Blood From a Stone

I write songs.
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I haven't been writing them for long (just over a year), so I haven't completed that many – about 30 to 40, depending on your definition of 'complete'. On top of that, I’ve come to it later in life. (Let's just say that my years of teenage angst are some way behind me.)
But here's the thing: I'm loving it. Maybe it's an outlet for my hitherto stifled creative side. Or perhaps it's just nice to be back on the steep part of the learning curve. Either way, I find myself increasingly fascinated not just by the songs – the lyrics, the melodies – but also by the process of songwriting.

Where, for instance, does inspiration come from? Why do some songs work, while others don't? How is it that some lyrics move you to tears, when others just grate on your nerves?
I find I listen to music differently now, and perceive hitherto unnoticed (at least by me!) layers of depth and meaning. Even my faves are subjected to a heightened level of scrutiny, with some failing to make the cut (the emperor is naked, after all!), while others are appreciated more fully.

So, what to do with these newfound insights? You probably know where this is going...
I'm don't intend to write an instructional blog: I'll leave that to those that are more accomplished and experienced. After all, there are plenty of highly informative songwriting blogs out there.

But I’d like to share my observations on the songwriting process: its joys and frustrations, and perhaps also its quirky and humorous side. I'll be documenting my own creative journey and looking at other artists’ work, picking out what I perceive to be the good, the bad, the inexplicable, the ethereal and the perhaps all too bloody obvious.

It will be good to get it all off my chest (or out of my head at least) and I hope my observations will be interesting to others, perhaps giving some of my fellow aspiring songwriters the comfort of knowing that they’re not alone...

So, whether you’re interested in songwriting, in the creative process generally or in the ups and downs of a wannabe songwriter, I hope you’ll have a read, and perhaps even subscribe to my blog and follow me on my musical journey.
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Teddy Garcia