BREAKING NEWS.. NEW SONGS NOW ONLINE!FOR THE LATEST NEWS CHECK OUT RICHARD'S BLOGSRich Szerman started creating music over 20 years ago with a project called "experiments with tape recorders". When he made the obscure song "Water on the brain", "Split the Atom" and others. This involved wiring up four tape machines and changing the motor speed of the tape recorders and mixing the results, along with experimental keyboards. The experimental side of music was put on the back burner as he joined a band to develop his song writing skills. Experiments were the nature of Richard's music learning, even with conventional instruments, since being left-handed made it hard to adapt to conventional ways of playing guitar or drums.
"Being completely conventional about writing music would be too predictable", says Richard. Richard still writes songs within a conventional form, these days he is not in a band, so now has the freedom to work on a variety of styles as well as his experimental roots."Technology has enabled the development of experimental music, but has been instrumental also in its demise. It's become a double-edged sword in effect, and the surface is only just been scratched. Still music is the only thing everyone has in common - being musical can at least break down barriers. Political messages seem to do the exact opposite. Music turn on Politics turn off.. thats why we see songs of of great message work." Richard avoids the conventional library CD sounds that are so often re-used by other artists. Richard was inspired to return to his more experimental side again after working for a good friend and musician John Wall, who is an exciting popular avant-garde musician in his own right. "John's attention to detail with music is like cross-examining the sound of a pin drop - so when John says something is good it's not to be taken lightly."
Richard has written a large catalogue of songs over the years, and has only recently come out of his shell to share them with everyone. He is seeking a publishing deal and hopes to express his new ideas and experiences.
Richard's influences are diverse - from 60's songwriters like Donovan to U2 and the more experimental sounds of OMD, to the crafted lyrical content of Squeeze. Richard recalls being blown away by OMD's Dazzle Ships (the much rejected OMD album) as well as being overwhelmed by Holst's planet suit. Another favourite is The War of the Worlds original sound recordings. Richard was influenced to write Shipwreck Harbour after hearing Donovan's hypnotic Season of the Witch. "You could say I am torn between different influences, but I believe we've all got a song in our heads. A lucky few get to express it, and that's what I want to start sharing".
One of Richard's ambitions is to see the radio stations over the world change policy once a year. "The idea is they should swap their playlist with other stations. Call it National Influence day. Someone has got to help put melody back and experimentation back. Folks who normally hear rock could then get to hear alternative, pop, classical, jazz and more. We all need to start thinking bigger like this, otherwise we won't inspire future bands to become another Beatles, another Bread, another Squeeze".
Richard used to write in a band called Slightly Slavic. He is now concentrating and working in new avenues of music which will be shared here in the future. Watch this space!