The very reason The Cavan Project started was original songs. Back in 2011 I finally, after years of writing and recording random snippets of songs, spent a month or so recording 10 tracks. Listening back to them now… Read More
With a personal love of wine and music, creating a list of musicians who own wineries has been a long time coming! Some of these may be hard to track down, but keep an eye at your local… Read More
Now this isn’t an original idea, but this DIY pick holder is pretty cool. I originally saw it on YouTube then went about making my own. A couple of bits of wood (I used some 30mm by 18mm… Read More
This month, the 81st month of the original-song-a-month project, is a bit different. It’s not unusual that the song itself is not really finished in a way I’d like – in fact I think it need the band… Read More
I go to a lot of different guitar websites in my relentless pursuit of information (don’t we all!), and not long ago while probably searching for something about “tone” I came across perhaps the most important piece of… Read More
Month 80 of original song-a-month project and a song that had to be squeezed out at the last moment! The Deed is an idea that’s been floating around for a while, but never brought to life. Recently I’ve… Read More
The time signature for almost all pop/rock songs is 4/4 but there are some interesting unusual time signatures used in great songs. As a songwriter I tend to write in 4/4 just because it works in my head,… Read More
Just a quick post to show a recent build: a DIY microphone stand. I wanted to keep the various mics I have close at hand when recording, but rather than tuck them away I figured they needed a… Read More
Month 79 of original song-a-month project and a song that’s been through the Magnificent Companeros production process before arriving here! Dreams is one of those songs that started as a simple set of lyrics and a chord progression,… Read More
Month 78 of the original song a month project. The Woman Who Froze In Fargo is another magazine article based song – a young Japanese girl who thought the movie Fargo was a true story and ended up… Read More
We came, we saw, we played! A great night for the first Magnificent Companeros gig and we’re very happy with how it went. It was a great feeling to actually perform so many songs that started out here… Read More
Not exactly something new, but something I only recently came across. Brass Against are a NYC-based brass band playing protest songs and other hip hop anthems. While the name suggests they’re a Rage Against The Machine cover band,… Read More
Month number 77 of the song-a-month project, and it’s been a tough one given my musical energies have all been around getting ready for The Magnificent Companeros gig we did on May 24 (which went very well, thank… Read More
As is often the way, when I start wanting to research a subject for my own interest it turns into a list! I’ve been looking at amp in a box effects for a while now as both a… Read More
Month 76 of original song a month project and a song I quite like! In fact, having only written it last week it has already found its way into the setlist for the first Magnificent Compañeros gig at… Read More
Perhaps the strangest list I’ve done is this one: 12 versions of The Saints’ classic song, Know Your Product. It comes about as I’ve been assisting the preparations for the recording of a The Aints gig. The Aints… Read More
Month 75 of original song a month exploits! It’s been a challenging month on the music side of things as we start preparing for the first Magnificent Compañeros gig. Spending time relearning the old songs doesn’t leave a… Read More
It’s one thing to be able to listen to songs, it’s another to have a video alongside them! Here’s the clip that Will has prepared as the Trip Around The Sun video. Finally The Magnificent Compañeros are on… Read More
I came across my first Garren Lazar Peanuts remix the other day being shared on Facebook. The initial one I saw was the Peanuts gang doing Free Bird – a masterful mixing of the epic Lynyrd Skynyrd track… Read More
Okay, so this track has been around a while – and even featured on X Factor Australia in 2016 – but it somehow passed me by. That was until my good wife shared it with me. This version… Read More
Month 74 of the song-a-month project has landed, and All Wrong is something I really like. That said, it’s a fair way off the kind of sound I was hoping for, which is mostly a reflection of my… Read More
And so we begin the seventh year of song-a-month exploits! Month 73 is a little different but I figure I’ve earned the right to bend the rules a little! This month there have actually been two full-blown songs… Read More
I’m a fan of the “millstap” YouTube channel, and I’ve been intrigued by the fact he uses an amp screen in front of some of his amps. They apparently control the projected volume a bit, but also make… Read More
Sure, an outrageous claim – but it has to be close! I wanted a small and cheap DIY guitar stand to use at rehearsal, something solid but not industrial strength. I also wanted a small footprint as I… Read More
Month 72 of the original song a month project – six good years since it started out as a simple new year’s resolution. Bits of You Can’t Pretend have floated around for the past 18 months but it… Read More
Month 71 of the original song a month project. Don’t Give Up The Chase was an exercise in a different approach to lyrics with much shorter verses as I know I can end up very wordy. It had… Read More