Welcome back everyone! I'mmmm back!!!!
You guys are as twisted as I am in the humor department, which is why we all get along as well as we do! Love the AA stuff. That is about how I feel when it comes to a lot of the business of songwriting, but the actual doing it, I would never do anything else! It does mean a lot and I'll go into some details about the Mississippi trip in a bit. Just wanted to welcome our new brother here first.
Gerald, It is great to have you. How did you find out about us? What is your background and where are you located?What kinds of things would you like to talk about? We are about discussing anything pertaining to the craft of writing here, as well as elements of the actual music industry. We speak more about Nashville than anywhere else because that is where I am based and where most people become engaged with at some point of a songwriter's journey. But we cover bases elsewhere and I interact with a lot of people year round from many different areas and country. We even have a few here from other countries who drop by from time to time.
You are among good friends and we are happy to discuss anything you would like. Feel free to chime in on anything and even if you bring up something we have talked about before, it is always good because we don't mind going at it again, it helps when people have been around for a while and find how their opinions have changed on subjects. So it is all good. Welcome.
Phil, we can discuss anything you want to. Like everything with me, you have to remember that I don't just sit around listening to current radio all the time, so if you have songs you like, mention them and I'll go listen to them. A lot of times I find it is something I heard the writers do some time before at Frank Brown or other festivals or events. So I might be a little slow on the initial uptake but tune in pretty quickly. About everything is availible for viewing on YOU TUBE, so I can check it out and bring you my perceptions of it. Like always it is an opinion but I'd like to think it is somewhat educated. You are welcome to go ahead and put your own comments on them as well.
What I generally don't care for is random lyrics posted up here with no music or context. Usually if someone has a new song they want input on, they can post a notice here and we can all go look at it. Or if there is a more "private discussion" going on, that can be approached as well. But anytime there is something that people have a genuine interest in dissecting, questioning, or something pertinate to a subject we have going on, it is always a great idea for dialogue.
OD, it will be great to have you down at Frank Brown. Was just through there yesterday and they are starting to gear up. I also look forward to having you here on the way down. Going to be a really great few days. RiDawn will be having her show, and I think we'll have a bunch of people around. Then down at the festival I am going to have some morning sit around sessions where we can share songs, talk about what is going on and just do a "RAMPBASH" at the BEACH! Will be fun!
John, the whole gambling thing has never made a lot of sense to me. I can understand how some people get into it. It is entertainment and of course, some people take it REALLY seriously. I just never have. It has not been one of my passions. I look at that money as something I could spend on another recording, a trip somewhere, an educational class, something that I would enjoy.
One of the things about my 'tours" of Nashville that I can compare it to is going to a casino. You spend money, go in, pull those levers on your songs to see if you get attention. but I like to give them something to go home with, which is other types of songs than they are used to writing. And it helps a lot of things overall. Your mental state, a feeling of accomplishment, and to see the town from a different viewpoint than you might have seen before. I'd like to think it is a pretty cool thing.
So give me a minute and I will go back through the 'real events" of the weekend. Had a pretty interesting time.
MAB