Hi there.
As my profile name suggests I'm Jeremy.
As well as having recorded songs, I run a couple of Open Mic events -
OPEN MIC at O'DONOGHUES (Marlow, every other Thursday)
The STAG OPEN MIC [Burnham Beeches, first Monday of each month].
I also am running an Open Mic at The Bridge House in Paley Street, Maidenhead on 2nd July, co-running the BUSKING CANCER gig there on 20th June with Tom Godrey, and I ran the The Waggon Open Mic [Maidenhead, every Wednesday]
(see http://www.myspace.com/waggonopenmic) over the last couple of years.
I like playing keyboard and guitar and attending other music events too.
I do a local live music guide (see "Maidenhead-Windsor-Wycombe gig info" in my Top Friends below) and try to encourage others to take singing or playing an instrument further.
I also enjoy taking photographs at such events and gigs - please check out my Pics! section! :)
About the songs
I've written songs here and there and only relatively recently had the courage to do anything with them. As I am recording live at my open mics, I hope to record better versions of my favourites as time goes on, and conscript other singers and musicians to join in! :)
Wallflower was written around April 2006, when I made some new friends. It took me six months to even show it to anyone and a friend encouraged me to perform it. I like Steve's guitar playing and Corinne and Kat's backing vocals on this song a lot.
The song 'Always Waiting' was a long time coming...written back around March (2008) as a poem initially, the chorus, the odd tweak of the words, and the tune were gradually added. While it is essentially my own work and composition it would not have been possible without many others - Dee, Kat and Steve in advising on the structure and pace, my ex boss Lyndsay in creating a tune which while not used, helped set the mood of the final piece. The encouragement of many friends and colleagues to do something with it, through liking the words, and finally Kat for her support and backing vocals on the night, and Ryan Quartermaine (from the band Papa Truck) for his fantastic guitar work - on a song he had never heard at all when he played on it! :)
"Unhappy song" was, like Fairweather Felicity, a home recording, made with the help of my friend Pip. I don't feel like that all the time, it was just a 'glass half empty' type thing, I asked Pip for a funky riff for the chords I had in mind, and he delivered! I suspect the tune isn't that original though! I will write a happy song, one day! :)
Azza plays some nice harmonica on the song 'Echoes', which was recorded at the monthly Stag Open Mic.
I genuinely did initially set up this page as another channel to promote my events, it's hard work to get people to open mics at times, even when they're established! :) However it's been a pleasant surprise the number of plays my songs have got ....I am thinking of setting up a band.
UPDATE [June 09]
The band will be formed soon!
I have been collecting my, erm, 'demos' together, and have many other songs in various stages of completion.
Just loaded up 'Only Skin Deep'...a little cutting, perhaps, written back in Autumn last year...but it was sort of inspired by an imaginary conversation, not to be pretentious! :)
I'm also involved in organising the BUSKING CANCER gig in Maidenhead, at the Bridge House pub in Paley Street on 20th June, running from 2pm-6pm : it's being featured in the Maidenhead Advertiser and promises to be an amazing event, we hope to raise a *lot* for Cancer Research UK!
Jeremy
FINAL WORD! :)
Check out some of my top friends!
Seems mean to pick favourites, but Tiffiny Towsend and her She's Got Issues and Trinity projects, Tremain, Ollie Sloan, The She Creatures are great listening in particular (and in the case of the She Creatures, great watching - love the video!).
I've listed more details of favourites in the side panel to the left - check them out, you'll be glad you did!
In the meantime, here are some quotes! :)
"Only Skin Deep"
Just to let you know that I gave your new track "Only Skin Deep" a spin. It reminded me, of all things, Neil Young's Pocahontas.
Your vocal has a slighly damaged quality to it. It's perhaps your most suitable singing thus far so do not worry about it. The song itself is quite short, ain't it? Perfectly formed though. Stephen King once said that the best advice he was ever given on writing was "Get rid of needless words". He does not always listen, but still...
Anyways, it's all good mate. Keep it up."
Gaz, The Fall forum
""Fairweather Felicity"
I don't like all of Jeremy's songs, but on this here one he is the English Daniel Johnston, and that is pretty near the highest praise I can give. Psycho-insightful."
"Cleanville Tziabatz"/ Farces Wanna Mo (The Fall Forum / myspace).
"Just stopping by to remind you how I love listening to your music still waiting for you to make it to the east coast need more great music like yours"
April, myspace.
"beautiful songs"
Shellby
selected comments from Gaz from the Fall forum -
RE Echoes...
"Played it through twice...your arrangements are very, very good. The piano mixed with "dat harp boy" remind me very much of On The Beach era Neil Young. It's actually got a ring to it like another of his songs, have you heard Borrowed Tune?
I did like the lyrics...and the chorus/refrain (whatever you call it) is catchy. I could hum the melody after only two plays..."
RE Trying To Forget...
"Very, very nice...your vocals are much, much better on this one too. You should do "broken" more.
RE Unhappy Song...
"Unhappy Song has a wonderful piano line. Have you recorded any instrumentals in the past? Proof that you're very listenable comes from the fact my Wife is letting me play them all (and enjoying them, she says)"
"Do you have more available? And is there a way to save them to my comp for a later play?"
cheers Gaz :)
"Merry Christmas... I hope you're in the process of making a christmas jingle to make my genitals tingle.
Love, Stephan
xxx"
Repeating Down Roads Passed , myspace.
http://www.myspace.com/rdrp
"I listened to two more of your songs:
- "Wallflower" finds its protagonist balancing an empty glass alone in a beer garden, or stalling in an alleyway, wondering whether to rejoin the crowd. His self-assurance is hardwon. This well-harmonised song has a happy ending, I should add. And the song is reliably catchy.
"Unhappy Song" is more despondent, but this time the underlying theme is told by the music, especially the sparkling piano. It comes in half way through and tells us more about hope than words ever can."
DarkoLounge, myspace
"I was expecting a rendition of "Echoes" by Pink Floyd and am so disappointed. Ha, just kidding.
A beautiful song, and the live atmosphere added to its intimacy. Strong, original melody, that drew me in during its somewhat warranted one-minute piano intro (I was so blissed out by this stage I almost jumped when your voice commenced).
I relate to the lyrics, and your warmly timbred voice complimented it perfectly. There was a certain urgency to your delivery that made it sound genuine, and the harmonica, ever so perfectly ebbing in the background underscored the mood appositely and put a smile on my face.
Just lovely!
Looking forward to hearing your other material, can you tell.
signed DarkoLounge"
daggerfall, The Fall Forum.
"I have been playing the song "Trying to Forget" lately.
My two cents worth:
Wow. I am more than a little humbled by this song.
Is its seduction intentional? I don't know.
The piano refrain is somewhere, somehow between Joni Mitchell's "River" and your favourite Carole King ballad. And it hits you fair in the gut, even if you're not particularly romantically inclined (well, I didn't think I was until I heard this song).
The lyric elucidates a confused frame of mind: tentative, but determined; despairing but full of hope.
And the immersive melody belies how deep the narrators attachment really was. I want to stay here. Its dark beauty defines the listener.
But perhaps when it ends, it is time to move on...."
from Daggerfall from the fall forum again.
"Many blessings dear friend may your beautiful music never end"
- April, myspace.
"I like echoes and wallflower the best. great arrangements. love the harmonica!"
Taylor, myspace.
"I can't deal with my echoes!"
James Henton, facebook/myspace
"ECHOES" is wonderful,all you tunes have wonderful melodies, love them, your a very talented musician"
The Lights, myspace.
"Cookham's Leonard Cohen"
Alistair Cain, Cookham
"I like Echoes. It’s a great tune. It puts me in a good mood."
Hans, myspace.
"Echoes is amazing but I can't help but think you stole a few tricks from us. Love, Roland"
Repeating Down Roads Passed(http://www.myspace.com/rdrp).
"Listening to your songs again now for the second time tonight. Strangley addictive. It's nice how you sing with the woman on Wallflower. Why the laughter?
And Passion Without Substance is moving – really nice.
Have you got a CD of your stuff? I'd be keen to hear it."
Stephen, Fall forum
RE the first songs I put on the page
"I like the way this is recorded. The tentative vocals really work, and it's nice that you encouraged them to sing with you.
If you do a CD, you should definitely include these three performances."
Stephen, Fall forum
"Nasty and abusive!"
Nasty and abusive.
"Get it on with the hottest chicks!"
A spammer, e-mail.
"...killed the cop, then the cop came back to life and killed him. It was brilliant!". Butthead's late night tv review.
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