Have you SEEN some of the pictures google brings up under "Succubus"?! I opted for this version...
So, this was NOT a reject! (WHAT?!) YES! Not a reject from the movie… however, this isn’t exactly how it sounds in the film, either. James Frazee is a magician when it comes to making things sound INCREDIBLE. So, what you’ll actually hear in the film is cleaner, bigger and tougher. This is a cue for the entrance of a succubus (the PG version of a succubus). Do you really need any more lead-in than that?! I didn’t think so.
In getting ideas for a PG-rated succubus, I played around in garageband with some of the midi samples and loops. This is what came out of my experimentation. James Frazee worked his magic, made me a basic percussion line from his fancy-shmancy pro-tools to which I added, cello, violin, chopsticks on banjo (true! try it some time), some midi percussion and vocals.
Good morning: this is Tuesday’s song… TUESDAY! (Even though it’s Thursday)
Badass Rhubarb
Yet another reject from the pile from Unicorn City. This was a hard scene. It kind of goes like this: A cast of characters who dress up as other characters (see: LARPING) are in the woods. Everyone has shown up except one. This is the entrance of one of the most elaborate and impressive character costumes. He’s badass, tough, and has some serious machismo. A bunch of ideas were submitted for this scene. What we ended up using was a totally sweet composition from a good friend and composer G. Scott Newbold. The movie people loved it, it kicks ass, and totally rocks the scene.
(I’m showing you my skivvies here, friends…) This was a demo of a totally different direction we went in at one point. After a few submissions were first approved and then pulled out, we tried a more punk/celtic direction. The intention was a kind of Dropkick Murphy’s vibe: badass but more punk, less rock. (True artistic confessions: We “borrowed” the opening of their song I’m Shipping Up To Boston as a jumping off point, but, in its entirety, the piece was a little less than successful.) Jeff Young, a violinist and roommate of mine, and I recorded this after trying a bunch of other ideas. He came up with the main melody. This was a demo submitted to be re-recorded. It was mainly a submission of a basic idea, but, in the end, it was way too weak. Not badass enough.
You will hear a great violin and mandolin played by Jeffrey Young (it pays to live with musicians sometimes) and electric guitar by G. Scott Newbold. There’s some accordion and cello in there too.
It was a sincere effort, but I’m so grateful G. Scott Newbold showed up and blew us all away. I’m really happy with what we ended up using in the film. RIP – Celtic Punk Demo. RIP.
Decided to do something different for the 365 project today. Instead of a song, why not a Valentine’s Day movie? I’m the throes of several projects before I leave on a 5 week tour with Pearl and the Beard, one of which involves the ever musical Guy Capecelatro (who is absolutely out-writing me for sure). So, instead of writing just a song, Jonathan, as a kind of Valentine’s Day present to me, suggested we do a a movie for Valentine’s Day. It might not sound like much to the average Valentine’s Day recipient, but we really have fun doing it – NERD ALERT. We have previously done a small scene from Star Wars with PUPPETS (which I may post later), but for V-Day we decided on, what else, The Notebook starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. Here’s what the scene from the movie looks like:
If you haven’t seen it – this is what you’ve been missing. If you have seen it, you’ll know exactly where this falls in the movie, and if you don’t remember, well – then you obviously didn’t need to rewind it over and over again, memorizing every slur and pout that came out of Ryan Gosling’s mouth.
The music from the first half of the scene is from a piece I wrote called Odiorne and the Sea and put on a collaboration for Burst and Bloom Records called Seasonal Disorder – Winter. It’s a gathering of several artists who have all submitted tracks about Winter. The outtakes half of the scene is a a brand new piece you’ll hear later in an undisclosed location…hmm…
Well, yet another rejection from the pile of rejects and acceptances I did for the movie, Unicorn City. I have a feeling these first few days of getting the 365 off its feet will be platforms for little children who will never see the light of day except for the 365. Onward, ho!
This is a theme I came up with for a scene with some dopey cops driving around in their car eating nachos and talking about passing exams. There were about 4 or 5 versions of this theme created: one with only voice, one with voice and cello melody together, one with cellos only taking over all original vocal melodies, one with cello and only one voice humming, one with a little of both and a final mix of something sort of like everything with less of the stuff that wasn’t wanted (did you get all that?). What did we settle on? Well, you’ll just have to see.
This is the ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL version: in all its dopey glory.
Getting right to it: This was recorded by James Frazee some weeks ago as a demo. It’s actually an old song, but, in an attempt to recommend a song for the movie – which once again didn’t make it in – we adjusted some tiny, tiny little spots and re recorded it. This is that recording. True, true: it technically doesn’t pass 365 rules, but I’d really like to finally get it in here before it’s too late…I have attempted several “officially recorded” versions of this song, but it just seems to fail. So, I’m just going to have you hear the most recent demo of it, because that’s just what I want to do.
This is one of those songs that came very quickly but took forever to finesse. Bashfully I will tell you that when I finished it and performed it for myself for the first time, I cried…I felt so silly, but they just came rolling out from the little holes in our head that we call eyes. I figure it’s because it comes from a very personal place that existed a very long time ago. (James kindly chimes in at the end… and then I reference another 365 song: You Don’t Know What You’re Doing)
Until tomorrow! More, more, more to come!
Cursive
Someday I’ll write you
Someday I’ll write you in cursive, that day’s today
One day I’ll wrong you
One day I’ll wrong you and that day is today
Don’t have to keep it, just have to read it I wrote it with you in mind
For all that I know
For all that I know
You could be bleeding at the side of the road
You kept me waiting
You kept me waiting i don’t blame you I would, too
She sure was pretty you sure were lucky, it’s a memory I’d love to
I sent out my soul, a way to occupy your mind
I hope you’re kind, I hope you’re kind, please be kind
The stars are so bright, they’ve nearly occupied these pair of eyes
Before this lady dies
Just want to say, just had to say, you’ve been on my mind
Wish I was pretty you always thought so, I guess it must be true
How could you break me I came in pieces I’m in 10 more now that you’re gone
I was so silent how could you stand it your absence speaks more than truth
With arms open wide come back to me my soul
The starts are so bright they’ve nearly occupied these pair of eyes
Before this lady dies
Just want to say, just had to say, you’ve been on my mind
Weird! I just checked the 365 today in start-up mode, and, in curiosity, checked what I wrote one year ago today, and it was Headache for a Heartache. What a surprise. The day I posted this song, it got over 650 visits. In one day. And here we are, one year later!
You may also remember that I have a beautiful video of a live performance I did of this song for Sleepover Shows:
Last night, James Frazee, producer and engineer extraordinaire for the movie (and a whole bunch of other awesome projects), and I just did first review of the movie in its entirety with final music. As these things go, we will need to tweak a few things as we are requested to do so, but we are DONE!
James Frazee and Emily Hope Price basking in the done-ness.
In celebration, I am going to post a rough draft of a song I wrote that DID NOT make it into the movie. I wrote and recorded this while on tour with Pearl and the Beard in Madison, Wisconsin last November. What a perfect use for the restart of the 365! It was intended for the opening credits then moved to the end credits, and eventually tossed completely. In very 365 style, this was written and recorded in the morning over a few hours at Anna Vogelzang‘s house. I used her “studio” (which, in truth, is a very small and somewhat friendly-cluttered office. She had several helpful instruments and a whole bunch of very inspiring pictures pasted onto her walls.)
The song that actually ended up in the opening credits for the movie almost didn’t make it as well, but, at the last minute, it was requested to be used by the director and executive producer. Suspense can function as a type of motivator at times, so I will only tell you that the person involved in its creation just might have been Sam McCormally (Day 10: A Thousand Thousands, Ugly Purple Sweater). More to be revealed…
I kept saying I would restart the 365 in a few weeks and, every time I said it, I meant it thinking the work would be done… but completion of projects like this is too hard to predict, and, even now, I know a tiny bit more still has to be done. But overall, it’s finished: composing, editing, mixing…sigh. It was an awesome experience. I feel 10 years older but wiser, nonetheless. The 365 will resume! FINALLY!
Weakness
Oh how it works
Is that it’s you and this is me upon a mountain
The highest mountain
Oh how it works
Is that I say that you are small and terrifying
So terrifying
So I’ve been cursed
Oh I’ve been wounded on my heel, my heart is bleeding
Oh, boy it’s bleeding
And only you
Yeah, only you can heal the damage that I’m feeling
Oh, yeah, I’m feeling
Five, four, three, two, one and I say
Weakness, you are my weakness
Savory and sweetness
You are my weakness
Weakness, you are my weakness
And I am so compelled right this moment
I’m comin’ home.
It’s how it is
Oh how I just can’t stand to see you suffer
Oh how you suffer
So I will seize
I will seize you by wrist, and we will conquer
Oh, how we’ll conquer
Come willingly,
Come willingly and be accomplice to my devising
Oh be my shill
And we will break the banks of all who’s worth
Five four three two one
Weakness, you are my weakness
Savory and sweetness
You are my weakness
Weakness, you are my weakness
I’m so compelled right this moment
I’m comin’ home.
EMILY HOPE PRICE 