Songcrafters.org

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mimic fest...in the vein of Neil Young

the outro to this actually gave me all the ideas for the song...one thing led to the other...originally this was going to be short snipets of craziness...but I liked the song after the first verse that I was forced to cut and pasted and do another verse...
at one point while I was singing this our son Markus, 16... yells from the other room.."your 62 years old"....I just burst out laughing...

this was almost all Les Paul except the outro was the HB PRS copy... the main rhythm track was a single but copied 3 times and sonically messed with to create spatial mesh....whatever that is...
the bass is the Shecter, straight and clean...
drums are alesis nitro....banged away by me...

I spent alot of time on this but only because I was having so much fun...
will post the lyrics later...oh yeah... recorded on the BR ...mixed on Bandlab....mastered with Landr.... and the vocals were done using the zoom mics sent over to the BR

Love this, Stephen, so well written and performed,
Tell Marcus 62 is not old, you are a recycled Teenager..
Well done..... Alex

This is brilliant Stephen. It has a catchy beat and melody. Those guitar tracks are brilliant. It definitely has that style of Neil young.
Love the outro part.
 

Wonderful brother, had me grinning from ear to ear.
Rock on!

Oh yeah Stephen you mimicked Neil Young's electric style real good. I agree with Alex, tell your son that age is only a number, lol. A cool rocker!

Cool track.

I have to admit I'm NO fan of Neil Young (never have been, just doesn't do it for me). I nearly didn't press play because of it.

However, I did press play, and I dig this. I can hear where you're coming from and what you've achieved in capturing the vibe, and I don't feel turned off like I do the minute I hear the man himself (So... er... it must be a personal thing, sorry Neil! ;D)

Cool guitars and arrangements - I can hear how the outro spawned the rest. Jealous of the drumming (or are you a drummer? I've assumed you were a principally a guitarist, dunno why... might be getting confused here).

And the vocals, yeah, very cool.
But why oh why do I dig these vocals but cannot stand the original? (it's like a nails down the blackboard thing for me - my wife laughs that I have to leave the room if he comes on the radio).

And I laughed about the outburst from the other room ... yeah, we can all sympathise with him, I spose... but there is such a thing, young man, as being "too cool", especially where "rocking" and "sticking it to the man" are concerned ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Quote from: AndyR on September 29, 2021, 08:45:11 AMCool track.

I have to admit I'm NO fan of Neil Young (never have been, just doesn't do it for me). I nearly didn't press play because of it.

However, I did press play, and I dig this. I can hear where you're coming from and what you've achieved in capturing the vibe, and I don't feel turned off like I do the minute I hear the man himself (So... er... it must be a personal thing, sorry Neil! ;D)

Cool guitars and arrangements - I can hear how the outro spawned the rest. Jealous of the drumming (or are you a drummer? I've assumed you were a principally a guitarist, dunno why... might be getting confused here).

And the vocals, yeah, very cool.
But why oh why do I dig these vocals but cannot stand the original? (it's like a nails down the blackboard thing for me - my wife laughs that I have to leave the room if he comes on the radio).

And I laughed about the outburst from the other room ... yeah, we can all sympathise with him, I spose... but there is such a thing, young man, as being "too cool", especially where "rocking" and "sticking it to the man" are concerned ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Neil Young drives me crazy too...but somehow I really loved his electric music...and aside from his "causes" music that he does there is a side of him that is almost toward Frank Zappa (things like "Welfare Mothers")
I never really tried to sound like NY but somehow my  guitar widdling (as Chapper calls it) and vocally kind of does sound a bit like him...

thanks for asking about the drums...I was always a guy tapping on the steering wheel and banging on this and that to the music but never played drums formally...first it was guitar then bass, then guitar again....and a few years ago I got the Alesis performance pads and started banging on that and made a couple of pedals for the kick and hi hat....after a  while I felt I had progressed to the point of desiring and needing an electronic kit so I bought the Alesis Nitro kit with that add on...I practice quit a bit just because I like doing it...and obviously am quite unconventional...but I think going forward I'll be able to do this whe...n i cannot play guitar (my hands and wrists bother me if I play too much)...
It took me a while to get the thing down with my feet but I really love the snare and hi hat

I'm WELL impressed with the drumming then.

I've considered getting some electronic drums myself, several times over the last x years. But then, it's another thing to learn and it was all I could do to get the piano playing going!

Added to that there's no space here for drums, folding or not! (we're swamped by guitars, by the way). 

This garage band nirvana.  Play till the cops show up. I like to dabble with drums as well. I use a Roland octapad and some other Ext pedals and pads. I don't really have quite the discipline to get good. But use them to get ideas and to record fills and things. Anyways, I hear the Neil Young inflections and it works great. That's funny having to be reminded our age. Hope I never buy into the number. Rock on

Your music always has a bit of humor to it but it also has much energy. That being said, this is a cool tune.  I'd suggest a bit more bottom.  Maybe bring out your bass a bit more, but overall it's very cool.

As far as what your brat yelled to you, don't worry too much.  I'm 66 and still doing this crap.  The "music bug" never seems to want to die. ;)

 :)John B

Great stuff Stephen.  Definitely grabs the NY vibe - and coolio widdling  ;) 8)

Paul

Superb track stephen.
Youve got that vibe down to a T.
Excellent.

This is clearly among the better songs Neil Young has written! :) I especially like the vocals and the guitar playing. There's so much stuff going on at all times. Endless supply of rocking "garage band" licks. The lyrics are fun too! Bonus points for the home critic :D

Freakin cool stuff. I think all your stuff has this kind of fun, and energy coming out of the speakers. You write and perform with no fear, which is a rare gift, harder than it seems. I for one probably take myself too seriously so I am in awe when people let it all hang out like this. And it really reaps dividends. A joyous cacophony. I had to laugh about your son's comment, but equally great you don't give a shit. Yeah!

Mike

I don't really know enough Neil Young to say if this is a mimic or not, but it sounds great! Love the crunchy rhythm guitars and the drums are fantastic. Great lead work as always and the lyrics are great. Although I have to say I would associate garage bands more with punk or The Stooges rather than NY, who was always a bit of an old hippie to me (in my punk days....) ;) :D But it's a great track, really punchy and powerful and great production too. Loved it!

Quote from: Ferryman on October 01, 2021, 10:56:29 AMI don't really know enough Neil Young to say if this is a mimic or not, but it sounds great! Love the crunchy rhythm guitars and the drums are fantastic. Great lead work as always and the lyrics are great. Although I have to say I would associate garage bands more with punk or The Stooges rather than NY, who was always a bit of an old hippie to me (in my punk days....) ;) :D But it's a great track, really punchy and powerful and great production too. Loved it!

I actually got the idea to do a song about garage bands from some of Greeny's comments I have read about the site, and in particular about some of my posts.  I never really found anything to fit that idea until now...years ago when I was a kid I remember some kids around the places I lived that played in garages, much to the chagrin of the neighbors.  I can't help but think that at least a few went on to become great muisicians (not necessarily the ones I knew but the idea of the garage band)..... I totally understand your ideas about Neil Young because most people would tell you he's a nice acoustic player that plays about causes he protests about, and that is true...he does that...or did that...
there is a lesser known side of Neil that I always really liked, even outside of his CSNY days and Buffalo Springfield (although that would be more like what I am taking about, the latter there)....that really was raw energy rock that might defo be associated with a more basic style rock band (stuff like alot of Crazy Horse did)....I suppose that saying this sounded like NY was a little easier for me because I do happen to play somewhat like him (and I have spend quite a bit of time covering some of his rock music so learning it I suppose) because that is easy for me to mimic....and at least a little I can sing a bit like him as well....
thanks for the great comments, always well appreciated, and that is to everyone btw....and especially you Nigel because you don't post that much but you take a lot of time to listen to all our music and comment on it and that takes a very special kind of person so thanks...

Great songwriting! The lyric fits fine to the atmosphere of your music. Nice jamming in the outro!!

Enjoyable listening!

Your music gets better and better Stephen , love the Neil young guitar , beautifully played and structured composition , hard rock and loud is all you need for a great time , and you sound like you are enjoying you music and playing , jobs a good un !!! keep on rocking !!!

Quote from: StephenM on October 01, 2021, 12:00:46 PMI totally understand your ideas about Neil Young because most people would tell you he's a nice acoustic player that plays about causes he protests about, and that is true...he does that...or did that...
there is a lesser known side of Neil that I always really liked, even outside of his CSNY days and Buffalo Springfield (although that would be more like what I am taking about, the latter there)....that really was raw energy rock that might defo be associated with a more basic style rock band (stuff like alot of Crazy Horse did)....I suppose that saying this sounded like NY was a little easier for me because I do happen to play somewhat like him (and I have spend quite a bit of time covering some of his rock music so learning it I suppose) because that is easy for me to mimic....and at least a little I can sing a bit like him as well....
thanks for the great comments, always well appreciated, and that is to everyone btw....and especially you Nigel because you don't post that much but you take a lot of time to listen to all our music and comment on it and that takes a very special kind of person so thanks...

Yeah, I don't know NY from the Crazy Horse era, I grew up with Harvest and After the Gold Rush. That's kind of stuck with me.....

Thanks for the kind comments. I've had a number of issues (mainly to do with my hearing) that have kept me away from music but I will be getting back to doing some new stuff later in the year. SC keeps my interest in music alive so I do like to still listen and comment.

Move over Neil Young, Stephen is in the house ..  :D
Really good song .. very Neil Youngish for sure .. great songwriting and playing .. keep on rocking "in the free world" ..

Neil Young has this thing where he is all loose and yet tight as hell....its a hard thing to achieve and he is one of the best at that IMO.....and you have captured that aspect of NY here perfectly......listen to the Zuma album for example...some fantastic loose/tight rock and roll and his solos are coming straight from his soul....NY is a weird kind of soul music..it can rip your head off at times...there is a physical aspect to NY's music its hits you in your sympathetic nervous system and takes you to another dimension...his best songs do that for me.....Powderfinger, Like a Hurricane, Dangerbird, the whole of Sleeps With Angels album, etc....great job

Great lively track, so much energy put down to tape, some of your best drumming I've heard. Your vocals really fit the track and I really dig the humour in the lyrics. The lead guitar definitely has a Rust Never Sleeps vibe to it.

Quote from: Bluesberry on October 03, 2021, 06:50:02 PMNeil Young has this thing where he is all loose and yet tight as hell....its a hard thing to achieve and he is one of the best at that IMO.....and you have captured that aspect of NY here perfectly......listen to the Zuma album for example...some fantastic loose/tight rock and roll and his solos are coming straight from his soul....NY is a weird kind of soul music..it can rip your head off at times...there is a physical aspect to NY's music its hits you in your sympathetic nervous system and takes you to another dimension...his best songs do that for me.....Powderfinger, Like a Hurricane, Dangerbird, the whole of Sleeps With Angels album, etc....great job

Dave... I love those NY songs you mentioned....he's like a musician performer composer with multiple personalities...I gotta admit that I've loved most of what I've heard... but also ..I love most music I listen to for awhile