting and easy to follow article on Facebook today, and thought to share it here as there are some really useful titbits of information in there. It discusses the various differences in synch licensing contracts, from different sources, plus clear examples of what is a good thing for a songwriter to sign, an OK contract, and a simply terrible contract so far as the songwriter is concerned. There is also some in depth description of just what a synch license is, what it is for and who it affects. This is useful information for any songwriters, and/or artists, starting out in the tv and film music business, as well as some extra detail for those who have a little more experience too. It is just one in a series of articles, the third I think.  I'll share any others that are equally as informative here also. Click here for the article in Digital Music News: 'A Simple Guide to the Best Synch Deal Possible'