The Human Project
Human Project News and Updates
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Halloween is just around the corner now. Please watch out for The Creepers. They dwell in the inner cities and like to come out in the dark alley's especially on Halloween eve. If there is a full moon, they will come out in larger numbers and be even more ominous. Here is the link to a video that will give you fair warning. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV5mYnAcBh8   Happy Halloween to all of you.
Be safe and enjoy.
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This is simply a working copy of my new song, "Raisin Cane." There is no lead guitar, which be added later by AC Myles. In the Video I am giving you the link to, I explain how I recorded the track and how I used a Alesis SR-16 Drum machine to get the drum track in. The song itself is a typical Human Rocker. You will dig it when its completed. Click the link and go check it out! www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TSVceDFtVc  Guitar Pics from Paisley Park given to me by my brother in law. Pretty cool!
What's up my friends. Some updates on a couple of fronts. New Song: I haven't made much progress. The lyrics are complete as well as the song structure. I am working on adding drums that could happen this week. Once this goes down, then AC Myles will do his thing and that should do it. The Song is called, "Raisin Cane." A rocker is the finest Human Tradition. Trip to the Coast: We went to the central coast this weekend. Over to Morro Bay and Cambria, CA. We stayed in Cambria for 2 nights. Here are a couple of pictures.  This was taken in Morro Bay, CA on the pier right behind the American Fish Company. Morro Rock is off to the right out of the picture. Behind me is part of the harbor. Lots of commercial fishing goes on here and much is unloaded on this dock. This is not a massive operation, but one good enough to feed all local eateries and even some to sell.  In Cambria, a scarecrow festival was going on. There were scarecrows lining the streets all over Cambria. A very cool scene. I thought this one was cool.  A little collage of my CD's. And there is also, "Fadin To Gray," a download only release not pictured here.
It's in the CD's and singles section of this site. Thanks for your support of my music! Keep Rockin! Hello my friends. The weather is cooling some into the very low 80's now and very cool at night. This is, the best time of the year here in Central California. I have written a new song and its possible I will work with AC Myles over at his studio to cut this track. I have a good version of it in my home system, but the possibility is there to get an even better version at his place. It will have more of a live organic feel to it doing it this way. The song is called "Raisin Cane." It's a good upbeat rocker straight out of the Human's playbook from a music and lyrical standpoint. Once the track is complete, I will play it for you on my show on Podomatic.  I actually work best very early in the morning. It's quiet, peaceful and I am just very productive at this time. Using my Telecaster some, and I got some new bongo's because I cracked the skin on the last pair whacking it too hard.  My little studio could use some tidying up. But I seem to work best in this type of environment, and I can find things better even those it seems a tad unsettled. :)
To go into a professional recording studio is very expensive. All of my first 6 CD's were done in this manner. I have worked in 4 different ones. That said, I also have a home studio as well and it consists of a powerful little machine called a Boss BR 1600.  This is what I use to record at home. I have had this one for about 8 years and I had one before this one as well. I have recorded "57 Channels, Life, For What It's Worth, Vicodin Blues 2019, Brutal Train to Ride," and a few more on it and released them. My new one not yet released "Something Big," was also recorded on this. So, it is a powerful machine. It has all kind of features on it and a powerful mastering tool kit.The downside for me is the drum machine. I have never found it user friendly. I have never been able to get the fills and more intricate beats I want. So I don't use it, and I adapt using the condenser mic and things like conga's and other items for a snare sound. Anyone interested in more information on how I use this bad boy, just leave a note or email me. You need a good mic too and this AKG Model C 2000B condenser mic is the bomb. I think my vocals sound better using this than in a big time studio. You need phantom power to use it and the Boss 1600 has it.   When I use my acoustic guitar, I simply loop the microphone over the boom stand as shown and sit in chair close to it and record my acoustic. I can get killer sound with this arrangement.  I like to work in a relaxed environment. :) I am getting ready to get my trusty Stratocaster out, I have had it since 2002.
Things are getting worked out with Apple music and Spotify regarding the confusion with another Human Project from England. The bad news is this could take up to a month to resolve. (Some of their music is on my page confusing potential fans and people thinking about buying it.) Question 1 Why do you call yourself The Human Project? I got the nickname the Human in my 20's. Not sure how, except I loved music. Had it always playing. I knew all the lyrics to songs. If were around me, there was music and probably cold beer. When I decided to start writing and recording, the best name for this would be The Human Project. Question 2 When did you start listening to music? I would say by 6 or 7 years of age, I was starting to listen. I listened to Elvis and Buddy Holly a lot. Dug the rockabilly sound. I had a record player that played 45's. Also my dad's side was very musical. They all played something. Fiddle, mandolin, guitars. I was around that at a young age. Question 3 Who were your influences? Early Elvis. Buddy Holly. Then The Beatles kinda knocked my socks off. The Stones. I liked the Young Rascals with that Hammond Organ sound. The Animals. Really..too many to list. But you hear all my influences come out in my music. Question 4 When did you start playing? I started at about 15 years old. By 16, I was playing in a full blown rock band and actually going out and doing gigs. I played in bands all 4 years of high school. We were one of the better bands in the Central Valley of California, especially for our age. When I graduated from High School, that was it for me for performing with a band live and playing. Flash forward about 40 years and I got me a Fender Stratocaster and bought me a Boss BR 1600 digital recorder. I started writing and recording the tracks. I found it came pretty easy. I met some other musicians. In 2006, we went into the studio and recorded "The Real Stuff." It was well received, so in 2008, I did Human Project II, Humanized. As sales continued to be pretty good, I have keep going with it. Question 5 Do you play live? I played a few live gigs right after The Real Stuff. Stanford University Homecoming gig was the big one. But I never could catch on with the music scene here that is more geared to cover bands playing in bars type thing, so I finally gave up trying to play live. It is really this area's loss because of the kind of band I could put together. Absolutely killer players. What you hear on my CD's are the same guys that I would have taken out live. Now, I am not young anymore and I am content to just write and record. I also enjoy doing my Podcast, Human's Show on Podomatic. It has an international audience and helps me promote my music as well. Question 6 Final Thoughts? I am grateful to all the fans that have discovered my music and support it. I am grateful for my family supporting me as well. I hope to continue to write and record as long as I can.  Loyd Vandergriff, aka The Human of The Human Project
October 2019 |
The HumanSinger-songwriter from the Central Valley of California, with 6 CD's and a download only one, "Fadin To Gray," just released in January 2019. Archives
March 2020
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