That's right. If you're a musician and you have some recordings to share, put 'em here.

Here's something I just finished tonight, which is actually a collaboration with a couple of guys from another forum.

Some work I created under less than ideal recording situations. I'm going for mood pieces, mostly (I'm usually aiming to make motion picture scores to accompany my screenplay concepts):


http://www.myspace.com/philspires

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phil-Spires/26127476930?ref=ts


My band, Horror Flix (which has MUCH better recording, with me at guitar):


http://www.myspace.com/horrorflix

http://www.kompoz.com/compose-collaborate/home.project?projectId=11018 ('Grim Rapper' demo)

http://www.kompoz.com/compose-collaborate/home.project?projectId=11121 ('Mourning Wood' demo)

Great idea for a topic. Two things, I checked all of the links provided for both of you and a couple are broken. Well the links aren't broken but the audio files are missing from the links.

I'll be putting stuff up here shortly I think the only thing I have is an old recording of my 16 year old pop punk band though but anyway....

Also are we cool to critique each other's stuff? I don't want to step on anyones toes or anything like that....

I don't mind accepting, or offering, critiques on work as long as the parameters of decency are maintained on both sides. In my opinion, personal attacks and debasements shouldn't exist here, as this is highly personal in alot of ways for the people who provide the music. Which is not to say I'll delete/edit dissenting posts. But I won't be nice about it (radical idea, right?).

I can take constructive criticism. Anything that falls below that standard will be called out for what it is.

Two new songs up! And they are even upbeat. Funny what a little steady sex and complete happiness can do for a guy, right (excepting the funeral...)?


The songs are at the link posted below. They are called 'Fortuitous' and 'Upheaval', with the former having been recorded just the previous day. Feedback would be extremely appreciated, and thank you for listening:



http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phil-Spir ... 930?ref=ts

Hey, guys. My band is enrolled in a contest to open for Kiss when they come to Detroit. We're basically whoring around, trying to accumulate as many votes as we can.

If anyone wants to help us out, go to this link. Click on the yellow button that says DEMAND IT, which is off to the right side of the page.

The band currently in the lead has only 1,000-some votes, so this should be a simple matter.

P.S. We also have a new official site, with a bunch of our tunes on it.

Not sure if this worked or not. Whenever I clicked "Demand It" it took me to a another page where I had to enter my address.

The site is kind of clunky. I think it worked for me (yes, I voted for my own band, and I'm not ashamed), and I just skipped the part where I had to put in an address.

Seriously, Gene Simmons is supposed to be some kind of a marketing genius. Why is Kiss involved with such a shitty website?

Just on the quick-and-quick, I enjoy your music, Ken. It is quite good. However, that is also an entirely subjective, unprovable viewpoint.


I just added two new songs - 'Shitty Eyes', about a douchebag I've known since the mid 2000's, and 'Happy Birthday', written in respect for a quite awesome person (and recorded with my best equipment yet).


The link is the same (--> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phil-Spires/26127476930?ref=ts <--)

Are they the same person? Because that would be awesome.

Here's a blast from my musical past: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDmTy995NB0

A history in videos:


'Garbage Man' (released 2006)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgzyj4iYV4Q


- A dramatically powerful piece of work



'Cunt-Bag' (released two weeks ago):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8tYL-P72Pw

http://www.purevolume.com/thesweedishpickles


New song - 'Sad Eyes', spelled here as 'Sad Eyez'. It is some solid stuff, definitely very old school. It's about the single best, crazy-amazing woman I've ever seen or heard of.


Guitar work and vocals by me, drums are by my best friend Bri-zorz.

For any and all forum posters who wish me sane over the next few days, get me some feedback on these babies? I posted two new works, one of which ('Through The Fire') is actually a favor to a friend for an upcoming indie film about the history of the US and some of the country's greatest military victories. The other, 'Sarah', is a bitter indictment of a girl destroyed by her father's cold, manipulative grasp.


The link is right here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phil-Spires/26127476930

Through the fire: Neat chord progression. Not sure what it'll be doing in the film, but I like it. Went on a bit long, but that may be me just being bored easily.

Sarah: A bit bare for my taste, but it's pleasant. Nice voice, though it feels like it goes a bit thin at times.

Wait a second I don't want you sane.

@Ken

I listened to the first three tracks from Guano Loco. In musical spirit, it actually reminds me of one or two bands from the late 60s, early 70s — sorry that I don't seriously keep up with the modern scene any more. Your drummer certainly has a controlled but fierce style, but I think there are times when he's just a little too busy. Nevertheless the overall effect is interesting. The initial ideas are good and, to my sensibilities, there merely needs a little more development of the underlying melodic lines to become really good. I wish you well.

Ken,
Since this is your thread I'll start with a comment on your band. Just listened for the first time more carefully to your Guano Loco album.
Even though I am a professional musician, spanning different styles and since times demand it I am one of these keyboarders-composers-arrangers-MIDI-programmers-producers-client-breathing-down-my-neck-run-after-the-paycheck guys (=not totally without any knowledge of the subject matter) my opinion will always be just an opinion. Yes a lot in music is subective. We all agree on that.

First of all: very, very good! Great energy, great ideas - and the power does not come from an "anti-pretty-music-no-matter-what" attitude, but from clever change of motifs, grooves and riffs.
Here comes something which you most likely know already: the whole thing needs some polishing. I don't talk about "keep it simple"! Don't! I don't keep my music simple either, and simplicity is not necessarily a sign of maturity. Your drummer has a killer sound including snare and toms (the hardest to get right)! So you have the most difficult part covered!
Just: if you guys all agree that the drummer gets busy at times (Hihat patterns!), he needs to play them like clockwork - almost there, but not quite! Timekeeping in general is also an issue, but of course your stakes are high - you don't just usually set for a steady groove and stick with it. Too many bands do that (that's why I listen to so many wacky 70s bands still, because that tamed and generic modern rock usually bores the shit out of me). I guess you don't go for a nice radio friendly mainstream sound anyway
One idea (If you think: Naaaah, please!, I'll be fine, just an idea): try asking the drummer to go a little easier on the hihats when he wants fast subdivision and try some fast double kick drums instead. No "metal" machinegunning, that's not what I'm talking about. But a nice and unexpected killer double kick drum hit here and there would definitely add to the energy and kick the listener in the nuts as opposed to causing too much cymbal sizzling.

Why am I talking so much about the drummer? Because: rule #1: no good drummer, no band (except a band goes for very basic and easy drumming like Pink Floyd did). As soon as the man behind the kit is really in command, the guitar and bass riffs will flow so much easier.

Need to listen again to this with head phones. The bass is not easy to hear, but that might be the mix.

One last thing: some melodic lines on the guitar (yep, I'm repeating the poster above) sound off. You might want to re-think the choice of notes in some places.

Otherwise: great lead singer - some awesome and inventive guitar sounds - great ideas everywhere - great controlled power! Keep it up!

Phil, you're next! I'll be back!

Well, a week and one piece of feedback. Think of all the families in northern OH you guys could have saved today.





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@Phil Spires

Through the Fire shows good technique and, through the layering builds one or two nice harmonics, but the overall effect is slightly boring. For all the rhythmic enthusiasm, there's very little musical invention. If you want a track that holds interest for more than four minutes, you must develop a melodic line in a more extended musical structure.

Sarah shows a similar guitar technique. I appreciate that this style of playing is quite appropriate in the alternative rock scene when the sound can be broken up by bass and drums so the primary guitar rhythm becomes less dominant, but with a solo guitar it gets a bit tiring at this length.

The moral of this, from my limited perspective, is that you would benefit from forming a group. The guitar technique is good enough and having other people around you to contribute to the development of the music would be very helpful. As it is, your sound is rather intense and introspective.