This new video from Matt Clark for his song "Everybody's Got a Name" is fine and all -- it's got simple animation by Jessica Cornelius, simple tune, two Uncle Craigs and a cat called Puddin' Tain.
But it still doesn't resolve the ultimate question -- what's the name of the guy at the grocery store!?!
Matt Clark - "Everybody's Got a Name" [YouTube]
Kindie Songwriting Club, Vol. 1: Green Beans Everywhere
First there was the idea -- pick a few artists, give 'em a title to base a song, and set 'em free to do what they do best. Then there was the picking of the title.
Now, it's time for the album. It's called Green Beans Everywhere, and it features five fun songs from (in geographical order): Hullabaloo (San Diego), The Hollow Trees (Los Angeles), Charity and the JAMband (San Francisco), Matt Clark (Portland), and Johnny Bregar (Seattle).
Some of the artists took a pretty simple approach (similar to what you might see at a typical songrwiting club night), some fancied it up a bit, but all the artists rose to the challenge of creating something out of the barest germ of an idea.
Thanks to all the artists for participating. And, for a limited time (at least until we run out of free downloads), you can download the 5-song EP for free. Even if your kids (or you) don't like green beans, and even if one of these songs don't change their (or your) mind, you'll enjoy the album anyway.
Kindie Songwriting Club: Round 1: You Pick the Title!
It's time for the next stage in the first go-round of the Kindie Songwriting Club. As noted before, Hullabaloo's Steve Denyes went up and down the West Coast and picked these five fine songwriters (going up the coast from south to north):
Steve Denyes from Hullabaloo (San Diego)
Gregory Hollow Tree from The Hollow Trees (Los Angeles)
Charity Kahn from Charity and the JAMband (San Francisco)
Matt Clark (Portland)
Johnny Bregar (Seattle)
Readers e-mailed/commented/Facebooked their suggestion(s), and now I have three for you, loyal readers, to choose from. Here are the three song titles:
1) "There's Dirt in My Bed"
2) "Crunchy Munchy"
3) "Green Beans Everywhere"
Your task is to pick your favorite via the voting widget below. All votes are due by 9 PM Friday night West Coast time (of course). One vote per day, please. The winning title will then have not one but FIVE songs written using that as inspiration. Such a deal. Go forth and vote!
Kindie Songwriting Club: An Introduction
Recently, Steve Denyes, the hardworking songwriter behind the Southern California duo Hullabaloo, came to me with a suggestion. He said that he'd participated in songwriting clubs where a group of musicians are given a song title or phrase and use that as a jumping-off point for writing a song. And, given my big interest in collaboration, he was wondering whether or not I'd be interested in hosting a songwriting club for family musicians.
I think you probably can guess my answer.
So I'm excited to announce the creation of the Kindie Songwriting Club and the first set of participants. Denyes went up and down the West Coast, picking some of his favorite songwriters and making some new friends, resulting in these five fine songwriters (going up the coast from south to north):
Steve Denyes from Hullabaloo (San Diego)
Gregory Hollow Tree from The Hollow Trees (Los Angeles)
Charity Kahn from Charity and the JAMband (San Francisco)
Matt Clark (Portland)
Johnny Bregar (Seattle)
The basic concept of the KSC is this:
1) Readers suggest a song title. Or two. Or twenty. Go ahead, stuff the ballot box!
2) I pick 3, then readers vote on their favorite.
3) The favorite having been chosen, the songwriters craft a song using that song title as inspiration.
4) They record that song however they'd like (though this isn't intended to require fancy studio time).
5) The songs get posted for your enjoyment.
6) World peace is achieved. (OK, probably not. But I'm not ruling it out.)
So it's time for the first step -- your suggested song titles. Post 'em here in the comments, on Facebook, or even send me an e-mail (ksc AT zooglobble DOT com). Suggestions for this first round are due by Tuesday, May 31.
And stay tuned for further details (voting on your favorite title, hearing the final results). Should be a blast.Share: "Shoes Had Laces" - Clubbard Clarmac Family Singers
This new Matt Clark song is mostly a lark, but what a fun lark it is. It's called "Shoes Had Laces," and it's an amusing take on the "when I was your age" genre. Leaves out the grumpiness of "I walked uphill both ways, in the snow," leaves in an old guy singing along with a bunch of kids (including Clark's older son) who are unfamiliar with "phones plugged in to the wall." That would be the Clubbard Clarmac Family Singers who are formally credited with the song. The recording's a little ragged vocally, but that just adds to the charm. Pick it up here.
The Ketchup Report, Vol. 7
I see a lot of stuff. I don't always have time for a separate post. Here, then, is a collection of random pieces of information -- videos, downloads, news -- that never made it into its own neatly-titled post.
-- Aaron Nigel Smith is offering up a free mp3 of his song "In a Book," a slow reggae jam not featured on his forthcoming Let's Pretend album. Pick it up here.
-- I'd read somewhere -- probably a comment on its Facebook page -- that there was going to be a Kidzapalooza in Chile this year. That struck me as odd, but sure enough, yes, there is. April 2nd and 3rd, while Lollapalooza entertains a whole bunch of folks in Santiago, acts such as Achú, Cuchara, Fractal + Joe Vanconcellos, Los Pulentos, Los Plumabits, and Magictwins will be rocking the Kidza stage (though in the case of the Magictwins, I'm not sure "rock" is the word, even though they rock... magically). Kidzapalooza co-founder Tor Hyams reports he is indeed making the trek down to South America to produce the stage, a trek which makes the cross-country flights folks like Hyams and myself will make for Kindiefest seem like small potatoes.
And, Tor, please see what you can do about bringing Los Plumabits -- featured on a Chilean kids' TV show which seems to be somewhat analagous to Yo Gabba Gabba! -- to the States.
Los Plumabits - "Disco Laser" [YouTube]
More -- much more -- after the jump.
-- I'd read somewhere -- probably a comment on its Facebook page -- that there was going to be a Kidzapalooza in Chile this year. That struck me as odd, but sure enough, yes, there is. April 2nd and 3rd, while Lollapalooza entertains a whole bunch of folks in Santiago, acts such as Achú, Cuchara, Fractal + Joe Vanconcellos, Los Pulentos, Los Plumabits, and Magictwins will be rocking the Kidza stage (though in the case of the Magictwins, I'm not sure "rock" is the word, even though they rock... magically). Kidzapalooza co-founder Tor Hyams reports he is indeed making the trek down to South America to produce the stage, a trek which makes the cross-country flights folks like Hyams and myself will make for Kindiefest seem like small potatoes.
And, Tor, please see what you can do about bringing Los Plumabits -- featured on a Chilean kids' TV show which seems to be somewhat analagous to Yo Gabba Gabba! -- to the States.
Los Plumabits - "Disco Laser" [YouTube]
More -- much more -- after the jump.
