• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Bands & Projects
    • Marty Willson-Piper
    • Marty & Olivia
    • Noctorum
    • MOAT
    • Atlantæum Flood
    • Anekdoten
      • How I Joined Anekdoten
    • The Church
      • Sleeve Notes
    • All About Eve
  • Discography
  • Gear
  • Talking
  • Lyrics
    • SOLO ALBUMS
      • In Reflection
      • Art Attack
      • Rhyme
      • Spirit Level
      • Hanging Out In Heaven
      • Nightjar
    • NOCTORUM
      • Sparks Lane
      • Offer The Light
      • Honey Mink Forever
      • The Afterlife
    • MOAT
      • Moat
      • Poison Stream
    • Seeing Stars
  • Sleeve Notes
    • Of Skins And Heart
    • The Blurred Crusade
    • Seance
    • Heyday
    • Starfish
    • Gold Afternoon Fix
    • Priest = Aura
  • Bandcamp

Marty Willson-Piper

The official home of Marty Willson-Piper

  • News
  • Blog
  • Shows
  • Songwriting & Guitar Guidance
  • In Deep Music Archive
  • Contact

Sep 18 2020

TO WHERE I AM NOW

Today was a session day (Noelle and Craig) and think day (planning). I had a Skype chat with Ahad about the next stage of the album we are working on and making the plan to getting him over here to sing as the countries in Europe seem to be going back into lockdown mode. Looks like we’ve settled on the end of the month, virus permitting, which will give Dare and I some days to get everything more or less finished musically on the guitars at least. Other musicians will be dropping in to play but it’s Ahad that we need to start putting the cream into the sponge or is it the icing on the cake? I’m not sure how the metaphor crumbles but we need to get him here to sing. Is the cherry the mix? The circumstances are so difficult when you are working internationally, touring is of course a disaster and now with the cost of US work visas, it’s even more difficult. Plus I tend to work with a lot of musicians that live in different countries – Ahad in Istanbul, Jerome in Berlin, Jed Space Summit in Minneapolis, Salim in Dallas, Anekdoten in Stockholm, MOAT in Skåne (South Sweden) and then 95% of sessioneers are in the USA/Australia/Germany/Canada/Norway so any projects that come from the sessions will probably be impeded by the situation. And then if I’m in Portugal, The Wild Swans will be in England, I need to form a future band with Ronaldo. With all dates cancelled for this year and the big black metaphorical clouds on the horizon, one wonders if our European dates in February/March and Anekdoten dates May/June in Canada and Sweden will be realised. What a mess.

I wrote a piece for Noelle in Montreal today, something for her to write a melody and lyrics to and to add to what we already have. But the process needs adjusting for the future. Me sending phone recordings via WhatsApp means she has the idea but not a proper working programme recorded version, like either the simpler GarageBand or Logic. So somehow, somewhere in time, I need to find time to learn the basics of these programmes so I can exchange ideas not just with Noelle but with anyone I’m working with. Adding parts, changing arrangements, experimenting with melodies, adding bass. We need demos that you can consider or even use as part of a finished record. I was talking today about the confusion of digital technology versus those crazy days when I was making In Reflection on a 4-track, bouncing 3 tracks to 1 and using the Sydney Morning Herald as a snare drum. Surely modern technology is easier than that? But somehow I have what might be called a digital blindspot, anything, phone, computer or digital recording seems to turn my heart to ice, my fingers to lead and my brain to mush. Why? Is it age? Somehow the whole process pre-digital technology was more attractive (not that I was an engineer beforehand). Perhaps it’s just that I don’t want to be distracted from the creating and the execution, the tones of the guitars and the ideas, I like a technical collaborator, I want to write the lyrics, sing and play the guitars and bass and perhaps a little drums and percussion (or any of the above) but I like to collaborate, I don’t want to do everything myself.

I wonder about writing on a computer instead of a typewriter or freehand. What’s the difference? Certainly getting the structure of your essay and the corrections sorted is much easier but when it comes to writing lyrics I never use my computer, I have a book and a nice pen. So what’s the difference? Sitting with a computer on my lap writing lyrics just wouldn’t work but writing prose, a story, that would be different, I’m not sure why.

When I listen to music I listen to vinyl, CD and streaming but everything sounds good on my stereo even terrible music, haha. I’m going to miss these B&W speakers, the Linn Sondek, the Cambridge Audio CD player and the NAD amp when we’re gone. It’s not ridiculously pricey stuff and second hand you can find a lot of reasonably priced great gear that will seriously improve your listening experience. Ok, I’ve said it before – improve your equipment, but really, just do it, you’ll never look back. Time for bed, I have to plug in and recharge my batteries, I also need a new hip, new knees and I think I might be heading for being the first non-violent cyberman.

Music today is to honour the anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix. In his short life, Hendrix only made three officially released studio albums, Are You Experienced (1967), Axis: Bold As Love (1967), and the double album Electric Ladyland (1968). Everything else was either as a sideman, live, from a soundtrack or posthumous. It’s really incredible that there has been so much Hendrix music released considering. These three albums were released in May ’67, December ’67 and October ’68 making Hendrix’s total studio output an action-packed 18 months with the live Band Of Gypsies released in March 1970. Like The Beatles it’s not really necessary to wax poetic about the legend, it’s simply reminding you to make today the day you listen to the records.

Song Of The Daze

Live in Maui in 1970 with Mitch Mitchell on drums and Billy Cox on bass. Noel Redding had already left the band. Redding died 2003 age 57, Mitch Mitchell died 2008 age 62 and JH died 1970 age 27, they have all left for Saturn but Billy Cox is still alive, he’s 81 next month.

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

  • spotify
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • youtube

Liking the blog?

Tour Dates

Instagram

Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #m Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #moatband #poisonstream 🤘🏰

T-Shirt Design by Reid Wilson
Photo by @oliviaelektra 

#schoolkidsrecords #nikoröhlcke #wellscathedral
Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower disco 🕺🏻 #heyday
Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th Fe Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th February, 2001. All About Eve supporting Fairport Convention.

📷 by @derektimbrell
Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into their new New Mexico listening space 🌵 #nightjar #schoolkidsrecords
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

#danelectro #danelectrobass #redeyerecords #pleasantrylane #pleasantrylanestudio
You usually don’t spend the day in the studio an You usually don’t spend the day in the studio and the night at a gig but if you put the studio next to the gig then there’s a greater chance. So @salimnourallah did just that, he put the gig and the studio next to each other and made it possible for me to spend the day recording and the evening playing live 🎵

📷 @drewliophoto 

#galacticheadquarters #happinessarecordlabel #pleasantrylanestudio #salimnourallah #oliviawillsonpiper
TO WHERE I AM NOW A visit in the studio today fro TO WHERE I AM NOW

A visit in the studio today from old mate Mark Burgess from The Chameleons who has been hanging in Texas recently. I was thinking about the two of us growing up in the northwest of England and all these years later finding ourselves in such an unlikely spot together. We fixed a few issues in the universe and I carried on recording some guitars until Mark had to leave. Mark had played at the Galactic Headquarters next to the studio this year as Olivia and I had four years ago and this reminded me to remind myself to remind everyone to remind their friends that we will be playing there with Salim on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, for the ultimate in intimate performance. You can get tickets here (follow link below).

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1045

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @salimnourallah 

#markburgess #thechameleons #chameleonsvox #pleasantrylanestudio #happinessarecordlabel #martywillsonpiper #oliviawillsonpiper #moatband
📷 @argirgirl 📷 @argirgirl
TO WHERE I AM NOW Sadness manifested in a buildin TO WHERE I AM NOW

Sadness manifested in a building, today we went to visit Paisley Park. Prince built Paisley Park in Chanhassen, about twenty minutes southwest of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and he recorded his later albums there. Apart from Prince, REM also recorded and mixed Out Of Time there, recording Kate Pearson’s vocal on Shiny Happy People vocal. Madonna had Prince play guitar on three songs from Like A Prayer and the two co-wrote Love Song, finishing it remotely due to Madonna not being able to stand the cold weather and the rather desolate location of the studio. Of course, there are things around but it’s not in the city and it’s not in the countryside, it’s in a suburb, no distractions, just what Prince wanted.

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1032

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @argirgirl 

#paisleypark #prince
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Mailing List

In Deep Music Archive

Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
ORDER HERE

"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

MARTY WILLSON-PIPER © 2023 - Front Page Images by Hajo Müller