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Dec 17 2022

TO WHERE I AM NOW

Saturday, up early-ish for the third-place World Cup game between Morocco and Croatia and the American football game between Minnesota Vikings and Indiana Colts straight after. The American football game was the greatest comeback in NFL history, with Minnesota winning from 36 down in the last three seconds. Is it a coincidence that they play in purple? In the World Cup third place, Croatia beat Morocco 2-1, one game left, the World Cup final, tomorrow morning, France versus Argentina, good luck. It’s a sporty weekend with little drops of music falling from the sky, unique snowflakes, like songs, like tunes, like individual ideas waiting to be plucked.

Today was a trip to Guitar Center and potential present shopping day so we headed out late afternoon into the cold to join the crowds. When we got there it wasn’t particularly crowded, things have changed since Covid. The trees had held onto their snow despite warnings of rain and when we opened the garage door it really was a winter wonderland. The turkeys were busy flying up and climbing on the bird feeders in impossible balancing acts, sometimes pecking at the seed other times sitting astride the little birdhouses. We drove for about 20 minutes and arrived at Guitar Center.

I wanted two things, an EBow and a guitar strap, in fact, I wanted lots of things, there was a nice Taylor 150E 12-string acoustic that sounded really good, better than all the 12 strings I tried there, better than the Takamine, better than the Guild and better than the ’72 Martin. I’m not usually so into Taylor guitars but I liked this one a lot, a loud dreadnought, rich, and with plenty of bottom end, something which seems lacking in a lot of Taylors. My Seagull is also a guitar that lacks bottom end but it’s my sparkly capo guitar, that’s its job and it does it really well. I need a guitar like the Taylor for the more strummy songs, songs that need more body. I left the Taylor behind along with all the other desirables.

We left there and walked around the mall close by but I can never find prezzies in a mall, I need old-fashioned shops in a street, less mainstream companies. Original artefacts, unusual trinkets, unique items. The other day after we visited Paisley Park we ate at the Mall Of America, the largest mall in the world, it used to be a football stadium, the corner shop a mere distant memory. I was craving a rusty toy or a shop with dust to no avail.

Back at the house, the deer were standing by the bird feeders outside, it looked like mother and daughter. They were standing there in the cold, in the dark, foraging around for any dropped seeds forgotten by the birds. How do they survive in this cold, how do they feed themselves and how do they survive the predators (coyotes)? Looking out of the windows here is more engaging than Netflix.

Christmas is coming and we are about to get busy with the Christmas energy but we also have to work. I am hoping to do some seshes next week but we have to get on with Fred’s material for recording in Dallas in the new year. Christmas, the World Cup, beautiful deer, and sparkling snow are quite the distraction, add in Prince, although having been to Paisley Park, the work ethic of Prince is an inspiration in itself.

Music today has been Van der Graaf Generator’s Pawn Hearts (1971). Olivia and I met sax player David Jackson when he was playing with David Cross at Night Of The Prog (the festival Olivia hosts). He was nice, always good to find an innovator who is nice. I asked him about the Pawn Hearts album title. He told me it was a slip of the tongue in the studio. Someone was trying to say horn parts and the title was born. Cosy, weird comfort music for me.

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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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

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📷 @salimnourallah 

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📷 @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!

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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
Doors & Delays 🎸 @workshop21_guitarclinic #the Doors & Delays 🎸

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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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