April 2021
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 26, No. 04
Live meetings are Cancelled due to CoronaVirus.
However, we will be having on-line Zoom meetings.
We will send details under a separate e-mail,
and an announcement on the Facebook group page.
We expect it to be scheduled for Sunday April 4th at 5pm.
If you want the zoom meeting details, please e-mail us
at isgorlando@gmail.com
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
WebChatter
by CyberToad
We have been forgetting to ask members to renew their dues. It costs only $5 per year, and it helps us to defray costs for the zoom meetings.
We have 2 methods of payment. Either paypal to our treasurer Asli Goncer's paypal account. The paypal access is at aslivision@gmail.com
or you can mail a $5 check to
Asli Goncer
2849 Babylon Court
Oviedo, FL 32765
Either way, we appreciate your continued support.
Here's an article from Andrea Stolpe about rhymes.
https://www.andreastolpe.com/articles/rhyme-types
Restless Creator
By Jackie Mason
The title of this article is a tongue in cheek reference to myself. I am restless. Like many people in my age group, I have been locked down for over a year. A friend sent me a bunch of jokes. One summed up my current state of mind.
“Coronacoaster: noun; the ups and downs of a pandemic. One day you’re loving your bubble, doing work outs, baking banana bread and going for long walks and the next you’re crying, drinking gin for breakfast and missing people you don’t even like.” I’d love to find out who originated this. Here’s another reference to it which doesn’t answer my question. My apologies to the unknown author. Thank you.
https://themindsjournal.com/coronacoaster/
In my quest for creative discipline and new ideas I came across an English artist Laura Marling. In another time, I may have said she’s “not left my turntable for a few months but I’ll have to settle by saying I’ve streamed her music for a while. I like it when I find a new artist with a substantial back catalog. I like her guitar playing, her voice and her songwriting. Some say she’s a natural successor to Joni Mitchell. I think I agree with that. Here are a few songs that have enchanted me, of late. Two of them are live performances and they are different from the recorded versions. I like her quiet performing style. The first is “Master Hunter.” I love the guitar and her punchy rhythmic playing. The words are good too. There’s an early Dylan influence here, including a line from one of his songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8yEwBtEROw
The next song has an even stronger rhythm. It’s called “Strange.” I love how she plays around with her vocal tones in this piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNG5CjW9EBA And the next song is “Ghosts.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XonJJbV54BE The video is very well produced. This was her first single from 2007. There was a folk revival in London, around that time. I think I can hear Marcus Mumford from Mumford and Sons providing harmony. I am not sure, however. The song came from her debut album “Alas, I Cannot Swim” which features Marcus on percussion and accordian. It was produced by the lead singer of her previous band Noah and the Whale. His name is Charlie Fink.
Laura kept busy in 2020. This is an interview from April, 2020, a week before the release of her seventh album “Song For Our Daughter.”
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music-theatre/2020/04/laura-marling-interview-song-daughter-new-album This is a favorite quote from this article.
“What I personally like about art, literature, music, is recognising something uncanny in it that’s not quite your experience but it could be,” she explains. “It’s a distorted emotion, but you recognise it somehow. That’s why I’m careful not to ever go into too much detail about what any song is about. All of them being from different perspectives or being different stories, they’re all double-bluffs, they’re all smoke and mirrors. It’s all to put people off the scent of what it’s really about, so they can experience it for themselves.”
This is the song “Song for our Daughter” from the album of the same name. It won the 2020 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18ycqaWuDdE
I’ve thought similar things about her views on song meanings. As I was putting this article together, synchronicity struck like lightning and I came across a live version of “Ghosts” featuring Marcus Mumford on percussion and harmony!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pocu7S8Cw7M&t=242s
They both look so young on this video. As someone said, “Wise heads on young shoulders.” I couldn’t agree more. For someone to write such deep songs as this young woman has. I am inspired. I am happy to experience more synchronicity. I find it validating as I enter my 29th week of writing morning pages for The Artist Way. I’ll discuss that more, next month.
That’s all I have for today. I get my second Covid shot this Thursday. There’s light at the end of this tunnel. Stay safe.
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association,
Local 389. You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the
interests of the professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more
information. You may reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig or live stream announced here? Members in good standing call SusieCool
with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153 or e-mail her the details at isgorlando@gmail.com
If you are interested in open mics in the Central Florida area, SusieCool has compiled a list.
https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/Home/open-mic-directory-central-florida
SusieCool is the admin for a Facebook group called "Orlando Creative Music Network"
where we give out info on songwriter meetings, playing circles, open mics, workshops and concerts.
We have a Facebook page for this group if you want to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/274152179716552/
No Critique scores for March, since no live meeting.
New members and guests are always welcome!
© 2021 ISG