Artist Bio
Influences: Elton, Tom, Ben, the Maels, Aimee Mann, that Hannon guy, Field Music, 80s rock and random bits and pieces of new music that pass my way.
I'm, Neil, a writer and musician from Glasgow, Scotland. Been songwriting on and off since the 80s, for myself and for various bands, including the glorious, much-missed murnie (murnie.bandcamp.com). Not being particularly good at simple and straightforward and saying what I mean, I'm much more likely to write about something random and silly, but still get the message across in the end.
2020 is my third (THIRD!!!) FAWM. The last two years I've written plenty of songs but abjectly failed to release anything out into the world. THIS year I plan to demo direct to the production environment to give me *some* kind of chance of making these things available to the wider world once FAWM is once again but a dusty memory.
Also, this year I've got a theme! All of the songs will feature ghosts. Some will be creepy, some funny and some sad. Maybe all three at once.
Pronouns: He/Him
Songs (18)
| #1 | Olivia James  |
25 Feb 2 |
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| #2 |  Salt Hill |
46 Feb 5 |
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| #3 | Regolith |
15 8 weeks |
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| #4 | O Jessie J |
12 8 weeks |
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| #5 | Brother Jack |
17 7 weeks |
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| #6 | Heaven Scented |
17 7 weeks |
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| #7 | I'll Do The Things I Always Do |
16 7 weeks |
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| #8 | The Disappointed Skeptics Club |
24 6 weeks |
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| #9 | Icy Daisy |
13 6 weeks |
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| #10 | You Say You See |
9 6 weeks |
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| #11 | Shadow Of Your Former Self |
12 6 weeks |
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| #12 | Pillar of Ash |
16 6 weeks |
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| #13 | The Spectre Inspector |
7 5 weeks |
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| #14 | Rust Ghost  |
8 5 weeks |
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| #15 | This Is You When You Were A Ghost |
15 5 weeks |
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| #16 | Something's Coming |
7 5 weeks |
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| #17 | Feed The Beast |
8 5 weeks |
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| #18 | Red Runners |
22 5 weeks |
Soundboard
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@dzd 2 weeks
Haha was at a music store looking for new pedal....guy was freaking out right before our. national emergency was announced.....I said what better place to play in the apocalypse hahah he didnt find it funny......said fuck music I care about my guns and bullets......yup, real lover of music is that business owner
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@dzd 3 weeks
Wow, thanks!
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@scubed 3 weeks
Thanks so much for your generous comments on my songs!
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@dzd 3 weeks
Not quite hahah still a few left I'll get to for sure in the next few days....traveling again amidst a mass hysteria about a flu......joy! Haha no it's been my pleasure been dredging up spaceghosts myself listening to this and @heliosonorous solar system trip.....its a great journey I recommend everyone hahah
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@rosieposy8 3 weeks
Thanks so much for the kind comment on my loo rolls song-I have finally uploaded a demo! Am back to have a listen-need some cheerfulness in my life!
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@sunnymae 4 weeks
Thanks for the pep talk! I am definitely feeling good about my output this year, considering my challenges at the moment. For that I am extremely grateful! Cheers FAWMFriend!
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@karlsburg25 4 weeks
Cheers for comment on my running out of time. And its not a 12 string (wish i had one) its just 4 layered acoustics. looking forward to delving into more of your stuff mate
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@dzd 4 weeks
Haha no problem quite enjoying it!
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@toms 4 weeks
TY for your very kind comments. 😀
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@theresaj 4 weeks
No apology necessary! I loved the song and you’re writing is so creative.
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@audrey 4 weeks
Thank you for the kind words about my piece Tailing the Suspect. I appreciate it.
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@heliosonorous 4 weeks
Thanks for your kind words on "Earth," I put a lot of time into it!
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@elliottlawrence 4 weeks
Thank you for the kind words! I'll definitely have to check out Poppy Ackroyd now. 😁
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@sunnymae 4 weeks
Thank you Neil for your kind comments on the rivers run dry my collab with @crisp1 Truth be told since I'm more of a guitarist that piano part took me about 8 hours to record!
When I write for piano I have to have it notated by someone and then relearn it.
It was a great way to kick off FAWM as I came in very unsure of myself this year. -
@psyt 4 weeks
Hey Neil, many thanks for the listens and comments. They're much appreciated. 😀
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@dzd 4 weeks
Haha. I know the feeling
You'll finger it out 😉
I'll let ya know if I hear anything. -
@siebass 4 weeks
It was a cool story, and I was intrigued by the strong drive to get them back to Salt hill.
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@mishykatz 4 weeks
Wow look at all your songs awesome! Thanks so much for having a look at some of my song lyrics, much appreciate the feedback!!
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@dzd 4 weeks
Hey thanksI m sure I will do something its one of those that grabbed me and wont go away.
I am intrigued still by your ghost theme, let me know if/when you get a song order lined up or should I just start from fawm go? Haha do wanna give it all a listen. -
@owl 4 weeks
Maybe "zap" isn't the right sound? Sounds kind of like a laser gun on the cymbals, in the first few seconds of the song! Could just be some filtering or compression weirdness or some quirk of my speakers 😀
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@downfallroad 4 weeks
Thanks dude. We are going for a classic metal sound so its great to hear that that is working. Now its time we start polishing up these FAWM songs! \m/
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@emkaydeebee 4 weeks
Why, thank you kind sir!
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Wow, thank you so much - that means such a lot to hear, especially from you who have followed the whole thing. Much appreciated! (And, phew!!)
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@billwhite51 5 weeks
i had just never heard the phrase red runners used before except in reference to cockroaches, of which we have plenty in peru..the ghsts of your song do...but.and they movie much as your ghosts do but i think the song is better without me thinking of cockroaches. instead, like you, i will use my imagination.
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@aneil 5 weeks
Thx for you kind comment on Snippy snap. Congrats on a great FAWM
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@aneil 5 weeks
Thx for you kind comment on Snippy snap. Congrats on a great FAWM
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@yarimurray 5 weeks
Thanks for listening to and commenting on Dang Woodchucks. We will be listening to you work soon. It looks like you had a productive February. Congrats!
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Oh wow, I’ve never been Bravissimo’d before! Thank you SO much for following my entire musical theatre journey this month. 🙌🏼
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@roblincoln 5 weeks
Thanks for your comments on my song, Big Black Car.
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Back atcha!
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@calumcarlyle 5 weeks
Well, given your comment, you may enjoy this one, that i wrote way back in 2004, five years before i even discovered FAWM!
https://calumsmusic.com/album/our-sco... -
@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Thank you!!! I feel Sarah’s husband helps explain why she feels the need to be so perfect, bless her. I get the feeling it won’t make much difference. Not sure if need to do much more with them now, feel like hopefully tying things up neatly... Jo and Cathy haven’t had much of a development but that’s probably okay too - could be a really long musical if everyone got fully developed, and there are those who feel invisible in real life too, and even the odd person who ticks along just fine! (I imagine, at least!) 😉
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Just uploaded song 14, whoop! Keeping fingers crossed for you now... 😀
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@arthurrossi 5 weeks
Thank you very much for your kind words! 😀
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
In which case... 😊
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Figured it’s less of a personal intrusion than fb 😀
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
By the way, you probably had worked it out from the harp, but that was me adding you yesterday on insta 😀 (I got added by someone else and it made me think to look)
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Huzzah!!
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Think I’ve cut us short by 24 hours! Isn’t it noon on March 1st for us?!
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@jeustan 5 weeks
Thank you!
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Oh crikey, I hadn’t even thought of that!! You’re right though, that is how I’ve been using the whole solo-singer-last-line thing so far... We need to hear from the partners again soon (needing some male voice input again!) so maybe can show something within that too...
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@emkaydeebee 5 weeks
Thank you! Re Sarah’s last line in 9 months on/off, yeah it does sound a bit ominous doesn’t it. It could develop in various diff ways, or it could be left entirely... could be set up on stage with lots of fashion magazines around and her looking at some celeb who’s lost all their baby weight two weeks after it's born... or it could be her looking at a framed wedding photo on the mantlepiece... or maybe she works as a fitness instructor?! Or some other job pressure... or yeah, she could have an abusive husband... not sure I have the energy to go there though, beyond touching on the pressure she’s under here, may be too heavy for the musical... my experiences are based on those of a group of 9 mum friends that I belong to from our first-born, within which there has been multiples of every character I’ve portrayed here...
Anyhooooo... check us both out, on 13 with 52 hours to go! -
@tamsnumber4 5 weeks
Thanks for listening to my song "Bench by the Sea", I appreciate it!!
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@beat 5 weeks
‘].
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@stephenwordsmith 6 weeks
I've built up a little literacy in Glaswegian, both from following the Subreddit dedicated to Scottish Twitter, and having worked closely on a project with a manager from Portessie.
When we met, I guessed from her accent that she was from Glasgow, and she immediately reprimanded me and said that that was 'practically English', which is, I imagine, something you wouldn't tell a Glaswegian without *extreme* self-assurance.. -
@stephenwordsmith 6 weeks
Thank you for all your lovely comments. I have made formal plans to return the favour.
Out of interest: is your username a reference to this phenomenon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSHIb... ? -
@tamsnumber4 6 weeks
Thank you for commenting on my song "Your Last Goodbye", I appreciate it!
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
No it’s fab - you have great vocal variety (in a good way) in what you produce, which is no mean feat!
Yes, getting there! May put some place holders in for the songs that will still be left (overtures etc) by the end, but def hoping to upload 14 within the month 🤞thanks for the ongoing support! -
@brisk 6 weeks
Thanks for your really kind words about Another Final Warning - it's so nice when people are nice. Hurrah for nice. But nice and specific is even better, so deeper thanks. I see you are at #12. I'm excited to listen to what you've got here. I find that when I sit down of an evening I just want to write my own though, not listen to others... but I am going to make a sincere attempt to do so this eve.
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
Thank you for seeing that! An upbeat one to follow I think... 😊
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@electrocelte 6 weeks
Thanks very much Neil. And thanks for your comments on Armstrong, I thought maybe I took that one to a whole new level of weird, that was entirely indigestible by the listening audience. You gave me hope!!
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
Thank you! I feel like this one is a filler/set up song really, so I’m glad it works still!
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@electrocelte 6 weeks
Hi @ayehahmur i really need to find the forum thread of Scottish FAWMers and apply for unofficial mascot status. Thanks for your kind words, this was a 72 hour project that I created to avoid using something old and trying to pass it off as something new. I just felt that guilty about wanting to use the other thing! Well now, no regrets and I think I will be on track now for 14 songs. Thanks for listening mate.
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
😂
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
Thank you, no that’s really helpful! Reinforces what I’m aiming at really... other than knowing what areas I want to cover, each song result is a bit of a surprise journey for me so be interesting to see if there is any direct confrontation to come, will have to see what the characters want 😉
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@headfirstonly 6 weeks
Yup, "extended bottom end" was a deliberate Tap reference. Thanks for spotting it!
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
I guess what I’m trying to work out is how much more drama beyond real life is needed... we have a couple of specific threads weaving through with the single mother and the mother grieving a previous baby lost, and general motherhood stress and pnd underlying...
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@emkaydeebee 6 weeks
Ooh brilliant, could you let me know where the drama’s going to be?! I’m a little lost with actual direction for drama (other than time!)... overall feeling is first half being mothers feeling isolated and alone with second half leading to realisation that all in similar boat and the power of friendship with people going through same experiences... not that everything becomes easier, but that there is support in comraderie!
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@mikehex 6 weeks
So glad you like "Watching Me, Watching You", thanks for commenting! The comparison to XTC is a huge compliment. I once spent an entire summer trying to emulate the feel of the songs from Black Sea, failing miserably and finally giving it up as beyond me. Your comment makes me hope that effort had a lasting effect.
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@elsahay 6 weeks
Thank you for listening to my song "Never mean Never". You're too kind. I have some issues with keeping meter and for FAWM I don't worry about it too much. I'm glad you liked my "words driven" meter for this very quickly written song.
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@crisp1 6 weeks
You're too nice, Neil. I'd ask you to give it a go yourself but there are no ghosts! 😉
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@aesthetic72 7 weeks
Thank you so much for the careful listen and thoughtful comment on Sundazzle. There’s little I love more than extracting meaning from an instrumental piece and then singing those meanings. When I first heard @slawbleu’s amazing-on-it’s-own piece, I knew I could write to it. Melody lines were shooting out like sunbeams. 😀
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@misterd 7 weeks
Thanks so much for listening and your insightful comments on my ukulele gospel song ‘ sail away’ . I really appreciate it .
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@mariekevinkmusic 7 weeks
Hi. Thanks for your comment. I agree entirely. I am going to turn it into a proper song in the future as there are some bits in there that I like. And those awkward lyrical stretches will go 😀
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@aflinner 7 weeks
Thanks for all your comments on my songs, I'm really glad you've been enjoying them. 😁
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@tiller2 7 weeks
Thanks for your comments on “I Have a Question.” That focusing chord you liked—it’s outside of the regular chords for the song’s key, an experiment to liven up my music writing. Cheers
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@goodshipsusie 7 weeks
Thanks for listening! I learned a new word today: "scansion." I'm so glad somebody besides me is bewitched by 5/4! Cheers!
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@davidtaro 7 weeks
The Joy of Sevenths mate! There's a song called Heads Gonna Roll on the last Jenny Lewis album where she does exactly the same thing in the chorus (think it's just C to C7) and it just raises the hairs on the back of my neck every time I hear it.
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@victoriavox 7 weeks
Thanks Neil! Glad you caught that Major change on the chorus 😉 that was on purpose! <3
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@headfirstonly 7 weeks
My pleasure, sir. And if you're not familiar with Aurora, check her out; I saw her in Bristol last year, she's already played Glastonbury. She is going to be MASSIVE.
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@chaotrick 7 weeks
Thank you for your awesome comment on my song, it really brightened my day!
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@emkaydeebee 7 weeks
“Cup o’ tea?” 😁
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@joefahey 8 weeks
I really appreciated your compliments on my song about Van Halen. I'm particularly glad to hear that the synths and sounds were appealing because when I heard it later out of the little speaker in my tablet I thought, what, is that too distracting? But like @toddnorem mentioned, it's a good one for breaking out the headphones.
I do love the whole thing about people locking into their musical tastes at 13 and that some people don't get past that and some do (lol, funny I was 13 when Big Star's Thirteen came out) and I especially love the coincidence that you were hooked on both Van Halen and Benny Goodman at that age. I love when people have such a a wide range of tastes, that's a real good thing. Thank you again! -
@owl 8 weeks
Watchmen was so good! It might be just a bit of free association in my part more than real similarities with KKR/Watchmen, but I guess moon ghosts'll do that.
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@owl 8 weeks
Thank you so much for the kind comments--Big Thief is one of my favorites so it's lovely to get the comparison!
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@davidtaro 8 weeks
Badfinger... if only man! Love them too. It was a somewhat lesser known outfit called Grapefruit. Thank you for the comments on the song!
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@brisk 8 weeks
I just wanted to thank you for your positive words - it's so different in February when I get audience for my woodlings, and they say nice things. It is really heartening.
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@emkaydeebee 8 weeks
Thanks Neil!
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@kerrgriffin Feb 6
Thank you!
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@davidtaro Feb 6
Haha. I think the idea of burying someone in Slough is really rather moving.
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@moonraccoon Feb 5
You're too kind. Thank you so much for your comments on my songs 😀
ETA - 3rd FAWM, many songs, no release? You might be my failed-album brother from another mother 😉 -
@crisp1 Feb 5
Thanks for all your positive comments lately, Neil!
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@emkaydeebee Feb 4
Thanks for your support! Really helping keeping me motivated!
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@owl Feb 4
I did indeed fix up the mix a little bit tonight (instead of writing a new song, haha) so it should sound a bit less rough now! Hopefully!
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@owl Feb 3
Hello! Thank you for coming by to listen and comment! I want to make a few adjustments to the mix before I send it in to songfight today, so I'll probably have a new, hopefully marginally better mix up by tomorrow... woke up today and felt like the drums and bass were ultra quiet. I'll probably decide they're way too loud tomorrow.
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@crisp1 Feb 3
Thanks for your comments on You Buried My Voice in an Unmarked Grave. They mean a lot to me!
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@emkaydeebee Feb 3
Aw thank you for your encouraging words on my tracks!! Feel so happy to be finally making a start on something that’s been an “idea for the future” for so long!
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@dragondreams Feb 1
Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment, Neil. I really appreciate it. 😊😎
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@davidtaro Jan 31
Thanks for the welcome, Neil! My first fawm so really appreciate it. Look forward to hearing your songs 👍
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@lvgd09 Jan 29
Hello, have a great time with FAWM this year.
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@tawny249 Jan 27
Sounds like a plan. I am intrigued. Happy FAWM!
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@scottlake Jan 24
Actually I left them off this list but love their vibe anyways!
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@scottlake Jan 24
I had temples in my list to start the thread. Love their vibe.
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@dragondreams Jan 22
Hi Neil! 😀
You are very kind, and it was LOADS of fun (even if the final stitching and mixing was a nightmare). 😁
I'm definitely doing something like this again this year, so keep an eye on the forum posts under "Collaboration Classifieds"... -
@owl Jan 20
Hello! Have a great FAWM! Looking forward to hearing your songs again!
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@crisp1 Jan 18
Just stopping by to say hi and to stay calm and enjoy FAWM! (I'm practicing rhyming in the runup...) Cheers!
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@emkaydeebee Jan 15
Hey @ayehahmur ! You must know Ru then? 😀 I’m pleased to call him and Seylan friends too, fabulous musicians and lovely people to boot!
