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My old 'about me' sections have been both pretentious and then boring... then I dont know what. So I am going to tell you it straight and from the heart! Firstly.. I love songwriting. I have composed music in one way or another since I was at school. I started getting really into it when I realised I was one of the only ones in my performing arts class who could make stuff up musically as I went along.
I was no good at drama so quite often people asked me to do a composition for their drama pieces. Then I got picked out of the music GCSE group to provide the theme song for a proper production about world war 3 and basically the whole music and drama class sang the song as a choir.
Thats what started me off thinking how powerful writing a good song can be and how good it felt for people to hear your songs. As a child I had always grown up around 80s music which left me numb creatively, but also I got a glimpse of some really good stuff around my parents, hearing The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Soul music and Mowtown which I still love now....
...but then came my later teenage years (nearing the dreaded adulthood!) where I discovered my own music.. indie music, grunge and rock music. Massively got into oasis, (love Noel galagers song writing in particular), then Kurt Cobain was a massive influence in a different way to oasis. Noel Galagher writes uplifting positive songs, Kurt Cobain quite negative and quite dark at times. I found myself falling in the middle and taking direct influence from both.
I worked my way round some chords and discovered it was the acoutic stuff I loved and tried to emulate the most. for example in my mid 20's I discovered Ray lamontagne on hearing him on Jules holland singing 'Trouble' and Damien Rice on the radio doing 'Cannonball' and became massive fans of both....and yes I dont mind saying James Blunt knocks out a few good tunes and cant deny he is an influence! so there! :-)
More recently I found more folky stuff like Seth Lakeman more appealing...but David Ford has to be one of my all time folky favourite singer songwriters...amazing. I still use the same old chords to write songs and have never mastered the guitar or piano (or my voice) as a technical instrument, but play and sing enough to get my ideas across.
Winter 2008 I found out am a double semi finalist for songs 'Calling Out' and 'Edge of Life' and commendation certificate winner for 'Travelling' in the UK songwriting contest 2008, run by the Brit trust (of Brit award fame) and backed by BBC radio and music aid.
I got BBC radio air play and an interview as well as 3 local press articles regarding this achievement of which I am very proud.
So what now for 2009??.... as well as trying to keep being a good dad and being with my little girl as much as possible I want to be a better person to everyone who cares about me and to myself.....on the music front I think I see myself as a songwriter more than a singer so I am going to put my efforts into trying to get somewhere with a song publisher by entering loads more songwriting contests and sending off demos in 2009.
Everyone has dreams. This is mine. To make living or almost a living writing songs and being involved in making real proper music. It is the only thing I am really good at and I love it.
I also play percussion for Singer/songwriter Cherry. Check out our stuff and up and coming gigs on www.myspace.com/cherryandtheorchestra I have feelings this band is really going places with Cherry's songs, vocals and the sound we have developed very naturally between the three of us. We have already played the 'acoustic gathering' festival and are auditioning for Live and Unsigned in 2009, as well as supporting Nomad Jones at 'Candlelit' (SEE TOP FRIENDS FOR 'Candlelit' DETAILS!!) Nomad Jones has played with Paulo Nuttini, Stephen Fretwell, Badly Drawn Boy and Elbow to name a few! so it is a real honour to support such a successful and talented bloke! I should hopefully be writing some stuff for the band too very soon, so watch out for that too.
thanks alot for reading this little essay of mine. take care and enjoy music, peace and happiness for 2009
samuel
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