The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Mama's Jig

I wrote a song.

Lyrics came to me when I was in the shower; chord structure once I was out the shower and able to find my bouzouki.

I took it round to Marcus - the other half of The Cracked Man - half excited, wanting to show off something I'd created; half worried in case he didn't like it and I'd have to shelve it until I could find someone else who might want to develop it with me.

He liked it.

We started giving it shape, deciding when to add extra bits, when to pluck and when to strum. Marcus had an idea for a guitar riff to fit between verses.

An hour and a half later we had a rough recording to make sure we didn't forget the notes and the structure we'd created.

Damn, it's good (modesty was never one of my strong points).

Marcus emailed me an mp3 version of the recording and I've been playing it all evening.

I'd not been sure what to call it. I was torn between "How to Treat Your Woman" and "Family Advice" but Marcus suggested "Mama's Jig". That worked better.

It's difficult to express just how rewarding creating music with Marcus is. For sure, he's a talented musician - considerably more skilled than me - and has strong instincts for what will work and what won't - but apart from allowing me to create music I really like, it makes me feel validated.

When you take something you've created to someone whose talents you respect, and they like it enough to work on it with you so together you create something greater than either would have achieved alone - well, that's when life feels really good.

At some point over the next couple of months we'll get these songs properly recorded and put up online for downloading.

In the meantime, if you can make it along to House O' Hill, between Newton Stewart and Glen Trool on the afternoon of Sunday 13th April, you'll be able to hear all our songs live.

But if you can't get there, make sure you "like" our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thecrackedman - to stay up to date with developments and future gigs

8 comments

hope said...

Yep, nothing better than creating something wonderful...good for you! Look forward to hearing it.

maurcheen said...

Good for you. I haven't written in years. I need to find me a Marcus. :-)

Hindsfeet said...

ahhhhhh! painful, Kim!! So far yet so far!!!! ; ) ....I would dig being able to show up at one of your gigs......(hey, who knows, if I do, I'll be the hot brunette sneaking into the back row, closet introvert that I am ; p )

....and I'm not on Facebook, so any chance you could send your song over to my island of the misfit toys somehow? a recording or a clip you could attach to an email? would love to hear....

keep on keepin' on, happy for your new creative flow over there...

happy day,
Liz ~*

Eryl said...

That's so cool! I can feel your joy in your writing.

Pat said...

I wanna hear it now!
Love the title - sounds like a great partnership.
Would you believe it? just discovered some of my blog roll still isn't working INCLUDING YOURS!!!!!

Kim Ayres said...

Hope - with luck we'll get it recorded in the next month or two and then I'll post it here :)

Maurcheen - a good Marcus is hard to find... :)

Liz - the song is only a rough at the moment and I don't have a decent recording of it, but when I do, I'll post it here :)

Eryl - thank you :)

Pat - I've just emailed you some instructions on how to fix your blog roll. Let me know if they don't make sense :)

MW Sound said...

Aww. Such inspiration.

Kim Ayres said...

MW Sound - :)

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