Does a Band Need a Style?

Greetings! I’ve been away from my blog while working on music for my new band, Gunslinger Saints.  We have enough material to release a CD, once our voices have gotten stronger and my mixing skills improve. However, we are missing one key element: style. So far, we have songs that are acoustic-folk, hip hop, techno, [...]

A Band in Need of a Name

Greetings! Well, the band name Gunslinger Saints has been basically panned by everyone I mentioned it to, so we need a new name.  Now taking suggestions.  (Within good taste, please!) Best wishes! Shannon

11th Annual Great American Song Contest Now Accepting Entries

From The Muse’s Muse website: The highly recommended Great American Song Contest is open to amateur songwriters everywhere. This annual international event features prestigious awards to 45 winners in 9 categories and provides $10,000 in Prizes. Music-industry judges include prominent publishers, music producers and recording artists. Entrants receive written evaluations of their songs. Songwriters, lyricists [...]

Software Review: Propellerhead’s Record

Propellerhead’s Record Propellerhead’s Reason 4 is a robust and quite complex DAW that lacks the ability to record outside audio sources.  Until now…   Propellerhead’s Record    Finally, you can add vocals, guitars, and other non-synthesizer instruments to your Reason 4 compositions.  Record add audio channels for outside audio sources, and they can be treated [...]

Copyrights: Information on Protecting Your Work

As I’ve stated in earlier posts, I’m beginning a new band (Gunslinger Saints) and we’re now in the studio to begin work on our first CD.  I would love to share some of our work, but so far our music has not been copywritten. So I did a search and found the official US Copyright [...]

Brian Lephew: Death of a Former Co-Worker (Updated Post)

I have sad news to report this morning.  Brian Lephew, a former co-worker of mine and a great guitarist, died of an apparent heart attack while he slept. He was a quiet man, quite young (not sure about his age), and a friendly sort of person. He was considered a possible candidate for my band, [...]

Gunslinger Saints

Tonight, my new band has officially and legally secured the name “Gunslinger Saints.”  We are an indie/alternative band with a subtle western theme. In alphabetical order, we are: Travis Hicks – Songwriter, guitar, vocals Shannon McDowell – Songwriter, guitar, vocals, producer Tony Smith – Bass, background vocals We are still in the early stages of [...]