We ask not for perfection, just participation.
Here it is: Record a holiday song. If you’re a reasonably capable local musician, odds are you can bash your way through “Jingle Bells.” If you’re reading this website, odds are you have access to a computer. And chances are that you also have access to at least a microphone or a webcam.
All I’m asking you to do is play us a holiday song, and then make it available for us to listen to. It can be a completely serious and faithful cover, a goofy localization (“I’m dreaming of a Beacon Christmas,” say) or even a completely original work about a holiday theme. The quality doesn’t have to be great — there’s no expectation that it will be — the main thing is that you’re using your talents to spread some holiday cheer.
And how do you spread that cheer? If you have a MySpace music account (or something like it), upload the song and then post a link to the profile in the comments below. If you have YouTube page, upload the video and post a link to it. If you want to participate, but lack a means of recording the song, leave a comment explaining the situation and we’ll see if anyone can lend you a hand.
I’ll post all of the content in next week’s Listening Party (12/5/09). No snarky commentary, no criticism, just kudos and props for contributing. You’ll also be part of the Spark‘s official holiday playlist, meaning you can “officially” brag about it.
And if that’s not enough incentive, how’s this: Everyone who participates is eligible for a free three-month banner ad on the Spark promoting their band or musical project. Assuming you can keep your expectations low, I’ll even make the ad for you.
If you have any questions or additional thoughts, please post them below.
Steve Shanafelt
Ha, that’s awesome! I love the idea. I would totally participate, but alas I have no band and no way to record (by the way, if anyone is interested in starting a swing/folk/americana/jazz/rockabilly/whatever band with female vocals, let me know!).
sounds like fun and yet another reason for us to meet.
Agreed!
Nuts. I need to dig up my FL Studio install and get something going.
I might consider putting something togrther for this if I have time. Someone called me with a Christmas song the other day they were wanting to promote…..Jamison Smith maybe???
I’m down. The world could always use one more jazzy x-mas drinking song.
Christmas for Free – written for a Channel 7 performance last year… not the best quality, and extremely cheezy, but you can get the idear.
myspace.com/jamisonsmithmusic
Ooops, hit that submit comment early…
Milgram’s 27, “St Nick Stole My Cookies”,
http://www.myspace.com/milgrams27
written for the Hub for the Holidays CD released in Dec. 2007 to benefit the Pulmonary Hypertension Association… a lot of great local artist covered and wrote Xmas songs for this album (if you don’t have a copy of it) it was great and a lot of fun.
cute song
I was hoping you saw this Jamison!
Check out chAng’s awesome contribution!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjnvsztsAuI
Love it!! “Consumering” is my new favorite word.
I once saw (and almost bought) a shirt that says “I play kazoo like a badass.” You should look into it, chAng. =)
I’d sport that shirt for sure R Williams* The kazoo definitely comes in handy when it’s a one-man-band type gig in the stead of a lead solo of some sort. I also whistle and scat a tad too sometimes. I also used the kazoo in my self proclaimed Spark theme song..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Cfnup9QU4
Making up new words is fun, in that case it was a matter of just making it work. Semantics schemantics I say, as long as it gets the point across* thanks.
Happy to say I have nothing to submit! Bah Humbug! lol!