- THE IDEA -
I started the Archive Project in 2006 as a way of recording all of
the songs that I have written.
No small task, given that I started writing songs and music about
thirty years ago at the age of twelve.
I have, at times, written as many as a song or two a week.
Anyone who has done any music recording knows how many years it would
take to record three or four hundred songs.
A good average for full production of even fairly simple songs is
roughly a song a month.
You can see my predicament.
Even if I were able to boost production up to two songs per month and
stop writing new ones (highly unlikely) it would still take around
ten to fifteen years to finish, and that's only if I didn't hit any
snags.
My solution to the problem was to make a quick recording of each
song, spending the absolute minimum time possible on each song.
- THE RECORDINGS -
Boy, these are rough. In order to finish the project in a couple of
years, most of these songs were recorded as a first take. Which means
I sat down and played through the song once or twice to remember it,
set the audio levels, and then pushed record. As long as I didn't
mess up horribly during the song that was it. No dubbing, no
splicing, no drums or backup singers.
They are all recorded in real time accompanying myself on either
piano or guitar. I have recorded a few of the songs on other albums
both professionally and personally (for my family and friends) with
various levels of production, but the Archive Project is the bare
bones, stripped down version of each song.
- THE PURPOSE -
If you enjoy listening to any of these songs that is simply
wonderful. After carrying these songs around in notebooks all these
years it is magical to see and hear them on the web site, where they
can be shared with all of you. Personally, I have a hard time
listening to a lot of them, because I know how great they could sound
with full production and time spent polishing. If there is a song you
believe is worth spending production time on, please use the contact
link to give me feed-back, and I will take it into consideration when
I am able to put together a new album.
- THANK YOU -
My family has always been supportive of my writing, and for that they
have my eternal gratitude. I would like to thank my mom Jacklyn for
my first guitar, my brother Stephen for starting the sjolander.com
web site, and a special thanks to my dad Peter for not only posting
each song as I finish it, but also listening to each song and
transcribing the lyrics for me, what a team.
Finally, thanks to all of you, who have shown an interest in a little known songwriter and his music.
Charles Sjolander.