This definitely one of those weeks that I’m testing what incredible hard labor, sleep deprivation and writing and recording music can do to the body. So far so good actually. It’s usually the first few minutes waking up and then around 2:30 when I hit my first wall. Music definitely helps especially stuff that’s up tempo. Jane Austen’s “Emma” on audiobook does not get you going however, I’ve found that out all week.
Today’s song is a little latin instrumental I put together to help with a future second wind I (or hopefully other people too) may need in the future.
June is popping in a little funky. I don’t know where this one came from but I kind of like it. It kind of takes me back to my ‘Dre Days’ producing rap music in Athens, Georgia. It’s funny I never really rapped ever even though I could have. I actually feel kind of confident doing it now. Probably because I can do anything to fill my song a day option and blame it on that. I do seem to inflect a Doctor Dre type style to my raps however. My calling card back in the day was that I always had an upright piano to add to the beat to give it a really signature sound. This is all Korg Triton on this one though.
It’s election day today. Primaries. My dad is running for NC House and is in a tough primary. I can’t help much because I’m doing the recycling route.
I guess with all the crazy news and stuff, I composed today’s instrumental. It’s kind of spy movie theme style. I love making songs on the Triton (my keyboard). Thanks for listening!
Today I got inspired to go back and do some beats like I used to do down in Georgia for the different rap crews I worked with. Believe it or not I was an integral part of the rap music scene in the Athens/Atlanta area for several year. You can even read an article published about me and my rap game in a magazine article archived at chriscates.com.
I miss working with talented folks like Kenya Bloodsaw, Patrick Mattox, Rico Davenport, Ceasar Hudson, Eugene Willis and all the other folks. Maybe this is a funky tribute to them.
Chris Cates's highlights from January and February 2010
Start your ‘365 Songs for 2010’ collection with Vol. 1
Today was a busy start to the work week. I’m sore already but that means we got a lot of stuff recycled.
Speaking of recycling, the sequence of this song was something that was made on my Triton some time in the last few years. I happened to hear it and decided to take it in a different direction. This used to be the way that I’d demo all of my songs. I was more comfortable playing keyboard drums. Now you can’t keep me off the real drums. That’s why I made a concerted effort to do a song like this today.
This is my tribute to those long-lost guitar days. Not particularly what I feel in real life but it paints a funny picture.
Welcome to Chris Cates.com. I'm an old school independent artist with lots of albums, songs, solar panels etc. This site tries to encapsulate what it is I've been doing since I played my first professional gig at 13. I post a song of the day occasionally from my somewhat excessive original song catalogue and I'm constantly recording new material when I'm not building solar farms, trying to play golf or tennis or taking care of my new twin girls.
Chris Cates .com 