Radio Eclectic

Radio Eclectic interview with Ted Goodwin

2009-06-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/radioeclectic

Here it is folks: the first ever Radio Eclectic interview with the stars! Our currently featured artist, Ted Goodwin, was kind enough to give us the scoop on his new album, The Third of Two Options, as well as the ins and outs of indie obscurity, songwriting, and ordering dishes not advertised on the menu. Thanks to Underdawg of the Daniel Amos message board (www.danielamos.com) for his assistance with the interview.

Radio Eclectic: What first gave you the idea that you could record your own music and share it with folks, and was there any particular event or inspiration that pushed you over the edge and into making your music a public thing?

Ted Goodwin: Well, first, you have to understand something about me: I’m really not naturally musically talented at all. I started writing songs as a teenager because, basically, I saw other people making music and thought I could do the same. I picked up some things from music I listened to, which was often fairly complex and sophisticated, but I never had any guidance or training. So even when I started writing fairly well -- and it took years to get there -- it was like I’d gotten a hold of Music 301 concepts without ever learning Music 101 or 201. That made my stuff pretty individualistic, and I found that all I could really do with it was to record it all by myself. If not for that, there would never have been any reason for me to try singing (even in the shower) or playing.

As for making it a "public thing," I was inflicting -- I mean, sharing my stuff, in the form of home cassette "albums," long before it had any business being shared. By the time I did anything worth sharing, I had realized that I wasn’t going to be the next big thing in the music world and had stopped trying to make music more than a hobby. So it’s not a "public thing" for me beyond friends and people I connect with on the ‘net. I suppose I could really try to promote it, but there are enough indie artists out there that that hasn’t worked for.

RE: Now that you've put out this CD, and it's pretty darned good, what is your goal for it? Do you have the belief that it could turn into a successful enterprise, or is it something that you do for your own gratification, no matter whether you sell 5 copies or 500? In short... why do all this work for so little monetary reward? I'm assuming that this isn't an inexpensive hobby. (submitted by Underdawg)

TG: OK, I’ll have to go ‘round the long way to get to my answer to this…

I’ve recorded songs simply because I wrote them, and I wrote them because they were a good form of expression for me. I made my first CD pretty much just because I could. But it was a whole different ballgame from doing my old home cassettes. It took way too long, and not everything I tried worked. I wasn’t planning to do another one, but for various reasons I eventually ended up with a handful of songs, both new & old, that I really wanted to record. So this time I consciously did exactly what I hadn’t done the first time. I kept it short & simple, and focused on my strengths as a performer. Wait, I don’t have strengths as a performer. OK, I kept it focused away from my worst weaknesses as a performer. Anyway, it took much less time and expense, and it turned out noticeably better.

So… my main reason for making this CD is just that I wanted the songs to be recorded, and recorded well. I’m long past the point of thinking it could "turn into a successful enterprise." And you’re right that this isn’t an inexpensive hobby. Given the expense vs. the number of people who are likely to hear it, this isn’t something I’m likely to do again. But I’m glad I did it this time because this disc is something I can be proud of.

RE: Who has influenced you musically?

TG: The main "influence" on my music is the fact that I don’t have enough imitative ability to really claim anyone as an “influence.” People often have a hard time figuring out who I sound like, and that’s because I don’t spend much time sounding like anyone else.

Another “influence” is the fact that I have very limited playing & singing abilities, and it’s a challenge to write good material that somewhat fits those limits.

I suppose some influence from music I listen to – mostly made by artists who were around between 1967 & 1974 – has crept in, but said influence is mostly pretty indirect.

RE: What are the pros and cons of working with a producer, as you have with your latest two releases, versus doing it yourself as with the early cassette albums?

TG: The only “pro” to making cassettes myself was that it didn’t cost much money. Otherwise all the “pros” have been on the side of working with Kyle, who is not only a producer with actual equipment but an excellent guitarist and bassist as well. Production-wise, he knows that my ideas tend to be quite fully formed before I bring them to him, and he has been wonderfully respectful of that. As a lead guitarist – well, just listen to his work on my new disc, especially on “Down To You.” My chord progressions tend to avoid fixed key signatures and thus can be difficult to solo over. But Kyle hits the right notes, which is much better than playing a lot of fast notes that may or may not hit the mark.

RE: Your song lyrics reveal a definite ironical sense of humor; does that happen naturally, or do you plan to do a couple ironical and a few more serious songs per album?

TG: It all depends on what the general theme of the work is going to be. In the case of the new disc, I wanted to keep things relatively light-hearted. The last time around my focus was on serious songs, and I wasn’t satisfied with how some of them turned out. I think the more witty, ironical stuff suits me better.

RE: What would you say is the unifying theme for this record, if there is one?

TG: There really isn’t one. I just wanted to record the new songs so they’d be recorded, and a couple of the older ones because I’d performed them for friends and wanted to be able to share them (the songs, not the friends) on CD. Otherwise the main common ground between the songs is that they don’t run smack into my vocal limitations.

RE: Who are your favorite songwriters?

TG: I don’t really have an answer to that. I don’t think any one writer has been responsible for enough of my favorite songs to qualify.

RE: Do you have a favorite song on this record?

TG: “Down To You” - no contest. And not for the lyrics, but the music. It reminds me of being a kid in the early ‘70s when you could still hear these really long rock songs on the radio. And they were long because they deserved to be – they used their length to take you places. They had a certain mystique for me – maybe partly because I rarely got to hear them all the way through!

RE: Of the new songs on this record, which came first?

TG: The title track dates from 2006, around the time IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING was finished. It was one of many ideas I had for a tentative “next” CD, and the only one that got much beyond the lyric-fragment stage. At one point I had tossed it along with the rest, but it stayed stuck in my head so I eventually wrote it down again. “Down To You” dates from 2007, although the main bass riff & chords come from a 1994 jam between my friend Mark (credited as co-composer for said bass riff) and myself. I wrote “Plunge” in 2008.

RE: Songs like "Always Looking" feature a more acoustic sound and bluesy structure than on your previous records -- was this intentional during the writing process or something that came out of the recording sessions?

TG: Writing process. That song & “It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time” come from a time, around 2000, when I did all my songwriting on the guitar (which I can barely play) in order to force my songs to be simpler.

RE: Anyone in particular inspire the song "Everybody Wants To be Where You Are?"

TG: The basic idea did get set in motion when I once got to shake the hand of a well-known person, but it’s not about them – it’s not about anyone in particular.

RE: Have you ever ordered something that wasn't on the menu?

TG: (Nice reference to the title track!) Actually, yes. And often I ask restaurant servers if I can change something about an item. After all, a menu is just a list of suggestions, right?

RE: Having listened to this album a few times, I realize that some songs aren't about what I first thought they were about. Do you see your songs differently as time goes by? Do they mean something different to you? (submitted by Underdawg)

TG: There have been a few times where one of my more personal songs has taken on kind of a new meaning due to events in my life. But most of the time I have specific & set meanings in mind for songs. That applies to the songs you'll hear on this & my other discs -- even some of the instrumental pieces.

RE: Do you plan to get a regular MySpace / Facebook / other web page where folks can go to hear more and contact you about buying your awesome indie albums?

TG: Not really. Maybe if I were younger, or more talented, or more serious about making music. But indie music is an extremely high-supply, low-demand commodity, and I don’t have enough ability or inclination toward self-promotion (not to mention actual musical talent) to overcome that.

...There you have it, folks. Peace, love, and music...Support Independent Music!

Blue Like Jazz...Steve Taylor directs

2009-03-11T15:56:00.001-07:00

http://www.bluelikejazzthemovie.com/blj/index.php

2009-03-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

I hate to break it to you, but it's worse than you thought/We have to live together whether we like it or not --("The Clouds Plateau")

Dw. Dunphy returns with his most ambitious effort to date, the compelling Enigmatic. Dunphy describes the album as an art project rather than a rock record, which may account for the limited edition version that finds the CD housed in a 32-page book featuring full lyrics, special artwork for each song, and the artist's musings on the meaning of Enigmatic. But Deluxe Edition aside, the songs alone show themselves to be more than the typical indie rock fare.

Enigmatic is an album about broken people and the broken relationships they have with other broken selves. From deadbeat dads to summer romances, Dunphy offers a collection of compelling vignettes, fictions behind which lie "a hint of a fact" ("Stories for Telling"). The overall sound and cohesion of the album hearken to his previous release, Modernism, but some interesting departures from this progressive, keyboard-laden sound on tracks such as "Pine Box" and "The Icy Frozen Ocean" give Enigmatic a lift above even that fine 2008 release. Dunphy's lyrics are as skillful and astute as ever (I shan't flood you with quotes of all my favorite lines from this record, though I would really like to), and the sound quality of his homegrown recordings reaches a high mark here, as do his vocals.

Consisting mostly of fictional stories told in the first person, Enigmatic is nevertheless a record which invites its listeners to see themselves in the stories and learn a little bit about life together, where my hang-ups and yours meet and make "love" a job that requires hard-work and understanding. And yet, at the end of the day, most folks will resonate with the record's upbeat single and say "I'd rather be there with you."

New U2 album

2009-02-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

I've not been this completely underwhelmed by a U2 record since Zooropa...

Philosophers of Rock: Update Numero Uno

2009-02-25T17:17:00.000-08:00

The first release from The Philosophers of Rock, Fides Quaerens Intellectum, is well on its way to becoming the most fantastic almalgamation of melody and wisdom ever to be produced by...me. However, the vast majority of work put into this project thus far consists of elaborate ideas and rock star fantasies developed painstakingly, in full color, in my mind. But I am committed to making this happen to the very best of my ability.

I'm working on three songs right now; I've written about 3/4 of the lyrics to the title track and I have chorus lyrics and guiding ideas for two other tracks. My ultimate plan is to write and record five or six original songs with one or two covers. The album as a whole will center loosely on the theme of a medieval Christian approach to the relationship between faith and reason, especially as this perspective offers answers to modern problems with roots in Enlightenment Rationalism and Skeptical Empiricism.

If I pull this off right, the project will be for a wider audience than that niche market of Ph.D holders who think rock and roll is a rationally justifiable pasttime. My hope is that these songs will work on a level where the (maybe slightly above average) listener can enjoy them as pop songs.

As far as a "sound" for the album, there are a few different ways that might go. I have in mind a healthy eclecticism drawing from influences such as Bill Mallonee, Terry Taylor, Talking Heads, and Pink Floyd. However, a lot of the musical direction for the album will be determined by other people who get involved; in regard to the playing and engineering of the music, I'm reaching for a lot more than I can achieve by myself. Additionally, the project budget will impose some limitations: I have no budget.

Still, every time I think about The Philosophers of Rock or sit down to work on some lyrics, my excitement grows. This project is tied up with a lot that's going on in my mind and heart that I think will form a large part of my professional and personal life over the next few decades.

If you've read this far, you might be interested in the following project details...

Project Schedule:

-Write songs through spring/summer 2009

-Assemble musicians and record through fall/winter 2009

-Refine music and develop the larger package for release late spring 2010

Final Result

-Six to Eight song cycle; a loose concept record

-Offered as a free digital download/pay-what-you-want through http://www.noisetrade.com/

-Traditional physical CD w/ brief liner notes, lyrics, and sparse artwork through http://www.cdbaby.com/

-Limited edition Deluxe Bookset; CD housed in a 40-50 page full color book with expanded artwork, full lyrics, extended liner notes, and relevant essays, poetry, photography, etc. to further develop the ideas in the record and engage the audience through more avenues than sound alone can afford.

Sitting in the dark, my back against the wall
All her enlightenment had shewn me nothing at all
Only shapes without substance, no power to recall
Blinded under her spell, I had not foreseen my own fall
Now I lay me down on a pall, the bed in which she used to so enthrall me...

Career thought for the day

2009-02-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

"The mere philosopher is a character, which is commonly but little acceptable in the world, as being supposed to contribute nothing either to the advantage or pleasure of societ [...]."

-David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

The Philosophers of Rock

2009-02-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

I've just created a myspace page for this project I've been planning. Please take a moment to check out www.myspace.com/thephilosophersofrock

2010?

2009-01-24T05:57:00.000-08:00

Sexy Boots...yeah...

2009-01-23T09:35:00.000-08:00

The lead single from U2's new album (No Line On The Horizon) is available to stream from http://www.goyb.u2.com

The track is called Get On Your Boots and will be released as a digital download February 15. The album lands March 03 (US).

The 77s: Rock N Rollers Extraordinaire!

2009-01-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

I first discovered The 77s about 7 years ago, as a result of picking up a Lost Dogs record in a bargain bin. From the first, I was won over by Michael Roe's blistering guitars and riveting, soulful vocals. There are almost two bands here; the hard rocking, blues inspired jam band, and the heartbreaking, melodic pop band.

After more than twenty years of making music twenty times better than almost anything else on the radio (or your iPod, for that matter), The 77s released Holy Ghost Building this past year to plenty of raving from fans and critics (at least, those lucky enough to hear it). This record is, hands down, my favorite record of 2008. The only thing remotely resembling a misstep is the inclusion of the song "A Lifetime Without You," which seems out of place amidst the old style rock and roll and gospel blues throughout Holy Ghost Building; it's really just too good a song to be considered a misstep, however, so I just enjoy and long for Michael Roe's next solo or 7&7 Is project.

The rest of the album is perfect, mining every facet of the beginnings of rock and roll to produce a record that sounds...well, real. In a consumeristic world of pop products, this record has a warmth and reality, both from the recording process and the songs chosen, that sets it heads above the rest. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Listen here, tell your friends, and check out more about the band at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Ljc3cy5jb20= or www.myspace.com/the77s

Support Independent Music!

Popdose on Hannah Montana

2009-01-12T09:57:00.001-08:00

Link from popdose (cool music blog site) I picked up from Dw. Dunphy...

http://popdose.com/jesus-of-cool-why-hannah-montana-is-so-awesome/

The 77s featured on www.myspace.com/radioeclectic Jan 15!

2009-01-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

The following thought occured to me in a bathroom today:

If I could go back and change something in music history, I would have Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra each record an album with Phil Spector as arranger and producer, and I would have them record an album together, with Brian Wilson arranging and producing.

Fall to your knees in awe of this possibility that shall not be realized...take solace in the thought that God is sovereign and knows better than we why this amzing blessing was not bestowed upon humanity.

Alice Cooper

2008-11-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, I heard the Alice Cooper record "The Last Temptation" when a friend lent it to me. I had heard that Alice was a Christian, so I was interested in listening (seems like a number of popular classic rock artists eventually converted to Christianity). I didn't really know what to expect, though I suppose I had some vague notion that it would be very "hard" metal and probably have lots of imagery about hell and the devil and scary things. Well, the second part turned out to be true, but what I also found (but hadn't expected) was an endearing depth, catchy-ness, and laugh-out-loud humor that characterizes this artist's work.

Growing up, all I knew about Alice Cooper was that he was 'shock rock,' scary, evil, immoral, and probably demonic. As I got older and began to listen to classic rock radio, I heard songs like "School's Out" and "No More Mr. Nice Guy;" both excellent examples for anyone who would like to write an enduring, hook-driven, and funny rock and roll song. This evidence presented me with a contradiction between my childhood conceptions and the reality of Cooper's music, but at the time I didn't think much of it.

Now, with "The Last Temptation," I had a great rock n' roll album that told a meaningful story about growing up and choosing allegiances in a world that is always trying to distract us from God with a sideshow circus tent full of entertainment and temptation. AND, the lyrics were clever, witty, and absurdly funny, such as in this track about a typical Generation X dilemma: I can't go to school 'cause I ain't got a gun/ I ain't got a gun 'cause I ain't got a job/ I ain't got a job 'cause I can't go to school /So I'm looking for a girl with a gun and a job and a house... with cable/ Don't you know where you are (Lost in America)

After a few months of consistently going back to this album when picking out something to listen to, I started acquiring some more albums, particularly Alice's newer releases, as well as a box set of his earlier material. "The Last Temptation" was not a fluke; throughout his career, Alice has, yes, been a leader in making theatrical music about the absurd and the grotesque---he has also done pioneering work dealing with serious issues (His album "From The Inside" examines his alcohol addiction and rehab), taken a strong stand against the immorality rampant in American culture (see the two-album cycle "Brutal Planet" and "Dragontown"), written a number of tender ballads concerning the plight of women in our society which so devalues women ("Only Women Bleed" and "Take It Like A Woman"), and...well, he's just plain funny, creepy, challenging, and entertaining, all at once.

Indeed, over the last year, Alice Cooper has worked his way into my top 20 list of favorite music artists, and I listen to something from him probably weekly, if not daily. His stage show is certainly not for the kiddies, but he has also made it to the top of my list of concerts to see before I die...right behind U2 and actually ahead of Bob Dylan.

You can find out more about Alice's music at:

http://www.aliceooper.com/

http://www.nightswithalicecooper.com/

http://www.sickthings.co.uk/

What is "Radio Eclectic?"

2008-10-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

I am a (sometimes fanatic) lover of music.

Like most fans, I like to share my joy with others, whether celebrating together with folks who are already excited about the same things, or introducing people to something new.

Radio Eclectic began as a myspace page dedicated to promoting independent music and celebrating the wide range of music I enjoy and listen to. For a while I had to put it on the backburner as I underwent significant changes in my life and new pulls on my time and energy. now, I am hoping to revive this concept, but with an expanded telos (purpose).

This blog will primarily serve as a venue for thoughts about music: album reviews, news, links to information and downloads, promotion of independent artists, and perhaps some essays and deeper musings. Secondarily, it will be a place to present some of my own creativity in this area, sharing song lyrics/poetry/various musical ideas related to my own projects, including "Kevin Ellis" and "The Philosophers of Rock."

Additionally, this blog will interact with a newly launched myspace page (coming soon) dedicated to helping independent musicians get their music heard.

Upcoming thoughts: Alice Cooper, Dw. Dunphy, The Philosophers of Rock, and "Top Ten Most Ridiculous Premises for a Hit Pop Song."