February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

John Q (@johnq)

progress: 17

winner!
joined: February 2 2009
location: California, USA
website: johnqsound.com
influences: Singularly excellent instrumentalists like Jaqueline du Pre, Pablo Casals, Andres Segovia, etc. Folk/Rock artists like Bob Dylan, Joe Henry, Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett, and Bruce Cockburn. Roots-oriented bands like The National, Wilco, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, and REM. Also, individuals who ooze style like Van Morrison, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis, etc.

Bio

FAWM 2012

Hello! My name is John, but a lot of folks call me J.D. I've been making music under the android pseudonym "John Q. Kairnes" for a few years now, and have come to like it.

I am primarily a classical guitarist who has learned how to write folk/rock songs.

My approach this year will likely be a two-part process: 1. Start with a song written entirely on classical guitar with a vocal part. 2. Add percussion using "found sounds," and expand on the delicate guitar melodies with up-front, destroyed and bodacious sounds.

...but it's not set in stone yet!

A lot of my inspiration comes from film (a couple of Bergman-inspired songs in '10). Also, other visual sources, like photography. Literature is an important source for me as well, but my descriptions tend to be environmental and visual. I get a little wordy in my songs, and I think my greatest challenge is to cut some of that back and use only what's important and memorable.

Looking forward to hearing and commenting on others' songs this year...so much amazing and inspiring material has been created!

Prior FAWM output:
http://www.johnqsound.com/fawm11.htm (Last year I wrote short works for the classical guitar)
http://www.johnqsound.com/fawm10.htm (film-inspired folk-rockin' tunes)
http://www.johnqsound.com/fawm09.htm (each song based on an episode of the Twilight Zone TV series)

Edit, 3/3:

Well, I am amazed to be able to say that I didn't really have any throw-away songs like in some years...I think there's something of value in each one.

Songs with major re-recordings as of today:
#2, On The Road
#4, Down In Louisiana
#14, Love Song

Some of the others have been remixed or had blatant errors corrected. Thanks for listening!

2012 Songs

1	Fly Raven	8 comments // 3 months ago
2	On The Road	19 comments // 3 months ago
3	Whether Or Not You Go	6 comments // 3 months ago
4	Down in Louisiana	4 comments // 3 months ago
5	Never Had So Little Come From So Much	5 comments // 3 months ago
6	Kickin' Up Dust	7 comments // 3 months ago
7	Brother Can You Spare A Word	12 comments // 3 months ago
8	Rodinia	3 comments // 3 months ago
9	The Social Redundancy	3 comments // 3 months ago
10	Feelin' So Ill	3 comments // 3 months ago
11	Beyond The Grave	2 comments // 3 months ago
12	Boop, Boop, Boop	4 comments // 3 months ago
13	The Deep Blue Sea	6 comments // 3 months ago
14	Love Song	8 comments // 3 months ago
15	The Stones They Speak	3 comments // 2 months ago
16	Diminished Against the Wompus	1 comment // 2 months ago
17	Science We Don't Understand	4 comments // 2 months ago

Soundboard

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mynameismilk 1 month ago

i know this is late at all but damned if i didn't have you in my watchlist. great stuff man. really hope i can make it out for your set with JRW. peace!
ego093 2 months ago

Seriously cool to catch you on FAWM! I ended up getting too busy to post, but kept writing, so maybe we'll have to get together again with the FAWMers in the area to share songs again.
artslut 2 months ago

Thanks so much for your kind comment.
shutyatrap 2 months ago

J.D its been great checking out your musical work this FAWM. Summer has finally hit here in Sydney here tonight as its been a hot afternoon. I'm sitting here watching this doco about Syd Barrett. Hopeful to come up with some inspiration to get myself into a creative enough mood to hit the 14 and half.
shutyatrap 2 months ago

Thanks for your feedback on my latest track. I think I will take the advice and remix it like you said. It makes a lot of sense and I think it may improve the dynamics. Cheers again.
dasiavou 2 months ago

thanks for your comment! i can read music and play a little of this and that, but i'm just not skilled enough at any useful instrument (i mostly only play the flute) to write with it. someday! i'm listening to On The Road right now, and LOVE it so far!
shutyatrap 2 months ago

Hey John thanks for checking out my music again this year. I have been having a great time listening to you. I just also checked out your website link which has some great music too. BTW it was more than just raining during Burn the drums. I ended up having to stop the recording of the rain when we got a black out. We have been getting a lot of these of late here in Western Sydney where the results within minutes have led to flash flooding.
rickamorphis 3 months ago

Thanks so much for your comment...it's a work in progress and your suggestions are good ones.
madthesinger 3 months ago

Thank you for your comment! Congrats on completing FAWM! (:
ego093 3 months ago

JD - your recommendation means the world. Thanks, so much.
solarrainuk 3 months ago

Thanks John, really appreciate that! Hope your system survives that low bass
murexa 3 months ago

Thank you for the feedback! Yeah, most of the patches are presets. I tweaked a few of them to some degree.
songsville 3 months ago

John, thanks for the comment! I had made a guide track on my funny-shaped short-scale guitar that I found in Japan 20 years ago, outside a shop in the rain with rusty strings (I felt sorry for it!) and it still has those strings! I do a lot of my writing on it, but it doesn't record well to say the least. Anyway, I felt a nice mojo when I played it, so I sent it over anyway and Elaine was able to work her engineering magic on it, so we kept it, for which I am grateful!
heuristicsinc 3 months ago

Ha! Thanks for the review; that made me laugh. Bob Dylan rapping As for the number, I have an address - try 7 Craven Rd, London.
live2tivo 3 months ago

Penelope is still around, but I play Anya pretty much 95% of the time. I have six ukuleles. Thanks for your comment!
ego093 3 months ago

Dude - I'm really glad you grooved to the new tune! I was actually thinking of you when I wrote it.

Also - LOVE The Social Redundancy. There's a groove in my head that this song falls right in to, both musically and lyrically. You should totally push ahead on that one.
timmyriordan 3 months ago

Companion Timmy song's come at a slower pace than one would expect it seems, but they do arrive eventually. Charlie batted his out of the park, here's what I came up with if you're still of a mind to listen (*25080)
debs 3 months ago

Thanks, John! I tend to find unconventional time signatures really challenging (and time signature changes even more so), so the fact that it's not hopelessly jarring means quite a lot
seantwright 3 months ago

Thanks for the kind words on the Listening track.
madthesinger 3 months ago

Thanks for the kind words on my first song! I appreciate the feedback! (:
ego093 3 months ago

@johnq - Can't wait to check out your tracks!
arthurrossi 3 months ago

Thank you very much for your kind words! ...made me very happy when I read your comment...
explodingmary 3 months ago

The twlight zone-- oh yeah! looking forward to more of your music.
jharms 3 months ago

Sounds like a pretty strange song cycle. Well, good luck on whatever you do!
jharms 3 months ago

Hey! We'll see what happens. Any clue for a theme for this year? I loved the guitar stuff from last year.