Influences: 100 gecs and Del Amitri.
2021; aka FAWM #11!
Something something pandemic.
What's new since this time last year? i did an online mixing course for three months and learnt a tonne. Especially learnt to buy some new plug-ins.
I've actually kept semi-active musically all year, what with the course, some video covers, a music video for a FAWM 2020 track ('ere it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NO3MlAyLyM), and a Christmas song and video (which was a re-imagined FAWM 2020 track, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KE-wL2VYwA - and it features the vocals of some FAWMers - @sw1n3flu, @shortdan, @heidiserwer, @owl, @thelowestbitter, @judypie, @tangle, @ryako, @vomvorton). I also started hosting a weekly radio show which has been much fun, you can listen to past episodes o'er here: https://www.mixcloud.com/deepcutssheffield/
So, yes I'm soooooooo ready for FAWM. Like.. not logistically, but mentally.
10 previous FAWM albums here: adfollett.bandcamp.com
My wonderful partner @judypie is FAWMing again, so go see her since I won't all month, arf!
Thanks in advance for the comments, I try and comment back to everyone that comes to say hey and comments on a song, even if it's a little belated. Good luck everyone x
I love collaborating but can't make any promises or guarantees, and I do already have people in mind.. but you never know!
13th Feb - well, for the first time in 11 attempts, real life seems to be getting in the way of FAWM a little bit, which is sad. Still hoping to endeavor, but I'm dropping way behind on songwriting and commenting at the moment. Apologies, I'll be round eventually!
1/3 Did it! I'm so behind on commenting, I'm so sorry. I'll get on it over the next few days.. thank you to everyone x
He/him
#1 | Dreaming of 10 |
52 Feb 3 |
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#2 | Golden ![]() |
42 Feb 6 |
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#3 | Unearth |
42 Feb 7 |
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#4 | Pop culture |
46 Feb 9 |
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#5 | Anything but lovers |
39 Feb 12 |
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#6 | Amenities |
33 Feb 14 |
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#7 | Off-white |
32 Feb 19 |
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#8 | Music Eternal @santadharma |
30 8 weeks |
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#9 | One Big Answer @judypie |
47 7 weeks |
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#10 | ![]() |
31 7 weeks |
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#11 | Meatloaf Ltd |
23 7 weeks |
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#12 | Smile Again @susyblue |
33 7 weeks |
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#13 | Where the birds sing |
20 7 weeks |
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#14 | Speed of light @hanley |
33 7 weeks |
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#15 | Everyone Poos |
63 7 weeks |
Thanks so much for taking the time to listen to the tunes I did with Will. Getting them done was so much fun, and I am glad you connected with them.
I tip my hat to you, as your work is fantastic!
so glad to finally catch up 🤗
Totally get what you mean about pulling down the pitch “Only Hot”.. and still don’t know if it sounds like another song or not lol thanks for all your comments, super appreciated ✨
I think my two favorites are pop culture and where the birds sing
Well, I spent my early childhood in Stafford, so maybe the accent's coming through. I went to primary school with Neil - his brother Stephen was in the same class as me and we were good mates.
See, here’s the thing... we were pissed that there were not any challenges for Glock solos and German F bomb insertions and decided to make things right. 😎
Checking those boxes, baby!!
Thanks Ad—just a Kontakt sitar, I’m sorry to say!
I was worried you'd lost steam, but look at Mr I-bought-a-house-and-still-finished-FAWM over here with his last minute surge. Congratulations! Marvellous stuff as usual, champ.
I'm just now realizing that you've posted a ton of stuff and I have missed almost all of it! Just want you to know it's not 'cause I don't love you anymore, it's cause my brain broke this month. I plan to have a sit down headphone listening extravaganza this evening and I'm going to listen to all of it whether you like it or not. 💖❤️💕
Winner winner chicken dinner. Nice one Ad!
Will be binging your bandcamp lists now thanks!! Happy last day of FAWM!
Was thinking of you in the shower today..Okay that's not true..i wasn't in the shower...but anyway... If you ever consider whether or not anyone wants to hear you cover "One" by U2, then yes, someone does. #whereRtheDaisies
Thanks, now all I can hear is Linkin Park
🙃🙃🙃
Thank you so much for your kind feedback on our poem song and for reminding me to finish the mix!!
Thanks for the nice comments about my belly button ad!
Hello, I'm bored. Is it too late to be starting a collab party with you? I understand that you must have several other party's currently running and appreciate you might like to sleep at some stage. But your party's are always fun and so I'd rather not miss out. Otherwise I can just sit here and twiddle my thumbs and get jealous of Susy having all the fun.
Always a joy to hear from you! It has certainly been a fun FAWM, made even more fun by hearing some of your songs, finally! I keep running into my favorites that I hadn’t listened to yet - ugh. You sound amazing as always!
I'm gonna post that one - thanks for reminding me. I have like one words to fix. I'm way too perfectionistic for my own fawm good. I need to throw shit out there more. I just emailed you a potential collab and the last thing I hope to squeeze out of fawm this year. 🤞
Thanks for the memento mori feedback. Love that interpretation of the samples. I almost didn't post that song because it was such a moody slapped together thing but it did help me work through a funk yesterday. "Howard" does have plenty of character but I can't wait to get that middle C unstuck!
Hey there! Thank you for listening to my songs!❤️❤️ I love the 80’s. “Everything is Embarrassing” is such a good one!
Cheers Ad. The 'Oooooh' is chopped from the middle of one of the many dozens of scats and ad libs in logic, then pitch/formant shifted.
Just dropping by to say you suck.
Hi! I've been listening to your demos with great interest and pleasure. They sound so good songwriting & performing & arrangin & production wise. I think I've already learned a lot from listening to your stuff and reading the linear notes. I'm not going to comment on each song separately, there are so many things already been said, but I wanted to drop a line and say thanks. For being active here, sharing demos, commenting on others demos, and everything. Especially I thank you for inspiration! I wish some day I'll have the skills to do my stuff as well as you do yours.
Well there I was having a lovely night and being quite pleased with my efforts - and then you come along and invoke the ghost of Matt Bellamy (if he was dead) 😡
It is 6/4 - good spot!
Thanks for the love on "Birthday!"
It’s a great EP!
Belated thank you for your comments on Pine Needles! That song took quite a turn. Yes, I've been more wordy this month-- thought I'd try it out after years of self-talk "say more with less." I'm not sure it's going to stick for me but I'm enjoying it this month. So... on Pine Needles, I was trying to get myself out of my usual song pacing so I was listening to Taylor Swift for inspiration. When I wrote Pine Needles I realized that I had almost copied her structure for Willow (funny tree connection that I didn't intentionally try to make). I couldn't unhear that nor break out of it, so I went the other direction and listened to another favorite song of mine, "Tuesday Moon" by Neutral Milk Hotel. I edited my lyrics to fit that structure and, well, there you have it. A cheat, right? (sorry for the long and rambling story)
Ooh it does doesn't it? I used Native Instruments' Cuba for a lot of those sounds (the percussion, piano, double bass and the all important muted trumpet!). The percussion was the only cheat bit - I just picked one of the standard salsa rhythms they had to choose from!
I rather like this Steely Dan track 😊
You know, Steely Dan have always been a bit of a blind spot for me (short of that Twitter account that makes people look like they're dancing to Steely Dan!). Am I missing out?
Oh well, thanks. The vocals are actually a whole bar behind where they should be throughout. We're going to sort it out but to me it sounds really nuts like that, though it seems it doesn't bother most people
Thanks so much for the ammolite comments! I can't take any credit for the percussion on this one. It was my first time incorporate some looperman loops - almost felt like cheating but man there's some fun stuff on there.
I'm just curious for your 100% honest opinion - did you think something sounded off or weird about Kristian's and my collab?
Thanks for all the comments as always Ad, much appreciated. Yes, I think you're right (r.e 'The Bus' solo), it's still off key (though in a different way to the first attempt), which is a bit disarming in a way that kind of works, but yeah could probably do with going on a bit longer so that you get used to it. I shall try that when I get to recording it properly as I think it's a keeper. Thanks for the feedback 😀
Hey Ad! Glad you found me, I locked out my original account, kinda on purpose but that was years ago now 😀 Actually I'm not sure I've written a song for 5 years (adding a guitar part to Anya's songs doesn't count), so I'm totally not sure I can still churn out material like you can. But I'm enjoying taking my time this year and just getting something nice without worrying about winning, and comments and whatnot... So all the sound design and mixing was me this time. I got lucky that Paul wrote some messed-up time signature changes that I loved!
Now, let me actually listen to some of your stuff and comment! <3
Haha, yes there's actually a song every year about my hoarding! That's unlikely to change, but if I can get organised I'll know exactly where to find my viewmaster slides and tea towels.
We’re having pizza?! When?? Now?????? Yassssssss
I don’t know what your comment on my board means. Make tea pls.
Hey, thanks for sending that track. I like it and will check out more of her music. Thanks, also, for your fun comments on my recent songs.
Ad! Thank you so much for your feedback on How 2 Care 4 U. It means a lot coming from someone with pop sensibility as sharp as yours. I'm grateful.
knock knock on your email 🙊
I’m running to physical therapy so I’ll get back with you later if you have questions
Ah yes, better run out that outro before the Pacemakers take me to court!
Ha, checked out the Liverpoolians (or is it Liverpooligans?) singing YNWA, what a spectacle! I thought I’d see more middle aged men crying, but the singing was good enough for me. Also impressed they haven’t latched onto a Beatles song instead! Must be cheaper for the teams royalty fees.
That is so true Adam. @tangle made it happen.
Peace <3
Thanks for the kind words. The bassline at the end of Weevils came from dragging the midi for the high hats on to the bass track by accident. “That’ll do!” I thought 😁
Thanks, I’ll take Taylor Swift-esque lyrics any day👌 Although I’M certain she has more talent in her little toe than I shall ever possess - Probably her toenail tbh ha!
Also... I don't know Hayley Williams and will look her up... curious to know what song you're thinking of.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments on my last couple of songs! They're all essentially the same song in some ways - haha. Hoping that I'll have at least one or two that I can craft from them after February.
Thanks for keeping me in the loop on all the footwork. Apparently not fancy but made for a fancy sound!
Yo, thanks for the comment on Broken Engines. I didn't even realise I didn't answer your question! I'm such an idiot. Always thinking about farts, that's my problem. I was on holiday in Kyoto and we had a tinder date, for the record.
hi
Thanks for stopping by!
You guys ever sleep across the POND (amy pond? doctor what?)
I’ve since laughed. who knew reality could be better than imagination
Well thank you matey . Grade 7 and a half piano you know 😜
Cheers for comment on my 2nd tune dude. And cheers for explaining about comments - I'd been wondering if I was handling it right. Kinda thought I wasn't. Peace out brother!
It’s all the monotribe plugged into some effects. Tyler’s amazing stream of consciousness moment. He’s kind of next level with it. I assume you would be too. Get it!
-ru
Mmm, fake tapas.
I hope to return to the heights of my "canoes" song soon. That was a high spot of my career. Also, the lyrics were "please don't make me choose between all of these canoes". get it right, son
You're kidding right? All of Julie's singing is monkey.
Ermmmmmm, my ooh ooh ah ooh ahs are sprinkled all over King Kong thank you! Clearly they are so good you didn’t even know it was me and thought it was an actual monkey
Haha I totally modelled the yeah on her 😁
You're a beautiful man sir, for stopping by...listening to my songs..making nice comments on them..after all...that's really what we're all here for isn't it??? well??? isn't it???
Holaaaaaaa! I'm definitely in, yes! Gonna check out your first song in a minute 😁
You lovely man. Your comment made my day. Thanks Adam.
Uh....also, can I talk to you about your recording process?
Are you down to Zoom sometime?! I can't get over how great your first track sounds. SO TASTY.
Hello friend! 😀
Thank you to both yourself and @judypie for pointing out the audio issue at the end....my file converter chopped it off! Alas, I have fixed it and now the song should now have a much less abrupt ending! Thanks for the heads up guys!
An old friend of mine did a brief podcast about Mark E Smith, which you might find interesting. https://www.stitcher.com/show/a-podcast-about-mark-e-smith
Thanks dude .. it was just one guitar put through a BD-1, a Meris Hedra and a Meris Mercury7. The Hedra is an incredible pedal, I can't recommend it enough
Thanks! I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Gives me MIDI Sans Frontieres feels.
Damn you've done a mixing course.... gonna put us all to shame even further!
No songs about anything yet. Pew. Just got done working on the podcast stuff at midnight. Took a quick 5 hour nap before heading to work. I might do a little fawming this evening though.
I wish I could say it came easily! The version that I ended up finishing was about the fourth starting point - I kept coming up with something, adding a second part, thinking "that second part sounds better without the first part", and doing kind of a weird exquisite corpse/telephone thing until I got the base I ended up with!
Hey there Adam, great to see you back again!
right
helloooo! it's on my mind; we'll see!!
Helllooooo! It's almost February! Can't wait to hear your new music!
Ad-Rock, the main man
so good to see your n a m e
(I have so much to say about the birds song/vid.. I just watched it.. but it’s after midnight and a snow storm is coming.. more soon)
SHOUT! 😁
It does! it’s a mess of Wires and musical toys. BUT that won’t stop us. We’re back to jumpstart the end of this album. Can’t wait to hear what you’re up too.
woot woot!
right on! so glad I get to witness your genius in action once more.
Hey thanks for the greeting! Happy FAWM to you. Watchlisting you this year.
Point Blank Music School was the one I saw, I remember that Pete Tong was on one of the promotional videos and they have studios (not that anyone would be visiting them) in LA and London. I ended up getting really into Jason Allen courses on Udemy in the end. NurEin and SongFight have really helped too, got tonnes of constructive criticism there. I bet you have got some fancy new tricks and toys to play with now. I was close to enrolling because I saw you get discounts on plugins, but couldn't justify the price. So instead I spent it all on Udemy courses and VST plugins 😝.
Hey, welcome back into the FAWM madness. Hope you are keeping well. I see you have been on a music course, do tell? I have been doing udemy courses and such, was tempted by doing a proper course then saw the price and the Yorkshireman in me did not agree.
Looking forward to the awesomeness that you will put out. Would love to collaborate with you on something, if it happens that would be cool, but if not, then no worries.
adzy
I am just about to do my annual adding of influences actually, can probably think of a good 20 or 30 new ones. 😀
Hey, you big nerd! Hope you're doing well! Thanks again for coming to my first watch party! Glad to see you're back and ready to rock. Also, do you need more funny voicemails?
so sorry whats changed since feb 2020??? hmmmm
Good to see you he who resides in my birth town. I purely (although i hate making predictions) collabing due to possible time restraints this year so lets see if we can finally eeek one out. woohooo
hello! I'm here! I, uh, forgot what month it was
Hiiiiiiiii! I did it, i'm here!!
Hey, welcome back. Album is almost ready and yes we’ll be fawming 😀
Ducks
Ey up - 'tis that time of year again. Happy FAWMing!
Happy FAWMing!!
Heeey Ad! Good luck and have fun!
HEllo (or whatever passes for a greeting in Chesterfield)
hey hey〜☆ thanks for checking in!! gonna try to cross the finish line this year..! looking forward to hearing your tunes ♫