Much Ado About Nothing ...

Once again I find myself alone on a Sunday afternoon after what seems like such a long time. My wife and daughter have gone out for a Christmas party and my sister (yes, she lives with me) has gone for Sunday mass. I do not need to be in the studio today because the young Chinese lady we are currently recording has other appointments and I also don't work tonight (yippee), so I do actually have a whole day free. I've had a very busy but productive week and today I've decided that I shall not do anything but vegetate in front of my TV (with season 3 of the 44100) or write an entry for my blog. Well I guess I'm writing my blog first ha ha ... oh well, TV will seem so much more enticing by the time I'm done here. I'm also pretty sure that when this entry is ready for posting, some of my family will be home, but that's ok because these past few hours of quiet is all I needed to get 'ME' back in line with everything else not work related!

I was actually toying with the idea of writing about my favourite pastime ... 'FISHING'! How some 'fishermen' fish with a line and tackle and others fish with nets. I think I'm more of a line and tackle man!!! Ha ha ... but then I realized that there's actually nothing much to say about that topic because;

1. Most of the fish who've actually taken a 'whiff' of my 'bait' have been a little skittish

2. Some of them have actually been 'small fry' so I've had to throw them back in

3. Some have been too large to reel in

4. Some have already felt the hooks of other fishermen but can't resist the lure of fresh bait (no ... this is not an autobiography)

BUT most importantly ...

5. All my very close friends would know that I'm not really talking about 'fishing' ... because I really do hate that hobby!

So I thought about that other title I had in mind, 'THE AMERICANS & THEIR BUSH'. Well I have since found out that not all Americans support a Bush ... so that idea went down the drain too! Besides, the political connotations and ramifications of that topic feels a little uncomfortable for me to handle at this point in time LOL!

OPEN SEASON ... that's what I'll write about! Heck, which one, the cartoon or the actual act of hunting! The cartoon is fabulous and there's nothing more anyone could say about it except ... 'WATCH IT'!!!!!! So it's 'hunting' then, well with the exception of carrying the bag of cartridges/ammo for my late grandpa when he used to go hunting for green pigeon, flying fox, squirrel or wild boar ... I actually know next to nothing about it! That's another idea going up in flames!

TOM FOOLERY ... now that's a name that's fascinated me ever since I was kid! It's not just a name, it's an implication! So should I write about 'TOM'? I don't think so because most Toms I've met have not been interesting enough for me to even remember them. Besides, the 'toms' that are really closest to my heart belong on a drum kit! Oh well, 'FOOLERY' then! Now that's an interesting topic, don't you think??? Would you call what I'm doing now 'foolery' or would it be a desperate bid for attention!! Ha ha, a little of both you think? Well it's either this or a picture of a half naked individual to go with the entry. LOL ... I think not! I do want all of you to get past the picture and actually read, even if there's nothing here. Ha ha I think I'll leave the option of a sexy picture open for when I'm really scraping the bottom of my literary bowl!

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to resign myself to writing about my day and other developments with regards to my life as a musician, and being 1/3 of my band BIG GAME! Hope all you people out there have not forgotten about us, we actually have a few surprises in store for all of you this Christmas and guess what ... it's going to be free too. No paying for anything ... YET!!! :o)

Well it's a wonder I've actually got so far with this entry. Ha ha ... everyone should try this because it isn't difficult at all, especially when you have no idea what you want to write about. Just remember to split your subject matter (if any) into as many paragraphs as you can ... I find that gives the illusion of volume. 'Take care and God bless all of you' at the end of your entry makes people think you care ... supposedly, it portrays your sensitive side ha ha ha. A little 'P.S.' after you sign off helps too, it gives the impression that there was something really important you almost forgot to say, a little sense of urgency always helps LOL!

Voila ... like magic, I now have another entry ready for posting. Ha ha, ok so it gives new meaning to the phrase 'much ado about nothing' but at least you now know what my 'nothing' is! Take care and God bless all of you.

Gerard Singh

P.S. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to check the BIG GAME clips out on YouTube. We've not had time to post any new stuff there yet but there should be something new by Christmas! For those of you who haven't visited us there, here are the links;

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTd32dkp1is

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYvnDsip9Zg

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojmo3-DsJ1E

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Ikh98E8zI

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyr5Ba4WIOQ

Focal Point ...

All my life I've never had to compromise very much! In my family, I'm the eldest of three children and I'm also the oldest grandchild on both my maternal and paternal sides. In most Asian cultures that pretty much means I'm the 'KING OF THE HILL'!!! Ha ha ... I think because of that, I grew up rather spoilt as I was used to getting my way most of the time. I was very content living my life that way for many years and even the friends I kept almost always deferred to me when it came to decision making. Even when I was not around and there was a decision to be made, friends and family would always consider my interest first before making most decisions. All I needed to do was focus on myself and what I wanted to do. It got to be quite comfortable for me until the day I left my parents home in JB (Johor Bahru - to the uninitiated) for KL (Kuala Lumpur) to work.

A whole slew of different individuals slowly but surely illuminated me on this little concept called COMPROMISE! Working in a completely unfamiliar and sometimes unfriendly environment made me realize that at times you just have to go with the flow. That was very difficult for a person who previously spent his life making an art out of going against the grain! The first thing I had to do was to deal with the issue of PRIDE ... or more accurately put, HURT PRIDE! Leaving the comfort zone of JB where people already knew who, what or how I am, for KL where no one really gives a shit, was a real eye opener. I came to realize that I needed to get with the program in order to get a 'toe hold' into the scene. Thus began my unlearning of almost everything I thought of as my GOSPEL before. The unnecessary attitude and juvenile pride were the first things that had to go. I also exchanged my rather short fuse for a longer one and believe me that was achieved under much duress LOL! It made me realize one very very important lesson ... maybe all my friends before this only tolerated me! My God, that was a scary thought and it made me feel insecure for quite a while. I needed to focus on improving other people's perception of me as a person and a performer ... and even as a friend.

I learnt to adapt to the new elements in my new life reasonably well or so I thought, when I was introduced to another aspect of re-learning called HUMILITY! Local production houses started calling me into their studios for 'jingles' (advertisement - to the uninitiated). Months and months of lending my vocals to numerous jobs with unsuccessful results made me re-evaluate my worth as a singer/musician! I think that was one of the hardest things I've had to endure because when you've decided on a career, it's really difficult to deal with the fact that maybe you're just not good enough! As fate would have it, I was finally excepted into the local jingle industry as a voice talent. Just as I was starting to get a little comfortable with my achievement, my real lesson in humility began. CLIENTS!!! We've all heard of how 'the customer is always right', well in the jingle industry the client is GOD! In fact I believe that the client is more GOD than God ever really is! They treat you like a 'musical instrument', a 'thing' and believe me that isn't good because singers are seldom that way. So sometimes you get stuck in the recording booth for hours on end, trying your level best to achieve something humanly impossible just because some producer is trying very hard to please a client, who in reality is a musical dunce in the first place! Where was that short fuse when I really needed it? Focus Gerard FOCUS!!!

I thought that was the pinnacle of all my lessons in life, and that what was in store for me from that point on was a smoother ride. How wrong I was, along comes Colin Jansen (guitar/vocals), Sherman Tan (bass/vocals) and Mark Felix (drums/vocals) to persuade me to form a show band for the local club scene. So along with Marfante Haridass (keyboards/vocals) and Regina Panizales (Vocals) we formed STAINLESS STEEL, I must say ... one of the better show bands in the country at that time. Playing in a band where everyone is an artist in their own right was never easy. Everyone had a strong opinion and we very seldom agreed with each other but it was a great band so we stuck it out for almost 2 years before calling it quits ... STAINLESS STEEL finally rusted! Some of us left for different bands and solo careers, and most left in disappointment (I know I did too). Once again I was left with re-evaluating myself. Trying to figure out what went wrong and desperately trying not to lay blame on the other members. It wasn't an easy task but I think some of us managed to achieve it as we have an even better time working together now. I learnt not to be petty and to put past grievances aside ... well at least for a later date LOL! So I focused on picking up the pieces and thinking up a new game plan, career wise.

In the midst of the band breaking up (at the end of May 1998) and armed to the teeth with all those valuable lessons on life, I embarked on the single most important thing in my very own life ... FATHERHOOD! It's amazing how a bouncing baby girl can be responsible for all your preparation and pre-conceptions going out the window. It was on the 8th. of May 1998, the day Gillian was born that my whole life changed. Almost everything I had learnt before didn't seem appropriate anymore ... nothing seemed enough. I didn't have enough cool, patience, tolerance, knowhow, time, money, even focus ... you name it and if I had it, it was never enough. I remember thinking to myself then, 'what is this little bundle of wrinkled skin and flesh that demands so much'. Heck the sum of my life up to that point just wasn't enough ... I just wasn't good enough for this new life I helped bring into the world. It took me a long while to settle into my new role and I believe I never really have ... not completely. I just do the best that I can all the time and pray that it's sufficient for her. Everyday with her is a NEW experience and in my life of reasonably consistent inconsistencies ... she is still, the WILD CARD! I thank God for her every minute of everyday, because she is my FOCUS in a world that is sometimes MAD!

Gerard Singh

New Post ...

Sundays & Mondays are supposed to be my days off, but on Sunday I ended up being in our little recording studio from 2 pm till almost midnight and on Monday it was from 3 pm right up to 3 am the next day. I am so close to forgetting what it's like to have a complete day of doing absolutely nothing but sleep, eat, drink, surf the net and watch TV!!! I sleep in snatches now and have also resorted to cooking up excuses to the clients of our little enterprise, just so I can steal a few moments of rest! Ha ha ... blogging has also started to feel like a distant friend. Always there ... 'lurking' somewhere in the background but not quite sharing the same camaraderie we used to when we first met! Oh the joy of 'first love' ... how I miss it!

Today is the first afternoon that I've spent at home ... all week! So the first thing I did after my standard morning regime was, pig out on a heavy dose of GILLIAN (my 8 year old daughter)! I sat with her and watched some TV, hugged and kissed her as much as she'd let me before she finally told me to back off coz she couldn't breathe, ha ha ha! Now I'm here, desperately trying to jot something down simply because I NEED TO WRITE ... I AM SO DUE A NEW BLOG ENTRY, it's like I've been pregnant toooo looooong! Ha ha ... metaphorically speaking LADIES, I would never ever be presumptuous enough to even claim that I know how a pregnancy feels like :o) Anyway, some 360 friends of mine really amaze me with their consistancy when it comes to blogging. Deep down I know that that's the only way to go about doing anything in one's life. I have had this little formula all worked out for ages ... CONSISTANCY WITH NO COMPROMISE ON QUALITY! That's how I want to do anything and everything in my life. I'm just having a bit of difficulty keeping in line with that at the moment :o)

DISCIPLINE ... that's the key word here! Normally I think I am quite regimented in the things I do, but this whole fatigue phase I'm going through now is simply OVERWHELMING! I've heard people talk about how tired they can get and I've always thought to myself ... YEAH RIGHT!!! Now I know ... and boy do I KNOW! Is there a lesson in here somewhere for me? I think so ... food supplements, multi-vitamins and revitalizing drinks like RED BULL!!! Ha ha ... seriously, I realize now that my management skills are lacking, for I have not been managing my time very well. Yes I am one of those people who truly believe that any 'realistic' amount of activity can be achieved AND MAINTAINED with the proper management of time. Ha ha ... I guess I just need to calm myself enough to reach that 'ZEN' like state you do when your body realizes the only way you're going to get thru this, is if it surrenders completely to the mind. LOL ... for some reason LOBSANG RAMPA comes to mind (anyone remember him?). Oh well ... best to have too much work as opposed to nothing at all I guess!

One other reason for my ardent urge to pen a new entry, stems from the fact that I've also made some groovy new friends here ... thanks to the ones I already have. Ha ha ... it's very important that I impress them. You know what they say ... first impressions are great impressions! One question though, after that brief confusion about the mature rating and stuff (didn't realize I was missing out on so many delightful blog entries because my settings weren't right ... but it's all been sorted out now), I realize that I'm still pretty confused about how to add friends. Why is it everytime I click on 'add friend' it says this, "Error: At this time you cannot invite the person as a friend". Please ... I am not interested in asking Yahoo for help, so may I impose on one of you friends to explain that to me?? By the way, for those of you who are currently not on my friend list but have drooped ... ooops, dropped by my page and read my blog, please by all means ADD ME if you're thinking about doing so. The way I look at it, that's the whole point of being here ... to make friends!! You never know ... for if you are as blessed as I have been, you will have a friend list like mine, full of wonderful, colourful, intelligent, interesting and caring individuals. Ok ... so maybe you already do but add me anyway!!!!!! God bless all of you.

Gerard Singh

Songwriting ...

Ha ha ... that's a pretty presumptuous heading for a blog entry but for lack of a better title, let's leave it. Ok here goes ... first the disclaimer! Everything you read here is my personal opinion and in no way am I making any reference to persons dead or alive or their methods. If by chance that happens, it really is purely coincidental. Ha ha ... seriously though, here's my take on what I think songwriting is, and also how I go about doing it. I have written quite a few songs over the years and I get people asking me all the time if there is some secret formula to doing it. Well no ... but over the years I have developed sort of a system for songwriting. I don't think of it as a formula or such, and it's definitely no secret ... in fact I don't think of it at all! I just write when I feel like it. Let's see if I can break it down cohesively so that anyone reading this can have some understanding of what I'm trying to say. Difficult to do really, when there are so many things going on all at once in my 'noggin' ... but I shall try.


Firstly let's define songwriting, remember we're not just talking about lyrics here (that would be a 'lyricist') but also melody. I would consider someone who comes up with both the lyrics and melody, a songwriter! Yes, I think that's a reasonable description. Now in order to be one, you would need to have a reasonable grasp of language and at least a working knowledge of melody. Most people have a great grasp of language but not everyone has a knack for melody and some don't, even after years of musical training. Which brings me to this little theory I have about why there still is such a thing as a badly written song. It was probably done by someone who in my books, does not have a knack for melody and lyrics (but hasn't realized it yet). Having said that though, I also think that music is very subjective ... so 'one man's meat may be another man's poison'! I'm pretty sure you would not like everything I like, but isn't that the beauty of music? It's like poetry but with the added dimension of sound, and the best way to appreciate it is to derive your own meaning from it. As long as it works for you and gives you that effect you're craving for ... then it's all good!



I wrote my first tune ages ago! I had limited chord knowledge and grasp of language then, so what I wrote reflected how much I knew. Ha ha ... looking at that song now, I have to say that it wasn't bad for a lad of 11. No, I will not post that song here!!! Over the years I've learnt so much more about music and so I went from writing in one style to another and so on. I've also been asked this next question quite frequently. Does the instrument you play define the way you write? Yes, I would have to say that the kind of intrument you play would definitely influence the material you come up with and also a person who's a musician would write differently from one who's not! Remember that I am a musician (a guitar player) so how I write is defined quite a bit by the guitar. I've also learnt to play some keyboards over the years and so when I write with the keyboard, I actually do tend to write differently. All instruments have their own sound/tone and the whole approach to playing them is also technically very different. The music is only one of the elements that binds all these instruments together but they are still harmonically different. It's like having completely different individuals from different parts of the world speak a common language (eg. English) but in their very own accents!



It's the same thing with lyrics, your increasing grasp of language would change the way you write. I find that in general, one would start by writing love songs of maybe 4 or 5 chords. After which you would move on to another love song but with a few more chords thrown in (besides the regular ones you use). Eventually you would get to a stage where your lyrics would get a little verbose and poetic then finally after you've experimented with that, you actually do get back to a stage where you would think, 'less is best'. I believe that is a natural progression for most songwriters before they find their centers and settle down into their own distinctive styles! Still ... I believe that songwriters should try and 'think out of the box' every now and again. It's always refreshing to be able to expand one's musical horizons. Music has evolved over the years because of the few who have thrown caution to the wind and pushed its limits and boundaries and Mr. Donald Fagen is one of them. All I can say is, his songwriting is pure genius!!! 'The Royal Scam' by Steely Dan is one of the best albums I've ever heard ... ever! Mr. Billy Joel is another one of my favourite songwriters. Songs like 'She's always A Woman', 'Piano Man', 'Just The Way You Are' and 'You May Be Right' have excellent chord structure and the words are simply beautiful. He's also always experimenting with different genres of music. I rate him as one of the best songwriters of all time! He does have one of the best marriages of lyrics and melody ever.



So how would I write a song? Well ... I really don't know how to explain that! Most of the time I come up with the melody and some key sentences at the same time. Sometimes I write the melody first and worry about the lyrics later and I very seldom do it the other way around. I find it easier to write lyrics to a melody than to make a melody fit words that are already written. Why? It's simple really, music has its own set of rules, and sometimes when you're just writing words it may not make sense musically! What I mean is, you may end with a line that has one too many syllables for the melody you are about to compose. So when you look for an alternate word or line to replace the original, you may find that it doesn't quite fit (rhyme) with the rest of the song. So I find it's always better to have a melody in the back of your mind when you're writing the words. Like I said ... I'm a musician who writes, so I tend to think about the music a lot when I'm writing songs! Always remember though, that you do have 'poetic license' and we've also established the fact that music is subjective ... so write as you feel. It is after all a form of expression but remember, the real challenge comes when you're actually writing to get a point across ... musically and lyrically! So as it is with everything else in life ... a good balance between the two key elements (words and melody) is tantamount to a great song!



It's funny but I've also noticed that most of the time, songwriters will be asked how they came up with lyrics to a certain song. Ha ha ... no one ever really bothers to ask how the music/melody developed! I know because I've also been asked that same question many times. Well ... to be honest, most times I just write because I need to and want to very badly but sometimes things happen that really affect me in a way that I just have to write about it. I've always been expresive that way, always had an opinion and the urge to voice it ... as 'artistically' as I can most of the time. Playing with words has always fascinated me and I've found that the best ways to indulge myself is thru' poetry and song but alas I'm no poet! So with regards to the subject at hand, this brings me to another point. I guess in general people are actually a lot more interested in what you have to say 'lyrically', rather than what you can do 'musically'. I think that is a good thing for me because I've always considered myself a songwriter first as opposed to a singer or musician, but I also firmly believe that that's the beauty of a great melody! One that's written so well it just sits behind the lyrics, not very noticeable but it's right there to support and help push the words of the song to the forefront. Sensibility, that's what it is! If people are not going to listen to the words, why put them there in the first place? Ha ha, write an instrumental then... that makes more sense, doesn't it? Mr. James Taylor is definitely another one of my heroes because the music to his songs is so well written, it gives you a lot of room to appreciate his lovely lyrics.



At the end of the day, it all boils down to you. Like prose or poetry, music is also a form of expression. So please write to express yourself and/or if you have something you desperately want to say. Write anyway you want ... you are allowed (in most cultures)!!! Just remember that even though music may be a lot more complex than it's made out to be, at the same time it's simple too! Complex because to create it, you need to have some understanding of, or feel for its mechanics. It's simple because the finished product can actually be appreciated by anyone, regardless of what language it's written in. I'm sure we all have songs we love in some language we don't understand. That's the beauty and power of music ... it really is a language all on its own! So for those of you who are starting out as songwriters, my advice to you would be to develop your own style and not worry too much about 'what's in' because these days everyone strives to do it differently! So when you next write a song, don't worry so much about the rules ... make your own! Like fashion ... individuality and originality go a long way in this business.



Gerard Singh

Anagram ...

Here's another quickie! I had this in my e-mail some time ago. Some of you may have seen this before and some of you may have not but I thought it was pretty cool. In fact I still do, that's why I'm posting it here. Besides, I'm also still recovering from 'cavorting with the spirits' on Friday night/Saturday morning ... ha ha, so I just thought I'd post another quickie to let you guys know that I'm still alive and kicking (weakly but still kicking nevertheless)! Anyway someone with a lot of time on their hands went to so much trouble doing this so I'm sharing it with you. Please feel free to use it if you want and send it to as many friends as you'd like. It's a really really clever play of words! Enjoy ...

DORMITORY:

When you rearrange the letters:

DIRTY ROOM

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PRESBYTERIAN:

When you rearrange the letters:

BEST IN PRAYER

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ASTRONOMER:

When you rearrange the letters:

MOON STARER

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DESPERATION:

When you rearrange the letters:

A ROPE ENDS IT

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THE EYES:

When you rearrange the letters:

THEY SEE

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GEORGE BUSH:

When you rearrange the letters:

HE BUGS GORE

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THE MORSE CODE :

When you rearrange the letters:

HERE COME DOTS

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SLOT MACHINES:

When you rearrange the letters:

CASH LOST IN ME

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ANIMOSITY:

When you rearrange the letters:

IS NO AMITY

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ELECTION RESULTS:

When you rearrange the letters:

LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

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SNOOZE ALARMS:

When you rearrange the letters:

ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

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A DECIMAL POINT:

When you rearrange the letters:

IM A DOT IN PLACE

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THE EARTHQUAKES:

When you rearrange the letters:

THAT QUEER SHAKE

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ELEVEN PLUS TWO:

When you rearrange the letters:

TWELVE PLUS ONE

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And for the grand finale ...

MOTHER-IN-LAW:

When you rearrange the letters:

WOMAN HITLER

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Cool ya ... ha ha, I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did and if anyone knows where it originated from please do let me know, coz I really would like to congratulate the person who came up with that. Well take care and God bless all of you. By the way I only just realized this today, but there actually is a much clearer video clip of BIG GAME on YouTube performing 'Daddy's Little Ashtray' live at BERNARD'S. Here's the link;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTd32dkp1is

It's also on my 'BLOGROLL' on my yahoo 360 page;

http://360.yahoo.com/dgerardsingh

Once again thank you to all of you who have actually taken the trouble to visit my page, my blog and also those of you who have checked BIG GAME out on YouTube. Words cannot express my gratitude so I shall say no more ... ha ha! For those of you who have yet to do any of that ... please do so soon and tell us what you think. Raymond and Sherman (the other 2 members of BIG GAME) are on my friend list, so feel free to check out their pages too or just say hello, I am very sure they would appreciate that very much. Ha ha ... and for those of you who read this blog expecting one of my usual entries, do not despair for I will be back in my true presumptuous long winded form after this. Adieu ...

Gerard Singh

The Birthday Bash ...

I know I said I'd not do this but what the hell, I'm going to ... ha ha ha ha! Yes people, this is my 1 st QUICKIE! Ha ha ... no I'm not talking about 'you know what' but some friends of mine here call what I'm doing now a QUICKIE! For those of you still in the dark (what the hell are you doing here anyway ... LOL), that's what we call a short entry ... ha ha, that sounds bad too, doesn't it? Honestly, no pun intended ... so please don't put this one on the chain gang too! A SHORT BLOG ENTRY ... that's what I really want to say! :o)

Seriously though, my friend Colin ... who also happens to be one of the better guitar players in the country is celebrating his birthday today at the ONLINE pub where he performs. He's 43 today and that's also a reminder that I'm not too far away. Anyway, it feels like it's going to be a great night. Booze and music and more booze ... see what I mean! I have to shower in like 5 minutes so LITERALLY, this is a QUICKIE!

I'm taking my G & L guitar with me tonight and my teenie weenie ZOOM GFX 1 floor guitar effects unit too. Yes, I will be hooking up to jam with my musician friends and personally I think any musician in his right mind looks for an excuse like this to have a good time ... and I intend to have a WHALE of a good time, a rockin' good time!!!! Sherman will be there and I'm hoping, loads more musicians too.

So don't leave a light on for me coz I will be out till the crack of dawn and I will have lots of stories to tell when I do get back . Cheers everyone, God bless all of you and may the Spirit guide you in your daily meanderings. Me? Ha ha ... don't worry, I intend to keep the spirits close to me all night!

Gerard Singh

P.S. That's Colin in the pic above

The Space Between Blog Entries ... :o)

Since quite a lot of people have actually been asking me for lyrics to some of the songs on the album 'A SLICE OF THE PIE', and I also happen to be suffering from an acute case of 'NO APPROPRIATE SUBJECT MATTER FOR MY BLOG' syndrome ... I've decided to post more lyrics here. Well here they are, the lyrics to 'DADDY'S LITTLE ASHTRAY' and 'CALL ME'. These 2 songs (newer versions) can also be found on the 'JOURNEYMAN' compilation album released by the indie label, DEATHSTAR PRODUCTIONS in June, 2006. For those of you who have yet to check these 2 songs out, the link is at the end of this entry. Please give them a listen when you have the time because I would appreciate that very very much. I shall not say anything about the songs this time around, you come to your own conclusions ;

DADDY’S LITTLE ASHTRAY

Babies with cigarette burns on their little hands and little feet
Learning all about pain before they learn how to walk
They’re daddy’s little ashtrays and mommy’s little punching bags
They learn how to hate before they learn how to talk

While society tries to be fair
A little boy’s on life support
He had a long day in intensive care
And daddy has a field day in court

@ We breed the men of war,we breed the hate
We breed the abuser then we blame it on fate
First impressions are, great impressions so treat your children well
We need more prophets, scholars and men of the arts
(We need more Gandhis, Muhammads and Jesus Christs)
Not Hitlers or Mansons with hate in their hearts (eyes)
First impressions are, lasting impressions so love your children well

You've been given a gift, why can't you treat it with care
The seeds of your future right in front of you, right there
Immortality in the shape of a child
Trusting you implicitly with all the hope in its eyes

Still you fail to realize
You can seem to understand
Your children live thru' you
Their fates like china in your hands

(Repeat @)

(Solo)

Badly beaten and brutalized
Our children grow with the rage in their eyes
Is this the legacy that we leave behind?
This is hell this is not paradise

(Repeat @)

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CALL ME

One conversation too short was all we had
A brief touching of thoughts was all we shared
You breathe my presence in the evening air
Within your mind you can find me there
You feel the breeze I am caress your hair
Won’t you let my current take you anywhere...call me
Now threads of reason whisper gently within your head
You try and grasp the significance of what was said
With your velvet dreams full of my sensuous schemes
The very fiber of your passion screams
The river’s warm coz’ we’re both two extremes
Go with the flow love, we’re a likely team

* I can sense that you’re tired
But I’m not to be blamed
Since you started the fire
Why don’t you let me feed the flame?
Can you smell my desire?
Does it drive you insane?
I can take your soul higher
To a completely different plane

@ (Call me) I’ll be right there by your side
(Call me) Like a spirit in the night
(Call me) Get your incantation right
(Call me) And we’ll be floating in free flight
(Call me) I promise nothing but delight
(Call me) Use your inner sight
(Call me) How long must we fight
(Call me) Let your need for me decide
Call me...

(Solo)

(Repeat * and @)

(Repeat @)
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Thank you so much for your time and trouble and remember comments are always welcome. Ha ha ... good and/or bad :o)

Gerard Singh

P.S. Here's the link ;

http://www.deathstarproductions.com/biggame.cfm

If you like my music ... TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

Master Of Time ...

I thought I'd do something a little different this time around. Most of you know by now that I'm currently working on an album with my band BIG GAME. Some of you may also know that I released a solo album called 'A SLICE OF THE PIE' in June, 2004. Well it did not do as well commercially because the production company only pressed a thousand copies (yes, the local English market in Malaysia isn't very large). It did get reasonably good reviews and was nominated for 2 AIM (Anugerah Industri Malaysia) awards :o)

Anyway I would like to share the lyrics of 2 songs on that album with you. The first one is called 'MASTER OF TIME' which I co-wrote in college with another singer/songwriter friend of mine, PREM NARAYANAN. Prem currently lives in the USA (where I was supposed to go to finish my degree but couldn't because I ran out of cash and ended up playing music here in Malaysia ... ha ha) and he also happens to be on my 360 friend list. Yes he is, he's been pretty quiet, that's why a lot of you don't know he's around. Well I shall speak for myself when I say this song is what I think God & Religion is about. You are most welcome to intepret it anyway you want, I think that's the beauty of music and prose.

The second song is something I call 'PRAY' and I think it's pretty self-explanatory. Enough said ...

MASTER OF TIME

In worlds of illusion, time is immaterial
You’re slaves of delusion, you believe everything is real
Life’s one big equation, don’t need to be an Einstein to solve
You’re slaves of an aberration, all it needs is resolve

You look but you don’t see me
Yet I’m there beyond your mind
But if you listen close you’ll hear me
I’m the master of time

@ Ever changing, reaffirming
Contemplating the roads you’re taking
I’m on the edge of obscurity, in all forms of purity
You confuse what I really am
With what you think I’m supposed to be

If you want to know my true nature
You must first learn to still your mind
And when you’re steeped in the rapture
You’ll know me the master of time

Repeat @

There was a time when I was alone
No one to love me and nothing was known
I was in need of finding expression
So I dreamt creation in an act of affection
Soon my dreams longed to be real
You begged of me to set you free
And in my love did I let you go
And you in turn now dream of me

Solo

This is the riddle and cause of creation
It’s up to you from that dream to awaken
Know that in shadows I am concealed
That I am the only, eternal and real
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PRAY

There’s an old man who sits at the edge of the world
With eyes that don’t see
And he anxiously waits for a sign of the one
Who will set him free ... and he said to me,
"What good is a clear strong vision
In a world that refuses to see
I’d rather be one with the mountains and trees
Feel the strength of the cool ocean breeze
While I wait and pray"

There’s a lady they say she’s been touched by an angel
She speaks incoherently
But in a moment of pure and unbridled lucidity
She whispered to me,
"What good is a clear strong mind
In a world that refuses to reason
I’d rather be one with the birds and the bees
And feel the change of all the four seasons
While I wait and pray"

So forgive me Father, for I have sinned
It’s been so long since my last confession
Believe me Father, I was led astray
So caught up in my worldly possessions
Now I wait and pray

Now I sit and I wait for the one called ‘Salvation’
And I hope, he passes my way
And as the first rays of light touch the eastern horizon
I hang my head and I pray
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Thank you so much for taking the time and do let me know what you think for it is much appreciated!

Gerard Singh

P.S. Ha ha ... try to be kind though!

Innuendo ...

I have said that I do prefer people to speak their minds but after much thought, I have come to realize that that only applies to certain situations. When you have a certain point to get across, it's always best not to mince your words too much. Also, tact must be employed to a certain degree when dealing with another's feelings. That has been dealt with in a previous blog entry and that's not what I want to talk about this time around.

There is this game of 'wits' that people play with each other, especially when there's an attraction involved! It has all the allure of the proverbial apple in the garden of Eden. It has been played by the best of them over the centuries and it is still being played today. I choose to call it INNUENDO. It's the art of not being obvious, of saying and doing just enough to peek another's interest. Even in the dictionary, the meaning of the word is elusive. Look under INNUENDO and you will be told to refer to another word ... INSINUATE, which means to insert gradually or craftily and/or to hint artfully. A 'gradual insertion', in a certain context ... does sound like a lot of fun after all! Ha ha ... that would explain why millions of people spend hours upon hours of their lives perfecting their game. Like a 'hunt' ... it has always been about the thrill of the chase. Two prize fighters circling each other, not wanting the other to know exactly what the next move would be.

Once again technology has given mankind new avenues to take things to higher levels of playability. The computer and internet AND ALSO, the cellphone and text messaging. These two pairs have been responsible for taking the game to heights never possible before. Instant messaging, e-mailing, text messaging and the like have achieved almost 'art' like status. People are not even restricted by distance anymore ... in fact to many, distance has become THE comfort zone. When playing over great distances, the 'hunt' lasts even longer ... 'sweetening' the play and strategem. Some games have been known to last for years but some end almost immediately after they start. Players range in size, age, colour, gender, sexual preference and even marital status. Anyone can play anyone these days! You can be anyone you choose to be in the game and you can play the game with anyone at all, and with as many as you like ... and you never even have to meet!

People toy with each other all the time in the game and once you get caught in its web, it feels like that habit you always want to give up but never really can. It consumes you like a hungry beast. It almost always sends a thrill down your spine and you shiver with the anticipation of your opponent's next move. Waiting for that response, the reply to your message ... for a sign that the game is still ON! You spend your days cooking up new strategies to advance to the next level but always in the back of your mind ... you do not want to be too obvious! You take it to bed with you at night ... trying to think of your next play as you fall asleep. That is the game after all ... and it's all about keeping the butterflies in your tummy. Some have even progressed to levels where their senses are so acute that they almost know if the game they're going to play will be a good one. Like grand masters of chess ... they are always on the look out for worthy opponents. Opponents who will take them to the limits of their ability ... and sometimes even leave them out to dry when they lose.

I believe all of us go thru our lives playing the game to some degree and honing our gaming skills as we progress. A flirtatious look, a suggestive word or gesture can get us into all sorts of situations, some we don't want to get into but most we do. Some of us play the game to escape, some play out of boredom and some actually play for the love of the game. Whichever group you belong to, there is no denying the fact that the game is addictive, because the game is FUN. Having said that, I must say that I do dip my hand into the cookie jar every now and again, it is after all a deviously delicious use of free time ... :o)

Gerard Singh

A Better Sense Of Civility!

I don't claim to be the most civilized person in the world but I think a lot about how I can go through my day just being myself and without stepping on too many toes. I just wish more people would do that! In the course of my 18 year career as a pub musician (yes, it's been that long), I have come across all sorts of individuals, most of them very very nice but a few who aren't so considerate! I just fail to comprehend how some people can end up being so mean and rude ... especially to people in the service industry. I have seen waiters/waitresses being insulted by customers for petty reasons. Is it really that difficult to be kinder? Would it be so hard to speak politely? There is such a thing as 'using the proper channels', isn't there? An inefficient waiter/waitress could simply mean ... bad management! The management is almost always to be blamed for inefficient staff. Why? Because the management hires the individual in the first place and they are supposed to train them well. So if someone is dissatisfied with the service shouldn't he/she complain to the mangement? Why deride the individual in public? Does it mean you have bigger b_lls (ladies...this applies to you too) when you do something like that? I don't think so ... you just come across as an a_ _ hole in the 1st degree when you do that!

Just the other night while we were at work, we had a request to play a song by 'Egland Dan & John Ford Coley'. Ha ha ... fine, most of you may not like their music but I happen to think they write wonderful love songs. So being the accomodating musicians that we are (we're predominantly a cover band after all) we comply and what do we get? Some a_ _ hole in the crowd who actually thought his b_lls were big enough, shouting 'boring'. What rubbish, you're not the only person in the club so stuff it already! Well I let it by the 1st time around, simply because I wasn't sure who it was (maybe his b_lls weren't all that big after all). The next week it happened again, this time after we performed 'When The Children Cry', no request this time ... I just happen to think that's a very good song, so we played it. Same thing happens and this time I know who it is so I don't let it slide. I literally tell him to f_ _k off and he doesn't like it, but do I care? Not a bit! Yes I know, maybe I should have spoken to the management about it but I couldn't help wanting to give that a_ _hole a dose of his own medicine. I have since found out that the culprit sells toilet bowls for a living ... ha ha, that would explain why he's so full of S_ _T (pun intended)! For those of you who have done something like that to anyone in the service industry, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Never do that again because it is just not civil! If you don't like something/someone in a certain place go somewhere else. Don't expect changes to be made just to suit your fancy ... if you want that, start you own joint! :o)

Having said all I've said above, this brings me to another issue. 'Oh ... I'm sorry, I was drunk!'. Haven't we all heard that line at some point or other in our lives. That's about the lamest excuse ever! That's why there are laws against drunk driving. If you can't handle your alcohol then DON'T DRINK!!! What's with saying, 'Sorry I didn't mean to do or say that ... I was irretrievably drunk!'. Get real ... isn't there also a saying that goes 'DRUNK PEOPLE DON'T LIE!'? I believe that's so much closer to the truth ... so please save yourselves some embarassment by getting in touch with your inner selves as intimately as possible before taking on that all exposing pastime called 'HAVING A FEW' or to some of you early birds ... 'HAPPY HOUR'. It certainly would save those around you the trouble of cooking up excuses for your errant behaviour!

Another thing that sits at the top of my 'Human Traits That Bug Me The Most' list is this, why can't people just be straightforward? A lot of problems can crop up when people don't speak their minds. There'll almost always be a lot of apologizing later that way! When confronted about their lack of 'straight forwardness' a lot of them say this famous little line that really really irks me, 'I'm sorry...I didn't want to hurt your feelings'. Rubbish ... then why insinuate in the first place? Fine, a certain level of tact must be used and a certain level of diplomacy practiced ... so when you've got that magic balance right already, just spit it out! Come on...I'm a musician, not a mind reader. If you are reading this and you don't know the difference between the two, please stop now and go away! Don't be offended because I only have your best interest in mind. We all know that time is precious and I honestly do not want to waste yours!

Asking politely also goes a very long way but one should always remember that just because you ask for something politely, it doesn't mean you are going to get it! Ha ha ... this is something I'm desperately trying to instill in my 8 year old, especially when we walk down the aisles of the very expensive TOYS 'R' US store! Like I said she's only 8, most of the people I deal with are adults ... what's their excuse? I think understanding this is really important! Asking politely does increase your percentage for success though but nothing in life is guaranteed! I know God said, 'ask and you shall receive' but I believe He/She meant that for a different time. Those days people just TOOK without ASKING. Try that now and see where you end up!

After all has been said and done, I am a firm believer that no single person exists solely by themselves. We all need one another ... like pieces to a giant jigsaw puzzle. As James Taylor so clearly pointed out in his song 'SHOWER THE PEOPLE', 'it's true what they say about this squeaky wheel, always get in the grease...' . Aren't we all spokes in this giant wheel of life ... so come on, think of civility as the grease that helps our wheel spin squeak free ... SPREAD IT AROUND, coz there's nothing like A WELL OILED MACHINE!!!

Gerard Singh