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
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Turn on, Boot up, Jack in, and new lyrics
Since my last blog entry, I had't actually done much work on music itself. However, I have been writing quite a bit. I have also been working on purely beats and dubstep samples to create the basis for a song that sounds in the same area as 'In the Mix'. However, I will be adding guitar etc to it, which I didn't do to 'In the Mix'.
So anyway, lyrics. I have written 3 new sets, and I am happy with the way they have been written and with the subject matter. They are all about things I didn't know about before at all.
The first set I managed to finish is based around the topic of cyberpunks, and the effects the internet has had on them. To my understanding, in the 90s, cyberpunks were essentially hackers, and would hack into other PCs. However, since the internet became mainstream and secure, it became far more difficult for them to attack others. This generation has slowly dwindled in numbers - apparently, and there are few left. These cyberpunks were/are very left-wing, against the conservative elite and big corporations. So I wrote some lyrics centred around their cyberculture. The song itself is entitled 'Turn on, Boot up, Jack in' which is a quote by a cyberpunk, who originally used a similar term for art, but replaced the end with 'Jack in' in relation to PCs and hacking.
Turn on, Boot up, Jack in
Cyberpunks will graffiti your polluted firewall,
The protagonists of a different era,
Cyberart proclaiming the wired elite's downfall,
Out-of-date post-moderists
Cyberdelica is ruined by the corporations,
The problem people sustain it,
Cyberculture blocked the pc anarchist,
Clinging to the cult of the individualist,
Wriiten in April 2011
As I was writing this set of lyrics, I came across the term 'Dot-com Bubble' and thought it was a cool title. So I read into that, and before I had completed Turn on, Boot up, Jack in, I had finished a set of lyrics for 'Dot-com Bubble'. I am particularly pleased with these lyrics, as they are not only very factual but colourful, but also I'd say well written. This song is all about an ecomonic boom that was created by small web-based companies. It made trillions in a short period of time. However, it didn't last, and many of these companies became bankrupt, etc.
Dot-com Bubble
Stocks, and shares, and shit,
Footsie one hundred and the rest,
Economic prosper from it's popularity,
Peaks and soars, tip of the millennium iceberg,
Nasdaq, rubbed metaphorical hands with glee,
Mosaic, browse and boom, that easy,
You dot-com companies, you rose, you fell,
Growth over profits; a day in the sun, a life in a cell,
By 2000, the bubble burst, pop,
It popped you bad, bankruptcy and fraud,
Warring tycoons and CEOs melting down,
Liquidated and now buried in the ground,
Boohoo, badaboom to the boo.com
Alliteration and onomatopiac companies gone,
No more geocities, no funding for construction,
Goodbye and farewell.com
Written April 2011
I also had started a song, which had changed several times. I wanted to write about cyberbullying. It is a very troubling topic for the internet, and wanted to write about this from a very horrible story, to make the impact greater.
I found a story about a young girl called Megan, who befriended a young man named Josh on myspace. He was very nice to her and said he had just moved to the area. He made her feel wonderful, but then began to turn nasty, insulting her etc. It got to the point where one day, she couldn't take anymore and she hung herself in her closet. What makes this story worse is that the boy was a grown woman, who lived in the same area as the girl. The woman and her daughter didn't like this girl, and so wanted to bully her through a sockpuppet (or fake person on the internet). This woman, Lori Drew, was not imprisoned for this, and that sickens me. It is such a sad story, and I didn't know what angle to write it from. Here is the finished lyrics.
Sockpuppet
A sockpuppet persona,
Under a masquerade of lies,
Her despicable disgrace,
Behind a boy's eyes
The sockpuppet, an alias called josh,
Raised the girl's spirits with gentle words,
Flipped the coin, darkened her esteem,
A joke, a hoax, an online maim,
The victim was at an age
Where her life bloomed and blossomed,
The sockpuppet's evil game,
Left her motionless, wilting, hanging in a cupboard,
Her final words, are of the vulnerable
Strikes a chord, with even the toughest heart,
"You’re the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over."
The sockpuppet took her life, before it could start
I had the music sitting about that I thought 'Turn on, Boot up, Jack in' would suit. So a good bit after writing these lyrics, I got a day to record, and that's what I did. I had the beats sitting about, and wanted to put a good guitar riff to it, but none were working. I left one in, which slowly goes through each verse. Most of the song is made up of keyboard and paino riffs, used with my fx pedals. It has created a very dark, Thom Yorke/NIN/Aphex Twin sounding song. I then put singing to it, and due to environmental constraints and also just because I wanted to try it, I sang the song very quietly with some hugh pitched backing vocals. The singing is again, reminiscent of Thom Yorke. Finished the song, and it sounds great. I may also record a version with screaming singing and see if it sounds better. Turn on, Boot up, Jack in, Generation Z, Clean Slate Program, and cover version of Radiohead's 'Videotape' have all been put up on youtube.
More songs will, undoubtly, be worked on. That's 16 Anonymous songs. All good. Oh, also got a bandcamp page that I am adding to at the moment.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.wullaewright.bandcamp.com
So anyway, lyrics. I have written 3 new sets, and I am happy with the way they have been written and with the subject matter. They are all about things I didn't know about before at all.
The first set I managed to finish is based around the topic of cyberpunks, and the effects the internet has had on them. To my understanding, in the 90s, cyberpunks were essentially hackers, and would hack into other PCs. However, since the internet became mainstream and secure, it became far more difficult for them to attack others. This generation has slowly dwindled in numbers - apparently, and there are few left. These cyberpunks were/are very left-wing, against the conservative elite and big corporations. So I wrote some lyrics centred around their cyberculture. The song itself is entitled 'Turn on, Boot up, Jack in' which is a quote by a cyberpunk, who originally used a similar term for art, but replaced the end with 'Jack in' in relation to PCs and hacking.
Turn on, Boot up, Jack in
Cyberpunks will graffiti your polluted firewall,
The protagonists of a different era,
Cyberart proclaiming the wired elite's downfall,
Out-of-date post-moderists
Cyberdelica is ruined by the corporations,
The problem people sustain it,
Cyberculture blocked the pc anarchist,
Clinging to the cult of the individualist,
Wriiten in April 2011
As I was writing this set of lyrics, I came across the term 'Dot-com Bubble' and thought it was a cool title. So I read into that, and before I had completed Turn on, Boot up, Jack in, I had finished a set of lyrics for 'Dot-com Bubble'. I am particularly pleased with these lyrics, as they are not only very factual but colourful, but also I'd say well written. This song is all about an ecomonic boom that was created by small web-based companies. It made trillions in a short period of time. However, it didn't last, and many of these companies became bankrupt, etc.
Dot-com Bubble
Stocks, and shares, and shit,
Footsie one hundred and the rest,
Economic prosper from it's popularity,
Peaks and soars, tip of the millennium iceberg,
Nasdaq, rubbed metaphorical hands with glee,
Mosaic, browse and boom, that easy,
You dot-com companies, you rose, you fell,
Growth over profits; a day in the sun, a life in a cell,
By 2000, the bubble burst, pop,
It popped you bad, bankruptcy and fraud,
Warring tycoons and CEOs melting down,
Liquidated and now buried in the ground,
Boohoo, badaboom to the boo.com
Alliteration and onomatopiac companies gone,
No more geocities, no funding for construction,
Goodbye and farewell.com
Written April 2011
I also had started a song, which had changed several times. I wanted to write about cyberbullying. It is a very troubling topic for the internet, and wanted to write about this from a very horrible story, to make the impact greater.
I found a story about a young girl called Megan, who befriended a young man named Josh on myspace. He was very nice to her and said he had just moved to the area. He made her feel wonderful, but then began to turn nasty, insulting her etc. It got to the point where one day, she couldn't take anymore and she hung herself in her closet. What makes this story worse is that the boy was a grown woman, who lived in the same area as the girl. The woman and her daughter didn't like this girl, and so wanted to bully her through a sockpuppet (or fake person on the internet). This woman, Lori Drew, was not imprisoned for this, and that sickens me. It is such a sad story, and I didn't know what angle to write it from. Here is the finished lyrics.
Sockpuppet
A sockpuppet persona,
Under a masquerade of lies,
Her despicable disgrace,
Behind a boy's eyes
The sockpuppet, an alias called josh,
Raised the girl's spirits with gentle words,
Flipped the coin, darkened her esteem,
A joke, a hoax, an online maim,
The victim was at an age
Where her life bloomed and blossomed,
The sockpuppet's evil game,
Left her motionless, wilting, hanging in a cupboard,
Her final words, are of the vulnerable
Strikes a chord, with even the toughest heart,
"You’re the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over."
The sockpuppet took her life, before it could start
I had the music sitting about that I thought 'Turn on, Boot up, Jack in' would suit. So a good bit after writing these lyrics, I got a day to record, and that's what I did. I had the beats sitting about, and wanted to put a good guitar riff to it, but none were working. I left one in, which slowly goes through each verse. Most of the song is made up of keyboard and paino riffs, used with my fx pedals. It has created a very dark, Thom Yorke/NIN/Aphex Twin sounding song. I then put singing to it, and due to environmental constraints and also just because I wanted to try it, I sang the song very quietly with some hugh pitched backing vocals. The singing is again, reminiscent of Thom Yorke. Finished the song, and it sounds great. I may also record a version with screaming singing and see if it sounds better. Turn on, Boot up, Jack in, Generation Z, Clean Slate Program, and cover version of Radiohead's 'Videotape' have all been put up on youtube.
More songs will, undoubtly, be worked on. That's 16 Anonymous songs. All good. Oh, also got a bandcamp page that I am adding to at the moment.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.wullaewright.bandcamp.com
Saturday, 16 April 2011
16th of April 2011 - More Statistics
So, here are some statistics from varies Wullae Wright profiles, and some general information about Anonymous:
Soundcloud -
Between 11 of April - 17 of April, the most popular countries I have been listened to in are:
27% United States
20% United Kingdom
10% Canada
10% Turkey
5% Germany
Overall listens are 1438, downloads stand at 108, favourites are at 1, and comments 4 in total. The largest listens is with my Gnarls Barkley cover of 'Crazy' at 475. Interestingly and a nice surprise is that 'Building a Nest' downloads have increase by 100% due to three downloads on it this week! This delights me.
Youtube -
I have 4 subscribers at this moment in time (most my friends)' the channel has been viewed 255 times; I have a total of 24 videos at the moment, with my most viewed video being 'Operation Payback' at 140 viewings.
Myspace -
I have three pages, and the most interesting information from the pages are the profile views, which are:
Wullae Wright - 12238 profile views
After. The. Rush. Hour's. Gone - 472 profile views
Be Lucky - 461 profile views
Anonymous -
I have put Anonymous songs on soundcloud and youtube at the moment, but I have began to arrange them into an order for an album, which is subject to change as more songs are recorded. However, this is how the album will look:
1. Ctrl+Alt+Del
2. Klez the Conquerer
3. Plum_boy03
4. Troubleshooting
5. Don't Feed the Troll (Pt. 1)
6. Honey-trap
7. Sexploitation
8. Operation Payback
9. Generation Z
10. Hactivists (welcome to the Anonymous)
11. Don't Feed the Troll (Pt. 2)
12. Clean Slate Program
13. Slave Master
14. Video Nasty
15. The Search
There will be more songs added. At the moment I am very very happy with this as an album, and think it is one of the best pieces I have done to date.
Watch this space,
Wullae
Search: wullae wright
Soundcloud -
Between 11 of April - 17 of April, the most popular countries I have been listened to in are:
27% United States
20% United Kingdom
10% Canada
10% Turkey
5% Germany
Overall listens are 1438, downloads stand at 108, favourites are at 1, and comments 4 in total. The largest listens is with my Gnarls Barkley cover of 'Crazy' at 475. Interestingly and a nice surprise is that 'Building a Nest' downloads have increase by 100% due to three downloads on it this week! This delights me.
Youtube -
I have 4 subscribers at this moment in time (most my friends)' the channel has been viewed 255 times; I have a total of 24 videos at the moment, with my most viewed video being 'Operation Payback' at 140 viewings.
Myspace -
I have three pages, and the most interesting information from the pages are the profile views, which are:
Wullae Wright - 12238 profile views
After. The. Rush. Hour's. Gone - 472 profile views
Be Lucky - 461 profile views
Anonymous -
I have put Anonymous songs on soundcloud and youtube at the moment, but I have began to arrange them into an order for an album, which is subject to change as more songs are recorded. However, this is how the album will look:
1. Ctrl+Alt+Del
2. Klez the Conquerer
3. Plum_boy03
4. Troubleshooting
5. Don't Feed the Troll (Pt. 1)
6. Honey-trap
7. Sexploitation
8. Operation Payback
9. Generation Z
10. Hactivists (welcome to the Anonymous)
11. Don't Feed the Troll (Pt. 2)
12. Clean Slate Program
13. Slave Master
14. Video Nasty
15. The Search
There will be more songs added. At the moment I am very very happy with this as an album, and think it is one of the best pieces I have done to date.
Watch this space,
Wullae
Search: wullae wright
Troubleshooting, Generation Z and Clean Slate Program
...I have been busy, and for some reason nowhere near this blog. Many apologises for the huge gap. So what the hell have I been up to.
Well to begin with, I began a new version of Troubleshooting. I liked the original version I recorded, but didn't think it fit with the collection of 'Anonymous'. So I began work on a new version. I had an idea to cut up different beats, and put them as the main beat. So I did that, and added the tune to it. Sounded great. I added vocals, some bass, and two other guitars parts. The end result was a great wee recording.
So after doing all the editing etc to this, I put it up on youtube. A shot time after finishing Troubleshooting, I had the idea to record some video acoustic versions of the songs, and so set about this. I did acoustic versions of: sexploitation, Troubleshooting, The Search, Video Nasty, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Don't Feed the Troll (part 2), and Honey-trap. I have put a few of them up on youtube already. The Search acoustic got a couple of nice comments, which is nice. Even my wife liked it, and she normally refers to this type of music of mine as 'alien music'. I want to record all the songs this way, maybe even make piano versions of the original Anonymous collection. Who knows. Too many ideas, not enough time for them all.
So anyway, days later I was in the livingroom of the flat, playing the guitar and came up with a good riff. Very different from what I'd normally do. It sounded almost Radiohead-ish, from In Rainbows - which isn't much of a surprise considering for weeks I endlessly listened to the album from start to finish over and over again.so managed to come up with a verse and chorus riff, which I was particularluy happy with. Didn't know what lyrics to put to the song. So on the day of the recording that's when I used a set of lyrics I had started entitled 'Generation Z'. I only finished them after I had finished recording the entire track. I had a verse and chorus. Just needed a new verse, and I wrote it on the spot, in a few minutes. I actually quite like the lyrics to the song. It is about the generation between 1990-2000 who became a generation of internet users. There has been studies on kids etc from this time and the negative effects the internet has had on them.
Generation Z
If you were a 90s baby,
You were born to waste,
Friendships blossomed,
Through the digital age,
You digital natives,
Attention deficits,
Attention corruption,
Your computer babysitter,
You are Generation Z,
Unambitious deliquents,
Psychologists exam you,
Qwerty is the only language you understand,
Use your imagination, and go outside,
Speak to real people, not through your ipad,
So before these lyrics were finalised and incorporated into the final song, I had to record it. Started by trying to find a distorted tone that was quite dry, due to the starting and stopping of the riff. Took me quite a while to get this. With age my patience must have improved, because I used to get so frustrated it I couldn't get the correct sound I wanted. Now, with a little maturity, I will search with little irritation. Anyway, I digress. So managed to find one, and recorded it first time to a cool rock drum riff I had. Came up with lead on the spot - for the chorus, which is excellent I must say, and makes the song even better. I recorded another guitar, and bass which follows the main riff. The verse needed a different drum pattern as it didn't quite work very well with a constant beat due to the nature of the riff. So I cut up the drum beat, added a few noises too, and came up with a pretty cool beat for the riff. The song was sounding amazing. I then added a solo at the end, very simple, but sounds amazing. It was intentional to make an easy solo, as the chorus lead is a little complicated, as is the main riff. Another fast-paced, lead solo would have been too much. So the simple solo was much better to go for. Method in the maddness. I then added the vocals to the song, and I went for it, ignoring everyone and everything else. To be honest, I could have went for it more, but it still sounded great by the end. I have now been using fx no. 9 on my zoom pedal. Much better for vocals. Still have to edit out gaps between vocals as there can be hissing, but much better.
So then that leads me up to a closer time, as in, nearer to now than what I have previously written...I don't know why I have made this more complicated when it is fairly simple. Anyway. So days ago, I sat down to the computer again. I had a set of lyrics sitting I had actually forgotten about but had only recently written - I think I'm losing it btw. The lyrics are about a study going on in a University in America called 'Clean Slate Program', which is looking at the internet, and examining things like, what if they started the internet again, what could they improve; and what maistakes are there with the current internet, etc. So writing about this, but also using it as a metaphor for normal life with general mistakes people can make, I wrote 'Clean Slate Program'.
Clean Slate Program
Imagine if you could unplug the world,
Kill everything (it) off, and start again,
Re-write the word of gods, reboot the entire system,
If you could wipe, the slate clean,
Replace vulgar profanities, with humane pleasantries,
Imagine if you could remedy all your mistakes,
Eradicate imperfections, and wastegrounds,
If only, you could wipe that slate clean,
You started and nothing can stop you,
Can only hyopthetically wipe the slate clean,
Where will it go from here, it's direction?
It gets your attention, and sucks you in,
Where will you be in 15 years?
What technologies will you live with?
Where will the real and the virtual world meet?
And what which eventually, kill you?
Written in April 2011
When I sat down to record, I thought about an old riff I have, which is entitled 'Hymns of Democracy' - in my crazy Communist days. However I wanted to update it, and tried to do so in the 'In Cloud Cuckooland' days, however I could never ever get a good recording of it. But today, I would persever. So I did. And it turned out to be a great recording sessions. I even screamed my arse off when singing. Was fucking great. So anyway, I recorded the bass riff. After getting the right effect, it sounded amazing. Deep, bassy, just perfect. The old riff used to be a funky tune, with a wah wah guitar riff. So I considered it for 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey' at first, but then came up with a cool guitar riff for it, on the spot. That changed the sound and direction of the tune. I then added another guitar (rhythm based). Had got a good drum beat to put it to, I then added a weird vocal using my echo and zoom pedals, and then recorded the vocals to the lyrics. I did a couple of tries. The last one of great! Lovely screaming. Couple of out of key vocal notes in two lines, but nothing that would ruin the song. What really makes the song great for me is the editing, of the drums, and the way the instruments and their riffs are very loose around one another. It creates a simple, and quiet chaos, which I like. After listening to a song over and over again,you kind of gradually don't realise what it actually sounds like, if that makes sense. It like a painting, you have to go away and when you come back you see it in a totally different way. When I listen to 'Clean Slate Program' on my ipod later, it sounded unbelievably good. It is one of the best recordings I've done in a long time.
And that's that. Up to date and having good times recording. More, will definitely happen, most definitely.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
Well to begin with, I began a new version of Troubleshooting. I liked the original version I recorded, but didn't think it fit with the collection of 'Anonymous'. So I began work on a new version. I had an idea to cut up different beats, and put them as the main beat. So I did that, and added the tune to it. Sounded great. I added vocals, some bass, and two other guitars parts. The end result was a great wee recording.
So after doing all the editing etc to this, I put it up on youtube. A shot time after finishing Troubleshooting, I had the idea to record some video acoustic versions of the songs, and so set about this. I did acoustic versions of: sexploitation, Troubleshooting, The Search, Video Nasty, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Don't Feed the Troll (part 2), and Honey-trap. I have put a few of them up on youtube already. The Search acoustic got a couple of nice comments, which is nice. Even my wife liked it, and she normally refers to this type of music of mine as 'alien music'. I want to record all the songs this way, maybe even make piano versions of the original Anonymous collection. Who knows. Too many ideas, not enough time for them all.
So anyway, days later I was in the livingroom of the flat, playing the guitar and came up with a good riff. Very different from what I'd normally do. It sounded almost Radiohead-ish, from In Rainbows - which isn't much of a surprise considering for weeks I endlessly listened to the album from start to finish over and over again.so managed to come up with a verse and chorus riff, which I was particularluy happy with. Didn't know what lyrics to put to the song. So on the day of the recording that's when I used a set of lyrics I had started entitled 'Generation Z'. I only finished them after I had finished recording the entire track. I had a verse and chorus. Just needed a new verse, and I wrote it on the spot, in a few minutes. I actually quite like the lyrics to the song. It is about the generation between 1990-2000 who became a generation of internet users. There has been studies on kids etc from this time and the negative effects the internet has had on them.
Generation Z
If you were a 90s baby,
You were born to waste,
Friendships blossomed,
Through the digital age,
You digital natives,
Attention deficits,
Attention corruption,
Your computer babysitter,
You are Generation Z,
Unambitious deliquents,
Psychologists exam you,
Qwerty is the only language you understand,
Use your imagination, and go outside,
Speak to real people, not through your ipad,
So before these lyrics were finalised and incorporated into the final song, I had to record it. Started by trying to find a distorted tone that was quite dry, due to the starting and stopping of the riff. Took me quite a while to get this. With age my patience must have improved, because I used to get so frustrated it I couldn't get the correct sound I wanted. Now, with a little maturity, I will search with little irritation. Anyway, I digress. So managed to find one, and recorded it first time to a cool rock drum riff I had. Came up with lead on the spot - for the chorus, which is excellent I must say, and makes the song even better. I recorded another guitar, and bass which follows the main riff. The verse needed a different drum pattern as it didn't quite work very well with a constant beat due to the nature of the riff. So I cut up the drum beat, added a few noises too, and came up with a pretty cool beat for the riff. The song was sounding amazing. I then added a solo at the end, very simple, but sounds amazing. It was intentional to make an easy solo, as the chorus lead is a little complicated, as is the main riff. Another fast-paced, lead solo would have been too much. So the simple solo was much better to go for. Method in the maddness. I then added the vocals to the song, and I went for it, ignoring everyone and everything else. To be honest, I could have went for it more, but it still sounded great by the end. I have now been using fx no. 9 on my zoom pedal. Much better for vocals. Still have to edit out gaps between vocals as there can be hissing, but much better.
So then that leads me up to a closer time, as in, nearer to now than what I have previously written...I don't know why I have made this more complicated when it is fairly simple. Anyway. So days ago, I sat down to the computer again. I had a set of lyrics sitting I had actually forgotten about but had only recently written - I think I'm losing it btw. The lyrics are about a study going on in a University in America called 'Clean Slate Program', which is looking at the internet, and examining things like, what if they started the internet again, what could they improve; and what maistakes are there with the current internet, etc. So writing about this, but also using it as a metaphor for normal life with general mistakes people can make, I wrote 'Clean Slate Program'.
Clean Slate Program
Imagine if you could unplug the world,
Kill everything (it) off, and start again,
Re-write the word of gods, reboot the entire system,
If you could wipe, the slate clean,
Replace vulgar profanities, with humane pleasantries,
Imagine if you could remedy all your mistakes,
Eradicate imperfections, and wastegrounds,
If only, you could wipe that slate clean,
You started and nothing can stop you,
Can only hyopthetically wipe the slate clean,
Where will it go from here, it's direction?
It gets your attention, and sucks you in,
Where will you be in 15 years?
What technologies will you live with?
Where will the real and the virtual world meet?
And what which eventually, kill you?
Written in April 2011
When I sat down to record, I thought about an old riff I have, which is entitled 'Hymns of Democracy' - in my crazy Communist days. However I wanted to update it, and tried to do so in the 'In Cloud Cuckooland' days, however I could never ever get a good recording of it. But today, I would persever. So I did. And it turned out to be a great recording sessions. I even screamed my arse off when singing. Was fucking great. So anyway, I recorded the bass riff. After getting the right effect, it sounded amazing. Deep, bassy, just perfect. The old riff used to be a funky tune, with a wah wah guitar riff. So I considered it for 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey' at first, but then came up with a cool guitar riff for it, on the spot. That changed the sound and direction of the tune. I then added another guitar (rhythm based). Had got a good drum beat to put it to, I then added a weird vocal using my echo and zoom pedals, and then recorded the vocals to the lyrics. I did a couple of tries. The last one of great! Lovely screaming. Couple of out of key vocal notes in two lines, but nothing that would ruin the song. What really makes the song great for me is the editing, of the drums, and the way the instruments and their riffs are very loose around one another. It creates a simple, and quiet chaos, which I like. After listening to a song over and over again,you kind of gradually don't realise what it actually sounds like, if that makes sense. It like a painting, you have to go away and when you come back you see it in a totally different way. When I listen to 'Clean Slate Program' on my ipod later, it sounded unbelievably good. It is one of the best recordings I've done in a long time.
And that's that. Up to date and having good times recording. More, will definitely happen, most definitely.
Watch this space,
Wullae
www.youtube.com/wullaewrightmusic
www.soundcloud.com/wullaewright
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