Category Archives: Thoughts

My thoughts, feelings and rants

Learning To Love The Gigs Again

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I officially ended my holidays by playing my first gig for 2012 at the Hotel Royal last night and you know what… I was enjoying getting back in to the groove after a much needed break.

By the end of it all I was getting to the stage where I was starting to actually miss the gigs again, I realised that it’s amazing how much your perspective changes after taking some time off.

Last nights gig was awesome… The songs sounded better, the voice was in great shape, the guitar played easier, the audiences were more friendly plus, the venue and its staff seemed more accommodating.

One of the key things I did was making a point of incorporating a whole bunch of new songs into the repertoire and they all worked, I was really proud of myself and it made me want to play the songs.

No, I would go so far as saying that it made me want to perform again.

I was looking back on what I did over the last 18 months and I was amazed that I did 253 shows in that time.

Now that’s insane…

No wonder that by the end of last year I felt that I had just about enough with the gigs.

With my new found energy I’ve spent most of the last week learning new covers, re-charting the old covers, playing the guitar, practicing the piano, writing some songs and reconnecting with a whole bunch of people.

All in all I’ve been just getting back into the swing of things again and I’ve been loving it.

This coming week the Open Mics at the Daniel O’Connell Hotel and The Brunswick Hotel start up again which signifies to me that life is just about to get a whole lot busier.

All I can say is “Bring It On…”

Peace,

Corey :)

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The Joy Of Learning New Songs

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For my first official day back from the Xmas/New Year break I spent the good part of yesterday compiling a list of covers that I wanted to learn and integrate into my Corey Stewart Solo and FIGJAM Duo/Band song-lists for 2012.

I figured that the time between now and my first gig on January 18th will be best spent sorting out my covers. This has been something that I’ve been trying to do for ages but had never found the time to do.

After a few years of making changes to my covers repertoire in a sporadic and haphazard manner, I thought it was time to put some process into place because at the end of the day, I love learning new songs and I wanted to add new material on a more purposeful and consistent basis.

I love learning new songs because it expands my musical palette and forces me to experience new songs and genres that I’m not used to.

It also enables me to sharpen up my listening skills, hone my music and guitar chord theory knowledge plus it gives me a reason (as if I really needed one in the first place) to pick up my acoustic guitar and just play it.

Most importantly however, the reason why I love learning new songs is that by mucking around with covers, I actually come up with new songwriting ideas of my own.

This happened on four occasions yesterday and these were immediately recorded onto the iPhone for future reference.

It’s amazing what happens when you just go off on a bit of a tangent in the middle of learning something. Songwriting ideas can come from anywhere…

Even from other songs.

Peace,

Corey :)

Goals For 2012 – #1 Get Healthy (and Happy)

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Now with the haze that is the Xmas and New Year’s festivities out of the way, the realisation has hit me that 2012 is finally here. I’m now back in the land of the living which means it’s time to get back to work.

I do feel refreshed after my little break however, I also feel a lot heavier and a lot more sluggish from all of the excesses and over-indulgences of the past 12 days since my last blog post just before Xmas day.

I must do something about that.

The first (and most important) goal that I want to set myself for 2012 is to “Get Healthy.”

But what does that really mean?

Getting my health back to an optimum level is my number one priority for this year as I’ve come to the conclusion (through having a shocking 2011 health-wise) that none of my other goals will become fully realised if my health is not taken care of first and foremost.

I know that “Get Healthy” is a bit of a nebulous statement and nebulous goals of this nature are really easy to break so I want to take this time to define what getting healthy really means to me.

It means…

1. Going Back To The Gym
A couple of months ago I joined the EFM Fitness Centres network and started going to their gym in Brompton two to three times a week.

Things were going well until I started experiencing the side effects of expelling a lot of toxins from my body resulting in some nasty infections which required a severe course of antibiotics which prevented me from going to the gym.

Then came Xmas and New Year…

Even though getting the routine back is going to be difficult I’m more determined to go back to the gym because when I was there I really enjoyed it.

I might even consider getting some personal training once I reclaim some level of fitness.

2. Finding More Ways To Be Active
I have noticed that I spend most of my time sitting down and this needs to change.

While I might not be able to change the sitting down component of my work I can find more reasons to get up from the chair and do something else for a while like go for a walk, use the treadmill, get out in the garden or play some tennis/squash.

The list of things to do is as endless as my imagination.

Experts say that being active for 30 minutes to an hour every day is essential. I’m sure I can find some time to become a more active person in-between gym sessions.

3. Giving Myself Some ‘Me’ Time
Meditation, contemplation, naval gazing, whatever I want to call it I need to give myself the permission to experience it every day.

It seems that my brain runs at a million miles an hour all the time and this year I want to be able to find a way to slow it down so it wont chatter so much. Maybe then I can get some more sleep and perhaps be a better person to be around without being so preoccupied with what’s going on in my own head.

Taking some time out to ‘just be’ is something that frightens me. Even thinking about brings up feelings of guilt because I should be using that time to ‘do something’ hence why I have never read a book cover to cover for pleasure.

Now there’s a great way to start things off…

4. Paying Attention To My Diet
I love my junk food way too much, especially pizza and ice cream… Now there’s my downfall.

I’m addicted to dairy products and I’ve got to do something to control these junk food cravings. I’ve been able to give up smoking so surely I can do something about my diet.

I’m certain that preparing and cooking more food at home plus being more mindful of my food portions will be a really good start.

5. Maintaining A Positive/Optimistic Attitude To Life
It would be impossible to eliminate stress from my life however, changing the way I work with and react to stress is something that I can do something about.

One of the ways I can work with and react to the everyday stresses of life a whole lot better is by maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude towards it.

Thankfully, I’ve always considered myself a “glass-is-half-full” kind of person so I think that maintaining this kind of attitude won’t be too hard but when things get a little too intense I can slip into negative territory pretty quickly.

It’s all about being mindful of my thoughts and my actions and whether they are congruent with my overall attitude.

All in all I’m really excited about what opportunities 2012 can bring to my life, my music and to the hopes and dreams of my friends and loved ones. I know that together we can make this year work for all of us.

May you have a happy and safe 2012.

Peace,

Corey :)

Speeding Towards 2012

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Last night I played my final gig for 2011 and with that out of the way I now have three weeks off, the first time I’ve had a gig-free break this long for years and let me tell you… I really need it.

2011 has been a very, very busy year for me. It’s allowed me the opportunity to consolidate on what I’ve already achieved and really cement in my own mind what I’m going to be doing for myself from now on.

Right now I’m excited but then again, I always seem to be excited around this time of year.

As you’ve probably already gathered I have an almost pathological obsession of wiping the slate clean and starting things again but nevertheless, 2012 is a fresh new year with fresh new opportunities to explore and grab with both hands.

I’m going to use the next three weeks to map out my goals plus I’ll be preparing and implementing my CD release strategy for 2012 and beyond. Launching my CD and marketing it is the main thing that I’ll be concentrating on in the new year.

You might have already noticed that I’ve redesigned the website which is the first step in creating a more consistent marketing message for me and my music. I’m really proud of the new look and functionality of it all and the comments I’ve been getting have been very encouraging.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a wonderful festive season (no matter how you celebrate it) and a fantastic New Year and a huge THANK YOU to anyone who has turned up at a gig, put in their two cents, bought me a drink and crossed paths with me on my journey through 2011.

I hope that 2012 gives you everything that you want it to (and a whole lot more).

See you all on the flipside…

Peace,

Corey :)

Finally, AFL Is Over For Another Year

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For me, this time of year between the end of the AFL season and the beginning of the Cricket season is absolutely wonderful.

As a professional musician who plays in pubs where there are huge flatscreen televisions pumping out some kind or sport in all directions, I don’t have to compete for the attention of the punters so much.

That’s a refreshing change.

Personally, I don’t understand the concept of pubs with so many TV’s as it seems to defeat the whole purpose of going to a pub in the first place.

I see it time and time again, a pub full of people but no-one talking to each other. All eyes are glued to the sport, or the TAB or whatever else is flashing up on the multitude of screens around the place.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike sport. I just think there’s a time and place for everything.

Lately I’ve been experiencing a disturbing trend of being hired solely as a defacto jukebox politely playing in the background while the punters are watching TV or, rudely texting on their mobiles.

It seems that a lack of ambient background noise/images is the enemy and I have no idea why.

Another thing I’ve noticed lately is that no-one claps anymore (not even politely) and trying to communicate to people through live music is becoming harder and harder to achieve.

I don’t want to sound like I’m having a whinge, I really love what I do, playing music for a living and of course with every occupation there are good days and not so good days to experience.

I get that.

However, I just want live music to be seen (and heard) as something that makes a difference in peoples lives rather than a functional accompaniment to watching sport on the TV.

Is that too much to ask?

Oh well, AFL is over for another year and Summer is just around the corner. Things are already looking up.

Peace,

Corey :)

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What Have I Been Doing Lately?

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“Hey Corey, what have  you been doing lately?”

Now I like being busy but I’ve noticed that over the past three months I’ve been getting busier and busier and looking at my diary for the next three months it’s even busier again.

My normal response to being asked that question is “what haven’t I been doing lately” however, since my last full post “Absence Makes The (Blogging) Heart Grow Fonder” on July 29th, it’s safe to say that I’ve been doing a lot of activity.

Activities such as:

  • Working on my CD Project
  • Learning news songs for FIGJAM and my solo shows
  • Writing more songs with Adrian Miller and Jeff Smith
  • Starting up the Open Mic @ The Brunswick Hotel
  • Completing my 2010/2011 APRA Live Performance Return
  • Completing my 2010/2011 Tax paperwork
  • Competing in FOOM 2011
  • Entering in the UK Songwriting Competition (with Adrian Miller)
  • Playing Bass with Joe Man Murphy at the Semaphore Music Festival
  • Auditioning for Australia’s Got Talent

Of course, in between all of this I have been playing loads of gigs (as you can tell with my CS Gigs updates) at night and working through the day at Pro Advanced Media.

“When do you sleep?” I hear you ask… Hmmm, no wonder my blogging has been few and far between of late.

I had a profound realisation recently. I rediscovered the fact that our lives are essentially the sum total of all of the choices that we’ve made and will continue to make until we die.

With that in mind, this would mean that right now, I am the way I am because I’ve made it that way, not through some external influence.

My hectic life is my choice and therefore I can also choose a less hectic life. How I achieve this is another story however, I’m in love with the idea of a more balanced life.

I’ll see what I can do to make it happen.

Peace,

Corey :)

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Absence Makes The (Blogging) Heart Grow Fonder

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Hi everybody,

I’ve been away from you for a little while and guess what, I’ve missed you.

Life has been very busy for me of late and I’ve been taking the time off from blogging to reassess a big part of my life as well as take up a wonderful opportunity.

First of all the reassessment…

You might have seen me post from time to time about how I’ve been unwell of late. Well, over the last four weeks I had again succumbed to a nasty flu which had knocked me about but the scary thing about it this time around was how it affected me both personally and professionally.

Personally because I started getting migraine headaches for the first time in many years (the pain being so intense I was wanting to throw up) and professionally because it’s been really affecting my ability to play gigs, especially with my singing voice plus, the way I go about my business.

There was only one thing I needed to do… Reassess the state of my health. The latest flu attack was the straw that broke the camels back and something had to be done.

RIGHT NOW!

I realised that my health was non-existent. I had let myself go to such an extent that I was the unhealthiest and heaviest I’ve ever been and this was affecting everything else in my life.

I couldn’t go on doing this to myself any longer.

As of three weeks ago I started making some changes in my life. Drinking more water, cutting out breads, pastas, take aways and cutting down on coffee.

I’ve also been making time to exercise regularly, cooking at home every night and joining up with the Kate Morgan weight loss program for some extra help and accountability and I’ve already lost 5 kilos and I feel much better physically and mentally.

I’m not going to be one of those people who go on and on about it but it’s amazing what happens when you start to notice the positive changes.

Anyway, now for the opportunity…

A couple of weeks ago I started moving my home office out and relocating to some office space at Pro Advanced Media located at 88 Gibson Street in Bowden. The reason for this is that now that I’ve tried working at home and away from home I now know which I prefer.

I’ve known Alec who runs Pro Advanced Media for a fair while now and we’ve discussed from time to time the possibility of doing some work together and a couple of months ago the time was right to get more serious with the discussions.

I wanted to move into an office space and Alec had some office space spare so as of Monday July 22nd I now run my affairs from a new location.

The space at home has now been converted into a dedicated home recording studio which I finished tidying up and reorganising a couple of days ago.

Now that I’m feeling much better and much more organised, I’m ready to blog again.

The only thing left to say now is… Hello world I’m back, did you miss me? I certainly missed you.

Peace,

Corey :)

The End Of The World = May 21st, 2011

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According to some, the day of Judgement (the starting point of the end of the world) will take place tomorrow, May 21st, 2011.

I’m not sure of the exact time but apparently it’s definitely tomorrow sometime.

Personally, I’m pretty sure that May 22nd is going to like any other day but I’ll make sure I post some proof on here that I (and everyone else in this world) am still very much alive and well.

“Who are these people?” I hear you ask. Check out this video.

However, if for some reason I’m wrong… Well, it’s been nice knowing you all.

Peace,

Corey :)

What Does A Leap Of Faith Feel Like?

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Last night at the Open Mic @ The Dan (a weekly Open Mic that I run) I was having a chat with someone who was just about to experience her first time performing at the Open Mic.

She was very, very nervous and was almost in tears with the thought of getting up on stage and bearing herself to a room full of musicians who she felt were way better than her.

She was having second thoughts about performing and she was up on stage next.

I could only imagine that for someone who has only just started playing the guitar not even six months ago, the thought of coming to a well attended Open Mic full of quality performers such as the one at The Dan would be unthinkable.

She was grappling with the concept of stepping right out of her comfort zone and taking a leap of faith.

As I was chatting to her I was starting to think what a leap of faith would feel like and how I could adequately put the feeling into words. I then had a moment of clarity where I was reminded of the first time I jumped off the high diving tower at the local swimming pool many, many years ago.

I could remember in every detail walking up the ladder towards the top, giddy with anticipation but intensely nervous at the same time.

I remember being up there for what seemed like eternity, and having the feeling of being completely paralysed by fear but I couldn’t climb down from the platform as the fear of losing face in front of the others kids was stronger.

I remembered finally taking a deep breath, running towards the edge and (with an almighty scream) jumping in.

This flashback I experienced only lasted for a brief moment but in that moment I was taking the leap of faith with her.

Just before she went on stage I told her of my diving tower analogy and that by going through with her performance she will change her worldview (and her place in it) forever.

She then got up on stage and put in an absolutely wonderful performance.

Come to think of it, I’ve never jumped off the high diving tower since that day.

Peace,

Corey :)

Expanding My Online Presence Using Posterous

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Now I am a self confessed WordPress fanboy and have been for many years but for a little while now I’ve had my eye on another blogging platform to expand my online presence with.

It’s called Posterous.

My understanding of Posterous is that it was developed to allow people to post online via email but it also has an online interface that can be used as well however, the main feature that really got me interested in exploring it more was its AutoPost function.

The AutoPost function allows what I post on my Posterous blog to appear automatically on other blogging platforms and social networking sites that I subscribe to. Once I publish a post, it will be automatically updated on the following sites:

This excited me because this system allows me to post items of interest and relevance on Songwriting, Music Business and Home Recording that I find on the web and have that information appear at multiple points online while at the same time, these multiple points all link into this site.

Essentially, I expand my online presence without too much effort while creating incoming links to Corey Stewart Online (good for SEO) plus, interesting and relevant information is being circulated to those who want to read it.

The secondary reason for doing this is that through posting the relevant news of the day based on my topics of interest plus the wide ranging ideas of others I will become more inspired myself and therefore my own blogging/songwriting activity will increase.

Everybody wins!

This is of course an experiment that I’ll be monitoring very closely. I want to find out if I get an increase in traffic numbers, email subscription numbers and Google juice but I’ll make sure I keep you all up to date with the ongoing results.

Peace,

Corey :)

PS: The first post on Posterous can be found HERE

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