Lets get original!!!!

Technically horrible? The early recordings I've heard were surprisingly good especially compared to what we hear now from unknown bands.

https%3A//soundcloud.com/martin-john-butler/fireflies-master
Gotta disagree with you on one point cowboy, by the time we heard The Beatles, they were hard core pros, broken in by hundreds and hundreds of hours gigging in Germany and Liverpool. George Harrison was a quick study, and played chords arrangements that were quite complicated in the style of Chet Atkins. They just put out some of their simplest, most catchy songs first. The harmonies weren't easy to do either, that's for sure. But I do agree with you in general, originality has fallen away, but I believe it's still with us, just harder to find because commercial enterprises, like record companies don't like taking chances anymore.

I was going to post a track I've just finished that will become a video where proceeds will go to veterans, but decided that this track better fits the topic. This is me, as original as I get, with the possible exception of a track called "The Best That You Can Do" which cowboy covered a while back. I don't have a version of that with my vocal yet, so here goes..

Cowboy's on pedal steel, electric guitar, fiddle and bass ! Damn, he's a one man band, so I guess that makes us a two man band, wife Janet on backup vocal.
 I may yet retrack the drums with uhh.. real drums.. we'll see.

Almost forgot to say that everyone's tracks here are highly original, well done!

Wow, that's pretty far out, man.

Martin, this sounds great and feels original and sounds like a band. Well done. What I would suggest (with my producer hat on) is to add some grit to your voice. This song needs gravitas from the vocal imo to make it really get into people's emotions. Just my $02.

I think people hesitate to give opinions on people's songs here. I wish more people would post songs and more people would comment. We learn best by feedback and experimenting/failing/trying/succeeding imo.

Martin,

I'm a nobody, just a closet songwriter. But, the song itself is brilliant. I love your delivery and the character of your voice. I can feel your words, and I find the story compelling. Hardly "derivative," I can't imagine a more fitting tribute for the purpose and audience you have in mind.

Great work!

Jason

P.S. Good luck buying a cup of coffee with my two cents. ;-)

This is SOO cool.  A delicately pieced but stunning tapestry of a genres.  For me at least, highlighted by a really tasty use of negative space.  Tony, what was your role on this?

Yep, this is the posting of the final mix M57. The level is low, as it still needs to be mastered. This was my most carefully gain staged recording to date, and I think the results show it. You made a huge difference in the vibe, and I only hope I can live up to the quality of the song with the video. I've contacted one up and coming filmmaker, and an old friend who's directed videos for almost every A list star you can name, but both have other commitments, so I'm still working on a workaround..

It's great to hear a real drummer again isn't it!

It's only my opinion, but I swear I've never considered the Beatles the "Gods" that many others do. They performed simple songs. Nothing wrong with that. So yeah, in my opinion, a garage band with a keen sense being word smiths. I'm entitled to that one.

The artistry that I find in their music was in the writing. And that artistry was hard if not impossible to imitate. Stellar writers.

I've actually tried to hear what everyone else hears in their music but I can't. Sorry.

Great song, Tony. That is original and I dig it.

Not to get technical, but I would kinda disagree about them not being good musicians. George was a badass, John and Paul musical genuises and Ringo was vastly underrated.