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    <title>Ben Young</title>
    <link>http://virb.com/napkinart</link>
    <description><![CDATA[Hey!  

After writing for seven years and meandering through just about every conceivable genre I could think of, some stuff happened in my life and I quit music for a little while.  It has been (as of mid-October 2008) almost three years since I wrote anything, or even thought of writing anything.  I've always been playing and singing during that time, but I never really sat down and forced myself to create stuff like I had been doing, and the whole process made me a freer writer than I ever thought I could be. 

Of course, some things are impeding my ability to put up new music today (funny enough, if you store an electronic drum machine in an attic for two years, it doesn't work right when you take it out).  I'm splitting my time between work, school, writing for a magazine, and depending on the season either mountain climbing or kayaking.  This project, while it has resumed, is still on the lower part of my priority list, partially because it doesn't pay and partially because it is much, much more difficult.

My creative process used to be simple: I would strum out a chord structure, figure out a cool melody, and improvise lyrics (mostly).  I think I was about 16 when I started writing and recording music like that, and the first four CD's that I sold in my town were pretty awesome and generated a lot of interest.  

But they made no sense.  Th lyrics did nothing.  I was too young, too naive, too simple to really grab at things that really resonate with people.  So the music, while it sounded awesome, was still really unfinished and basic.

Then I went the opposite direction: I thought too hard.  I listened to complicated music and complicated structures, and tried writing lyrics based on melodies that were far too complicated for me to really flesh out.  Nobody could sing them, nobody could dance to them, and while they meant a lot and were wicked deep...they didn't really do anything for anybody, least of all myself.

Fast forward to now.  I decided to go back to my old way of doing things, improvising based on basic structures, but its way more refined now.  It feels a little bit more emotional, and it sounds a lot better.  The things I regret about the music currently up on the page you're on (way too fleshed out, melody keeps on repeating, slow, steady, boring, but nice sounding) have been thoroughly worked out of my new stuff.  I use my voice now, I use my heart now, I use what I've learned about the shitty parts of life and what I've learned about the really awesome parts of life.  All of it comes together really nicely, and I feel like if I ever am to become anything good in music, the time is now.

I don't know when I'm going to be posting the new stuff, but if you're out there and you still wonder about what happened to me, that's the story.  Sorry for going away for so long, and I'm especially sorry for not staying in touch with any of you when I went.  I hope you guys will like the new stuff, and maybe it will make up for it.

In any case, I will be here now.
Ben]]></description>
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      <title>June</title>
      <link>http://virb.com/napkinart/posts/text/107231</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Well, it's been almost a month since my last post.  What does that mean for you?  Nothing.  I haven't been on Virb at all over the last month or so and I have only been writing music, not recording.  It's been a strange summer so far, honestly, I feel like a completely different person than I was even a month ago.  A lot has been going on, so let's get cracking. 

First off, the music.  I have been writing, I have a few songs written and they're all pretty well thought out, I just cannot find the time to record it at all.  I have been moving slowly into my new place, and getting everything sorted out will go miles for my own sanity.  It is weird to live in your home when you don't have, you know, all your stuff.  It is getting done, and everything is sort of coming together.  When it gets together, you will hear new music, I guarantee it.  Please though, if anyone has time or can remember or all of the above, please plug for me, I'm trying to work, write, play and plug all at the same time and I would really like to get you guys some new tunes and in all of that I don't have any time for recording.  Don't force it though, just if you feel alright mentioning my site to a few friends or something that would be cool.

I got a new job, my first new job in three years.  Last summer I broke my ankle at my last job, so I left and there was a lot of bad feelings all around so I figured, because I am moving back into the area, I would try to get a job that I can keep for the two or three years I'll be here.  I applied everywhere and finally got the best possible job I could've gotten.  Eastern Mountain Sports, for those of you who are not from the northeast, is the local version of REI or L.L. Bean.  The job....well, it kicks ass, basically.  I love kayaking and hiking and all that campy stuff, so of course I'm in my element with that.  Also, the people who come in are generally chilled out people with good spirits and stuff.  We are all in the same frame of mind, you know, it's pretty cool to be able to talk to some fifty-year old guy you've never met, who has all of these crazy stories, just purely based on the fact that you both kayak.  Plus, the girls I am interested in shop there, that's always a plus.  Very attractive, wonderful looking women shop in my store....heck yes, the best job ever.  Makes it a lot better when you're having fun, my boss is awesome, everyone who works there is awesome, and the whole thing is generally a really cool experience.  

Now, on Friday, Ryan Adams releases Easy Tiger, one of my most-anticipated albums of the summer, and I really hope the CD is as good as the singles are.  I was personally let down by 29, it wasn't really my cup-o-tea, and while Cold Roses (the first of the Cardinals CDs) was pretty good I could really only listen to it a few times because it is too much of a return to my roots (I was born in Fort Worth, TX).  The album seems like it will be his best since Love is Hell...which, if you know me pretty well, you know is my favorite album of all time.  

Anticipation seems to be the theme of this summer.  I can't wait.  Period.  Easy Tiger on Friday...finally.  Radiohead's new album hopefully sometime very, very soon this summer.  Harry Potter.  The Beckham Game.  Maine.  Oregon.  All of these things I'm looking forward to.  Hmm.  Maybe, through some cold turn of events, this summer actually drags on for longer and Radiohead decides to disband, J.K. Rowling reveals her initials stand for "Just Kidding" and Beckham breaks his knee before I get to see him face-to-face.  With any luck Radiohead will drop it on us with a day's notice, my copy of Harry Potter will come in just fine and Beckham scores as the Revs kill Galaxy 7-1.

Oh yeah...the Red Sox.  The Red Sox....the Red Sox....what else is there to say?  It really is too bad that baseball isn't soccer, it would be that much cooler if we had a soccer league this popular in this country and the Sox were crushing people just as well as they are now, I would find it much more interesting to watch and I would be one of those screaming nutters in the stands.  Too Bad.

Fear not Gooners, we will carry on, Fabregas will be captain, van Persie will be better than even last summer...and Walcott will be one year older and one goal smarter.  We will survive.

That's all for now, I'll try to be better about staying in touch, until then....

have a good one, y'all]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:35:45 -0700</pubDate>
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