Mind your dreams

It’s 2 am January 2^nd and I am wide awake but not for lack of trying to sleep. I turned the lights out at a little after midnight, after a long and productive day recording a new song but I guess, in my musicmaking enthusiasm, I drank too much coffee. It was good French roast but I probably could have done without it, since I usually don’t lack enthusiasm or concentration when it comes to recording and arranging.

This was my New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day: Friday afternoon, 5 pm, I fired up the Mac and added drums to a recording I did earlier this year which suffered for lack of real drums. It’s a Beatlesque number called “We Won” and I’d originally recorded it mostly at my desk at home (I did the vocals in my car). I supplied the rhythm with my foot, tapping on the floor (for the bass drum) and smacking a phone book with a real drum stick (for the snare drum). Through the miracle of Apple’s Garageband program, I was able to make a very convincing drum performance for it, also while sitting at my desk, pecking at my computer keyboard. Time spent: three hours. You can hear the new and improved “We Won” here.

Then I launched into creating the sections for a new song called “Eye on the Mountain,” and worked on the guitars, bass guitar and drum parts for that until about 1:30 am New Year’s Day.

I spent a total of nine hours at the computer. When I finally stood up to stretch, my back and shoulders crackled like brown leaves underfoot.

I called my mother just before midnight to wish her a happy new year and I called my brother about a quarter after to do the same. (I talked to my dad earlier in the day.)

On Saturday morning I awoke an hour before the generous 10:30 alarm I’d set and got right to work, but not before taking a shave and trimming the sideburns (it’s New Year’s Day, afterall). I got the entire track done, except for vocals, by 9 pm. So, I spent almost another nine hours or so.

Despite being a musicmaking maniac, I knew I had to get out of the house and look at something other than the screen (the oh, so lovely screen) of an i-Mac. It was not a moment too soon. Had I left much later, I’d have missed one of the most beautiful, spectacular skies I have seen in years: a tender blue ceiling with windblow clouds in pleasing, random patterns stretching across the horizon. I found myself smiling and wishing I’d had a camera (not for me—I still recall the moment—I wanted to show it to you.) It was a sky tailor made for a new year’s day.

Sure, it’s a bit of a lonesome way to spend this time of year but it’ll be worth it when I have a beautiful finished product to share with you (it’s gonna pin yer ears back, lemme tell ya…).

I had my wacky social times on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, going with a friend to see a movie (the Coen Brothers’ True Grit—excellent) on the former and then doing a guitar-vocal solo gig performing Christmas carols, oldies and classic rock at a large church Christmas dinner on the latter. During the dinner, I got a request for the Eagles’ “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” (a song I don’t think I’d actually ever performed before) and pretty much nailed it from memory.

Oh, and don’t let’s forget that rain we had…

I hope your Christmas and New Year’s brought you much pleasure and good memories and even a big fat Christmas bonus.

Mind your dreams and make ‘em come true in the new year.

Sincerely,

Steve

http://www.stevennealwagner.com/

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