Music Challenge 2K14

Earlier this week, my keyboard of two years went kaput. I thought it wasn't pulled in, and it was. I changed to another fresh adaptor, and it didn't work. I even went to battery power, and still none of the lights came on. I saved the box, when I purchased it with the one year warranty in 2012 :[

My guitars are fine and in good working order. I get a free tune-up from the music store, where I purchased my bass, the Prima Fusion, and I want to get that done within the next two months. Other than that, everything is in tip-top shape, and I have extra strings on hand.

The loss of my keyboard leads to a big decision: I could purchase a new keyboard, but then again an electronic drum kit could be the wave of the future. I shopped drum kits in the past, and they were either HUGE or expensive. I don't want to keep buying new "toys", and put off my Big Move to another time.

Here is my list of music things for 2014

• Keyboard/Synthesizer, which would include a subwoofer o_O woof woof
• Electronic drum kit with realistic sounds, and it folds up ^_^
• Second guitar (Fender), preferably in pink (why are you looking at me like that?)

I can plug the synthesizer into my computer, which makes recording a little easier. Then again, a drum kit would equal having rhythm for the first time, and for someone who played drums at fourteen this would be really nice ^_^ All I have rhythm-wise are three egg shakers o_O Time to get cracking LOL

Of course, I could buy both, but finances are tricky just now post-Christmas shopping, and I don't want to overdraft.

Don't worry about the pink guitar; the music store is sold out of those T_T (They were a different brand, so no tears were shed...much)

Finally, some good news!

Good news, I wrote a song and sang in dorian mode o_O The lyrics are preliminary, but I hope to have something soon.

Dat Voice: My Life and The Four Seasons

We had a radio station that played nothing but oldies music when I grew up. Those were good times.

Actually, I tuned it to Oldies 1150 AM out of Hamilton, and 1050 Chum from Toronto, and from there I bounced back and forth. Every Sunday, Oldies 1150 would play nothing but Elvis Presley from 8am to 9am, and then nothing but Beatles music the following hour. That was some sweet music to listen to as you're putting on your Sunday best, leaving your room, being told by Mom and Dad (mostly Dad) to wear something else, returning to your room to change, and trying again.

I did have one pet peeve with Oldies radio stations: Mmm-bop music. At least four times a day, I could count on both radio stations to play The Four Seasons, and each time I could feel my eardrums liquify under the mind-numbing shrill. I'm sure Frankie Valli is a nice guy, and the Four Seasons are a lovely bunch of guys, but the plastic mmm-bop music of the fifties drove me insane. Why is my foot tapping to "Sherry"? Since when could I sing the words to "Big Girls Don't Cry"? Why do I love what I hate so much?! AHH!



Perhaps I should write a 50's mmm-bop song to exorcise my childhood demons? At least I would become part of the madness that engulfed my pre-teen to teenage years, and my song would live in the memory and liquified eardrums of another young soul.

"Sheerrrr-rrrrrr-rrryyyy ba-aa-by, Sheeerrrryyy, won't you come out tonight...? Oops, turn off speech to document application...!"

As you can see, I'm a tad conflicted, if not confused. Some of my fondest memories growing up revolved around Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: My first day at high school, my first car, driving to the Dairy Cream to hang out with friends are all great times and the "Jersey Boys" were involved in some way. Maybe mmm-bop music isn't all bad; compared to today's stuff, I would prefer the Four Seasons for its originality, harmonies, and lack of auto-tuned wackiness.

Play it again, Frankie ^_^ Wait, what did I say? o_O

Speaking of music, I launched another YouTube channel this spring. I upload nothing but music videos on it, and so far the reception was pretty good. It's called "Philhazmusic", and if you click on the link it will take you to the channel page where you can listen to what I posted so far and SUBSCRIBE for more updates. It's not on the level of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, unfortunately, but I hope you enjoy it.

The Revenge of the Music

Did I do something? o_O

Recently, a bunch of aspiring musicians began following me. No, not in real life (I checked), but on Twitter. When the fantastic kids from Nashville called The Nearly Deads came calling, I joined their ranks like a zombie LOL Since then, the fun hasn't stopped, but now I'm curious.

It is not only American and Canadian singers and bands, but also British musicians as well! o_O I don't know what to make of this. Don't get me wrong, some of the music they produce is great, and way better than I could do. I am reluctant to watch music videos, so if I do listen to music it is without the distraction of video; like movies, you never know what you are going to see, unless you know what to expect. Live performances are the exception to the rule, and those are always HIP ^_^

What was that?! o_O (Phil's phone vibrating on desk) Ooo, popularity!

What does this mean: Am I slowly writing my way towards becoming a publicist? Will I become an entertainment guru of the Canadian music landscape? Am I the next Ben Mulroney? O_O

Perhaps I should play something musical? At the start of the year I decided to return to music by playing the piano more than twenty-years after my last recital, and learning how to play the guitar and harmonica. There is enough confidence within me to suggest if I was ever in a life or death situation, when I absolutely had to play something new on the piano, guitar, or harmonica to save my skin, I could walk out of that situation alive and ticking, ^_^ mostly. o_O

I had a music challenge with an American friend (Hi Jessica), and thought I uploaded it. However, sound quality with a laptop computer made in 2007 isn't that great when paired with today's modern technology, so I must redo my Music Challenge song by deleting all my songs, and upload new tunes. Once I join their ranks, I can start chasing impressionable youngsters and following them (...on Twitter, not real life o_O Come on, guys. That's what I meant, guys).