A Work in Progress and The Rules

Usually by this point, two weeks into the month that is, I would like to have a new song out to everyone. I can report that the basic guitars are recorded and on Thursday, my former Rendered Useless bandmate, Eric Johnson, will be joining me to record vocals. The reason being that my next Marshall-song will be the first of 8 original songs I will record. I figure this would be a good time to post my official rules for the Marshall vs. The Machine project.

The Rules

1. Twice a month for 2011, I will record a new song.
a. As the purpose of this project is to get me back into the habit of recording my music, every third song I record will be an original.
b. Every other song I record will be a cover version.

2. The cover songs will be selected randomly by shuffling the Top Rated Playlist of my iPod.
a. These covers can be any sort of interpretation as I choose.

3. I have the option to employ a veto, but only rarely.
a. I have some choral and orchestral songs on this list that may prove too difficult to cover.
b. There are a handful of songs whose subject-matter I may not feel comfortable reproducing

That's pretty much it! So, this being my third song, I am in the process of recording an original track. This one is an old, never-recorded track from my high school days.

Back in 2005, Rendered Useless entered the studio to record our EP "A Modest Proposal". Around that time, Eric and I wrote what we considered to be one of our best songs; we honestly applauded ourselves for our lyrical ingenuity and beautiful vocals. Six years later, though I can smile at our self-lauding, I believe this song may have been one of our best. However, when we recorded in the studio, we found our funds drying up. This left two of our favorite songs unrecorded: the dance-rock 'Mind If I Cut In?' and the acoustic love-song 'Closer'. In 2006, Eric and I worked with Tavis to make a home studio version of 'Mind If I Cut In?', but 'Closer' was never recorded.

It is important to discuss the cleverness of Closer's title, as it was the basis for much self-congratulating. The opening song for every (all 4?) Rendered Useless shows was 'Opener', a song so energizing that it could only be known for being our kick-off song. The chorus in 'Closer' refers sings of being nearer to someone. It didn't take long for us to make the Opener-Closer association.

When Eric and I finally record Closer this week, it will officially be added to A Modest Proposal as its final track; I plan to make the whole EP downloadable again for those who are curious (for free, of course).

Why don't I have it ready now, you ask? Besides my general slothfulness, it took me sometime to figure out a tiny, but extremely important tempo change in the song. You see, for some reason, Closer has us singing at 120 bpm for the verses, but then we take an almost undetectable tempo change to 110 bpm for the two choruses. Truth is, the song just doesn't work unless we keep it that way.

So, be on the look out for a song this weekend and for an announcement of the next cover!