 V-blog #2Swinghouse Studios 4.27.09 from Brandy Vaughan on Vimeo. Headed in to the studio today... ready to get going... only to find that Dan is going to be on tour with Mika and won't be back until July. Obviously we can't make the record without Dan!! Not only is he an epic bass player, he's also co-producing the album. So. I'm going to spend this extra time writing and re-writing and really praying about how my songs can best glorify the Father of all creation who gave me whatever gifts I've been blessed with.... so that I might give them back to Him having been a good steward. This record needs to be a powerful, spirit-filled record able to bear fruit by His grace for his kingdom. I don't have the power to make the record I dream of making. But He does. So I'm turning it turning it turning it over to him. Today was a fun day working on new stuff in the studio. Warren and Dan helped me make the best possible choices musically... ones which wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise. I got a little keyboard happy in the beginning. *This video takes a while to load - you might want to hit play to begin the download and then hit pause until it's finished. Food for thought (Mark 8:36)Not sure about you, but it's been a pretty introspective day for me. Decided to unleash my creativity and let it go for a run. Or maybe more of a brisk walk. A swim? Call it what you will - here are the virtual fruits of my afternoon and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  you can write me off as a delusional girl... but I know He will come back for me someday. and I may seem a fool before the wisdom of the world, but the wisdom of the world will pass away. what gifts i have to give are in His keeping a treasure more than i could ever spend only his word can wake this world from sleeping and i know He will come back for us again. for in the book of life our names are written in the language of a long forgotten love arriving. if you're looking for yourself, look within. you're not the clothes you wear, how much you make, or what you're driving. LOVE B.V. Preview of fictitious documentaryWhile in Montana last October for Hatchfest, I had an idea to do a "behind the scenes" SNL style (acoustic Spinal Tap) documentary. Creatively my vision was very strong, but it was very spur of the moment. Thank you, Kathleen Johns, for stepping in, taking charge, and made it a reality. Thank you, Alex Jilson, student cinematographer extraordinaire. :) There is about an hour's worth of HD footage which I'm editing myself... and hopefully that won't take too long. Getting back into the swing of things!Today was a pretty productive day in the studio, even though I was running an hour behind. *Not two and a half hours - very funny, Warren. We spent what time we had going over songs and revisiting some pre-production ideas. Got to meet and hang out with The Fray for a bit, which was great because I have a lot of respect for those guys and their faith, and I love their music. I'm reading a book called "Walk On: the spiritual journey of U2" at the moment and being very inspired to hold on to my faith in an industry that can be so very full of emptiness; so many people drowning in shallow water. But there is great beauty too, and of course, great art that rises to the top. until next time..... lots of love, brandy My New RideFinally got a new car! It's a little small, but it gets around 222 miles per gallon. Hope all is well with you. love, B  "My boyfriend... I mean the Captain..."I want to share a video with you because it's hilarious and I can't believe I happened to catch the moment on film. First, you should know I have an irrational fear of traveling by plane. I love flying... I fly often... it's just the take-off, the landing, and the turbulence en route. On a recent flight to LA there was enough turbulence that I decided to film my drink shaking and spilling on the little pull out tray in front of me. It was one of those flights. In a perfect world Robin Williams would magically be seated next to me on every flight. He would say silly, funny things with a sparkle in his eye and, upon hitting turbulence, would commandeer the flight attendant intercom to launch into his stand up routine while taking drink orders. Given the improbability of this happening anywhere other than in my head, I am so thankful for flight attendants with a sense of humor. :-) Like the one in the video below. Thank you, anonymous flight attendant, for making us all smile. xo b Tales from an Open MicHappy Thanksgiving! Belated. It's been about a month since I've posted anything and the reason for this is that I've had walking pneumonia (Ugh) and haven't felt like staying plugged into the matrix. Or doing much of anything to be honest. Thank goodness I was already on the east coast with my family which is where I am now . . . and now that I'm feeling better I can't wait to get back in the studio. I've just figured out how to add video to my blog, so here is a solo acoustic performance of one of my songs (from this past summer at an open mic.) Run on sentence queen. SignsI love working with kids. It can be so much fun and it keeps one's sense of wonder intact. While babysitting the other day, we had to go to gymnastics class and they had really amazing signs posted on the walls.      Some of the basic things we learn early on are the very things we need to remember most as we grow up. Made with LoveHi there. :-) How are you?  We are in pre-production at the moment and the momentum is building daily... feeling super inspired.  This is going to be a special record. we are pouring our heart and souls into it.  This album is being made with lots of love and a strong vision.  I can't wait for you to hear it. love Brandy There will never be another youOn the recent drive from GA back to LA I found a 1980's emerald green polaroid camera in a thrift store in the desert... And in a world of over air-brushed, over processed products I treasure the fact that each polaroid photo is like a finger print: unique! Heading back in the studio in a few hours, so Bye for now and have a beautiful week.   August Rush "Sometimes the world tries to knock it out of you -but I believe in music the way some people believe in fairy tales." "You know what music is? God's little reminder that there's something else besides us in this universe; harmonic connection between all living beings, every where, even the stars." August Rush is such an inspiring movie. As an added bonus Kaki King plays guitar on the soundtrack - she's an amazing guitar player. The truth, the Vole truth, and...I just couldn't bring myself to eat the last bite of a recent omelet. I decided to take a picture and post it on my blog instead.  Why? Because it looks like a tiny mouse that's why.   Or, possibly a vole. Impact of Receiving Gibson New Musician Award My custom Songwriter Deluxe guitar (Thank You Gibson) Receiving the New Musician Award at HATCHfest has had such a huge impact on my life. The moment itself was memorable b/c that year they decided to surprise the recipient... I was performing at the awards ceremony and had just finished a song when Peter Fonda suddenly walks on stage... if you want to see video footage Click Here. I love love love my custom Gibson, but this award is about so much more than a guitar... it's about mentorship. In this area I am blessed in a surreal way - I somehow find myself surrounded by human beings that I care about, look up to, and have an immense amount of respect for - who simply by their presence, inspire me to keep working on myself, to step outside my comfort zones, to realize my potential as an artist and as a human being. Some mentors I've met thanks to this award... and still others through entirely different set of circumstances. The thing about a mentor is that someone can be one without even realizing it, yes, but when someone who has climbed the mountain of a Dream and can still recall the vivid sensation of standing in the foothills looking up... when they pause along the path to see how another brave soul is fairing in their climb, this seemingly simple act goes on to touch lives in unfathomable ways. It makes a difference - and it makes for better art because art is about connecting. It can be a heartfelt, "How's everything going with your career?"....It can be as simple as a smile or taking the time to offer honest feedback, but when it comes from someone you respect it's like having a jar of fireflies beside your bed in the dark moments.
Not everyone is capable of giving this gift and not everyone is capable of receiving it - those with the capacity will inevitably find each other along the way and discover what I'm told is a secret of true mentorship: that the sacred fire of inspiration is kindled anew for the mentor as well.
A few weeks ago I was leaving Jackson Browne's studio after dropping by to visit he and Paul Dieter and it hit me: I've crossed paths with them as a direct result of this award... and Robi Johns, the Director of Gibson Acoustic (who introduced all of us back in fall 2005) is himself a mentor who has had a powerful impact on my life. He's a damn fine guitar player as well.
Back to the Gibson New Musician Award - If you are not signed to a major label at the moment and want to submit your music for the 2008 awards.... the deadline is August 31st!!!
Click HERE to find out more. xoxoxoxo 25 year old message in a bottle reunited with it's ownerFrom physorg.com: As an eleven year old boy in 1985, Donald Wylie tossed a bottle into the Orkney sea, with a message asking its finder to track him down. Almost a quarter of a century later, Donald will be reunited with the bottle which eventually washed up hundreds of miles away on the West Sands in St Andrews... Full Story >> Of Roadtrips And New Beginnings I have been really bad about posting blogs so I wanted to say Hello and let you know I'm on the road at the moment - driving solo from GA back to LA to make a record. I'm in Arizona at a Starbucks right now with no time to spell check, but whatever. I feel alive again, feel it in my bones. I feel as though I've stepped onto my own true path again after taking some winding, but essential detour. This roadtrip has been so incredibly inspiring and beautiful. And crazy. So much to tell you when I'm settled back in LA. Take for instance the incident with the possessed cows near Winslow, AZ..... or almost being bitten by that snake at the Homolovi Native American Ruins.  More on all of this later. I have lots of pics to post! (mostly of clouds and canyons and the open road.) Also there is video footage I want you to see (mostly of clouds and canyons and the open road, but also of sunsets, possessed cows, Native American ruins and one particular snake who I thank for not biting me cos he/ she definitely looked venomous.)
The last leg of the trip is beckoning so that's the update for now. I'm going to post a few entries from stories on sciencedaily and physorg.com over the next couple of days -- just like the good old days of this blog. Until I can sort through all the pics and video to share with you that is. Then it'll be a mixture.
Hope all is better than well with you and that you're having an amazing summer. Love Brandy Food For Thought"But it's true.... You just have to keep your dream. If you lose it and get cynical, you die." -- Meryl Streep (Believe in the magic of your Dreams!) xo Brandy So you want a famous facejane wants a famous face when they're through with you, Jane you're gonna look just like your favorite star but does it ever bother you when you lose a little bit of who you are doctor doctor can you make me whole there's an emptiness in my soul - can you nip and tuck it for me? please paralyze the lines that tell the story of my history jane wants a famous face she doesn't mind the scars - but isn't it sad? doesn't it break your heart? (if you stop to think about it) love brandy p.s. will post the full lyrics to this song when the new music is up for you to hear... heading back to the studio soon. can't wait! hope all is well with you. p.p.s. what does p.s. stand for?? (and p.p.s. - and so on and so on) HomesickI never go to bed before midnight. I try... I really do, but I get distracted. Tonight is a perfect example. While experimenting with templates for my site, I got in creative mode, went on photobucket and made the picture of the cassette tape you see above the journal entries. The really tiny words on the tape are from a song I wrote that I can't wait to record this summer. In case you, like me, have trouble reading microscopic text, the words are: Homesick for a place I've yet to find And that pretty much sums up how I feel most of the time -- I know the statement is an oxymoron. How can I be homesick for something I've never known? I don't know, but I am. I am also overdramatic, but I'd rather feel too much than too little. I think when you have a big dream in your heart that has been there for as long as you can remember... you can see it, taste it, touch it, feel it even though it hasn't happened yet. In this way and as time passes, it becomes like a memory of the future. And that is what I'm homesick for - something that hasn't happened yet. (Go figure.) If I am homesick, I am equally inspired and full of wonder.
Can't wait to record these new songs. It's going to be very stripped down compared to what you've heard. Anyway - that's all for now. It's 2am and I still have to take my sheets out of the dryer and put them on the bed. Nite B Wanted! Cassette TapesSo last night I found an old stereo -- a "ghetto blaster" -- that my grandfather gave me when I was little. In high school I would sit in my parents garage for hours and record new songs... now, I use Garageband. How ironic. Although it's impractical in comparison, when I recorded a few songs yesterday on cassette - it sounded way better and warmer. So, I went to Best Buy only to discover that cassette tapes have gone the way of the dinosaur. On some level I already knew this because I haven't seen them in years, but still. When I think of them I now feel something akin to how my parents feel about vinyl records. Actually, I feel the same way about records even though they stopped making them before I came along. It's the principle of the thing. Anyway. Just wanted to say Hello... and now I'm off to look on ebay. If you happen to find a box full of tapes in your garage, or your basement, please don't toss them out! I will give them a good home. :) Also, if you are re-reading this post - no, you aren't imagining things, I went back and changed it a bit. Neurologist, Choir Explore Music's Healing PowerFrom physorg.com: (AP) -- Noted neurologist Oliver Sacks has found common ground with the pastor of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church: Both men believe in the healing power of music. Sacks' most recent book is "Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain," which examines the relationship between music and the brain, including its healing effect on people suffering from such diseases as Tourette's syndrome, Parkinson's, autism and Alzheimer's. "Even with advanced dementia, when powers of memory and language are lost, people will respond to music," he said. "What we have been studying ... is that when you pray, there's actually a physiological change in the body," he said. "Music is very much a part of this. There are certain notes that generate in the human body a kind of peacefulness."
CLICK HERE to read more The Disappearing Milky WayDo you remember the nighttime sky when you were a little kid? I do. I could see the Milky Way - It was breathtaking. Now, even when I'm away from urban areas I cannot see the stars. I can't explain why this is so upsetting - it's probably some primal instinct. Of course there are a few scattered constellations always visible, but it's not the same. I've mentioned this in passing conversations and here is the general consensus: Memory sprinkles it's magic healing dust over everything, making childhood seem better and brighter and greener and kinder than it actually was. The stars were not in fact brighter - you're just feeling nostalgic. The stars themselves may not have been brighter, but you could definitely see them better in certain areas of the country.  The Milky Way. (Photo from starrynightlights.com) I found an abundance of websites on the topic of light pollution and it's not just a matter of more light, it's a matter of misdirected light. Most of the solutions are so simple. For example, instead of leaving flood lights on ALL night long, install a motion sensor. Anyway - Click here if you want to find out more about it. :) Love B Posts 1 - 25 of 37
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