February Album-in-a-month / RPM Challenge
February is coming and I’m starting to think about the RPM Challenge again. Do I dive back in so soon. I took 8 years off last time. Is one year enough recovery time? Last night and this morning I brainstormed the following list of possible projects I could do in February for the RPM Challenge. I realize many of these of not strictly to RPM standards in that I wouldn’t be starting from scratch on February 1st but I don’t mind bending that rule this year.
- Picnic*
- Record the first song Greg and I wrote together back in 1991 with Greg on guitar.
- Neb Crabula 2014 tracks*
- Greg laid down a handful of guitars and vocals when he came up to visit for a possible Neb Crabula EP.
- I could flesh them out by recording the drums, keys, etc.
- Unfinished Solo Tunes
- I have a handful of solo tracks in various stages of completion I could finish up.
- Mahout concept album*
- Mahout is traditionally Greg talking and me making music that goes behind it.
- The three words “Mahout concept album” popped into my head yesterday so I texted them to Greg and we chatted about them.
- Nothing
- Literally. Do nothing but chill, goof off, take the month off from music.
- This is always an option.
- The Musical
- Finish writing the songs for the musical we’ve been working on.
- Maybe even record some backing tracks for them
- File this option under “Should.”
- Conventional solo album
- Like it says. Me just hammering out an album on my own.
- Been there, done that.
- But to be fair, I won’t be inviting anybody over to my house during lockdown so this might be it.
- Mailbox Live
- Pick 30-60 minutes of classic Mailbox material to record and video in a “live”-like setting in the studio.
- Mix and master it for a “broadcast” at the end of the month.
- Easy and fun idea if not the most ground-breaking.
- Elephants of Scotland album
- Write an album of EoS material and record my parts (drums, keys, acoustic, vocals).
- Yeah, just write a whole prog album. Make it a double-length concept album while yer at it, ya nutjob.
- I would record the rest of the band and finish the album up after the world opens up again.
- Elephants of Scotland Acoustic Album
- Re-record a bunch of EoS tunes in a more acoustic style.
- I’ve done “The Other Room” and “Full Power” in the past and I liked how they turned out.
- Different Collaborator
- Instead of EoS or Neb Crabula, write and record an album with somebody else (preferably just me and one other)
- Backing Tracks
- Jam out an album’s worth of instrumentals that somebody could add songs on top of later.
- Radio show
- I was provisionally invited to appear on a radio show/podcast to perform a few songs and get interviewed.
- If that happens, I should probably focus on rehearsing for that.
- And I think I’d be able to release it.
* Would require Greg’s availability. Our schedules are looking like they might not jibe this February.
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