Garden of Wire by Vic Holman
Genre: Alternative Rock
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i started recording the music here about two months ago, but had to put it on hold while the real life needed attention. it happens.
i was going through some old notebooks of lyrics and came across a song i did four years ago. never did finish it. so i took the title and the first verse line then totally rewrote the lyrics. if i remember right it was about being stuck in a bad situation without an easy out, so to speak. so i kept the lyrics in that vain. i'm pretty unstuck now as un-stuckiness goes. and notice that the grass is pretty green on this side of the fence.
i was going through some old notebooks of lyrics and came across a song i did four years ago. never did finish it. so i took the title and the first verse line then totally rewrote the lyrics. if i remember right it was about being stuck in a bad situation without an easy out, so to speak. so i kept the lyrics in that vain. i'm pretty unstuck now as un-stuckiness goes. and notice that the grass is pretty green on this side of the fence.
Lyrics:
Garden of Wirewiped my heart off my sleeve
where to start as you grieved
words were said you lost your head
would it matter if i believed
chorus:
garden of wire
here i will stay
garden of wire
this is my place
garden of wire
rusty fence keeps me in
like a stone without the wings
rusty thoughts still creep in
i still hear that metallic ring
chorus:
garden of wire
here i will stay
garden of wire
this is my place
garden of wire
sedate my mind i'll be fine
rusty flakes will peel away
exposing layers to everything
after time i will be left with nothing
chorus:
garden of wire
here i will stay
garden of wire
this is my place
Hardware:
imac, ibanez ew acoustic, ibanez sa electric, schector bass, digitech gnx2 mulit effect pedal board, m-audio keyboard, presonus firebox interface, condenser mikeSoftware:
logic pro 8You must be registered and logged-in to comment.
Skean
"AM I FIRST"
I think this is garden of ROCK... As always Bro I love what u do... Cheers
Vic Holman
i've had gardens that were full of rocks... and weeds. and a couple broken windows.
thanks Kenta
tokai
great sound man, just love it when that acoustic guitar kicks in. Great trip.
Vic Holman
thanks. the psychedelia beatle era always had a great impact in what i do.
Thanks for the listen!
lavalamp
...greener. Splendid guitar work on this epic. You've got your sound down. I applaud you. Great song.
Dave
Vic Holman
well my lawn is turning brown at this point, but i don't need to mow it for a while, so i got that going.
i'm sure my playing style has a lot to do with how the songs turn out. i should also mention that the L.L. sound is most easily identifiable as well
Feter
How on earth you can came over and over with such
fabulous psycho rockin song like this ???????????
defiently an outstanding song ..work and recording
and singing ...what most grabbed me is the sphere
of your song with the guitar and your way of singing
specialy the effects ..top notch work my Vic ..you
are the best !!!! Deepest bow !!!!
Vic Holman
well I just tinker around on a acoustic in the evening, not really thinking of anything. when something grabs me then I develop it. normally the whole music comes about pretty quick. I might add or subtract a part here and there. so when i record i have a pretty good mental picture of what is going into a song. another words pure blind luck.
Wowzer Vic! As David said, you've really got your sound down my friend.
Classic tune played with conviction and verve. Great arrangement. Superb mix.
Soloing is outstanding of course. And the drum tracks deserves a special mention this time! Well done in every respect!
Be well friend!
Vic Holman
I had most of the song from a couple months back. i added the solo and drums the next day after i cut the solo for you. as i had mentioned to you that it had been a pretty spastic time to get anything done. But, everything has settled down to normal. and i finally got this one out of the way.
dajama
you kept the first line because it's superb - evocative and visual, and sets the tone for the whole song. Masterful lyric-writing. Then what you've done with the rest of the words is equally superb. The 'garden of wire' imagery is effective - familiar (sad to say) and off-putting, but that familiarity brings with it recognition, and that's the power of so much music for me - seeing your own self in the words of another's song. Really wonderful guitar work throughout the song, as usual, but just because you always do it so superbly (and with such apparent ease!) doesn't mean it isn't worth mentioning! Love the break (lovely acoustic sound) and scorching solo. I'd have finished with a return to the acoustic rather than the fade-out, but that's not a criticism, just me picking nits! Excellent song, great performance. Sorry to hear you're a bit unstuck; hope creating this helps. Nicely done, man. You are a rare talent. Peace.
Vic Holman
It's always a good idea to keep the old lyric notebooks. I had quite a few songs recorded (in a mad rush) before i joined the site over 4 years ago. so i have plenty of back up ideas if i ever needed them.
I was planning on adding a acoustic outro that would fade in as the rest of the song faded out. but, i remembered that i have done that on several songs. this year. but it was on my mind.
LunaTrick
provocative and moody... like it!
Vic Holman
sometimes i get a fascination with rusty things.
thanks for the listen
guygrooves
Vic this is a great tune man. I love everything about it. The lyrics speak to me as I myself have been there, done that, stole the t shirt, sold it back..... you get the idea. I think this is one of your best efforts bro.
Peace
Guy
Vic Holman
sounds familiar. huh? oh well, it happens.
at first i wasn't sure about doing this approach on lyrics, I have no complaints nowadays, but i figured oh well, what the heck.
lengold
said above - great song and lyrics, coupled with the so distinctive and unique Vic sound.
Cheers
Len
Vic Holman
I'm not sure if it's my brain or the hands that have control over the final outcome. Sometimes i feel like i'm just riding along.
thanks again Len
DWL
Nice use of the acoustic and I loved the shifting textures.
You seem to be able to sculpt your sound at will.
Cheers
Dick
Vic Holman
sometimes i think all my songs are nothing but a collection of hooks.lol.
davisamerica
just damn excellent stuff here ... excellent!
Vic Holman
i had to work on this in small pieces over time. so, some time away from it was probably a good thing.
tempie
is unexpected and wonderful...the way it takes off with the little guitar riff and cool 60's snare. As always your lead work is distinctive and interesting - i love the way it takes off this time - evocative of 80's glam rock but spins into your own thing entirely.
Vic Holman
a good deal of the time i like to have the chorus and solo act as there own segment to a song. mostly for variety.
i appreciate the listen!
MarkHolbrook
First... In this your vocals could come up a bit for my taste. I had a hard time hearing them in the cans. I use a set of rather expensive audio-ref headphones too. Pretty flat across the board.
As usual the guitars, drums, bass and in general the song is fantastic. Great sounds through out. I too love the acoustic kick in with the bass pedal... The sizzling lead... Wow...
Man would be perfect for me if I could hear you sing a little better!
Ok MacJams... I need an Auto-Fav and Auto-Download setting for so many artists here! Wow.
The only discernible flaw in this mix is that your vox could be a tad louder.
You've got nothing to be shy about Vicar!
Be well!
Vic Holman
... and Mike.
I actually had bounced down two versions on the vocals. this and one with vocals up. I might of been over thinking about it. i was thinking of having the claustraphobic feel in regard to the lyrics. I'll have to give a relisten in a couple of weeks to hear it anew before i post it elsewhere. you're both more then likely right.
peacepiano
Quirky lyric this time. Breaks into the marching chorus and then shifts smoothly into the quieter verses. Doesn't sound like you are rusting away. Guitars and voice are Strong :)
Thanks
Bill
Vic Holman
oh, sometimes i do feel like i'm rusting at in the joints once in a while.
I'm just glad to get this song done before it rusted in the hard drive.
thanks again Bill
egobandit
The later part of the song realy grabs hold and digs in the acoustic part sets it off .. thanks Vic !
Vic Holman
it might not seem like it but there is quite a few different parts to this. the solo itself goes through 3 different parts and the ending moves through two with gradual shifts. i thought keeping the verse soft would give the other parts more impact.
five_extra_arms
Wow Vic, what a fantastic concept. I can't stand how much I love this tune.
gasp
Garden of wire is the very best part, besides the drums, of course. The guitar parts don't suck at all.
I would think that after knowing and loving your music for at least three years I'd stop being shocked and surprised. No way, Jose. Alas, you are the bottomless Vic. So resourceful and daring.
whew
I'm so impressed, buddy boy. Do you mind if I use a snippet of this for my ringtone? I just want to hear Garden Of Wire every five minutes.
Vic Holman
but your cell phone is wireless. would anyone catch the irony of it all?
i figured since i did not use drums in the verse that i would make up for it in aces on the chorus and solo. I'm glad the guitars didn't suck to much. i had to totally redo a lot of the guitar tracks. for some reason they where recording ahead of the beat only on playback. i had to readjust the latency. that fixed the problem. but a lot of time was wasted.
bud
love the changes. Lisa just said it sounds a little like The Butthole Surfers - that's a really good thing. Man - you have an amazing range and imagination.
Vic Holman
it's been a long time since i was called a butthole. lol.
it's been a long time since i have heard any of there stuff.
it goes through different changes because i would add parts on different evenings while i was tinkering around with it. I'm glad that the parts seemed to mesh together fairly well.
Cori Ander
I love your songs Vic.
This one too!
Goes to my Holman-collection.
Vic Holman
even after 4 years at this site it still surprises me that anyone likes the songs i do.
it's a great community to be a part of.
sheilad
how this song picks up at the chorus and then slows down again. The chorus is really great too. I am adding it to my iPod right next to August Days that I have nearly worn out!
Vic Holman
i already miss summer.
sometimes going full bore on the rock side can get to be to much. so the verse moments give a valley and mountain approach. the Pixies and Nirvana would do that quite a bit as well.
Thank you very much for liking both songs!
michael2
that chorus just grabs you by the neck. everytime i hear your songs, I'm a little jealous of the fact that yo have a "sound" together. that acoustic is so good with the synth (which is unusual for you actually), and a nice way to bring in that crazy guitar solo. great job.
Vic Holman
kinda goes for the jugular, huh?
that synth is actually a envelope filter effect that i can control with a expression pedal with delay and auto panning. it's cool. i realized after all this time of recording songs that i had not done a solo with a lot of pinched harmonics. that i can remember at least, considering i've done it for years.
Monkaton
Vic - I hadn't heard much of your stuff lately, glad I returned. Great sounding guitars as always and the chord progression on the outro with the lead is very effective.
Thanks for posting.
Vic Holman
thanks for the kind words. I've been slowing down a bit myself. so i hear ya. them catch up is nearly impossible after a week or two away. any way glad you could catch a tune or two.
Scott Carmichael
this is really great & comprehensive work... you've certainly got a thumbprint sound... I always have my ears all over your guitar placement, eq, textures...
what did you use for drums on this?... they really hit me just right as soon as they arrive... is this any of the logic stuff... and do you use any of the logic amp modeling on any guitars...
some nice lyrical imagery too
Vic Holman
I send the electrics through a digitech GNX2 multi effect pedal board. i use my own pre sets. those go out in stereo, even if they are hard panned there is still a little bleed into the other channel. i think it gives it something extra. the acoustics and bass are DI. the acoustics, i use the on board pre amp & e.q,'s add a compressor & a high pass filter, i do use the bass amp plug-in and tweak that some.
the drums are the exs24 stereo drums. i separate the drums into 3 or tracks, so i can control levels. add some compression, e.q. and reverb. thats pretty much it for the most part.
The Orbiting
Geez! Vic, KNOCK IT OFF! Every time I think I've heard my favorite of yours, you go and write a new one. This absolutely would have been a big hit song had it come out as a major release by the right band at the right time. It's insanely well-written, your hook is Captain Hook, the mix is fantastic (on first listen I think the vox is at a good level, honestly) and it's a really perfect arrangement, too. You are such a master and I always learn something, or think a little differently when I listen to your work. --Lisa
Vic Holman
usually there's more thinking about the song and where it goes then the actual playing on it. I'm always learning new little things about mixing as time goes. my biggest curse now is when i listen to my old favorite groups of all time, i tend to think those songs could use a good re-mix.... i could get in trouble for saying that.
yrp
are the chorus and the instrumetal leading to the solo...I wish the song ended with that section as a sort of coda.
I donīt know if I am late on saying this but you do have a very distinct "sound".I can recognize a song of yours on its first seconds.Building a sort of "signature sound", a "trade mark" is very hard.
Congratulations, Vic.
Vic Holman
... leading up to the solo is my favorite part as well. i had originally thought of adding a reprise of a part of the song at the end. i wasn't sure if adding something at the end would of come off and fit what was going on at the end. but i was considering it.
rsorensen
you have the best mixes. always so full and loud. this to me is classic VH. All of your trademarks are here and very well done. What grabs me with this one the most though are the dynamics of the song. Really really well done, man. Great song.
Vic Holman
Logic seems to be inherently loud for starters. I'm constantly pulling faders back so it doesn't max. so for me it's finding those sweet spots in the panning.
Axgrinder
or perhaps, "away" is more like it? Sorry to have been such a Casper%u2624 for the past 8 or 9 months brother.... Had no connection, whatsoever! Not just lacking an internet connection, I was pretty much disconnected from all of mankind there for awhile..... Anyhow, Bitchin track my friend! I think you should have your very own genre, because your style is so unique and constantly evolving, if that makes any sense?
Nice to here you again Vic, and nice work as well!
Kudos,
Alvin
Vic Holman
good to see you 'wired in' and back at this place. short summer, huh?
i'm looking forward to next summer and hopefully catch some rays at Mark & Bev's houseboat.
Bob6stringer
This is yet another example of a great combination of lead and rhythm guitar. Love that you keep a sense of melody about your guitars. I'd say more but the acid is kicking in... I mean: this is a great romp through the psychedelic recesses of my gray matter.
Or something from a later decade. Ever hear of the song "Shot By Both Sides," by Magazine? Great tune from a short lived band from the 80s punk/wave days. Worth a listen at least to the iTunes preview.
Trillian
Garden of Wire - time, perspective, counting blessings - then one fine day you step out the door and notice the flowers where before you saw only weeds - hear the birds singing where there was once only silence.
Absolutely love the music Vic! : )
Studioplayer
Wow. This has a real 60's feel to it. Cool. Vocals work well in this tune. Classic sound. Nice