new album

The Antipodes

I felt so lucky to travel around Europe with my wife to celebrate twenty years of marriage, I just had to write a song about it. It was written and recorded in a "first thought - best thought" hurry, with me playing all the instruments.

To hear the song, visit my MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/jimsmartsongs

To hear the song with a video, click on this YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VwQWWHOCJk

To just see the photo albums, click here, and then explore the 4 areas we visited (Tuscany, Northern Italy, the Alps, and Ireland):
http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Tuscany.html

Dave Davies

Cool!

I helped start a tribute to Dave Davies, and within a few months, the thing is done!

Go here:

http://www.nicepace.net/davedavies/

I've gotten lots of nice comments about my version of "Lincoln County", and the whole thing has been well received so far. It's much more excellent than I dreamed possible, and it shows a lot of love and respect for Dave Davies.

Jim

new song for my mom

Here's a new song I wrote for my awesome mom for mother's day 2007:

new music store

PunaRock videos

A bunch of teachers got together to play rock songs for a big crowd at the Punahou Carnival.

NYC Kinks Tribute

Kinklings!

I know this is short notice, but I'd like to invite you all to my solo acoustic tribute to the Kinks this month in New York City!

If you're free on President's Weekend, why not hop on over to the Big Apple?
If you include a stop at the 169 Bar on Sunday, February 18,
you'll hear a bunch of Kinks songs performed live in "a candlelit dive bar in the heart of Chinatown."

"169 Bar"
169 East Broadway
NYC 10002
www.169barnyc.com

8:30 pm
Sunday
February 18

Admission for 21 and over $8 @ the door

I think I can get you in cheaper if you send me your name. You'll be on a list at the door. I'm not too sure, since I haven't played at the 169 Bar before.
Proper I.D. is a must. No one with out I.D. will be able to enter. You must be 21 and over.
Lower East Side Productions
www.lesproductions.com

I did this two years ago in Boston, and it was a lot of fun. You can read about it here:
http://jimsmart.blogspot.com/2005/05/kinks-tribute-show-comments.html


aloha,

Jim
http://myspace.com/jimsmartsongs

The Cleaners

Back in 1983 I was a goofy freshman at UCSB. I went to college with a surfboard, an electric guitar, and an amp with ugly fuzzy green carpeting on it. My friends and I got a band together and called ourselves the Cleaners. I seem to recall that none of us liked the name, leaving me to wonder why we used it.

Here's our MySpace page:

http://www.myspace.com/thecleaners83

Guitarmageddon

Wow! Since Decmeber 18, 5,928 people have looked at my little home movie about the Decemberists vs Stephen Colbert! Scary numbers!

Here's the movie:

Guitar and Pen

Lucinda Williams & The Decemberists

Hi Mitch and Gini,

Just got back from a weekend in LA where I saw two killer concerts. Live music makes me feel alive, and I'm pretty happy after this slurge.

Lucinda Williams was amazing from the third row, but her opening act almost blew her away. She is an Aussie named Anne McCue who got a bunch of Texans to back up her alt country Lucinda-ish pop. Sexy and funny with catchy songs, she plays her own guitar leads. Some are slow like Kurt Cobain, and at the end she let it rip with Steely Dan like speed. Great stuff, and lots of us bought her CD. She even signed mine.

But Lucinda was of a greater magnitude. That woman dominates! She is a nice, mean, moody, powerful, sexy, foul mouthed, sweet little wailer. She charmed the audience, berated the sound guy, mixed up the band with set list changes, all in the same three seconds. Her voice was strong and booming. She played many songs from her new album that will be out in February. There's an amazing one called "Un Suffer Me", and a sweet ballad with more chords than she usually uses. Good stuff. She is such an unscripted, off the cuff, distracted speaker. Brilliant!


Saturday I saw the Decemberists about 10 rows back from the stage with 2 old college buddies. One made the comment "This is the nicest crowd I've ever seen; too nice." Unfortunately, the opening act was Lavender Diamond, easily the very worst band I have ever seen.



This Decemberists show was probably the closest I will ever get to the feeling at the raucus Kinks shows of the early 70s. People love those songs. We all knew all the words (even to the new album) and Colin encouraged singing along. The way he worked the front row and clowned around while singing and playing very well reminded me of Ray Davies back in the day. It was hilarious and uplifting, a dose of much needed positive energy.

They played most of their new album beneath a beautiful gigantic reproduction of the Japanese print inside The Crane Wife. The title songs are based on a Japanese folk tale, so they had giant red paper lanterns above their heads; it was beautiful and otherwordly, like their songs. 16 Military Wives closed the show with full on high energy, but a highlight for me was the slow and peaceful take on Myla Goldberg which had everyone frozen in a trance, just listening.

Brilliant!

aloha,

Jim
http://www.familysmart.blogspot.com/
http://myspace.com/jimsmartsongs

Conversation with Alan

Hi Alan,

Thanks so much for your thoughts about my work. I appreciate it, and I hope you don't mind that I posted it on the MySpace page. Very cool.

I am feeling a bit guilty, especially when I read your mention of visiting Scotland. You see, Shari and I are planning to come to Europe next summer, but Scotland is sadly not on our itinerary. In fact, you'll be doubly furious when you hear that we are visiting Ireland instead of Scotland. Awful, I know. Neither of us have been there, and Shari has a friend who has raved about biking in Ireland one too many times. Probably the biking and B&Bs and ruined castles and stout are just as good, ahem, much better in Scotland, but there it is. Flame away if you must. We'll come to Scotland the next time, and leave the Irish to stew.

I do have a few responses:

On Sep 22, 2006, at 8:11 AM, Alan McClure wrote:


I've had Seven Fathoms on a lot, and I'm enjoying it very much indeed, from the whole image to the finer details. It took me longer to get the hang of the album than it did with, say, Mist, possibly because there's more 'music' here than before, but that has the advantage of making repeated listenings more rewarding.

I hadn't set out to do that, but yes, I suppose there's more music. More space to think? More space for the musicians to have a bit of an outing. Maybe it gives the listener time to think about what was just sung/sang/singed? Anyway, it's a habit from playing with Don't Panic, where I sing a verse without vocals and then play a verse and let the string players make up stuff.

By the way, I was chuffed and pleased and generally Aw-Shucksed by your wearing of the DP shirt on your album. I like the way it was packaged with no plastic, very home made, and I mean that in the best way.


I occassionally worry that my own stuff is too sparse to hold the attention beyond the first couple of runs through.

Well, your stuff is quite sophisticated musically. And I think that goes a long way towards earning repeated listenings. A song where the structure and chord changes take several listens to figure out is not a bad way to go.

I enjoy the whole concept of Seven Fathoms, particularly the fact that, even though you're dealing with some pretty dark stuff, you never descend into the maudlin or the melancholy, it's up to the listener to catch the connotations. For example, it wasn't until the third or fourth listen that the phrase "I can't hear the fairy bells" really got me between the eyes.

Well, that's the disappearing childhood lump in the throat for you. I got the idea from a really great artist/writer named Chris Van Allsburg. Check him out because he's weird and amazing. Anyway, his most famous children's story is called The Polar Express, and one part of it is a Christmas bell which only children who believe in Santa can hear. For others it's silent. And as the children grow older, they lose the ability to hear the bell.

I have a son heading off to college next year, and it brings the shortness of this time as a parent to mind.

Of course the whole album is a study in fantasies, and being invited into a young child's fantasy world is a precious, short lived thing, which is sure to not last.

Favourites have to include Float Down the Danube, which is just a masterclass in storytelling

That's the one that surprised me the most, and seemed like the newest territory for me. I worked on it for a year, starting with just the melody, and it went through tons and tons of changes. I didn't know what to do with it, but I couldn't set it aside. When it came time for a lyric, I did think mostly of the Decemberists. I got out a map of eastern Europe and made up rhymes. I really took my time to get ones that I liked. My cello player loved it, and on the track you hear about 4 of her performances tracked together.

- very clear Decemberists influence there (HUGELY digging them, by the way, thanks so much for introducing me to them!),

I'm actually traveling to LA to see them next month!

but always with your own palette - If Life is in A Minor, brilliant, love all the puns in there (My fantasy in F or G!! Great!) and a very nice buildup musically too; Uncertainty Principle, just because it chimes so uncannily close to my own views (did you ever hear my song 'No Conclusions'? It was on the Danny and the Sellouts CD, which I'm not sure if I sent you or not. The chorus was "Happy to be reaching no conclusions, no conclusions from it all!")

Yes, I remember that one. You've been a big influence on me. I remember your line about "lives that don't boast any particular goal" quite often, when I think of what bugs me about how some people "live". People who are certain are the people who are really screwing up the world for the lot of us, and it's a funny track because these radical ideas, offensive to some, are crooned in the most easy-listening manner, just gently sent floating out over the ether.

and of course Squeaky Wheels is just as gorgeous an album closer as you could ask for. Overall, your production skills are enviable in the extreme. There's a very theatrical feel to a lot of the album, and in fact Michelle suggested that you should write a musical for your schoolkids after hearing it.

I like musicals. I've thought of writing them. But I think you need to be clear about a lot of things - who is this for? Who will sing this or that? How will it work in this or that setting? - dragons which I can't see myself slaying. I want to be small, under the radar, and just making a little 3 minute song that pleases me. That I can manage, and I enjoy it endlessly.

You have an inherent knack for musical narrative, beyond just the lyrical side - the tunes seem to carry the story as much as the words, if you see what I mean.

Thanks. I think I've worked hard to get to that point. I suspect that the songs from my first 10 years would never get a comment like that. I tried to be patient with these songs, to try out lyrics and not keep them unless they sat well with me for a long time. However, a listen to the new Decemberists, or anything by Bob Dylan will quickly put me in my place: a dad with some recording equipment.

It's an album which will remain on my playlist for a long time. What comes next?

I don't know. I'd like to make a video for that Danube one. I made one for the Fairy Bells on the MySpace page.

aloha,

Jim
http://myspace.com/jimsmartsongs
http://familysmart.blogspot.com/

Stolen violin recovered!

Kevin got his instruments back, and he sounded great at this month's Don't Panic gig.

CD comments from Scotland

My friend Alan McClure wrote the following nice comments about my new CD, Seven Fathoms:

I've had Seven Fathoms on a lot, and I'm enjoying it very much indeed, from the whole image to the finer details. It took me longer to get the hang of the album than it did with, say, Mist, possibly because there's more 'music' here than before, but that has the advantage of making repeated listenings more rewarding. I occassionally worry that my own stuff is too sparse to hold the attention beyond the first couple of runs through. I enjoy the whole concept of Seven Fathoms, particularly the fact that, even though you're dealing with some pretty dark stuff, you never descend into the maudlin or the melancholy, it's up to the listener to catch the connotations. For example, it wasn't until the third or fourth listen that the phrase "I can't hear the fairy bells" really got me between the eyes.

Favourites have to include Float Down the Danube, which is just a masterclass in storytelling - very clear Decemberists influence there (HUGELY digging them, by the way, thanks so much for introducing me to them!), but always with your own palette - If Life is in A Minor, brilliant, love all the puns in there (My fantasy in F or G!! Great!) and a very nice buildup musically too; Uncertainty Principle, just because it chimes so uncannily close to my own views (did you ever hear my song 'No Conclusions'? It was on the Danny and the Sellouts CD, which I'm not sure if I sent you or not. The chorus was "Happy to be reaching no conclusions, no conclusions from it all!") and of course Squeaky Wheels is just as gorgeous an album closer as you could ask for. Overall, your production skills are enviable in the extreme. There's a very theatrical feel to a lot of the album, and in fact Michelle suggested that you should write a musical for your schoolkids after hearing it. You have an inherent knack for musical narrative, beyond just the lyrical side - the tunes seem to carry the story as much as the words, if you see what I mean.

It's an album which will remain on my playlist for a long time. What comes next?

Turn! Turn! Turn!

Stare into the rotating cube and submit

video

Jim's solo version of Days (a Kinks song)

Don't Panic video

daytripper video

Comments about new music and videos

Comments about the CD Seven Fathoms:

"1 The Fairy Bells
Beautifully describes what it's like to enter the world of a little girl....and to know it's
not your world to stay in too long....only a place to go for a short interlude.
The music has a magical sound to fit a little girl's world.

2 Fantasy Fools
Truly a love song with great feelings expressed. We all want to be someone's
fantasy. Very mellow and soothing to listen to Fantasy Fools.

3 Make Believe
Everyone wants to make believe and be transported to someone elses fantasy....so
surrender to the storytellers of the world....become intoxicated
with their fantasies or not. At least try to understand where they're coming from.
Once again the music has a magical sound.

Your whole album is magical and a delight to listen to again and again. It really grows
on you."



"I loved listening through, because it's a little bit like a letter from a friend - I hear the lyircs and wonder about the stories you are telling and imagine what events/people in your life inspired them.

From a musical point of view, there's tons of good melodies and harmonies in a style that I am familiar with (all the stuff we have always listened to like kinks, beatles, the who)

From a production point of view, you have changed, improved. "

"I love the story behind the title! Tom is a great Douglas Adam's fan -
we listened to them all on BBC and have all the books! His email used
to be Tomclark42 - and 42 is one of his favorite numbers for the same
reason!

I have listened to the cd many times and each time I find I enjoy it
more - it is wonderful!

I really like Make Believe - the music and words just really appeal to
me.

Of course I like round lake round - I like the fact that probably only
Treetop people know what 'the shell goes round' means?!

I enjoy The Fairy Bells as I miss my children at those ages and this
captures that distance between the imagination and wonder of those ages
and us 'grownups' That is what I enjoy being able to be a part of each
summer - childhood.

I also like Facing Dragons - the tune and the words.

All in all I really love it and find myself playing it over and over."

"I've listened enough to tell you that the lyrics on many of these songs are powerful, and in some cases clever to the point where when I first heard some lines I had an "oh wow" response (several of the lines in "Uncertainty" and the fantasy images in "Floating Down the Danube" ... like the Russian dolls one, and other references to eastern European places ... and of course, the opening cleverness in the "characters" and what you want from them in "Citizen Kane".) I love the images of you and Sierra on the second cut (name escapes me, and I'm doing this from memory having listened only briefly in the car when on O'ahu -- not often -- and the day I downloaded it a month ago.)

I wish I could talk knowledgeably about the musicality or instrumentation. With a broad-brush, I get the feeling that this CD is more "rock" genre and less early Kinks-like, or folksy. I think on one cut I even had an impression of surfer rock in the opening chords. I also got the impression that the instrumentation is more complicated than before."


"Excellent! Looks good. Like the songs, too! Finally had a chance to listen -- took a training
class today, and am now working at home, so I can ROCK THE TOONES. Ray D. would be proud,
methinks. :^)




Comments about the video for The Fairy Bells:

"It's wonderful. Sierra is the star - no cuter person walks the face of the planet! She's the
princess; you're the troubadour."

"It not only works, but works great!
You don't need my help. You did an
excellent editing job."

new music video

Click on the image to see the new 3 minute movie of Jim and Sierra in their first music video for one of Jim's new songs:

stolen violin

My friend's stolen violin. He can be heard playing the instruments in question in many of my recent recordings. Sorry to hear it, Kevin!

Kevin and I play in Don't Panic, and you can see photos of us with the stolen violin at the Don't Panic website

Jim

3 new albums

Yesterday I had a chance to have a morning hike near camp, up to Balanced Rocks and over the Pitchoff cliff area with my iPod on. I listened to 3 new albums and developed a few thoughts to share as the sun rose over the Adirondacks and the rain moved in.

Tom Petty's new Highway Companion lives up to a title. With an iPod, it's like walking with Tom and having a conversation with him, since the voice sounds like he's right next to you. This album seems excellent at first blush. Time will tell whether it's as good or better than Wildflowers, which is the real standard. Like Ray Davies, Petty is very consistent, and rather than get experimental and different, he just gets better and better at what he does best, as opposed to people like Paul Simon and Paul McCartney, who have really lost the plot.

The Raconteurs are Jack White's new band. They have all the things I like about the White Stripes, and less of the things I don't like. It's poppy and catchy and rough on the edges. I enjoyed the way the 4 piece band worked off each other. I hope he sticks with this and ditches the White Stripes, actually. This is fun stuff, like a swampy garage band white album version of Led Zep.

Lullaby Baxter's Garden Cities of To-Morrow came on like the antidote to Jack White's evil poison. Sweet and soaring, her voice is a wonderful companion in the morning. I had read her bio on MySpace, so I new there were going to be a lot of mellotrons and things. I had to smile when they quoted Phenomenal Cat with it at the start of one song. Only the coolest of the cool will get that connection. Her lyrical ideas are fun and clever and inventive, and this album is clearly a big step forward from the excellent Capable Egg.


aloha,

Jim
http://www.myspace.jimsmartsongs/

new CD

JIM SMART: Seven Fathoms His string tinged rock music lets your brain wander the fine line balance between the pain of old timey musicals and the foolish pleasures of acoustic punk rock, with power pop nods to artists like the Kinks, the Decemberists, Wilco, and Nick Drake.

New CD and MySpace page

Hey folks,

After a year of productive thrills and tribulations, my new CD is ready! Check it out:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/smart2

I am also developing a MySpace page:

http://myspace.com/jimsmartsongs

Looking to rock Sherwins Folly this Thursday,

Jim

Seven Fathoms

Here are the cover and the title for my new album. I started off wondering why I read so many fantasy books, and then wondering why dragons appeared in many cultures that had no contact with each other. Then I started to equate certain challenges (like the aforementioned printer) with dragons that pop up in modern life. Almost every song is about an aspect of fantasy. And the more I thought about that, the more types of fantasies I kept thinking up, like looking at different sides of a globe. So I started out with all these questions, which lead to a gaggle of songs with fail miserably to answer any of them.

Then I got to thinking about the word fathom, and what a cool sounding and meaning word it is, and I knew it had to be in the title somehow. Each song tries to fathom one fantasy or another. Then I got into a bit of hokey numerology, since a fathom is six feet (my height). I noticed that six times seven is 42, which is the age I'll be when this CD is ready to unleash.

Then I thought, well, if there's 14 songs, there could be seven pairs. So the songs are paired, sort of. Ridiculous, I know! "Fred" is a much better title, but it's been done!

Jim

Mammoth gig

Don't Panic - live and unrehearsed!

Don't Panic

free CD Release party

Friday, July 7

7:00 p.m.

Coffee Talk, top of the hill in Kaimuki

more info: jimsmart.net

Quiet funny thoughtful acoustic music to mellow out to
in a Kaimuki coffee shop
Featuring the original music of Jim Smart, and a very strange combination of songs from punk bands, Broadway musicals, old-timey music, and psychedelic power pop through the decades.

Jim Smart on guitar

Jim Skudlarick percussion

Martha Lanzas on cello

Kevin Craven on violin

Gigs

The Daytrippers
Saturday, May 27, 2006
The Fox and Hounds
Waikiki
8:00 - 12:00 p.m.

The Daytrippers
Friday, June 2, 2006
Waikiki Yacht Club
8:00 - 12:00 p.m.

Don't Panic in the Honolulu Weekly

http://honoluluweekly.com/calendar/nightshift/2006/05/half-caf-with-a-twist/

Half-caf with a twist

by Becky Maltby / 05-10-2006



Dark, smoky, boozey, meat markets. Sometimes the prospect of going out seems daunting. This is where Coffee Talk comes in handy. Neither dark nor daunting, the Kaimuki joint allows for unpretentious socializing, where you can have a snack and a jolt of caffeine with the paper or be a loner with others, your laptop and a latte. Play a Megatouch game at the counter. Browse the Internet for 15 cents a minute. Have a meeting of the Society for the Betterment of Dental Floss Utilization. The management recently axed the punk parties brought to you by Unity Crayons but you can still chill to home-grown musical talent on given nights.

Don’t Panic’s once-per-month (on average) gigs are a good choice for a warm and snuggly but don’t let the band’s name fool you. The cello, violin, percussion and acoustic-guitar blend is so soothing and mellow, panicking is the furthest thing from your mind as you sit six inches away with an iced Thai coffee and pesto bagel, the band tucked away on one side of the large room. If you don’t want to immerse yourself in music, no one minds if you’d rather watch a silent ESPN boxing match or Court TV on the mounted television. However, for folks that marvel at the idea of “Helter Skelter” performed by the aforementioned instrumental arrangement, Don’t Panic’s leader Jim Smart and his group try almost anything. Just mention the word “Beatles” and off they go on a rendition of the key-changing “Strawberry Fields,” “A Day in the Life” or “Eleanor Rigby” as a waltz.

“That was different,” Smart says. “That was cool.”

“Waltzes are not good to drum to,” jokes percussionist Jim Skudlarick.

They try a little Pink Floyd, Simon and Garfunkel or Led Zeppelin and the string players follow the leader whether they’ve ever heard the song or not. It’s sort of the Nike philosophy of gig sets: They just do it, and they make it look so easy. At the end of the evening, Don’t Panic usually throws in a little Monty Python optimism with “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

Coffee Talk is not a place to fade into the blackness. The fluorescent lighting makes it too easy to sit down, throw out requests and be noticed, but you won’t feel out of place without make-up and an opinion. And with Don’t Panic, you can sing along and read the news today, oh boy. The band plays this Friday.

Coffee Talk

3601 Wai‘alae Ave. 737-7444

Hours: Sun–Thu 5am–11pm; Fri & Sat 5am–midnight Getting in: Free as a bird Sightings: The band’s band mates from other bands Dress Code: If you dress up you might look out of place Soundtrack: Anything by the Beatles, some Kinks, Jim Smart originals Signature Drink: Coffe Talk milkshake, $4

live appearances

Hi folks,

I'm playing live at a couple of places around Honolulu. Spread the word, spread the love,
spread the cream cheese evenly on the bagel!

Don't Panic
Friday, May 12, 7:00 p.m.
Quiet funny thoughtful acoustic music to mellow out to
in a Kaimuki coffee shop
Featuring the 2 Jims on guitar and percussion,
Martha Lanzas on cello,
and Kevin Craven on violin
Coffee Talk, top of the hill in Kaimuki

The Daytrippers
Saturday, April 29, 2006
The Fox and Hounds
Waikiki
8:00 - 12:00 p.m.

The real Daytrippers

Facing Dragons

I've been thinking a lot about dragons, and how they appear in so many separate cultures, like a common dream for early humanity. What is it about dragons, anyway?

My song "Facing Dragons" uses dragons as a metaphor for the difficulties and dangers of modern life. Are dragons just for slaying?

They represent fancy. Many ancient cultures fancied them, though no one would fancy meeting one. Just to imagine them is enough.

Perhaps they represent tests, like men are tested by war, to see if they measure up.

Maybe if I wasn't born in the year of the dragon, none of this would catch my fancy, fantasy, whatever.

Jim

man, I love this

On Sunday I had a fantastic time hosting my friends who play cello and violin. They added their magic to 4 of my new songs, and I'm over the moon about it. I haven't really had time to sort it out properly, but here are some samples:

http://homepage.mac.com/jimsmart1/FileSharing43.html

I feel so honored that talented people like Kevin and Martha would give their time to play on my songs. The samples you hear also have a friend called David Tam on keyboards from a previous weekend. I'm thrilled with the results and can't wait to dig in there and weave their work into my efforts. Gotta get to it right now!

Jim

sleepless in Hawaii

I've been reading Neddie by Jingo's BLOG (http://byneddiejingo.blogspot.com/) during a sleepless night, after pondering Bob Dylan's Chronicles the hour before, and this has left me with a need to blog.

Spent the weekend with a lot of daughter time and recording time on my new songs. I have gone overboard with the tempo variation feature of Logic Pro on a couple of new recordings. I had a talented friend called Dave Tam over to pay various instruments on the songs. He did some nice noodling with a wurlitzer sound on Life is in A Minor, which I easily converted to a clavichord when he had gone.

Does any of this make any sense to anyone? I doubt it. My new songs are alive, mostly only in my head. I nudge them forward with an hour of editing here, and burst of bass playing there. I shape them slowly over months, where Bob Dylan often cranked them out in an afternoon and moved on.

Maybe I'm more like Pete Townshend, endlessly molding them into something that will hopefully be worth something someday. At least I didn't waste my weekend watching football and playing video games. I got out in the surf. I took my daughter to the zoo on Saturday, and Sea Life Park on Monday, and helped serve up her birthday party in between.

But the songs are always on my mind. What little bit will help them along?

When my friends come over to play on them, it's always a great leap forward, not always in the direction I predicted. I slowly decide which surprises to embrace. Are the mandolin harmonics right for the quiet part? Is that piano part just to damn busy?

And the drums. Is it chutzpah to play them myself, when I know better drummers? Is it just too convenient having them all set up, inviting a half hour romp when the wife's away? It may be a conceit, but the drums sound fine to me. They sound like what the song wants. I'll let them stay for now.

I'm thinking of calling the album fathoms, because I like the sound. I'm one fathom tall. I can't fathom most things. And it seems to fit the theme of questioning fantasy that creeps into every song so far, like I'm trying to fathom why fantasy works for me, or to fathom the different meanings of fantasy. One person's religious unquestionable truth can seem awfully similar to another's made up fantasy.

I am old enough to doubt.

My songs are being built like house projects that sit around half done, taunting and bugging the occupants to get on with them, but get them RIGHT.

curriculum vitae

A CV of my musical activities...

A. BANDS and LIVE PERFORMANCES

1. The Daytrippers
Loud exciting rock music at private parties and bars in Waikiki

2. Don't Panic
Quiet funny thoughtful acoustic music to mellow out to in a coffee shop
Featuring guitar, voice, percussion, cello, and violin

3. PunaRock
Wannabe rock star teachers making fools of themselves on the school Carnival stage


B. SONG WRITING AND RECORDING

I've written about 100 songs over the years. More than a hobby, I'm on a lifelong quest to make better songs. I'm not happy unless I'm working on something. I like collaborations, but I feel that art is a solo venture. I don't like products made by committees. A song is my three minutes, my chance to express an idea as clearly and originally as I can muster.

More information about my recordings: www.jimsmart.net

C. TEACHING

1. Teacher of language arts - students are age 11 and 12
2. music lessons - guitar chords and strums

D. GOALS

I'd like to attend Ray Davies' songwriting course again to take my writing to the next level. I'd like to sharpen my skills, broaden my horizons, and be pushed into challenging situations where a lot is demanded of me artistically.

Jim Smart

Upcoming shows

Many people ask me "Where are you playing music next?"

Here are 3 very different options for supporting local music on some
upcoming Fridays:

1. Friday, January 20, 8:00 p.m. - The Daytrippers
Loud exciting rock music at a bar in Waikiki
Fox and Hounds, across from the Ilikai

2. Friday, February 3, 7:00 - 7:45 p.m. - PunaRock
Wannabe rock star teachers making fools of themselves on the Carnival stage
Featuring students and teachers of Punahou, and reaching its peak with Lon
Wysard's killer Elvis impersonation

3. Friday, February 10, 7:00 p.m. - Don't Panic
Quiet funny thoughtful acoustic music to mellow out to
in a Kaimuki coffee shop
Featuring the 2 Jims on guitar and percussion,
and Martha Lanzas and Kevin Craven on cello and violin
Coffee Talk, top of the hill in Kaimuki

I'm also recording an album of my own songs which I hope to have finished
before my 3 year old daughter grows up. More info at www.jimsmart.net

Mahalo,

Jim Smart

Logic on a laptop

Dudes,

I'm really enjoying the laptop method, though there are drawbacks. I deal with the limits of my CPU by freezing tracks, which has been working great. I put on tons of effects and things that make the computer work hard, then I freeze it, and it gives my CPU a rest. Without this feature, the song overwhelms the machine and stops working.

I was having a trouble with my keyboard instrument recordings overwhelming the CPU. I can't freeze the piano parts, etc. But I've found I can edit them and quantize them as instruments, and then convert them to audio files, which can be frozen and better managed.

The advantages of a laptop are very cool, though. I can record 3 takes of a vocal at home, and grab the computer and go. Then when I'm stuck at work or somewhere waiting to give my kids a ride or something, I take out the laptop anywhere I am and edit away. In other words, I don't need to be near my gear most of the time. I'm finding that about 25% of my time is spent performing and recording. The rest is fiddling, and the laptop is killer for doing that wherever my wife, um, my life sends me.

I have not gotten a replacement external hard drive. Comp USA screwed me over. They won't take the failed one back. Jerks. The internal drive is working so smoothly that I've decided to go with that for awhile. It helps me be portable, as mentioned above. This may be a huge mistake, but it seems fine for now. We'll see.

I have started to be more picky with my synchronization, and to notice variations from the Click and do something about them. I have learned to chop up the parts of my drummer's performance where small off the beat variations occur, and edit them so they sound smooth, and not chopped up. If you go to my latest mixes on http://jimsmart.blogspot.com/, and compare aMinor2 with aMinor3 (my latest version), you'll hear what I mean. I had to start over and used aMinor2 as a template. I had thought it was fine. But when I analyzed it with a loud, clear click, there were discrepencies that I'm figuring out how to overcome. aMinor3 is a pretty tight foundation to put solos and things over, I think. I've been microediting the performances to be "right there". It's fun, in an obsessive sort of way. I could never do it for other people's music, though. Maybe if the pay was good.

Halloween weekend

Been working on my new songs in between being a Halloween dad with a lot of yard work to do.

I love Logic Pro. I have my studio set up so that my key instruments are set up and ready to go. I had a chance to slap down a quick drum performance on 2 of my new tracks. The bass, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar are on stands, ready to play. The Roland keyboard is connected and set up right next to the desk, where one small Macintosh controls it all. Things are in place for me to strike while the iron is hot and get a capture a song idea very quickly.

The beauty of Logic Pro is how much I can change the sounds later. The Uncertainty Principle has a strange keyboard sound that I can easily change later. Life Is In A Minor has a quicky 2 track drum track that I will upgrade to a 4 mic performance later. I am happy with the kick drum sound I am getting. I can adjust and improve the drum mikes at my leisure, which is cool. Leaving everything set up is a major improvement over how I used to do it. I'm very lucky to have the space to do this.

You can hear these by clicking the "Latest mixes of new songs" link over on the right.

Geez, what a sad set of ballads. The Terrible Trio I vow to begin 3 more recordings that are peppy-er, with more pig and pepper.

At work on new album

I've been recording my new songs with Logic Pro and making "bounces" as I go. I'll be keeping my latest working versions of my songs in my public folder. I welcome any comments or reactions as this process continues. I'm having a blast with the seemingly infinite possibilities of Logic Pro. It's a bit like Alice's rabbit hole, where each window leads to hundreds of other windows, all of which can change the song. There are a million ways to do things, and I'm learning to control it to get what I want, which is to stay true to the song. I'm very happy creating and experimenting.

You should be able to access the songs here:

http://homepage.mac.com/jimsmart1/FileSharing43.html

Jim

Learning Logic 7

Dear John,

I have a new recording system that I need to learn: A Mac and Logic 7. I still plan to record mostly "real" instruments on my new songs. The main "artificial" sound I'll want at first is piano, and I'll explore the piano sounds that come with Logic 7 first.

The laptop is a bit of a disadvantage, but there are pros, too. I just learned that when you put the caps lock key down, your computer keyboard becomes a music keyboard. So if I was away from my Roland on the top of a mountain or just on a trip, I could still record ideas, with very little equipment (ie. one good mic, the M-Audio, and my laptop).

My hope is to master Logic 7, but then use it in a subversive, original way. I don't really want my stuff to sound like U2 or Green Day or other new stuff that I enjoy. I'd like it to be a bit old-timey and weird. Different. Have you heard the Decemberists? I'd rather sound somewhat like them, or the White Stripes, or Wilco, things which are not part of the pop universe of the latest wow.

My biggest thing is that I want to avoid letting the click or drum machine set the mood for my songs. The groove and feel needs to come from my basic performance on guitar or piano. It's very easy for me, or you or Simeon, to make up songs and chords to given beats or loops. It's easy for me to lose my focus that way, and make stuff that sounds like every other bedroom dreamer.

That thing you said about color coding so you could sort through many vocal performances was the perfect sort of tip that I'm sure to use. Not only with vocals, but with the live instruments my friends will play on my songs.

aloha,

Jim
http://familysmart.blogspot.com/

jimsmart.net

Hey,

Check out the new look at www.jimsmart.net!

The photo was taken by Sierra, age 3, at Camp Treetops in the Adirondacks.

Jim

Nine New songs

So I've written a bunch of songs this summer, and some of them are starting to take shape. I recorded the nine ripest ones recently just to see where I stand with them, just me and my acoustic guitar. There were one or two people listening at my studio "The Guitar and Pen", including Bob of the song "Hey Bob". If you wouldn't mind, give them a listen and let me know what you think.

You should be able to access the songs here:

http://homepage.mac.com/jimsmart1/FileSharing43.html

Here are some temporary working titles for the tunes:

01 Life is in A Minor
02 The Uncertainty Principle
03 Facing Dragons
04 Round Lake Round
05 You are my fantasy
06 Little Girl World
07 Find Your Own
08 Can't Stay Here
09 Good Morning Bootsy

My plan is to start learning a new recording system I just bought called Logic, which will take awhile, and get these songs into proper shape. I'd like to use some of the usual suspects on cello, steel, violin, and drums, and make another CD for the world to ignore.

Jim

all $ donated to red cross

Jim Smart -
Thank you for donating all future profits of your CD to the American Red
Cross.

I'll send you an email at the beginning of each month, as I donate
your payment to them.

That email (and your CD Baby login area) will include the details
you'll need for your records.

EMAIL YOUR FRIENDS/FANS/EMAIL-LIST and tell them about this great way
to not just donate money to the red cross, but actually get your CDs
sent to them because of it!

Just send them to your CD Baby page:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/smart

new songs

Working at Camp Treetops is great for my songwriting. I'm able to seize ideas as they occur. I have a little microphone for my iPod which helps me capture songs in a relaxed way.

Yesterday I wrote two songs. I remember a day like that last summer. I feel that I am just getting into the groove for this year's songs. The songs I wrote at the start of the summer were just warm ups. Now it's starting to flow.

Last night I was singing songs in a little rowboat on the lake, and I started making something up. I made a recording of it out in the middle of the lake, with the sounds of camp all around me. Later I had "Late Late" duty, and I added some lyrics while sitting by the fire. Easy. The boat kept spinning around, since I wasn't steering while strumming. So the lyrics are about revolving, and the sunset, and how the sunset makes me aware of the spinning of the earth.

I had started the day writing a love song, which is always a bit tricky. It may be too sexy. It's a cross between John Lennon and Jack Johnson. It's got a nice contrast between two very different parts.

We'll see what today brings.

Jim

new songs

So I'm holed up at Camp Treetops again, and the songs have started coming. This is a very different batch from the nature/moment songs of Mist. I've been toying with the various kinds of realities and fantasies in our world, and how they intertwine and affect what people do.

The first song is called "Life is in A minor". It's a weird bit of wordplay, being in A minor, of course. But it kind of sets the tone for all the songs. Maybe. Can't say for sure, since only about a half dozen are built so far. I guess the idea of the song is that if life is dragging you down, a fantasy can be really useful.

Two of my favorite new songs have a political flavor, which is something to be careful with. Starting lines of one:

"Betty married Jane
which drove the white Christian Congressman insane
and so they can't stay here anymore"

I had no intention of what to write about with that one, it just sort of poured out, tales about leaving, hitting the road, maybe leaving the country. I have no intention of leaving America, but it's fun to fantasize about it in a song.

The other one is a sad ballad about being caught in the current religious wars, which leads to "now you're going to stick Big Brother in my face". These songs have sweet melodies, and I doubt most listeners will pick up on the underlying messages unless they try hard.

I've been writing ideas and lyrics in a small purple journal with a feminine sun on the cover. It's been a handy companion as I enjoy the days working and playing at Camp Treetops in the Adirondacks. None of the songs seem to be about my current surroundings, though.

Here's a couple of other titles, just to show where this fantasy theme is taking me:

Facing Dragons
When the Princess Leaves the Castle

I plan to keep grinding out songs. When I get back to Honolulu, I'll record them all in demo form, and begin recording whichever one is the most exciting/interesting to me. I anticipate that at least half of them will never make it beyond that stage. Editing is important, and tossing songs leads to better albums.

I'll use a similar technique with the musicians. I'll give them all the demos, and when they come by to record some music, I'll let them choose which one to work on first, and second. In this way, they only add parts to songs that they are interested in or have a good idea for.

Much later, I'll edit and combine their performances. I'd like to use Speedy's slide guitar again, as well as the Don't Panic string section. Also, a friend and camp named Nell is awesome on the bass trombone and African percussion. I hope she'll visit Hawaii and add some ideas.

love and peace,

Jim

Sherwin's Folly gig

Sherwin's Folly gig
Originally uploaded by jimsmart.

Jim Smart at the iTunes music store....and others!

Searching for "Jim Smart" at various on line music services should take you to the songs from Mist.

Here's a list of the services added so far:

Apple iTunes
March 23, 2005

MusicMatch
May 4, 2005

Bitmunk
May 10, 2005

MP3tunes
May 26, 2005

Rhapsody
May 31, 2005

MusicNet
June 6, 2005

LoudEye
June 6, 2005

MusicNow
June 6, 2005

MSN Music
June 7, 2005

NetMusic
June 8, 2005

Sony Connect
June 8, 2005

Ruckus
June 9, 2005

BuyMusic
June 21, 2005

MOLOKAI 05

MOLOKAI 05 - 17
Originally uploaded by jimsmart.

Interview with Silver Moon

Jim Smart has appeared on a couple of previous Medicine Park releases. In fact, I liked the lyrical vibe of one song so much that I wound up titling the entire project based upon the song. His new MIST CD is a strong step forward with it's raw natural sound and evocative lyrical tone.

A few years back you attended a songwriting workshop conducted by one of the greatest songwriters of them all, Mr. Ray Davies. Can you tell me a little bit about that expereince? What was the most important or interesting thing you learned?

I admire Ray Davies more than other writers, so it was a dream to spend a week at a writer's retreat with him in charge. Not only is he tops at writing, performing, strumming, singing, speaking, and arranging, but he's aslo a fabulous teacher. He had us writing one or two songs per day; the pace was frantic, and we pulled a lot of good stuff out of ourselves. I wrote 5 or 6 songs worth keeping, which would normally take me half a year to create. I remember being completely jet lagged, as I'd flown to England from Hawaii. I don't think I slept the whole time. Highlights included hanging out making sandwiches with Ray Davies, having Ray Davies buy me beer and tell me my song had a great riff, and generally basking in his Rayness. I also learned a lot about myself and the craft of songwriting.

I really enjoy the sound texture you created on MIST. The mixture of those earthy acoustic instruments with a dash of electronica seems to produce a vibrant sheen of sound. Care to share any of the technical aspects of your recording process?

Well, first, I listened to a lot of Wilco, and it shows. I love what those guys do, and what they don't do. Because they can sound any way they want. I like the odd noises they add, and the easy paths they don't take. I knew I wanted to make interesting textures like that. It was very deliberate. No drum machines, synthesizers, and conventional guitar solos. I wanted it to sound earthy, like a circle of friends fiddling with old instruments around a fire. I also took my time as I tried different combinations. It took awhile to understand that the cello and steel guitar my friends played on First Class were all the song needed. The hardest songs to get right were Storm Is Over and This. I had them mostly recorded, with final drums and vocals and everything for several months. I kept changing the combination of guitars and keyboards until I was satisfied. Both of those songs have 15 or 20 performances on various instruments that were not included in the final mix.

You mentioned that you felt like your lyric writing matured on this release. It seems like all the songs come together quite well as a unified philosophical statement and one that I can relate to and find quite comforting.

Well, I can hear that too, but it's not deliberate. My songs are about small moments now. I'm certainly not trying to lay out a philosophy or anything, just make some small point or take time to notice details. The lyrics, or at least the main idea, often were written first as a collection of notes and thoughts in my journal. I was walking around all summer with a guitar at a camp in the Adirondacks with a lot of pianos everywhere. That meant that I was making up tunes all the time. The new thing for me was to stop and connect new musical ideas I liked to ideas already in my journal. I tend to overwrite, meaning I'll write seven verses and only keep two. I also tried to never stick to a traditional structure, like 3 verses, 3 choruses, and a bridge. If a lyric wanted to go someplace, I let it.

How do you go about writing songs?

Every way I can. I sit at a piano and just make stuff up. I remember one piano at camp where the morning sun was beating on my face so brightly that I had to close my eyes. I got in this mental zone where the tune Reach For The Sky just came out of my fingers. I was playing it over and over, partly to remember it for later, and partly just to hold onto that bliss. I also wanted to make shorter songs, and cut out all the big middle bits and instrumental moments, and just end that damn thing under three minutes. All of my favorite songs are under three minutes, so why should mine go on and on? I make up music any time I touch an instrument, but I have to make an effort to remember it and turn it into a song. In the summer of 2004, I got in a real groove there, recording little demos as soon as I got ideas I liked.

The overall impact of MIST is one of a complete artistic statement. You created some very colorful artwork for the cover and the songs are filled with poetic imagery.

Thanks, that's what I tried to do. I think some people are put off by the bright colors and the "demo" qualityof the songs. They don't think it counts unless a big boardroom of corporate stiffs presents a polished product like an American Idol album. I tried to make something that is unashamedly home made in every way. I do think the artwork is a bit overwhelming. I think my next album's artwork will need to be very stark and plain. MIST is supposed to be something quite out of step with any modern trends. There were many songs that I rejected, or left for later, or abandoned along the way. They didn't fit, though I'd be hard pressed to explain why. I had an idea for what is and isn't MIST, but it's hard to put into words.

How long have you lived in Hawaii? You seem to be a man influenced and shaped by his surroundings and nature.

I moved here from California twenty years ago with my wife. Together we've carved out the life we want here in the islands. All three of our children were born in the same delivery room at Kaiser Permanente. We came to try Hawaii for six months and never left. Why would we? I surf several times a week, and my kids grow up close to nature. In California I lived by the beaches and the mountains. I'm not much for cities. When I visit cities, I'm always dressed wrong, catching the wrong train or getting ripped off in a misunderstanding with taxi drivers. Also, Hawaii suits my complete lack of fashion sense/

"Out Here" is a track that really jumps out at me. I love it! Can you tell me a little about the inspiration behind it?

Thanks, a lot of people like that one. It's so hard to pick a single, but that one seems to have gotten the most notice. Perhaps it can go on the next Silver Moon creation! "Out Here" is about the camp I worked at, but I tried to make it general enough to fit any situation where folks are away from the gadgets and props that they normally lean on. So if you're working in a field, or climbing a mountain, it doesn't matter how rich you are. What can you do, that's the question. The music is very outdoors, like a voice calling across some rolling fields or open ocean. It's not intimate. It's a loud declaration. Several of the songs stem from a back pack trip I did with several friends, during which time one person made all the conversations about his large pile of money and how he spends it. "First Class" is another.

What are you listening to these days? Reading? Watching?

Right now I'm listening to Mummer by XTC. I used to try to write like them, and make these huge, complex post-Beatle masterpieces. Now I'm more in pursuit of the Kinks and Wilco. Again, as much for what they don't do in their music as what they do. I've also been listening to a Beach Boys compilation of Pet Sounds / Smile stuff, the new soundtrack to Spamalot, Arabella by John and Laurie Stirratt, and Green Day's American Idiot. For MIST, I made a mix of songs for the musicians, just to show them the sort of sound I was after. That mix had Neil Young, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Muswell Hillbillies, Nick Drake, Tom Petty and the Band.

I'm reading a book by Kurt Vonnegut called Galapagos which is very intriguing. I'm a Douglas Adams fan and I enjoyed Jonathan Strange back when it came out. My favorite book is David Copperfield and I love The Cider House Rules a lot.

I'm a big fan of certain movies, but most of them are detestable. My two favorites are Citizen Kane and Brazil. I love anything by Terry Gilliam, and I'm spinning in a tizzy because he has two films coming out this year, after long years of hassles getting things off the ground. This is the year for Gilliam fans! I could never make movies, because it's too collaborative. I'd go insane waiting for certain deals to congeal, and there's too many egos and bosses to please. A song is something I can exert complete control over. But when it all comes together miraculously, like in Dr. Strangelove or A Very Long Engagement, movies are the most powerful art form. Like most people today, I'd rather buy a DVD than a CD.

So what's next for Jim Smart?

I have several albums in mind, and I plan to plug away at them patiently, and see what comes together. I'd like to do an album of surf instrumentals in the style of the Ventures, whom I admire a lot. I'd like my next solo album to be much more piano focused, and I'm toying with the idea of playing every instrument myself, though I love the work of my guests on MIST. I'd like to make an album of properly recorded original songs with my group Don't Panic that we could sell at our coffee gigs. And finally, I have an idea for a rock opera. It's a day in the life of a rock star as experienced by a working stiff like myself. It's sort of an answer to The Kinks Present A Soap Opera, where the rock star has to spend a day in the ordinary world. What if Norman lived a day as a rock star? Any or all of that may see the light of day somewhere down the road.

Thanks for talking.

mahalo,

Jim





Out Here

Out here your muscles
and your hands
are your status symbols
and possessions
Out here your riches
matter not
your connections are
disconnected
Out here your Hummer's
out of gas
Out here your cell phone
doesn't work
but you do
Out here your money is
no good
It's what you do, not
what you got

Simply fantastic!

I've known Jim Smart since his early days as a member of 3Tripper and this new cd is his best by far. The man can write a song and play those instruments. The alt-country-folk-experimental flavor of Mist is a new approach for Jim Smart, but it's clearly one that he's mastered and made his own. To say that Wilco should be a little jealous is not stretching things at all. By all means check this out and tell your friends about it too.

Reviewer: Mitch Friedman

Kinks Tribute show comments

On April 30 I arranged a gig in Boston, where I was attending a teacher conference. I set aside my own songs and played a two hour tribute to the Kinks. It was fun to dig into their catalog and have a chance to play for an appreciative audience. I had "met" some of the people before on the internet, but it was fun to create an excuse for folks, friends, and families to gather out of the Massachussetts rain for an afternoon of Kinks music. Here are some comments and impressions from the participants.


------------------------------

From: Cjamesmart1@aol.com
Date: Sun, 1 May 2005 20:59:14 EDT
Subject: Jim and The Bull

To All;

I just wanted to Thank Peter and Jim for a great Saturday afernoon.
Peter, as always was a kind and gracious host and Jim's show was
awesome.
I should start by saying this was a bare bones acoustic deal. Just a
guy
and his guitar.
That takes guts! Jim, I admire you for that.

Jim played a lot of great songs. Songs that we won't ever hear Ray or
Dave
play live. Songs that, if I could play the guitar, I would want to
play AND
want people to hear. It was a great mix spanning the many and varied
years of
our boys. I know somebody will post a set list but off of the top of
my head
some of my favorites were;
Supersonic Rocket Ship, a great version of You Make it All Worthwhile,
Sweet
Lady Genevieve, Groovy Movies (which I know of but never have
heard-loved
it), Scattered and many more that I can't think of right now.

Jim and Peter Thanks, again!! and Jim keep spreading the "good word"
of the
KINKS.
Chris

------------------------------

From: "Peter Bochner"
Subject: Jim Smart at the Sit n Bull
Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 07:33:34 -0400

Just a quick note of thanks to Jim Smart for playing the Sit n Bull on
Saturday. Jim, who said he wanted to do so just so he could entertain
and
meet some Boston-area Kinks fans, gave a bunch of us in the Boston area
an
opportunity to get together again and listen to some great Kinks songs
(36,
to be exact, by one fan's count!).

My personal highlight was getting to hear Animal Farm live for the
first
time in my life. And now, Groovy Movies has now been performed twice on
the
stage of the Bull.

Thanks again, Jim. It was great meeting and listening to you. (Also,
you now
have the honor of being the first performer my soon-to-be-four-year-old
daughter, Alexandra, has seen live.)

Peter Bochner
------------------------------

From: RandyRI@webtv.net (Randy RI)
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 20:43:16 -0400
Subject: Great Job, Jim Smart!

Great job, Jim on a very nice performance of great Kinks songs at the
Bull. Thank You (and Peter for letting him do it)!

~Randy~

------------------------------

From: "lew blatt"
Subject: To Jim Smart and Peter Bochner...Thank you for the Day !
Date: Sun, 1 May 2005 07:41:43 -0400

Peter hosted Jim, who turned a rainy Maynard, Massachusetts day into a
sunny
afternoon, at least inside the Sit N' Bull. Listening to the hits
emanating
from Jim's acoustic (on the very stage taken by Dave so many times),
seeing
the familiar faces at the tables, made for a wonderful break. Families
turned out with kids and kids mouthed lyrics, along with grups, to
songs,
proving once again that GOD HAS SAVED THE KinKs !

i raise my glass to Jim and Peter for making it happen again at the Sit
N
Bull !

lewelewe


------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 10:20:40 -0400
From: Joanne Corsano
Subject: Jim Smart at the Sit 'n Bull, April 30, 2005

It was a real treat to be at the Sit 'n Bull on Saturday, April 30 for
the Maynard debut of Jim Smart performing a set of Kinks songs,
accompanying himself on guitar, and on harmonica for a few songs. Jim
played with enthusiasm, delight and good humor, to an appreciative
audience full of familiar faces. He played a wide variety of songs,
mostly obscurities that only Kinks diehards like us would want to
hear, from all phases of the Kinks career -- even from the '90s
("Scattered"). The Arista period, the '60s, and the concept album era
were all generously represented. You'll never hear that set list
again, from any solo Kink or kombination of Kinks.

Jim played almost all of his printed set list and a few others that
weren't listed. He did a very unusual, and exceptionally good
"Oklahoma USA" in which he accompanied himself on his guitar with the
riff of "You Really Got Me." He did a weird medley of "Supersonic
Rocketship" with a few lines from "Ducks on the Wall" included -- thus
proving the two really *are* the same song. Jim played two songs from
'Preservation,' saying that he has the reputation on the digest as the
guy who doesn't like 'Preservation,' he did a lovely version of "You
Make It All Worthwhile," a song that is much improved without the
'Soap Opera' dialogue; he played "Hard Way," saying that as a teacher
he ought not to be saying things like this.

Jim started one or two songs with instrumental bits that sounded like
altogether different songs; a few notes of "Lola" led into a
completely different song (might have been "Waterloo Sunset"). So, one
could say he played even more than the 36 1/2 songs I'm giving him
credit for. I'm counting "Supersonic Ducks" -- as the medley was
listed on Jim's printed set list -- as 1.5 songs. The 36 1/2 song
total does include two song fragments, but they were enough to count.

Apparently some raving Dave fan had requested that Jim include some
Dave songs. Jim says Dave songs are hard to sing because Dave "sings
high, and has quite a range," but Jim, you done good. They were great
to hear, even "Strangers" with its dizzying vocal highs and lows.
After starting his mini-Dave set with "Death of a Clown," Jim segued
into "Can't Stop the Music" as a get-well wish to Dave, then played
"Strangers," and then he played "Groovy Movies." That one has never
been my favorite song of all time, but it is a lot of fun, and it
reminded me of the time a few years back at the Bull when Dave Davies
played that song. Later Jim played "Living on a Thin Line" and
"Susannah's Still Alive," the latter of which made me painfully
nostalgic for Dave. Any time any Kinks songs are played at the Sit 'n
Bull, Dave Davies is always there.

Jim instructed the audience to sing along in a couple of cases where
the extra vocal bits were necessary, especially on "Dead End Street";
he laughed at himself at the occasional wrong lyric, knowing the
audience would notice; he handled a broken guitar string early in his
set with aplomb; on "Susannah's Still Alive" he did the very Dave-like
thing of starting the song, getting it wrong from the start, stopping
after a few seconds, and starting it over again, getting it right on
the second try. This Rainy Day in April became a Sunny Afternoon when
Jim Smart played the Sit 'n Bull.

-Joanne

Set list:

This Is Where I Belong
Apeman
Life on the Road
Misfits
Sweet Lady Genevieve
Sitting in the Midday Sun
Supersonic Rocketship (with Ducks on the Wall)
Wonderboy
Animal Farm
Come Dancing
Twentieth Century Man
Oklahoma USA
Sitting in My Hotel
Dead End Street
Hard Way
Death of a Clown
You Can't Stop the Music
Strangers
Groovy Movies
Shangri-La
You Make It All Worthwhile
Better Things
Get Back in Line
Full Moon
Schooldays
Animal (one verse)
Scattered
Waterloo Sunset
Harry Rag
Live Life
Do It Again
Living on a Thin Line
Susannah's Still Alive
Days
See My Friends (one verse)
Autumn Almanac

------------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

I'd like to thank all of you who came out to the Bull
for the Kinks tribute. I had a blast squeezing those
songs out of my guitar.

It was great to meet and see everyone. What an honor
to play on the stage where Dave Davies has played so
many times; and to have my set list written into
Joanne's notepad, the same one she has written many
Ray and Dave set lists, is more than a simple teacher
from Honolulu deserves.

My dream is to do that someday at the Clisshold Arms
in London, perhaps with folks like Geoff Lewis and
Henny. This is a wild whim, but I've had all sorts of
wonderful things happen through the years thanks to
this digest. Walks around London with locals, hikes in
Scotland, band gigs in Worcester, getting Ray's
signature on my guitar, and especially going to the
Ray Davies songwriting course back in the nineties.

This is what I've learned: I can count on KPS people
to be kind, intelligent, interesting, and fun. Lots of
amazing things are possible. Thanks again to all of
you who came, and especiallly to Peter for setting it
up and letting me play on that stage.

Fun!

Jim


Listen my Kinklings and you shall hear
Of an afternoon of guitar and beer,
On the 30th of April, 2005;
Hopefully those who made the drive
Will fondly remember that day and year.

He said to his friend, "If I bring my guitar
By land or sea from Hawaii that night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the Sit-n-Bull Pub as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the Sit-N-Bull stage will be,
Ready to play and spread some good cheer
Songs and stories for Kinklings to hear."

So through the night played Jim's guitar;
And so through the night went the songs of the Kinks
To every Boston village green, methinks,---
A broken guitar string, but with courage, not fear,
A fix in the darkness, then back to sing more,
With words that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all the Kinks history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness, with Ray's wound and Dave's
stroke,
The KPS will waken and drive in a car
To gather and listen to that Hawaii Kinks bloke,
And the Davies-penned songs on Jim's guitar.

A thoughtful conversation with Alan of Scotland

Hi Alan,

Thanks for writing just the sort of note that makes art-making worthwhile. Detailed observations from a literate thinker/creator, a gift to my weekend. I'd be happy to keep this conversation going, if you like.

A few thoughts and replies:

> Huge thanks indeed for the cds, which I've
> distributed amongst the Beakers
> with one left over for the first deserving
> candidate!

May I suggest your brother, the one with the paintbrush? I've got 2 print outs of his work in my studio area: one of you with guitar, and one of Venice. It would be a small payback.

>They arrived on the
> first properly sunny day of the year (coincidence?
> I think not...) and I
> wasted no time in putting my copy on the stereo.
> The expectant grin which
> accompanies any new Jim recording slowly grew as the
> album progressed, and
> in no time I was grinning in delight - I think
> you've really nailed this
> one!

It does sound the way I wanted it to sound, and I had a clearer idea of that than I've ever had before. Probably my next album will have a different sound, and Mist may last as the album where it all came together.
>
> A few general thoughts - I think the sound you've
> achieved here is the most
> accomplished and consistent so far, and huge
> 3Tripper fan though I was, the
> step back from rock has provided a more considered
> and appropriate showcase
> for your work. I'm also very pleased to hear your
> voice upfront,
> un-double-tracked - as best I recall, only 'My
> Unfinished Novel' had really
> tried that before. Makes the whole thing more
> personal.

Yes, there were several changes I made as far as lead vocals:
1. Sing it all myself
2. Sing in a lower, more comfortable, gravelly register
3. Sing much more quietly; I'm not shouting over a great noise here.
4. Single track vocal - as you noticed
5. Way fewer harmonies and lush layers
6. Pronounce the words clearly

which leads to...

> Also, and hugely
> importantly, I love your lyrics here. I mean, I
> always love your lyrics,
> but there's a sense of lyrical freedom here which I
> can't help equating with
> the sense of your summer that I got from the e-mail
> updates. Obviously
> overtly on 'Out Here' (which, I think, sums up a lot
> of your attitudes to
> modern life in a simple, concise and totally
> convincing way) and 'Storm is
> Over,' but just generally, it's like you've given
> yourself breathing space
> and just said exactly what you want to say, which is
> inspiring.

Thanks for that. I can feel a change in my lyric writing approaches and abilities, but I would have a hard time putting my finger on it. Most of them were made at the same time as the music, which helps. Like the music, the artwork, and the instruments I chose, I would
1. experiment. Get it down on paper or tape or canvas or whatever
2. Quickly delete, without much worrying, anything I didn't like
3. Live with it a long time before deciding to keep it
4. Be patiently willing to do things over

So at the last stages, I would record a whole vocal over to change a small lyric. Choosing which instruments to put on a song was like that. Two songs in particular gave me a very hard time: "This" and "Storm is Over". I had tracks and tracks of various performances on those. I had all sorts of guitar sounds. I had a bunch of fruity lush orchestration and dreamy keyboards on Storm is Over, and it just didn't feel right. So there was a patience and determination there which served me well in the end. I used to feel that, to paraphrase the Pythons, "every sound is sacred". But now I do a lot of cutting and changing. I even cut a whole song, and had written several bits that didn't get developed for this project.

> Kudos to
> your musicians too, especially the strings, which
> add a gorgeous texture to
> the whole mix, and allow your skill with arrangement
> to really shine.

Thanks. I think they are great. I feel very lucky that good musicians are willing to play on my songs. They've made me more confident about my stuff, because these are folks who wouldn't waste their time on music they didn't like. One of the fundamental decisions I made was to use no machines. No synthesizers, drum machines, etc. Again, I think this served Mist well.
>
> Specifics, then: where to begin? Oh man, I've got
> it on right now, and Big
> Bad World's just come on, and I've just caught the
> 'Now watch this drive!'
> quote from Dubya for the first time!

I originally had a lot more Dubya on several songs, but I cut most of it. I am trying to avoid him, so I didn't want him on my album too much. One thing that worked well, but I cut, was in the fade out of First Class, I had him saying a line "This is an impressive crowd; the haves and the have mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base." It worked well, but I like it better without it.

> Then cut to
> 'Moon and stars, dogs and
> cars....' Absolutely fantastic! Your lyrics are
> just great, there are so
> many gems, like 'This is way too much human
> interaction for this time in the
> morning...' 'I work hard for an entire year to make
> what you spend on a
> bottle of wine...' 'Your hair smells nice...' Great
> stuff, and it really is
> the big broad sweep of the whole album that I love,
> it's got great shape to
> it and there just isn't any filler. None.

Thanks. I like those lyrics you mentioned. There's nothing earth shaking about them, but I think, like the whole project, they just feel "real" in a way that I've not achieved before.

>I've got
> to talk about the last
> triptych, though, from the ukelele intro of 'This'
> to the ukelele outro of
> 'Van Gogh Stripes' (was that deliberate?).

Well, I fiddled a lot with the order of the songs. For a long time I was going to start the album with a fading in ukulele. Then, when the disc ends, it would kind of circle back to the beginning. And I think "This" was going to be the first song, for awhile. I'm not sure. I always knew that Van Gogh Stripes would be the last song. It's kind of like the songs are a bit dark in places, and the jury's still out on whether it's thumbs up or thumbs down on all these topics, but Van Gogh Stripes has the kind of thumbs up acceptance that I wanted for an ending.

No two songs have the same instrumentation, and no musician other than myself played on all 11 songs, but there's a continuity there, and a deliberate rough-demo quality, that I'm proud of achieving.

I didn't really think of those three as a set, but I thought they flowed well together. There is a little bit of a day in the life quality to the organization, starting with coffee and ending with a campfire/sunset. In between, I tried to lump my "richness/work" songs into a flow that made sense.

I recorded a new version of my old song Mister, and I was going to end with some slide guitar which matched the start of Many Miles. So there's these old ideas, some of which are there on the final thing, some of which aren't. I'm sort of glad it isn't too organized, like a concept album. Just a collection of songs that hopefully hangs together well.

> You just
> sound like a guy at the
> top of his game, and the fact that this came after a
> period of relatively
> low output is particularly hopeful for me (I'm still
> struggling with a bit
> of a block...). Och, it's great, great stuff, wit,
> wisdom, reflection,
> sunny sadness and rainy joy, and to end with such an
> absolute corker - Van
> Gogh Stripes might be my favourite JS number to
> date, a totally reassuring
> piece of accoustic loveliness, but also fun, jaunty
> - so easy to lapse into
> melancholy with accoustic music, and you just plain
> don't do that. So,
> congatulations on a brilliant album, and though of
> course nothing as
> unseemly as competition has ever entered our
> sporadic musical dialogue, I
> feel rather obliged to raise my game considerably
> now! I hope this one gets
> you some attention, because it deserves it.
> Actually, I've been seized with the urge to do some
> recording now! Keep in
> touch, and thanks again for a completely pleasurable
> musical trip!
>
> See you,
> Alan
>

I love it when someone's art inspires me to "get to it". So if my album has that effect on others, I'll be pleased indeed. Say hi to the Beaker People, and to your parents. I'd love to bring my family your way someday. After all, they are Scottish, but I'm not - I just love the place.

aloha,

Jim

"Van Gogh Stripes" - comments and impressions from afar

Here are some comments from Tish Eaton of Oregon:

> HI Jim.....hey your Mist CD is so good. I
> especially like Out Here, This, Reach for the Sky
> and the Van Gogh Stripes is my favorite. I can just
> see you all sitting along the beach looking at the
> water. very beautiful.....thanks for sending it to
> me.


Here are some specific comments from other artists on a site called Garageband.com. They tend to be in a rush to write a quick review, because they need to review a lot of songs before their songs can enter the site. This works against the nature of the song in question, "Van Gogh Stripes", which is a relaxed piece which unfolds slowly. But these are strangers giving honest reactions.

Nice easy feel
Nice little song. I like the lyrics and the laid back feel. might be the MP3 quality but the guitar/mandolin is a bit too jangly for my taste.

Violin is a nice touch...could use some cello to balance the trebly overall feel of the mix.
- emschlein from Tampa, Florida on 31Mar2005


Van Gogh in song!!
The musicianship is outstanding!! This ones definately going in my playlist..I wanted to call up all my old hippie girlfriends and dance around in circles with them to this tune..I cant say enough about the production and professionalism in the structure and execution...great song!!
- Exit93 from Dobson, North Carolina on 30Mar2005


strings
very nice intro, it makes me want to listen to the entire thing already. Guitars are very clean, and smooth. I have trouble with the mood, hard telling with the violen, and harmonica. The guitar progressions were very tight and clear. the main problem was the song was not very engaging for much more then the intro. i started to lose interest afterwards. the harmonica is a nice touch, but sometimes clashes with the guitar melodies, and i love the guitars in this song.
But...very FULL with no drums!
- DickJuice from Searsport, Maine on 27Mar2005


Layed back
I love the easy going mood. The guitars make a great intro. However, I feel that that almost sound too busy. The overall mix improves when the the violin comes in toward the end though. Overall this is well a well arranged song that I could listen to again.
- nsamulak from Detroit, Michigan on 24Mar2005


Folky!
cat stevens?sounds ok.Sounds abit jumbled.Vocals are decent.Music seems lacking enegry.Recording isnt great.Ok i guess not jumping out at me..not making me puke either
- bobdavid2000 from Algood, Tennessee on 22Mar2005


good and bad
re mix, bring the voice more up front, the guitars over power the song. there is so much great stuff happening in this song, for example i think i love the lyrics but i only heard 50 per cent of them this is a wonderful song, i'm going to rate it high because, well, make it better
- rdash51 from Alberta, Canada on 20Mar2005

more nice comments from Olga

I first met Jim and Mitch on a songwriting course in March 1998 and
look
forward to enjoying any new work they produce (I am sure they would do
the
same for me if I could get my act together! LOL!) Anyway, neither of
them
has asked me to come on here and commend their latest offerings, but
believe
me, you'll be missing something if you don't get these two albums.
Immediately! At once!

I found "Mist" very country flavoured with guitar, steel guitar and
violin,
but also cropping up in some of the songs are the ukelele (befitting a
composer who lives in Hawaii), and cello and sax! (Yes! Safe sax!!). I
find
every song quite delightful in its own right/write and it is very
difficult
to single any one of them out - but maybe, for the moment "First Class"
a
wistfully, pissed-off song about a mega rich girlfriend, "Big Bad
World" a
very 20s type ditty and "Van Gogh Stripes" are my favourites. There's a
lot
of interesting imagery in the songs., and believe me, this album will
make
you feel as good as the Hawaiian sunshine!

Jim's also done all the Van-Goghian artwork for the cover of the cd.

conversations with listeners - end of March

Here's a conversation I had with my Scottish friend Ian:

Hi Ian,

I'm glad Alan got you a CD. I like to think of it being played around Aberdeen Scotland. It's a good feeling.

> Got your CD downloaded from uni and then Alan
> presented me with a physical
> copy. All I can say is FANTASTIC! It's such a cheery
> and breezy sounding
> album it's even changed the weather here in
> Scotland!

I had no idea I had such power. The Norse gods must be jealous of me. I was worried that it was too downbeat. It's good to hear words like "cheery" and "breezy", because I think that's what I am, though I do like dark music and art. Also, there's no question that weather is one of the themes woven into the thing.

>Definitely your best
> work to date, the lyrics have a wry humour esp.
> Uncle Fred, Van Gogh Stripes
> and Big Bad World.

Thanks, I like those too. I think Uncle Fred is funny. You should check out his (Fred Voss) poems - they are amazing. I'll send you one of his books someday.

Van Gogh Stripes was meant to be my mid life crisis song, but it turned out to be a sweet little portrait of a pleasant moment. I think I kept it simple, which worked well. I've had that tune for a long time, and it used to have more parts, more chords, more more more. Now it's nice and listenable, and it symbolizes my new outlook on songwriting.

>My favourite song is definitely
> Big Bad World - I just
> love the breeziness of it contrasted by the serious
> message underneath. A
> father hiding the troubles of the world from his
> daughter. I can relate!

Yes, that's it exactly. I wrote the tune in Europe, and then I just sang it to my daughter every night for a year. The lyrics emerged very slowly, until they were polished like a stone. It's just images from the final nighttime walk I take with her, combined with my fears of what the world will do to her. There's a rather obvious reference to the Big Bad Wolf, of course.

I suspect that you like the bells and xylophones and things. I do too. I got some amateur percussion from my school's music teacher and just fiddled with it. I spent a lot of time removing layers and tracks. What's there is what I liked after many trials and errors.

>The
> artwork tops off the CD and I have to ask - was the
> guitar done with
> photoshop jiggery pokery or is it really painted
> like that? If not, it
> should be!!

It's a real working guitar which I still play. Check out a better picture of it at:

http://homepage.mac.com/jimsmart1/JimSmart/art.jimsmart.html

>
> You've also spurred me on to finally finish my
> "demo" mix of the new CD. Got
> to give it a month or so of space and then come back
> to it for tweaks but
> the response from pre-listeners has been pretty
> favourable. So far anyway!

I'll look forward to it. I like demos. I made MiST have a certain demo quality on purpose. It's much less boring than going for a pro radio sound that I'm never going to achieve at home anyway.
>
> Gotta run, Mia has learnt to roll over this past
> week so I'll have to keep
> an eye on her or she'll be out of the door and down
> the road! There's a song
> in that I'm sure...
>
> All the best
> Ian


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Here's another one. This is my English friend Olga,
who was in the Ray Davies songwriting course with me.

Hi Olga,

I hope all is well with you.
>
> I am really impressed by latest oeuvre. i like
> hearing the different instruments which you have
> used,and which, to me, heighten the listening
> experience. I like the re-working of Big Bad World.
> (Yes, I did realise you had an earlier version of
> it!!)

It used to be a breezy little Austrian instrumental
thing. Oh, and I made an attempt at it with Don't
Panic before I really had it down. It's quite a hard
song to perform, actually.
>
> There's lots of different styles, but there is still
> a sort of clanky Country rock/folky feel in most of
> the songs which unite them all. Is that *wine
> glass* on First Class? What a wistful song that is.
> Reminds me for some reason, of The Kinks Bernadette
> (although that is an angry song) and End of the
> Season.

Wow, I like those comparisons. I worry sometimes that
it's too mean. But I like the weird combination of
cello and steel guitar, along with the bits of
percussion I added from the music teacher's amateur
collection here at school.

And YES, that is a wine glass! Congratulations! You
are the first one to notice that!

Maybe it's more like Fancy than any other Kinks song.
>
> Yes, the album is slightly reminiscent of Muswell
> Hillbillies - although I suppose its because of the
> country/folky feel rather than the songs. hmm, mind
> you the opening for Many Miles Away..........

Yes, that's me learning to play steel guitar. My
friend is an expert, and he played the stuff on One
More, First Class, and This. But Many Miles Away is
all me.
>
> ooh I love that violin, and the piano and cello and
> the SAX! Do I hear mandolin? Vibes? And there's a
> uke. Don't nuke the uke!

Never! There's no mandolin, but I've just acquired
one, so there'll be some in the future. My friends are
great musicians and I'm learning how to use them
effectively on my songs. I also had a rather prolific
burst of songwriting last summer, and who knows when
or if that'll be repeated.
>
> Out Here is a very sing-along song and should be a
> standard for all outdoor gatherings!

Thanks, that's a favorite of some other folks. It's
sort of a rallying piece. It's meant to be called out
loudly over open fields or a barren lake or something.
>
> I think it's a brilliant album and well done for the
> complete conception of it and congrats to all who
> worked on it!
>
> love
> Olga xx

Thanks!

Jim