Ameeth Thomas' journal

Your Online Music Marketing Report Card

2009-07-17T00:15:00.000-07:00

Not every artist needs an A+ online. But everyone needs at least a C-.

The challenge for independent artists, label managers, artist managers and anyone working with artists in online marketing is deciding where to apportion effort.

Am I doing enough online? Should I tweet?

Should I blog on MySpace?

Do I need my own website or is a MySpace enough?

Do I need a Facebook page?

For digital music and music marketing in general to move forward, I think it’s important that some basic standards are established around an artist’s online presence. If these standards are established, music marketers can spend more time innovating and less time worrying about whether the Bebo page has enough of a photo gallery.

If we agree on a minimum standard, then we can define what is exceptional and extraneous.

Digital agency Native has developed an online artist report card to help structure decision-making and reduce the grey area around representing music online.It moves from the basic to the advanced and is intended for all levels of artists.

A threshold: This is the minimum requirement to pass. You need to answer ‘yes’ to questions 1-5.

1 - Is your music available for sale on iTunes?

2 - Do you have your own MySpace, with autoplay turned off, featuring your best songs?

3 - Have you embedded an iTunes buy link into your MySpace page? (You can generate iTunes links to your album here.)

4 - Do you have a document listing the email addresses of your fanbase?

5 - Do you have an application to sign up subscribers embedded in your MySpace page?

For a C, answer ‘yes’ to questions 1-10.

6 - Do you regularly (8-10 times a year as a minimum) deliver value to your fans via email? Delivering value means sending them mp3s, video content, letters from the band. Tour dates, calls to action to ‘buy my album’ and press releases do not constitute value.

7 - Do you have your own website on your own domain?

8 - Do you keep a list of online sources that mention your music?

9 - Do you have a YouTube channel to collect all video and audio content relation to you?

10 - Have you reserved your artist/band name domain on Twitter?

For a B , answer ‘yes’ to questions 1-15.

11 - Does a Google search for your band/artist name return your MySpace page, YouTube clips of your music, your Wikipedia page (where relevant) and your homepage within the first 10 results?

12 - Does your website and MySpace integrate not just buy links to iTunes, a subscription form for your email database but links to buy merchandise and tickets.

13 - Is your music for sale on iTunes, Amazon mp3, emusic and BigPond (for Australian artists).

14 - Are you aware of being talked about on music forums relating to you?

15 - Do you track analytics on your website relating to user behaviour (where people come from, where they go, how long they stay, how many pages they view, what they search to find you)?

For an A, answer ‘yes’ to questions 1-20.

16 - Does a Google image search return an image of you?

17 - Do you have an established presence across Facebook, an active engagement with the Twitter community and an up to date Last.FM page?

18 - Is the band regularly producing and distributing original content to fans via email and across the online presence: photos, text, video, out-takes, live recording, broken guitar strings, guitar picks, signed posters…

19 - Do you replicate all artist content across all your online properties including Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, your homepage et. al.

20 - Do you track and engage with all mentions of you across your Homepage, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, on blogs and in forums?

To be the best, answer ‘yes’ to questions 1-21.

21 - Do you have your own blog on a separate domain to your main site, a forum set up dedicated to discussion around your music and a series of subsites dedicated to various campaigns around your music (remix competitions, live album giveaways, UGC-style film clip sites)?

I’m interested in feedback on this report card - what is the minimum you expect of an artist online?

Rob Oxoby on song writing

2009-07-16T02:14:00.000-07:00

Like anything, songwriting improves as one practices one’s craft. Practicing songwriting can often be a daunting task not only because it seems odd as a concept (What is the difference between practicing songwriting and being creative by actually engaging in the process of songwriting?) but also because it requires admitting that your own songwriting needs improvement.

Many times, once we write something we have a hard time letting it go, admitting that it needs complete rewriting or that may just not be that good to want a live performance or recording. Many years ago, I read somewhere that Charlotte Cafferty (then guitarist of the Go-Go’s) wrote hundreds of songs that never saw life beyond her notebook. She viewed these is not good enough for live performance and use them as examples to learn and practice what worked and what didn’t work.

Personally, for every 10 songs or so I write, one makes it in front of a band; and for every five that I bring to the band, one makes it to a live performance or recording. While this may suggest that I’m extremely prolific or just plain suck at writing, I take a different view: In a sense, all those bad songs I write are practice for the good songs I write.

In any event, admitting that a song you have written requires rewriting/retooling/rejecting can be difficult. Sometimes when I’m just not in the mood to rework my own material, I turn to the work of others. My approach is this: How many times has a song you don’t particularly like gotten stuck in your head? It happens to me all the time. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and one of my kids’ favorite songs is stuck in my head. Sometimes I (inadvertently) hear a song by an artist I don’t like, only to have the song repeat over and over again in my head throughout the day. There must be something about these songs that makes them “stick.” So, I use these songs as material to practice my songwriting. Literally, I take these songs and start rewriting them, taking them apart to figure out what makes them tick and why they are so catchy. At the same time, I’m honing my own skills with melody, harmony and rhythm.

Deconstructing a Hit

When practicing songwriting, it’s useful to think about what it is that makes these songs (perhaps regrettably) so memorable. Is it the melody? Is it the artist’s phrasing? Is it the rhythm or chord progression? As such, rewriting an existing song can serve several important purposes:

1. By dissecting and rewriting an existing song you can learn a great deal about what makes its melody catchy or its rhythm addictive. I often take an existing song and try to change one aspect (e.g., melody rhythm progression) while keeping everything else constant. This allows me to see how, say, the artist phrasing works within a melodic or harmonic structure. Sometimes I keep the melody and try to change the chords or rhythm in order to understand how a seemingly catchy melody can be supercharged by the right rhythm and harmony to create a monster you can’t get out of your head. Through this, you learn what works and what doesn’t for more general songwriting.

2. This type of work also gives you an opportunity to step outside of your genre. Maybe you can take that goofy Carrie Underwood song about cheating and turn it into a mambo? Maybe you can really stretch out an do what these guys did, converting a Brittany Spears song into a fugue. By stepping out of your genre and writing something really different, you open yourself up to new ways of conceptualizing a song. You hear new rhythms and phrases that may spark ideas for your own original material.

3. Finally, by working from an existing song you are not only learning from an example of a “successful” song, but you’re also practicing your own craft. In re-writings say a Beyonce song or something from the soundtrack to bear in the Big Blue House, it’s impossible for you not to interject your own ideas and style. As such, your songwriting, arranging, and your toolkit of songwriting tricks and ideas can only get better.

Rob Oxoby

robbyoxoby@gmail.com

Building Personal Brand Within the Social Media Landscape

2009-07-14T23:15:00.000-07:00

This is a transcription of a presentation given by Gary Vaynerchuk at the Web 2.0 Expo in New York. I've watched the video many times and wanted you share it with you, because I think he says some very important things. There's always going to be a day where you don't want to answer another email, solve another captcha puzzle on MySpace, write a blog post, or God forbid, we write about another social network or media tool that you need to master all over again. You just want to get into the studio to record, play shows, and be the creative artist that you are. I get it, but in the words of Gary, “Its coming, stop crying, and just keep hustling. “
Reading Blogs - First and for most, I really want to thank everyone for reading this. I mean, this is outrageously humbling. Every single person who is reading this, since your here, there's no doubt in my mind that you’re going to kill it.

Patience and Passion - And that's what I want to talk about today, PP. I really want to talk about this. Patience and Passion. Lets starts with passion, there's way too many people in this room right now that are doing stuff they hate. Please stop doing that. There is no reason in 2009 to do crap you hate. None. Promise me you won't, because you can lose just as much money being happy as hell.

Listen To Your Community - Let’s talk about community. Listen to your users. Absolutely. But giving a crap about your users is way better. People listen but they don't do anything. Doing something. Answering those emails. Giving a crap. Caring about your user base. That's what you need to do. You need to care about everything and it starts with yourself. Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, “What do I want to do every day for the rest of my life?” Do that. I promise that you can monetize that.

Hustling and Building Business - There's a billion seventy year old douche bags that are in control right now. It’s coming, stop crying, and just keep hustling. Hustle is the most important word. Ever. And that's what you need to do. You need to work so hard. Guys, we're building business here, this isn't about parties. We're building businesses. You need to hustle. You have to have; you have to have a business model. Getting a crap load of users and flipping it is not a business model. Make some cash along the way.

What's Your Legacy? - I always say that legacy is greater than currency. Has everybody completely grasped that your great, great, great, grand children are going to watch and see everything you've even done? I think about that every single day. I want my grand kids to be proud of me. My mom did such a good job raising me. Do you know what I hustle about? I hustle about meeting every single person on earth.

Believe In What You Do - You know what I really hope? Is just for people to be happy. Honestly. We are sitting where the gatekeepers are no longer in control. If you’re pumping out good stuff people will follow. But if you for a second. A half a second. Don't believe in what you’re doing. Whether it’s your personal brand or the product you represent. You need to get out now. Please.

The Game Is Changing - We only get to play this game one time. One life. And I just hope that people really understand. I'm excited because, for example Monday, I gave a key note in Vegas to all the franchisee owners of Domino's Pizza. Yeah. I told them two things. One, you guys are screwed. And two, bring back the Noid. Everything I believe in, they can't do. My fundamental hope is that people understand that this is business. Really I do. Way too many people running around town, not understanding what we're doing. Two, understand that the game is changing.

Own Your Content and Your Brand - My content is mine. The way everything is changing is unbelievable. I mean, everybody is going to be consuming content, everywhere. And in different platforms. And the people that controlled it. Newspaper, Television, and Radio are no longer in control. And that is a huge factor that people have not totally wrapped their head around. You need to build brand equity. It’s about brand equity. In yourself, because you never know what could happen. Lehman Brothers....

Networking and Being Transparent - I love people that is a huge advantage for me. Get out there and network. People are the people. People are the people that are going to help you. The only way to succeed now is to be completely transparent. Completely. Everything is exposed. Everything you do. So your legacy is your ultimate life. It’s all you've got. And you can build do so much on that. When you have brand equity, anything can happen.

Using Social Media Tools - What's very imperative to me right now is using the tools. Way too many people are trying to figure out what tools should I use... Should I use Twitter? Pound? Should I use Jaiku? You know. Which tools should I use? All of them. Your user base and the people that care about you. You need to connect with them anyway you can, everywhere you can, as often as you can. That is essential. That interaction is essential.

What We Do Is Real - Look at Reality TV that's about as real as. Pssh. That stuff is not real. But we still like it because it’s somewhat real. This other stuff is very real. The place where we play is very real. And its massive, massive opportunity. I hope people wrap there head around that, because we are going through a gold rush of branding. In the old days to become a brand you needed allot of mainstream media attention. But now, if you get talked about enough in all these social media webs, blogs, you can get there. You can build your brand. Your companies brand. But it all starts with that first moment when you look in the mirror, first moment, what do I want to do?

Time To Do Damage - I don't want to hear about this nine to five bull crap. I don't want to hear about this two job thing. Right, nine to five, I don't have time. If you want this, if you’re miserable, or if you don't like it or you want to do something else and you have a passion somewhere else. Work nine to five. Spend a couple hours with your family. Seven to two in the morning is plenty of time to do damage. But that's it. It’s not going to happen any other way. You’re not going to make stickers and give out swag and everyone is going to give a crap about your site.

Your Show - It’s More Than A Collection Of Songs

2009-07-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

Your Show - It’s More Than A Collection Of Songs
It’s not enough to be a good band anymore, you’ve got to have your show down too. Here are a number of items that you must be aware of in order to make your show as good as it can be. It doesn’t mater what kind of band you are and what kind of music you play, these items are all generic and if my advice is followed, will guarantee that you’re better received by your audience.

So what is a Show exactly? It’s much more than just a collection of songs. It's a performance designed to entertain the crowd. While the world is full of performers that have seemingly no stage show, there’s a lot more that goes on than meets the eye.

Everyone can name a great performer who just stands there playing and singing and still gets rave reviews. While that can be you too, today’s audiences are a lot more sophisticated and require a certain level of professionalism from a performer, even with a minimal show. Let’s look at some typical shows and spot the differences.

An Amateur Show
In an amateur show you’ll typically find the following traits:

- The band doesn’t know what song to play next
- The band tunes up loudly in-between songs
- The band has mindless banter with audience
- The band has inside-jokes that only the band or a few people around the band understand
- The band takes too much time between songs
- The band keeps the audience waiting while changing guitars, clothes, etc
- The band doesn’t acknowledge the audience, or worse, disrespects the audience
A Tight, Professional Show
Likewise, in a tight, professional show you’ll typically find the following traits:

- The band has a set list and knows exactly what they’ll be playing and how much time it will take
- The band knows exactly what will happen in-between songs
- The band knows exactly when, where and how the audience will be addressed
- The band has as little time possible between songs, or has something predetermined that will entertain in those spaces
- The band plays to the room

A Big Production Show
Not only observes all of the above, but has the entire show planned

- The band designs the set for maximum audience impact
- The band works out sound and music cues beforehand
- The band works out lighting cues beforehand
- The band works out wardrobe, guitar changes, etc. beforehand

Sometimes all it takes to change an amateur show to one that’s tight and professional is awareness. Now that you read this article, you’re aware. Go make the changes!

About Bobby
A long-time veteran of the music industry, Bobby Owsinski has produced and composed for records, motion pictures and television shows along the way. Bobby has also has authored several books that are now staples in recording programs in colleges around the world including "The Mixing Engineer's Handbook", "The Recording Engineer's Handbook", "The Audio Mastering Handbook", "The Drum Recording Handbook", “The Studio Musician’s Handbook,” and "How To Make Your Band Sound Great".

Visit Bobby's Blog at http://bobbyowsinski.blogspot.com/ and his website at http://bobbyowsinski.com.

Trent Reznor: What To Do As A New / Unknown Artist

2009-07-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

This post on Trent Reznor's NIN blog is a must read from an artist who has helped re-write the rules of modern music marketing. I've added bold type to some passages for emphasis.

"I posted a message on Twitter yesterday stating I thought The Beastie Boys and TopSpin Media "got it right" regarding how to sell music in this day and age. Here's a link to their store: illcommunication.beastieboys.com]

Shortly thereafter, I got some responses from people stating the usual "yeah, if you're an established artist - what if you're just trying to get heard?" argument. In an interview I did recently this topic came up and I'll reiterate what I said here.

If you are an unknown / lesser-known artist trying to get noticed / established:

* Establish your goals. What are you trying to do / accomplish? If you are looking for mainstream super-success (think Lady GaGa, Coldplay, U2, Justin Timberlake) - your best bet in my opinion is to look at major labels and prepare to share all revenue streams / creative control / music ownership. To reach that kind of critical mass these days your need old-school marketing muscle and that only comes from major labels. Good luck with that one.

If you're forging your own path, read on.

* Forget thinking you are going to make any real money from record sales. Make your record cheaply (but great) and GIVE IT AWAY. As an artist you want as many people as possible to hear your work. Word of mouth is the only true marketing that matters.

To clarify:
Partner with a TopSpin or similar or build your own website, but what you NEED to do is this - give your music away as high-quality DRM-free MP3s. Collect people's email info in exchange (which means having the infrastructure to do so) and start building your database of potential customers. Then, offer a variety of premium packages for sale and make them limited editions / scarce goods. Base the price and amount available on what you think you can sell. Make the packages special - make them by hand, sign them, make them unique, make them somethingYOU would want to have as a fan. Make a premium download available that includes high-resolution versions (for sale at a reasonable price) and include the download as something immediately available with any physical purchase. Sell T-shirts. Sell buttons, posters... whatever.

Don't have a TopSpin as a partner? Use Amazon for your transactions and fulfillment. [www.amazon.com]

Use TuneCore to get your music everywhere. [www.tunecore.com]

Have a realistic idea of what you can expect to make from these and budget your recording appropriately.
The point is this: music IS free whether you want to believe that or not. Every piece of music you can think of is available free right now a click away. This is a fact - it sucks as the musician BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS (for now). So... have the public get what they want FROM YOU instead of a torrent site and garner good will in the process (plus build your database).

The Beastie Boys' site offers everything you could possibly want in the formats you would want it in - available right from them, right now. The prices they are charging are more than you should be charging - they are established and you are not. Think this through.

The database you are amassing should not be abused, but used to inform people that are interested in what you do when you have something going on - like a few shows, or a tour, or a new record, or a webcast, etc.

Have your MySpace page, but get a site outside MySpace - it's dying and reads as cheap / generic. Remove all Flash from your website. Remove all stupid intros and load-times. MAKE IT SIMPLE TO NAVIGATE AND EASY TO FIND AND HEAR MUSIC (but don't autoplay). Constantly update your site with content - pictures, blogs, whatever. Give people a reason to return to your site all the time. Put up a bulletin board and start a community. Engage your fans (with caution!) Make cheap videos. Film yourself talking. Play shows. Make interesting things. Get a Twitter account. Be interesting. Be real. Submit your music to blogs that may be interested. NEVER CHASE TRENDS. Utilize the multitude of tools available to you for very little cost of any - Flickr / YouTube / Vimeo / SoundCloud / Twitter etc.

If you don't know anything about new media or how people communicate these days, none of this will work. The role of an independent musician these days requires a mastery of first hand use of these tools. If you don't get it - find someone who does to do this for you. If you are waiting around for the phone to ring or that A & R guy to show up at your gig - good luck, you're going to be waiting a while.

Hope this helps, and I'll scour responses for intelligent comments I can respond to.

TR

TopSpin Media info:
[topspinmedia.com]

2009-07-09T02:58:00.000-07:00

Hey people,

As you may already know we are the only Indian band in circulation on Chennai live 104.8 fm. If you would like to request our songs on their shows all you have to do is if you are in Chennai call 04442421048 during their live shows and request for our songs. Now you can still support us and request for our songs on air even if you are not in Chennai by mailing these addresses

Good Life show
goodlife@chennailive.fm

Live Talk
livetalk@chennailive.fm

Chennai Connection
chennaiconnection@chennailive.fm

Live Cafe
livecafe@chennailive.fm

the main songs in circulation are its ok, Folk you, let you go and say goodbye

Don't forget we have our album 11:11 up for free download http://www.gimmesound.com/JunkyardGroove/. All you have to do is create an I.D on the site which takes 5 mins and download the song. We get paid for each download. All it costs you is a little time and love :)

spread the love :)

peace
Ameeth
http://www.junkyardgroove.net
http://www.gimmesound.com/JunkyardGroove
http://www.myspace.com/junkyardgroove
http://www.youtube.com/junkyardgroove1
http://www.facebook.com/ameeththomas
http://www.twitter.com/ameeth

P.S do join our mailing list on our website http://junkyardgroove.net

11:11 [Bootleg] Free download

2009-06-15T01:25:00.000-07:00

Fans love and respect their musicians, and if given an opportunity, will choose to do the right thing. gimmesound.com gives you that opportunity. All you need to do is go to our page http://www.gimmesound.com/JunkyardGroove/ sign up which takes five minutes and the whole 11:11[Bootleg] album is available for free download. We get paid when you download the tracks for free. So all it costs you is your time.

Peace
Ameeth
http://junkyardgroove.net
http://www.gimmesound.com/JunkyardGroove/
http://twitter.com/ameeth
http://myspace.com/junkyardgroove
http://reverbnation.com/junkyardgroove
http://youtube.com/junkyardgroove1
http://ameeth.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/updates.php?id=19805275161&sent=1&e=0#/pages/Junkyard-G

Junkyard Groove : It's OK music video

2009-06-08T00:44:00.001-07:00

2009-05-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Funny things that have happend to the band

2009-05-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking about funny things that have happened to the band and decided to blog about it.

Last Sunday Craig was on his bike with his wife and this guy kept staring at him on the road (Craig kind of got freaked). After a little more stalking, the guy slowed down next too him and said “I’m listening to you on my I pod”.

The other day Sid had gone had gone kite flying with his friends to the beach and met this bunch of school kids. They asked him what he dose and he said he plays for JYG. They began laughing and said “Yeah right and I am tom cruise”.

As usual when my weekend comes I need my drink (Whiskey) and the wine shops had closed. There is this after hour bootleg shop that I know so went there to pick up my stock for the night. Suddenly this guy comes out of the dark and asks me “can I take a picture with you?”. I was kind of zapped and asked him” you know me from?” he said “you don’t know me but I’m a fan and know JYG”

This one is a bit of an old story. The band had just started out I think we where a year old and we had just headlined NLS and was on a high. The next day we went out to eat lunch and 2 guys saw us with our guitars and asked us which band we play for? so we said JYG. Then the guy pulls out his phone and he had all our demos on his phone. They then went on to offer us weed and booze. lol

It always zaps me how much reach music actually has. The songs we write are very personal and make us happy. But once we put it out there for people to listen, you realize you are not alone.

Peace

Ameeth Thomas

http://junkyardgroove.net

http://myspace.com/junkyardgroove

http://reverbnation.com/junkyardgroove

http://twitter.com/ameeth

http://youtube.com/junkyardgroove1

p.s these are just a few of the stories

2009-03-31T04:08:00.000-07:00

I know I have not written in a very long time but thought this was the right time to start since we have released the 11:11[bootleg] cd. We finished our show in Calcutta on the 27th of March and flew out to Mumbai. The band got off at Mumbai and I flew to Chennai for the last weekend of speed (my favorite club in the world) I am going to miss that place like hell. I was scheduled to fly out from Chennai 29th morning at 5 am. I barely got any sleep, but managed to catch the flight and passed out on the flight.

I reached Mumbai at around 8 am and was still hung over. Two students from the college picked me up at the airport and took me back to the hotel where the band was staying, after which we went to a brilliant road side joint for breakfast. Got back to the hotel and passed out till sound check, which was around 3 pm. At sound check everything went kind off smoothly except for the heat. We then headed back to the hotel got some pizza and watched some TV. I slept for another hour and headed back to the venue. There where three other bands playing before us Zodiac, Black and Rock Waters. I heard Zodiac and Black where good and well rock waters where an average cover band. We set up our stall to sell Cd's, got a bottle of whiskey and did some pre show warm up. We took a few pictures with some fans back stage and was ready to go.

We took the stage around 9 pm and played a 1 hour set. I must say that Mumbai crowds are great to play too. They knew most of our songs and sang along. As usual I cracked some off my stupid jokes which people find funny strangely enough. We started with Thank you moved on to a cover of Pearl jam "Animal" then did Rock and roll. We did a long trippy jam that we had been working on and moved into Imagine, Twinkle and Let you go . To really understand how good the crowd was you must watch this video taken by a fan from the crowd. This song is It's ok.

We did an acoustic performance of Say Goodbye which the Crowd sang along to. We finished up with Feel like a knife and Hold. It was a really fun show. We did sell cd's and did a meet and greet with some fans back stage. All in all it was a great night.

Peace

Ameeth - vox

Junkyard Groove

A sad love song

2008-08-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

I pour me myself a drink
To remember the times
When I would think
I could never ask for more
Because you where there
And that was home
Then it took a part of my soul
Drank too much
And got too high
Dint even know when home was gone

Now all I am
Is all alone
Singing this simple song
All alone
And nowhere to go

Where do i go from here
Who do i sing this song to
How do I fall in love
When the only one I love is gone

I'm sitting by the phone
And I am thinking
Hoping that the phone
Would just start ringing
Hoping that you would call
And take me home
Cause i am hanging on
To nothing at all
Then it took a part of my soul
Drank too much
And got too high
Dint even know when home was

Now all I am
Is all alone
Singing this simple song
All alone
And nowhere to go

Where do i go from here
Who do i sing this song to
How do I fall in love
When the only one I love is gone

Existence

2008-06-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

I am surrounded by people but still alone a strange way to be, but is an existence. Maybe I choose to be the way I am. Or am I seasoned to be this way. I think its just fear. I maybe wrong i don't know.

2008-06-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

"In love" is it word
Or is it
A feeling, state of mind
Explain it
I want to know
Because every time I feel down,
Alone, depressed all I need is a voice
Of the one I am in love with
Maybe the world will never need me
Maybe I will not solve the mysteries of the universe
But there will be the person who solves
My mysteries, my world and more
And I will theirs
Maybe I won't be a saint or a prophet
To save peoples lives
But there will be one person I will save
But this is just a word
Which no one will ever be able to describe or explain?
It's what binds u and a person, thing or feeling
Or maybe anything
This feeling is called love

Ameeth Thomas

A falling peace

2008-06-15T23:19:00.001-07:00

Sometimes when you wake up in the morning, it’s hard to count your blessings, its hard to fight that feeling that is pulling you down. Wondering if you where cursed or blessed with the gifts you have. Wondering is it a gift? But all I want is 10 seconds of pure peace. And I came across this picture.

2008-05-31T04:46:00.000-07:00

I’m standing far on the other side
And I’m hurting from the inside
As I watch you walk away
Into a distant picture frame
And there’s a voice inside my head
Screaming out but was never said
Please don’t go
Please don’t go

You are happy as you are
And me I’m happy if you are

I’ll be gone when the morning come

Is it too late to apologies?
Cause I did not realize
For all the things never I said
And for all the things never I did
Now I cant for give myself
And I’m sorry for who I am
Please forgive me
Please forgive me for who I am

You are happy as you are
And me I’m happy if you are

Could you hold me one more time?
Could you say you need me one more time?
Even if it’s just a lie
Could you say you need me one more time?
Even if it’s just a lie
Could you say you love me one more time?

I’ll be gone when the morning come

silent thoughts

2008-05-31T04:42:00.000-07:00

There is a silence
In these crowed streets
Thoughts in my head
And I’m on my knees
Hand's in prayer
And I’m begging you please
This human form makes me bleed
And I am finding it harder to breath
Every step I take
Are a thousand thorns in me?

Release me is all I need
Release me from all I feel
Release me is all I plead

Sitting by the edge
With my head in my toes
Wondering if I should go
Where the wind blows
Standing on the edge
And I am thinking to myself
There is something
Holding me back
Maybe there is more to life
Than I know
Its getting harder
And I am loosing hope

Release me is all I need
Release me from all I feel
Release me is all I plead

2008-04-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

"Boston"

In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun...
Oh dear you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed,
This world you must've crossed... you said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

Essential yet appealed, carry all your thoughts across
An open field,
When flowers gaze at you... they're not the only ones who cry
When they see you
You said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

She said I think I'll go to Boston...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly em out to Spain...
I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah,

Boston... where no one knows my name... yeah
Where no one knows my name...
Where no one knows my name...
Yeah Boston...
Where no one knows my name.

Fear

2008-04-30T02:25:00.000-07:00

Another day passes
Another sleepless night
Another empty space
It gets harder and harder
To stay awake
It gets harder to breath
Hoping for the best
Realizing the worst
Maybe its for the best
Trying to hold it together
Sometimes letting go
Is the only way to hold it together forever
But thinking will there be space
When it comes back
Scared to let go
Don't want to let go
Its a part of me

- Ameeth Thomas -

"I'll Keep Your Memory Vague"(finger eleven)

2008-04-29T04:17:00.000-07:00

This won't break your heart
But I just think it could
Cause I haven't tried as hard as I should
To separate you from everything I do
But I would never want to come between us two

I'll keep your memory vague
So you won't feel bad about me
I'll say the things that you said
Sometimes so it reminds me

Now I'm thinking back
To what I said before
I hope your heart won't have to hurt anymore
Cause it's really not that sad from here
Because the moments I can feel you near
They keep you close to me my dear
And if they ever become too clear...

Now you've gone away
Don't worry it's ok
That you're gone away
Further than yesterday
But you'll never leave these scenes
My mind replays

Where in the world have you gone now?

2008-04-29T01:38:00.000-07:00

Perfect circle - Pet

Don't fret precious I'm here
Step away from the window
And go back to sleep

Lay your head down child
I won't let the boogeyman come
Count the bodies like sheep
To the rhythm of the war drums
Pay no mind to the rabble
Pay no mind to the rabble
Head down, go to sleep
To the rhythm of the war drums

Pay no mind what other voices say
They don't care about you
Like I do, like I do
Safe from pain and truth and choice
And other poison devils
See, they don't give a fuck about you
Like I do
Just stay with me
Safe and ignorant
Go back to sleep
Go back to sleep

Lay your head down child
I won't let the boogeyman come
Count the bodies like sheep
To the rhythm of the war drums
Pay no mind to the rabble
Pay no mind to the rabble
Head down, go to sleep
To the rhythm of the war drums

I'll be the one to protect you from
Your enemies and all your demons
I'll be the one to protect you from
A will to survive and a voice of reason
I'll be the one to protect you from
Your enemies and your choices, son
They're one and the same
I must isolate you
Isolate and save you from yourself

Swayin' to the rhythm of the new world order and
Countin' bodies like sheep
To the rhythm of a war drum
The boogeymen are coming
The boogeymen are coming
Keep your head down
Go to sleep
To the rhythm of the war drums

Stay with me
Safe and ignorant
Just stay with me
I'll hold you and protect you from the other ones
The evil ones
Don't love you son
Go back to sleep

A perfect circle

2008-04-29T01:06:00.000-07:00

What is close to you can break you spirit
Who is close to you ?
Ask the question and get what you fear most
In life and in death it can break your spirit
Because its a part of you
The only answer that comes to me is time
The healer and a higher being
In on one you may lay your trust
Besides these two constants

Imagine

2008-03-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

Get up every morning with a tear in your eye
To the sound of the morning sigh
I wonder why
Why do you cry?
When the world is so perfect on the outside
I cannot sleep
I cannot breath
Thoughts too much to be conceived
And just imagine if it was you
And tell me exactly what would you do

Imagine

Stories untold lie in you I know
Buried under the ocean floor
In all these troubles I see a smile
This unfolds into a silent cry
I cannot sleep
I cannot breath
Thoughts too much to be conceived
And just imagine if it was you
And tell me exactly what would you do

Imagine

Imagine if it was you

Break free emotions revealed
Could you please tell me how do you feel?
And just imagine if it was you
And could you please tell me exactly what would you do

Save me

2008-03-30T02:37:00.000-07:00

Living in a world of pain and sorrow
Not knowing if I’m going to see tomorrow
What’s this life of mine?
Was I meant to be divine?

And save me
I stand before the
With my hands in prayer
And save me
I stand before the
Please take me away

In my soul is this wide open space
Filled with the water that carries anger lies and hate
Standing in the shadows wondering who I am
Tried another name and it doesn’t seem to be the same

And save me
I stand before the
With my hands in prayer
And save me
I stand before the
Please take me away

Why do I feel like I have created it all?
Same old story and it’s all my fault

Lyrics

2008-03-30T02:08:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have been asking me for the lyrics to the JYG songs, so I have decided to put them up.

It's ok

This is a story of a girl
Who falls in love with a boy
A story not meant to be
But she could never see
She lived a life to be free
Believed in what would set her free
Knew no cast knew no creed
Only what she believed
In him she believed
In him she wanted
In him she needed
Something she could never find
And all they found
Was a little bit of misery
And nothing at all

It's ok
It's alright
We are the same
And there is no need to cry

This is a story of a boy
Who falls in love with with a girl
A story not meant to be
But only he could see
He lived a life to fill his greed
Sucked her dry for all his needs
Did what he felt like
And did what he pleased
In him she believed
In him she wanted
In him she needed
Something she could never find
And all they found
Was a little bit of misery
And nothing at all

It's ok
It's alright
We are the same
And there is no need to cry

Take my hand
Hold me close
And leave the past behind
And walk on to the future
Take my hand
And hold me close