This is the new artwork for Opus. 1. I have not updated my blog for a little while now, but do intead to over the next while.
Watch this space,
Wullae
Five free songs to download at Bandcamp
Saturday 28 May 2011
Saturday 14 May 2011
The Story Behind: The Search
'Why are there so many people in the world with the same fucking name!!'
Through my teenage years to the present day, the internet has been a vital part of my life. So many different significant parts of my life and lifestyles have been affected and sustained by the internet: from relationships to my lifestyle choices, etc. It has been a massive influence on myself, my generation, and continues to be.
One of the most beneficial uses for the internet - in my opinion, is the ability to keep in contact with lots of people you wouldn't otherwise be able to do with. Not only this, but the fact that you can search and find the people you have lost or forgotten about, until one day you remember them again. So many people I have remembered, and tried to search for.
The search: Stuart
One person I did continually search for over the internet for years after losing contact was my friend Stuart Carroll. Years, I'd periodically search for him: on google, bebo, facebook, myspace. I could never ever find him. Years, from around 2005 time. So one day on facebook in early 2010, I find an old friend, add him and browse through his friendlist. Flicker past the unknown names and faces, I rest my elbow on the desk in university. I had got bored of studying, and in the quiet area of the library, there was nothing to do but breathe, and even then, they would try and stop you doing that. Flicking through the names and faces I see him. Right there. Stuart. I added him straight away. Not long afterwards, we chatted and caught up. It has been magic doing so.
The search: Tina Thomas
I use to be on youtube around 2004-05, before I had the account I have now. I would post up political videos from the 20th century including videos on Che Guevara, Gandhi, MLK, JFK, Khrushchev, etc. I would converse with many other politically minded folk on youtube, but began a friendship with a lovely lady from Chicago, Tina Thomas. She has a warm heart and great soul, and is an inspirational person within my life. We would chat about all sorts, and particularly at this time I felt low and lonely, and Tina was a great friend to me. My account was closed down on youtube, and Tina had troubles at her end too. We spoke occasionally on myspace until she experienced problems there too. And so, from around 2007 until 2011 I periodically search for Tina. You have no idea how many Tina Thomas' there are in the world! So on facebook for instance, it was impossible. However, on Twitter, I got a message from a 'wind_parade'. It started 'Siggy?'. It was Tina. Since then we have chatted and hopefully this will continue.
The search: Kevin Curran
In college in 2005, I made a great friend by the name of Kevin. For that year in college we had the best laughs. We tried to create a new college president office, as we were against the college student president voted in that year. We argued with them. Put up propaganda posters about them. It was such a laugh. Kevin opened up to me and told me things he hadn't told others. And as the year progressed, he slowly got close to another friend and moved away to live with her and her man. We completely lost contact. However, this man lived much of his life over the internet, and so I thought it would be easy to find him. However, since 2006, I have periodically searched for Kevin, and I still to this day cannot find him. The search continues...
The search: Alan McKechnie
I hated working in that hotel in 2005. I had a huge verbal with the head chef (where I feel I fucking beat his ass!), hated the waiters as they were all aged 15 or under, and the manager was a fruitcake. However, there was one guy, one fucking gent who kept me sane. Who made me piss myself laughing in tears. His name was Alan McKechnie. This guy was a proper ladies man, and a lads lad. Totally genuinely great guy. I was very out of character at this time, dressed like a Communist vagabond and had done it to myself. Alan was so accepting. And when we went out a few times, he made me realise what I had lost. I was filled with admiration for the guy. He probably has absolutely no idea how big a kick up the arse he gave me. When I moved out of my mum's house a year or so later, I changed my appearance, lifestyle and attitude, and large parts of these were influenced by this man. However, when I left the hotel in 2006, I lost contact with Al. Again, like with Kevin, no amount of searching has allowed me to find him. The search continues...
So I wanted to write a song about this. About missing someone you lost, even when you didn't mean to or want to. The memories are great, and you think 'why do they have to be memories!?'. The web has allowed people to find those they cared about, from way back. I wrote the lyrics about this song listening to 'Codex' by Radiohead. It really set the mood I was looking for. The lyrics are inspired by the song too.
The riff itself however, is an old one. Written back in 2006, it was know as 'Liberation'. It was about leaders of the 20th century who liberated their own peoples'. However, I felt that the emotion felt in the music allow did not suit that subject matter, and so used it in 2011 for 'The Search'. It is my favourite Anonymous song, and means the most to me. The recording is great in my opinion and has a very old style of recording for me.
The Search
There are so many people I have abandoned,
So many faces I have lost,
I feel a quiet saddness,
Inside my thoughts,
I'd like to speak to you one last time,
To say goodbye, the way I should have,
To have one last moment, Ending on a peaceful silence,
Indistinguishable faces flicker past,
All the names their all the same,
And amongst the smiles and cuddles,
I don't see you, none of them are you,
You are that needle in a haystack,
And I can't find you, no I can't find you,
There is an emptiness,
I will continue to search for you
Written early 2011
The Search will, and does, continue...
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
Go to youtube to see an acoustic version done at home of 'The Search'
Through my teenage years to the present day, the internet has been a vital part of my life. So many different significant parts of my life and lifestyles have been affected and sustained by the internet: from relationships to my lifestyle choices, etc. It has been a massive influence on myself, my generation, and continues to be.
One of the most beneficial uses for the internet - in my opinion, is the ability to keep in contact with lots of people you wouldn't otherwise be able to do with. Not only this, but the fact that you can search and find the people you have lost or forgotten about, until one day you remember them again. So many people I have remembered, and tried to search for.
The search: Stuart
One person I did continually search for over the internet for years after losing contact was my friend Stuart Carroll. Years, I'd periodically search for him: on google, bebo, facebook, myspace. I could never ever find him. Years, from around 2005 time. So one day on facebook in early 2010, I find an old friend, add him and browse through his friendlist. Flicker past the unknown names and faces, I rest my elbow on the desk in university. I had got bored of studying, and in the quiet area of the library, there was nothing to do but breathe, and even then, they would try and stop you doing that. Flicking through the names and faces I see him. Right there. Stuart. I added him straight away. Not long afterwards, we chatted and caught up. It has been magic doing so.
The search: Tina Thomas
I use to be on youtube around 2004-05, before I had the account I have now. I would post up political videos from the 20th century including videos on Che Guevara, Gandhi, MLK, JFK, Khrushchev, etc. I would converse with many other politically minded folk on youtube, but began a friendship with a lovely lady from Chicago, Tina Thomas. She has a warm heart and great soul, and is an inspirational person within my life. We would chat about all sorts, and particularly at this time I felt low and lonely, and Tina was a great friend to me. My account was closed down on youtube, and Tina had troubles at her end too. We spoke occasionally on myspace until she experienced problems there too. And so, from around 2007 until 2011 I periodically search for Tina. You have no idea how many Tina Thomas' there are in the world! So on facebook for instance, it was impossible. However, on Twitter, I got a message from a 'wind_parade'. It started 'Siggy?'. It was Tina. Since then we have chatted and hopefully this will continue.
The search: Kevin Curran
In college in 2005, I made a great friend by the name of Kevin. For that year in college we had the best laughs. We tried to create a new college president office, as we were against the college student president voted in that year. We argued with them. Put up propaganda posters about them. It was such a laugh. Kevin opened up to me and told me things he hadn't told others. And as the year progressed, he slowly got close to another friend and moved away to live with her and her man. We completely lost contact. However, this man lived much of his life over the internet, and so I thought it would be easy to find him. However, since 2006, I have periodically searched for Kevin, and I still to this day cannot find him. The search continues...
The search: Alan McKechnie
I hated working in that hotel in 2005. I had a huge verbal with the head chef (where I feel I fucking beat his ass!), hated the waiters as they were all aged 15 or under, and the manager was a fruitcake. However, there was one guy, one fucking gent who kept me sane. Who made me piss myself laughing in tears. His name was Alan McKechnie. This guy was a proper ladies man, and a lads lad. Totally genuinely great guy. I was very out of character at this time, dressed like a Communist vagabond and had done it to myself. Alan was so accepting. And when we went out a few times, he made me realise what I had lost. I was filled with admiration for the guy. He probably has absolutely no idea how big a kick up the arse he gave me. When I moved out of my mum's house a year or so later, I changed my appearance, lifestyle and attitude, and large parts of these were influenced by this man. However, when I left the hotel in 2006, I lost contact with Al. Again, like with Kevin, no amount of searching has allowed me to find him. The search continues...
So I wanted to write a song about this. About missing someone you lost, even when you didn't mean to or want to. The memories are great, and you think 'why do they have to be memories!?'. The web has allowed people to find those they cared about, from way back. I wrote the lyrics about this song listening to 'Codex' by Radiohead. It really set the mood I was looking for. The lyrics are inspired by the song too.
The riff itself however, is an old one. Written back in 2006, it was know as 'Liberation'. It was about leaders of the 20th century who liberated their own peoples'. However, I felt that the emotion felt in the music allow did not suit that subject matter, and so used it in 2011 for 'The Search'. It is my favourite Anonymous song, and means the most to me. The recording is great in my opinion and has a very old style of recording for me.
The Search
There are so many people I have abandoned,
So many faces I have lost,
I feel a quiet saddness,
Inside my thoughts,
I'd like to speak to you one last time,
To say goodbye, the way I should have,
To have one last moment, Ending on a peaceful silence,
Indistinguishable faces flicker past,
All the names their all the same,
And amongst the smiles and cuddles,
I don't see you, none of them are you,
You are that needle in a haystack,
And I can't find you, no I can't find you,
There is an emptiness,
I will continue to search for you
Written early 2011
The Search will, and does, continue...
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
Go to youtube to see an acoustic version done at home of 'The Search'
Opus. 1
Acoustic versions. That's what I had it named as on my Blackberry notes page. But acoustic versions, is 1. The sort of title I have used before for songs, and 2. Is a bit fucking boring to be honest. So I wanted something to sum up the acoustic versions.
The main reason I wanted to make the acoustic versions, was to finally make a recording of 'Jinx' that I was happy with. It got me thinking that really I should record the songs at their most basic, the way I wrote them, the day I wrote them. I wanted to record all the early songs, and good songs that never made it onto themes that I have created, such as Anonymous. So I wanted this to be essentially an album to say this is the beginning; where it all started from and has been a continuous work ever since. Something that signifies that all the songs are intertwinned. And so, Opus. 1 was the name I chose. Where it all came from, the first songs, continuing to now, all with a similar story. All done on acoustic.
I didn't actually think this project would start at all, because I always come up with ideas in my head that seem so wonderful, and then it turns out I digress onto something else or I just never have the motivation to start. However, one day I did start. And I'm so glad I did. I didn't even hold back on the singing. The songs on Opus. 1 need to be as they should be. Perfect.
So this collection of songs are very simple, as they would be heard live at a gig. In their simpliest form, I believe the songs and lyrics can be appreciated a lot more.
Day 1
I can't actually remember which song I recorded first. I know I began by recording Red Bridge first of all, but didn't notice I had left my echo pedal on through the guitar piece, and so was fucked off at the end when listening to an electrofied acoustic. Definitely not what I wanted. I know 'Jinx' was one of the first, possibly the first. It was either 'Jinx', 'Induna' or 'Vixen - Part 1, 2, 3, and 4'. Whatever came first, the collection began, and in the first of two days I recorded 7 songs: 'Jinx', 'Induna', 'Vixen - Part 1, 2, 3 and 4', 'Merchant City Man', 'Thursday 5th April 2007 @ 11.51am', 'Halo Effect' and 'Dying Rose of January'. I was so so happy with the recordings, and needed to put them up on youtube quickly as a) I was running out of time and b) cause they sounded better than I thought they would and was eager to get them up.
I wanted some artwork for the songs. I wanted something quite personal and almost classical looking. I had a few nights before day 1 recordings, drew an abstract picture of my Blackberry connected to my old ipod, with some musical notes around it. The rest of the ink drawing has my Blackberry connected to a book I was reading at the time (Bronson 3: Up on the Roof by Charles Bronson), and drew some Blackberry and internet icons next to this. I took some photos of the drawing, put them on the computer, selected one, edited it into a square, put the chosen title 'Opus. 1', and instead of putting just my name, I thought I'd put 'Songs by Wullae Wright' as it is a general collection of all my songs. I didn't like it the way it was, so inverted the cover, and it looked much better. Classy in my opinion, with a modern twist with the ipod and Blackberry. Think it sums me up very well.
So I added these seven new songs to youtube. I have had positive comments so far and am pleased with the recordings.
Day 2
Eager to get as much done as I could, I set myself up again for the recording. I also thought that day that I'd maybe want to add some old piano tunes on it too, just to mix it up a little and to also let people hear these songs that are never played live. So I began by looking through the list of 'acoustic versions' I'd written on my phone and found 'A butterfly, A bouncy castle and A pole joust'. I have always loved that song and really enjoy playing it. It is a very personal song to me which always makes me feel good to play. So I recorded this. I had made sure that the fx pedal effects were exactly the same levels as Day 1, and that the volumes were all the same. I then moved to piano (or keyboard), and recorded 'Equilibruim' and 'House of Mirrors'. I wasn't too sure about 'House of Mirrors' but I thought, this is a collection of as much as I can do, and it is important to put as much in. So I then recorded Red Bridge and it turned out exactly as I wanted it! Perfect. I then relearned and recorded 'Loco Loco', which I performed once at a gig. I had actually forgotten it even had lyrics!! So I relearned them, and that was the last song I had time to record. Another 5 in the bag.
I have ideas for other Opus. 1 songs such as: 'Spitting Feathers', 'The Search' and 'Necropolis'. I still need to edit and record more songs on 'Anonymous'; however this Opus. 1 project is a good digression, and I'm happy to be finally recording all the unheard and unrecorded songs. Not to sound morbid, but it makes me think that when I pass away, they will all be there, and nothing was left undone. It makes me happy.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/wullaewright
The main reason I wanted to make the acoustic versions, was to finally make a recording of 'Jinx' that I was happy with. It got me thinking that really I should record the songs at their most basic, the way I wrote them, the day I wrote them. I wanted to record all the early songs, and good songs that never made it onto themes that I have created, such as Anonymous. So I wanted this to be essentially an album to say this is the beginning; where it all started from and has been a continuous work ever since. Something that signifies that all the songs are intertwinned. And so, Opus. 1 was the name I chose. Where it all came from, the first songs, continuing to now, all with a similar story. All done on acoustic.
I didn't actually think this project would start at all, because I always come up with ideas in my head that seem so wonderful, and then it turns out I digress onto something else or I just never have the motivation to start. However, one day I did start. And I'm so glad I did. I didn't even hold back on the singing. The songs on Opus. 1 need to be as they should be. Perfect.
So this collection of songs are very simple, as they would be heard live at a gig. In their simpliest form, I believe the songs and lyrics can be appreciated a lot more.
Day 1
I can't actually remember which song I recorded first. I know I began by recording Red Bridge first of all, but didn't notice I had left my echo pedal on through the guitar piece, and so was fucked off at the end when listening to an electrofied acoustic. Definitely not what I wanted. I know 'Jinx' was one of the first, possibly the first. It was either 'Jinx', 'Induna' or 'Vixen - Part 1, 2, 3, and 4'. Whatever came first, the collection began, and in the first of two days I recorded 7 songs: 'Jinx', 'Induna', 'Vixen - Part 1, 2, 3 and 4', 'Merchant City Man', 'Thursday 5th April 2007 @ 11.51am', 'Halo Effect' and 'Dying Rose of January'. I was so so happy with the recordings, and needed to put them up on youtube quickly as a) I was running out of time and b) cause they sounded better than I thought they would and was eager to get them up.
I wanted some artwork for the songs. I wanted something quite personal and almost classical looking. I had a few nights before day 1 recordings, drew an abstract picture of my Blackberry connected to my old ipod, with some musical notes around it. The rest of the ink drawing has my Blackberry connected to a book I was reading at the time (Bronson 3: Up on the Roof by Charles Bronson), and drew some Blackberry and internet icons next to this. I took some photos of the drawing, put them on the computer, selected one, edited it into a square, put the chosen title 'Opus. 1', and instead of putting just my name, I thought I'd put 'Songs by Wullae Wright' as it is a general collection of all my songs. I didn't like it the way it was, so inverted the cover, and it looked much better. Classy in my opinion, with a modern twist with the ipod and Blackberry. Think it sums me up very well.
So I added these seven new songs to youtube. I have had positive comments so far and am pleased with the recordings.
Day 2
Eager to get as much done as I could, I set myself up again for the recording. I also thought that day that I'd maybe want to add some old piano tunes on it too, just to mix it up a little and to also let people hear these songs that are never played live. So I began by looking through the list of 'acoustic versions' I'd written on my phone and found 'A butterfly, A bouncy castle and A pole joust'. I have always loved that song and really enjoy playing it. It is a very personal song to me which always makes me feel good to play. So I recorded this. I had made sure that the fx pedal effects were exactly the same levels as Day 1, and that the volumes were all the same. I then moved to piano (or keyboard), and recorded 'Equilibruim' and 'House of Mirrors'. I wasn't too sure about 'House of Mirrors' but I thought, this is a collection of as much as I can do, and it is important to put as much in. So I then recorded Red Bridge and it turned out exactly as I wanted it! Perfect. I then relearned and recorded 'Loco Loco', which I performed once at a gig. I had actually forgotten it even had lyrics!! So I relearned them, and that was the last song I had time to record. Another 5 in the bag.
I have ideas for other Opus. 1 songs such as: 'Spitting Feathers', 'The Search' and 'Necropolis'. I still need to edit and record more songs on 'Anonymous'; however this Opus. 1 project is a good digression, and I'm happy to be finally recording all the unheard and unrecorded songs. Not to sound morbid, but it makes me think that when I pass away, they will all be there, and nothing was left undone. It makes me happy.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
www.myspace.com/wullaewright
Friday 6 May 2011
The Lovers and Dot-com Bubble
Yesterday (06/05/2011) morning I had sat down at the computer, and had just under an hour. I had set up the guitar, etc, and was ready to record. I began recording one of the guitar tunes I had written a few days ago, whilst in the living room. I knew I was going to put the lyrics I had written entitled ‘Dot-com Bubble’ to it.
So I began by getting a beat. I wanted something dancey, so after a small search I found a very quick jungle-sounding beat. I then had to slow the beat down as it was a little too quick. I then found a good rock sound for the guitar, and recorded the main riff. It didn’t take too long, and sounded great. I then added bass, which consisted of using the echo machine pedal I have, which reversed the riff, and make it seem like there is an awkward beat in the song.
This was where I got up to. I had a basic song now. I did add a guitar solo; however it wasn’t very good, so I left it out. So later that night, I had more time to record. Good times, so I set everything up again.
I started messing around with ‘Dot-com Bubble’, editing the beat, adding duplicate guitars, etc. I got a little bored and so thought I’d add some vocals. I selected number 9 on my Zoom pedal, and recorded. I screamed where was required, and enjoyed doing so. The effect I used is a little to tinny for my liking, but the vocals I feel a good, so I will leave the vocals the way they are. The song is very raw. I didn’t finish editing the song until after I finished recording ‘The Lovers’. I edited ‘Dot-com Bubble’, which has turned it in a very quick paced rollercoaster of stops, starts and odd beats. Again it is very raw, and I like the sound this way.
Before editing the final version of ‘Dot-com Bubble’, I began work on ‘The Lovers’. I have had the idea in my head for a little while now, to record it on acoustic with violin. So I set up with acoustic, recorded it. Sounding great. Then I added vocals, which worked out really well. I added violins and piano, but didn’t feel like they fit, so left them out. Trying to record the piano piece took numerous attempts. It was incredibly frustrating. I then after a while added a basic drum and basic bass riff. This made such a different to the song, giving it a very deep quality. So once I had this: guitar, singing, drums and bass, I felt it needed one more thing. So I added the violin back in, cut half of it out, and I think the finished song sounds fantastic, and is perfect for the ‘Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey’ collection of songs. This song was originally written back last year (See previous posts) and I’m very happy to have finally finished it. I’m also delighted with ‘Dot-com Bubble’ which will fit well with the collection of ‘Anonymous’ songs I now have.
I will try and get these songs up on youtube as soon as I can,
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
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