Even with many new personal changes in my life recently including the birth of my gorgeous son, I have been surprised to find time to record 'The Orange Line'. I had visions the project ending much like 'Under the Pyramids', whereby I ran out of time to complete the project, hence it became an E.P. 'The Orange Line was sitting at 5 songs only a few weeks ago. Due to sleepless nights etc since then, I have found the opportunity to record; and record I have. I have worked out 7 of the old songs from the Cassette Tapes from 1999-2002, which I have found tricky. These are song that I haven't played in a decade. I have struggled with a couple and in all honestly I don't think I will be able to work them out. The 7 I have worked out however are great songs - in my opinion, which have a new lease of life. Here is the album as it stands at the moment, track by track:
1. Unidentified Flying Object - Opening track, with long intro and strings. This song has input from my friend and musician Stuart Carroll who provided the strings. It has had a few compliments on the track already now, and is a strong opener. The track still required a lot of work.
2. A Stage with your own Fears - An old old song, it first half is a dark plucked tune. The original was only ever one acoustic. I re-learned the song, and have since put bass, and two sets of lead to it. It is a nice, quiet come down from U.F.O before it. The song, like all on the album at the moment still require a lot of work.
3. Roadtrippin' - An old song I use to really enjoy playing. I had pretty much remember this song even from all those years ago. It is simple but quite distinctive. In 2011 in a rehearsal studio preparing for a gig, I played the song. I then wrote a brand new song for 'Under the Pyramids' using the riff but slowed down; however the track didn't make it on the E.P. I recently recorded it as it was back then. I have added bass, and numerous pieces of lead - both distorted and clean. It is definitely one of the more upbeat tracks on the album. Can't wait to have this track complete.
4. Nostalgic - Another really old track. I found this song to be the most difficult to work out again of all the tracks. I really like the structure of the song. It is unusual, not your standard song. I recorded the main riff, then some lead and some bass. I have used the original cassette tape intro of me saying 'This is the Heads of State....with....Nostalgic...'.
5. Survived Unpromised Souls - The version on this album was originally recorded for Opus. 1. I thought I had included it on Opus. 1, but would have preferred to have used it on this album. Turns out I had not used it, so I have put the track on this album. I am unsure whether to add a couple of instruments, or to leave it as a purely acoustic track.
6. You Never Said Anything - Recorded previously, I am happy with this upbeat, pacing track. This song is mainly complete with bass, numerous lead and vocals. It may need another set of vocals and definitely needs drums. This track definitely helped set the tone or the rest of the album.
7. Living on the Edge - Dark and slow, this track was originally recorded in 2010 and was not used. I have used the original, added an electric built up intro of a new version I had been working on, and added numerous vocals and lead. It is definitely a song I wanted to put on the album.
8. Plasticland - Possibly one of the most upbeat songs I've ever written. I used to enjoy playing this song with Stuart Carroll years ago. I really wanted to work this song out, and it was a bit of a struggle. I have recorded a simple clean guitar riff and lead that Stuart wrote in the original version. I do not know what to do with track at the moment and is the track causing the biggest dilemma on the album. It has to be on it; but it has to be perfect.
9. Superhero - Possibly one the best songs I have ever written. I have made numerous versions of this song over the years and none of them have stuck. I have this electric version which is possibly one of the best versions I've recorded to date; however it definitely needs an acoustic in it. I am also still considering clarinet or maybe another wind instrument if someone is able to collab with me to do so. The song consists of rhythm, lead and vocals. The lead is the original lead written by Stuart Carroll.
10. Beware: Beckon Angels - A classic for us when we we're younger and in the band 'the Heads of State'. We played this song endlessly and had all part written for it. I found this song difficult to work out too. Finally got there, and have added bass, distorted rhythm and lead to it. The recording isn't as perfect as some of the others, so at the present time it needs a lot of producing and editing. So happy to have this track recorded though, the album wouldn't be the same with it.
11. A Story of a Wall - The first track to be nearly finished in its entirety. It has guitar effects, drums, rhythm, lead guitars and vocals. It also now has the original introduction from the cassette tapes saying "...this is called...A Story of a Wall". This song has received good feedback from other musicians on soundcloud, including Carmine who is currently working on a remix of the extended version of the song. This album version is shorter and editing differently from the version on Soundcloud.
12. All the Time - This was the first song I worked on for the album, and I have decided to use it as the outro to the album. The original version I began recording earlier in 2012 just was not sounding the way I was wanting. So recently I set to work on a new version. Got the tones correct inth rhythm guitar, added to sets of clean lead, and added a distorted rhythm build up with distorted lead. This track is so powerful at the moment, and I would like to add strings and maybe drums. It will sound fantastic with vocals in it, and it is the perfect end to The Orange Line journey.
I am very happy with the album at the moment. If I get time to record more songs and can work them out, then I will most definitely put them in the album too. I am content with this album as a 12 track piece. I would not have been content with anything less. Most songs on the album require vocals, which I will put in later at some point. Some songs could use improvements on the guitaring which I may do, and pretty much all of them need edited and produced to a better standard.
Many musicians etc state that before they release a new music album, it is the best work they have ever made. I do not believe that this is the best album I have ever recorded or made; I believe though that this piece defines me more than the rest. It is a true reflection of me musically and where I have come from. This album means a lot to me, and has been important to record. I have had a good amount of support from other musicians, particularly Stuart Carroll who recorded many of the original versions of the songs with me. I am very thankful to all these people. These factors have pushed me into recording possibly my last, and best, piece of work. Only time, motivation and the means will dictate what I do musically in the future. If I don't do anything else, I can feel settled knowing I made this album. In many ways I feel this album should have been the very first piece I ever released.
I doubt I will be finished this year by the end of 2012. I intend to get as many songs as perfect as I possibly can. I also intend to get numerous instruments I cannot play on the album, and so this will take time getting people willing to collab. So this is where I am with this album. I'm very excited about it.
Watch this space,
Wullae
http://wullaewright.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/wullaewright
Friday 31 August 2012
Thursday 16 August 2012
Killer Clowns in Transit Vans - E.P Idea
A memory came back to me a few weeks ago. It was quite a dark, disturbing one and I questioned whether it was an accurate memory or just something I had maybe thought up by mistake. It was a memory from when I was about 5 or 6 years old. It was about a bridge I use to go under sometimes when I would be visiting people in the nearby areas at the time. It was an old stone train bridge and I remember thinking about how I thought someone dressed as a killer clown waiting in a van was there. I thought about this and remember how I thought that the clown was there to take children. I use to worry about walking under that bridge. I questioned whether this had actually happened to me, or if I were just making this up. I enquired on facebook whether anyone remember anything about a killer clown in a van.
I got a couple of replies from people who said that this apparently did happen. Schools at the time we telling kids to walk straight home, and not to go near blue Transit vans. Letters were issued to parents etc. One story on the internet goes that the Killer Clown was a psychiatric patient who escaped from Carstairs Hospital, South Lanarkshire, and drove around in a blue Transit van. He would offer kids sweets in playgrounds and if they declined, he would give them a Chelsea grin - cutting the face with a knife from ear to ear across their mouths. Apparently another version of the story goes that there were a few of these clowns, and they were known as the 'Chelsea Clowns'. This whole idea and story still fascinates me to this day. Was it real? If so, where are these guys now? It made me think about Childhood fears and phobias. I am now going to possibly make an E.P along this idea. It is personal to me, and maybe many people can relate to this too.
I have made this artwork for it, and intend to purely make songs from cut ups of old songs I have not used.
I got a couple of replies from people who said that this apparently did happen. Schools at the time we telling kids to walk straight home, and not to go near blue Transit vans. Letters were issued to parents etc. One story on the internet goes that the Killer Clown was a psychiatric patient who escaped from Carstairs Hospital, South Lanarkshire, and drove around in a blue Transit van. He would offer kids sweets in playgrounds and if they declined, he would give them a Chelsea grin - cutting the face with a knife from ear to ear across their mouths. Apparently another version of the story goes that there were a few of these clowns, and they were known as the 'Chelsea Clowns'. This whole idea and story still fascinates me to this day. Was it real? If so, where are these guys now? It made me think about Childhood fears and phobias. I am now going to possibly make an E.P along this idea. It is personal to me, and maybe many people can relate to this too.
I have made this artwork for it, and intend to purely make songs from cut ups of old songs I have not used.
Watch this space,
Wullae
The Orange Line: Update and Collaborations
The blog posts are few this year I know. This year has been no ordinary year for me. I have had to deal with numerous big personal life changes. All experiences I will no doubt write songs about in the future. For the time being, I have 'The Orange Line'. The progress has been leisurely, but moving at least. Here is a summary of what contributions and work has been made on the music project so far:
Unidentified Flying Object - When the last blog was written, U.F.O was sounding excellent. A standard Indie-style song, with numerous guitar riffs, consisting of different sections not a standardised Intro-verse-chorus-verse-solo-chorus-outro style set up. Since then I have made the most progress on this track. U.F.O is looking to be the benchmark to which all the other songs will need to live up to. My good friend and musician Stuart Carroll (http://soundcloud.com/stuartcarrollmusic1) had recently recorded some new songs himself, which were sounding excellent. The string arrangements were particularly good, and so I asked if he could provide me with strings for the song. He agreed, and kindly sent me a few sets. I arranged these with the song, and edited it all. The intro in particular sounds absolutely fantastic. This song will most definitely be the introductory song to the album when it is complete. It is just the perfect introduction. I myself have not had any time to record anything new on the track. I would like to put some new vocals, and layers of different vocals on the track, but I am not finding time to do so. I have also had a compliment on the song from a drummer Pat Elsley - who I will tell you more about later, saying that "just listening to 'u.f.o'. Love that intro!". I am extremely pleased with this song so far. I want to make it epic.
Superhero - I have the basic tune sitting, with just two guitars and a set of vocals. I would like to try and record a better set of vocals, but the conditions here are just not right to record them as the song is a very shouty one. I initially thought that Superhero could use some strings too, much like U.F.O, so again Stuart kindly sent me strings for this song; however after editing etc. it was just not working. So I thought about what might suit the song. It is very simple and I would like it to stay much that way, just simple and not a lot in it. I began to think a clarinet would sound nice in it. I contacted a Scottish Clarinet Quartet via soundcloud and asked if any of the members would be willing to contribute clarinet to the song. I have as yet not received an answer.
Plasticland - I had a small window of opportunity one day and relearned an old song, I regard as an old classic. I always thought it was quite a good song at the time I wrote it back in 1999-2000 time. So I learned this, and recorded a very basic simple electric version. I added three guitar riffs in the song and have left it at that at the moment. I have no idea what to do with it yet, but I will have some ideas no doubt.
Generally there have been a few musical developments alongside and outside of 'The Orange Line'. In relation to Mr Pat Elsley, this man followed me on Twitter. Seeing that he was a session drummer, I thought I'd take the risk of asking him if he would like to add some studio recorded drums to my songs. Surprisingly he got back to me quite interested. I was absolutely delighted, as I have never actually had any studio drums before in my music projects. Since then, Pat Elsley has listened to the songs I'd like drums for and said he will try and find time and see what he can do. This is very exciting for me.
I have also had another music collab possibly happening in the near future, with a Miss Simman Raphael Lerew. She is a singer/songwriter and is keen on doing some collaborative work with me. I likewise am extremely keen on doing a project on some music with her as her music is excellent. I would be very keen on having some female vocals on my work for the first time, possibly in some of 'The Orange Line' songs. We have discussed the idea of a collaboration only briefly, but both agree to the idea. This could be a very exciting venture.
On a sad note, and due to personal circumstances, I will be selling my much loved Danelectro DC-59. I have written so many songs on that guitar, having it from 2002. I will not then be able to record any guitar songs for the foreseeable once it is sold as my electro-acoustic and keyboard are still through in Glasgow at a family member's home. I will get them back eventually and begin recording the rest of 'The Orange Line'; however the rest of it will all be acoustic, and any more guitar songs in the future I record will be acoustic. I do not mind this fact too much as I am getting older and I think the acoustic would suit better anyway. I do love my Danelectro and it will be sad to part with it once it is sold.
That is all for now then. I am networking more and more with other musicians, which is making my music and my musical possibilities very exciting indeed. I have Carmine working on remixes of my music; have a friend contributing strings to my songs; a drummer willing to collab to add drums to my songs; and the likely collab with a female vocalist and musician. Things have been very interesting and I hope it keeps working out this way
Watch this space,
Wullae
http://wullaewright.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/wullaewright
http://www.twitter.com/wullaewright
Unidentified Flying Object - When the last blog was written, U.F.O was sounding excellent. A standard Indie-style song, with numerous guitar riffs, consisting of different sections not a standardised Intro-verse-chorus-verse-solo-chorus-outro style set up. Since then I have made the most progress on this track. U.F.O is looking to be the benchmark to which all the other songs will need to live up to. My good friend and musician Stuart Carroll (http://soundcloud.com/stuartcarrollmusic1) had recently recorded some new songs himself, which were sounding excellent. The string arrangements were particularly good, and so I asked if he could provide me with strings for the song. He agreed, and kindly sent me a few sets. I arranged these with the song, and edited it all. The intro in particular sounds absolutely fantastic. This song will most definitely be the introductory song to the album when it is complete. It is just the perfect introduction. I myself have not had any time to record anything new on the track. I would like to put some new vocals, and layers of different vocals on the track, but I am not finding time to do so. I have also had a compliment on the song from a drummer Pat Elsley - who I will tell you more about later, saying that "just listening to 'u.f.o'. Love that intro!". I am extremely pleased with this song so far. I want to make it epic.
Superhero - I have the basic tune sitting, with just two guitars and a set of vocals. I would like to try and record a better set of vocals, but the conditions here are just not right to record them as the song is a very shouty one. I initially thought that Superhero could use some strings too, much like U.F.O, so again Stuart kindly sent me strings for this song; however after editing etc. it was just not working. So I thought about what might suit the song. It is very simple and I would like it to stay much that way, just simple and not a lot in it. I began to think a clarinet would sound nice in it. I contacted a Scottish Clarinet Quartet via soundcloud and asked if any of the members would be willing to contribute clarinet to the song. I have as yet not received an answer.
Plasticland - I had a small window of opportunity one day and relearned an old song, I regard as an old classic. I always thought it was quite a good song at the time I wrote it back in 1999-2000 time. So I learned this, and recorded a very basic simple electric version. I added three guitar riffs in the song and have left it at that at the moment. I have no idea what to do with it yet, but I will have some ideas no doubt.
Generally there have been a few musical developments alongside and outside of 'The Orange Line'. In relation to Mr Pat Elsley, this man followed me on Twitter. Seeing that he was a session drummer, I thought I'd take the risk of asking him if he would like to add some studio recorded drums to my songs. Surprisingly he got back to me quite interested. I was absolutely delighted, as I have never actually had any studio drums before in my music projects. Since then, Pat Elsley has listened to the songs I'd like drums for and said he will try and find time and see what he can do. This is very exciting for me.
I have also had another music collab possibly happening in the near future, with a Miss Simman Raphael Lerew. She is a singer/songwriter and is keen on doing some collaborative work with me. I likewise am extremely keen on doing a project on some music with her as her music is excellent. I would be very keen on having some female vocals on my work for the first time, possibly in some of 'The Orange Line' songs. We have discussed the idea of a collaboration only briefly, but both agree to the idea. This could be a very exciting venture.
On a sad note, and due to personal circumstances, I will be selling my much loved Danelectro DC-59. I have written so many songs on that guitar, having it from 2002. I will not then be able to record any guitar songs for the foreseeable once it is sold as my electro-acoustic and keyboard are still through in Glasgow at a family member's home. I will get them back eventually and begin recording the rest of 'The Orange Line'; however the rest of it will all be acoustic, and any more guitar songs in the future I record will be acoustic. I do not mind this fact too much as I am getting older and I think the acoustic would suit better anyway. I do love my Danelectro and it will be sad to part with it once it is sold.
That is all for now then. I am networking more and more with other musicians, which is making my music and my musical possibilities very exciting indeed. I have Carmine working on remixes of my music; have a friend contributing strings to my songs; a drummer willing to collab to add drums to my songs; and the likely collab with a female vocalist and musician. Things have been very interesting and I hope it keeps working out this way
Watch this space,
Wullae
http://wullaewright.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/wullaewright
http://www.twitter.com/wullaewright
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