Category Archives: Music

“No Trains on the Rails Today”: Political Songwriting

Posted on February 24, 2020 by amtlpaul

In #Canada they are trying to ram through a gas pipeline over the objections of #Wet‘suwt’en chiefs, despite the fact that legally (by treaty, which has been at least theoretically recognized by the courts as legally binding on the Canadian … Continue reading →

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My June 2019 ‘5 in 5’ Songs: A Review

Posted on June 21, 2019 by amtlpaul

Songwriting is a craft, but it is one that allows for some intense self-expression. You can learn the tricks of the trade just by keeping your hand in over years and years and by listening carefully to what others do. … Continue reading →

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“Man of Mystery” EP Now Out

Posted on August 14, 2018 by amtlpaul

The EP includes two new tracks. The really new song is “Man of Mystery”, a sort of spy movie spoof, while the EP ends with a new version of “A Song (Summer Heat)” with revised lyrics. The lyrical revisions are … Continue reading →

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Video: Performing “Walk A Long Time”

Posted on August 14, 2018 by amtlpaul

About a year ago, my guitar broke. I decided to put off repairing it and instead focus on playing a ukulele I’d obtained the year before. Before long I was writing songs on it, including this one, a song from … Continue reading →

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Upcoming Release: Imaginary World Tour 2017

Posted on October 20, 2017 by amtlpaul

The last couple of albums I’ve made have been mostly acoustic home-made affairs: mostly me recording at home with a guitar and ukulele, some melodica, and vocals. This album has come about from me from me experimenting with writing songs … Continue reading →

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The song that gets someone through a dark hour

Posted on November 24, 2016 by amtlpaul

Leonard Cohen in a 1988 interview: If you don’t like something and think it’s cheap, unless you really have a great sense of responsibility for your culture, I think it’s best to keep it to yourself. That might be the … Continue reading →

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RIP Leonard Cohen

Posted on November 15, 2016 by amtlpaul
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How Do We Break the Treadmill?

Posted on June 25, 2016 by amtlpaul

And now, a bit of political economy with Richard Thompson: I think it’s safe to say that, despite the ethos of “do what you love” (nice work if you can get it) most people in this world don’t work for … Continue reading →

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Inspiration and Theft: A Followup

Posted on June 24, 2016 by amtlpaul

Here’s a possible timeline of that classical guitar passage that was under dispute at the Stairway to Heaven plagiarism trial:   Sonata di Chittarra, e Violino, con il suo Basso Continuo” by Giovanni Battista Granata (1659) Video description: “Extremely similar … Continue reading →

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Inspiration and Theft

Posted on June 23, 2016 by amtlpaul

Today Led Zeppelin (or, more precisely, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant) were cleared of plagiarism charges related to their most iconic song, “Stairway to Heaven”. Led Zeppelin do have a history of taking bits and pieces of other people’s songs. … Continue reading →

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