#Frail Autumn,, #GarageBand,, #Lyrics, #music, #Retirement Projects, #songwriting

Where to now…..

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Having decided to slow life down, recording songs is now a casual approach. The driving licence, because I reached 70 years old, has now been changed to a photographic credit card sized one with my face on it. A face that looks like it has aged 20 years in the 5 years passed by in retirement. What stares back nowadays is a tired and worn out countenance. Hence the need to chill the beans.

My old paper licence had to be sent back to the DVLA in exchange. On reaching 70 years in age you have to go through this procedure. Answer questions for proof you can still get behind a wheel and remain safe to drive.

I am saying this because, with this photographic evidence that I am who I claim to be, it allows me to open up a Stripe integrated system with my bank account. A bit like PayPal. This is required for the musicians platform called Bandcamp. Without photographic evidence, you cannot set it up. My passport expired during the COVID year and has not been renewed. My free Bus Pass, which includes a photograph, is not valid to open up a bank account. In short…I had no proof of being ‘me’. So could not get stuck in and complete setting up Bandcamp. The new driving licence has turned me into a real life living entity again. So full steam ahead.

Over the coming weeks, first uploads to Bandcamp can be sorted out after sorting out the banking stuff over the weekend. Initially, I want to simply create a platform of Frail Autumn songs that are now put to bed and finalised. Also, burning songs onto CD format can be started too. I’d love an EP (Extended Play) bunch of songs first. 5 songs in the collective.

Imagery for the Bandcamp site individual songs? A jarring vibe as opposed to relevant pictorial similarities to the titles? Still thinking. But the black and white film photographs from the past are there. Even more apt are the more recent iPad takes. Lyrics or song titles can easily be fountain pen scrawled in red ink onto the images of rawness and shadows. Layers of oddity in the form of rags, cut out typewriter typed wordery, beach found small pieces of rusted metals found in the flotsam and jetsam, etc. could added too.

Back in the 1970’s I wanted to put an EP vinyl 45 rpm single out. That little dream never reached reality. So maybe with Bandcamp and a little CD release alongside, this is the way I can finally make it really happen.

Getting these 5 song choices together now? I chose last year’s songs mainly. They have been patiently waiting to be released into the World. And the Bandcamp ‘Gray Summers as Frail Autumn’ can start to be realised as a nice little platform. Hopefully, the experience should be fun. Rather like the YouTube uploads started some months ago. The YouTube site is no great success. But it is a very nice pastime hobby in my retirement.

To get a decent visual and audio set up for Bandcamp? I will definitely have to hunt for a collaborator who has those type of setting nice and easy access for people skills.

The EP title? My little booklet of poems, illustrations and a short story that supported the pottery/ceramics mythological ideal I used to make back in the 1980’s was called ‘The Circle of Five’.

And so, for consistency in all things Summersville, the first EP will be called, yes you guessed it…….’The Circle of Five’.

THE ⭕️ of 5️⃣

Moving to the Rhythm of Life
Year One
November, the Stereo and You … my Friend
Stop this Heartache.
Eddie just loves to dance

Maybe the EP will be called The ⭕️ of 5️⃣ ➕ 18/50

18 years was 50 years ago

Cover of the booklet.
Artwork by Martin Chaplin.
Story and poems by Gray Summers.

12 thoughts on “Where to now…..”

    1. It was frustrating not being able to complete the Bandcamp idea last year. So hopefully, now the driving licence is my only source of ‘Yup! This is me’, Angie can help me set up this Stripe malarkey over the next few days. She does that sort of stuff easily.

      📀? Definitely. Cheers Shep.

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    1. Cheers Danny. Great alternative suggestion. Because I never heard of the phrase, I looked it up and it is one that the band Pearl Jam used. So I’d avoid it in case of possible problems in confusion or ownership.

      What is nice is that in music there is a Circle of Fifths system regarding chord interactions. I do love the number 5 too. Five fingers on each hand playing the guitar or piano. Although I don’t play piano other than with one finger and a thumb. Also, there are the five senses too. And my booklet had the Five magical characters that were central to the story.

      Thanks for liking the music Danny. Means a lot. All the best. 🙏🏽🍁🍂

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      2. I did take a quick look at the band Danny. They are my brother’s type of music. The song titled ‘Black’ has the Five Horizons lyric in it. It came out as the top choice on YouTube. Good song. It strangely reminded me of the Hollies song Cable Car. Not sure why.

        Hope you are all keeping well Danny. All the best. 🙏🏽🍁🍂

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    1. Thank you for the birthday wishes. 70 has a different vibe to it really. So seeking more calmness nowadays. My songwriting is embracing a softer vibe.

      After my last comment to you, I took a fleeting look in Reader and saw you have a new upload. So, as soon as I have typed this, I’ll have a look. Exciting!

      What I would love to do with the ⭕️ of 5️⃣ is use my own artwork to reproduce the circle and number. Not sure how yet.

      All the best Destiny. 🙏🏽

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      1. Now you make me wonder if I might be a 70 hidden in the 40’s…😋🤭lol …

        that softer vibe – it’s there in your last post – not just in your songwriting, but in the you we know here on wordpress- lol hope that makes sense …🤭

        for us who don’t have that artwork hand and mind – it sounds a task 🥴 but for you it will come naturally – you’ll find the right one as you sit with it …

        same your way, Gray…🍂

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      2. A great philosophy in life is to remember to be kind. We are always kind in the way we treat our friends on these blogs we write. And in doing so, it can then really come back at us with nice responses and help positively. Returning messages of kindness in nature are a welcomed gift. So, yes, what you say does make sense.

        There is an artist here on WordPress I greatly admire. Friedrich has passionate interest in the philosophy of Chinese calligraphy and art. He often paints in this fashion himself. Most of his paintings are abstract. Fabulous work.

        I too like the intricacies in perceived simplicity of how the way a brush stroke creates stories within its structures. So may well try, albeit naively, to get a very seemingly sparse circle and a number 5 that has a certain ‘something’ inherent. I may fail, but I will give it a try.

        Age? We all have both the older and the younger mind lurking in there throughout life. As children, we could probably have said the wisest thing that a much older person would say. Our human minds are pretty awesome and catch us out in the strangest ways. 🧖🏽

        Thanks Destiny. All the best to you. 🙏🏽

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    1. Like yourself Victor, there are some camera black and white film photos of the motion blur type that could be used. I’d love to get them vintaged, ragged, faded and torn and eclectic by adding other media layers.

      It’s been nice to have music back in life as therapy. Again, like yourself using musical instruments for the positivity they bring you. But also, songwriting itself can also act as a therapeutic tool. Rather like journalling by writing lyrics that are life related. And melodies that can raise emotional spirit.

      Cheers as always Victor. All the best. 🙏🏽

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