Recently in Music Category

A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson

December 14, 2008 9:53 PM | Comments (3)
A Christmas Song for Harry Nilsson.mp3

mchatton shmatton.jpgI do think it's a little strange, but I'll bet there's some of you who don't know who Harry is. For those of you who do, you know how absolutely amazing he was and the mere idea of this little tribute may send a shiver down your spine (and probably not the good kind either). However, Harry has meant a lot to me (which should be quite clear to everyone now). I wasn't going to do it but I found some of the demo's he did for the movie Popeye recently and they keep popping up on my iPod (which Harry has a habit of doing). I sat down to do a Christmas song and his music just kept coming out. So I decided just to give in and do it for him. And, no, I do not do him justice here. Go buy The Point, or Nilsson Schmilsson, or Nilsson Sings Newman and dig in if you want to hear some real singing.
Thank you to everyone who's purchased the CD so far. I've only announced it here and over at Song Fight and we sold out in a week. In a few more weeks (for the New Year) we're going to do an actual "record release" and send them out for reviews and put them into full distribution.
Don't forget the lovely Christmas present combo that a Book, CD, and a couple of T-Shirts can make. Your friends and family will surely give you that nervous "um, what the heck is this..." look, but in the long run they'll thank you for it... right?
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Without You (by Jeff Travis Henderson)

December 7, 2008 10:46 PM | Comments (2)
Christmas Without You (by Jeff Henderson).mp3

This is the song I talked about a couple of weeks ago. It was a Song Fight entry by Jeff Travis Henderson for the title "City In Fog"... a title that we both loosely based our songs on. Seems we both wanted to do Christmas tunes and we both managed to squeeze the title in there and we both tied for um, 4th place. But I liked his song so much that I did something I've never done; I asked him if I could sing it and maybe add it to the Christmas CD I was working on. He said yes and sent the music right over. So here its, Jeff's music and my voice.
Merry Christmas!

"Grass Stained Twilight" the Album! It's Here!!!

December 1, 2008 10:16 PM | Comments (4)

Grass Stained CD compressed.jpgHello everyone! I've finally finished my CD "Grass Stained Twilight"!
As most of you know, over the course of the past couple of years I wrote and illustrated a book full of strange little poems, pictures, and songs - kind of in a Shel Silverstein meets the Beatles vein. Then, at the beginning of this year I started this little website on a dare from my brother in law Andy Baio over at Waxy.org, I started writing, recording, and posting a new "Song of the Week" every week (little did I know at the time that there was a long running tradition doing just that over at Song Fight that I would soon join) (Oh, and by the way, Hollywood Wax won Song Fight again last week! Thank You!). I ended up liking all the new stuff coming out of this experiment so much that I ended up going back to the book and adding these new songs and pictures to it. Then, I went back, cleaned-up, and re-did some of the songs. I've learned a lot more about mixing and mastering, however, I make no claims that it has a traditional "professional" quality. I prefer the "home-spun" vibe anyway.

So, "Grass Stained Twilight" the album contains a collection of songs from the book and my own "Song Of the Week" experiment conducted right here over the course of 2008. It's got the "sunshine pop" sound and is meant as an all ages affair. I hope all of you like it. Your input has been invaluable to me. I'm having a great time here and look forward to many more exciting things in the new year.

Order the CD here, it's $9.99. It comes with a booklet featuring some illustrations from the "Grass Stained Twilight" book and it's wrapped in a paper bag, an idea I got from Empty House Cooperative.

Thank You!

Santa, Flying In Your Sleigh

November 30, 2008 12:00 AM | Comments (2)
Santa Flying In Your Sleigh.mp3

santa 30.jpgI'm going to leave the Grass Stained Twilight CD announcement up top for now so hopefully you've scrolled down here to see this little post-dated post.
Yes, it's that time again...
Time for the "Song Of the Week"! and, as promised, I'm sticking with this Christmas album thing.
I've got the coolest news too - I really liked this Jeff Travis Henderson Song Fight tune and I asked him if I could do it for the Christmas album and he said yes! He's going to send the backing tracks and I'll build on that and post it here soon. Check out his myspace page - it's great stuff!

Sing Along To This Christmas Song (City In Fog)

November 23, 2008 10:29 PM | Comments (5)
Sing Along to This Christmas Song.mp3 This little animated masterpiece was created by my son Cooper for this brand new "Song Of the Week"! Press the green arrow to watch - and please be patient, it takes some time to load. He used a program called Scratch that he uses to make video games. I'm so proud of him. You would not believe how quickly he put this together.
As for my contribution to this project, I decided to get back to the Christmas Album thing I promised a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to participate in the Song Fight too. So here it is, very loosely based on this week's title "City In Fog."
Continue reading Sing Along To This Christmas Song (City In Fog).

Hollywood Wax

November 13, 2008 9:34 PM | Comments (4)
Hollywood Wax.mp3

hollywood wax 25.jpg
A brand new "Song Of the Week" and it's another Song Fight Tune. I couldn't resist. Those of you who've known me for a long time will get this, hopefully the rest of you will be able to enjoy it too. My daughter contributed the artwork.

Hollywood Wax
Hollywood Wax is standing in scenes of dreams that we've imagined - We would climb in and dust them - Adjust them - Customers discussed them - We sat at the Last Supper holding hands and making our plans - Who knew that love could be discovered when you're wearing your Frankenstein Pants - And when we walked down that yellow brick road I saw you smile - I am Charlie Chaplin - I am Frankenstein - I am the Mechanical Man - Take your photo and then you can go inside - We walked through the museum holding hands and making our plans - Who knew that love could be discovered when you're wearing your Frankenstein Pants - And when we walked down that yellow brick road I saw you smile - I am Charlie Chaplin - I am Frankenstein - I am the Mechanical Man - Take your photo and then you can go inside

(Looks Like) It's Christmas Time

November 6, 2008 12:35 AM | Comments (3)
(Looks Like) It's Christmas Time.mp3

It's Christmas Time 30.jpgYes, that's right... a Christmas Song!!!
You know, I'm just feeling so stoked and joyful about everything right now that this just came right out. I've always wanted to do a Christmas record, so, I apologize to any of you humbuggers out there but I believe I'm going to try and chew my way through that little project for the next couple of months right here on mchatton.com. There may be some exceptions but right now it just sounds like the thing to do.
And, for those of you keeping score... I came in second again over at Song Fight with the last two entries - Shoelace Soup and A Scary Thing. I actually put up another one yesterday to do battle with this week called Stomach For It. It's so different from the other stuff here that I wasn't going to post it here originally (kind of a wanky over the top guitar solo at the end) but here it is anyway Stomach For It.mp3. Please go vote for it if you like it - there's a lot of great submissions over there this week.
Merry Christmas!

A Scary Thing

October 28, 2008 12:28 AM | Comments (3)
A Scary Thing.mp3
A Scary Thing 50.jpg
A brand new "Song Of the Week"
and...
I said I wasn't going to do Song Fight again for awhile but it's been really fun (we came in second again with last weeks "In The Tank" - thank you!) and this weeks title gave me all kinds of ideas, none of which I used. Instead, this one just kind of fell out when I started recording.
So, if you like it, please go over to Song Fight and vote for me!
and,
You still have through tomorrow to vote for "Shoelace Soup".
Thank You.

Shoelace Soup

October 20, 2008 12:41 AM | Comments (2)
Shoelace Soup.mp3

shoelace soup 40.jpg
Finally...
A new "Song Of the Week. I know, I know- wasn't that over a week? Well yes, it was, so... um, we went to Legoland.
We came in second place with "Everybody Calm Down" in the Song Fight last week. Thank you very much for all the votes - we just keep getting more every time. If you haven't already, please go over there again and vote for last weeks "In the Tank". It's a bit heavier than the usual fare here but many of you have been asking for that.
I was going to skip the Song Fight thing for a little while but this idea got stuck in my head and... here it is:

Shoelace Soup
Mr Branch goes out to the back to dig deep deep down down back through the rack - 'Cause he could eat the pants and the shirt off his back you know he feels so strange - It may have been a little accidental snack - Instead of something cold he grabbed a coat from the back - And he could eat his pants and the shirt off his back - You know he feels so strange - Chewed up my shoes - How can it be so - It used to be the place my toes would go - How can it be so - I fear the next to go is the rest of my clothes - Oh no - How can it be so - Chew chew chewin' on the last belt loop - How can it be so - Only thing left is shoelace soup - Mr Branch goes out to the back to dig deep deep down down back through the rack - 'Cause he could eat the pants and the shirt off his back you know he feels so strange - Doesn't want to get fat so he won't eat a hat - Buttons would be gluttonous and that makes him laugh - And he could eat his pants and the shirt off his back - You know he feels so strange - Chewed up my shoes - How can it be so - It used to be the place my toes would go - How can it be so - I fear the next to go is the rest of my clothes - Oh no - How can it be so - Chew chew chewin' on the last belt loop - How can it be so - Only thing left is shoelace soup

In the Tank

October 5, 2008 1:57 PM | Comments (3)
in 25.jpg

Another "Song Of the Week"and it's another Song Fight.
And, in case you hadn't heard... WE WON!!!
The tune "Paper Thin" (that was under my name - not "Grass Stained" (although that one did well too) won the Song Fight for the week. If you haven't already, please go there and vote for last week's "Everybody Calm Down". This one called "In the Tank" should be up there in a few days.

Another important note:
The CD is ready. We've just got to get it up here for sale... very soon.
Then, we'll get back to regular business here with some non-Song Fight tunes.
Thank you again!
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