#Frail Autumn,, #meanderings, #music, #songwriting, #The VeeDub Bus, #Volkswagen Type 2 Crossover Bay Bus, Vlogcasts

Soon? It has to be grab the opportunities.

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Today was a day of simple set up and see. Recently I bought a little Panasonic CD/Radio player with USB inputs for modern inclusions.

The advertising had a great price reduction on Amazon. I thought, ‘Go for it’. The VeeDub Bus has no music source whatsoever. I couldn’t play anything other than an AA battery driven decades old radio. Here in rural Wales? Trust me….signals allow FM signals only. No little cult MW or AM programme accesses. Despite perceived strong FM signals, you have found a station signal……and say, ‘Fantastic’. But, at times, it still floats in and out. Also, if a signal behaves and you listen, you have no choice for personal likes. Listening to what the radio presenters deem ‘great listening’ is not what is perfect for the relaxation journey. Listening is okay at times, but the gift of personal choice is a story in one’s life to adhere to.

So, with this little Panasonic player, choice is now available. The advert blurb…..

Panasonic SC-DM202EG-K Micro HiFi Compact Stereo System with FM / DAB+ Radio, 24W Output Power, CD/MP3 Player, USB, Bluetooth, Large 2.4″ Display, Black.

It actually sounds great. Decent quality.

Today. In the VeeDub, I hooked up the above player to the Bluetti battery power bank and I played a few early Marc Bolan albums sitting in the VeeDub on my driveway. Pretending I was somewhere different.

Various songs from ‘Prophets, Seers and Sages. The Angels of the ages; T.Rex; Unicorn; and Beard of Stars’ were chosen. These albums I own on vinyl. Bought in the 1970s. My early teenage listening have these albums adopting and owning my heartstrings. But the CD versions, as Limited Editions, are very much a technological need for playing in The Dub. I have a fine collection of both Vinyl and CD Bolan releases. Decades in collecting. A week ago, I ordered the CD version of ‘My people were fair and had sky in their hair. But now they’re content to wear stars on their brows’. Yes. That is the album title. And you thought my blogs were long! Awaiting that CD with eagerness.

Early Bolan is mainly his acoustic guitar, his vocals and his musician partner, Steve Peregrine Took, playing percussion on bongoes and much more. Later, after Steve Took split, Mickey Finn joined him. So, with this presentation of inspirational acoustic guitar and voice simplicity, who knows. Maybe I can record my songs with a similar agenda.

Prophets….
T.Rex
Unicorn
Beard of Stars

The Panasonic player will allow background music from Bolan, and others, to spark an inspiration vibe. Recently I have been thinking of simplicity in trying out my first recordings in the VeeDub. My Guild and Eko acoustic guitars, a djembe drum and my naive vocals captured. And to record the results? An iPad and the Shure MV88 microphone…..hooked up to the Bluetti power bank. On iPad video recording? A view of the rural Wales inspirational surroundings and a fingers crossed few moments of visual vibes to capture the dynamics. This is an old adage of mine. Seize the moments. Listen to other worldly whisperings…and learn.

Let nature’s outside stories, that always have a habit of presenting themselves, chat to me personally. Maybe the sea breeze coming in from the West and whispering in my ear….’Look at that! Go on. Just take a look at THAT….Ain’t that a bit special!’

A video experiment below. But more visual dynamics needed. The blurb? Well, here it is.

“A quick experiment to keep learning about setting up a decent ‘Intro’ piece of music for the YouTube project. An ‘Intro’ before the actual content of each new future video upload.

‘Gray Summers on Cloud 9’ is a Vlogcast dream. Out there in the VeeDub Bus, Billie Cloud 9, alongside a guitar or three, some recording equipment and the intentions of capturing new songs. It would also be nice to have some conversations with others. Musicians, artists, people with stories to tell. A philosophy of well being and self reflections to heal the soul.

Over the last couple of weeks, the Dub and additions inherent has been prepared for such a project. So, it is now all systems go.

I even have two gas rings for some coffee and to cook a bite to eat. Let me know if you are interested. Cheers”.

Music written and all instruments played by Gray Summers. The drums? Nope. They are from the GarageBand library.

Made this quick video tonight because I need possible ideas for a consistent video intro. I believe the music is one of many choices that could work. However. Visually it isn’t right. The captures of vibrant and interesting visuals from where I visit in the VeeDub await. They will be far more dynamic for the viewer.

10 thoughts on “Soon? It has to be grab the opportunities.”

    1. Thank you cookie. I was at secondary school as a teenager when I chanced upon one of the Tyrannosaurus Rex albums in the City Centre library. I was fascinated with his ‘sound’. Mystical and magical…akin to the Tolkein books and others’ from the Science Fantasy genre I was reading. You could choose vinyl LP records back then alongside the books. Have them for a week to listen to as often as you liked. Some I brought home were played once or twice. Others….over and over.

      Two of my school friends and myself started a window cleaning ‘round’ to get some pocket money. I had to cycle about ten miles to get to the housing estate my friends lived on. Ten miles back again. The money we earned? It meant I could buy vinyl records. So the songs on those albums bring so much more than simply being songs that you listened to on the radio. You spent hours in your room listening over and over.

      The early Marc Bolan albums were initially played and championed by a disc jockey called John Peel. John Peel was an amazing guy who played unknown bands’ music. So you always felt you were on the edge of new discoveries. I bet he would have picked up on your songs cookie. Played them nationally to the large numbers of his following listeners. Priceless.

      Cheers cookie. 💫

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      1. I love the story of how you saved up to buy records.

        I don’t really think about more people hearing my songs. maybe that’s a strange thing to say. it feels far away. making songs is what I’m meant to do — I know that. but most days, I’m just trying to stay okay. make it one more day. that’s the loop I’m in.

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      2. I can understand your first observation regarding your expectations regarding how many hear your songs. Exactly the same as my own views regarding mine too. The songs are my little treasures and are rather like the personal writings in journals. So it isn’t strange at all. That our songs have been realised and are in existence is a wonderful feeling for ourselves. For myself, that matters most. And as we reflected upon in the past, the people who do happen upon our songs, and enjoy them? It is a great feeling, and so worthwhile, that any one person that finds comfort in listening, is a positive.

        Your second observation concerning day to day, and the Autumn/Winter months ahead are now daily preparation land. Waking and settling the mind for the day ahead has become an essential routine. Throughout the day has a constant phrase to address the challenges. ‘Take a heartbeat step back, refocus, readjust and start over. Find good vibes’.

        I suppose, your own choice is the same, in that the answer is on that final bit. Vibes. Any source that gives the refocus and readjust part. A favourite book, a bit of music, comfort food, a place that brings a surrounding calm, burning or evaporating calming essential oils or resins, etc. Not distraction as such. Just surrounding and soaking yourself in familiarity that brings known comfort.

        Cheers cookie. Wishing you bright, clear, crisp days ahead. 💫

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    1. Going out today to a lakeside we have never visited. We have often seen it from afar. Driving through and atop the hillsides back from short distance northern visits we can see it well. But never took the road’s turn, in all the thirty years of living here, to see what it offered. No music being played and recorded today though as Angie really needs a relaxing visit. So book reading and CDs playing. Cheers Sheila.

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      2. We decided tomorrow, a Sunday, would be more quiet. So changed our mind. Angie has been painting a shop they have next door to her main shop. They are going to have a Christmas Shop. So they bought lots of shelving too. So she wanted to chill at home today.

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