MP3 Bill Kaffenberger - Looking Back Then Looking Ahead
Basic Bill Kaffenberger Music Description: The Byrds and Roger McGuinn meet born again Bob Dylan doing a jingle jangle folk rock Rickenbacker Electric 12 String dance, sometimes acoustic, sometimes electric, always fun.
17 MP3 Songs in this album (56:55) !
Related styles: FOLK: Folk-Rock, FOLK: Psych-folk
People who are interested in The Byrds Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Roger McGuinn should consider this download.
Details:
BIOGRAPHY:
Bill, now a resident of central Virginia, has musical influences range from classic artists like Bob Dylan, the Byrds, the Beach Boys and the Beatles to folk artists such as Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, and Tom Rush as well as things by more modern groups like System of a Down.
Bill has been singing and playing acoustic and electric folk rock for many years in coffeehouses, churches and other venues. He has performed both solo and as a group member. His most unusual singing experience was performing folk music for a hall full of country music fans at the Crossed Timbers Country Opry, in Stephensville, Texas.
His first CD, THIS WORLD IS BOUND TO FALL, was released in early June of 2005. His second CD is JINGLE JANGLE MORNING, released during 2006. Both feature that jingle jangle sound of the Rickenbacker Electric 12-String Guitar.
CURRENT RELEASE:
Notes on "LOOKING BACK THEN LOOKING AHEAD" (AR-200801).
For this third release, a DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ONLY compilation of the best Rickenbacker-based tunes from my first two CDs plus three new BONUS tracks, I felt that many of the songs could be vastly improved with remixing, added or different guitar and/or vocal parts and so forth. For each song, the details on what was changed and why are provided below. DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE COLLECTION HERE FROM CD BABY or if you only want to download a few individual tunes, they will all be available individually from the following online CDBaby partners starting in about three weeks (from 15 Nov 08):
Apple iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, Amazon MP3, Napster, Verizon V-CAST, Liquid Digital Media (WalMart''s digital download provider), PayPlay, AudioLunchbox, GroupieTunes, and Ruckus.
1. THIS WORLD IS BOUND TO FALL (2:38). On this song, I used an alternate mix, dropped the original Rickenbacker 12 string rhythm part which I felt was too droning and indistinct, and added two fresh Rickenbacker parts utilizing the Jangle Box.
Song notes: This song is similar in style to "Glory Glory" from The Byrds'' "Byrdmaniax" lp. The souped up phasing on the Rickenbacker lead part remains the same as the original.
2. JINGLE JANGLE MORNING (2:42). The original version, remastered, now available for digital download.
Song notes: This is an autobiographical song about me and my buddies growing up in the era of Top 40 Radio. We weren’t that big on the Beatles; our favorite music centered around The Byrds, Bob Dylan, The Beau Brummels, The Turtles and other purveyors of that Rickenbacker Electric 12 String “jingle jangle” sound. Jack Alix and Cousin Duffy, mentioned in the song, were our favorite DJs (disk jockeys) from the “Good Guys” on WPGC Radio in Washington DC.
3. SHE''S SO REAL (3:48). I was not satisfied with the original Rickenbacker 12 string rhythm part, so replaced it with two new guitar parts, again using the Jangle Box. The fade out of the song was also altered using some backwards guitar parts. The entire track was remixed.
Song notes: A song I wrote about meeting someone and the mystery of not knowing exactly where the relationship will go. Soundwise, I was trying for something in the late 1965 Byrds era, lots of Rickenbacker electric 12 string guitar on this one. Crank it up loud and dance!
4. THE WATER IS WIDE (3:51). I remixed this song to emphasize the amplified acoustic parts and the harmony vocal part a bit more plus added a Rickenbacker 12 rhythm part to round out the sound.
Song notes: My folksy arrangement of a tune that has been around forever and done previously by many artists. I hope I have given it a bit of a different twist.
5. SAD SAD WORLD (3:17). This song was remixed to bring out the Rickenbacker 12 string parts a bit more and to emphasize the vocal.
Song notes: Another sad love song I wrote in the style of Gene Clark. The Rickenbacker lead is recorded in sort of a 1960s psychedelic style.
6. SOMETHING INSIDE YOU (2:40). Drums and vocal harmonies were added to this song and the entire thing was remixed.
Song notes: Cowritten with my old friend Jim Howard. The theme here is that in this time before Jacob''s Trouble, love is truly an oasis.
7. MAYBE BY THEN (3:57). While some folks prefer the stark ballad style of the original, I felt this song would be improved with an added lead Rickenbacker 12 part along with another rhythm guitar part. The added parts were done using a Boss compressor/sustainer pedal and then the song was remixed.
Song notes: As background, my favorite guitarist is Roger McGuinn, but my favorite songwriter has got to be Gene Clark. I wrote this sad love song purposely trying to come up with something in Gene Clark''s style with a nice McGuinn-like Rickenbacker break in the middle.
8. MYSTIC NIGHT (5:04). This song was remixed to better emphasize the electric 12 string and to provide a less-wide stereo mix.
Song notes: Coming back from a singing engagement years ago late one wintery night, my friends and I stopped on top of a mountain near Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. It was a crystal clear night and, looking up, it seemed as if we could see every star in the universe. And it seemed as if God was looking back at us too. This is a song I wrote about the experience.
9. LITTLE OLD MAN (3:05). I was not satisfied with the original lead guitar part or the lack of rhythm guitar parts so changed the Rickenbacker lead and added some additional guitar parts before remixing the track.
Song notes: A sad song I wrote about a real life character named Freddie, a homeless man well known in years past in the Georgetown area of Washington DC.
10. LEFT ALONE WITH MY DREAMS (2:53). New Rickenbacker 12 part added plus remixed to bring out the acoustic guitar and harpsichord a bit more to the front.
Song notes: This song came to me one day while I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself over a past relationship. I always seem to get a couple of good songs per CD out of that sort of thing!
11. IN A WINTER''S DREAM (2:31). Remixed to bring out more of the amplified acoustic guitar and organ in the mix.
Song notes: I wrote this song a few years back about the awe and wonder of staring up at the star filled midnight sky and contemplating the universe. Based on an actual experience two of my friends and I had in the Blue Ridge Mountains late one night long ago. I was trying for a sound that combined the feel of The Byrds'' "Wasn''t Born to Follow", "My Back Pages", and "5-D" all in one song. Not sure if I succeeded but still hope you enjoy it.
12. AUGUSTINE STREET (2:50). A remixed alternate take of this song. A nice Rickenbacker break reminiscent of "So You Want To Be A Rock ''n'' Roll Star" at the fade out.
Song notes: Another autobiographical song (well, most of them are anyway in one way or another) about a restaurant I frequent and the family that runs it.
13. ARE YOU EVER COMING BACK TO ME (2:32). I added some harmonies to this song and remixed it to give it a more gentle feel.
Song notes: Another one of my “woe is me” sad love songs.
14. WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE (4:12). An alternate take with different drums and added percussion along with remixing.
Song notes: Music journalist and jangle rock expert Eric Sorensen has described this song as “raga-rap”. Sort of my commentary on the state of the “formal” music business in this day and age and in a way explains why I am an “indie” musician. The closing solo is my attempt at getting that “Eight Miles High” era Byrds sound on the Rickenbacker.
BONUS TRACKS: THREE BRAND NEW RECORDINGS!!!!!
15. NOW THAT ITS OVER (3:56). NEW SONG: Cowritten with my friend Jim Howard. A pop ballad about love lost and regained awash in Rickenbacker 12 strings.
16. I''M TO BLAME TONIGHT (2:50). NEW SONG: A new song with that Sixties Byrds Rickenbacker sound about the current moral state of our nation and the world. What we end up with in politics may not always be the benefit it seems to be at first glance.
17. BE THOU MY VISION (4:18). NEW SONG: A traditional Irish hymn with a new arrangement to end things on a spiritual note with some chiming Rickenbackers in a psychedelic Sixties sound mode.
Enjoy!