the mixed tape

My Heart Acoustic Cover

2008-08-04T01:53:00.002+01:00

Hey everyone,

The summer has unfortunately meant a lack of blog posts. My Guitar is currently in Sunderland so I apologise for the lack of updates.

What I do have for you is a song that I recorded with So Long Lisa a few weeks ago. If you can remember, I performed a cover of My Heart for this blog a while back with Mark Andrew, lead singer of So Long Lisa. We decided to record the track and here is the final outcome.

Because it is a youtube music track, the sound lacks in quality (which is a pity). If you would like to hear the quality version, please check it out on So Long Lisa's bebo page http://www.bebo.com/solonglisa You don't need to have a bebo account to get to this site.

I hope you enjoy.

The Lyric Game

2008-05-09T02:05:00.005+01:00

I was just reading through some of the blogs to see everyone's final touches and I've got to say, I'm loving them all. I was reading through Joanne's Online Sketchbook blog there now and her post entitled bands, bands, bands really interested me. I absolutely love the artwork she has done. I'm also envious of the fact she's been to see some amazing bands at Leeds Festival.

It was her artwork for the band Simple Plan that sparked something in me and I couldn't help but blog about it now. Her artwork reminded me of a game I used to play. It's what I've called 'The Lyric Game' and it's mainly for when you're alone with nothing but your boredom and your music for company.

Basically what you do is set your ipod/itunes/media player on shuffle and let it play. Each song that plays, you listen and write down your favourite lyric. (If that song repeats again, then write a different lyric.) What you have is a collection of lyrics that obviously mean something to you. They might be good, bad or just plain hilarious. I find I end up playing this game during my 'emo' days of when nothing but the sound of my music seems to matter. I ended up making a piece of artwork similar to Joanne's after my game so I thought I'd post it up.

So anyway, whenever you find yourself bored out of your mind but too lazy to do your assignments, have a go at the game. It might bring the 'emo' out in you!

I need to go to 'Busker's Anonymous'

2008-05-08T21:55:00.006+01:00

I’m beginning to think this blog has made me a ‘Buskaholic’! All I seem to think about is when the next Busker’s Night is and what new songs I could learn before then. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing!

It all started a few weeks ago when we were in The Borough. The manager Grant, who we’ve got to know over the past year, came up to me and started talking about busking. He had spotted my facebook profile picture, which is of my buskin’ at Paddy Whacks and asked me to come to his busker’s night. He had heard that my night at Paddy Whacks was quite successful (thanks Lisa) and wouldn’t take no for an answer about me coming to his.

I couldn’t disappoint him and honestly, I was actually looking forward to my next opportunity. It must have been about 10pm last night when I randomly decided to head to The Borough but it was worth it. Arriving a bit late, I only got to play two songs but despite that, it was great fun. I played ‘We Are Broken’ by Paramore and also ‘Stop and Stare’ by One Republic, a song that I haven’t been playing long.

I was a little bit disappointed with the guitar though. I thought there was a bit of a weird sound coming from it and the lighting wasn’t exactly the best. But despite that, I got on with it and even though I was still a bit nervous, it was fun. Thanks to my ‘camerawoman’ Lisa Ovenden for leaving her work to come down with me. I guess I've got to thank her for giving me that ‘kick’ to get up there in the first place. Now I can’t seem to get enough of it.

Knowing me, I’ll probably be buskin’ again before I leave Sunderland for the summer so if I am, I’ll let you all know. But for now here are the videos for ‘We Are Broken’ and ‘Stop and Stare’. Apologies for the lighting and that ‘crazy’ guitar and I hope you enjoy!

Never Growing Old

2008-04-23T14:51:00.008+01:00

I couldn't help but giggle today when I was cleaning up my room and found the last book I bought. I'm still finding the time to start it though. The book is 'Peter Pan' by J.M Barrie. For anyone who knows me, ‘Peter Pan’ is by far my favourite children story. For being nearly 20, I’m too obsessed with the children’s story for my own good. The book blurb says “Step into Neverland with this magical timeless classic”… I think I stepped into Neverland a long time ago and I’m not sure I ever found my way back.

I’ve been this way for years. I was one of the few people over 12 for the Peter Pan movie release a few years back, which I now proudly own on DVD. I ran to Waterstones on the day the official sequel “Peter Pan in Scarlet” was released last year and I even have my own Peter Pan teddy that sits proudly in my room, along with a few Tinkerbell cushions and my own framed Peter Pan screenshot from the Disney cartoon that hangs over my bed. But now, with my own J.M Barrie novel, I’m pretty much set.

Buying this book has made me want to share something with you all that I’ve never told many about. For my GCSE Music composition piece, I based my study on Children’s Lullabies. I had to write my own lullaby including lyrics. Funny enough, it was before Christmas of my GCSE year and when Peter Pan the movie was to be released, so the hype of the movie ended up influencing my composition. My Children’s lullaby, entitled ‘Neverland’ is the first (and pretty much only) song I’ve ever written and recorded. I wrote and performed all the music for the track, including the vocals. It turned out really well in my opinion and I ended up with 94% in my composition part of my coursework, which (as you can imagine) I was over the moon about.

I’ve never let anyone listen to the track but I’ve decided to share it with you all. I’ll admit the vocals are a little bit off in places as I only took one take to record them, but other than that, I’m actually quite proud of the track. I hope you enjoy it and maybe in the future, I might start writing a few songs that won’t put you to sleep!

A little help from a friend

2008-04-20T14:23:00.006+01:00

Hey everyone, hope you've all had a great Easter.

I'm just back from a week in Scotland with my mum. It was great but it was also good to get back again. I've enjoyed my Easter break. I've seen everyone I've wanted to see and it's been quite a laugh really. I'm obviously looking forward to getting back in Sunderland but at the same time I'm dreading the workload that comes with it. At least I can look to music to calm me down. Speaking of which, I never thought I'd say I miss my guitar! I do have an electric guitar here but my shabby little acoustic is in Sunderland and I miss just messing around with it.

I knew I couldn't go three weeks without doing something musical, it seems like the only thing I have been doing these past few months. I got together with my friend Mark from So Long Lisa to record a little something. We both love Paramore with a passion so it was fun recording. Haley Williams is amazing. Her vocals are something no-one can imitate. Here are a few live performances of hers on youtube. The first is of Hallelujah and the second is of Misery Business.

As you can imagine, she's a bit of an idol of mine. So it was a challenge for me to do this song justice. I decided to pick My Heart because it's one of my favourites. It was fun just singing for once and not having to worry about whether or not I'm playing the right chords on guitar. The performance is nothing spectacular and it was the first take. Unfortunately you can barely hear mark's vocals past me, but he's singing I promise! Thanks again to Mark for helping me out and please check out Mark and So Long Lisa on http://www.bebo.com/solonglisa , it's much appreciated. Anyways, on with the video. This is My Heart by Paramore and I hope you enjoy!

My BOTM

2008-04-05T18:39:00.020+01:00

I've been home for a week now and I'm loving the fact that I've got Sky TV and the selection of music channels at my fingertips. I guess that is one thing I miss about Sky (not counting Sky Sports), the fact that I'm never up to date with new video releases from my favourite artists and of course some new ones. I've had to keep up-to-date with everything from my brother but now, after a week of updating myself, here are my Bands Of The Moment.

The first band I'm going to mention have started making a name for themselves in the past few months. One Night Only have been together since 2003, gigging around and about their home town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire. They released their debut single 'You and Me' in October 2007 but it wasn't until their second single was released that they started turning some heads. 'Just For Tonight' was released in January 2008 and has proved to be their biggest hit so far, reaching #9 in the UK singles chart. It was also known as the theme for the European 2008 Qualifiers as well as the occasional Ford Super Sunday. (Or so I've picked up on by watching too much football at the weekends.)

One Night Only's album 'Started a Fire' was released in February and has proved quite popular following the success of 'Just For Tonight'. Their first two singles are on the album along with a range of songs that have this originality and addictive sound. The classic melodic bounce is great and they are definitely worth a listen. Check them out on Myspace, Bebo and their website. They are due to release their third single 'It's About Time' on April 28th and if their previous is anything to go by, this is due to be a success. Here is a youtube video of 'It's About Time', I hope you enjoy.

I kind of have to give my best friend Mark a bit of credit for this one. I think it was summer last year he mentioned Elliot Minor to me. I think we must have been driving or something when he played me a song of theirs. I did take note to look into them but never did. But the past month all I've had is Elliot Minor Fever.

The band has something different compared to other bands and I guess this is what makes them stand out. Their music is kind of like a combination of classical music and rock and it seems to gel perfectly. I personally love their use of harmony, which is completely unique. They started off in 2005 and released their first single 'Parallel Worlds' in April 2007.

After several top40 hits later, the band re-released ‘Parallel Worlds’ again, a year after the original release in April 2008. This was the first song from their debut album, released a week later on April 14th. The album ‘Elliot Minor’ debuted in at No. 6 in the Album chart. They’ve announced that their next single to be released from the album will be entitled ‘Time after Time’, another upbeat tune typical of the Elliot Minor sound.This is a youtube video of ‘Parallel Worlds’, in my opinion, their best song by far. It’s a tune that can become easily addictive.

I guess I can’t take credit for One Republic either as they already made a name for themselves as ‘that band’ featured in the Timbaland hit ‘Apologise’. I guess with the success Timbaland has been having, it was a great move for One Republic to remix ‘Apologise’ with him. ‘Apologise’ gave them the mainstream attention that they undoubtedly deserved.

They formed in 2004 and since the summer of 2006, they’ve been known as one of the ‘myspace musical acts’ due a lot of online promotion. But it wasn’t until ‘Apologise’ in 2007 that they were officially in the spotlight. The single has now gone triple platinum and has no doubt become one of those ‘unforgettable’ tracks of this era.

Their album, Dreaming Out Loud, has sparked just as much attention, selling over a million copies worldwide. It was released in America in November 2007 to coincide with the release of Apologise. The album was released in the UK on March 10 a week after their second single ‘Stop and Stare’ was released. The album debuted in at No. 2 in the album chart, with ‘Stop and Stare’ reaching No. 4 in the singles chart. Here is a youtube video.

Dreaming Out Loud, in my opinion, is one of those rare albums that each track affects you in a different way. No track is similar to the one that it follows. I rarely find an album that I can listen to straight through without skipping. This is it by far.

Lead singer Ryan Teddler’s vocal ability is mesmerising. He is also a producer, after being taken under the wing my Timbaland himself. He has worked with many high profile artists, producing some amazing tracks, one example being Leona Lewis’ ‘Bleeding Love’, which he co-wrote. (One thing which makes him my idol is that he majored in PR before getting kicked out for skipping too many classes because he was busy writing songs.)

I would honestly recommend this album to anyone. I can’t get enough of it. I love it so much; I couldn’t help but learn some of my favourite tracks on the album. I hope you enjoy and I hope you find time to listen to the bands I've mentioned.

Apologise

Stop and Stare

Come Home

Say (All I Need)

Buskin' love..

2008-03-29T20:11:00.013Z

Last night I came up against my biggest fear. Well, it's not exactly my biggest fear.. that is heights or spiders but this does come pretty close. With it being the last night before I headed home for Easter, we decided to head out to celebrate the fact that we haven't killed ourselves yet over Uni. Thursdays are normally not on the weekly agenda so I was pretty excited. The last time we headed out on a Thursday night was before Christmas and we stopped by Paddy Whacks. There was a open mic night and as much as I was egged on to get up there, I knew there was no way I could have. Back then, playing the guitar was the thing I did in my room when I didn't want to do work. I've sang infront of hundreds of people in the past but adding guitar to that was something that scared me. So that night I was thankful the set was booked up and I couldn't get on. But I knew that there would be a time that I'd have to face my fear.

I guess I was thankful for a bit of preparation time before heading into the 'pit of fire'. I knew there was no way Lisa was going to let me go to Paddy Whacks without getting up there. I am a lot more confident now with the guitar than I was before Christmas but it was still scaring me. Before heading out, I had a few songs in mind so when we headed to Paddy Whacks, I couldn't walk for my knees shaking. I was excited though but it was the usual, I just had a gut feeling I was going to forget everything. When we arrived, I barely had enough time to compose myself before I was up on stage, staring out at a packed out Paddy Whacks.

I'm still buzzing from last night. The guitar was a full size one whilst I've been used to working with a 3/4 size so obviously it was a bit wierd. There was a few times that I missed chords and that but I didn't let it bother me. During my first song, Angel by Sarah McLachlan, I was really nervous because the crowd was quite loud, but I played on thanks to my little crowd of supporters. I've got to say thanks to everyone who came down, you all made it easier for me. Overall it was fun, putting the nerves to one side. I'd definately do it again but before I do.. I think I should invest in a full size acoustic. I think I might steal my friend Mark's when I'm home this Easter and get some practice in.

Have a great Easter everyone!

Some Good News for St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T16:35:00.004Z

Hey everyone! Before I begin, I would just like to wish everyone a very happy St. Patrick's Day and I hope you all have a great one!

Basically, being from where I'm from, you can imagine that St. Paddy's Day has a bit of a meaning for me. Well, to be honest, I've celebrated the famous Irish holiday more since I've arrived in Sunderland that I ever did when I was back in my homeland. It's funny how Sunderland makes this day (or whole weekend) an excuse to be 'Irish', have a few pints of Guinness and try to dance along to a few Irish Jigs. All in all, it's great fun.

My weekend was spent between my 'local' The Royalty and of course Paddy Whacks. What did Sunderland do before Paddy Whacks opened I do not know! From Friday, right through the weekend, the music has been amazing. From traditional Irish Folk songs to live Bands from Ireland, Paddy Whacks has not disappointed. It was hard not to get into the spirit of things.

It was also great to meet a few Irish people who flew over especially for this weekend. I had the honour of meeting a few from Limerick and they have already stressed that Sunderland is the place to be for St. Patrick's Day and that's including back home. I couldn't agree more.

I'd like to take this opportunity to mention a band called Good News from Dublin who have flown over to play in Sunderland this weekend. I managed to catch them in Paddy Whacks on Friday and I was amazed. They weren't the traditional Irish band, but more like a rock band with an Irish twist (obviously the best kind). Normally when you think of a rock band, you think of hardly any melodies, hard to hear lyrics and perhaps a lot of shouting. Sometimes that is great. But for a weekend like this, it needed to be different. Good News played an amazing acoustic set on Friday, with amazing covers from the likes of U2 along with their own material. The harmonies between the two vocalists were amazing and despite only having two bongo drums to work with, the drummer managed to keep the rhythm going.

I had a good chat with them after their set on Friday and again in Paddy Whacks on Saturday and they told me that they managed to get this opportunity to tour here by being spotted by Seamus from Paddy Whacks when Busking in Dublin. They haven't been together long, but have had quite a few gigs in Dublin and Belfast. But Sunderland has been their first overseas mini-tour. Check out their myspace and bebo pages with all their latest material. I must say that I love their music as it is fresh and not exactly the mainstream sound you are used to hearing from this genre. Here is my favourite song that I couldn't help but download. It's called Feel That You Own It.

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

If you fancy a good starting point for your ultimate St. Paddy's Night, I suggest heading to Victoria's Bar just down past The Lambton Worm and Baroque where Good News will be playing their last gig of the weekend. It should be a good one so I really recommend at least stopping by.

Well that's me for now. Have a great St. Patrick's night and enjoy all the Traditional Irish music.

Blogging just got popular..

2008-03-09T23:32:00.004Z

Okay, so this may not exactly revolve around music but I felt like it was just too good not to mention!

I was doing the usual Sunday night routine: a night spent watching my favourite shows LOST and Supernatural. It was a break on Supernatural when I saw it, my dream come true, the reason why I love ITV2 with a passion! Gossip Girl is coming to the UK!!!

Before you all think I'm mad, I'll explain! It was Naomi Robson who got me hooked on the joy that is Gossip Girl. It is a new American TV Show based on a best selling novel about a bunch of kids in New York, with a mysterious blogger keeping tabs on all the scandal! This blogger, or 'Gossip Girl', uses her blog to unravel secrets as they unfold, keeping the kids the blog is based on always on their toes. Here's a sneak peak video for the show that will hopefully explain more.

It's the blog that manages to keep the show and all it's storylines together. It goes to show that weblogs are here to stay. This show proves how important a blog can be, if the right people read it. I recommend everyone to watch this show when it hits ITV2 soon. If anything, watch it for weblog research. You can find the online blog here, it does contain spoilers for the show though.

Having already streamed it online, I can tell you that it's the next best thing since The OC. More importantly, the soundtrack ain't half bad either. So as you can tell I'm a bit of a gossip freak myself. This show gave me the inspiration to start my own gossip blog a few months back, which has sadly quietened due to the mixed tape. Have a look though, it's quite fun. "... you know you love me, xoxo gossipgirlNE"

Anyway, sorry for the lack of music in this post.. I just thought the world should know that blogging just got popular!

Youtube's finest

2008-03-03T01:26:00.009Z

This is perhaps a little off-track compared to your normal run-of-the-mill mainstream artists but I believe that what I've stumbled upon is the future.

Well, if truth be told, I didn't stumble upon anything. It was more of a push in the right direction by a classmate. Andrew sent me a youtube link of this guy, telling me it would be great to post on my blog. Normally I don't believe a word that comes out of Andrew Lisgo's mouth, I just assumed it to be a joke. Turns out Andrew is a genius (who would have thought) as the video he sent me is probably the best thing I've seen in ages.

Introducing to you all the amazing talent that is Nick Pitera. When I first listened to his video that Andrew sent, I'll admit in saying I died of laughter. I just never expected what I was about to hear! But as I went through the videos on his youtube user account, I actually realised that he has a brilliant voice. I really recommend you check more of his work, you'll be amazed. You can also check out his myspace page. This guy seems to have a lot of fans by posting his songs on youtube and it seems to be paying off. Anyway, here is the video Andrew sent me. It's Nick's version of A whole new world from the Aladdin movie.

After the sensation that was Nick Pitera, it got me thinking. I started scanning through the related results (as you do) and came across a few other aspiring artists who have also found youtube a great way of getting their music across.

This next woman has become a 'micro-celebrity' because of her youtube success. She has had over 700,000 views on her videos already and that count is increasing daily. Her name is Diana Rein. Her music has a kind of blues/country feel but it's her covers that are amazing. She has taken some amazing songs and made them her own. You can check her out on her youtube page, along with her website and myspace page. But here is my favourite video of hers. It is a total arrangement of Stronger by Kanye West. She has created a melody to go with it and in my opinion, I think it is great. I hope you enjoy.

My next video is of a 22 year old called Ricardo Munoz. This guy lives in Holland and is now a singer/song writer. Check out his youtube page and his myspace. He has a lot of his own material but I quite like his cover of Apologise by One Republic. He's released this version in Holland. This is the official released video for it.

These last two videos are of just two guys who aren't necessarily out to make it as recording artists but just like the covers they are singing. The first guy is called Phil Schawel, check out his youtube page and his myspace. This guy is actually quite popular, having nearly 700 subscribers on youtube. What I like about him is that he has this amazingly unique voice. He's covered quite a few of my favourite songs but You and Me by Lifehouse has to be my favourite because his voice grabs the emotion of the song.

Finally, I'm pretty sure this guy is from Northern Ireland as his accent is quite like mine. He hasn't posted his name on his youtube page, but he's 21 and definately from the UK. All of his covers are really good and also quite varied. I thought I'd post up this one though as I've already mentioned it to Lisa Ovenden. This is a cover of New Shoes by Paulo Nutini.

Overall, it's amazing how many people watch people's videos like this and become fans. If the artists are lucky, it could make their career. But if not, at least they are sharing their talents with people who appreciate it. In a world where very few talented artists get the chance to break through into the music scene, is Youtube the future in finding such hidden talents?!

I thought I'd jump on the Youtube generation bandwagon and post a few videos of my own. Watching the previous artists, I can say my covers lack serious quality... and a full sized guitar. But I'm having a laugh I guess. I'm not going to be playing gigs anytime soon, so playing to an online audience seemed easier and I've actually gained a few subscribers/fans of my own! Check out my youtube page for some other videos I've uploaded, but I'll leave you with a random chosen one. I particularly love this song because it's one of my Mum's favourites. This is my cover of Angel by Sarah McLachlan. (Apologises for the bad sound quality.)

Just a small town girl...

2008-02-25T11:57:00.010Z

Hey everyone,

I'm officially back in the 'Wonderland' and I'm already missing home. I had such a great weekend, it was amazing to see my family and some friends. I'm just gutted I couldn't stay for longer and see more people.

I got back Friday night after what felt like forever travelling. That is why my Samsung mp3 player never leaves my side during travel time. It was my saviour! I got home just in time to see my niece Jayden. Only a month had passed since the last time I saw her and already she's changed. She is definately a little music tot, there is no question! Not even two years old and she can't live without the variety of music channels Sky has to offer. Next time I'm back home, I'll video her dancing away to the songs that she loves. It's amazing though how music can make an impact, even at that age.

Saturday morning and afternoon were already mapped out. My dad and I were set to travel all over to watch my two brothers for their football teams. Alex, my older brother, won 3-0 and scored the first. Alan, my younger brother, won 4-2 and played a beautiful ball through to set up the third. You can't beat that, two wins and a car journey full with nothing but great tunes. I'll admit, sometimes my dad's taste in music is something that needs to be questioned but every so often he gets it right. My favourite track on my dad's Saturday mixed tape has to be 'Don't Stop Believin' by Journey. A musical classic and one of those songs that no matter what the circumstance, it will always get you smiling. Dad, this one is for you!

I spent Saturday night with a few close friends at my local which unfortunately can often be a 'hit or miss' when it comes to good quality music. There are the great nights where the music is new and up-to-date and then there are the nights that the bands never seem to get it right. At first I thought it was one of the 'miss' nights when I saw a band on stage. To my surprise however, even though some of the songs played were by no means 'up-to -date', at the same time were legendary in their own right. I believe this is where my dad's influence comes into play. Good quality 80s music from Queen, Starship, A-Ha, Belinda Carlisle, The Human League etc along with the usual weekend music from Basshunter, Cascada, Rihanna, Girls Aloud etc. All in all, it was a good selection of music through the ages and I was probably one of the many few under 20 that sang along with the 'golden oldies', but I was too proud to let that bother me. One of my childhood favourites and the song that reminds me most of my parents: Nothing's gonna stop us now by Starship, theme to the movie The Mannequin. It's a typical 80s power ballad with that 'feel good' factor.

Listen : Love : Repeat

Listen, love and repeat. Three words that basically describe this band. I've grown up with the members of So Long Lisa so basically their music has travelled the distance with me. You could describe me as the stereotypical groupie if you must, but I'm just a best friend who rather likes the music. Their demo, 'A Stereo Goodbye' should hopefully be with us very soon and well, I'm actually excited about it. Their music has evolved so much over the years that as soon as I hear a new song, it always seems to top the last.

The last time I heard them play was September so obviously I was happy to get the opportunity to gatecrash their practice on Sunday. The songs may have changed but the 'feel' to the music is still the same. I've missed being cooped up in that tiny practice room whilst slowly losing my hearing. It was all worth it back then and still worth it now. I love the feeling I get when I hear a new song. It gives me that belief that someday they'll get somewhere, something I wish for them. Three guys who care about nothing else, just the music. The music is pure, something all local bands have.

"We found music to be a great excuse to have fun and kid ourselves that we were doing something important. We play the music that we love and don't hate the music that we play." - SLL

The band consists of three members; Mark Andrew [vocals, guitar], Simon Allen [vocals, bass] and Andrew Shields [drums]. Check them out on their myspace page and their bebo page, which includes all their latest songs, including their new acoustic set. (Registering is not required to check out these pages) You can also check out my Photobucket account for more photos from their practice and also past gigs.
I now would like to leave you with a video I recorded at their practice. It is one of their new songs entitled 'Blush&Ink'. I apologise for the muffled sound. As you can imagine, with such a small practice room there was a lot of sound.

I do recommend checking out their band pages for better quality songs and videos. But otherwise, I hope you enjoy.

Home is where the heart is

2008-02-22T16:13:00.011Z

Hey everyone, Hope you've had a great week!

This is just a quick post to update you all on what I'll be getting up to this weekend. Basically I'm over the moon as I'm flying home tonight to see my family. Not many people know this, but I'm extremely close to my family. I'm very proud of that, but at the same time it makes it more difficult to spend so much time away from home. Instead of boring you with long and endless paragraphs on my family, I thought it would be fun to post a 'vodcast' for you all, not only telling you but showing you all about my family. Hope you enjoy.

What I'm hoping to do this weekend is give you a full insight into what my musical inspirations are. That will most probably be looking through my dad's mountain of a music collection, picking out what has inspired me over the years. Also, I'm planning to spend time with my best friend and his band to see what they've been doing.

Home is where the heart is by no doubt. I'll tell the truth, I've missed it. I might not be doing anything of any importance, but it's still great to just sit about with the family for a chat. All I've been listening to all week has been 'Home' by Michael Buble, with the Westlife cover thrown in there too. In my opinion, the Michael Buble version is hard to beat. I am hoping you heard of Michael Buble at some stage. If not, please check him out on his myspace page or his website. His music is great for the ultimate chillout.

I've been that obsessed with the song 'Home', I've decided to get the guitar into play and learn a version of my own. I've incorporated elements of Michael Buble and Westlife's versions. It's one of the first songs I've learnt and it means a lot to me because of the fact that I miss home a lot. So here's something a little special for you all, my own version of 'Home'. I apologise for the shabby quality though and sometimes the flash player takes a few seconds to load. But other than that, I hope you enjoy.

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

Welcome to my musical world

2008-02-16T04:08:00.006Z

A world without music? It's something that we never think about.. something that pretty much scares me. My world without music would be nothing. Music gets me up in the morning. It's the energy that makes me do the things I do and go to the places I end up. Each song is a jigsaw piece for the overall puzzle that is me. It's hard to explain how one song can affect my judgement and can have an impact on my life; past, present and future. So I guess my world without music WOULD be nothing... I'm just happy a world without music is never going to happen!

"Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife." -- Kahlil Gibran.

Music has always played a part in my life for years. I knew growing up that my musical tastes were not of the norm. Sitting by my dad's stereo, earphones on, singing my heart out to the Beatles at the tender age of eight is something I'll never forget. I was the only kid in my group of friends with a Beatles poster on my wall, cooing over Ringo Starr. I knew from then that music wasn't something that should pass you by, it was there to change lives.

"The Beatles saved the world from boredom." -- George Harrison

My musical taste is something that even I can't explain. I never kept to one genre, I never seen the point. My belief in life is simple: If it's worth listening to, then I'll listen to it. There are songs that stand out amongst the others and it's those songs that change my life. They make me want to learn to play that song, and inspire me to want to write my own. Songs that make you think about what's being said; they are the songs that you can relate to. Music is so easy to relate to, to map your life on. Creating a soundtrack for every moment of my life is something I always end up doing.

"Music expresses feeling and thought, without language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words." -- Robert G. Ingersoll

The purpose for this blog is simple. This blog is all about me and how music is the glue that pieces me together. What I hope to share with you is some of the bands and artists that inspire me and hopefully somewhere along the line, they might inspire you too. I also plan to share with you some music I've been learning. Guitar is something I live by at the moment and learning songs that I love has become one of my favourite things. It seems easier to share what I love through my blog than face to face.

I just hope you enjoy the journey and the mixed tape I provide.

So for now I leave you with the reason why my blog is entitled The Mixed Tape. This is my favourite song by one of my favourite bands, Jack's Mannequin. I discovered them on One Tree Hill, the TV show that over the years has become my source for new music. You can check them out on their official website or for all you myspacers out there, their myspace page is pretty cool. They are worthy of a listen. But here's the video for The Mixed Tape and I hope you enjoy.