vrijdag 27 november 2015

2 Thousand + 5teen

The last blog, before I go.
So what did I do to make my life a little more bearable and more complete in 2015? I've listened. My ears seem to filter out the junk more quicker than before and that's a lot! That saved me a lot of time to focus on the writings, recording and releasing of a bunch of new songs. Thanks world.

As with 2014, the death celebrities of our time, become more frequent as age always proves to be the ultimate killer. Here are a "few" that have more or less influenced my state of being (source http://goo.gl/8871CK):

P.F.Sloan (Eve Of Destruction), Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor (Moterhead's drummer of Ace Of Spades), Andy White (Beatles "Love Me Do" drummer), Daevid Allen (Gong frontman, The Magick Brother), Chris Rainbow (Vocalist, Alan Parsons), Allen Toussaint (composer, producer, arranger, pianist, talentscout, inspirator, what a loss of talent!), Joost Zwagerman (schrijver), Drs P. (dutch singer, poet of humoristic absurdism), Gunnar Hansen (remember the original Leatherface?), Maureen O'Hara (John Wayne's favorite company on screen), Phil Woods (played alto sax on so many of my favorite albums of the seventies, like Billy Joel and Paul Simon), Oliver Sacks (the one who really used his brains), Rico Rodriquez (ska trombonist of the Specials), Wes Craven (horror director), Bob Johnston (sixties producer of Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel), Cilla Black (her rendition of bacharach's "Alfie" especially), Omar Sharif (screen legend), Patrick Macnee (remember when tv was " John Steed" cool), Chris Squire (Yes bassist-extraordinaire), Ornette Coleman (free jazz sax blower), Ron Moody (Oliver's Fagin), Christopher Lee (the best Dracula actor next to Bela Lugosi), BB King (subtle "Lucille" bluesplayer), Errol Brown (Hot Chocolate's "Every1's a Winner"), Andy Fraser (Free bassist, composer of Robert Palmer's "Every Kinda People"), Percy Sledge (voice of "When a Man Loves a Woman"), Ben E King (voice of "Stand By Me"), Günter Grass ("The Tin Drum" writer), Clark Terry (Fluegelhorn/ Trompet player), Lew Soloff (trumpet player of Blood, Sweat & Tears, loved those horn arrangements), Leonard Nimoy (logical Spock versus emotional Kirk), John Renbourn (british folk finger-picking guitarist), Rod McKuen (composer, poet), Anita Ekberg (Fellini's "La Dolce Vita"), Rod Taylor (actor of "The Time Machine"), Armand (60s protestsinger), Thé Lau (singer/songwriter), Hirth Martinez (singer/songwriter).

What did I work on in 2015? I've been having my own fun, writing, playing, recording and releasing two albums:  
                                                                  Lightning Dutchman

A few song hit the radio waves, like: Unscrew yourself, Don't Do It Again, Paranoiac With A Gun, Guru In A Lovetown, Limo, Rock'n Roll Me In Or Out



                                 
                                                and an instrumental For Your Pleasure vol.2
(more and more people seem to be interested in using my music for their viseo projects)




So what about the music of 2015?
The word "emo" fits the description. But is it emotion?
Only a few new albums made it, because as I grow older and greyer (bored? Nope!), the more I seem to dwell back to the sounds I used to listen when I was this green innocent seventies lad. Except for the much younger generations like Mercury Rev, Tame Impala and Steven Wilson maybe, but nothing else seem to linger.....  aaah, I'm such a romantic fool. It's just that a lot of the old guys keep coming back with a more fresher sound... Well not all the "older" ones though. I was very dissapointed by the releases of Prince (I mean HITnRUN Phase One, P. how do you sleep? but...his Phase 2 is just classic P.!). Ben Folds (pretentious, but vague chamber noodlings), Jeff Lynne's ELO (=Jeff Lynne...) or Seal (Trevor Horn is back, but...without any surprises).  All too predictable and safe.
It's the fault of these retro times. Now, every "new" production can reproduce qualities from the thirties up to the sixties, uuuhm, seventies and ....mmm...the eighties to my bemefit, because my mind seems to wander off easily to what I've already heard. It's just like these newbies are saying "Joost, I know you've got that somewhere on vinyl, but who really cares?". It says a lot of these smug, arrogant, narcistic times. Who will rise to the occasion to do the unexpected?

In the meantime, here are my faves of 2015:
                                                              
                                                                              J.D.Souther - Tenderness


Veteran songwriter surprises with less is more. Subtle arrangements, production, subtle songwriting, title says it all.


                                                                    Steve Martin & Edie Brickell - So Familiar


Bluegrass? BanJoost? No, this is just a very comforting listen, very Up, very welcome in these times.


                                                                                       Boz Scaggs - A Fool To Care


The only Boss for me, age can do good. Eclectic and very soulful. That voice never bores me. Less is so much more...


                                                                                     Joe Jackson - Fast Forward

Welcome back Joe the composer, arranger of wide, colourful canvases. Musicians from Berlin, New York, Amsterdam and New Orleans keep this album fresh.

                                                                         David Gilmour- Rattle That Lock


I just love his tone in voice and guitar. The surpringly jazzy "The Girl In The Yellow Dress (Orchestral Version)". The instrumentals don't add anything specific, but overall there's still a comfortable Floyd in the air.

                                                                         Tom Robinson - Only The Now

 
Welcome back Tom! You're still angry and I feel it. Wild, edgy, actual and in your face, the subtle arrangements in quieter moments (title song) though especially, draw me in.

                                                                     James Taylor - Before This World


A new JT album? I've kept playing it a few times more than I'd expect. Songcrafting they call it. Just James Taylor. Nothing less.

                                                                         Prince - HITnRUN Phase Two


I have a love/hate relation with the purple one. But I think this is his most matured collection (with a few exceptions like Screwdriver) since.......fill me in! A more colourful production, especially the organic feel in the arrangements do the trick, if you like horns and slapping basses.

Books.
What usually happens when I read a biography, is the documenting part of it. I obsessively dig up everything I have in my possession (music to listen to, I listen to it again or movies I've watched, I watch again) or try to find it on www.
For example, The Grateful Dead, all the albums I once  indifferently listened to, I can appreciate and understand them better now, especially after reading a biography. The same happened with Alex Harvey, quite a lad! Another band that I've admired since 1977, Talking heads, I appreciate even more now (Remain In Light is my personal fave) than ever. So I read!

Quoting former post 2014:"And for the sensational background information, here's a few books I've read this year. As usual, mostly sleezy (auto)biographies. Recommended:"

Bobby Whitlock - A Rock'n Roll Biography (a lot of misfortunes, Eric Clapton, Derek & The Dominoes singer/keyboardsman)

David Byrne - How Music Works (this works a lot)

Dennis Mcnally - A Long Strange Trip Grateful Dead (the music man, LSD anyone?)

Donald L Barlett - Howard Hughes, his life & madness (exentric guy, strange times)

Gene Wilder - Kiss Me Like A Stranger My Search for Love and Art (talented guy)

John Neil Munro - The Sensational Alex Harvey (what a life!)

Jonathan Lethem - Talking Heads' Fear of Music (the first album I bought of TH in 1979 that made me an obsessive fan)

Martin Kielty - SAHB Story (the versatile band behind Alex Harvey)

Pamela De Barres - I'm With The Band (narcistic tale of obsessive groupie)

Rod Stewart - The Autobio (Rod does Rod)

David Bowman- Talking Heads This Must Be The Place (one of the best bands in the period 1977-1983 that made the eighties bearable)







 

vrijdag 16 oktober 2015

Yes, use my song!

Once in a while I come across "JoosTVD" songs supporting videos on youtube that really take me by surprise. Some of these songs are 10 years old! I've got nothing to do with these promo videos, but it's nice to see what other people add to to what once was an idea popping out of your head and pooring out of your fingers...so a few here to illustrate that.


 Another one on a spanish documentary site: WALK BY THE EXHIBITION 'EXCRETA. AN EXPOSITION

Songs used in the video's are: Bomber Drone, Shark In The Disco, Circus Monkey, Sow Motion Dream, Stupid Song(s), Tweet.

Ps. (alert! commercial intermisssssssion) Need some of my music? I've got two instrumental albums "For Your Pleasure 1 & 2" on Jamendo readymade, waiting to inspire you!

woensdag 7 oktober 2015

In The Works

Hai there, Joost has an update. Nothing shocking or to scare you or embarrass myself of I hope... I'm working on it...work to make it work. Ideas pile up every day. It says so on my Twitteraccount. Excitement occures ocassionally. Which ones will end up on the new album? I've already got 9 songs in the pipeline, but far more sketchy ideas, all helping me to focus I guess. As I want this to be a compact one, there'll be no more than 12 of them. More quality, less quantity then? Well if you chew out a full album (say double album) of say about 18 songs, that's a lot to process. It worked more or less with the last one. But especially in the finishing stage, you have to have fresh ears. Less is more! The most fun part for me is to write, record and arrange the songs, but the finishing part (mixing and mastering) is easier to do with less. I'm in the middle of  this mixing process with 9 songs, working more and more on the details than before. Let them breath in an experimental journey.
Is this all neccessairy? Well, I've been around the block writing songs a few times now and I just want to get better you know. Yes I know and you know. Get ready!
In the meantime if you just can't wait, did you know I've come up with another instrumental album on Jamendo? 


Cats don't like to hear about details......

donderdag 3 september 2015

Complete List Of His Works

Yes, I've updated the "Complete List Of His Works" section. My o my, look at those arty albumtitles! Just to make things look complete, I've compiled anything  I've been recording since 1987, when I started my own band with some friends, way back. All played and recorded on those hip, vintage cassettes. In 1998 the digital age started creeping in, so I burned my own cd's (Now On CD) and in 2005 digital distribution became the motto. It's been an intensive journey so far, but I hope it will never stop.....

 just to proof that I really made those cassettes/cd's, for non-believers, I've added a few pictures..

 
1998 A Beautiful Boy And His Dreamsister
2002 He's Your Buddy
  • Digital:
  • 2015 For Your Pleasure Vol.2
  • 2015 Lightning Dutchman
  • 2014 For Your Pleasure Vol.1
  • 2014 I Mimic Me
  • 2013 The Ballooning Brouhaha
  • 2012 Art Decoy The Bluebeard Boy
  • 2011 Orson Nietes
  • 2010 The Vanished Dutchman
  • 2009 When The Left Foot Fits The Right Shoe
  • 2009 You Know Your Dad
  • 2008 Hé José
  • 2007 Volumed 10
  • 2005 Gift Shot
  •  Burned cd's:
  • 2004 That's Me With The Ball
  • 2002 He's Your Buddy
  • 2001 Colour Me Black Or White
  • 2000 Thanks For Stopping By
  • 2000 Big Shoes To Fill
  • 1999 Rub Your Face In It
  • 1999 Tarts
  • 1998 Now On Cd
  • Cassettes 90 min.:
  • 1998 A Beautiful Boy And His Dreamsister
  • 1998 Shadowworld
  • 1998 Every Damn Thing
  • 1998 Finest Hour
  • 1998 Within The Sphere Of Rhapsodies
  • 1998 What Do You Call A Beautiful Day?
  • 1997 Zenith Or Zerohour
  • 1997 What's Your Next Triumph?
  • 1997 Dreamboat With An Edge
  • 1997 Expression Of My Own Desire
  • 1996 In A Nutshell
  • 1996 To Absent Friends And New Acquaintances
  • 1996 Long Enough For Ya?
  • 1996 Moodswing
  • 1996 Vs The Patronizing People
  • 1996 Life As A Transparent Movie
  • 1995 Ode To A Player
  • 1995 Greatest Nix
  • 1995 True Blue Kind Of A Guy
  • 1995 Starstruck
  • 1994 The Trick Of A Kick
  • 1994 Samsongs
  • 1994 Goodness Knows
  • 1994 22th Episode Of Side Effects
  • 1993 Dixieland On A Flat hand
  • 1993 Non Stop Riot
  • 1993 What's The Name Of This Baby?
  • 1993 C'est Therdin
  • 1993 Step Into My Office
  • 1992 Hope I'll Live After I'll die
  • 1992 Now She Is
  • 1992 You Don't Get It Do You?
  • 1992 Quiet Monster
  • 1992 On Top Of That Feeling
  • 1991 The Zoo In You
  • 1991 Hoopla
  • 1991 People On Bridges
  • 1990 Mr.Thisman's Blue Avenue
  • 1990 How Would You Like Your Picnic?
  • 1990 Man Enough The June Final
  • 1989 Room Of Joy
  • 1989 When
  • 1988 One Example
  • 1987 Valentine Suite

donderdag 27 augustus 2015

For Your Pleasure...Vol.2!

Just arrived! 22 instrumental songs, only available on Jamendo for now. Especially for video-projects and the like. And easy on the ears, heart, knees, mind and feet. So take them, they are yours.
Sort of an inbetweenie (refreshing for me to work on too!), For Your Pleasure Vol.2 is an ongoing series. Enough material for more pleasure.
My next "straight" album will arrive somewhere... in 2016.

During the process I noticed- by the flow and mostly beachy, summer mood- a little story was evolving while sequeing the songs. A concept? A Hitchcock/ Orson Welles mystery perhaps? Well, let's imagine....
Here's a little storyline I came up with (while listening) for a yet to be made or not to be made movie:

this reckless spy, once a successful operator, has to escape into his silhouette. Now older, washed up, stranded somewhere on a desolate beach, meeting the good (romance), the bad (no cash) & the ugly (fake romance) and getting away with it (with that "Moon Elevator") and finally steps out of his shadow.

donderdag 6 augustus 2015

Rock'n Roll Me In...Or Out!

Hai folks of the flat earth, what's happening?
I'm in the middle of learning more about the mixing and mastering process while recording new songs, trying to get on a higher level studiowise. Homerecording is tricky, when you're not a pro, but I'm getting better at it- at least what I think- with each new album. I'm learning.
So far I've got 9 songs, some already finished, except for the experimental mastering process. That's the last tweak on the mix.



Here's a one last thing I've done for my last album. Didn't hear it yet? Here you are Spotify
Got this little flashy, funny video for ya, sort of a collage of different versions of me playing  the same song "Rock'n Roll Me In Or Out". Hey it's my holidays by the way! I'm off....


 

 "You keep rolling in rolling out of my life
                                                  You've packed your bags, won't say farewell
                                                  Ain't got no tissues up there in Heartbreak Hotel

                                                 You keep rolling in rock'n roll me out of your life!

                                                 You keep walking in you keep walking out of my life
                                                 I knock at your door you won't open up
                                                 Keep pounding even louder I won't give it up

                                                 You keep ruling me in ruling me out of my life"

zondag 5 juli 2015

Hey, I know that song!

Hi folks, it's hot in da lowlands, but I still keep going!
Yes I am curious and as I stumbled upon those funny, glossy-styled video's I immediately recognized that voice (aargh) and the sound. Most of the songs are licensed by Jamendo. So far I've found 160 (there could be more of course) of them with a lot old, funky dutchman stuff and some do not fit at all:

Dance Till Your Drunk [2005], I Want It Back, Overdone [2005], Desertfly [2007], Making Faces [2008], Mumbo Jumbo Heebie Jeebies [2008], Wonder [2008], Violent Boy [2008], The Root of My Belly [2009], The Greek Way Garden [2010], Back To The Race [2011], Bigger Things [2011], Sugar tune [2011], Stupid Song(s) [2013], Sin Pan Alleyman [2014], Intermission Of Love [2014], Buy (Bye Bye) [2014], Slow Motion Dream [2014], Bomber Drone [2014]Have a great summer everyone!

You Tube advertising

vrijdag 12 juni 2015

My Personal Vinyl

How ironic: just when you think we'll all go digital, we're going analog. Needle, turntable, grooves, black, sleeves, analog...As a vinyl lover I've always dreamt about having my music on black plastic, until now... just received my own! It's a 10 inch one (25,4 cm), 3 songs on each side, so that way it fits in the post box. I listen while writing this and immediately I recognise those deep, warm nostalgic 70ties sounds, haha. Of course I had to choose which songs would make it. Six favourites from the last three albums are on it. Good fun!

Front

Back

donderdag 21 mei 2015

Tube Channel

Just to add another way to find the obvious. Yes, I have one ( JoosTVD's vids) where I upload my own promo videos, but these days YouTube collects all the songtitles associated with the artist. Quite a varied bunch I may say....


                                           Made by online distributioner iMusician Digital

vrijdag 24 april 2015

Praise the auteur!

100 pages long! Wow, that's a lot of words. Of course there are these great pictures of intense looking blues artists too to satisfy the view of tired readers. What an honor to be part of the review section (page 59!) of this german online blues-magazine, Wasser-Prawda, standing next to the latest of Boz Scaggs and Van Morrison. I already showed you this great review of my latest album in one of my last blogposts, but there is so much more. I think what this magazine adds to the current "scene" is the balance between the old and the new, the already known and the upcoming unknown. Some forgotten heroes like Andy Fairweather-Low or Leadbelly get large overviews. All written with the love for (blues) music.
Anyway, read the stuff, it's good for the soul!
WP-Magazine pdf