JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Nowhere Man Challenge.

Thought I would BUMP this topic. How are we all getting on? I have a rough version done and will hopefully have a better version by end of week. I am looking forward to hearing all the different versions in March on Ourstage. Towards the end of Feb I will start a "entries thread" so we can all post details of our entry and see who has produced a version. May the best version win.

I got my basic idea down, and will begin to record next week. It will be a stripped down production, nothing fancy.

It might even turn out a little funny!

Questions:

When is the deadline?

Is this for an Ourstage Contest?

Hi Mike it is just a bit of fun and friendly competition. The entries are for Ourstage Covers competition in March. Entries to be in preferably before start of March competition. Winner is the best placed song. Are you entering? Look forward to hearing your Nowhere Man version.

Mine's done.

What's the next one?

Scott

Hey Jim,

Almost done. Do you wamt links placed here, for a bit of light hearted dissing ?

cheers, niteshift

I think if this catches on, we may invite the entire membership via the newsletter the next time. I think it could be a fun thing to keep getting larger and larger so that at some point we have 1000 new versions of a given cover being unleashed around the world.

Brian

Hi Brian. I think you have hit upon a gem of an idea. You suggested that the next challenge could be a cover of one of our JPFs original songs. What a great idea. That could be the next challenge.
JPF members enter putting forward one of their own original songs for consideration. Mark could do one of those voting thingummies and we vote.... the song voted top gets covered.
This would not only be a fun challenge and learning curve but a great way to promote a song and get people to treat a song in a style or way that the writer might never attempt or be able to achieve. I see many pluses and no negs for this idea. There are loads of great songs produced here and perhaps a few writing/performing parterships could be developed through this exercise.

I suppose a well produced song would do a lot better than a very poorly recorded one?:(

Ricki

Hi - Thanks Jim, okay so it's not like there regular contests.

I'm not positive if I'll enter but I am doing the song. I wanted to thank you Jim personally and Mark and the others for doing this. It REALLY helped me and here's why.

1- No sessions right now so rather than just worry day & night it gives me something to do besides worry lol of course and suffer from vertigo & back/neck pain.

2- I'm still VERY stuck with my original material. I have so much pressure on me in so many ways I just can't get it done like I have in the past. So this cover song project is giving me something to channel my creativity.
Not having to worry about the song, who's gonna get it and where it can end up is a big relief.

3- With session work I can't just take my sweet time & with my stuff I have too many things to think about & do.
So with this I have put a great deal of focus on it while having FUN!!!

Only I didn't finish it in one day lol... I been on it for almost a week already.
Since I don't have to WRITE the song and worry about the BIg Guy hearing it
I have used the opportunity to get back to work on my production chops, also learning new things about my old equipment, plus focusing on all my performance skills. Mixing detail, arrangement details.

I'm actually working very hard on it but in a fun, good way, the way it has been in the past

A GREAT exercise for me! So I thanks you!

PS - It's coming out KILLER!!

Hey Sub stop kidding. You are just like the rest of us...cannot resist a challenge. LOL Seriously I am glad that you are getting something out of this. That is the reason I suggested it....It is a bit of fun and a learning experience for us all. Mine is near completion and it is also a killer. LOL I hope things pick up soon and you are kept busy. Now that you have completed this challenge it will give you a push maybe to get some of those songs and ideas your mind is full of finally RECORDED. Keep at it buddy doing the things you love doing kinda makes all the aches and pains seem smaller. Best of luck with the challenge. I think there will be some new Nowhere Man killer versions all of a sudden.

Hi to all

Well this Aussie girl will wait and listen to all you pro singers and writers.

YIPEE, go the Talent on JPF, I'm excited, and looking forward to hearing all your versions of this song.

Cool.

Michele
Big Aussie fan

Hi Niteshift.. Yeah post a link if you like. I will be posting a thread later on in the month where you can officially enter giving details of your Ourstage entry.

Huh? Y'all still working on this one?

Yeah mate, was working on another track, but am a little short of a couple of guitar riffs ! Will have to finish this one off...

cheers, niteshift

I'm working on it, you drunken knob twister!

Hey Mark what do you think of Brians idea for the next challenge I mentioned it a few posts back.

Love it. Choosing the song might be the hard part, or at least the time-consuming part. But a lot of us doing our own covers of another JPFer's song? Priceless. So much would be learned, and what a delight it would be for the writer.

Hey guys, I am new here. What is this contest?

MAB

Marc: It started off as a "let's cover an uncoverable-tune"! We did a poll and Nowhere Man was picked. It is coverable, but that's the way it is. Everyone who's willing will create a cover version and post it on OurStage in March. It is just for fun. Next I think we are going to pick a JPF member's song to cover.

Kevin

Hi Marc, we'll see how many simultaneous answers come up here.

Awhile back, a conversation drifted to certain songs that only a fool would cover, songs that have a particular version so iconic that it trumps all other attempts. Some of us (like Big Jim and I) claimed there is no such song--there is always another compelling version to be made, somewhere, somehow.

Well, that led us to a challenge...we decided to choose an "uncoverable" song, and we would see how many of us could cover it, submit them to the OurStage.com Cover Bands competition in March, and also vote here on the one we liked best.

Well, in the end, after considering songs like "Imagine" and "Stairway to Heaven" and "Bohemian Rhapsody"...somehow or other we voted for "Nowhere Man".

Most of us agreed that this is not so difficult to cover, but what the heck. So that's underway. But now we're thinking it would be an excellent exercise to choose a song by a JPF member and try the same thing. Lots could be learned and a lot of fun could be had.

I'll find the old links and pop them into this post in a moment.

Okay, here is the poll thread:

http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/680595/page/2#Post680595

Here's the bigger, earlier poll of all songs offered up:

http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/679683/page/3#Post679683

Yet another thread where we talked about supposedly uncoverable songs:

http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/679156/page/3#Post679156

And the thread on which the idea happened:

http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/678957/page/3#Post678957

It all came about when member Tom Tracy mentioned that the little British girl who sang "Imagine" should have had a song without so much darned baggage, like a big old JOHN LENNON stamp tattooed to here forehead...

Mark,

You guys are making me laugh my BUTT off! I would love to hear you guys do Bohemian Rapsody! Do it Bluegrass style! That would be a hoot! Wish I had the time to do that. i don't know if I can do this but it is really funny to see what you are doing. anything that keeps people's creativity stoked, is a good thing.

Good luck and let me know if I can help. Enjoy seeing what you guys are up to.

MAB

Hi Marc..... Like Mark said it is just a fun challenge thing a bit of an experiment and learning experience. The winner gets bragging rights Please feel free to join in if you think you are up to it.... LOL

You do your own version of Nowhere Man...post it as an entry on our partner site Ourstage for the March Cover Bands Competition.....let us know you have entered and Bobs your Aunt. Easy. LOL
There will be an entry thread posted a bit later on in the month. We also hope to do our own little poll here to see if the JPFs agree with the ourstage judging.

PS If Mark wins we will never hear the end of it. LOL

Marc,
These guys on here aren't crazy but it helps.

Have I ever shown you pictures from Big Jim's visit to America?

LOOKIT THE HEAD ON THAT ONE!

I think if you're going to count on doing well on Ourstage, you'll need a song that people have heard. But finding a JPF song that someone has heard wouldn't be supporting the regulars on the board as only a few of our board folks have written hit songs and those folks don't stop in that often. Alan O'Day and Dean Pitchford were two that I felt might please both sides (well known and at least active JPF members). That would give us a nice selection of songs just between the two of them.

There's also something to be said about doing a completely unknown but consistent cover song. But that might turn into a popularity contest of regulars and might not produce the best song.

So how would you all want to proceed.

I also thought of this: What if we made it a gigantic (and by that I mean 50-100 people in reality) by having a small committee of folks to pick a new song each month and then encourage any and all JPF members to participate? The surpise (and challenge) of what we next might be part of the fun and a smaller group would likely choose songs that would be challenging from different genres of music with results that might be more fun than anyone predicted.

Just an idea.

Brian

Ha ! Working on it ?

Even with a gut full of beer, one arm tied behind my back, and one foot up your butt, I can still pull up a better sound.

PS - it's TWIDDLER !, not twister or polisher. Twiddler ! Got it ?

Let the fun begin.......

cheers, niteshift

Hi Brian I do not think the main purpose for the exercise is necessarily to do well on Ourstage. IMO the Ourstage judging is inconsistent and fickle anyway.

I see it more as a challenge for us all to try something new and novel, help us to develop skills, explore new partnerships, give a JPF member a chance to see their own original song treated in different ways. Ourstage is just the vehicle we would use to place the finished results.
Most JPFs would not under normal circumstances have a song treated this way. It is a learning curve for us all.
Giving it to already established people or well known songs would IMO defeat the whole purpose of this fun exercise. Any Ourstage success although welcome would be an extra bonus.

You guys just keep me laughing hah.


Mark K I love the picture, I'm in fits! Yipee, this is better then watching TV.

Michele

Well.. you're doing a Beatles song.. did that defeat the entire purpose? Doesn't get more established or well known or for that matter predictable and generic.

No problem though.. was a suggestion. I know that larger numbers would have zero interest in doing something chosen by a group of friends from among their own work no matter how fair of a system you worked out. And most folks, unless they are friends or aquaintences wouldn't be interested in spending the time and effort to cover a song they don't know and which wouldn't help them appeal to their fan base. Sure, a great song chosen that was undeniably fantastic might work.. but if we took the average submission say for the mentor critiques as an example of what might be submitted, I don't think folks in general would be very interested.

Maybe you can make it work though. I'd suggest killing off doing Beatles songs however based on your comments.

Brian

Well, does this work ?

As first cab off the rank, I gotta say, this is a lot of fun, and more than that, it gets the technical skills going again. As an exercise, and being "made" to do it, is kind of like being in advertising, ya gotta come up with the dumb and goofy ideas....and TRY to make em work.

Here's the Celtic/Asian cover of "Nowhere Man". ( with apologies to the origional writers )

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=704874&songID=7302964

Mix1.... you know me, gotta do some tidy-ups.......

OK Kaufman ! Gimmie your best shot ! ( Through the head would be the kindest )

cheers, niteshift

PS - I'd be happy to cover a song on the Mentor Forum, if the mentor ( and eveyone else ) declared it a "well written song" Maybe a song wich needs the production side rather than a total re-write.

It's "their" cover of it on Pepper!

Cool

Hi Man love the vocals... I'd like to hear a bit more base across the board.... JMO sounds a little tinney... as I said JMO.. Remembering I like LOTS of base ....

Cheers

Hey John,

I'll take that as a great compliment form the sixth Beatle.... can you send Sir George a copy for me ? Mind you, at his age, he might have a coronary, LOL

Hey Noel, you're right ! More bass. Been mixing on the phones too long, more bass coming up......

cheers, niteshift

preety lovely mate !! you made your momma proud

Well I have still to record my entry properly but here is a very rough demo recorded in my wee home setup.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=687727&songID=7304336

Hey NiteSHIRT not a bad effort. I think Kaufman will get a good run for his money....he better be on his game if he wants to win this. LOL

I want those crisps!

Good one, Geoff...man, you really sound like the boys themselves!

Look forward to hearing yours tonight, Big Jim...still at work right now.

I'm so impressed with both entries.

Niteshift you really parrot the Beatles so well and keep the song so true to form in sound and tempo, what a great job!

And Jim, I must give credit where credit is due. I love your unique interpretation of the song. You gave it a Tony Bennett feel and did a wonderful job. It might be just a teeny tiny bit slow and I mean just a little, but otherwise it shines!! I love what you did with it!!! Geez I'm listening again and you know what, it's not too slow. You've got me smiling and going for my 3rd listen but not my last!!!

Wow this is fun!!

I like that Jim nice work... have I heard that melody before?

Cheers

Yes Noel it is called Nowhere Man and was written by Lennon and McCartney....LOL

Thanks everyone, for the comments.

Jim, I'll download yours and take a listen this evening. I see you've put up a packet of crisps ? Hmmmm... well, how about I add a pint of Coopers Ale , faxed or emailed anywhere ? Now that would be a tasty treat !

cheers, niteshift

Hey Niteshift....That lager stuff is OK for kids but if you want REAL beer...try this.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K07nm7kjsT8

Hi Nite

GREAT work bro! Lots of fun & energetic.. like the different instrument sounds weaving in and around the song. Great snare by the way.

How did you do the vocals?

Very nice work!

Hi Jim

That was a surprise.. I thought you'd go more blues, wonderful piano work!
NIce vocals very smooth and relaxing..... Nice Job man!
I think Noel meant your melody lol.. But I think it's the style that has that familiarity like a "standard song" would. You could have broken into a few different songs, it all works with this cool setting.

Nice brush snare stuff,excellent..

Iggy did a nice one as well he should post it here so others can hear. I think he's sitting there on Ourstage all by himself

Like the nowhere man
"We are making all our nowhere songs for nobody" lol

Thanks Mike. I like a challenge and to try out different things. Neat exercise this is turning out to be a lot of fun....I will put up a thread nearer the end of the month for the official entries but just now we can post and comment on this thread. I heard Iggy's version on Ourstage. He can post a link here if he wants feedback but should post in the official entry thread...after all there is a bottle of beer and a packet of crisps up for grabs.

Hi Jim

Yipee, that is amazing, you sing that so beautifully, I like very much your take on it. Congratulations, I've listened to it three times now. I love it.

Hi Night shift

Yipee, I'm having a ball listening, I have also listened to yours three times, golly gosh, I would have to vote for you both. I Love it, Congratulations.

Go the Talent on JPF.

NEXT!

Wow

Big fan

Michele

Hey Jim,

Am sitting here in my underware ( heatwave ) having a coldie, all by myself ( no-where man ) so the whole thing is ironically apt at the moment. LOL

Mate, that's veeeeeeeery smoooooooth.......I can see this being done as a duet at the Opera Hoouse with kd, and a Louis in the background just quietly noodling away. Great imagery. No nits on the arrangement, ( real nice change at 1.43 ) Only thing would be to drift the strings around a little, ( too much block chording in the beginning ? ) and add some brass lift to the strings at that 1.43 mark.

Watch out Michelle, we're going to make you vote, and you'll only have one friend left !

Killer track Jim !

cheers, niteshift

PS - if you and I happen to tie, a dibs the beer !

PPS - Noel, more bass, just for you....