Muse's Muse Songwriting Message Board: R-N-R Jim - Viewing Profile

Im usually working on 10 songs at any one time. Sounds funny, but I have songs at different stages of completion and only complete them when "the feel is there".

I complete any wheres from 2 to 8 songs a year. Some have taken up to 10 years to complete. So a deadline is not what Im up against in writing and recording a song. I figure if your creating something, it should finish itself, not finish a song for the sake of finishing it. It's this discipline that only the better writers understand and practice.

I started out with a Tascam 244 cassette 4-track recorder many years ago. My appetite for writing an arranging spurred my somewhat haphazard way of wearing all hats. To round out my sound I bought a used tr808 Roland drum machine and bass guitar. I already had a keyboard from a garage band I played in and an electric guitar, so I was pretty much now had the basis to produce basic demos.

I wrote alot of songs back then, maybe 3 a month. Not all good mind you, but they were learning experiences in all facets of songwriting i.e. lyric writing, melody, arranging and mixing. In couple years(early 1990s), I went from just writing pop songs in hopes of getting a publishing deal to developing my own sound which has alot to owe to the Beatles.

It was when I abandoned the idea of writing for the sake of a publishing deal and more so for me as an indie pop artist did things start to change in how I approached music. I started to write less, but more so with purpose. In turn, I was getting some casual interest from indie labels/small time producers like Wonderwax music, Statue records,Alternative Records.

In 1993-94 , James Haber of Wonderwax music would go to bat for me and took my demo to L.A. with some interest from people who heard it. But it fell short because I didnt front my own band or was touring. Something kinda hard to do sometimes if your not living in one of the music Meccas as far as getting alal oft he parts to make a go of it.
He did publish one of my songs ("Vain" page 133, 1994 songwriters market) as to keep my interest in him as a songplugger etc. I think he was hoping to find a Lennon to my McCartney as to maybe start a group. But it never happened. Funny side note, his dad ran K-TEL records that just took hits off the radio and compiled them and packaged them as an album. Not exactly breaking new artists in...lol. Something James was hoping to do for me.
In 2000 I got a 16 track and was able to expand on my sound. A new batch of songs and I was once again sending out demos. Randy Layton of Alternative records had a passing interest in me as well. If there was one thing that struck my interest in his label was some of his associations with people I held in high regard and enjoyed their music likewise.
One of the groups released on his small indie label named "TWO POUND PLANET" had Mitch Easter as a producer (Mitch Easter-Produced R.E.M.s records as well as Mitch's indie pop group Let's Active). Talk about 6 degrees of separation, how I would have loved to have Mitch as my producer, heck have him do everything..lol If anything, Randy did peddle my cd to one of my songwriting idols, Ken Stringfellow of the Posies(Geffen recording artists) and he liked my song "Girl With The Frown".

Anyways...since I didn't have a group or band to record my songs, the window of opportunity passed and that for the most part has been the story of my career as an artist...well...novice artist. What you hear at my myspace and soundclick sites are good and creative demos for the most part that I wrote and recorded on my 16-track. I have branched out alittle bit in other genres and perhaps a nod towards more commercial type music. Female genre songs have been a different field that I have been exploring the last couple years as a writer.

On occasion through the years, I've come here to the Muse to browse through the lyric forum to see if there is any creative writing going on that I find inspiring or creative. Admittedly, lyric writing is a harder thing to do compared to melody writing. I have in the past collaborated on a couple songs with a couple Muse members that didnt turn out too bad. Again, this doesn't happen very often, but when I collab with the right like minded person, it turns out pretty decent.

I had a song in the last two years that just needed a couple lines and came across a real talent here at the Muse in singnpeach who ended up singing the song as well. The song "Baby"(myspace.com/rnrjim) placed in the honorable mention section of a national songwriting contest. Not bad for a collab.