This week I picked the infamous “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor, because, you know, I play it so much better than he does!  lol  Or not.  Anyway, we have the same initials … that works right?

Ok so I learned this song long ago … probably one of the first more complex guitar songs I learned, back in my finger picking phase.  Then I was playing live one night, and someone requested a James Taylor song, and this is the only one I recalled.  I got a lot of compliments on it, so I thought I would try it here.

I think it’s a fair version … there are a few mistakes/weak spots, but I’m not gonna tell you where if they’re not blatantly obvious (which they are!)  And … I think I’m going to stick to my new way of recording, even though it does kind of make the videos seem lip sync’d.

So let me know what you think!

Direct link to podcast video on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elNQjXWlwzw

This week’s song pulls from way back in my musical history.  I remember going to see Mel McDaniel at the Frederick County (Virginia) Fair sometime in the mid 1980s (I couldn’t have been much older than 6 or 7).  I absolutely LOVED his music, and that was the first concert I remember going to (And I still remember being there!).

Anyway, “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” is the song I picked for this week because it really was a brand new song about then.  I worried it would be a little outside my style, but it actually worked really well!  I rockified it a little, but I think the original soul of the song still rings out.

Oddly enough, as simple as this song as, and as well as I should know it (after all I’ve known the song for 25+ years), it took me so many takes to get it right.  Even once I finally thought I was finished, I listened back, and it just wasn’t good enough.  So, I went back to my studio, sat down and in one single take, I got this version which is almost perfect.  (Brownie points to anyone who can point out the missed chord that still made it into the recording!  )

Also, I find it very appropriate to mention that I requested earlier in the week for suggestions for this week’s podcast, and it was my mom that reminded me about those good ole days, and her suggestion was perfect.  It brought back a lot of memories for me, and renewed my appreciation for this music.  I think it’s no irony that this all happened only a few days before Mother’s Day, so for that reason, I dedicate this podcast to her.

Happy Mother’s Day!! 

Direct link to podcast video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKkPQ4lJZKg

This week’s podcast is the pseudo-countryish-rap ditty from my Two Sides Of The Same Soul album called “Hope (The Nightmare).”  It’s a catchy tune, but overall, quite simple.  The subject matter is sacrificing to get what you want even given that constant, nagging caveat that nothing is for certain.

You will also notice this is my first week back to the acoustic in a while.  It is a Yamaha APX-500 thin profile E/A cutaway, and I really like it.  You’ll also notice the audio quality sucks.  That is because I accidentally deleted the file from my voice recorder, so I had no choice (unless I rerecorded the whole thing).  I think it is still tolerable though.

Direct link to video on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAw_64UPvjQ

This week’s podcast is the awesome new song by Shaman’s Harvest called “Dragonfly.” I have to admit I really don’t understand the lyrics (it’s hard enough just to find a good transcription of the lyrics), but the song rocks hardcore.  I see it as either a dying person wavering on lucidity or a prediction of the end of the world.

At any rate, I’m noticing my podcasts become more and more challenging, so I find myself pressed for time to record them.  (I give myself about an hour or so on Wednesday evenings).  Anymore, this includes time to learn the song.  That being said, this week, I compromised and did my own arrangement, because, while I know the song pretty well, the faster parts take a little rehearsing to sing along with.

And wouldn’t you know it, I kept screwing up, take after take, and finally I got a pretty good one, and I left out the bridge!  D’oh!  Oh well … here it is.  There are more “so-so” parts than usual, but there are some of my finer musical moments too.  That’s why I decided not to risk another take (even without the bridge.)  Enjoy!

Direct link to podcast video on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go11eRUM-Q4

One of my  new favorite songs is “Odd One” by Sick Puppies, and I had to do it as a podcast.  I really didn’t get the time to rehearse it like I wanted to, but it turned out pretty well despite that!

This makes the third week now using my Ibanez MMM-1 baritone guitar (which I love!), and the second week doing video but using the Sony ICD-SX700 to record the audio.  The new format is here to stay (merging of the old style with actual video of me playing) if I can get the video mixing process down to where it doesn’t take me hours … (Using Cinelerra, and am still learning the nuances).

Direct link to podcast video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_6iGR7CjGk

This week’s podcast consists of 2 similar songs — “Alone,” from my Triad album (which is one of my favorite songs lyrically because it reads like a poem), and “Love Song,” a cover of the song by my friend Phil Taylor.

Direct link (Alone): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHL3MfPilXo
Direct link (Love Song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYK8KCRhKY4

This week’s podcast consists of the great “All Along The Watchtower” by Bob Dylan, immortalized by Jimi Hendrix, and “Pieces,” one of my favorite tracks from my Two Sides Of The Same Soul album.  I sing Watchtower with my band, so this is an acoustic take on it.

Direct link (All Along The Watchtower): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUVIhy7ds_s
Direct link (Pieces): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgT2mftVZ2Y

This week’s song is the ever-popular “Endless Rain” from my “Heaven” album.

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj5XqGVs8EQ

This week I chose to do “Careless Whisper” — a great song originally by George Michael that Seether was able to completely take to the next level.  I sing this with Town Crier, so it was a natural choice.

Direct Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvfnKyvzXNE

This week’s song is “Irrational” from my Two Sides Of The Same Soul album.  This is a pretty dramatically introspective song (go figure) with a general free form, and it’s one of my wife’s favorites. 

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHiUv2Ws6-w