One Man. One Voice. One Year. 

It has begun.  The first video has been posted and that version of "Beauty of Our Lives" is available on your favorite music service.

I've committed to doing at least one video a year; first one went live on 3/29/20.  The plan is to have something up no later than 11:59p every Sunday for 52 weeks.  I expect to slide in additional videos during the week from to time, but first I want to have a buffer of material ready to go, just in case something happens.  

You know.  Like I catch covid-19 and die.  Or something.

Yeah, I still think this whole thing is overblown, but I'm CLEARLY in the minority, and that's fine.  I'm used to it.  I've said (on FB, I think) we're two or three steps away from looting and rioting in the street - now I'd say one or two steps.  The governor of AZ has issued a stay at home order, but it doesn't have any real teeth.  I don't see any language about penalties, and it says "No person shall be required to provide documentation or proof of their activities to justify their activities under this order."

So, I'm being told to stay at home except for when I have to conduct essential activities.  But if I don't, there's no penalty, and no one legally ask me to prove why I'm out.

That's ok by me.  At least no one will ask to see my papers.  We ain't the former East Germany yet.  

Work continues on my book.  I have four chapters done, and I'm going to work on chapter five after I post this. 

Stay healthy and safe. 

Nope.   

Don’t wanna do it. 

Don’t wanna talk about COVID-19 or the possibility that our Constitutional rights may be in jeopardy.  So I’m just going to move on to something positive. 

One Man. One Voice. One Year. has begun.  I technically have two videos just about ready to go, and the audio for one is already available on at least three streaming services.  Oddly enough, it’s the second song I submitted to Distrokid. I have no idea why it somehow got out ahead of the first song, but I’m not going to sweat it.  I’ve decided I want to have a buffer of sorts. I intend to release one video and song a week, but considering I have very little control over when the songs are actually available for purchase or streaming, I want to have two or three on standby.  There’s also a chance I may do more than one a week. 

It’s interesting to watch myself on video.  It makes me more aware of how I look when I perform - and it is a performance, right?  I can’t just sit there and look like some kind of robot; there has to be facial expression and some body language.  While I haven’t discarded any takes based solely on video presentation, I can see where I might.   

The first song will be “Beauty of Our LIves” which was part of Twenty Aught Eight and was originally released on 3/24/08.  I’ve always loved the song, and I really like the new version.   

Second will be “Talk is Cheap.”  The original version just came out on “Words, Music, and Pain.” I intend to include an arrangement like the one you’ll see soon on the album, but I decided the recording could be better.   

Third will be “One Last Time,” which was part of “Here I Stand” in 2004, and redone for “My Blues” in 2007.  I consider this one of my signature songs, and it will probably always be part of my repertoire.   

After that?  I don’t know.  It’s not like I have a shortage of material.  I do have a list of songs I want to relearn before I start gigging again; that will probably be my guide.     

I've also started the audio for my book. Two chapters are done. 

That’s it for now. Be good, stay healthy, safe, and be kind to others during this difficult time. 

The coronavirus has accomplished what terrorists couldn’t. 

Think about that for a second. 

As I type this, the San Francisco area has a “shelter in place” order. 

Businesses are shutting down.  Sports leagues are ending their seasons.  Disneyland is closed. Artistic performances of all kinds are being cancelled or postponed.  Toilet paper - fucking TOILET PAPER - is being hoarded (I truly don’t understand why).   

All of these things are unprecedented in my lifetime.   

I wonder how much of the hysteria and the reaction of people in general and our various governments has been affected by the news cycle and the instant connection to information provided by the internet.  If the same disease popped up 10 years ago, would we have the same reaction? What about 20 years ago? 30? 40? 50? I highly doubt it. And I don’t know if that’s good or bad. 

I do know this whole thing feels overblown to me.  The only thing that gives me pause is the fact (?) that one can carry the virus, show no symptoms, and pass it along to others.  If true, that almost makes this whole mess seem reasonable.  

Almost. 

I had another thought about this whole thing.   

If one believes, as I do, that the truly elite (the most wealthy) in this world run it, then one must assume they have a way to control the masses.  Religion used to be a huge go to. Television has been. Printed words before that. Internet now; social media and engineering. Some of these tools were once thought to help free us from tyranny, and in some ways, they still do.   

But I don’t think anyone can reasonably deny the negative effect the internet can have, especially social media.  It gives the worst of us - and the worst in us - a voice, but at this point, it’s a bit like throwing a grain of sand in the desert.  Everyone has a voice, so in some ways, no one does.   

However, most of us access it regularly for various reasons.   

Whoever controls information potentially controls reality.  

What if - just, what if - all of this is an exercise to see how the public responds?  Or to see how easily we submit to orders which completely ignore or curtail our basic freedoms?  I’m not saying this is the case, nor am I saying no one is getting sick.   

But, the conspiracy theorist in me wonders.  My suspicious nature allows the question to rise in my mind.   

Does that even matter? 

Not really.  It’s not like I’m going to openly defy the government unless I have some need I consider urgent.  It’s not like I’m going to fight against something that seems to be in the public health’s best interest.   

And I’m not going to go down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories; I’m sure they’re blossoming.  

And yet, I can’t help but wonder what’s really happening.  I suppose it could be exactly as it appears, in which case, we’re gearing up for interesting times.   

But still...the most binding chains are the ones we don’t even know exist.  

Yeah, yeah. I’m full of shit.   

On to brighter topics.  Words, Music, and Pain is out and available wherever you stream or download music.   

My next musical project will be called “One Man. One Voice. One Year.”  I’ll post a video where I perform a song by myself every week for a year.  I’ll be doing mostly my own material, though a few cover tunes may sneak in there.  I suspect I’ll post my first video this Sunday 3/22/20, but I may wait until 3/29/20.  I’ll make that decision soon.   

I’m also going to start the audio for my book this week.  I have no idea how long it will take, but it needs to get done.   

That’s it for now.  Be good. Stay healthy.  Physically and mentally. 

“Words, Music, and Pain” is available for streaming and download: 

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/toddlorenz/words-music-and-pain 

More stores should be added to that page as they carry the album.  I do know it’s also live on Google Play right now: 

https://play.google.com/music/m/Bywf4tc5jwbmoomwosxddp5fygm?t=Words_Music_and_Pain_-_Todd_Lorenz 

Buy it. Download it. Enjoy it.  Review it. Tell your friends. Give it as a gift. I love these songs, and I’d also like to make some money from them.  Truly, I would. I’ve invested a lot of time into this project; it would be nice to get something back.   

A friend, Erik Jensen, did the cover art for me.  I love it. He also took a number of pictures I’ll be using on this website and for my next project, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be doing the cover for my book.  Many thanks to him. I can’t currently afford to pay him, but he has requested some guitar lessons. I’m more than happy with that trade.   

As I’ve discussed here, this album was a long time coming.  Initially, I hoped to have it ready and have a release party at Wild Hog of the Woods in Madison, WI on my 50th birthday - 8/09/19.  Yup. August of last year. There was one major problem; the venue doesn’t operate in August. It’s part of their off season. They kick things off in September.  But, it was for the best. There’s no way the songs would have sounded like they do now, and I’m pretty damn happy with all of them.   

Life works out.  Sometimes. Even when shit happens that’s painful. 

I may know a thing or two about that. 

This week or next, I start recording the audio for my book and my next musical project.  More to come on it shortly.

Work continues on the new songs. 

Yeah, I know.  Big shocker. 

I reached out to a local friend - Howie Kolb - for some feedback on my most recent mixes/mastering attempts.  Sometimes fresh ears can help. His did. He offered some wonderful thoughts on how to improve the overall sound.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, I want to give myself a day or two away from the material, then listen again on different sources.  I listened some today wearing headphones at work and on my car stereo. I think some of the songs ARE ready, but some need some gentle tweaking. Nothing drastic, and everything sounds much better than it did back when I thought I was done the first time. 

So, while this has taken significantly longer than i would’ve preferred, it’s been a valuable learning experience.  So I got that going for me.  

However, there’s a reason my next musical project is me singing unaccompanied and doing one take videos - music production is not my favorite aspect of making music.  Making music is my favorite part of...well, making music. Writing and performing, and I’m not sure which is better. Arranging is a distant third, followed by recording, and then mixing/mastering.  Honestly, I could live without ever doing the latter myself again, but I’m fairly sure it won’t go that way. 

On the non-musical front, I had to have a tooth pulled Friday.  It required oral surgery, and I caught a cold or the flu about the same time.  May have been at the oral surgeons office, but I’ll never know for sure. I also have at least two cavities that need attention sooner rather than later, and there was a third problem I can’t recall.  The tooth had to come out because it was loose, and I wasn’t going to wait for it to pop out on its own and have an exposed nerve. 

No fucking way. 

On the plus side, I have a great dental plan. Even so, I paid $362, and after the fact, they said it should have been more, but they did something wrong.  Still, we signed paperwork, so they didn’t charge me the extra. That’s great and all, but I suspect they’re still not biling properly. I’ll check my claim online at some point.  I am DEFINITELY going to insist they preauthorize any further work; I’m not having any confusion when it comes to how much it will cost. I’m not exactly rolling in money.   

That’s it for now. Be good.  

The new songs are not mixed and mastered properly yet, but I think I’m pretty close.  I have 3 left, but two of them are just guitar and vocals, and therefore easy to finish.  With any luck, I’ll finish tonight. Then I just need to find time to listen to them - yet again - on a few different mediums.  Different headphones, my receiver, my car. Probably the speaker on my phone too.   

The bass was too loud and too...well, present...in the last mix.  I hope to have remedied that by lowering it in the mix and tweaking the equalizer settings a bit.  I cut out some of the low frequencies to get rid of excessive thumping, for lack of a better word. As a former bass player, it’s a bit difficult, but the songs are being featured - not any particular instrument.  That means the voice has to be front and center (but not overpowering) and guitars are next in line. Drums and bass are last. That’s just how it is.   

I know I keep talking about how I want to finish these songs and move on, but the recording and mixing process has been especially difficult this time.  Why? Mainly because I have higher expectations. I realized that the last few collections recorded on my Mac weren’t mastered properly. They’re mixed ok, so that’s something.  But when I compare the overall sound to that of my favorite artists, it just wasn’t close. I won’t quite be there once I’m done with Words, Music, and Pain, but I’m much closer.   

Live and learn. 

I’m going to wrap this up now so I can get to work on those songs.  Hopefully I’ll be promoting their release this time next week.   

Be good. 

AZ Music Project had a great jam session?  Showcase? Whatever - last Friday night. I had someone record my performance of Hoochie Coochie man.  The vocals are a bit rough at times, but pretty good overall I think: 

https://youtu.be/LLL9XBr3hv8 

But the performance of the night came from a 16 year old girl.  Dig this: 

https://www.facebook.com/AZMusicProject/videos/539294810268775/ 

I talked to Jayce a bit afterwards, and she said she wants to make a career out of singing.  Well, shit. So did I when I was 16. I still do. I hope she sticks with it, and has better luck than I did.  Heck, I may write a song or two with that voice in mind - something I’ve never done before - and hope she’ll record with me.  I think she’s that good.    

I also spent a lot of time working on my new songs.  I’m still not done, but I can see the finish line. Yeah, I’ve seen it before, and yeah, I wound up being unhappy and made changes, and yeah, said changes included redoing most of the vocals. But I’m feeling optimistic about what I have now.  I have to do 3 more; I may get them done tonight, but certainly by the end of this week. That means I hope to have them out to the world sometime on Sunday.  

Time will tell. 

I’m ready to move on to finishing my book, the new video project, and gearing up to start gigging again.  I can’t help but feel a sense of urgency about all these things.   

“Fewer days ahead than behind, when I wake up, I’m surprised.” 

Here I Am, me, © 2020 

Y’all be good.  

As I’ve said before, I’m no longer much of a football fan.  However, I did watch the Super Bowl on Sunday.  It was an entertaining, competitive game.  Can’t ask for much more than that. I didn’t watch any of the halftime show; wasn’t the least bit interested.  I made my dinner instead.  Pizza using nan bread as a crust, spaghetti sauce, three kinds of cheese, and pepperoni.   

I made the right decision. 

It’s starting to feel like this next collection of songs will never be ready.  I initially hoped to release the album on my 50th birthday, which was 8/9/19. Obviously, that didn’t happen.  I decided to take my time not work without a deadline, but I kept working - with a few major distractions, as I’ve documented.   

Work continued over the weekend. I rerecorded vocals for nearly every song.  I’m still going through the process of choosing which takes are the best.  Once that’s done, I get to remix and remaster the songs.  Again.  It was taking my time with that part of the process which led to my decision to redo vocals.  I’m not complaining.  It was the right decision.  But at some point, you have to go with what you have or shelf it and maybe come back to it later.  I could literally spend the rest of my life woking on new material and never be 100% happy with it.  Does that mean I’m not entirely happy with any song I’ve recorded?  Eh.  Sort of.  I couldn’t tell you about every little nuance that I think needs improvement off the top of my head, but I know there’s always room to make things better.  Still, I actually like a lot of my stuff.  So I got that going for me. 

I won’t make any predictions as to when the new album will be ready.  I will say I’ll release it as soon as I can.  I’m looking forward to other things I want to do. 

Finally, you can see my website has been redesigned, which again, I discussed within these pages.  I’m ok with the basic look, but I’m not done.  The same friend who designed my new album cover is going to take some pictures of me which I will incorporate into my site and will then likely necessitate a new color scheme, but the basic layout will likely remain as is. 

Y’all be good. 

This will be a special “I’m old, change sucks, stay the hell off my lawn” edition of my thoughts. 

Last week I mentioned having to redesign my website. That will happen this week. I tried playing with the new host’s website builder and themes, and I don’t. Fucking. Like it.  I’m sure young folks have no trouble with it, but I can’t get it to look like I FUCKING WANT.  I like my current design; I can’t have it.  One of the support people was kind enough to try and get it looking like what i want, and it was close, but there were little things that bothered me. I won’t go into them here, but ok, fine, I’m committed to the idea of a new look.  Or at least kind of ok with it. But their tools…blech.  They seem counterintuitive to me, but I fully accept that it may be just a “me problem.”  Well, I’m the fucking paying customer.  I should be able to get what I want. 

Bah. 

In any case, by this time next week, the site will have a new look. 

On the plus side, the man who designed my next album cover has agreed to take some new pics of me which I’ll integrate into the site, but he can’t for a couple of weeks.  That’s fine.  I can wait. 

Last week I also discussed redoing vocals on the new songs.  I wound up doing new takes on almost all of them. Oddly enough, when one puts in the time I did practicing, recording, and rehearsing, one gets to a pretty good comfort level.  For once in my life, I like the way my voice sounds, and I wanted to capture it.  I haven’t listened to what I did Sat and Sun yet, so I suppose I may not like like it.  But, I’ll say this.  At some point, I have to go with what I have if I’m going to release these songs.  I can nearly always find something that can be improved, but that’s a never ending rabbit hole.  It’s kind of like letting your kids out into the world.  They gotta be able to stand up on their own. 

That’s it for now.  Be good.

The cover art for my next album - Words, Music and Pain - is done. Erik Jensen did a fabulous job. As I type this, I’m unsure about whether I’l share it on this post or just wait until the album is released. I’m leaning towards the latter. 

My soon to be ex wife did nearly all my other album covers, so it’s interesting seeing someone else’s design. I’ve kept my logo, which Rachel did. It’s too damn good to change. 

Speaking of the new songs, I visited my mother last Sat, which means I had time to listen to the most recent mixes during the drive. Most of the songs are good to go. There were two which I thought needed some remixing, but after some thought, I decided to redo the vocals. Didn’t take that long, maybe 3 hours (trust me, that’s not long), but it does mean I’ll need to remix those two songs again. I’ll do it later this week, or this weekend at the latest, and then I’ll release the album. 

Prepare yourself! :) 

I’m also being forced to redesign my website, kind of. Hostbaby is moving, or was bought by, some company called Bandzoogle. I’m not exactly thrilled. I’ve been with Hostbaby for…uh…well, shit. Longer than I can remember. At least 17 years, I’d say, and having to deal with a new company I don’t know isn’t exactly welcome. It’s not a matter of “change is bad.” It’s more like “I didn’t choose you fuckers.” But, we’ll see how it goes. There are roughly 2 billion web hosting companies. If this doesn’t work, I’ll find a new one. 

The rep I’ve dealt with (there was a small problem with my login) put together a theme that looks very much like my current one. I don’t want to change it; I just went through a redesign…what? Maybe two years ago? I suppose you could say I’m due, but I like the way it looks now, and want to keep it. If the site looks radically different between now and 1/31/20, you know why. 

Guess that’s about it for now. Y’all be good.