The holiday season is here again and I am recording lots of songs that have that holiday vibe to them. This time of year is a mixed bag for me. My wife and I do not buy presents but try to enjoy the beauty of the holiday spirit. Come on into my gig. Here are some from today. Walter
big city livin she loves me kind and gentle no easy way to avoid the blues wiggle and giggle round the tree tonight what I want for christmas a holiday song for those that are gone back in my hometown again once I was young don't let me fall down on myself what does the old man see
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
gonna shake my boogie till I can't no more Abortion is illegal in Ohio Jesus wouldn't have no santa claus or tree
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
gritsncatfish: "wayyyyyyyyyyy too much time on your hands." What do you mean? Walter
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
here are a few more solo harp/vocal songs. I am liking the mic/preamp combination I am using on these. It captures the voice/harp pretty accurate. Walter
merry christmas, merry christmas gonna shake you here and now holiday swing
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Sean Carney is on second guitar. This was filmed in my studio last holiday season. Hopefully I will get inspired to do another one this winter.
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Here are some from tonight. I am back to playing acoustic harp. I keep trying to get with the amped sound but it never fails to lose my interest after a day or 2. Walter
merry christmas from our dying earth lets work together my 2012 new years wish don't bother me with other peoples blues
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
here are some from early sunday morning. I don't go to church but I pray! Walter links to the songs
many minutes,days, years, I dreamed of this Ive worn out my blue shoes
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
time to relax abstract jingle bells fall down with me what makes a good life ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Here ar a couple from tonight. One had hubert sumlin stopping by on his way to blues heaven. Enjoy your days you have left and do meaningful work. Walter
I use to sit in with the rock stars gonna boogie down till they put me in the ground(dedicated to hubert sumlin)
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Here are some songs from tonight. I put a couple layers of electrical tape on the inside and a couple on the outside of the cover plates - hohner big river in A. I am continually trying to get rid of some of the treble that results when a harp is placed in a rack. the lack of deading from the hands plus being clamped in a metal holder makes for some real trebly sound. It is amazing how much deading just having the harp in your hands vs. it on a rack. I use the same large condensor mic for both my vocals and harp. The vocals like the highs boosted and the mids cut and the harp likes the highs cut and mids boosted. It is greatly exagerated in the rack. I have tried various mics and preamps to no avail. I think this idea got it! Somebody here, sorry I forgot who, suggested the tape idea. I like it-thanks! Walter
easy to have a whole life run you by inspiration can't be controled RIP Hubert Sumlin try this on christmas
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
hey Walter, I'm glad to see that you are still at it. I'm still enjoying your music. ---------- Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
Hi Sarge: I am at it more and more it seems. Having my own studio keeps spewing inspiration for me to keep playing. I am down to just this forum and do most of my posting while I am waiting for songs to convert to mp3 and wave files and during my lunch at work. I have a young girl that is coming in my classroom everyday with her guitar. She has a study hall last period and my students are all running the lionel trains and watching christmas movies so it is perfect timing. She has a lot of talent and like most kids in this poverty school, is self taught and has no interst in the school band stuff. I am bringing her in some new strings and a capo tomorrow. She has never had new strings on her guitar. they must be at least a year old and the guitar goes out in rain and shine with no case. She may be my brightest star yet! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
jlnx: Albert Collins was much like Hubert Sumlin. He was a very kind and generous man. It amazed me how open he was to everyone. I opened for him like 20 times over the years and often got up to jam with his band. I always felt stupid up there whether it be with a harp or guitar. His tone/phrasing/presence was unbeatable. I never saw anyone cut him. SRV couldn't even come close. Albert drove his own bus as well. Johnny, his longtime bassist, was a great guy too. I took my 10 year old youngest brother to see him one night in NYC. Albert immediately made time for him and got him up to jam on guitar! Later he showed him his bus. My brother asked what if somebody tried to rob him? Albert pulled out a sawed off shotgun, smiled and said it was his protector. He drove me and my brother home to NJ to our parents house. It was a sight seeing an old grehound bus on a suburban street. My mother cooked a breakfast for everyone. He was that kind of guy. Guys like Albert were so special. The new breed IMO will never touch their greatness because they are so much more money driven vs. relationship driven. Plus the way the music scene has changed(lack of venues, collapse of major blues labels power to create stars, etc) has made it near impossible for the old school type guys to exist. ALbert King I really didn't know well enough except to say he could sure play a guitar! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I had fun this afternoon. Lots of creativety and having a hard head stuff. I also found a filmaker that claims to be on the eternal hunt for musicians that stick to their ways instead of joing the mainstream. I emailed him. Walter
the relationship between creativety and a hard head I got to quit bumping my head will I ever find that happy road I'm a loner but not alone unknown journies inside a homeless drunks eyes ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
why I play so many hours a day my mother called on the phone life can be easy shaake her all nihgt I learned to play the blues in the real world not youtube nothing good ever comes easy ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Walter, I don't mean to be rude, I am just curious and would love to hear your thoughts about this.
Your website says "I am currently asking the universe to connect me with someone who sees Spontobeat as something they would want to promote."
Let's say I am a record producer. I love your sound and would be thrilled to hear you play live, but why should I promote/sell recordings of your music? Why should someone listen to recordings of your songs or albums if YOU won't listen to it or play it again?
You are very passionate about creating music - but not REcreating it. I think the music is clearly more for you than for anyone else (i.e. your goal is for you to enjoy creating it, more than it is for others to enjoy as they listen), but you still have a serious drive to share your music.
I think it's a fascinating tension between the two interests. Do you have any thoughts about all this, Walter?
Glad to hear you appreciated what I wrote, Walter :)
I admire your principles. It's great that you do what makes you happy and not what anyone else wants you to do.
I'm still early in my musical development, so I'm at the stage where I am excited to play out, period. It's great if the audience likes it, but really I just want to learn.
It is a shame that people don't get to see you play live much anymore - I know I would come - but I completely understand why you won't do it if you're not learning, not earning, and not being appreciated by the audience.
By the way, I love "I learned the blues in the real world not youtube." Hilarious! I am very envious of those like you who experienced the blues out there in the real world - is that even possible today? I would do anything to go back in time and see Muddy play at Theresa's. I'm only in my 20s, so I never had that chance. I have been lucky enough to see a few of the old blues legends, but it's different when you're at a park on the water in San Diego with an audience composed primarily of middle-aged white men (and the bored women they dragged along with them).
I am a firm believer in following your dreams. What I have seen in the golden days of the blues and today, is a large population of people that want to really play the music but are not willing to blindly committ to it. They want all the good stuff but don't want to leave their comforts for the unknown highway. If you really want to play the blues get on that highway. There really is no inbetween. If I was in my 20's today with the drive I had back when I was really 20, I would be out on the highways of the world doing just like I did then. Great opportunities await if one is willing to blindly follow them. Family, career, responsibilities, are the 3 big ones I have seen over the years that keep people from following a passion blindly. I use the term blindly alot. That is because it is required to become an artist. Techniques are simple to learn because one can do that in their cocoon of security. Learning the art takes leaving it and letting the art guide your life. I have been doing this for 40 years and life just keeps getting better!
Thanks for the kind words on the gig stuff. I am ok with it. I am waiting for songs to transfer to wave files as I type. I just finished a set that was as alive and kicking with interaction as any club I played. The journey unfolds in ways we never could dream of. I would say you were insane if 15 years ago you predicted I would be playing in an isolated studio today and digging the hell out of it. Follow your dreams because all we have to really look forward to is death. So why not live till you die? See you. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
did you get your shopping done? must be my crazy upbringing mighty hard to shake our roots link to the songs
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I use to travel the country in a 63 cadillac sadness I know I learned music on the hard side of the street ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
A few years ago I was seriously considering just driving to the South and trying to check out some good music and have a good time. Unfortunately, I didn't do it, and for now my responsibilities prohibit it. Maybe I will get (and take) the chance some day!
Balancing my pursuit of happiness with my other concerns - supporting myself, being mature, responsible, and successful - has been a major struggle for me. I supposed I'm too afraid to just blindly follow what I want.
we all have a unique path. Try and let yours unfold naturally. Music may not be the main one but a hobby. We all need hobbies. I thought I would be a world reknowned martail artist as well as a world class r/c sailplaine pilot, bike rider. I gave them a lot of effort but came to realize they are hobbies and I love them. I pedal my bike to work everyday unless there is snow/ice, fly my planes some, and keep in shape. I am passionate about these things but music will always be my #1. My life works around it. I was led to going to college when the full time music became a grind. I am passionate about my job as a special education teacher and it has allowed my music to blossom in ways I never thought possible. The most important thing I have learned for this point in my life to allow art to flourish is I need to be in a stable environment. Going back to hand to mouth, living in dangerous areas, wouldn't work for me today but it did when I was playing full time. If I had to choose between the my day gig and music, music would win out. I know another door would open let it be music for a living or another career, but it would be sad to leave teaching. Keep the faith! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Here are some from tonight that brought back a ton of memories around christmas. Snow flurries are falling outside my studio window and I drifted back to my NJ teen days when me and my friends would brave the freezing cold in a car with no heat, or if we couldn't move it due to bald tires in the snow, walk down to the localmob run bar that started serving yuo when you were 16. We would open the door, warm air, bright lights, happy voices, laughter, would greet us. We knew everyone and would take our regular place, the bartender knew our drink and soon we were buffered from the blue lifes we lived via alcohol, some reefer out back, coke in the bathroom. I miss those days for the closeness we had. We were a gang of misfits that hung out all the time and within those times together the lonliness of our home life would flash inbetween the process of eliminating it via getting loaded. I sometimes watch the Sopranos. It brings up the same memories as these songs. I grew up in that stuff and just figured everybody lived that way. I have been spending the last 35 years learning what normal feels like. Walter
christmas memories NJ winter memories pt1 NJ winter memories pt2 links to the songs
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
i am not sure what to be impressed with most.. the spontobeat has been there from the first time i ran across you on the internet or the sound... but the recordings continue to get better. kind of wondering if you should be a sound engineer since you understand so much about how to make music sound so good from both sides of the microphone, and what true feeling and emotion in music are all about
Jesus and the christmas blues The 1 thing I want learning about quiet and space ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
lazy harpin don't forget to tie your walking shoes how I learned to play to ghosts my journey into obscurity we all gonna hit hard times and die
here is one from my summer backyard festival that featured Johnny Roy, Sean Carney, Lewis Cowdrey, and Katherine Stevens.
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I came down with a high fever and chills Monday night and took off yesterday and today. The acoustic guitar called me. Here are some from yesterday and this morning. Walter
remembering a friend thankful for another day to see judy b trying the best we can another christmas in the jailhouse christmas gives me the blues feeling sorry for myself tonight I have the quiet blues
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
be thankful remembering a friends he didn't live very long tired of these dark blues
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
gonna marry her on christmas eve home for christmas wish lonesome roads are my home ready for them good times ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I'll take the woman everytime TT Fingers was the king of the street
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Hey jdblues, I've had the pleasure of seeing Walter live and in person. His recordings are great, but to be right there, well it's totally different. At one time he was scheduled to play about 300 miles from where I live and I was ready to drive that distance to see his performance. If you get a chance to see his live performance, don't miss it. ---------- Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
Hi Sarge: Thanks for that compliment! I am feeling the urge to play out again and magically Sean Carney called me to see if I wanted to do some gigs. I miss playing live in the right settings!
Here is TT Fingers in action as of today. I sang a song about him tonight after seeing it. Walter
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
easy to say think twice when you got a fat belly merry christmas to the world a nod to lightning giving up on dreams from a-z
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Santa is crying for the kids this year ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
waltertore you are without a doubt the world's first one man blues holiday extravaganza band. Your posts are like an aural advent calendar. many blessings and best wishes
6SN7: thanks and peace and happiness to you! It seems every holiday seasons a few hundred songs come out of me with holiday themes. Many aren't very jolly though. I work in extreme poverty and my high school students are all Mentally Retarded or Autistic. They have a rough life like nothing we can ever imagine. I often wonder how our society allows such poverty to continue when we have enough wealth, resources, and manpower, to erradicate it. I am blessed to be working in this environment. I will always work with the poor. The corporate/money hustle side of life doesn't touch my soul. Who wouldn't want wealth? But the thought of getting in the mix of what it takes to get it, sort of makes me sick to my stomach. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Today I spent a lot of hours revisiting my setup from guitars, guitar amp settings, and mastering settings. Here are a couple of songs about being thankful. walter
thankful merry christmas to my friends ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
twisting the boogie 1 man band style Sow me what you got I give it all up but the lovng
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
homeless on christmas eve cold heart and soul damaged lives menaingless take me to your house
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
money I got love I need why is there so much divorce you can live any way you like music gave me hope
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Here is full set from today. One song my wife walked in on and danced. That felt nice! Walter lnk to the songs
christmas eve and I feel like an alien remembering childhood christmas's a woman that don't need love playing to my wife got to learn to love yourself side stepping the jive and temptations the fear of failure the sadness of the world flows through me be thankful for 1 more day
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I recorded these today after seeing some homeless people trying to stay warm in the winter cold. Walter link to the songs
60k to decorate a tree merry christmas I don't like christmas no more ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Everybody wants true love panhandling in my santa claus hat uncertain times and the belly don't lie that lonesome road again out on the desert ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
musicians want to be called different no cadillac next to Jesus's manger sounds without sounds city noises driving me crazy
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I use to rock the world rocking little woman come on this way
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
thanks Chris! Doing rehearsed and repeated songs, for me, isn't me and not being honest with art is no fun :-) Also on a joyus side, knowing what is going to be coming out doing thought out music is not fun at all to not having any idea of what will be coming out. I am very thankful to have reached a point where I at with if my music never goes beyond my own ears that is ok. Peacefull holiday wishes to you!
Here are some from this morning. I get the blues every christmas day. I have since I was a little kid. Music helps me stay on the upside. I am very thankful for the gift I have with music. It has kept me alive and hopeful all these years. Walter
all I ever wanted for christmas was a guitar every christmas day I get the blues I like to be alone on christmas one more christmas with you a true loving woman ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
