A Songwriters Life (feat. Jeffrey Tyler)

A Songwriters Life "Crossroads"

2011-09-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

So this week was pretty heavy. Had a lot of life happen to me and it has me leaning on God pretty hard. A long story short pretty much every door that had opened for me in the last few months here in LA shut pretty hard and fast. These are the times where you have to really have to lean on Gods word.

The preacher in ecclesiastes 1 would have a lot to say about this city. Probably throw in a couple more "vanity's" into his sermon hah. Everyone in this town is too busy. Right now I guess I'm looking for my samaritan to stop to get me up on my feet, but so far everyone is passing on the other side.

I've been asking myself the hard questions this week. Is this life that I set up down here all vanity or have I built it on Gods word.

(north tower hollywood building)

I think the hard truth to take from this is that both were in the picture. And now God is trying to take out all the smoke and establish a foundation that's built entirely on his word.

I know that God will open up a path for me. When paul first met timothy and God gave paul his map they went many different directions and God closed off many of the routes and they had no idea why. But they knew the end destination and they just kept taking different routes til God opened up the one.

I know I'm just here for the ride, but it feels like I got stuck upside down and all the bloods rushing to my head. hah!

(members of cirque du sole practicing for the red carpet opening night)

All I can hope for is God opening up the path for me.

Pray for me friends, this aint gonna be a easy journey...

A Songwriters Life "jimmy kimmel and a band called switchfoot"

2011-09-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was browsing around facebook and saw my favorite band was gonna play at Jimmy Kimmel. Normally I don't even check what's playing there but you can't miss your favorite band. Plus its free a win win! After the grueling 3 hour stand outside and fighting the crowds, being handed band flyers and dealing with the normal Hollywood crazy they let us inside and it was one of the coolest things of my life. I would love to do what those guys do every night, but all in good time I guess. This isn't a singer/songwriters life its just a songwriters life for now. hah

I was on the left side. I couldn't make myself out on the video but they made it look more packed then it actually was...

After all the tv cameras were done rolling they did a mini concert for all the people who came out to see them. There new album "Vice Verses" is probably there best album yet. I was a little skeptical about the last one because it was such a different sound. But they nailed it this time. Good strong song structure, dueling guitar solos, gang vocals, catchy melodies, inspirational music, what more can you ask for?

Here's a link to check out the video! See if you can see me! I can't... lol

http://abc.go.com/shows/jimmy-kimmel-live/video-detail/abc-video/pl_PL5520981/vd_VD55143748

Anyways enough of my obsession with Switchfoot here are some more highlights from this week..

So I saw the batcar a few weeks ago, my mom was in town and were going out to dinner with some friends when we came across this treasure my mom told me to get out and take a picture lol

He's a legend... ya gotta stop and take a pic if its Johnny Cash

Lukester how did you get this blog?! So this kid stole my wallet last week which delayed my travels back to L.A. we eventually found it in the laundry but not before Uncle Jeff had to go down and stand at 7:30 in the morn at the DMV to get a new licence.... He now owes me $25 Bucks!!! I'm taking it out on your first allowance kid... just don't use your cuteness on me cause it'll probably work... haha

Well everyone I hope you enjoyed that. Tune in lates to catch up on whats going on in my life. And if you want to support my blog click on the ads on the side! Thanks amigos

A Songwriters Life "the fun stuff... making music"

2011-09-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

Hey guys so this week I was able to get into the studio and record some vox with my buddy Jacob at his studio up in the concord hills. Its insane what my man Jacob can do in his little studio. Here are some snap shots of the scene!

We recorded using two mics, we won't use both but Jacob wanted to try out which one sounded better

You can't have a session with these key essentials...

Using a studio projects condensor microphone and a bluebird condensor microphone.

My guitar listens to music almost as much as me... has pen and paper in case inspiration hits.

He's a mad man! If you need a tune that needs to be brought to the next level look him up.

Its crazy that now a days this is all you really need to have in order to have a professional studio.

Hope you guys liked that little run through. Check in this week as I take you further into the life of a songwriter.

peace,
j

A Songwriters Life "hats"

2011-09-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

So the way I see it in order to make in this crazy industry called music you have to put on many hats. This last week I had to put on the hat of a photographer. I am designing a website for my new employer and needed some music action shots..

Location: Northern California

Model: Cam Reid
Film and editing by Jeff Perry
Camera: Canon Rebel XSi

In this industry the money ball quote adapt or die really takes place.

Follow my blog!

j

Song Wars Episode IV the life of a songwriter

2011-07-12T00:12:00.000-07:00

Dropping off my sister at elementary school... That's the first memory I ever had on planet earth. Nothing special about it, nothing ironic, or comical, or dramatic, just watching from my car seat as my sister eagerly ran up the cement pathway to receive the higher educational learning that fox school had to offer.

It intrigs me that my brain picked that moment out of my younger years to be my first memory. Why not something with a little more substance? A little more danger or excitement! Childbirths pretty dramatic.,, Drugs, extensive amounts of pain, adjectives, things gettin' cut off of ya hoping they don't cut the wrong thing, or too much... Drama! Why not that?! Or something important like my first steps. Big milestone that is. The day I declared to the world that I'm gonna step all over its face for the rest of my life so eat it! Why not that.......

I'd be lying if I said I was destined for music since I was a kid. That I came from my mothers womb with a guitar strapped around my shoulder and a harmonica around my neck singin' Bob Dylan tunes.. That's just not the case. All was fine and good in my infant days, my destiny was set for being a astro physicist /heart surgeon... Til BAM! My head met with the corner of the upstairs door jam coaxed by the hair twirling neglectful babysitter who was paid specifically for keeping my, as some would say, specially advanced gifted noggin from coming in contact with foreign objects.. I've been destined for being a musician ever since..

Being a songwriter is not, by any means, easy. Sure to write any ol song can be cake, anyone can do it.. But are you good at it? How do you become a good songwriter? Questions I'm figuring out right now.. I know the deepest songs I've written I've had to go back to many times.. "Oh the verses suck" or "the hooks not catchy" or "the dialogue sounds like it came from a 3 years olds cat" Where do you find the titles and concepts and word play and melody? Then make them all hit together to then present it to a guy smokin' a cigar, in a air conditioned room, who's already seen three people who look like ya in the same day, with a brooklyn accent sayin' either "ya got what it takes kid your gonna go faaaarrr *puff* *puff*" or "give up the ghost kid you'll never make it *puff*..." no easy task...

Requires major solitude and collaboration. Just hope you like spending time with yourself and others cause your gonna get a lot of it... People say that the best songs are written either in the worst or best moments of our lives.. Which I believe is partially true.. Partially because Ya, we do write our best when we go through those seasons of life, but never in the actual moment.. What I mean by that is when you breaking up with a girlfriend you don't stop in the middle of the convo and say, wait hold on baby I gotta write this down, or on the other side when you get your first kiss you don't de-lip and announce you got a melody in your head and you gotta bounce... no... You play it all out... Soak in all those feelings.. Then in those times of solitude, and collaboration you let it all flow out. Where's there's a little peace for you to hear the whispering melodies of your heart and soul... The calm in between the storms...

Maybe that's why my brain picked the memory it did... Maybe that's the key to songwriting. Finding and holding onto the calm in between the storms. Finding the peace to, as John Mahyer would put it, say what I need to say..

All in all I don't know what this life will lead to. I wonder what God will make of me out of all of this.. But all I can do is say what I need to say now, then face life's situations as they get thrown my way, then write about them..

I hope this letter finds you well as Paul would say,

keep singin' friends

jeffrey