The lyrics for “The Border” were posted earlier. There is also a little story to this song using the link above.
…….. for the nerds and geeks in the audience, I created the song in Bandlab’s Sonar (formerly Cakewalk Sonar). This is not a commercial but if you are interested in recording, podcasts, audio to video and a bunch more, BandLab bought Sonar out of bankruptcy and is making this program free to download and use!!! Argh! I paid hundreds of dollars each year to keep current and have new toys.
I am not against commercials or someone making a bit of money but there really is no connection here. If you want to download Sonar, search for BandLab and hit the download button. It is a powerful multi-track recording program with sounds and plug-ins ready to use. I could give you the link but that would seem like I am pushing it lol!
I began this blog to share stories of people and events I have been lucky enough to be involved with over the last five decades. Along with my poetry and original music I also enjoyed sharing my pictures and personal observations.
While I am sure there will also be beautiful and exciting things to share in my future, I also want to chill. I need to make life simpler from here on.
I have enjoyed this community and those willing to share everything with total strangers. There were many times when this was the hi-light of my day. I could go on posting my views and thoughts on politics, religion, money and other hot topics but there are too many of us doing that these days. So this is a good time to phase out MIDI Mike.
While the site remains live, feel free to take a look at the topics on the top of the page to find something that might interest you.
I may throw in a post from time to time just to surprise myself. In my usual style, let me show you a few recent pictures I took at a favorite place of mine: Spring Grove Cemetery. We had a heavy rain days before these pictures with hi winds. Before that the fall colors were really starting to jump out. Unfortunately the rain hit a bit early and dropped most of the leaves, but I managed to get some good pictures.
Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 1 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 2 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 3 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 4 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 5 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 6 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 7 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 8 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 9 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 10 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 11 Spring Grove Cemetery 2019 MSK 12
Recently I went to see some of my old band-mates playing out. I have always been the ‘senior’ member of the bands I have been fortunate to be associated with. NOT that I was with the band from the beginning but that I am usually the oldest member of the bands. Usually by ten years or so. As a result a few of my friends from old bands are still playing out in the city. It is always a pleasure to see what they are up to and catch up on life.
My drummer in Crash Landing was playing with one of his current bands and we got a chance to talk. His son is also taking up the drums and thought it would be cool if he could share some of the old recordings with him. He asked me if I could get him copies of what I have.
For you new to this blog I record a lot. Practice sessions, private parties, small gigs, writing songs in the late evening. I started with reel-to-reel tape machines since the 1970’s or so. The recordings sound and look as old as I feel, but they preserve the events and people involved.
I am a Singer Song-Writer. I write my lyrics and melody, decide the chord arrangement and structure of the song. That is what got me started singing. Then percussion. Then guitar and recording and working at music stores and learning sound reinforcement and recording techniques and….. In some ways playing with a cover band was torture. The bands members were really talented and experienced. I kept thinking they could do great things with my originals or create new amazing songs.
The thing about cover bands is that thegood ones can do anything. Think about it. They can sound like so many other bands from one song to the next. They make the instruments and effects sound like the original. The solos are dead on and more often than not; improved. No over dubs: no guest artists. All this while they cannot hear themselves, people are yelling and drinking right in front of them and the sound guy is either drunk or deaf in both ears.
The audio recording was from a live performance. According to the DAT case it was 11-16-2002. This was a small club and I decided to record on my Panasonic two-track digital DAT machine. I was not mixing at this time so the recording success was limited. I grabbed a stereo feed from two subs and hoped for the best. I have a number of examples of live recording techniques in my LSR Series linked at the top if you have an interest.
I will get into more details on this particular recording and show other examples of recording results in later posts. For now, let me just say that the recordings are from one night. This is what we sounded like if you were in the audience. There are no cuts and if you put this series back to back when all are posted it will be the entire evening minus a few technical disasters. Here is the YOUTUBE link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3NTGTnemF8
CRASH LANDING live 2002
The band members did not know I was recording. I just set it up in ten minutes and left it alone. Unfortunately, I did not shoot videos of Crash Landing. I wish I had for kicks and giggles.
Given an odd set of circumstances that would give you the choice of listening to your favorite songs and bands on a really weak radio signal (cheap, broken or terrible stereo system) or listen to songs you don’t really like in hi quality sound?
Being an audiophile and passionate about great music this is a tough question for me lol.
I have been influenced by so many individuals, bands, groups and performers over the years it is quite amazing. I was never stuck in a particular style of music. I am not a fan of opera or deep country music or blues, for that matter (I know, that will not go over well with some of you! HA!) as I lean to the other side toward open and interpretive styles. There are a bunch of names we all know and can pretty much agree on if you listen to rock, pop, jazz, R&B, country, etc. But I have almost always been drawn toward the unusual but talented; the bizarre and clever; off axis dead on target! I love bands with great vocals and harmonies. Some of my favorites are quite popular now! Household names sometimes, but many are just now getting recognition and others never gained much of a following…… I know what at least one feels like, LOL.
After growing up listening to the music of my parents and older brother and sister, I enjoyed groups out at the time. No need to go over ancient influences here. But as I was growing more and more music-aware, there were bands I really enjoyed – not just a song or two, but everything they would release. The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Procol Harum, Gentle Giant, Yes, King Crimson, Steely Dan, The Police, Chic Corea, Herbie Hancock, Frank Zappa, Simon and Garfunkel, Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and others before and after them just kept getting better and better.
Today I love a lot of music, but there are very few bands or artists I love most of what they do. For most it is hit and miss. Other groups are fairly consistent. Just no one I go out of my way to hear every song. Just me getting old, so no need to panic.
If you will, let me show you what has affected me growing up and songs from groups I consider the best of the best. I will probably get to your favorite groups to, but there are just so many over the years. As this is not a reflection of history, I will again avoid attempts to be chronologically accurate. Buffalo Springfield was one that managed to send me a message, and it helps to remember the times and the events surrounding some of these songs and those that lead to their hit “For What It’s Worth”.
MidiMike 