This was a very cool new song from you Neil You play that harp like you've been doing it always. Together with the steelguitar it gives a new dimension to your sound.

Good story.

I'm getting myself a copy of this:)

Thanks!

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Thanks for the listen Thor - I used to play harp as a kid, but stopped when I
was about 12. Some things you never forget I guess. This story song is
about an important part of my life. Ian leaving the band was a very sad day
for the rest of us. I liked writing and recording this one a lot.
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/19990"> Too Many Ghosts</a>

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"Jiguma---Australian for great tuneage!" The rhythmic element grabbed
me right off Neil. And when the bass comes crashing in the tune lifts off
and ascends to a wonderful place. Great storytelling. Love the vox. Nice
mouth harp playing. Great mix. Where did you get the pedal steel guitar?
Loops? This one has a great energy. Yes, play it LOUD!

Be well!

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Hey Mike - glad you liked it. Pedal steel is based on three loops from one of
the Jam Packs (or maybe elsewhere?) - lots of splicing and slicing into the wee
hours to get it to flow. I liked the story the way it turned out - the ending
was fiction, but fitted nicely with what I knew. Harp was done first take,
explaining the rawness a bit (hopefully).
Cheers,
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/19990"> Too Many Ghosts</a>

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Neil:

The harp sounded good to me, and the pedal steel sounded authentic. I thought
it might be looped only because I didn't think you played Pedal Steel Guitar and
you didn't list anyone as sitting in with one. You did a heck of a good job
splicing them!

Be well!

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i like the rhythem. the vocals almost seem over powering and i think could connect a little more to the song. the lyrics are nice. i like the way you say certain words it has good style. funny it mentions surf boards cuz we're watching a surf documentary in video production. it does sound best when you turn it up tho and the vocals don't seem too over powering when you do so. over all a great track, nice ending.

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Thanks for commenting Chance - I suspect my vocals are an aquired taste (it
took me 50 something years to aquire the taste myself), but I guess we all
just have to work with what we've got : )
The ending is the only place I used that full loop - it was simply too good an
opportunity to resist.
Cheers,
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/19990"> Too Many Ghosts</a>

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hehe, im just not started to like my voice.

---
Robert Smith lied, boys do cry

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The chills just raced from one goose bumb to the other - 'Fresh' comes
to mine when I listen to this - I don't know why I started to tear up on
this one - I haven't lost any band memembers - But I have lost, and
that's what this is all about - And I don't know how you rearranged
things, but I do like what you did w/ placement - I really like the way
this starts out kinda announcing what was to be, and then it follows to
gracefully place goose bumps all over my being - Each voice sings
nicely - I have to say, that I especially like the slide work on this, Neil -
I keep forgetting how much I do really like the slide, but I guess you
don't always get it the way ya want it - And this tune, it gives it to me
the way want it - Thank you for that, Sir - Dion

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Mainly followed your advice Dion! Getting rid of the second (picking) guitar
track cleaned everything up a lot. Still a few problems with the drums as Tim
points out (lots of sliding beats with pencil tool here - once you start sliding
notes, it seems more and more difficult to get it right). As I noted above, the
pedal steel was a loop concoction which seemed to take forever - a country
music playing friend was completely conned by the result though, so I was
pleased with that.
I have some jammin' to do - catch you soon.
Thanks for your help on this Dion,
Neil


---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/19990"> Too Many Ghosts</a>

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I really dig your lyrics for real and the nashville the guitar(is that in your
software?). That being said I think the crash is out of place and the drums
might be a little wrong. Regardless a exceptional song and something to
be very proud of. The Rebel Sun

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Thanks for dropping by Tim. I have to admit to using loops for the pedal
steel - three loops "Nashville Pedal Steel" from JP somewhere - sliced and
spliced until my eyes ached. I've always loved the sound of pedal steel, and
as this song developed, couldn't see how I could avoid it really (sounded so
right). Appreciate the drum/crash comments - I try to do the drums as if I'm
doing it live. and the temptation is always there to lash out at the crash
cymbal - sometimes good taste gets the better of me and I take it out -
sometimes not.
Thanks again,
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/19990"> Too Many Ghosts</a>

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:)

Jes joshin' for anybody reading this who doesn't know the long-
standing joke.

The pedal steel sounds more traditional now and takes it in a totally
different direction. Like both versions tho.

The addition of the tambourine is just the thing too, to give it a little
variety.

Marshall Tucker. That's what it sounds like now. Just came to me.
Summer of '73 when I had a room in the basement of my parents
house to set up my stereo. I can feel the cool down there on a hot
summer night listening to this.

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Thanks for the afvice early on snow - I dropped the intro back to vox and
guitar after your note, and added the little fill before the "solo" where the
tambourine comes in. Also extended the pedal steel through the whole song.
Glad I finally got the volume on the vox up enough for
you : )
Cheers,
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/21013"> Northern Road</a>

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...Put a little harmonica into an arrangement, and it perks up the ears...

I like the part where the jiguma throbby bass and drums pop in... And
the same when the tambourine comes in later...

I find myself wishing for a nicer tone on the rhythm acoustic guitar. It
sounds a little dry and scratchy in my speakers, and you sometimes get
such a cool acoustic tone in your recordings.

Lyrically, this tells a good story, and tells it from the outside, which is
different. I listened a few times, and I find myself wishing for some sort
of bridge or change-up at some point. It feels to these ears like it
establishes its groove and feel at the beginning and doesn't change it
much. Since it's a reasonably long song, it'd be nice to have more
variation along the way.

The whole "multiple versions" thing can be overdone, but this is one
where I'd love to hear a fine-tuned and supercharged version down the
road, with everyone's comments that make sense to you incorporated.
Just keep that harmonica in there.

Ed


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Thanks for the listen and the comment Ed. The rhythm guitar track couldn't make up it's mind whether it wanted to be electric or acoustic sounding, and ended up in guitar no-mans-land I guess. Lucky you didn't hear "Plan A"!

I'd thought about a key change for the "chorus", but with only an "A" harmonica, what was I to do : ) The tambourine always seems to add another dimension when it comes in.
Always appreciate your time Ed,
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/21013"> Northern Road</a>

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Vocals stand out a bit too much in the mix, but it is really good other than
that. I really like the intro into the main body. Good job

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Vocals stand out a bit too much in the mix, but it is really good other than
that. I really like the intro into the main body. Good job

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Hey Jonathan, thanks for having a listen to my little song. Your comment
(and Chance's above) about my voice volume is one I'll treasure - in my first
posts here, I was constantly being told I needed to get more volume in the
vocals (as per snowdragon's comment), so now I guess I've taken that far
enough : )
I appreciate your comment,
Neil


---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/21013"> Northern Road</a>

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Neil!

You should play in A more often. This is top notch... really relaxing... and your final is mixed well. Really like the harp and your pedal steel is right on. Every thing is just freakin great!

Regards,
John

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Cheers John,
Thanks for the listen(s) and comments. I think I might just try a few more
with harmonica - might have to branch out a bit in key options though. Next
time I'll try to get some live pedal steel though - my eyes still hurt frm all that
splicing!
Neill


---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/21013"> Northern Road</a>

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I have not been to Australia.
I thinks of Australia when always listening to your song.

Harmonica.
Timing that percussion instrument enters.
Steel guitar.

These were especially good.


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Thank you Tadashi for listening to my little song. I always enjoy reading your comments. I'm sure you would like it here.
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/21013"> Northern Road</a>

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I need to go back and re-listen to some of your earlier posts because I
have a sense of tremendous growth in your singing, especially.

I've been here three times to listen and comment because I didn't want
to dash off some fluff, but I realize if I keep waiting to have time to
write as much as I'd like to, I might not comment. It's happened to me
before with your stuff.

Words, as ususal are amazing, but what really impresses me is how
well you manage all of the instruments and your absolutely terrific use
of the sonic space. Sometimes I think it would be fun to trade musical
brains for a day with various macjammers. I think I'd want first dibs on
yours.

Downloaded this one for sure.

Any chance of an Aussie on Aussie on Aussie collab with Bryan and
Nolan? I'd line up for that.


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Thanks for the listen Lisa, and the nice comments. I suspect you are right
about my vocals - from my point of view, in 12 months I've gone from being
a non-singer to someone who can at least hold a tune. The one important
thing I've learnt here is that there are lots of different voices out there, some
technically excellent, and others interesting in other ways. I guess I can
finally accept that I have an "interesting" voice which fits with my style and
lyrics. The important thing is that you don't need the voice of your vocal
hero/s (for me, Sting, Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce, et al) to be able to pull off a
song.

As you probably know, I reworked a song of Nolan's with him (Unobtainable
Remedy), and would love to work with him again if the song comes up. I've
spoken with Bryan about a colab, and again would love to do it when the right
song arrives. All three together would be interresting indeed!

Cheers,
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/20419"> Jiguma Blues </a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/21013"> Northern Road</a>

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At first I really liked the closeness of everything - sounded a bit like you
were right in the room. Then the drums and bass came in and everything
got a bit grander.
I just love the groove in this. Didn't take me long to lose control of my
foot, who started to follow the beat of the track.
A real toe-tapper, this one!

Great!

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The singing's sounding great, as Ledeb has pointed out. I love the
fiddle bits; they fit perfectly. In fact the whole arrangement is very
nice. Well done. Do they have the Internet in Nimbin?

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good all round aussie effort.........
you've helped brighten up an otherwise rainy and dreary day.
but i will say that the way you made the date flash red and have the devil face on your home page is what made me click on this track. well done with the date of the beast !!!!!!!!!
thought it would link me to a darker sounding track so was surprised when i heard this cruisy road song.........

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This is SO different, an under-current of things that ring a distant bell within me....nice steel in there that does a classic ending. Is that you Neil?

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Dennis, the steel is loops (3 of em), sliced and diced over vast amounts of
midnight oil. I'd love to have a crack at a pedal steel though - visiting a
friend who is a very good player next week. Up north at Stanthorpe in
southern Qld.
Thanks for listening - we'll have you on a flight home before you can say "flat
out like a lizard drinking"!
Neil

---
<a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/24411"> Take All Night</a> & <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/24817"> BIG DRY</a>


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