Derek Wilson Music

New Song - Good Night Rose

2010-10-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

I wrote and recorded a new song this afternoon. I just got my cello back from CA and now it's up with me here in Portland. I took it out of it's case and was immediately inspired. This song came from that.

The song is meant more as a calm, relaxing piece. I record ambient pieces to put on and relax to and this a song of that vein. I hope you all enjoy it.

-Derek

Download and listen to it:

Good Night Rose

Crosby Sweater

2010-09-04T16:27:00.001-07:00

Here's a song sketch that I just put together and wrote this afternoon. It'll be more fleshed out and with lyrics soon but I just felt like posting it here and sharing it with who ever might happen to check the blog. I'll post newer versions as the song evolves.

Download and listen to it:

Crosby Sweater Sketch

New Song - Lonely Night

2010-03-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

Last night I was up recording a demo of a song I wrote last weekend. The song's called "Lonely Night." It's a bit of a mellow, aesthetic song. Lyrics and an expanded arrangement will be coming shortly for it. I'm really happy with how the song is coming along though and I wanted to share it with everyone.

Download and listen to it:

Lonely Night

Valentine's Day Single

2010-02-13T23:45:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. It's been too long since I've written anything on here. I've been busy with my new life here in Portland and settling into my new job. I'm getting back to writing music though and I've very glad about that. I'm looking at acquiring a piano very soon to help me with that. I'm also starting a recording project at a studio helping a friend record and produce an album. I'm very excited about starting that and will possibly post updates about that as well here.

Being single, I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. But I've been looking at recording some songs, so I'm using the holiday as an excuse for doing so. I've been listening to a lot of Al Green lately and have always loved his song, "Tired of Being Alone," so I decided to record a cover of it.

The other song I did is "Time Has Told Me" by Nick Drake. It's just a very sweet, simple song that I relate to. Both of these songs were just recorded with a borrowed acoustic guitar (thank you Abby,) and me singing. Hope you enjoy and have a good Valentine's Day.

1. Tired of Being Alone (Al Green Cover)

2. Time Has Told Me (Nick Drake Cover)

Click here to download

New song

2009-11-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

It was pouring heavily outside this afternoon so what else is one to do on a Saturday with that kind of weather than record some music. I recorded an instrumental guitar piece that I wrote a while ago that's been sitting quietly waiting to be presented to people. While this is by no means the definitive version, (I intend to redo it and add other instruments at some point), I think this is a very enjoyable song to listen to. Thanks to my housemate for letting me borrow his nylon acoustic guitar as I don't have an acoustic up with me here in Portland at the moment.

The song is now called "Tangles We Weave". Thanks to the friend of mine who helped come up with the title. I was thinking of calling it, "Fahey's Rolling In His Grave" but I thought that may be too disrespectful of the king of fingerpicking.

Click to download "Tangles We Weave"

Been gone for a while / Mix'

2009-11-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

There hasn't been much activity here I realize. I've been busy focusing on getting other parts of my life in better shape and haven't had as much time to work on writing songs. One of the biggest things that's happened lately is that I moved from Sacramento to Portland. Anyway I'm still settling in, but I'll be continuing to work on and finish the album I'm in the middle of writing.

In the mean time I made a mix that I thought I'd share. (I have a habit of making them for people it seems.) If you want to check out music I've been digging on lately click below to download it. I made it one long track again sorta like a radio show. I hope you enjoy it.

Don't Know How To Say Mix

Tracklist:

1. Alice Coltrane - Journey to Satchidananda

2. Betty Everett - 1900 Yesterday

3. Paul McCartney - Another Day

4. CANT - Ghosts

5. Atlas Sound - Criminals

6. The Superlatives - I Don't Know How (To Say I Love You)

7. Nico - I'm Not Saying

8. The Nerves - Hanging On The Telephone

9. Times New Viking - Move To California

10. The Johnny Harris Orchestra - Footprints on The Moon

11. The Four Freshmen - It Happened Once Before

12. Antonio Carlos Jobim - Insensatez (How Insensitive)

13. Neil Young - Pocahontas

14. Dead Western - Beautifully Powerful, Powerfully Beautiful

15. Jack Kerouac - The Moon Her Majesty

16. M. Ward - Story Of An Artists (Daniel Johnston Cover)

Click here to download

Video of new song

2009-09-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post this. A very good friend of mine who I used to be in a band with was over at my house last night and filmed me playing a song on piano I'm almost done writing. I'm going to be sharing some exciting news about my music in the next week or two so stay tuned:

Also record of the moment for me:

New Demo - Bicycle Ride

2009-08-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a demo I just finished that I've been working on for quite some time now. The song is called "Bicycle Ride". It's an instrumental piece. I plan on putting the song after rerecording it at a studio on my next CD. Hope you all enjoy it. I have about a third of the new album written so far. Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend.

-Derek

Click here to download "Bicycle Ride"

I Once Had a Dream Mix

2009-08-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

I made a mix and thought I'd share it people here. It's a mix of music I'm really enjoying right now. The title is from a line in one of the songs. I felt a little weird uploading a bunch of songs for download on the internet, so I made all the songs one whole big track. Think of it like a radio show. Just hit play and forget about the rest. Like always I tagged some of you, because I thought you would especially like it, but this is meant for anyone and everyone.

-Derek

Here's the tracklisting:

1. Dan Deacon - Build Voice
2. Department of Eagles - Teenagers
3. Fleet Foxes - Isles
4. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - Oh Paris!
5. Françoise Hardy - Tous Les Garcons Et Les Filles
6. The Beach Boys - That's Not Me
7. Atlas Sound - Walkabout
8. New Order - Temptation (7" Mix)
9. The Smiths - Ask
10. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Come Saturday
11. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
12. Belle & Sebastian - Judy And The Dream of Horses

Click here to download the mix.

Went to an art gallery and guess what I saw...

2009-08-08T23:29:00.000-07:00

Hello again. I've been working on writing more music, but nothing to share quite yet. Though I usually talk about music I'm making here, or things relating to that, I think I'm going to divert to share something with you all that I think you should know about.

Tonight I went walking around Sacramento looking at different art galleries. It started getting dark, but there was one other gallery I heard about that sounded interesting, and it was near the record shop I like to go to that I mentioned back in June, the store called Records, so I decided to stop there briefly and check it out. Boy was I blown away though at what I saw. The gallery I went to is currently doing a showing of a guy by the name of Doug Biggert. The exhibition is of photographs he's taken of hitchhikers he's picked up over the years. In the opening room is also another gallery of photos he took from '68 to '71 of people he knew or found interesting. Personally, I LOVED this. I like the idea of documentation in a non-formal way. There's also something about aged photos from that time period that I really like.

As I walked through the gallery I saw the guy I talked to at the shop Records who was very kind and knowledgeable about Charles Mingus whom I mentioned back in June here on my blog. Well come to find out he is the photographer, Doug, being featured at the gallery! I talked to him for a bit again abut hitchhiking, some of the photos he's taken, and music. He's a very cool guy. I bought a small book of some of the photos he's taken and he wrote a very kind note on it and signed it for me.

Anyway I highly recommend to anyone living in Sacramento to check out this exhibition. I loved it and will be going again. Here is an article about Doug and the exhibition:

Doug Biggert Article

And a link to the website of the Verge Gallery where it's being shown:

Verge Gallery

A pic of one of the walls of photos he's taken (not the hitchhiker series but the other series photos he's taken.)

Music Mix

2009-07-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. As another little gift to all of my friends, I thought I'd share a mix I recently made with everybody. The mix I think is ideal to listen to during a sunny summer day while driving back home. Some of the stuff you may have heard before and some of the stuff I'm sure you haven't. Here is the tracklisting:

Feels So Good You're Coming Home Mix
1. The Donkeys - "In The Morning"
2. She & Him - "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"
3. Buffalo Springfield - "Do I Have To Come Right Out and Say It?"
4. Meat Puppets - "The Whistling Song"
5. Wilco - "Company In My Back"
6. No Age - "When You Find Out"
7. Deerhunter - "Saved By Old Times"
8. Beck - "Vampire Voltage No.6"
9. T2 - "J.L.T."
10. I'm From Barcelona - "The Painter"
11. Yo La Tengo - "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House"
12. Belle & Sebastian - "The Boy With The Arab Strap"
13. The Zombies - "Care of Cell 44"
14. Elliott Smith - "Say Yes"
(In the download I also included liner notes of each song)

Click here to download the mix

Btw- The cover for this mix was made by an artist named Emily Grenader. She started a project where she is sending a postcard everyday for a whole year to different people. I bought two postcards from her. The above is the first she sent to me which arrived on my birthday. I really like her work. Check out the project for yourself right here:

http://emilygrenader.com/365postcards.php

Birthday/Leaving Sugar Mountain

2009-07-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

"Oh to live on sugar mountain, with the barkers and the colored balloons. You can't be twenty on sugar mountain. Though you're thinking that you're leaving here too soon." - Neil Young "Sugar Mountain"

Today is my birthday and I am now twenty years old. Birthdays have for quite a while felt weird for me. Partially I guess because I've always felt I'm a different age than what my birthday tells me. Instead of focusing on and celebrating myself, I'd rather take the time to thank every one of my friends and family that are part of my life. So to everyone reading this, thank you for making my life so rich and wonderful. I really am thankful to know you all.

As a little gift back to all of you, I spent my last night as a 19-year-old recording a song for everyone. It's a cover of a song by Neil Young called "Sugar Mountain". I learned the piece, created a new arrangement with different instruments, and recored it all last night. I'm very happy with it, and I hope everyone enjoys it too. "Sugar Mountain" is a song that was written by Neil Young when he himself was twenty and is one of the earliest songs he ever wrote. Download link below.

Download - Sugar Mountain

In The Wee Small Hours

2009-07-18T02:43:00.000-07:00

When ever I can, I try to listen to albums completely in one sitting and not break it up or just listen to a song or two, (although I am guilty of doing that occasionally as well). I just finished my first listen (it's currently as I write 2:47 am), of the Frank Sinatra album "In The Wee Small Hours". I have to say that it is a gorgeous body of music. It was one of the first concept albums and Sinatra's first full length album.

The album is a group of melancholy songs of heartbreak and definitely the restless nights that go with it. I thought the album might be a downer, but upon listening I felt very invigorated surprisingly, getting many ideas for various things, musical and not from it. The lyrics are great too and especially right now I really connect with what he's saying. Sinatra overcomes that human emotion so many other singers can have that bring the listener down, and instead sings beautifully in a way that is perfect for what he's trying to communicate yet still makes you feel fine.

I highly recommend getting this album if you don't already have it. It's perfect for late nights by yourself even if you're not going through heart break. I myself sat outside on my deck looking out into the stars. I felt that complimented the music very well.

Things are changing

2009-07-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

I've been working these last two weeks on a demo of a new song that will be on my next album. Right now I'm calling the next album Dumb Angel (a somewhat inside joke). All the songs on it will have a more eclectic use of instruments than I've had previously, with less focus on guitar. I've had brewing in my head for these past couple months what the songs will sound and feel like. While there isn't a "story", or constructed "theme", they're all shaping up to be more cohesive together with all of them having a feeling I want to give of optimism. I'm still at the beginning stages of this all though, and I'm going to take my time on this because I want this one to be grand.

I spent the last two Friday nights recording a demo of one of the songs. I stayed up till 4 a.m. both nights to record and mix everything. While I'd like to remind everyone this isn't perfect, I think it sounds better than quite a few of the other things I've been able to share with you here. Leave a comment with your thoughts. The "artwork" is the recording setup I had at 3 am.

Click Here to Download - "Changing"

Cassette

2009-06-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

Two piano sketches recorded on cassette. I like the hiss and crackle you get from recording that way. Sorry if it's slightly quiet. Click on title to download:

Piano #14

Epilogue

Record Hunting Tonight

2009-06-14T01:30:00.000-07:00

The song project I've been working on at the studio has been dormant this last week. Thought I'd just share this cool thing with everyone though. I went record hunting tonight in Sacramento after meeting a friend downtown. I started off at R5 which is a relatively cool place but wasn't able to find the record I was looking for. (It should be noted here that in this post when I refer to the term record, I'm talking about a vinyl record and not a CD.)

Well I went down two doors to a vintage record shop which I've been to only two or three times before. Apparently the store is just called "Records", although their website is www.rare-records.net. Anyway it has a large collection of old vinyl and I've had some good finds there in the past. I got Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain". I was also searching for any Ronettes singles I could find or anything produced by Phil Spector. (No matter what he's done recently, back then he produced some killer records!) I scored a Righteous Brothers single produced by Spector, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' ".

I found under Dave Brubeck an issue of Down Beat Magazine, (an old jazz magazine), from 1962 which I knew I had to acquire. I asked the owner if he had anymore issues and he took me to a pile of old issues. We then went and talked for about 40 minutes about jazz music with him telling me various stories such as meeting Charles Mingus, (he also saw Mingus perform twice.) I wish I could have picked his brain for days he knows so much. He gave me quite a few recommendations of stuff I'm gonna be checking out in the next couple of weeks. One artist he asked if I knew was Mabel Mercer who I found out is a jazz/cabaret singer who was admired by people such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald for her singing. Not having heard her, he went and gave me a double LP of hers for free.

Anyway so a couple things I just wanted to say about the whole experience. 1. Don't be afraid to talk to people. You never know what you might find out or learn. 2. Support your local record store even if it isn't a vinyl only place, but I encourage everyone to support the small stores that have personality and real people working there. 3. If you're ever in Sacramento, call me up and lets go to Records together. It's a real awesome place.

Jazz

2009-05-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

Not much in the news department currently. I'm still recording at the studio. Music ideas are percolating right now inside. This past week I've been in jazz mood and have been listening to Coltrane, Miles, Brubeck and Mingus. Some real great stuff those guys put out. I thought I'd just share two things that I found on the internet. I guess they pertain more to musicians, but they're still fascinating and great nonetheless.

The first is the great Elvin Jones (he was Coltrane's drummer) demonstrating how to do a drum solo.

The next is hand written notes by the late jazz pianist, Thelonius Monk giving advice to other musicians. Really funny/interesting. I like the part where he says, "What you don't play can be more important than what you do."

Got Sick, Now I'm Better

2009-05-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Got sick this last weekend with a nasal thing. It was pretty lame to have that happen during the weekend, but I recorded some music stuff that I thought I'd share with you all while getting better. On Friday I'm going to be going into the studio again after about a two to three week break to records vocals with a friend of mine, Sarah, who's coming up to visit friends. I'm really excited for that since it'll be a totally different thing from what I've done before. I'll upload a picture or two of the session later. I'm also beginning to build my own music website to start selling my music and keep people better updated though I'll still be writing here on my blog.

Here are some pictures my bro took last night of me:

"What'd you want?"

I just thought this looked cool.

Here are two songs I recorded over the weekend. The first is a song written by Vivian Girls. They're a band from Brooklyn that I really like. You should all check out their self titled debut.

Download it here: Never See Me Again (Vivian Girls)

The other song is a piano instrumental. I plan on adding more instruments to it and possibly expanding on the ideas here, but I thought I'd share it with you all.

Download it here: Bike Ride in Soulages-Bonneval (Just Google it)

Yann Tiersen Tonight!

2009-05-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, well tonight I'm going to San Francisco to see composer Yann Tiersen perform at the Great American Music Hall. For those of you who don't know who he is, he composed the music for the film Amelie, one of my all time favorite films. I was going to take my brother as well as my birthday present to him, but unfortunately he's gotten sick. From all the contradictory reviews of his shows, I'm not quite sure what to expect from him tonight, but I'm sure it will be great either way. I like going to shows not just because they're fun, but I learn a lot from watching other musician's perform. Hope everyone else is has a good Friday as well.

Here's one of my favorite songs of his off the Amelie soundtrack:

Photos from the studio

2009-04-25T01:08:00.001-07:00

So I'm back from a seven hour recording session that went really well. Here's some photos I took during it.

This is vitamin B1. I take it before I record as I find it helps keep focused and keep level-headed through out the session.

Tacos Rock!

I started getting a bit tired while doing the cello tracks. I did one track of cello and another where I used the cello as a psuedo-stand up bass since I don't have one. Note the Kiss pinball machine behind me.

Listening to the tracks while Rob was doing something.

Apparently if you're not a Koala you can't park there I guess.

The lyrics to the song.

Dissected, Rejected, Resurrected

2009-04-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long since I've last posted anything here. I'm very sorry for the inactivity but this blog is now active again. So besides being busy with my job this past month, there's been a lot going on musically too. From Jan-March I recorded three songs that will be released as a single with the main song called "Rainy Day" I'm preparing the artwork for it now. It will be available digitally as well as on vinyl with a digital download. The art for my CD is done and I'll be sending it off to be manufactured next week. I'm very excited for it.

Besides those things, I also recorded an old song of mine called "Love Drive". Not sure how this one will be released but everyone who has heard the recording so far says it rocks. Today I just began recording another song titled "Honey Kisses". Think Ronettes, early Diana Ross and you're pretty close to what the song sounds like. I'm actually gonna have a good friend of mine, Sarah sing on it. Should be interesting. I'm going back into the studio Friday and will post some pics of the session.

And last but not least I've been preparing for a while another free recording of some home recordings that I really like and hope you do too. The EP here is called "In My Room". The cover is a picture of my bedroom and that's how it usually looks all the time. I included a lyric sheet too with the download. Comment and let me know what you think.

Tracklisting:
1. Awaken to a Dream
2. Haunted
3. Capricious
4. Love Drive (Soft)

Click here to download the In My Room EP

Lou Reed Covers

2009-03-21T01:12:00.000-07:00

So I head off to visit several friends of mine, both old and new down in LA, and I thought in celebration of seeing them again I'd put up two covers of one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Lou Reed.

The first song is "I'm Sticking With You", which has certain special significance with me. That song was an unreleased Velvet Underground song during the "Loaded" session. The other song is "Perfect Day" off Lou's "Transformer" album. "Prefect Day" has my all time favorite lyric in it, hands down. Leave a comment guessing what it is. Anyway, hope all is well with everyone. Wish me a safe journey Saturday when I drive down.

Click here to download

Photos from recording

2009-03-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

So I started recording a new song tonight called "Love Drive" over at Sterling Sound Studios where I record and thought I'd post some photos of the session. I found some other recent photos and thought I'd share them as well.

Forget working and producing products, God is the cause of you getting money

Lately I've been enjoying how amazingly beautiful the clouds have been here in California near where I live. I took this while driving.

At the studio waiting for Rob to set up the recording gear.

About to lay down the drum track for the song

Pissed off at myself after about the 40th take or so recording the drums. It was seriously so annoying to not be able to do it right after practicing for weeks before.

Dinner. Personally, I hate McDonalds, but it's the closest place for getting food that's fast near the studio so by default I usually get dinner there. After eating dinner, I went back in one take did the drum track. I guess I was just hungry.

The amp set up for recording the guitar tracks. Two amp heads are on, but we only used one.

Something different

2009-03-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

So these past two weekends among other things, I've been just experimenting and making some soundscapes and thought I'd share two with you just for fun. Not my usual deal in what I record, but I like them both.

The first is called "Don't Touch The Peyote Kid!". It's a little abrasive with a tribal feel to it with chanting. Sorta like something off Drum's Not Dead by Liars except more just off the cuff.

Download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?rkmlndt22dj

Where the first song is energetic, atonal, etc., this other one, "Meditation On A Grassy Knoll" is basically the opposite. A series of guitars parts looped together, it is meant more as a relaxing song to just tune out to and decompress.

Download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?mqjiznn1z2n

Hope you all enjoy them.

-Derek

Album Cover

2009-03-06T22:20:00.000-08:00

So for those who have been following my music for a bit now, you know that I finished recording music for my first CD back last winter. There's been lots of hoops, hurdles, coming up to speed on things, and other various stops to finishing the artwork for it though. I think I've got almost all of the art finished now and I thought I'd share with you what the front cover looked like, and wanted to get people's opinion of it. I worked with a design company to collaborate with on the album artwork. The background is a painting that I did. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

(BTW- the colors on it may not seem as vibrant as they will actually be. That's because of certain web restrictions.)

My bro

2009-03-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

This last week my brother, who is an up and coming composer and piano player himself, had a recital in where he played a few pieces and song he wrote himself. Now what I'm about to say may seem biased, but truthfully it's not. The song he wrote is AWESOME. In many aspects of playing piano I must admit he is years ahead of me. Anyway I had his performance recorded and thought I'd share the song he wrote with everyone. A very jazzy song if I do say so myself, but I like jazz so I think that's a good thing.

Click here to download the song.

Malkmus

2009-02-24T23:01:00.000-08:00

So quick update on my how my songs are coming along, I finished mixing the songs that will be on my single. The name and tracklisting are as follows: Side A: "Rainy Day", Side B: 1. "Letters" 2. Morning Sun". They'll be mastered next week. The artwork for my CD is also done except for some text that I have to put in. I'll post the cover which I'm really happy about before the week is over so check here regularly.

While this blog is supposed to be about my music and what I'm doing, I'm a music lover myself and love sharing stuff with other people. The main reason why I'm writing this post actually is that I'm seeing Stephen Malkmus tomorrow night in SF! I'm a big fan of his work in that little known indie band Pavement and his solo work as well. He'll just be playing solo though so I'm really interested to see what songs he plays (hopefully some Pavement tunes). Anyway it's at the Great American Music Hall. If anyone reads this before tomorrow night, you should come too.

Here's two videos of Stephen Malkmus songs for those who aren't familiar with his work. The first is my favorite Pavement tune. The other is with his new backing band, The Jicks.

Valentine's Day EP

2009-02-14T13:36:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, so in celebration of Hallmark and flowers day, or to others Valentine's Day, I decided to put together a couple of songs to share with everyone. I've been very busy at the studio lately trying to finish my single that I'll be putting out soon, so I only recorded one new thing.

The First song, Ms. Wasted Time was the last song I recorded and mixed when I was going to high school. While my singing has gotten better since then, the people who have heard it say it's a favorite of theirs. The second was recorded in October at my home while finishing up my CD which will be released soon. The last song is a cover of one of my favorite Beach Boys tunes, "Let Him Run Wild" and I made it this week for this release. Hope you all have a good Valentine's Day.

-Derek
1. Ms. Wasted Time
2. Overdraw Fees
3. Let Him Run Wild (Beach Boys)

Click here to download

New song

2009-02-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

I have nothing to share with you all yet, but I just wrote an instrumental number that I'm very excited about. The working title is "Mental Hurricane." It's a piano based tune bordering on free jazz at times and at others more rock. I only made a DIY-like, guerilla style recording of it tonight. Hopefully this weekend I can record it more properly with full instrumentation and share it with you all. Who knows! This could be the start of a new direction with my music.

Hope the week is treating you all well.

-Derek

Free Songs for Pandas EP

2009-02-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

So I recorded a couple of covers that I did for fun and thought I'd share them with all of you as well as include a song I wrote awhile ago that I like a lot. I wrote it during the recording sessions for my first CD. Don't know why I haven't properly recorded it. Comment and let me know what you think of it and if I should put it on the next album. The two covers I did are:

1. Ain't No Mountain High Enough (originally performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell)
2. Walking The Cow (by Daniel Johnston)

For those who don't know who Daniel Johnston is, you can find out about him here:
Daniel Johnston Bio

The third song is by me and is called "Life Ahead". This three song EP is dedicated to my friend Panda.

You can download it here: Songs For Pandas EP

One more from the studio

2009-01-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

On Thursday I was over mixing the song I'm recording, Rainy Day. I go back on Tuesday to do some extra vocal tracks I wasn't planning on, but that's how it goes I guess. Anyway, as I was mixing, Rob decided to take a pic of me and now I'm sharing with you how we truly make records over at Sterling Sound Studios

Studio Pics

2009-01-20T23:54:00.000-08:00

Just got back from the studio tonight. The new song I'm working on is sounding really good. It's called Rainy Day. Anyway, I thought I'd share some pics of workin in the studio with you all. If there's stuff you'd like to see on this blog let me know.

-Derek

What the string tracks and tambourine track look like on Pro Tools 8.

Tambourine. The secret magical ingredient to every hit song according to Rob.

Kiss pinball? AWESOME!

Working with Rob mixing the song.

Getting ready to lay down the cello tracks.

Oh Beautiful Moon

2009-01-18T23:41:00.000-08:00

Oh beautiful moon
I look upon you tonight with all your shining glory
Some try to sail to you,
but the sea between us is too vast
for a small boat like mine
to dare make that trip.
Someday I'd like to visit you and ask you about what you see
An ever faithful guard
You help enlighten us
on misdeeds being done
with your glowing gaze.

And so bright, so bright your smile can be
Sometimes I wonder why you smile
Did a star or nearby planet make a joke I cannot hear?
Or are you amused at times by us?
Whatever it maybe,
I'm glad you're enjoying yourself up there.
If it's lonely for people like me here,
I can only imagine what it must be like for you.

An ever faithful protector and friend
Thank you
I'll watch over things as you'll sleep
As you do the same for me.

Clothing Shop Video

2009-01-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. I just finished editing a music video for my song "Clothing Shop". Originally I was going to film part of the video in the actual shop that inspired the song, but unfortunately the store is now closed. I found another cool place called Cheap Thrills in downtown Sacramento and filmed part of the video in there instead. Thanks to Rick, Andrew, and Jake for filming it all. Hope you guys like it.

First post / News

2009-01-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. First post of many here on my blog to keep people in touch with my music and give you all insight into my music world.

I'm coming out with a record called Beautiful Confusion this month. Though there's been some delay in finishing the artwork, it's almost done. You can hear some of the songs on my myspace page: www.myspace.com/derekwilsonmusic

I'm also going into the studio this Tuesday to record two new songs which I'll be releasing in February as a single digitally and possibly on vinyl as well. I'm very excited about them. Among other guests that will be on the new tracks, I'm gonna have my good friends, The Mays, sing harmonies on the songs as well. Check them out. I'll post pics soon of working in the studio too.

Last but not least, to start off this blog, I've uploaded a song from my new album for everyone to download for free! I'll be sharing different songs and recordings I've made in this blog with all of you. Hope you enjoy!

All That I Need.mp3

Until next time,
-Derek