In Defense Of ‘Stupid’ Song Ideas
Sometimes when I get an idea for a new song I get excited and I’m…
Sometimes Your Story Doesn’t Belong In Your Song’s Story
Most if not all of us songwriters, also known as people, have our go-to stories…
Music Business 2019 – The Reality On The Ground
Every songwriter and producer I work with has to deal with the same reality I…
The Importance of Writing At Different Tempos
I had a gig with my band and some special guests Monday night. It went…
Paul McCartney Reveals A Songwriting Secret
I was watching Paul McCartney on Steven Colbert’s show. They were discussing the fact that…
Isn’t It Always Too Late To Be A Songwriter?
Although far from achieving all of my goals – or even most – I’ve established…
When Writing A Song Is Like Writing A Joke
Jokes may be the purest form of writing and performance. There’s a setup… then a…
What Makes A Song Sound ‘Beatle-esque’?
A lot of Lennon & McCartney’s early songs were what you might call ‘genre’ songs.…
Never Turn Away Your Songwriting Muse – A Lesson From Neil Young
I spend a lot of time, in my life and on this blog, thinking about…
It’s A Process. Later, You Call It Songwriting
It’s called writing. But, after some wandering in the dark, most songs that reach the…
Does It Matter What Key Your Song Is In?
There’s no question in my mind that, when writing a song, an awareness of what…
Are You A Writer Who Isn’t Writing?
Recently I was with a friend of mine who’s in a creative field and quite…
Lyrics Aren’t Just Words
Lyrics on a page or a screen can be deceptive. They can ‘read well’, they…
Can You Handle The Truth?
As a college student Arthur Miller wrote a play, his first, and entered it into…
It’s 2019. Does The F-Bomb Still Have Explosive Power?
In a Senate hearing this week, televised live, Lindsay Graham said the words, “Donald Trump…
When Not-Thinking Is Better Than Thinking
When writing a song, I can’t imagine any predetermined or ‘correct’ balance between using the…
How (Not?) To Keep Track Of Your Lyrics & Chord Charts
I get lazy about keeping track of the songs I’ve written. Sometimes I need to…
How To Use the ‘Tender Notes’ In Your Melodies
This week I make a pitch for the use in melodies of what I call…
The Power Of Suggestion and Preconceived Notions To Affect Your Writing
Many years ago, when I was playing and producing other people’s songs and not my…
‘Just My Imagination’ – An Appreciation Of A Great Song
I recently was invited to see the new Broadway show about The Temptations, ‘Ain’t Too…
Watch the ‘Ask Tony’ Videos
