2 New Songs In Process (Lyrics In Post)

Hi everyone!

This is just a very quick little blog post/update to let you all know that I'm in the process of finishing writing & recording two brand new original songs that I will post on my reverbnation page (www.reverbnation.com/patricksporrer) once they're done.  The lyrics and melodies are all written, I just have to finish the chords/music and then record/produce them.  I'll keep you guys up-to-date with my progress when I finish certain aspects of the songs.

In the meantime, here are the lyrics for the two songs:

_________

Song #1:

Dead Inside


Verse 1:

You know that I'd do anything for you
I'd die a million times just to save you
But what's the point when you don't even care
You threw away your love and killed me to spare

Pre-Chorus:

Because of you I walk this barren earth
With no purpose, with no soul

Chorus:

I am dead inside, dead inside
And I can't turn back time, turn back time
Now won't you turn around
And come back to me
Baby please

Verse 2:

All I wanted was you, you knew that
But for some reason I still can't explain
You threw that in my face
Said I was a disgrace, all cause I loved you

Pre-Chorus
Chorus

Bridge:

I can't feel my heart beating anymore
It's like I'm the living dead
I can't feel anything anymore
I just wish I was dead

Chorus
Chorus
__________

Song #2:

Against All Odds


Verse 1:

You and me, here we stand
Against all odds we've braved the storm
And in the end, we will see
Everyone cheering for you and me

Pre-Chorus:

Cause we are victorious
We made it through

Chorus:

Against all odds we survived
We showed them they were wrong
Yeah we might be bruised and broken
But we're not going away
We're here to stay

Verse 2:

Suddenly nothing seems so impossible
Together we can do anything
Cause I believe in the light in your eyes
And the strength in me

Pre-Chorus:

No one can stop us now
No one can bring us down

Chorus

Bridge:

In the midst of the end of all hope
I feel you burning in my heart
And I know that we'll make it through

Chorus
Chorus
__________

Thank you for reading this post and stay tuned for updates on the songs! =)

Patrick

Best Ways to Dismantle & Help Prevent Creative Blocks

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well. =)

So today I'm going to discuss the best tips, tricks, and advice that I've discovered over my years of songwriting, performing, and playing music that work really well in helping to destroy and prevent creative blocks.  Whether you choose to do just one or all of the following things, you will definitely start to feel much more free from your hyper-critic and more creatively "in the flow."  So here we go!

What To Do To Destroy Creative Blocks:

1.  Write Morning Pages EVERY SINGLE DAY:

Okay, so this one is one that you CAN NOT skip, EVER!, no matter how much you hate doing them or if you think they're not helping you at all because I've thought that before but they are the single most important thing to do to help you stay creative and in the flow.

Basically what you want to do is write 3 pages of stream-of-consciousness in a standard-sized notebook every single morning.  You want to do this as the first thing you do every morning and you want to write as fast as you possibly can so you don't have anytime to over-think or over-analyze what you're writing and you don't want to stop writing to think about what to write next.  Just write whatever is on you're mind.  Many of you may have heard of this tool through Julia Cameron's "The Artist Way" and I can tell you that it definitely works to silence your critic and allow you to be more creatively free.  Try it and you'll see. =)

2.  Take An Artist Date At least 1 Time/Week:

So this one is also something I got from Julia Cameron's books on creativity.  She really is a wise person, so definitely check her books out.

You want to go on an "Artist Date" at least once per week.  Basically this means to do something that you find fun and adventurous and you do it once a week for about 2 hours and you have to do it by yourself.  Some examples of things I enjoy doing, but remember to do what you find really fun, are:

*Watching a movie or two in my bed while eating a snack I love. =)  This is one of my favorite date ideas.

*Going for a long drive around town to see cool spots like lakes, forests, ect. while listening to my favorite bands/music

*Going to bookstores/record stores and browsing books/music that really interest me

Those are just some ideas, but there are millions of things you can do.  This tool helps you because it allows you to let loose and find the fun in yourself again so that you can stop being so damn serious all the time in relation to your art and let the fun back into making your art.  So be creative and have fun with this one!

3.  Take a Walk (Exercise) At least 2 Times/Week:

This one's really simple.  Exercise!!

How does exercise help you to be more creative?  Because it gets you out of your head and into your body which allows you to stop over-thinking everything and just flow.

Now you can do any exercise but I highly recommend taking a walk twice/week for at least 30 mins each time because walking allows you to clear you head and allow creative thoughts to occupy your mind much better than any other exercise I've tried.  Don't listen to any music and do whatever exercise you choose to do by yourself so you can allow your thoughts to clear out.

4.  Be Willing to Make Bad Art/Be a Bad Artist:

Now I'm sure many people will not understand this one or will become repulsed when reading this, but the truth is that this is probably one of the best things, or "attitudes," you can cultivate to help you dismantle your creative blocks.

You have to tell yourself that you're "willing to make bad art & be a bad artist."  Now this doesn't mean that you will make bad art or be a bad artist, in fact you most likely will make very good art, but it means that you're willing to make bad art/be a bad artist.  By having this state of mind, you free yourself from your inner perfectionist who always demands that everything you do/make is perfect and amazing.  By being willing to make bad art, you are able to make art.  This "tool" helps keep you humble and humility is one of the best ways to circumvent a very stubborn block.  Always try to remember this state of mind and keep this up so you can prevent more blocks from forming too.

_____________________________

Alright, so there's the 4 things that I do all the time that help to keep me creative and in the flow.  Remember, you can do all or just one of these things, and even doing just one will help you with your creative blocks.

I may add more tips in the future if I remember any more that really help me, but for now do these things and you'll see a huge change in not only your art but also your life.

Thanks for reading and enjoy these tools!  =)

House Concerts - What They Are, Why You Should Do Them, & How to Book Myself For One

Hey everyone!

So I found myself thinking the other day what the best way was for independent singer/songwriters, especially those just starting out in their career endeavors, to make a living off their music.  I pondered through the list in my mind: street performing, booking local clubs/gigs/coffeehouses, trying to get signed to a label, online promotion, ect, ect... The list went on and on and my brain started to really hurt, ha ha. =)  That's when I remembered something I read in a book once about house concerts.

Now, for those of you who don't know what house concerts are, house concerts are basically what they sound like: concerts in people's homes.  They typically involve a smaller gathering of people (20-30, though possibly up to 100 or more depending on the size conditions), and the guests are invited through contacts of the person who is hosting the concert.  So someone decides to host a concert in their own home and invites their friends and family to come and see a performance. 

The artist is paid usually through $10-$20 donations per attendee and also through all earnings of CD's/merch sales.  The artist can also be paid through a guarantee of a few hundred dollars that the host pays the artist and then the host is later reimbursed from ticket sales that they sell to their attendees.  So basically, the guarantee helps ensure that the artist gets paid enough money to live off of the awesome music they're making.

Because the performances are in people's homes they usually contain no amplification or very small amps.  The performer usually does 1-2 sets of 45 minutes each with a small break in between to chat amongst the audience or sell merchandise/albums.

So now that you know what these awesome and really music industry re-inventing concerts are, you should know why you should participate (host, attend) in them.  Basically, these are some of the only sustainable income sources for left-of-center artists and one of the only ways for new independent artists to make money in today's world of band-driven and under-payed club gigs.  So by participating in house concerts you would be supporting great local/regional artists and give them the chance to grow and develop over time and blossom into fantastic musicians.  Also, you would be enjoying great music in the comfort of your own home and would have something awesome to brag to your friends about! ;)

So basically house concerts rock, literally, ha ha! =) A good way to find musicians to book in your own home would be to contact the musician directly, most indie musicians have an email contact on their website, and ask them if they'd like to play at your house and when.  For more information about house concerts and how to book artists, check out the following websites:

www.houseconcerts.com/about

www.concertsinyourhome.com

If you would like to book myself, Patrick Sporrer, for a house concert, please shoot me an email at: patmusic77@gmail.com. 

Please include any dates you would like me to play and the time that you would like the performance to begin.

I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Look at how awesome that is!!!

Thanks for reading this post and go forth and foster creativity with the awesomeness of house concerts!!

Patrick Sporrer =)