A song and a new toy for Christmas

For Christmas this year, among other lovely things, my clever husband bought me a Zoom H1 Handy Recorder. For those of you who don't know what this is, it's a handheld recording device that you can record onto and upload straight away.

Here is a link to a page about it for more info. http://www.samsontech.com/zoom/products/handheld-audio-recorders/h1/

The great thing about this is that previously, when writing songs, I have been using a proper old school tape recorder stuck on the piano in front of me to get down ideas when songwriting. For those of you born before the 90's you will remember that the quality is very poor, rustly and crackly and although it was good when you were recording your songs when you were 7, it's not very good now.

 So my new Zoom is going to massively help me with songwriting. There are loads of things I can do with it and I have a feeling that creatively it is going to be invaluable. I can just jam around for ages, upload it straight away and listen back, picking out things I like etc..I can quickly play and sing a new song and send it straight over the the band members, and we can use it in band practice when jamming around ideas etc.

Anyway, here is my first go on it. You can change the levels and things and do loads of other stuff I haven't entirely figured out yet but this is it literally just sat in front of me on my piano and uploaded. Miss Crazy Lady is a song that I play with the band with all sorts of cool guitar effects, cool harmonies and stuff so it's a bit lacking with just voice and piano but this is the gist of the song.

http://soundcloud.com/lena-smith/miss-crazy-lady-zoom

Listen and Like!

You can listen to my songs on either my SoundCloud account  - http://soundcloud.com/lena-smith
or Reverbnation - http://www.reverbnation.com/lenasmith

It would be awesome, if you could head over to my Facebook page and 'like' us there too. - http://www.facebook.com/TheLenaSmithBand

Lena Smith Band Photoshoot with Elina Photography

So the beautiful and lovely Elina was down in Plymouth for a few weeks before Christmas and asked me if we would like to do some Promotional photos of the band while she was down. So I jumped at the chance.

We all turned up at Clash and Clash Studios in our finery. Joe Biddle, musician and owner of Presspack Recording Studios next door had kindly donated a few musical bits and bobs as props and Elina made us feel really relaxed and took some absolutely awesome photos for us. Here are a few.

Lena Smith Band Xmas

Last night we had our first official Lena Smith Band Christmas. There was roast, alcohol, festivities, crackers, Christmas pud and great company. I even got to set the pud on fire! Horray for Christmas pyromania :)

Christmas is here.

So, I was meant to be doing something important on Wednesday. I can't remember what it was but it was work related and I was at home sitting on the sofa listening to Christmas songs and wrapping presents instead.

I was feeling festive and decided that it would be fun to try and write a Christmas Song as I had never written one before.

All the fabulous, wonderful, and heartwarming Christmas Songs in the world I could think of as a reference and the first thing that popped into my head was East17's 'Stay Another Day'.

Anyway....... so I started with some classic bell type descending thirds and my Christmas Song took shape.

There are a hundred Jesus based Christmas Carols, thousands of Christmas based Woe songs and a million Christmas songs about random things like Reindeers, Santa and Snowmen. If anyone has heard Tim Minchin's christmas song 'White wine in the sun' which is a lovely sentimental and heartwarming song about spending time with his family and loved ones at christmas, this is the kind of thing I was thinking instead. My song is all about being with the person that you love at Christmas.

These are the lyrics.

Christmas is here



V1
There’s frost on the pavement outside
There’s good friends all around me tonight
I’m feeling kinda tingly
and I
don’t think it’s just the mulled wine

Bridge
cause I’m sitting here beside you
at Christmas time

V2
We’re singing Christmas carols tonight
The words are lit by candlelight
I’m feeling warm and cosy
even
though my fingers feel like they’re not mine

Bridge
cause I’m singing here beside you
at Christmas time

Chorus
Christmas is here, it’s a time for good cheer
to appreciate all of your lot
Christmas is here, and I’m full of good cheer
cause I’m thankful it’s you that I’ve got

V3
The tinsel from the tree got everywhere,
it’s on the floor, the cats, my clothes, my hair
I’m feeling full of magic, the christmas tree lights just started to shine

Bridge
and you’re tinseling beside me
at Christmas time

Chorus
Christmas is here, it’s a time for good cheer
to appreciate all of your lot
Christmas is here, and I’m full of good cheer
cause I’m thankful it’s you that I’ve got

Verse 4
Our loved ones are all gathered today
to give our gifts, eat food, and sing and play
I’m feeling really special,
like a child I feel like everything is mine

Bridge
cause you’re gathered here beside me

at Christmas time


I also used the gerund of a new verb that I made up - To Tinsel :)

Here's my Christmas Song - Merry Christmas everybody xxxxxxx



http://soundcloud.com/lena-smith/christmas-is-here-demo

Solo set at Ride Cafe

Last Thursday I did 15 minute solo set supporting the awesome Adam Isaac band at Ride Cafe.

I played;

Baby
Colour of Me
You'll Make Today
Fly

It was quite quiet because all of the students had gone home for Christmas but there were still enough people there for it to be a good gig. I played well, Tommy the sound guy was great.

It was the first time I had played my new song 'You'll Make Today' in public and it went down well. It was also the first time I had played 'Fly' and 'Baby' without the band.

Here's a little video of me doing 'Colour of Me' that Celine from the Adam Isaac band recorded.