I uploaded another YouTube short’s video last week, this time playing my guitar over an ambient electronic track that I made. I hope you enjoy:
Tag: Musician
Pumped Up Kicks
The other day I made a guitar loop cover of the song ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ by Foster The People from my favourite album ‘Torches’. I hope you enjoy:
The Scientist
After yesterday’s post I had a request from my Dad if I could create a guitar loop video of one of his favourite Coldplay songs ‘The Scientist’. I know some of you don’t like Coldplay but I hope you enjoy this short rendition I made:
Fly Me To The Moon
A friend of mine suggested I upload my guitar videos to TikTok. Today I uploaded a short jazzy guitar loop cover of ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ by Frank Sinatra to the platform. I don’t usually listen to that kind of music but its very satisfying play on the guitar. I hope you enjoy:
Devil’s Kiss
Today I thought I might showcase one of my tracks I previously released. A couple years ago I had the pleasure of collaborating on a song with Fifi Rong, a very talented Chinese-British vocalist, songwriter and music producer.
Here is the acoustic folk song I wrote that we duetted together on, I hope you enjoy:
Spotify link:
YouTube Link:
Devil's Kiss lyrics:
You ask the questions I hide from
I write the songs you won’t hear
Leave now in the company of egos
Stay safe where dreamers get to dream
Daylight, midnight, twilights just the Devil’s Kiss
Moonlight, sunlight, twilights just the Devil’s Kiss
Don’t let the panic start to build
Start to build
You’ve been up on that mountain
Seething no one left breathing
Don’t let me fade into despair
Daylight, midnight, twilights just the Devil’s Kiss
Moonlight, sunlight, twilights just the Devil’s Kiss
Moonlight, sunlight, twilights just the Devil’s Kiss
The Godfather
Here is another finger-style performance on my acoustic guitar. This time a rendition of The Godfather ‘Love’ theme by Nino Rota.
Took a little while to nail this in one take as it’s quite tricky to play. Rosie was much kinder to me though when recording, not one bark from her to interrupt me this time. I hope you enjoy:
Yesterday
Here is a finger-style rendition of ‘Yesterday’ by the Beatles that I performed the other day. I would like to say I did this in one take but that would be a lie. After battling against Rosie’s barking, seagulls squawking, builders yelling & messing up a few times near the end I finally got an unhindered take to show you.
This particular finger-style version that I learned has me covering the chords and Paul McCartney’s vocal line at the same time. I hope you enjoy:
Looking Back
Hi,
My new song ‘Looking Back‘ has just been released on Spotify. It has a more optimistic feeling about it than my last piano release, I hope you enjoy. Take a listen:
Sight To Behold
Tuesday night I ventured to Wembley Stadium in London to watch a band most people would compare to Marmite. Coldplay. You either love them or loathe them.
I for one have been a big fan since I was a kid. Along with many bands from very different genres Coldplay are probably the most prominent in terms of influencing me to start songwriting.
A decade ago I saw Coldplay for the first time at my beloved Arsenal FC’s Emirate’s Stadium with the same friend who invited me to this particular gig. Difference between Tuesday’s concert and the first was I didn’t have to fill my feet with blood standing still for 4 hours not being able to see the band over a sea of peoples heads. This time I had elevation and a glorious seat. So really, this was the first time I actually got to experience them properly.
Seeing 80,000 wristbands light up forming patterns synced with the songs was a sight to behold. Even if you don’t like the band you’ve got to at least respect the imagination and ability to play as good live as they do on the recordings.
My only gripes I had would be the knob next to me whistling to the top of his lungs every five minutes destroying my left ear drum, my natural inability to join in with the herd when being told things like ‘put your hands in the air’ and going to a urinal with about 1000 other men crammed in a tiny room.
Overall though, the gig was superb. I just ask one thing from you if going to a concert… don’t be the knob who whistles.
Lastly, I want to thank you for all the kind comments and likes on my last post, much appreciated. I leave you with a very short guitar cover of my favourite Coldplay song ‘Speed Of Sound’ that I made:
Newfound Heroes
Around the age of twelve my Dad used to take me to the seaside town of Torquay every Saturday to go shopping. It was one of those weekends when I came across two very special music related DVD’s at the now deceased Virgin Megastore that changed my life forever:
“A Film About Jimi Hendrix” documentary and “Metallica: Cunning Stunts” concert film.
To this day I couldn’t tell you what made me purchase these particular DVD’s. I had no real passion for music, Mum had tried to force me into piano lessons a few years before and I hated it. But when I got home and watched these two films they completely and utterly blew my mind. The next thing I did was beg and plead my very supportive parents into buying me a guitar so I could start learning the instrument and begin writing songs like my newfound heroes Jimi Hendrix and Metallica.
Due to the nature of my voice and how my brain works I gradually came to the realisation I could never be a carbon copy of the great musicians I started listening to. Eventually over a period of a few years I started to develop my own style that in hindsight was heavily influenced by the folk music my Dad would listen to in the car.
‘In Praise Of Shadows’ was one of the first tracks I ever wrote. It’s a laid-back, mournful acoustic track with simple lyrics that I’m quite proud of. I have remade the song on many occasions due to getting better at recording and upgrading my gear. I don’t have the first sketch at hand anymore to show you, but my shy teenage signing voice from that time really wasn’t anything to marvel at, trust me. The current version of the song is still faithful to the original.
Take a listen to the track via my Bandcamp link (recommend using headphones):
Zoolon 