I was thinking about this last night. Not a song BY you, but any song at all - what song do you think captures what you want to be/do with your craft? Poets included here, since lyrics are poetry put to music, etc.

I really can't think of one song offhand - obviously, it would probably be a Prince or Hendrix tune maybe. Not totally positive...

Maybe Crystal Ball - it's got the killer harmonies, the funky drums that change all over the place, the killer rhythm guitar playing, the hooks. That would be a song that I think I could say represents what I hope to achieve with my own playing/songwriting.

So what about you?

Boy, that's a tough question. Have Prince and Allison Kraus ever done a duet of a song written by Johnny Cash?

With Bumper that song would be the ever fantastic "More Bounce To The Ounce" by Zapp. Or "Erotic City" by Prince. Or "White Horse" by Laid Back. Actually each time we go into the studio we are trying to recreate the sound and style of these 3 tracks, hehehe!

It is funny that you mention "Crystal Ball", Beau, because that song is my all time favorite Prince track, I would have probably mentioned that one as my reference song if I was a skilled "real musician". But since I need a lot of sequencing and "cut and paste" techniques to create my music, I can only produce computerized synth funk (which I love too by the way!), thus my choice for the 3 tracks that I've mentioned in the first part of this post.

funkaholic1972 said:

yeah yeah, right, you're no "skilled real musician". CRACKA PLEEEZ. Your jams are JAMS.

When's that CD coming out? And are you flying to Atlanta for my CD release party?

beauhall said:

I am slowly starting to realise that my productions might be worth something, but I still don't see myself as a skilled musician. I mean, I really look up to folks who actually took the effort to learn playing a real instrument like guitar or drums or whatever. I know that I can produce some nice sounding tracks, but they are still "productions", the result of a lot of cut and paste techniques to mask my poor musician skills.

For instance, when I hear the rhythm guitar on your track "Swing Down" and then listen to the guitarparts that we used on the Bumper tracks, I cringe! And don't even get me started about that killer guitar solo on Swing Down, hehehe!

But I enjoy the music making anyway and the fact that labels want to have our music says that we are not doing too bad in our own branch of sports.

I wish I could come to that release party of yours, but unfortunately I cannot afford myself such excesses at the moment, hehehe! Maybe when Bumper ever gets big (or the project that I am working on for myself) I'll come over to Atlanta and drink some beers with you...

Right now ...

"The Obvious Child" by Paul Simon
Lots of percussion, subtle horn arrangements, laid back harmonies, story telling lyrics.



But my compostition styles and listening habits are so seasonal, I can't stick to one thing for more than a short time.

beauhall said:

One song? Impossible.

Funk from the late 60's to early 70's. A lot of unknown bands but all have a common element of being real/soulful and givin up the funk with every song.

What a stupid question, Beau!?

I don't know if this answers your question but I like Moloko very much and I respect their vision of modern funk.

Prince isn't on my list anymore, he's way too much old school.

I would say "Venus Di Milo" by Prince. It takes me away to another place. It affects me the way I would want to affect others with my music.

I love questions like this. I don't write or produce songs, I'm mostly a filmmaker, and once produced a radio play with voices and sound effects and I'm very influenced by music.

So I do have an answer for this. I recently discovered Kate Bush. And the two pieces that represent my style (or what I would choose for a style) are Under Ice and Mother Stands For Comfort. I love the measured, otherworldy quality of space that these songs create. The simultaneous sense of fear and safety. They are imagistic and dreamlike. I love the themes of loss, disorientation in the unconscious, and detachment.

For instance, Mother Stands For Comfort has this loving, soothing, repetitive melody and lyrics. But it's undercut by wails and uncontrolled grief. That's what I would love to achieve. A crossing of two extreme emotions that draw you into a completely unique, deep, deep space.