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Feb 20 2022

TO WHERE I AM NOW

It looked nice out there but I never made it out to experience it. I got up early for a Tony Arktik Lake sesh and tiredly hit the couch and watched Leeds – Man U (2-4) play in a muddy river. I was almost dropping off but not quite which is the worst of both worlds because you don’t get to catch up on your sleep and you can’t pay full attention to what you are doing when you are awake. It’s a disconnect from sleep land and awake land and the couch is your only option because you don’t have the motor skills to operate equipment whilst not quite managing to drop off either. It’s like being frozen between noise and silence, dark and light, fantasy and reality. It’s not quite enough sugar in your tea, not quite enough cash to buy the couch you really want, not enough petrol to get to the gig, not enough volume on your amp when it’s turned to full. It’s frustrating.

Olivia got up and saw me lying there awake under a blanket and said, “Did you manage to drop off?”. And the answer was, “No, I didn’t.” Wide awake and tired I watched another game, Wolves – Leicester (2-1), whilst contemplating a very long list of things I need to do. I have a theory that if I didn’t relax and watch some football or some snooker, a TV series or a great film occasionally, I would be glued to my computer 25 hours a day, writing, sessioneering, composing and trying not to get depressed about a war in Europe should it happen.

In the meantime, my list of just sessioneer musical things I have to do that involves ears or fingers is pressing and consists of listening to Brian Indiana’s album, listening to Craig Atlanta tracks and playing on two of them, listening to Jed Minneapolis Space Summit and playing on a new track – it’s why I bought the Orange Terror Stamp pedal so I could have a better chance of getting an amp sound rather than a direct sound when I’m playing on a track. It’s pretty hard to go from a 1962 Vox to direct in. I’m helping get new Arktik Lake songs into shape and breaking down Fred Minneapolis tracks preparing for recording and Mike in Chicago has a new song. Plus now I have the studio set up and I’m learning, I plan to co-write with anyone that’s interested in order to get them going on a musical journey. All this means studio knowledge and I’m still something of a novice, technically. Check out the Songwriting & Guitar Guidance page.

Eventually, I emerged with a second wind that took me to work on a track of my own I’ve been writing on piano. I can’t really play the piano but I can create on it. Playing it and creating with it are two different things. Any real tricky stuff or even any simple stuff we find someone who actually plays. Didn’t Eno say something about broken equipment or not being able to play is an advantage? Although having said that, once or twice I’ve picked up Olivia’s violin and I could honestly get more of a tune out of the washing machine.

This week Anekdoten rehearsals start between myself and guitarist Nicklas. My phrase Martian algebra seems to have hit a chord. Whilst contemplating this I began searching my files on my old laptop and that took me down a rabbit hole of voice memos on my phone, videos of Anekdoten songs I filmed with Nicklas and songs I’d written or ideas I sang on the fly. That took and is still taking some sorting out. So Brix, Jerome, Space Summit, Ahad and Arktik Lake notwithstanding I’m on a mission to get my own material raised from its lesser digital graveyard and resuscitated through Logic.

Music today has been the cozmic ex-Hawkwind legend Nik Turner’s album Space Fusion Odyssey (2015) which features spacey fusion believe it or not with Nik wailing on the sax in a way that only he can, recording whilst travelling through asteroid belts and visiting lots of planets. But it’s the impressive guest list that’s fascinating, John Etheridge (Soft Machine), Steve Hillage (Khan, Gong, System 7), Robby Krieger (The Doors), Billy Cobham (Miles Davis, Mahavishnu), Gilli Smyth (Gong), Rick Wakeman (Yes), Jerry Goodman (The Flock, Mahavishnu), John Weinzierl (Amon Düül II), Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth), Billy Sherwood (Yes), Joel Vandroogenbroeck (Brainticket). The style is written on the box, great if you like that kind of thing.

Music Of The Daze

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

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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
Marty & Pablo! 📷 Rod MacQuarrie Marty & Pablo!

📷 Rod MacQuarrie
At last, a proper door stop. 📷 @judgeschamber At last, a proper door stop.

📷 @judgeschamber 

#grammysitting 👵
🌵 Texas Acoustic Dates 🌵 31 December - DALL 🌵 Texas Acoustic Dates 🌵

31 December - DALLAS
7 January - CELINA
12 January - HOUSTON
14 January - AUSTIN
15 January - SAN ANTONIO

With @salimnourallah and @joereyesmusic

More info here: https://mailchi.mp/e47ede06acd6/texas-acoustic-dates
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Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
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"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

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