February 2015
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 20, No. 2
Next Meeting Sunday February 1st 5:00pm
The International Songwriter’s Guild meets at 5 PM on the first Sunday of every month at the
Central Florida Musician’s Union building, 3020 East Robinson (at the extreme east end of
Robinson, near Orlando Executive Airport) in Orlando.
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us.
Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we do.
For more information, visit our website at www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs or myspace page at
The meetings will be structured as follows: 5:00 to 5:30, business and introductions. 5:30 to
6:00, presentation by a guest speaker (when scheduled), 5:30 or 6:00 to 8:00, song critiques.
Please bring a CD or I-phone or mp3 player or perform your song live, and bring 10 or more lyric
sheets. If we have at least 5 songs by members who wish to be scored, and 6 members scoring, then
we will have them entered in the Monthly competition. Everyone is encouraged to write
constructive comments on the lyric sheets.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
Note: There will be a special talk on March 1st from Singer Songwriter
Beth McKee http://bethmckee.com/ about her adventures in music.
She currently hosts a songwriter's venue at the Smiling Bison
on first Thursdays. The next one is on February the 5th. One of
our current members, Loi Head (now named Loi Jeannette) will be
on the roster, so come on out and see the show.
Here is a link to the Reverbnation details for the event. Feb 5th @ 8:00
Sonic Highways
by Jeff Mason
I’ve been watching a musical documentary series titled “Sonic Highways.” It is created and
directed by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. The series follows the band on a musical journey
across America. The band travels to eight U.S. cities and documents the musical history of each
city. Each episode, also, features an inside look at a music studio in that city. Grohl interviews
various artists who have recorded at that particular studio and each episode climaxes with the
Foo Fighters recording a brand new song inspired by the episode. The lyrics appear on the
screen as the band records the song and it’s easy to see where they are drawing their
inspiration from. Grohl was the drummer in Nirvana before forming the Foo Fighters in 1994.
I’ve never been a fan but I really appreciated his passion in this series. He has a reverence for the
pre digital studio and regards them as a sacred place. The last episode in New York features
The Magic Shop. Owner Steve Rosenthall spoke about the financial difficulties involved in running a
studio. He endured a difficult period after September 11th when he couldn’t access his Manhattan
studio. Things are tough for studios in this time when every musician has a recording studio on
his home computer. Studio work in LA is dramatically down and it’s being out sourced abroad for
cheaper rates.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan14/articles/studio-file-0114.htm
The Nashville episode finds Grohl feeling like a fish out of water. His musical roots are in punk
music and he’s at his best when interviewing his music heroes. He does, however, find common
ground with country musician Zac Brown. As the show progresses a theme emerges. He realizes
he identifies with the musical outsiders who survive independently of the Nashville music machine.
This episode details how Nashville is more of a songwriter’s town and the singer/songwriter tends
not to do as well there. Willie Nelson had to go to Austin to achieve success. Steve Earle had
difficulties in Nahville. Dolly Parton tells the story of the time when Elvis Presley was going to
record her song “I Will Always Love You.” She was obviously excited until Presley’s manager,
Tom Parker, called and told her,”Now you know we have a rule that Elvis don’t record anything
that we don’t take half the publishing.” Dolly stuck to her guns and refused to sell her publishing
rights. Elvis never recorded the song but Whitney Huston did and “I made enough money to buy
Graceland.”
http://www.cmt.com/news/1535871/dolly-parton-reflects-on-her-greatest-moments/
Zac Brown owns a studio in Nashville called Southern Ground. It’s in an old building on music
row and served as the Addison Avenue Cumberland Presbyterian Church until the mid-1950s.
“The building was purchased by Fred Foster, owner of famed recording company Monument Records,
and transformed into Monument Studio in 1968. Kris Kristofferson’s first three albums were
recorded at the studio.”
http://southerngroundnashville.com/
Brown’s company purchased the faclity in 2012 and renovated the building. They were, also,
fortunate enough to inherit some of the original, classic, recording gear from the previous studio.
It is in this beautiful, old and historical studio that Brown and the Foo Fighters recorded the song
“Congregation.”
I think that this series and it’s subsequent album “Sonic Highways” are labors of love for Grohl.
The show can be currently viewed on HBO On Demand and I’m sure a DVD will soon follow.
I’ll write about some other episodes in next month’s article.
Grohl has said that making the series served to jumpstart his creativity. If you’re feeling
uninspired you may want to try to challenge yourself. FAWM.ORG Try writing 14 songs in
February and submit them to the aforementioned web site which is an acronym for February Album
Writing Month. Join their Facebook page and become a “fawmer!” If that’s too many songs how
about taking the RPM challenge. You only have to write 10 songs or 35 minutes of original music.
That is during February too! http://rpmchallenge.com
Berkee is offering some free and tasty courses during February. I’m interested in one called
“Developing Your Musicianship.” https://www.coursera.org/course/musicianship
Good luck and Happy New Year!
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 announced here? Members in good standing
call SusieCool with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153
I am in the process of editing and uploading some of the Christmas Party videos to Youtube
Maybe next month I will be able to put the links in the newsletter., and place them on the
website www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be listed in the
ISG members page. Also if you have any songs that have placed first in the monthly critiques,
please send the mp3's to isgorlando@gmail.com if you would like to have them featured in the ISG
MySpace page. https://myspace.com/21075001
January 2015 Critique Results
1 Lonesome Ol' World Will Campbell
2 Cut the Cord Bill Frank
3 Lost Love Susan Foster-Trewick
4 Double Mother's Lament Bill Frank
5 A Song For Kathy Idell Smith
New members always welcome!
© 2015 ISG