Excerpt:

It is generally a fact that you can find yourself listening to phrases of music over and over again when recording or writing music. This weekend I had the special opportunity to do that in my car with my son. I am not quite sure who exactly dubbed ‘Issue 16′ as the spider song, but considering my son usually gets what he wants, to a point, it now goes by that name in the “back alley” world of the three year olds…. and you shall not stop it or turn it down.

http://www.tadabstracts.com

For those who are just hopelessly “out of the loop” { } and still have no clue what the “Music and Spirit” blog is, read on!

I have been running an interesting blog on MySpace now for the last nine months or so, at www.myspace.com/musicandspirit. There are currently 40 AMAZING artists in my Top Friends who are all very much worth supporting. In addition, there are many more in my modest friend space which is currently at 150+, most of them musicians.

The blog itself consists of about 35 entries, some extensive, showcasing artists’ lyrics and additional material provided by the artists themselves, in addition to several reviews by myself. The word “spirit” in its title is NOT a reference to dogmatic spirituality. I consider a good love song to be “spiritual.”

This site and blog are open to any songwriter who wishes to message me and send a friend request. I reserve the right to decide on the suitability of the material– please review my profile page, listen to the artists, and look at the blog itself. You will see that there is a wide variety of styles represented, and you will be able to judge for yourself if this is a place where you’d like to have your music “found.” It is free, and will remain free, forever.

And be sure to read the top blog entry, my interview with the “Awesome Artist of the Month”, who is currently Annika Fehling from Sweden! The profile song, which you hear before you go to the blog, or after you go back to the profile page, is one of hers.

Currently, I am receiving spontaneous friend requests from really good artists, EVERYWHERE! Germany, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Britain, and of course, the USA. It is good, free exposure for any artist who has “the right stuff.”

Be Well–
Blogger Van
http://www.myspace.com/musicandspirit

Hit songwriter Craig Bickhardt has released a song written for his son, Jake, who has Cerebral Palsy. The song was posted this week on his popular blog, Ninety Mile Wind — www.ninetymilewind.blogspot.com. It is also available for free download from his website at www.craigbickhardt.com, or it can be streamed from his My Space page — www.myspace.com/craigbickhardt — where it has been garnering a lot of listener response. The song, titled “Giant Steps”, speaks inspiringly about the father-son relationship and the challenges both face as they tackle life with a disability.

“You’re just a little boy clinging to your father’s hand
Your legs are working hard keeping up with your old man”

But Bickhardt’s confidence in his son’s future carries the song to an optimistic conclusion.

“Soon the day will come when you’ll run ahead of me
Certain of yourself and what you’re gonna be
But whenever you stumble and lose your stride
May you never lose the boy down inside
Taking Giant Steps”

He posts an accompanying journal entry in his blog further highlighting the difficulties of life with a Special Needs child.

“There are days when life with my son is challenging, and a dark horizon looms three hundred and sixty degrees around me. And then there are those days of singing blue sky, when I know I’m a lucky to have him. On those days my heart is an eagle’s feather and I am made for rough winds.”

Bickhardt, a former Nashville resident who has written award winning songs for Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, B. B. King, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Art Garfunkel, David Wilcox, Tony Rice, Pam Tillis (#1 song, “Between Dances”) and many others, is currently on tour in the north east. He will be appearing in at The Sellersville Theater with Beth Nielsen Chapman, and also at The Philadelphia Folk Festival in August. His other music is available through itunes, CD Baby.com, Amazon.com, and his website www.craigbickhardt.com

I have been running an interesting blog on MySpace now for the last eight months or so, at http://www.myspace.com/musicandspirit . There are currently 32 AMAZING artists in my Top Friend who are all very much worth supporting. In addition, there are many more in my modest friend space which is currently at 100+, most of them musicians.

The blog itself consists of 30 entries, some extensive, showcasing artists’ lyrics and additional material provided by the artists themselves, in addition to several reviews by myself. The word “spirit” in its title is NOT a reference to dogmatic spirituality. I consider a good love song to be “spiritual!”

This site and blog are open to any songwriter who wishes to message me and send a friend request. I reserve the right to decide on the suitability of the material– please review my profile page, listen to the artists, and look at the blog itself. You will see that there is a wide variety of styles represented, and you will be able to judge for yourself if this is a place where you’d like to have your music “found.” It is free, and will remain free, forever.

Currently, I am receiving spontaneous friend requests from AWESOME artists, EVERYWHERE! Germany, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Britain, and of course, the USA. It is good, free exposure for any artist who has “the right stuff.”

Be Well–
Blogger Van
http://www.myspace.com/musicandspirit

The Instants are a quirky bunch of guys (and girls) with even quirkier songs. I wouldn’t want to make the mistake of comparing quirk, but if you put them in a room with Noel Fielding they would wee all over him. I didn’t quite know what to expect from the gig, but the red-lit rustic Bush Hall certainly got me in the mood for sharp & funky garage grooves (and sex). Luckily the Instants didn’t fail to deliver. Their first song “monkey in my head” rang my bell, and they continued their set with cutting riffs and a stomp-clap-move groove that didn’t disappoint. Their songs are loaded with energy, spirit and its always nice to hear stories of robots pleasing women on planet mars and peculiar transsexuals called Julia, while the singer mimes what he sings in a surprisingly un-annoying way.

If you put the Kinks, XTC and a Kaiser Chiefs’ synthesizer in a room, pumped them full of crystal meth/Viagra and watched the orgy that ensued, their twisted freak of a love child would be something like this band, all under the shadow of creative lunacy. The Instants seem to know their stuff and play together well, along with their theatrical front man.

If you get a chance, go and see them, they are the ones to watch in 2008.

Currently been busy working on my new album which is set to be released sometime this year … but before that there will be a single which is due in spring ‘08.

What can i say about it .. well so far the single is pretty in the can .. right now work is focusing officially on Music Video production, casting models, scouting locations, gathering ideas and finishing the concept, ad campaign, cover design, updating the website www.slimk.cjb.net (Launched on Feb. 1st 2008 and set the tone for the rest of the year - fully updated), a third photo shoot is planned, waiting for the last remixes from Europe… an EPK on the single (incl brand new interview) will be shot mid- Feb. as well .. it’ll be exciting.

Then add two new film projects and the Opera production OTELLO … hmm ..aha.. ok.

Oh, and I’m the ONLY one in charge of everything … unfortunately the day has only 24 hours … ;-((, maybe we should be all patient and take it easy …

How about a nap?

Keep checking the website and MySpace for updates .. you know they’re coming:

www.myspace.com/Slim_k | www.myspace.com/slimkmusic

If there’s anyone who wants to offer help or a hot model wants to be in the music video, shoot an email: SlimKContact@gmail.com

Thanks all the friends, fans and lovely haters for the support and love ;o)))
you’re welcome …

peace & love
SLIM K

I remember sitting there watching Bono with a child perched upon his shoulders as he and U2 wailed away the beginnings of a truly iconoclastic career there at Cardi’s, and with maybe…just maybe, just a bit more energy or feeling I hear this guy turning the corner. I’ve never had the pleasure to see Thomas perform, but I have the distinct impression I wouldn’t soon forget.

True enough though, it is seldom that a musician with roots in Austin, Texas, has little to say, add to that the foreign mystique such as Bono did with his Irish roots, and Vecera’s Australian background makes perfect sense. I could do the whole BIO thing on this guy, but I feel that you just might have enough fun on your own there, just do yourself a favor…get in on the groundfloor with this guy, you won’t soon regret. It’s a cool feeling to look back a few years and say to yourself or an audience, “I saw that guy when…”

Enjoy.

posted by p_jordan_sr at Review Point

John Rhys Eddins of Blue-Power and his take on Fredrik and the Band BluePower review

Tor Ottesen of Blues World his take on and interview with Fredrik Halland 2006 interview

Previous Press release on Guest Music Bloggers

FSH Band Takes Europe

The crack is, we’re a duo from the north of England, and we’ve had this crazy idea of coming over to LA for the first(ish) week in June and playing a different venue every night!

We’re in the pre production stages of writing an album together (our first as brothers, not that we weren’t brothers before, but you know what I mean…) and plan to have it finished in May.

We have a friend who lives near the Hollywood hills, and the plan is we jump on the plane with a couple of acoustics, crash at his for a week (yeah we’ve told him!) and, well, let as many people as possible hear the songs.

SO, what do you reckon? What kind of places should we contact in the area? Who the hell do you think might have us!? Are there any blogs/chat pages we can get onto to start mixing with local musicians/promoters so we can see what we’re getting ourselves into?

We’re both accomplished musicians and songwriters, and if you want to hear the kind of stuff we’ve done before then check these songs out using these paths and see what you think

www.the-sons.com/audio.php

Beside the sea.

www.myspace.com/thebeefboys

white noise

All the best, hopefully speak soon.

Paul Herron.