Has anyone else lost their Mojo???

[Burtog]

Hilary - You are of course right in that I do need to write something but in the past I've always struggled with lyrics, I write some, think about them, dont like them, bin them!

I will venture into the shed and start recording something just to re-train my brain into it all again but going forward if anyone has any lyrics and they want some music doing maybe I could have a crack at that.

.....and thanks for your offer of help Hilary!!!  

(I thought it was Haylie??)

[Burtog]

Has anyone else lost their Mojo ? ? ?

yes

You didnt strike me as someone who would, you are one of a number of people on here who always seem to be creative. I dont know how some of you can create the amount of material you do, its a special talent!

[Bluesberry]

I am having a hell of a time with lyrics at the moment.  I have a song all fleshed out, mostly recorded music, but try as I may I am a blank page when it comes to the lyrics.  My old tricks are just not working (drink a bunch of beer, surf around the internet, looking for a phrase or story or picture that sparks my imagination, grab the paper and start writing anything that comes to mind, edit as required, that always got my out of a lyric rut before), I just can't seem to find any words that resonate with me at the moment.  As for the disipline of sitting down and trying to record anything, well, I don't have the patience.  I am not going to stress about it though, I am finding lots of worthwile activities to occupy my brain (like trying to deal with the mouse infestation we have had this winter, nasty buggers).  Maybe I should write a song about the damn mice............

So, to answer your question Burtog, yes i have lost my Mojo at the moment.  

[Flash Harry]

I hate my lyrics, trite inconsequential overblown nonsensical verbal manure.

I never had a lyric mojo

[Burtog]

I hate my lyrics, trite inconsequential overblown nonsensical verbal manure.

I never had a lyric mojo

Lyrics are an odd beast, I was telling you about the Anna Calvi gig the other week, have you ever read her lyrics? There is very little to them, hardly any lines at all but the total package works perfectly. It must be knowing about what you dont have to do, kind of like how artists leave white on a canvas!!?

[Flash Harry]

Yeah, I was reading the OMD lyrics last night, they are rather weak, but I guess they were written when Andy and his mates were still teenaged or pretty soon afterwards. I didn't mind singing them because they're not mine, it's just delivery. It's the whole 'exposing yourself' to the world thing that turns me off. It's not a confidence or an ego thing either because I can get up and play in front of an audience (easier than playing to no audience), just not my stuff.

Collaborations are ok too. It's like you share the blame with others, or perhaps the material has been pre-validated by your fellow collaborators.

I dunno, no solo mojo.

New meme at work, Don't get stressed, get awesome! 

[Hilary]

You don't have to reveal yourself (I don't ) you just have to convince the audience that you are. Any hint of the real me (which is very rare) is always really well hidden - It's quite liberating when they can't tell fact from fiction . . .

Flash you are very witty, you should definitely do some songs where your humour shines through (apologies if you already have)

[Burtog]

i think another issue for me with lyrics is because I have always been a guitarist around singers, never had to worry about lyrics just did the music. I never sang before recording for this site, no way I could ever sing in front of a band, I could manage backing vox at a push but thats all I would be comfortable with.

I have had to sing to enable me to finish anything I post here but still happier when others sing like Mbee. I do get off more on the finished article more than the performance. I haven't played live for half a dozen years and dont much miss it, I do miss playing my guitar through a loud amp tho.

blah blah blah............gone off topic again!

[Hilary]

i think another issue for me with lyrics is because I have always been a guitarist around singers, never had to worry about lyrics just did the music. I never sang before recording for this site, no way I could ever sing in front of a band, I could manage backing vox at a push but thats all I would be comfortable with.

I have had to sing to enable me to finish anything I post here but still happier when others sing like Mbee. I do get off more on the finished article more than the performance. I haven't played live for half a dozen years and dont much miss it, I do miss playing my guitar through a loud amp tho.

blah blah blah............gone off topic again!

You've got a fabulous voice but there's already a queue forming here of people wanting to sing with you

What about a recording challenge - record a song from start to finish in 30 minutes or less . . .

[AndyR]

I got plenty mojo - too much!! ... just can't play the bluddy parts/songs well enough at the moment!!

On the lyric front, have you got some "fave" artistes whose lyrics you love, respect, look up to?

Pick on one, and look into why you like them. Then pick some old subject and try to write lyrics you imagine they would have written.

I'd never have thought of doing this... except, that's exactly what I've been doing recently, kind of by accident. The resulting lyrics are NOT really like his, there's too much "me" in them (and Oyster cards didn't exist when he died! ) ... but, I do quite like them, and they gave me a new song.