Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, My next musical endeavor?
A few months ago, I released “For the Willow Wept…” . It took a long time to finish after “La Famille Du Solénoïde ” but I was very happy to get back into my music creation mojo.
Since then, I’ve been trying to figure out what “theme” I would try to accomplish next. I still want to do a limited “Extended” edition physical copy of Willow, and that should still occur. As well, I plan on doing a “Halloween” themed release featuring themes such as “March of the Inanimate”. As well, I’ve been trying to work on a pure “Electronica” release signified by Neurotic Tendenies.
But I need something to drive me forward.
Recently I started re-reading my two favorite series, and I think I’ve decided I want to do a musical interpretation of them.
First (as this post title implies) is a musical interpretation of the great Dark Tower series by Stephen King.
There have been plenty of times where I’ve envisioned music along with this.
Second, is another great classic “Dune” by Frank Herbert.
I’m curious however, would you be interested in a musical interpretation of these classics by me? Let me know!
- Keith
Give the gift of Music this holiday season!
From now through the end of the year, give the gift of music this holiday season with special pricing on my last three releases! All for just $4.99!
For the Willow wept…
Four years after the release of La Famille Du Solénoïde, Keith Richie returns with a collection of soothing electronic music about those once lost and those found
Only $4.99 through the end of the year!
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/keithrichie11
A musical tour through our solar system inspired by the book “The Planets” by Dava Sobel.
Only $4.99 through the end of the year!
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/keithrichie8
The Maestoso Interstellar Suite
Dreamy, majestic, and ambient space music album. One continuous piece of music split across 6 movements, sure to relax and calm the spirit.
Only $4.99 through the end of the year!
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/keithrichie7
I hope you enjoy!
– Keith
Note, this price is only valid for digital downloads through CDBaby and the appropriate links above. This price is not valid at iTunes, Xbox Music, Amazon MP3, etc.
Halloween March of the Inanimate!
A couple of months ago, I set out to create some bonus tracks for the extended edition of “For the Willow Wept…” My plan is to release a physical version of the release with custom artwork and some bonus tracks. I sort of finished the first bonus track, but it had more of a “haunted” theme to it that I’m just not sure fits with the common theme of Willow. Along with that, October approached and I decided to work on a tune that sort of plays homage to the classic Halloween style of John Carpenter and Alan Howarth.
Suffice it to say, I was pleased with the results thus far, and decided to sort of switch focus and do a complete release based on that style for which I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Therefore, I’m going to be hard at work on a “Haunted/Halloween” style release over the next year. I’m sure as I progress on it, some tunes will come out of it that don’t fit it as well, and will be included on the extended edition of Willow.
My thought process for the title of March of the Inanimate has to be the picture in this post. For me, one of the most scary elements in my mind are Scarecrows. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. But the thought of something inanimate like a Scarecrow suddenly moving along just creeps the hell out of me.
As a Halloween treat, I’ve enabled the free download option on Soundcloud for the current two songs I have nearly complete. So give them a listen or a download and let me know what you think!
Also, don’t forget to have a SAFE and Happy Halloween, and watch out for all the little monsters, ghouls, and ghosts running around on the streets!
– Keith
Zombie Apocalypse Training Camp
Twice a year I join a good buddy of mine and many fellow Gun enthusiasts on his property for our semi-annual “shoot lots of guns and blow things up” event affectionately titled “LeadFest”.
This year we decided to give it a spin and make it a “Zombie” themed event. For lack of better words, this time was really “Killer!” and as usual, we had a ton of fun.
I generally put together a video each time I attend of the highlights, but I decided to go a bit further this year and give it a “Mini-Movie” kind of feeling to it 
.
For this event, I’ve incorporated a work in progress piece of music I’m working on titled “March of the Inanimate” which has a sort of classic John Carpenter/Alan Howarth “Halloween” style to it just in time for Halloween .
Give the following video a look to see the awesome carnage and get a sneak peek at what might be a full release of a type of homage to John Carpenter and Alan Howarth I’m planning on HOPEFULLY completing by this time next year .
And now, without further ado, I present to you “LeadFest Fall 2012: Zombie Apocalypse Training Camp”. I recommend watching in HD!
Note: No zombies were left, um….. dead during the making of this video.
– Keith
Released! For the Willow Wept…
I’ve been so busy, that I forgot to update my blog with the fact that “For the Willow Wept…” was finally released and is available now!
You can find it at the following locations:
and many more!
Enjoy! And let me know what you think!
- Keith
For the Willow wept…
That’s the name of my next CD/Release. “For the Willow wept…”.
[Update 06/14/2012: All songs referenced here are now reduced to samples in preparation for final release!!!]
Don’t know that I want to call it a CD though, because I’m not sure that I’m going to even release physical media this time. CD Baby does just a fine enough job on releasing a digital only release, and with the fidelity you get on the various music related sites it gets sent to (iTunes, Amazon, etc, etc) I’m not sure it’s worth the effort to actually produce physical media.
But I’ll leave that to you? Would you be interested in a physical “CD” copy of my next release?
Regardless, I’m damn near close to being done.
Tonight I sat down with the specific purpose of writing a song for someone, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t have it “done” after only 2 passes through it.
Without saying too much, this tune has special meaning, and a hidden message in the title 
So please go check out “For the Willow weeps underneath the Stormy skies” and let me know your thoughts? I’m extremely happy with how it turned out, with so much ease.
I’ve also acquired an artist whom I want to do the cover artwork for this release, rather than producing my own. I think they have an amazing amount of talent, and would like to showcase their work on this release.
The only tune that actually NEEDS attention now is Over the Horizon. I’m just still not sure where to take it, and quite honestly, I may decide to split it into two separate tunes. I had hoped to mesh the two distinct sections of it into one long set, but it just doesn’t seem to be working. Who knows, this weekend may prove different.
The Reprise version of Sea Dragon was done based on feedback on the original version of Sea Dragon. The feedback was they wished it was longer, but I didn’t necessarily want to make it longer, so I just modified the intro/outro to it for the Reprise version.
So, without further ado, the entire track listing for For the Willow wept… (as it stands now) will be as follows:
- Little Angels
- Missing you between lucid dreams
- Father Time
- Sea Dragon
- Over the Horizon
- Homeless
- For the Willow weeps underneath Stormy skies
- Sea Dragon – Reprise
[Update 06/14/2012: All songs referenced here are now reduced to samples in preparation for final release!!!]
Yes, these are links to the full versions of these songs. You may be asking why the hell would I just be giving them away for free right now, but I decided long ago, that while things are a WIP (Work in Progress) I would share freely for feedback; constructive criticism; etc. Trust me though, when the release is set in stone, they will no longer be free, and the official versions may or may not be what I present to you here.
So, give them a listen through in order and let me know what you think! Especially For the Willow weeps… as I’d love to get some direct feedback soon on this one.
- Keith
Music Works In Progress
Over the last two years or so, I’ve been slowly working on new music. I mean it’s been literally over 4 years since I released La Famille Du Solénoïde, and that took a good year and a half to wrap up.
I’m struggling to stay with a consistent theme for this one, and I don’t want it to be another Sidetracks release with stuff that just didn’t fit into any one thing.
I have, however, released a couple of singles I felt were ready for prime time, and those were:
Both of the above tunes, just kinda fell into place.
But the others, I’m just not ready to call them done.
One in particular is Sea Dragon. It’s nearly two years old itself, but I’m just not done with it.
I do plan on getting back in the home studio this weekend and trying to wrap up the following three tunes:
I’d like to get them to a state where I can release them as singles this weekend. They may change slightly before the full release of the CD, but at least they’ll be at a point where I’d like to call them the “Official” initial versions.
And lastly, one that has potential, but I’m just not sure where to take it
Over the Horizon is turning into more of a long set with at least 2-3 segments. Starting off mostly ambient, but turning into something a bit more classic Berlin School. If I finish this monstrosity, it will probably be the CD’s center track.
I’d love to hear your feedback on the current versions of these songs if you have the time. Simply click their links and give them a listen! These links won’t remain active forever. So if you’re reading this post 6 months from now, don’t complain that the links are broken.
Keep in mind, I’m not done with them, and know of plenty of spots that need to be “corrected”/reworked/etc., but please make your critique anyways 
. Especially Over The Horizon. It tends to drag on the last 7 minutes, but that’s where I’m stuck with it.
Thanks a million!
– Keith
