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Canada-based Serbian rapper Sin, featured on A-Lyric a few months back, has decided to use his real name Filip Filipi to coincide with the release of a new mixtape. “I feel the change is appropriate as I enter a more musically mature and genuine chapter of my career. I’m extremely satisfied and proud of the 10 mixtapes I’ve released as Sin over the last 4 years which include the Sizzerb and Rane trilogies as well as The Supreme Poet and Vijetnam,” he says. “Knowing my real name will be out there for all to see I will be pushed to produce more credible work which isn’t hastily put together.” His site is now FilipFilipi.com.

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There is much talk at the moment about the George Harrison “track” that was featured on British radio recently. The story is that Beatle biographer Hunter Davies came across a scrap of paper with some Harrison lyrics, “Silence (Is Its Own Reply)”, speculated to be about his relationship with John Lennon. During a radio show, the presenter Spencer Leigh suggested that Liverpool musician Dean Johnson could provide a melody for the lyrics, that you can find here. There has been considerable talk about this – lots of it pretty negative. Why?
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I just noticed that Dana Winner’s new album, “Between Now and Tomorrow”, has been released featuring “If You Want to Know Me” with lyrics by me. The album features English versions of a similar album released in the Benelux, and was recorded largely for release in her “second home”, South Africa. But this is not the first time she has recorded in English, nor recorded covers Continue Reading »

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Like many people, I would walk home from school singing daft theme tunes from television. The writer of two of these, the “Addams Family” theme and “Green Acres”, has just died in Los Angeles at the age of 93. Mizzy was the master of silly but catchy tunes, and was kept busy well into his 80s, as he wrote the soundtrack for Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2″ and many other shows.

The New York Times obit sums up his career well: “‘None of his output, however, could overshadow those snapping fingers in The Addams Family. And that was fine with Mr. Mizzy. ‘That’s why I’m living in Bel Air,’ he said last year on the CBS program Sunday Morning. ‘Two finger snaps and you live in Bel Air.’”

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As I reported here a while back, LyricWiki was recently served notice that it could no longer supply its lyrics to various applications. Rather than go the way of so many web-based initiatives, it is now being incorporated into Wikia and has negotiated a deal with Gracenote that will do two interesting things: serve up bona-fide lyrics and ensure some royalties go to the relevant publishers and lyricists.

As I have often said, most lyric sites are technically spam. They provide user-generated material that is massively copied from other sources. So any move towards more accurate lyrics on the web has to be applauded. The new set-up will mean that the considerable LyricWiki community will be preserved at a new address. “It’s good to know that our years of hard work won’t be evaporating any time soon!” said Sean Colombo. “This is a gigantic relief for me and I’m sure many of you as well.”

Details about the migration can be found on Wikia. And you’ll have to get used to the new address at Lyrics.Wikia.com.

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Mercedes Sosa, the Argentinian singer who became the voice of the nueva cancion movement of the 60s and 70s, has died at the age of 74. Sosa was an outspoken singer, who used her voice and art to champion the causes of the poor in South America, even though she tried to distance herself from specific political movements. She was harassed in her native Argentina (once even receiving a body search by a policeman on stage), but remained steadfast. After a period of exile in Europe, she returned to a hero’s welcome just before the fall of the Argentinian dictatorship.

Sosa did not write herself, but worked closely with people such as Chilean writer Violeta Parra, who composed her signature tune, “Gracias a la Vida” (Thanks to Life).

Although I mostly cover pop music on A-Lyric, I deeply regret that there is not more room for protest or politically-committed performers. Where have their audiences gone?

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One of my writing partners, Steve Willaert (known for his soundtracks for movies such as “Hell in Tangier”, “Stille Water” and “Vermist”, has just announced concert dates for an ambitious project he put together with a bunch of multinational musicians.

ChiBeJa features Chinese flautist (and Real World artist) Guo Yue, Japanese drum master Ryutaro Kaneko, dancers Gerlo Geverien and Christiaan De Donder and singer Chantal Kashala. It took me a little time, but I eventually worked out the name is an acronym of “China -Belgium – Japan”.

They promise to play extracts of “Stille Water” and compositions combining the multiple influences of the performers. More details can be found on the Eventually Productions site.

Click through for the concert dates.
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The Rock’n'Roll Hall of Fame has announced its nominees for 2010. It’s a great list: ABBA, Darlene Love, Donna Summer, Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, KISS, Laura Nyro, LL Cool J, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Chantels, The Hollies, and The Stooges.

The obvious question is: who the Smurf thinks that Abba is Rock’n'Roll, or Donna Summer for that matter? I happen to think Abba are one of the best bands ever, but Rock’n'Roll? Please! From a songwriting perspective, however, I think that there are only two horses in this race: the Red Hot Chili Peppers and… Abba. Songwriting is not the only criterion for the Hall of Fame, needless to say. Yet as much as I respect and enjoy Jimmy Cliff, Kiss and Donna Summer, the Peppers and Abba are the better writers. So as I have already eliminated Abba on the grounds of not being rockers, that leaves the Red Hot Chili Peppers as my favourite. Shame Willy DeVille didn’t make it onto the shortlist. The blurb can be found on Rockhall.com.

So what about you lot? Who are you tipping, and why?

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Feeling stuck on a song? Worried about blank page fever? Writer’s block? Then try a little exercise. Take out all your lyrics and give them a hard look. Spot any trends? Are you still writing about that one big break-up? Are you still fuming about that same two-faced liar? Are you still copying Smokey Robinson or Motown? Does the same sense of social injustice drive all your lyrics, except this time it’s driving you into the wall?

Chances are you’re stuck in a rut. You’re bored by your own writing. Your songwriting habits are sending you – and most likely your listeners – to sleep. Time for a little lateral thinking.
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As I was spending some time in Normandy recently, I couldn’t resist the temptation to visit the last home of the legendary French scriptwriter, lyricist and poet Jacques Prévert. I have a copy of his book “Paroles” somewhere around the house. I am also a huge fan of his films such as “Quai des brumes” (Port of Shadows) and “Le jour se lève” (Daybreak). I wasn’t sure what to expect going there, not being a Prévert expert. But the last thing I expected was: a clean desk.
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