Behind the Scenes with Don't Miss the Bus!!!

Greetings Music Friends!

Oh, Wow!!!

A.P.T. here. Today was my Mom's birthday! Happy Birthday Mom!

It looks like she wasn't the only one to get a present tonight though, rather, a gift from the past!

Here's the story...

As the night was winding down, I was checking out my good friend Michelle's blog after she posted a link on her Facebook page. To my surprise, I suddenly remembered that I had one here on Blogger as well chronicling the beginning of my first album, "Stop Signs and Red Lights."

I used this site before I had my website, MySpace and Facebook! It's like a little time capsule that I had buried years ago! I'm really proud of the fact that three years have passed now and I have made so much progress and grown so much since my first blog here!!!

Thanks for reminding me Michelle! Check out her blog too!!!

So, the other great thing is that I am now done with my second album titled "Don't Miss the Bus!!!" Above is the cover photographed by Lindsay B. Vigue and artwork by Jason Silver!!

Please reminisce with me! Check out my old blog here and share my first few steps as a budding songwriter!!!

It's pretty amazing to see where I am today and how far a little hard work and dedication will take you...

Also, here's a video of my last day at SherStudios with Jamie Sherwood, my producer, main musician and friend, and Latanya Farrell- (We have recorded two songs together now and I have written two songs with her as well!!) http://www.latanya.net/.

The video was for my last song in the studio "Well, Well"...Go to www.myspace.com/alexptaylor to hear the final product!!!

And There You Go...

A.P.T.

How It All Started...

Bio: Alex P. Taylor

Alex P. Taylor, thirty years old, is currently residing in West Hartford, CT, but grew up for the most part in Newington, CT. He graduated from college at Central Connecticut State University a few years ago with a major in Public Relations. Attending quite a few different schools during his youth, he has become quite assimilated with packing up and moving. He has learned the true value of a smile and how that simple gesture can give birth to many new friendships.

He wrote the lyrics to his first song when he was nine, but it wouldn’t be until early summer of 2005 that he would rediscover and truly embrace his passion of songwriting. Going through some old boxes in his basement that summer, he came across a dusty folder of songs he had written as a teenager and decided to share his lyrics with a couple of his good friends.

One of those good friends, Adam Stevenson, he worked with. Adam was a guitar player and after reading through the folder, asked him, “Why aren’t you doing anything with these?” Perhaps it was fear of rejection, maybe he thought it was too late, whatever the reason, the question made Alex think again.

Then tragedy would strike…

One terrible night a few weeks later, he would see his friend Adam, only twenty-one, for the last time. He would die of an accidental drug overdose, and it would be at his funeral that his life would change forever.

His mother, a very strong woman, gave a powerful eulogy to a church full of Adam’s peers. “Now is the time to look at your life," she said. “Let this be a wake up call to all of you…” She stated how Adam no longer had the opportunity to follow his dreams and if there is something in your life that you have wanted to do, make it happen. Do it with Adam in mind…

That night, for the first time in ten years, he sat down and wrote the lyrics to a new song with Adam in mind. It’s was called On My Floor. The next day he feverishly purchased several books about songwriting and soon after, started attending music seminars to find his musical counterpart, someone that would transcribe the music to his melodies and lyrics. After going through several musicians, he would meet Jamie Sherwood of Southington, CT, who would turn out to be a perfect match to his dream.

From Adam’s death, his dreams of becoming a performing songwriter had been reborn. Through tragedy, he found light. Adam’s mother’s words had truly been his wake up call, a wake up call to follow his destiny…

Greetings!

Thanks for stopping by.... My name is Alex P. Taylor (the P stands Peter). Are you ready to have some fun?!! Alright then... When we meet, the first thing you'll probably say is, "How tall are you?" The answer, 6'4"...

Music and songwriting have always been a huge part of my life. I wrote the lyrics to my first song when I was nine. Growing up, I would always keep a pen and paper close hoping to capture any inspiration that came to me. For a brief period, I had stopped songwriting, until last year, when a close friend of mine passed away becoming the inspiration I had lost and putting my life in a new perspective.


I came to the conclusion that life is too short to not follow my dreams and that I would indulge in my aspirations to share my words and songs that I had been creating for so long. Thus began a new chapter in my life...


During the summer of 2005, I attended a few music conferences to get my feet wet. I visited New York to attend The Billboard Dance Music Summit and in Connecticut, I attended the New England Musicians Expo. At the NEME, I stopped at a seminar hosted by songwriter/producer Bobbi Tammaro, founder of Funkee Boy Music. This is how the ball started rolling.
Stop Signs and Red Lights, my first song, was soon on its way. I remember the day very clearly, it was December 12, 2005- the day that I stepped into a professional recording booth for the first time.


The whole process of being able to transfer your thoughts and emotions and convey them into a musical medium is what I love the most. It's telling your story...and we all have a story to tell. It's how we tell that story that makes us all different. I have found MY way to tell my stories.


The experience of working on this project has been truly educational. Life is about learning and growing as a person, and this past year has been amazing. And the great thing about it is that everyday, I learn something I didn't know the day before. It's challenging, but utterly fufilling at the same time and I wouldn't trade it in for the world. I am following my passion. It may have taken me awhile to realize this, but let this be a lesson to anyone reading...Each day is another opportunity to do what you love to do.

So, with that said, what are you waiting for?

Give 'Em A Listen!!!

www.myspace.com/alexptaylor


Click on the above...

I am as excited about this as I was when I got my first bike!!!

See ya soon...

a.p.t.

The Current Line Up...

I have given this much thought (and I often change my mind), but at this moment, I have decided exactly which songs I am setting out to record... I think the flow will be good, balancing out some upbeat and some more serious material. They are all completely different. So, here's my picks...the first three are already done. Nice.

1. Stop Signs and Red Lights
2. 2 Day Bender
3. Twinkles (I Love You)
4. That's So Mean
5. One Pretty Flower
6. My Regret Bed
7. More to Me
8. Great
9. Dear Mom
10. Wax
11. Cringe
12. Cynically Ever After...

I wonder what I will be up to when I get to the last song...
I wonder when that day will be....
I wonder what the full project will sound like...

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

---a.p.t.

No Button for Rewind...

The next song has been picked...

That's So Mean!!!

Verse 1

Remember back in school
You thought it would be cool
Bang those lockers around
Big fish, little pool

Now you can’t go back and fix
Those words that were unkind
Brut force instead of your mind
No button for rewind…

Chorus

What if what you said
It went right straight to his head?
And what if the result
Would become an insult?

And then that poor kid
Couldn’t get his mind clean
But you didn’t take it back
And that’s why
That’s so mean

What’s coming out your mouth
Is borderline obscene
You don’t really care
And that’s why
That’s so mean!

Verse 2

How about the time
You made that girl cry?
You told her that you’d call her
Of course that was a lie

“Baby, I love you”
Would’ve said anything
Together forever
Now, “Oops, I lost the ring”

Chorus

What if what you said
It went right straight to her head?
And what if the result
Would become an insult?

And then that poor girl
Couldn’t get her mind clean
But you didn’t take it back
And that’s why
That’s so mean

What’s coming out your mouth
Is borderline obscene
You don’t really care
And that’s why
That’s so mean!

Verse 3

Even just last night
Had the opportunity
When Annie called you up
Crying hysterically

Maybe you should have told her
What your eyes had seen
Conflict of interest though
And that’s why
That’s so mean!

Chorus

What if what you said
It went right straight to her head?
And what if the result
Would become an insult?

And then that poor girl
Couldn’t get her mind clean
But you didn’t take it back
And that’s why
That’s so mean

What’s coming out your mouth
Is borderline obscene
You don’t really care
And that’s why
That’s so mean!

© 2005 Alex Taylor

See you at the parade...

a.p.t.

A Special Day That You Were Born...The Planets Lined Up In Full Salute!

Happy Birthday Mom!!! By the time you read this it will be March 2nd, your real birthday!! I am so glad that we got to hang out yesterday for your birthday pre-party...I had a lot of fun!!! It is always such a good feeling to know that you can bring a smile to someone's face, and I think that mission was accomplished yesterday! When I was a kid, you always made my birthday such a special day for me. It is so rewarding now for me to be able to do that for you! Thank you for being so positive and encouraging...you are truly one of a kind! I know that a lot of my writting talents can be contributed to the way you write, always from the heart and very powerful. You have been a great teacher! Thank you, not only for that, but simply for being you! I love you!

Today, I will be recording song #3 at one o'clock...
Twinkles (I Love You). Yesterday, my mom got to hear a rough copy of the song, now you you can read the lyrics... This song has a really different sound!! It compliments the lyrics perfectly. Can't wait for you to hear it!

Verse 1

Oh, oh my little star
Heading out to see the world
Oh, oh my little star
I love you bigger than the whole wide world

A special day that you were born
The planets lined up in full salute
Oh, oh my little star
The way that you shine
No one can refute

Chorus

Forget all my troubles
You make it easy
Dusting me with your
Amnesia sprinkles

I know you love me
I can tell
Judging on how loud for me
You say "twinkles"

Verse 2

Oh, oh my little star
I was so lucky that night we met
Oh, oh if you go too far
One little thing you should never forget

Our special way to say I love you
When this world that we live becomes too mean
Oh, oh my little star
Just say the word twinkles
And we’ll know what it means

Chorus

Forget all my troubles
You make it easy
Dusting me with your
Amnesia sprinkles

I know you love me
I can tell
Judging on how loud for me
You say
"Twinkles"

Bridge

When I worry
A few more sprinkles
You can say you love me
With the word twinkles

Back to Chorus

End

Oh, oh my little star
Oh, oh "twinkles", "twinkles"
x3

© 2005 Alex Taylor

Things are comming along nicely...I couldn't be any more content.

One last Happy Birthday shout out! Where's that birthday record...?!! Put it on!
Happy Birthday Mom!!! "Twinkles"...I hope you have great day, you deserve it!!!


Keep on keeping on,

a.p.t.