After a rather agonizing few hours trying to figure out a working vocal line, I worked it out. Which is strange, as this is a song I've actually been playing and singing out loud. It should've been a relatively easy vocal to cut. I think it's a excellent example of the "think too much" problem. If I'm playing Cliffs of Moher and singing, I'm acting instinctively, and have no time to self-criticize or second-guess. It just happens, and it's over.
Standing at a mic, with nothing to do but sing, and listen to myself in the headphones...all I can do is self-criticize and second-guess. I am not a strong vocalist, this much is certain. However, I think I can pull it off to some extent. Maybe vocals will always be the albatross around my neck.
I don't really care anymore. I've been listening to some "professional" records that I find quite good, notably ...For the Whole World to See by Death, and Kadaver by Kadaver, and the vocals are pretty murky and buried. Which is usually my fall back when I'm not confident in the vocal track. Sometimes you just need to make it happen, and, right now, that's where I'm at with Hayoth.
It just needs to get done. I've been fucking around with this material for too Goddamn long.
Next up is a track with a working title of Zep. It started with a chord progression that reminded me of Ramble On, and began it's life in a Hard Rock Hotel room on the "Led Zeppelin" floor (back when the Hard Rock Hotel offered "loaner" guitars to guests - maybe they still do, I don't stay there often). Now, I don't pretend to be anywhere close to Zeppelin, but I am working for the "light and shade" feel that dominated Zeppelin recordings. The idea is acoustic/clean electric verses, and heavier, distorted chorus parts.The basic guitar track is done, kind of. As I start working on putting the drums on the track, I'm thinking it needs to be revised. I think the bridge doesn't really work, and the transition into that same section is muddled. It's always been my intention to re-do the foundation guitar tracks after the drums, which will be easier to play to, but I need the music there to help guide my drumming. The fact I'm not the greatest drummer in the world doesn't make that easy. The slopped transition into the bridge just makes me grind to a halt every time. Plus, I think the bridge should just be simpler.
So, yeah...back to the drawing board.
Still, I think this is a good place to be. After Zep will come a series of mostly direct rockers. More along the lines of MonkeySex, but hopefully not as dumb. The drumming will not have to shift tone and feel so much. My hope is that, after the tonal shifts of Zep, the drumming will move easier.
Although, Getting Dollars Back itself is still out there, waiting. I'll probably put it off to the end, because I tend to think it's going to be a bitch to put together. Still, it's also my favorite riff of the whole project.
I also have to grapple with the lyrical content of Zep. I've made several runs at it, but nothing's felt exactly right. My hope is that once I get the music set and worked out, I can go over my notes and concepts, and find the proper words and melody.
Hayoth is from Jewish myth, not to mention DC Comics, with some religious and political connotations. I just thought it was cool sounding. I'd hate for someone to take offense, of otherwise apply some sort of meaning to it that I didn't intend. I'd rather just have it be fun. Maybe dumb fun, but fun.
But, like I said those decisions are a LONG way off. My original goal was to have something "released" by my birthday. That is pretty likely NOT going to happen. Much like with Where Have All the Heroes Gone, I expect to shift it to the end of the year.
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