zondag 1 augustus 2010

The story behind the songs of "The Vanished Dutchman" and the FREE links

 Imagination: wow that's deeeeep!

Psssst.... let's get private. Well a bit then. I will not explain what those songs are all about, because it can only spoil your imagination. So use that, sure you can. I can only say that I use words just like tones, sounds that complete the music as a whole. The music won't work without them and otherwise.
Deep meanings? Mmm well, that's up to you my friends.
Read between the lines if you like. Vanish a little. But do come back.
I'll try to explain about what I was trying to focus on, what was on my mind, ok?
I just don't take the whole (predictable marketing, format) music industry all too seriously...what is art anyway?...I'm not a great singer, I am not a great player, I'm no self-obsessed popstar (mmm only on this blog ha ha), but hey....what/who is Lou Reed then?
I am, therefore I am. It's just the fun of making these songs happen. If I can paint a smile on one's face (mine and/or yours), that's more than ok for me. This music is Freeeee to taste! And I'm happy with the downloadstatistics. Yes, ....but what about the copyrights? Well, that's a relative thing. Creative Commons is a positive way of sharing by creating licenses. I think creaters deserve a little more (money) than investors and that's not really happening now. I've learned that by spreading my music all over this world aka the web, I can reach more people, the musiclovers. Recognition for what I do is more important. The monkeybusiness (non music moneymaking) has to stop, right NOW!
Ok, now let's get serious. No, really. (put a coin in) and Grab It, turn on your musicbox and breath deeeep. Imagine this....
Ideas, advice, feedback are all welcome, just be a good buddy, ooh don't hurt me, please!



Creation: the tunes  

01.Lost Toy
I love breaks and silences, ups and downs, twists and turns, orchestral build-ups in instrumentation and ... toys. I had this pattern on acoustic guitar and I can only compose when my fingers do as they're told what to play and they did! And I wanted something grotesque. Well, there you have it. I was lost (just like in the TV series).

02.Wolf
Wrote this on guitar, like I was playing for a large crowd, imagine that...it went on and on.....still love to play this again and again and sing "I say Hi". Bad wolf!

03.B
I had this whole drumloop with a lot of breaks and stops, broke it down and used it as a basis for this tune that was originally more faster and the chord progression was inspired by playing the "Need your love so bad" version of Fleetwood Mac. I do play some drums, but not like this. So I used this organic groove, fitted some horns to make up for my shortcomings. This song screams to BE alive.











04.Do
O yeah Latin stuff, so smooth, warm and exciting. I'm a big fan of latingrooves (Santana, War), so earthbound and organic.
The chords have to have a mystic flow in them. Piazolla payed me a visit during one session. No, it's not him, it's an annonymous musician (copyrightfree sample cut to pieces) to break the song a little. To be or not to me....
 05.The House Of Kitchensink Sounds
A lot of construction work was done under my roof between march and may of this year and I was getting more and more fustrated by the noise of saws and hammers. They made a kitchensink sound that represents a lot of earthly sounds. So why not write a positive song about that organic feeling? During this period I wrote a lot on piano and figured out this chordprogression.













                    06.Barry & Marilyn
Typical JoosTVD: I played with melody and words and they played with eachother.

07.Lawrence Of Urbania
Yes, I had just watched Lawrence of Arabia. I guess I have a weakness for the desert and Peter O'toole's blue eyes contrast beautifully. Movies are an inspiring force to lean on.

08.Wish You Well
Simple and direct, quickly written on piano.Yes and it's personal...

09.Vanished Dutchmen
Instrumental stuff.  I give you 21 songs, so I vary in style, colour and mood. I was experimenting with that low E string, simply tuned it to an F and played the usual chords, didn't need a word.

10.Workaholics
Sometimes songs (like this little pastiche) have to be sung in a very big way. Wish Roy Orbison was around to sing this like he did on "It's Over"

11.Already Dad
Inspired by an interview I did on a dutch jazzsoulradio station 6. Chopped up the (predictable) talk talk and pimped up the excisting song "You Know You're Dead" from my 2009 album. Guess I'm dead/dad...Who needs an interview? Who wants to be famous? I'll give you an interview! Show me the money!

12.So Sick And Vicious
Some people kill  for a hobby. I hit a tone with my voice when I feel agression coming up and then hey, there it is, the song. A fast bluesy twist.

13.Miss Forget
I used a little guitarchordpattern as a basis. The clapping is me with a live concert of Don Mclean that I used as the tempo. It's Don funking Mclean man!
14.Not Quite Right
Just a painting of melody and words. I read a lot about these "rockstars", (auto)biographies, stories that give certain insight in time and space and sometimes give new meaning to their songs. So I play them all over again. A lot of inpiration comes from geniuses, like: Ray Davies, Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, Paul Simon, Gino Vannelli, Todd Rundgren, and.....the kitchensink.

15.The Greek Way Garden
Yes, my garden is like a drug to inhale. I live in a house with the streetname Griekenlandweg. Ok, ok, I explained the song with words about a song without words. No I am not a greek.

16.A Certain Blues
Wrote this on piano with a drumtrack: another rhythm, another twist, another turn of the blues in the groove.

17.My Mouth
Sometimes people run too much with their mouths. Mostly I feel better working in silence. So that's why I had to cool down with this latin meditative mindgroove.

18.When The Left Foot.....
I like strangeness and goofy stuff, playing the joker (kidding), just for one night.
My kids did this song to me...and me did eye.

19.Eye Me
First tune I wrote for this album. Banging on my piano, chordseeking, freaking on the groove.
It paved a way to do more pianobased songs.

20.Sit And Hope And Wait
Bossastyle, novafeel. Created right on the spot, guitar and drums became one with "pa-pa-papah-pa"chorus above it.

21.Vanish Totally
This began as a little ditty with one singalong refrain ("Lift up a rock, etc"), but ended as a long endless jam (repeated acoustic guitar), sort of a coda to close the album on a spirited note. Kind of a "seize the day" thing, get lost into the song and then vanish to-tall-lyyyy....
............well, is there something you wanna add?

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