--
Kris Rodgers
Freelance Musician
rodgers.kris@gmail.com
Facebook
Bandcamp
Twitter
YouTube

Songwriting Journal Entry #1

I've decided to blog my songwriting efforts in hopes of getting feedback and taking everyone along for the ride of writing songs. I'll first just post lyrics then the music once I get it recorded. The hope is to someday release these songs on an album. The format is as follows:

 

Verse: normal text

Chorus: bold text

Bridge: italic text

The first song I'd like to share is called Rumors in the Lobby. It's about the bank bailouts that took place over the past year and some of the things that went along with it. Here's a quick analysis:

 

- The first verse is about the financial system and how they took advantage of so many honest hardworking people

- The chorus is a sarcastic thank you to the government for bailing out the people who caused the problem in the first place, while holding the rest of us responsible for not only our actions, but theirs as well

- The second verse is about the military and the way they brainwash young people into fighting for their leaders personal agendas

- The bridge section asks that unanswerable questions, "Why try if you're destined to fail?"

- The third verse is just trying to capture the innocence we all once had. Nothing is as innocent as a child

 

Rumors in the Lobby by Kris Rodgers

 

The broker filled his pipeline today

with coin that the others had made

he pissed it all away

for a chance to make double his pay

 

Thank you, Mr. President

We got a savior at last

I've heard rumors in the lobby

But I won't stand to go down like this, not like this

 

The soldier does what he's told but he likes it, he's told that he likes it

Now he waves as he floats away to a far off fucked up place to die

But he likes that too and you know it's true cause he can't tell a lie...

 

Thank you, Mr. President

We got a savior at last

I've heard rumors in the lobby

But I won't stand to go down like this, not like this

 

Why? Everytime I try to live I get denied

Well it's easy to believe when you can't see the other side

One more mile and we'll be home but this sure does seem like an empty road to dreamin

Drink up to believing...

 

The child lives in a world full of good, with shelter from storms of the cruel

Now he dreams of a far off place, where he's the hero that slays the beast

when he wakes up in the night to an endless pillow fight...

 

Thank you, Mr. President

We got our savior at last

I've heard rumors in the lobby

But I won't stand to go down like this, not like this

 

 

 

I would love feedback and comments. Grill me!

 

-K

Soundtrack for 2009

Here is a soundtrack for my 2009!

 

Bonnie Raitt- "I Feel the Same"

Elton John- "Take Me to the Pilot"

The Beatles- "Polythene Pam"

The Beatles- "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window"

Grizzly Bear- "All We Ask"

Ben Folds- "One Down"

Dave Matthews Band- "Shake Me Like a Monkey"

Hutch Heelan- "What Will Be"

Ray LaMontagne- "You Are the Best Thing"

Samuel James- "Black Ben"

The Rob- "Boogie On"

Salif Keita- "Yambo"

Caleb Hawley- "Taking it to the Skyway" (cha boi!)

dilly dilly- "Travelin' Man"

Jacob Augustine- "High Water"

Oscar Peterson- "Night Train"

Duke Ellington- "The Great Chicago Concerts"

Soulive- "Azucar"

 

 

Been a cool year...can't wait for 2010

Dear 1999

2010 is creeping up on us. It makes me think about the last 10 years and what's happened in my life personal and professionally. A few big music blog guys are writing a letter to the 1999 version of themselves and giving them advice. Here's what I would write to...well...me:

 

Dear 1999 Kris,

 

At approximately 8:00am someone will poison the coffee. Do NOT let ANYONE drink the coffee.

 

From,

 

Future Kris

 

-KIDDING-

 

You are 14 years old. You're so naive it's hard to describe but don't worry, you'll go through enough to knock that out of your system. You're dream to be on the radio may come true, but you'll have to work harder than you ever thought you would. And once you get there you'll find out that it's not the answer to any of your problems. Not even one. Keep working hard. Never let anyone tell you you can't do something because you WILL prove them wrong.

 

You'll go to college at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Don't waste too much time on girls. You need to submerse yourselve in your community and network. You'll be better off that way. Practice more piano and don't give it up for 3 years after you're done your primary courses. Keep at it!

 

Remember that everything bad that happens will help you grow and strenthen your core. While at this point much of it hasn't worked itself out yet, the things that have have helped me grow tremendously. Keep a positive outlook and don't get too down when things take a speed bump.

 

Oh...and you'll be able to play guitar. Pretty cool huh? Now practice!

 

From,

 

2009 Kris

Open your options and be a jack of all trades...

If anyone knows me and my history being in the music scene they'd tell you I'm a singer, vocalist, whatever. That's definitely true but it's not all.

 

Like I've said before, when you're 16-17 years old and you're starting a band for the first time, the singer is just the kid who sucks the least. No one can sing at first. No one I know anyway. Including me. It was pretty bad...at first. But you work on it and get better.

 

What most people don't know is that I've been playing the piano for over 15 years and actually have a music degree with a concentration in piano. Jazz, classical, rock, pop, blues...you name it I've played it. I've been a part of award winning jazz groups, played in numerous R&B ensembles and played my fair share of Bach sonota's. I usually only pull out the "piano card" as I call it in certain situations where it's needed.

 

I also mess around on a guitar a bit. Basically I can play almost any song but I'm not a soloing mo-fo that'll play leads all night. It's just not my bag nor do I have the energy to be the next Eddie Van Halen. But I can play rhythme, which is a plus.

 

So why am I telling you about all the things I can do? The point is, as a musician you can get much more work if you can do a variety of things. Here's a perfect exampl, which actually led me to write this post:

 

Sunday night I was at a practice for a new band I'm in called The Salesmen. I joined the group as the lead singer. It's a cool cover/function band. We're in it for the money and that's alright because the guys in the band are great and everyone for the most part gets the job done.

 

After the first practice we realized there were way to many keyboard/synth parts in the songs we were playing for just one keyboard so some of the guys asked if anyone knew anybody who could play piano/keyboards to fill in the synth/string parts.

 

"I do," I said.

 

So there we have it. I'm going to play the back up board parts while also being the lead singer. This is good because now the pay stays the same having not had to bring in another band member to play the parts.

 

Then last practice our rhythme guitar player broke the news that because of the prior commitments with other bands he's in he can't fulfill a lot of our dates and it's just too much for him. I certainly understand that. So once again we had a gap to fill. The question came again, who's going to play rhythme?

 

"Kris you play guitar right?"

 

"Yeah I can do it."

 

Now we get paid more individually because we split the money between 5 guys instead of 6.

 

In The Salesmen, with everyone else already playing an instrument full time the only one left over to fill in any gaps without bringing in a whole new member was me, the singer. So not only was I helping myself get paid more money at the end of the night, but also everyone else in the band.

 

Another really great example of this is teaching lessons. I teach lessons in a variety of subjects including piano, guitar, voice, music theory, ear training, and music biz consultation. I'll go out on a limb right now and just say, almost every guitar player I teach is actually better at the guitar than I am. I'm serious. But because I know WHY the music works the way it does I have a huge advantage over them and hence can give them valuable information. We jam on soloing techniques and I can give them pointers and tricks on expanding their playing but a lot of the time I have to give them examples on the piano because the concepts are beyond my playing ability on the guitar. But it works, they get a great lesson and most importantly, I eat dinner.

 

Be a jack of all trades. You'll get the call over other players who might not be as versitile and you just might make an extra buck in the process.

Before the Music Dies...

Great film. Before it happens though, I have to get this off my chest.

Why is it that mainstream radio and major record labels HATE being dangerous? They're so safe with everything they do. That's what's killing the music, ya know?

It's crazy to think that Janis Joplin wouldn't have had a chance in hell at being signed to a major record label had she been born 40 years later. It's true. But she was REAL. That's what we need now more than ever. We need REAL artists.

I like Jacob Augustine because he is REAL. Fucking REAL.

The Beatles wrote great songs that were REAL and reflected REAL people. You and Me.

Grizzly Bear. REAL. Common. REAL. Bonnie Raitt. REAL. Pearl Jam. REAL.

Just be real. Not safe. Real. REAL.

Ok. Kill it.

Rodgers and Co.

New website! http://www.rodgersandcomusic.com !