Facebook members: 273
I realised I haven't posted all the lyrics. Here is the second verse:
Mistletoe and wine don't work at all
I need sleeping pills to spend some time with you
Your snowy disposition just leaves me cold
You're the anti Father Christmas, it's true
It was going to be Rohypnol instead of sleeping pills but it implied that it would be the narrator (it's not autobiographical obviously) trying to date rape his/her girlfriend/boyfriend when that's not what it means at all. It's about needing narcotics to put up with someone. It's a cheery old song, that's for sure.
I had another dream last night (again, not in the sense of Martin Luther King), it was very very odd. We were playing a festival, sort of like Ashton Court but not and we were on last (which should have been the prime slot). Just as we were about to go on, everyone started leaving. Then they came back because it was a sort of a joke to leave but I had forgotten how to play all the songs, or was too drunk, or something. It was all a disaster and I was crying uncontrollably like a baby. Then I kept waking up and thinking it was just a dream, then going back to sleep and wishing it was all a dream. But what does it all mean? Probably that I don't want people to walk out of our gigs! I should be some kind of paid dream analyst.
Let's hope for no more crazy dreams this evening!
Tuesday 27 January 2009
Monday 26 January 2009
Day 26 - Rocking around the Christmas tree
Facebook members: 272
We're not going to get to 300 by the end of the month are we? Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! Oh well. It's not important because we pretty much did the song today. It currently ticks most of the boxes. Let's revisit the list:
Step 10 - Father Christmas
Step 9 - Pop
Step 8 - Snow
Step 7 - Love
Step 6 - The Brass Section
Step 5 - The Video
Step 4 - Choral Arrangement
Step 3 - Key changes
Step 2 - The Lyric 'Christmas'
Step 1 - Tubular Bells
We have Father Christmas twice. It's quite poppy although it's probably a bit more rocky than poppy. Snow gets a yes in terms of the lyric 'Your snowy disposition just leaves me cold'. 'Love'? Well it's about not loving someone anymore. Step 6 and 5 are both not there yet but for understandable reasons. The brass section will go on with the recording and obviously we haven't thought about the video yet. There is an agreed section towards the end of the song set aside for the choir although I am still not sure where we're going to get a choir from. 'Christmas' lyric is in the chorus and there are most definitely tubular bells and sleigh bells. So really, all that is missing is the key change. It just doesn't fit and, for that, I am eternally sorry. Will it make the difference between a number one and no number one? I very much doubt it.
Exciting times!
We're not going to get to 300 by the end of the month are we? Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! Oh well. It's not important because we pretty much did the song today. It currently ticks most of the boxes. Let's revisit the list:
Step 10 - Father Christmas
Step 9 - Pop
Step 8 - Snow
Step 7 - Love
Step 6 - The Brass Section
Step 5 - The Video
Step 4 - Choral Arrangement
Step 3 - Key changes
Step 2 - The Lyric 'Christmas'
Step 1 - Tubular Bells
We have Father Christmas twice. It's quite poppy although it's probably a bit more rocky than poppy. Snow gets a yes in terms of the lyric 'Your snowy disposition just leaves me cold'. 'Love'? Well it's about not loving someone anymore. Step 6 and 5 are both not there yet but for understandable reasons. The brass section will go on with the recording and obviously we haven't thought about the video yet. There is an agreed section towards the end of the song set aside for the choir although I am still not sure where we're going to get a choir from. 'Christmas' lyric is in the chorus and there are most definitely tubular bells and sleigh bells. So really, all that is missing is the key change. It just doesn't fit and, for that, I am eternally sorry. Will it make the difference between a number one and no number one? I very much doubt it.
Exciting times!
Day 25 - Absence
Facebook members: 271
I established today that I can't post blogs from my ipod. This meant that I wasn't able to post a blog yesterday (not that I had anything of any interest to talk about) and it also means that I am not going to post while I am holiday next week. Did I mention I was going on holiday next week? Snowboarding? Yeah?
4 days to go. That's proper Mexico.
I established today that I can't post blogs from my ipod. This meant that I wasn't able to post a blog yesterday (not that I had anything of any interest to talk about) and it also means that I am not going to post while I am holiday next week. Did I mention I was going on holiday next week? Snowboarding? Yeah?
4 days to go. That's proper Mexico.
Day 24 - Stupid Beer Cans
Facebook members: 270
So they did have the Adidas bag I wanted. It rules, check it!
So just after I bought it, I went to the supermarket and bought some food and beer (Stella 4% to be precise). For the second time in as many weeks one of the cans opened itself in the bag. So a 2 inch pool of tasty beer resided at the bottom of my new bag. Thank you very much Famile Artois, very nice.
What the hell has this got to do with a Christmas song? Absolutely nothing, that's what.
Saturday 24 January 2009
Day 23 - Crossing the picket line
Facebook members: 269
Yeah, I didn't post anything last night, not really a surprise. I did, however, have a rather nice burger at the Wild Wood on Park Row. I recommend trying it. Well, we managed a few more members so I am prepared to cease my industrial action. I am still waiting until we get to 300 before I send out a mass mail. Hopefully we can do that before I go on holiday.
So, the chorus. I've got the words and I've got the tune but I am struggling with the key to play the whole song in. I had the chorus in G but then it was too high to do the lead line. So I've knocked it down to E and the verse is too bloody low. I've also just remembered that I need to leave room for a key change, which traditionally goes up. I don't know, this song writing stuff is a minefield I tell you.
Right, I am off to get my haircut and buy a new Adidas bag. I bet they haven't got what I want. Toodle pip.
Yeah, I didn't post anything last night, not really a surprise. I did, however, have a rather nice burger at the Wild Wood on Park Row. I recommend trying it. Well, we managed a few more members so I am prepared to cease my industrial action. I am still waiting until we get to 300 before I send out a mass mail. Hopefully we can do that before I go on holiday.
So, the chorus. I've got the words and I've got the tune but I am struggling with the key to play the whole song in. I had the chorus in G but then it was too high to do the lead line. So I've knocked it down to E and the verse is too bloody low. I've also just remembered that I need to leave room for a key change, which traditionally goes up. I don't know, this song writing stuff is a minefield I tell you.
Right, I am off to get my haircut and buy a new Adidas bag. I bet they haven't got what I want. Toodle pip.
Friday 23 January 2009
Day 22 - On Strike
Facebook members: 264
Due to the lack of a single new member yesterday I decided not to write a blog entry out of protest. As a result I have now managed to ascertain who my one reader is following an enquiry as to where the day's post was.
Now we have had a couple more members I will write a post this evening but I am going out in a bit so it will probably actually be tomorrow morning. Then I am going on holiday next Friday and I won't be able to post every day as there is no internet in our chalet, everything's falling apart. No Internet?!! It's a total outrage. The worst thing is, I booked the bloody place. How could I book somewhere so out of touch with the modern world? And I still haven't got an iPhone. Can you start a sentence with 'And'?
I am rambling now clearly. Back in a few hours.
Due to the lack of a single new member yesterday I decided not to write a blog entry out of protest. As a result I have now managed to ascertain who my one reader is following an enquiry as to where the day's post was.
Now we have had a couple more members I will write a post this evening but I am going out in a bit so it will probably actually be tomorrow morning. Then I am going on holiday next Friday and I won't be able to post every day as there is no internet in our chalet, everything's falling apart. No Internet?!! It's a total outrage. The worst thing is, I booked the bloody place. How could I book somewhere so out of touch with the modern world? And I still haven't got an iPhone. Can you start a sentence with 'And'?
I am rambling now clearly. Back in a few hours.
Thursday 22 January 2009
Day 21 - Soaring Chorus
Facebook members: 264
I wrote the chorus, I wrote the chorus, la la la la la la la. Yeah! I lost my writers' block about 30 minutes after yesterday's blog. It wasn't a block really let's face it. More of a temporary absence of inspiration. I think I like it but I need to hear it with the whole band first. I did go with the 'It's Christmas' theme based on the fact that it was in my ten steps so I thought it would be a bit hypocritical not to include it. Here are the lyrics:
It's Christmas time
Don't kid yourself that I miss you at all
It's Christmas time
You take everything but you only give
When you're down
You go down, down, down
You go down, down, down
The underlying meaning is a bit rude but I think it is veiled enough to maintain its family appeal.
I am going to start a new feature called 'bands I currently don't like'.
Band I currently don't like # 1 = The Script
Why is this band popular? I asked Louise this the other day and we established that it must be because they sound American, like Maroon 5. I am not sure why this is a good thing. I generally like the Irish accent but sometimes it does have a habit of coming across as American. Actually, I am listening to them now on some Channel 4 program and I've just realised the lead singer actually sounds like Sting. Well Sting wants to be an American anyway so I guess that makes sense. But this, this song, I mean seriously, this song! It doesn't have anything of any discerning quality. I......JUST.....DON'T......GET........IT.
But it's alright, because David Guest is on and I love David Guest. He is one of the few people in the world that make me feel grateful for having my hair line. Nice one David! May you grace my screens every day.
I wrote the chorus, I wrote the chorus, la la la la la la la. Yeah! I lost my writers' block about 30 minutes after yesterday's blog. It wasn't a block really let's face it. More of a temporary absence of inspiration. I think I like it but I need to hear it with the whole band first. I did go with the 'It's Christmas' theme based on the fact that it was in my ten steps so I thought it would be a bit hypocritical not to include it. Here are the lyrics:
It's Christmas time
Don't kid yourself that I miss you at all
It's Christmas time
You take everything but you only give
When you're down
You go down, down, down
You go down, down, down
The underlying meaning is a bit rude but I think it is veiled enough to maintain its family appeal.
I am going to start a new feature called 'bands I currently don't like'.
Band I currently don't like # 1 = The Script
Why is this band popular? I asked Louise this the other day and we established that it must be because they sound American, like Maroon 5. I am not sure why this is a good thing. I generally like the Irish accent but sometimes it does have a habit of coming across as American. Actually, I am listening to them now on some Channel 4 program and I've just realised the lead singer actually sounds like Sting. Well Sting wants to be an American anyway so I guess that makes sense. But this, this song, I mean seriously, this song! It doesn't have anything of any discerning quality. I......JUST.....DON'T......GET........IT.
But it's alright, because David Guest is on and I love David Guest. He is one of the few people in the world that make me feel grateful for having my hair line. Nice one David! May you grace my screens every day.
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Day 20 - Writer's Block
Facebook members: 264
I can't write the chorus, I can't write the chorus, la la la la la la la. Arse. Everything I sing ends up either 'Its Christmas' or 'Merry Christmas'. I don't think this is the way forward somehow. I don't think it helps that I am currently watching Leaving Las Vegas, Elisabeth Shue in full affect! Man this is one depressing film. When you have children and they start turning in to binge drinking street urchins, just sit them down in front of this film with 2 bottles of tequila. They'll either kill themselves or never drink again. It certainly put me off my glass of Christmassy Pinot Noir (see, there was a tenuous link there). At some stage I am going to give up talking about Christmassy things and this is just going to turn in to a narcissistic, boring blog, like the millions of other deluded people who think that other people give a crap what they think. Aren't I positive this evening?! It's this film I tell you.
An important question was raised yesterday. Is this a Christmas song, a FIRSTOFTHEGIANTS song or a FIRSTOFTHEGIANTS Christmas song? One could say that we are in the realms of semantics, but I think it is an important question. I would really like it to be the latter of the three and, in some respects, there is little point in us doing it if it is not. But then is that what people really want? We're not a signed band for one reason or another. One of those reasons, I suppose, is that I don't have the capacity to write a Christmas number one. Of course, I don't believe that to be the reason, I think it's more likely that we don't look right, or sound right at any precise time when it has been important. It must, of course, be a Christmas song so that rules out the middle option. So option one or three? I think we will just have to wait and see.
Bottle of vodka in the shower anyone?
I can't write the chorus, I can't write the chorus, la la la la la la la. Arse. Everything I sing ends up either 'Its Christmas' or 'Merry Christmas'. I don't think this is the way forward somehow. I don't think it helps that I am currently watching Leaving Las Vegas, Elisabeth Shue in full affect! Man this is one depressing film. When you have children and they start turning in to binge drinking street urchins, just sit them down in front of this film with 2 bottles of tequila. They'll either kill themselves or never drink again. It certainly put me off my glass of Christmassy Pinot Noir (see, there was a tenuous link there). At some stage I am going to give up talking about Christmassy things and this is just going to turn in to a narcissistic, boring blog, like the millions of other deluded people who think that other people give a crap what they think. Aren't I positive this evening?! It's this film I tell you.
An important question was raised yesterday. Is this a Christmas song, a FIRSTOFTHEGIANTS song or a FIRSTOFTHEGIANTS Christmas song? One could say that we are in the realms of semantics, but I think it is an important question. I would really like it to be the latter of the three and, in some respects, there is little point in us doing it if it is not. But then is that what people really want? We're not a signed band for one reason or another. One of those reasons, I suppose, is that I don't have the capacity to write a Christmas number one. Of course, I don't believe that to be the reason, I think it's more likely that we don't look right, or sound right at any precise time when it has been important. It must, of course, be a Christmas song so that rules out the middle option. So option one or three? I think we will just have to wait and see.
Bottle of vodka in the shower anyone?
Monday 19 January 2009
Day 19 - Success
Facebook members: 261
So, the song is go. We started it and it seemed to work. I think it's going to be a long process to be quite honest, we did about 4 bars. It does sound a bit miserable though. I think I will have to write an ultra happy verse or break-down to offset some of the negativity of the start. We have also established that it's quite hard to make tubular bell sounds with a guitar and a delay pedal. So the question is, do we record a backing track or just wing it for the live performances.
I had a dream (not in the Martin Luther King sense, in the actual sense) about the video the other day. The annoying thing is, it was one of those dreams that you remember having but don't remember the actual specifics of. One thing I do know is it was definitely good. But that doesn't really help us at the moment.
We're pushing towards the big 300, at which stage I will send out a mail to our members and see if we can push the membership up a bit more. It's a great start for the first month but we need to keep the momentum going to make an impact on things and get the hype going a bit.
So yes, positive positive. In a while.
So, the song is go. We started it and it seemed to work. I think it's going to be a long process to be quite honest, we did about 4 bars. It does sound a bit miserable though. I think I will have to write an ultra happy verse or break-down to offset some of the negativity of the start. We have also established that it's quite hard to make tubular bell sounds with a guitar and a delay pedal. So the question is, do we record a backing track or just wing it for the live performances.
I had a dream (not in the Martin Luther King sense, in the actual sense) about the video the other day. The annoying thing is, it was one of those dreams that you remember having but don't remember the actual specifics of. One thing I do know is it was definitely good. But that doesn't really help us at the moment.
We're pushing towards the big 300, at which stage I will send out a mail to our members and see if we can push the membership up a bit more. It's a great start for the first month but we need to keep the momentum going to make an impact on things and get the hype going a bit.
So yes, positive positive. In a while.
Sunday 18 January 2009
Day 18 - First Verse
Facebook members: 256
I didn't finish the chorus today after all. I was far too busy watching webcams of snow falling in France. I suspect this is becoming far too much of an obsession. Oh well, there are probably worse things you could be obsessed with. I did finish the lyrics to the first verse though. I can't decide whether they area bit naff or not:
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But you threw it all away
You took my pills and junk
And threw them all out
They say that now's the time for giving
But you've taken everything
You're the anti Father Christmas
And it hurts
I don't know. I don't normally publish lyrics so it looks kind of odd writing them down like that, especially when it's not in the context of the song, you can't even tell the intonation on the words. But, if truth be told, I was looking for something vaguely interesting to write about. I like using the opening lyrics to Last Christmas because it's the only Christmas song we've ever played in the band plus it means I don't have to think up anything original. I wonder if there are copyright issues. It's a homage rather than a direct rip-off. Mr Panayiotou doesn't need the cash anyway and I'll just get my dad's hairdresser (George's uncle) to have a word and get it all agreed. The pill reference links back to a number of our other songs.
Hopefully we'll give it a jam tomorrow and see how it sounds. Fingers crossed the heaters are working. Until then.
I didn't finish the chorus today after all. I was far too busy watching webcams of snow falling in France. I suspect this is becoming far too much of an obsession. Oh well, there are probably worse things you could be obsessed with. I did finish the lyrics to the first verse though. I can't decide whether they area bit naff or not:
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But you threw it all away
You took my pills and junk
And threw them all out
They say that now's the time for giving
But you've taken everything
You're the anti Father Christmas
And it hurts
I don't know. I don't normally publish lyrics so it looks kind of odd writing them down like that, especially when it's not in the context of the song, you can't even tell the intonation on the words. But, if truth be told, I was looking for something vaguely interesting to write about. I like using the opening lyrics to Last Christmas because it's the only Christmas song we've ever played in the band plus it means I don't have to think up anything original. I wonder if there are copyright issues. It's a homage rather than a direct rip-off. Mr Panayiotou doesn't need the cash anyway and I'll just get my dad's hairdresser (George's uncle) to have a word and get it all agreed. The pill reference links back to a number of our other songs.
Hopefully we'll give it a jam tomorrow and see how it sounds. Fingers crossed the heaters are working. Until then.
Day 17 - Day Off
Facebook members: 255
Two blogs in one day clearly doesn't work.
So to get back on track I shall return this evening with more intensely amusing insight in to everything to do with writing a Christmas number one. I might have a chorus by the end of the day so that will be a much more appropriate update.
Until then, check out a really rather good Christmas song with lots of shouting:
www.myspace.com/wordsfromreuben
Safety nice.
Two blogs in one day clearly doesn't work.
So to get back on track I shall return this evening with more intensely amusing insight in to everything to do with writing a Christmas number one. I might have a chorus by the end of the day so that will be a much more appropriate update.
Until then, check out a really rather good Christmas song with lots of shouting:
www.myspace.com/wordsfromreuben
Safety nice.
Saturday 17 January 2009
Day 16 - BLOG FAIL!
Facebook members: 251
Oops, I got a little typsy after work last night and forgot to do the blog. Still, you'll be pleased to know that I did manage to have a nice curry from the lovely Kathmandu. That's a restaurant, not the actual place, that would be stupid.
Anyway, think number ones. I don't like the number one at the moment very much. People are spouting a lot of crap about Lady GaGa being the next Kylie or Madonna. I can't see it myself, I just don't think it's very good pop. Judge for yourself:
Lady GaGa (29 million hits, WTF?!):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M65zI9LH-as
Madonna:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GbOfn9LUk3E
Kylie:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfr9bhSmfXc
Here's a little sense on the whole thing:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/16/florence-and-the-machine-popandrock
Right, I am off to buy some more snowboarding equipment that I don't need. Have a nice weekend.
Oops, I got a little typsy after work last night and forgot to do the blog. Still, you'll be pleased to know that I did manage to have a nice curry from the lovely Kathmandu. That's a restaurant, not the actual place, that would be stupid.
Anyway, think number ones. I don't like the number one at the moment very much. People are spouting a lot of crap about Lady GaGa being the next Kylie or Madonna. I can't see it myself, I just don't think it's very good pop. Judge for yourself:
Lady GaGa (29 million hits, WTF?!):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M65zI9LH-as
Madonna:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GbOfn9LUk3E
Kylie:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfr9bhSmfXc
Here's a little sense on the whole thing:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/16/florence-and-the-machine-popandrock
Right, I am off to buy some more snowboarding equipment that I don't need. Have a nice weekend.
Thursday 15 January 2009
Day 15 - Grass Shoots
Facebook members: 250
Well we've done the 10 steps so that means I should be ready to write the song and what do you know, I've started it. I was writing it in my head in the pub, which I am sure was really entertaining for Louise. It has an intro which fulfils one of the steps and a basic chord pattern and possibly even some lyrics. I think it might be quite good. Now to get enough of it down by Monday to see what we can come up with.
We booked a show at the Thekla in March yesterday supporting Red Light Company. They're getting played on the radio quite a lot lately. Apparently they're a bit like U2 and Editors. Bizarrely, two bands we've also been compared to in the past, but I can't see it myself. I guess that means we'll be well suited to playing with them. May be an important record executive will attend the show and sign us up for millions of pounds. Then I can ditch the Christmas single idea altogether. ONLY JOKING! Still, it will be nice to play a different venue with the new line up as all our shows so far have been at the Louis. As much as we love the place, variety is the spice of life!
Anyway, the zzzzzzzs are calling and I've been up every night this week writing this thing, so time to call it a day. Peace oooooooooouttttttttttttt!!!!!!!
Well we've done the 10 steps so that means I should be ready to write the song and what do you know, I've started it. I was writing it in my head in the pub, which I am sure was really entertaining for Louise. It has an intro which fulfils one of the steps and a basic chord pattern and possibly even some lyrics. I think it might be quite good. Now to get enough of it down by Monday to see what we can come up with.
We booked a show at the Thekla in March yesterday supporting Red Light Company. They're getting played on the radio quite a lot lately. Apparently they're a bit like U2 and Editors. Bizarrely, two bands we've also been compared to in the past, but I can't see it myself. I guess that means we'll be well suited to playing with them. May be an important record executive will attend the show and sign us up for millions of pounds. Then I can ditch the Christmas single idea altogether. ONLY JOKING! Still, it will be nice to play a different venue with the new line up as all our shows so far have been at the Louis. As much as we love the place, variety is the spice of life!
Anyway, the zzzzzzzs are calling and I've been up every night this week writing this thing, so time to call it a day. Peace oooooooooouttttttttttttt!!!!!!!
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Day 14 - Festivals
Facebook members: 244
Festivals are great things. I can't imaging anything better than playing on an outdoor stage to a good crowd of people. Not that I've ever done it. We played the last ever day of the Ashton Court Festival on the main stage. The only problem was, they had only just opened the gates so most people were waiting outside while we were on. I still feel upset about that. I had a massive amount of love for that festival, it was truly one of the best in the country and certainly the best for the price. Of the 8 years I attended all I ever wanted to do was play. But like anything, when you finally get your wish, it never lives up to your expectation. I wish they'd bring it back, I really do. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would have no qualms about investing enough to bring back the festival. I wouldn't even care whether I lost all the money.
But small independent festivals are becoming obsolete these days. The cost of policing, insuring and conforming to health and safety are prohibitively large, so only the most profitable events survive which will always involve the biggest artists and the most expensive tickets. I am not sure that's what a festival should be about. We need to start thinking about applying to festivals now, which seems rather odd in the middle of January. Even then it's very hard to get selected for these festivals. I just don't know what criteria we have to satisfy. How does one person ascertain whether a band would be a good festival band or not? It's all beyond me to be honest. Then we have the issue of the 'credit crunch'. How many festivals will meet an untimely end this year because people can't afford to go out anymore?
Anyway, the final part of my ten part list beckons.
Step 10 - Father Christmas
How could we have a Christmas song without the big man himself. As we all know, Santa is a big fat drunk who steals all the alcohol in the house and abuses animals. So it's certain that he has to appear in our song. That is all.
So, in conclusion, the ten steps to a Christmas number one are as follows:
Step 10 - Father Christmas
Step 9 - Pop
Step 8 - Snow
Step 7 - Love
Step 6 - The Brass Section
Step 5 - The Video
Step 4 - Choral Arrangement
Step 3 - Key changes
Step 2 - The Lyric 'Christmas'
Step 1 - Tubular Bells
Sounds good to me. We're a cert.
Tomorrow!
Festivals are great things. I can't imaging anything better than playing on an outdoor stage to a good crowd of people. Not that I've ever done it. We played the last ever day of the Ashton Court Festival on the main stage. The only problem was, they had only just opened the gates so most people were waiting outside while we were on. I still feel upset about that. I had a massive amount of love for that festival, it was truly one of the best in the country and certainly the best for the price. Of the 8 years I attended all I ever wanted to do was play. But like anything, when you finally get your wish, it never lives up to your expectation. I wish they'd bring it back, I really do. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would have no qualms about investing enough to bring back the festival. I wouldn't even care whether I lost all the money.
But small independent festivals are becoming obsolete these days. The cost of policing, insuring and conforming to health and safety are prohibitively large, so only the most profitable events survive which will always involve the biggest artists and the most expensive tickets. I am not sure that's what a festival should be about. We need to start thinking about applying to festivals now, which seems rather odd in the middle of January. Even then it's very hard to get selected for these festivals. I just don't know what criteria we have to satisfy. How does one person ascertain whether a band would be a good festival band or not? It's all beyond me to be honest. Then we have the issue of the 'credit crunch'. How many festivals will meet an untimely end this year because people can't afford to go out anymore?
Anyway, the final part of my ten part list beckons.
Step 10 - Father Christmas
How could we have a Christmas song without the big man himself. As we all know, Santa is a big fat drunk who steals all the alcohol in the house and abuses animals. So it's certain that he has to appear in our song. That is all.
So, in conclusion, the ten steps to a Christmas number one are as follows:
Step 10 - Father Christmas
Step 9 - Pop
Step 8 - Snow
Step 7 - Love
Step 6 - The Brass Section
Step 5 - The Video
Step 4 - Choral Arrangement
Step 3 - Key changes
Step 2 - The Lyric 'Christmas'
Step 1 - Tubular Bells
Sounds good to me. We're a cert.
Tomorrow!
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Day 13 - The Buck Stops
Facebook members: 242
Ah balls, we're running out of momentum. Not sure how to approach this really. The last thing I want to do is hassle people in the group to the extent that they want to leave the group. That said, if every one of our 242 members invited 100 people and 10 of them joined we would have another 2,420 members. I am good at maths me, I did that all in my head. Wowee! I think I will wait until we get to 300 before I ask everyone to do a little work. It seems like a nice number and there's a film of the same name about killing lots of people so it must be brilliant.
I am currently watching the Metallica film. I saw it originally at the Watershed cinema and that's the only time I've seen it in full. I've seen bits of it on More4 and the like several times. Every time I see it I remember what a colossal prick Lars Ulrich is. At the moment he is selling his art collection. At first I thought he painted them himself (they're that bad), but no, apparently not. Hopefully they missed the bit where the gallery burnt down and he found out the paintings weren't insured. Oh no, he just sold one for $2m. Ugh. I'll never be like that after I make millions off the back of this episode.
We're nearly at the end of the line on the steps to a Christmas number one. The penultimate step is what everyone needs.
Step 9 - Pop
Not much you need to say about this. A bit of pop makes the world go round. Whilst I can envisage that we want to maintain our identity within the song that we write it must be fundamentally pop orientated with a great tune, a good vocal hook and something to sing along too. Anyone can write loud, inpenetrable music, but good pop songs are the holy grail for any song writer (I think anyway). Of course pop can be loud as much as it can be quiet and cheesy. Have you got the pop? Have we got the pop? Only time will tell.
Perhaps we should speak to Kid Carpet. FOTG, out.
Ah balls, we're running out of momentum. Not sure how to approach this really. The last thing I want to do is hassle people in the group to the extent that they want to leave the group. That said, if every one of our 242 members invited 100 people and 10 of them joined we would have another 2,420 members. I am good at maths me, I did that all in my head. Wowee! I think I will wait until we get to 300 before I ask everyone to do a little work. It seems like a nice number and there's a film of the same name about killing lots of people so it must be brilliant.
I am currently watching the Metallica film. I saw it originally at the Watershed cinema and that's the only time I've seen it in full. I've seen bits of it on More4 and the like several times. Every time I see it I remember what a colossal prick Lars Ulrich is. At the moment he is selling his art collection. At first I thought he painted them himself (they're that bad), but no, apparently not. Hopefully they missed the bit where the gallery burnt down and he found out the paintings weren't insured. Oh no, he just sold one for $2m. Ugh. I'll never be like that after I make millions off the back of this episode.
We're nearly at the end of the line on the steps to a Christmas number one. The penultimate step is what everyone needs.
Step 9 - Pop
Not much you need to say about this. A bit of pop makes the world go round. Whilst I can envisage that we want to maintain our identity within the song that we write it must be fundamentally pop orientated with a great tune, a good vocal hook and something to sing along too. Anyone can write loud, inpenetrable music, but good pop songs are the holy grail for any song writer (I think anyway). Of course pop can be loud as much as it can be quiet and cheesy. Have you got the pop? Have we got the pop? Only time will tell.
Perhaps we should speak to Kid Carpet. FOTG, out.
Day 12 - Presales
Facebook members: 238
The question is, are we going to make 5oo members by the end of January? There are nearly 2,000 unreplied invitation which is the major problem. So many people just ignore Facebook Groups (my missus being the prime example). We clearly need to do a bit more on the promotion front. As soon as we hit 300 I will send out another begging email for everyone to a big invite of their address book. Let's hope that the Burger King campaign to persuade everyone to start culling their friends in return for a free burger doesn't work:
Lose friends, gain weight
We got a little further in terms of distribution today. There is every chance that the CD will be a physical product that is distributed to proper shops (but like I said, that relies on their being music shops left by then) and also pushed to the front of iTunes. We were also discussing the possibilities of pre-ordering the CD. There may be a way in which we sell the CD on pre-order but set the official release date to the Christmas week so that all the pre-order sales count during that week. This could be a very practical solution although clearly it won't work until we have an actual product to sell on pre-order. I haven't really started thinking about writing the song (I am still writing other songs so that we can keep renewing our set) but I guess now would be a good time to think about it. I have exams coming up soon so this would be ideal procrastination material!
Step 8 - Snow
Did I do this one already? I just had a read through and I don't think I have. Oh yes, scrub that, I have, but not in the ten steps. So yes, let's include it in the ten steps. Snow is the one thing that our Christmases lack lately. I can't remember the last time we had a prolonged period of snow since I was a wee lad. We definitely had periods of weeks where there would be snow that we could go and sledge in. Anyway, what would a Christmas song be without referencing the white stuff (not Colombian marching powder)? Visually we need snow, lyrically we need snow. We all need snow. Funnily enough, an FOTG song already mentions snow. It's called Obsessive Compulsive and the line is 'The snow stops with the worrying'. It relates to a reoccurring dream I have before we go skiing that there will be no snow. Very odd it is I tell you. But the snow won't stop this Christmas, that's for sure.
Actually, it would be quite nice if it snowed in St Foy a bit! Ta ta for now.
The question is, are we going to make 5oo members by the end of January? There are nearly 2,000 unreplied invitation which is the major problem. So many people just ignore Facebook Groups (my missus being the prime example). We clearly need to do a bit more on the promotion front. As soon as we hit 300 I will send out another begging email for everyone to a big invite of their address book. Let's hope that the Burger King campaign to persuade everyone to start culling their friends in return for a free burger doesn't work:
Lose friends, gain weight
We got a little further in terms of distribution today. There is every chance that the CD will be a physical product that is distributed to proper shops (but like I said, that relies on their being music shops left by then) and also pushed to the front of iTunes. We were also discussing the possibilities of pre-ordering the CD. There may be a way in which we sell the CD on pre-order but set the official release date to the Christmas week so that all the pre-order sales count during that week. This could be a very practical solution although clearly it won't work until we have an actual product to sell on pre-order. I haven't really started thinking about writing the song (I am still writing other songs so that we can keep renewing our set) but I guess now would be a good time to think about it. I have exams coming up soon so this would be ideal procrastination material!
Step 8 - Snow
Did I do this one already? I just had a read through and I don't think I have. Oh yes, scrub that, I have, but not in the ten steps. So yes, let's include it in the ten steps. Snow is the one thing that our Christmases lack lately. I can't remember the last time we had a prolonged period of snow since I was a wee lad. We definitely had periods of weeks where there would be snow that we could go and sledge in. Anyway, what would a Christmas song be without referencing the white stuff (not Colombian marching powder)? Visually we need snow, lyrically we need snow. We all need snow. Funnily enough, an FOTG song already mentions snow. It's called Obsessive Compulsive and the line is 'The snow stops with the worrying'. It relates to a reoccurring dream I have before we go skiing that there will be no snow. Very odd it is I tell you. But the snow won't stop this Christmas, that's for sure.
Actually, it would be quite nice if it snowed in St Foy a bit! Ta ta for now.
Sunday 11 January 2009
Day 11 - The Sunday Lull
Facebook members: 220
Playing a gig on Saturday is great when it goes well. No need to worry about going to work the next day. Invariably, people tend to make it out more easily than if it were a mid week date. The problem is that the next day is Sunday, which is always a bit of a come down at the best of times. If you have a very good gig then the route back to reality is that much harder. Musician to jo schmo in one easy step. So we beat the post gig lull with a very nice lunch (the largest, rarest burger you have ever seen, it was practically still mooing) and a trip to the cinema. The trip to the cinema to see a very 'base humour' film was light hearted and fun. It also presented step number 7 on a plate. But more on that later.
So we slowed down a bit today but we did break the 200 mark. Hopefully this is just because no one goes on Facebook on Sunday. Yeah, that's right, no one goes on Facebook on Sunday. They're all out doing real life things like going out to lunch and to the cinema. They've probably got their iPhones though. This is a modern world, after all, as the modfather told us.
Step 7 - Love
Love is the all important constant in a large number of hit records, and Christmas songs are no exception. Love lost, love gained, quite love, loud love, you name it, it's all about the ladies. I don't tend to write love songs though, that's the problem. May be I can write an ironic one, who knows. Mind you, I am told that yesterday, during our song 'one spare piece', I sang the title lyrics 'Cos I am not much use without you, I am one spare piece without you' and it went down particularly well with a couple in the audience. Ironically, it's not really a love song at all, it's about being completely self reliant on someone, it's not really very romantic. So yeah, something to consider anyway.
Enjoy the ultimate come down tomorrow everyone. Until then.
Playing a gig on Saturday is great when it goes well. No need to worry about going to work the next day. Invariably, people tend to make it out more easily than if it were a mid week date. The problem is that the next day is Sunday, which is always a bit of a come down at the best of times. If you have a very good gig then the route back to reality is that much harder. Musician to jo schmo in one easy step. So we beat the post gig lull with a very nice lunch (the largest, rarest burger you have ever seen, it was practically still mooing) and a trip to the cinema. The trip to the cinema to see a very 'base humour' film was light hearted and fun. It also presented step number 7 on a plate. But more on that later.
So we slowed down a bit today but we did break the 200 mark. Hopefully this is just because no one goes on Facebook on Sunday. Yeah, that's right, no one goes on Facebook on Sunday. They're all out doing real life things like going out to lunch and to the cinema. They've probably got their iPhones though. This is a modern world, after all, as the modfather told us.
Step 7 - Love
Love is the all important constant in a large number of hit records, and Christmas songs are no exception. Love lost, love gained, quite love, loud love, you name it, it's all about the ladies. I don't tend to write love songs though, that's the problem. May be I can write an ironic one, who knows. Mind you, I am told that yesterday, during our song 'one spare piece', I sang the title lyrics 'Cos I am not much use without you, I am one spare piece without you' and it went down particularly well with a couple in the audience. Ironically, it's not really a love song at all, it's about being completely self reliant on someone, it's not really very romantic. So yeah, something to consider anyway.
Enjoy the ultimate come down tomorrow everyone. Until then.
Day 10 - It's too late
Facebook members: 199
Well, we nearly made 200. Never mind, we'll get there tomorrow. We just had a top gig with Countryside and The Get Outs. Nearly a sell out too which meant I was able to pay everyone. We also gave away a bunch of CDs with the 365 flyer in them so hopefully some more people will get involved.
It's pretty late and I am pretty tired so this is going to be a quick one.
Step 6 - The Brass Section
This is Michael's suggestion. Nice to have some input. We need a brass section. I am thinking proper Sally Army style. I've never written any brass music though. I guess it must be similar to writing strings with an underlying bass section then a lead thing going on over the top. Who knows, I am sure I'll work it out.
Anyway, my finger's really hurting from being so very rock and roll, so it's off to bed for me.
Bonsoir!
Well, we nearly made 200. Never mind, we'll get there tomorrow. We just had a top gig with Countryside and The Get Outs. Nearly a sell out too which meant I was able to pay everyone. We also gave away a bunch of CDs with the 365 flyer in them so hopefully some more people will get involved.
It's pretty late and I am pretty tired so this is going to be a quick one.
Step 6 - The Brass Section
This is Michael's suggestion. Nice to have some input. We need a brass section. I am thinking proper Sally Army style. I've never written any brass music though. I guess it must be similar to writing strings with an underlying bass section then a lead thing going on over the top. Who knows, I am sure I'll work it out.
Anyway, my finger's really hurting from being so very rock and roll, so it's off to bed for me.
Bonsoir!
Friday 9 January 2009
Day 9 - The Video
Facebook members: 163
I am currently imbibing myself with the first alcohol since New Year's Day, therefore my impetus to write stuff is diminishing. Not drinking has the quite satisfying effect of making the alcohol that you do drink that much more effective. Anyway, I digress. Another day of 50% growth in the membership numbers. If this were to continue for the whole year we would have this number of members by Christmas day:
4.86 x 10^73
There are a few technicality issues with that. Mainly that it is 7.25 x 10^61 times bigger than the entire population of the planet. I don't think we need that many members to get to number one. It is promising stuff though. Realistically, if we can make 1,000 members by the end of January I think we have a serious chance of making top 10. I really mean that!
I have been making some enquiries as to what we do with the physical product when we get to release date. Ideally, we need some distribution to make the CD (and potentially Christmas orientated picture disk) available in the shops (if there are any music retail shops left by then). We also need some help with radio contacts. All these things are really not easy for an independent label to achieve and it is the main dividing factor between the small and large record labels, power and money. What we really need is to combine resources with other smaller labels. We'll see what happens on that front.
So, back to the list. Where were we? Ah yes, step 5.
Step 5 - The Video
I've already mentioned the video for Last Christmas. The video for Band Aid is also pretty iconic. Viral marketing seems to be so important at the moment., especially when making things that shouldn't really be famous, famous. Thing is, we've only ever made one video before. I am pretty comfortable writing songs and I like being involved in artwork and stuff but the last video I made was total sh1t. Basically, our first band was called Freshly Cut Sandwiches (I know, I know, you have to learn from these things) and we had to make a video that was to be projected on to a big screen when we played a gig. I knew that there was a shop in our home town right at the top of the high street which has one of those newsagents style signs that said 'Freshly Cut Sandwiches' on it. So we started at the bottom of the high street and filmed all the way to the top, with the final shot being in the window of this shop. To cut a sh1t story short, the sign wasn't there when we got to the end. We ran the video anyway. It was as good as you can imagine.
So yes, we'd like to do something better than that if possible. If anyone has any good ideas or is good at filming stuff then please let me know.
Right, I am off down the pub. Until tomorrow.
I am currently imbibing myself with the first alcohol since New Year's Day, therefore my impetus to write stuff is diminishing. Not drinking has the quite satisfying effect of making the alcohol that you do drink that much more effective. Anyway, I digress. Another day of 50% growth in the membership numbers. If this were to continue for the whole year we would have this number of members by Christmas day:
4.86 x 10^73
There are a few technicality issues with that. Mainly that it is 7.25 x 10^61 times bigger than the entire population of the planet. I don't think we need that many members to get to number one. It is promising stuff though. Realistically, if we can make 1,000 members by the end of January I think we have a serious chance of making top 10. I really mean that!
I have been making some enquiries as to what we do with the physical product when we get to release date. Ideally, we need some distribution to make the CD (and potentially Christmas orientated picture disk) available in the shops (if there are any music retail shops left by then). We also need some help with radio contacts. All these things are really not easy for an independent label to achieve and it is the main dividing factor between the small and large record labels, power and money. What we really need is to combine resources with other smaller labels. We'll see what happens on that front.
So, back to the list. Where were we? Ah yes, step 5.
Step 5 - The Video
I've already mentioned the video for Last Christmas. The video for Band Aid is also pretty iconic. Viral marketing seems to be so important at the moment., especially when making things that shouldn't really be famous, famous. Thing is, we've only ever made one video before. I am pretty comfortable writing songs and I like being involved in artwork and stuff but the last video I made was total sh1t. Basically, our first band was called Freshly Cut Sandwiches (I know, I know, you have to learn from these things) and we had to make a video that was to be projected on to a big screen when we played a gig. I knew that there was a shop in our home town right at the top of the high street which has one of those newsagents style signs that said 'Freshly Cut Sandwiches' on it. So we started at the bottom of the high street and filmed all the way to the top, with the final shot being in the window of this shop. To cut a sh1t story short, the sign wasn't there when we got to the end. We ran the video anyway. It was as good as you can imagine.
So yes, we'd like to do something better than that if possible. If anyone has any good ideas or is good at filming stuff then please let me know.
Right, I am off down the pub. Until tomorrow.
Thursday 8 January 2009
Day 8 - Choral Musings
Facebook members: 104
Wow. Wow. Er......wow! We increased the membership by over 50% today. This is working a little bit better than I ever expected.
We have a new poster/flyer (above obviously) which will be debuting on the tables at the Louis on Saturday. It looks nice and Christmassy and reminds me that I am going snowboarding 3 weeks tomorrow.
Lets crack on with the steps bit as a few good ideas were brought up today by my friends at the Choke forum.
Step 4 - Choral Arrangement
When I first started thinking about this I was assuming we wanted to go down the school choir route. Exactly how we would persuade a school to sing on our record I hadn't quite concluded. Hanging around outside the school gates is probably not the best way to go about it.
But some good ideas came up which seem like potential alternatives. First we considered the Band Aid style route. Get a bunch of the local Bristol celebrities in to sing different bits of the song. The problem with this is that the most famous person in Bristol at the moment is Justin Lee Collins, and he's not coming within 30 feet of our recording studio. I'd like to have some friends involved just to make it a bit of a laugh though and hopefully they can use their own fan base to help us along. This is definitely something we will do.
The more realistic idea is to get random people involved. Sort of the antithesis of X Factor if you like. Any one can do it, we don't give a f*ck if you can sing or not. There are two potentially workable options. Either we get people to record a bit of the song through their PC and send it in (sort of like a YouTube medley). This has the advantage that it has a ready made video and we could go down the YouTube viral route. The other solution (which I really like the sound of) is that we put on a show, turn the microphones round the other way and get people to belt out the chorus. Being that our current regular venue has a 24 track hard disk recorder behind the desk makes this a distinct possibility.
Obviously we need to write the track first and see how these ideas fit in.
So, ideas and people signing up, a lot going on today which has made me feel rather positive about the whole thing.
HOORAY!
Wednesday 7 January 2009
Day 7 - 575,933 to go
Facebook members: 67
Well hasn't today been productive. We've nearly doubled the number of members in the group which is super. I am pretty pleased with that for 6 days. Hopefully we can get some kind of exponential trend going as more people invite more people. Sort of like a really nice, friendly chain mail.
Today I established some interesting numbers:
Billboard link
OK, it was the fastest selling female solo single ever, but then we have to assume that X-factor will not relent in their pursuit of monopolising the Christmas number one spot. This obviously makes our task more pertinent, if not tantamount to achieving a Christmas miracle. The plus side is that the number two single sold only 81,000 copies and that was mainly because of the sanctimonious Jeff Buckley fans getting all self-righteous about the X-factor song (er.....what about Leornard Cohen who wrote the bloody thing, he only made it to 37).
So what's the answer? Three people have independently suggested that I might want to enter X-factor to promote the single. It's unlikely that my massive ego could take a pasting from the waste-banded one. But in reality, I'd just be another one of the 1,000s of mediocre entries who don't even get to see the main judges, not terribly amusing and not terribly good. I guess I'd have to come up with a quirk. I am not sure 'My main goal is to beat your single to the number one spot' will be that well received though.
Back to the list:
Step 3 - Key changes
A nod to my boss for bringing this one up. I didn't have it down on my list intially but thinking about it, this has got to be an essential item. Key changes don't necessarily have to be as naff as they sound. It's not going to be a Westlife song after all and we're not going to be sitting on stalls so that we can rise for the change. Tim Wheeler from Ash is a big fan of the key change and anything that's OK with him is OK with me.
At last it's warmed up a bit, time to go out for a change. Adieu xxx.
Well hasn't today been productive. We've nearly doubled the number of members in the group which is super. I am pretty pleased with that for 6 days. Hopefully we can get some kind of exponential trend going as more people invite more people. Sort of like a really nice, friendly chain mail.
Today I established some interesting numbers:
Billboard link
2008 "X Factor" winner Alexandra Burke had her U.K. Christmas No. 1 single confirmed yesterday (Dec. 21), as her version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (Syco Music/Sony BMG) debuted at the top with sales of 576,000 units to become the fastest-selling single by a female solo artist in British chart history.
OK, it was the fastest selling female solo single ever, but then we have to assume that X-factor will not relent in their pursuit of monopolising the Christmas number one spot. This obviously makes our task more pertinent, if not tantamount to achieving a Christmas miracle. The plus side is that the number two single sold only 81,000 copies and that was mainly because of the sanctimonious Jeff Buckley fans getting all self-righteous about the X-factor song (er.....what about Leornard Cohen who wrote the bloody thing, he only made it to 37).
So what's the answer? Three people have independently suggested that I might want to enter X-factor to promote the single. It's unlikely that my massive ego could take a pasting from the waste-banded one. But in reality, I'd just be another one of the 1,000s of mediocre entries who don't even get to see the main judges, not terribly amusing and not terribly good. I guess I'd have to come up with a quirk. I am not sure 'My main goal is to beat your single to the number one spot' will be that well received though.
Back to the list:
Step 3 - Key changes
A nod to my boss for bringing this one up. I didn't have it down on my list intially but thinking about it, this has got to be an essential item. Key changes don't necessarily have to be as naff as they sound. It's not going to be a Westlife song after all and we're not going to be sitting on stalls so that we can rise for the change. Tim Wheeler from Ash is a big fan of the key change and anything that's OK with him is OK with me.
At last it's warmed up a bit, time to go out for a change. Adieu xxx.
Tuesday 6 January 2009
Day 6 - 1000 to 1 long shot
Facebook members: 39
I've just found an email from William Hill in my inbox. They're offering 1000-1 with a maximum bet of £10. I am not sure whether this means that only I can place the bet or whether a number of separate people can place a £10 bet. I assume they want to limit their exposure to £10,000. How they came up with these odds is anyone's guess. I assume it is just arbitrary for any idiot that applies for a special bet that has no real probability of occurring. If you want to apply for the bet then email radams [at] williamhill [dot] co [dot] uk (replacing the at and the dot obviously).
Still, it got me thinking. If I really believed that we could achieve our goal, then that effectively gives us a free £10,000 budget. What can you get for £10,000? You really only need about a grand for recording and reproduction. Get some student to do the video for free, then you're left with £9,000 for press and promotion. It sounds like a lot but would probably buy you about 2 half page adverts in the NME or something. Not enough really.
I think I'll take the bet anyway. It adds something to the campaign I think.
So, returning to the ten steps to a guaranteed Christmas number one.
Step 2 - The Lyric 'Christmas'
I think we can all agree that having a Christmas song without the word Christmas appearing in it at least once would be pretty damn pointless. A bit like a laptop with a mouse button that doesn't work (sorry, inside joke, the button on this laptop doesn't work).
But does the word Christmas appear ironically or with sincerity? This is something that is troubling me actually. A couple of good Christmas songs recently have been quite cynical. I am not sure I want to go down that route. As those who know me will testify, I am definitely not a cynical person.
A quick shout to Matt who thinks my website sucks and that the idea is a bit stupid. Thanks for the support mate!
I've just found an email from William Hill in my inbox. They're offering 1000-1 with a maximum bet of £10. I am not sure whether this means that only I can place the bet or whether a number of separate people can place a £10 bet. I assume they want to limit their exposure to £10,000. How they came up with these odds is anyone's guess. I assume it is just arbitrary for any idiot that applies for a special bet that has no real probability of occurring. If you want to apply for the bet then email radams [at] williamhill [dot] co [dot] uk (replacing the at and the dot obviously).
Still, it got me thinking. If I really believed that we could achieve our goal, then that effectively gives us a free £10,000 budget. What can you get for £10,000? You really only need about a grand for recording and reproduction. Get some student to do the video for free, then you're left with £9,000 for press and promotion. It sounds like a lot but would probably buy you about 2 half page adverts in the NME or something. Not enough really.
I think I'll take the bet anyway. It adds something to the campaign I think.
So, returning to the ten steps to a guaranteed Christmas number one.
Step 2 - The Lyric 'Christmas'
I think we can all agree that having a Christmas song without the word Christmas appearing in it at least once would be pretty damn pointless. A bit like a laptop with a mouse button that doesn't work (sorry, inside joke, the button on this laptop doesn't work).
But does the word Christmas appear ironically or with sincerity? This is something that is troubling me actually. A couple of good Christmas songs recently have been quite cynical. I am not sure I want to go down that route. As those who know me will testify, I am definitely not a cynical person.
A quick shout to Matt who thinks my website sucks and that the idea is a bit stupid. Thanks for the support mate!
Monday 5 January 2009
Day 5 - Tubular Bells?
Facebook members: 35
The rehearsal room wasn't too cold after all. We had two heaters on and I had a massive fleece. Bizarrely, I felt somewhat like Noel Gallagher whilst playing the guitar. Fortunately, I avoided writing any pseudo Beatle numbers whilst I was at it and my brother wasn't there to punch in the face. We did get a new tune done (not in the slightest bit Christmassy though) which we may debut on Saturday if I can finish the lyrics and it sound checks OK. We've actually got to the stage where we can pick and choose what tracks to play, which is a refreshing change from banging out the same set for nearly two years.
I regret calling the website www.365daystoachristmasnumberone.com as it's a complete pain in the arse typing it. I am an idiot, it's official.
So, on to the important subject of 10 steps to a guaranteed Christmas number one single as promised yesterday.
Step 1 - Tubular Bells
This is a complete essential. You can not do without tubular bells on a Christmas track. Have a listed to Stay by East 17 (a bona fida classic in my opinion). Initial investigation has concluded that purchasing said tubular bells would be somewhat beyond our current budget:
Wow, they're quite expensive!
We therefore need to vet the studio we decide to record in for the appropriate Christmas orientated instruments. I can not stress how important this is.
Right, off to think Christmas thoughts. Until tomorrow.
The rehearsal room wasn't too cold after all. We had two heaters on and I had a massive fleece. Bizarrely, I felt somewhat like Noel Gallagher whilst playing the guitar. Fortunately, I avoided writing any pseudo Beatle numbers whilst I was at it and my brother wasn't there to punch in the face. We did get a new tune done (not in the slightest bit Christmassy though) which we may debut on Saturday if I can finish the lyrics and it sound checks OK. We've actually got to the stage where we can pick and choose what tracks to play, which is a refreshing change from banging out the same set for nearly two years.
I regret calling the website www.365daystoachristmasnumberone.com as it's a complete pain in the arse typing it. I am an idiot, it's official.
So, on to the important subject of 10 steps to a guaranteed Christmas number one single as promised yesterday.
Step 1 - Tubular Bells
This is a complete essential. You can not do without tubular bells on a Christmas track. Have a listed to Stay by East 17 (a bona fida classic in my opinion). Initial investigation has concluded that purchasing said tubular bells would be somewhat beyond our current budget:
Wow, they're quite expensive!
We therefore need to vet the studio we decide to record in for the appropriate Christmas orientated instruments. I can not stress how important this is.
Right, off to think Christmas thoughts. Until tomorrow.
Sunday 4 January 2009
Day 4 - Crap it's cold
The temperature in this country has reached an unacceptably low level. So much so that you don't actually want to go out. Instead I stayed in and thought about all the great ways that we can get to number one at Christmas. I came up with a grand total of one. Hand out some flyers. Brilliant huh?! I am right up there in the promoting hall of fame for that one.
It snowed a bit today and it made me think that we need snow in the video. Not fake snow, real proper snow like in the Last Christmas video. I think flying (or getting the train in my case) to a ski resort may break our budget of approximately £700 for everything (recording, repro, promotion etc.). Still, who needs an excuse to go to a ski resort? Not me, no sir, which is why I am going to one in less than four weeks time, oh yeah! May be if I write the song before then I can film a video out on the slopes, on my own, with goggles on.
Rehearsal in an unheated portacabin should be a hell of a laugh tomorrow. May be it will put everyone in the Christmas song writing mood. More likely it will put everyone in the 'fuck off down the pub' mood (or to bed, we are getting quite old and all). How very rock and roll!
If anyone's watching T4 act unsigned, Hip Parade are going to win. I called the last one and I've called this one. I have a knack you see. Trust me.
Tomorrow: How to write a Christmas Number One in 10 steps.
It snowed a bit today and it made me think that we need snow in the video. Not fake snow, real proper snow like in the Last Christmas video. I think flying (or getting the train in my case) to a ski resort may break our budget of approximately £700 for everything (recording, repro, promotion etc.). Still, who needs an excuse to go to a ski resort? Not me, no sir, which is why I am going to one in less than four weeks time, oh yeah! May be if I write the song before then I can film a video out on the slopes, on my own, with goggles on.
Rehearsal in an unheated portacabin should be a hell of a laugh tomorrow. May be it will put everyone in the Christmas song writing mood. More likely it will put everyone in the 'fuck off down the pub' mood (or to bed, we are getting quite old and all). How very rock and roll!
If anyone's watching T4 act unsigned, Hip Parade are going to win. I called the last one and I've called this one. I have a knack you see. Trust me.
Tomorrow: How to write a Christmas Number One in 10 steps.
Saturday 3 January 2009
Day 3 - Website Finished
Well we've had a few more joiners to the Group, which is nice. They're not all in my FB friends either which is even nicer and proves that maybe some other people might care a bit about the task in hand. Amusingly, none of the rest of the band have joined yet but it's rehearsal on Monday and I'll threaten them with the sack.
Today was mostly spent using my very basic HTML skills to knock up a front page for the website (check the link on this post and to the side). It's a little old school but I kind of like it like that. I did, however, work out (with a little help from the Choke forum) how to make the days count down to Christmas day which is rather cool. No doubt it's probably a day wrong but I think that is rather immaterial in the grand scheme of things (no one's going to miss Christmas day) and I can't actually be bothered to check.
No word from William Hill yet, but it is the weekend.
The question is whether or not I can keep the blog up for a whole 356 days. I suspect that is rather unlikely but if I have something interesting to say then I will say it.
FA Cup highlights in a minute. Until tomorrow.
Today was mostly spent using my very basic HTML skills to knock up a front page for the website (check the link on this post and to the side). It's a little old school but I kind of like it like that. I did, however, work out (with a little help from the Choke forum) how to make the days count down to Christmas day which is rather cool. No doubt it's probably a day wrong but I think that is rather immaterial in the grand scheme of things (no one's going to miss Christmas day) and I can't actually be bothered to check.
No word from William Hill yet, but it is the weekend.
The question is whether or not I can keep the blog up for a whole 356 days. I suspect that is rather unlikely but if I have something interesting to say then I will say it.
FA Cup highlights in a minute. Until tomorrow.
Friday 2 January 2009
Day 2 - Odds?
Well it's a pretty good start so far. Thanks to those that have joined the Facebook group and thanks also for forwarding on to your friends too. Hopefully we can get some kind of pyramid affect going. No thanks go to Louise who, when asked if she's joined, said 'oh, something about getting to number one, I don't join groups'. Well thanks for the support sweetie!
What's perturbing me at the moment is that it is completely impossible to establish exactly how many sales one needs to make it in to the charts. I am sure this used to be common knowledge but for some reason the UK Music Chart have decided that this infomation should be classified and should not be published. Why on earth would they do that? Who knows? Seriously, does anyone actually know?
So anyway, we now have a website at www.365daystoachristmasnum
What's perturbing me at the moment is that it is completely impossible to establish exactly how many sales one needs to make it in to the charts. I am sure this used to be common knowledge but for some reason the UK Music Chart have decided that this infomation should be classified and should not be published. Why on earth would they do that? Who knows? Seriously, does anyone actually know?
So anyway, we now have a website at www.365daystoachristmasnum
Day 1 - Let's Get Started
When was the last time we had a classic Christmas number one?
Those particularly astute individuals wil note that it is not 365 days until 25 December 2009. This is not terribly important. I did conceive my idea over a week ago so it was about 365 days then! The important point is that I have set a year to partake in an experiment which relies entirely on people joining in for a bit of fun, otherwise it will die on its arse which is the most likely outcome.
This isn't a rant at X Factor per se, that's a whole other discussion. What struck me this year was the inevitability of the Christmas number one. I remember when the number one spot at Christmas was an exciting annual event. This year the books were pretty much closed. This has been the same for the last two years. The thing that really struck me, looking at the charts on Christmas day, was the position of the Wombats song, 'Is This Christmas'. It only just broke top 40 but it was a great track. It had the sleigh bells and everything!
So even if you write a great song there is no guarantee of success without the promotion behind it. So really, this is an attempt to break the cycle of money dictating what music is successful. People keep telling me how powerful a tool the internet is, so let's see if it actually works. Can the internet strike a winning blow for music and prove that the industry can function as we would all hope?
So what's the plan? The plan is to write and record a great Christmas song. That I can do, well I can write and record it, whether it's great or not we will have to wait and see. Then it's down to how many people I can amuse enough to join this group and fork out 79p just so we can fight a winning blow for the independents!
So the single will be available via iTunes and possibly as a physical release if I can find someone silly enough to distribute it. If I am feeling really adventurous then there will be a video. It's not for charity or anything. Hell, if I am going to sell some music then my band is going to benefit from it!
Oh yes, I was obviously assuming that you realised I am in a band. Well, I am in a band. An indie rock band called FIRSTOFTHEGIANTS. I also run a very small indie record label called LittleThink on which the single will be released. I intend to update this group regularly (depending on whether people are actually interested enough), leading up to the big release date.
So there it is. It's all a bit silly really but, you never know, it might just work and, as they say oop north, you don't get owt for nowt.
Those particularly astute individuals wil note that it is not 365 days until 25 December 2009. This is not terribly important. I did conceive my idea over a week ago so it was about 365 days then! The important point is that I have set a year to partake in an experiment which relies entirely on people joining in for a bit of fun, otherwise it will die on its arse which is the most likely outcome.
This isn't a rant at X Factor per se, that's a whole other discussion. What struck me this year was the inevitability of the Christmas number one. I remember when the number one spot at Christmas was an exciting annual event. This year the books were pretty much closed. This has been the same for the last two years. The thing that really struck me, looking at the charts on Christmas day, was the position of the Wombats song, 'Is This Christmas'. It only just broke top 40 but it was a great track. It had the sleigh bells and everything!
So even if you write a great song there is no guarantee of success without the promotion behind it. So really, this is an attempt to break the cycle of money dictating what music is successful. People keep telling me how powerful a tool the internet is, so let's see if it actually works. Can the internet strike a winning blow for music and prove that the industry can function as we would all hope?
So what's the plan? The plan is to write and record a great Christmas song. That I can do, well I can write and record it, whether it's great or not we will have to wait and see. Then it's down to how many people I can amuse enough to join this group and fork out 79p just so we can fight a winning blow for the independents!
So the single will be available via iTunes and possibly as a physical release if I can find someone silly enough to distribute it. If I am feeling really adventurous then there will be a video. It's not for charity or anything. Hell, if I am going to sell some music then my band is going to benefit from it!
Oh yes, I was obviously assuming that you realised I am in a band. Well, I am in a band. An indie rock band called FIRSTOFTHEGIANTS. I also run a very small indie record label called LittleThink on which the single will be released. I intend to update this group regularly (depending on whether people are actually interested enough), leading up to the big release date.
So there it is. It's all a bit silly really but, you never know, it might just work and, as they say oop north, you don't get owt for nowt.
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