John Kyle

Music Artist - Gothic Psych Folk / Alternative Rock

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rosemary needs your help…

September 23, 2014

Friends, Romans, countrymen,

I want YOU to be involved with my music. I am about to upload the first creation to my Patreon page – my song ‘rosemary’. You can help me (and ‘rosemary’) by listening to my pre-final mix and making comments/suggestions below. Like Antony sez, “lend me your ears!”

Thank you!

John

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dan wilson – a song can be about anything

April 3, 2014

Dan Wilson

I love Dan Wilson’s songs.

“Who’s that?” Why, he’s one of my generation’s greatest songwriters. “Really, never heard of him.” Well, I don’t blame you. Neither had I until recently. However, when I listened to his music and lyrics and became aware of his contribution to popular music, I realized Dan Wilson deserves to be well-known and acclaimed not only by music industry insiders.

Dan was in a band called Trip Shakespeare in the 1980s and then the power trio Semisonic in the 1990s. “Who’s that?” Well, I still don’t blame you. Both bands were doomed by shifting commercial music trends. Trip Shakespeare was making the scene in the late 1980s. Very poetic, poppy and, well, trippy – as per the neo-psychedelic alternative rock of that time (e.g. Rain Parade, The Church). When Nirvana’s punk/grunge rage exploded onto the music scene in 1991, Trip Shakespeare and other arty, cheerful bands were vaporized.

You probably don’t know who Semisonic is either, but I know with 99% certainty you are familiar with their music. Ever hear a little ditty called “Closing Time“? Well, if you haven’t, everyone else who was around in 1998 has, over and over. It was a massive chart-topping hit. Unfortunately for Semisonic, their record label didn’t know what to do with them as the music industry and MTV were enticing consumers with the harder, angrier rap-rock sound of bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit. Semisonic had more great songs, but without support from the record label they didn’t get much airplay, and the band was eventually dropped.

But that’s not the end of the story.

Dan Wilson is an utterly brilliant songwriter. Besides the aforementioned number one smash hit (for which he was nominated for a Grammy in 1999), Dan has co-written number one hits for Adele and Dierks Bentley. He’s won Grammy Awards, in 2012 for Adele’s “Someone Like You” (which he not only co-wrote, but also produced and played the piano part), and in 2007 for  the Dixie Chicks’ “Not Ready to Make Nice”.  He’s co-written numerous songs for artists including  Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Carole King, Jason Mraz,  Pink, and Weezer, to name a few.

Even so, I’ll wager you’ve never heard of Dan Wilson, and that’s why I wrote this. Now you have.

I discovered Dan (and rediscovered Semisonic) thanks to the book So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful Of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer’s Life by Semisonic drummer Jacob Slichter. An incredibly entertaining book, it tells the story of the rise and fall of Semisonic from the sensitive drummer’s journals. The book is a primer on the music industry and is a must-read for aspiring music artists.

It also exposes what an exceptional human being Dan Wilson is.  He comes off as kind, thoughtful, and generous, with no evidence of ego. Not what you’d expect from a rock star.  I was surprised to learn that “Closing Time“, which was written off by many (including me) as a dumb drinking and hook-up anthem with a dash of dime-store philosophy, was actually written by Dan about childbirth and becoming a father. He’s one of those songwriters who has the ability to smuggle deep, personal meaning inside an apparently meaningless (but very catchy) tune.  He can also write devastatingly honest songs.

Like his songwriting collaborations, Dan Wilson’s’s solo works are fantastic. His latest album, Love Without Fear, comes out April 2014, and I can’t stop playing the single “A Song Can Be About Anything”. It’s one of those songs that works magically, like love. At first you think she’s interesting and pretty, and then you can’t get her out of your head. 

No, it’s not edgy, hard and laced with EDM.  It’s raw, intelligent, sensitive, sad, and beautiful. 

It’s just another perfectly crafted pop-rock song by Dan Wilson.

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learning to sing

February 16, 2014

One of my bands is The Glowing Garden, an experimental art-rock threesome. Recently our lead singer Glen moved to San Francisco, and we’re on hiatus until high-speed rail is running.

Glen has a great natural voice, a set of pipes that turns heads. I’d been in a nice comfort zone doing backup vocals and the occasional lead. When I began playing solo much more often, I soon realized that my singing voice needed some serious help.

My vocal challenges make sense. I started singing by emulating low, pitchy, emotional singers like Johnny Cash and Michael Stipe. If I went high, I emulated Kurt Cobain. A recipe for vocal chord disaster. I knew I was capable of a smooth higher voice – if not great, at least good and atmospheric like David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Yet I also knew there were cracks in my voice and my pitch was far from perfect, so I kept my vocal style low and “mysterious.” I never worried about having a healthy, natural singing voice, as long as I sounded “cool.” In reality, my vocal delivery was far more weak than intriguing.

I set out to find a vocal coach. After some sticker-shock I decided to start with an online coaching program. It’d be affordable and should give me a good foundation before working with an in-person vocal coach. The fact that I’m a reclusive introvert made this decision easy.

I started with Aaron Anastasi’s Superior Singing Method. This is a great beginners’ program, and it’s organized to make the most of a limited time investment. A short video accompanies each of Aaron’s lessons, and the program is eight weeks of short exercise sessions. Aaron is cool and likable, and he responds to questions posted on his site. I went through his program twice. My voice improved and I became more confident (after doing the “nay, nay, nay” exercise for a week or so, you just stop caring what people think).

Looking to find another good program, I tried Brett Manning’s Singing Success. This is a pro series with great information, exercises and coaches. I found it a little too “slick” for my taste, with infomercial-style voices and music. And we get to hear Brett prove that he can sing in four octaves, at the same time! Please folks, I already bought it, stop selling it. It’s a sprawling, comprehensive course. I got through about half of it, and then got lost and decided to try something else. A scaled-down and simpler version would suit me better. I prefer daily routines (like Aaron’s) that are actually possible to do every day. Singers with plenty of spare time aspiring to become fluent in many conventional styles will love this. It’s overkill for me. I just want to sing my own style.

During all this time, I had watched a number of Roger Burnley’s free vocal coaching videos on YouTube, and every single one was helpful. I was like someone who bumps into an acquaintance every so often, but never realizes they are “The One” – until that fateful day. It hit me like a ton of bricks – what I was looking for was right in front of me: Roger Burnley’s Singing Made Simple program.

Roger is perfect. He’s not only a successful vocal coach who’s worked with some of the music industry’s top stars – he’s also my coach. Yesterday he coached me in-person over the phone. It’s no surprise that I wasn’t nervous talking to and singing for Roger for the first time. His personality is so endearing and engaging that I felt like we already knew each other from watching his coaching videos.

No, I didn’t have to sign up for some sort of “VIP Membership” add-on with extra monthly dues. Roger includes the coaching calls in the base price of his program.

Roger does not brush over the basics, or cover too much ground at one time. His lessons break down the fundamentals of freeing your voice. He explains exactly what the purpose of each exercise is, and how it trains your body to sing without tension. My OCD side loves knowing exactly what I’m working on and why, not wondering if I’m “doing it right”. I had some major breakthroughs in the first couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

I realize now that vocal freedom is the goal. With a relaxed and healthy voice I can emulate whomever I wish, but more importantly, I’m finding my own unique, natural voice. A true voice is far more intriguing than a hidden one!

If you want to learn to sing, you can do it. You must find a place where you can sing every day without worrying about how you sound. This is so important because the key to becoming a good singer is allowing yourself to sound horrible and not let it scare you. You’ve heard it before: “You gotta fail a hundred times before you succeed, kid.” Well, the sound of “failing” while singing is scary. It has frightened many people into believing they just can’t sing.

You know this: the only way to truly fail is to give up, or not even try. Like Wayne Gretzky said: “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” If you’re patient and practice every day (whichever program you choose) you’ll amaze yourself. Sooner than you think, you’ll have a great voice, and a great time singing.

Please let me know how your singing journey fares!

Thanks,

John

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Your song Summer Came was in my head driving home and this morning. Love that song. Very well written.

Gary Jamieson

John Kyle
2018-09-07T02:36:31-07:00

Gary Jamieson

Your song Summer Came was in my head driving home and this morning. Love that song. Very well written.
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/love-that-song
I just listened to Soon and I love it! I’m thinking #1 soon!!!

Kathie Morris

John Kyle
2019-10-02T21:22:36-07:00

Kathie Morris

I just listened to Soon and I love it! I’m thinking #1 soon!!!
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/i-just-listened-to-your-latest-soon-and-i-love-it
What a beautiful, haunting song.

Jimmy M.

John Kyle
2019-11-14T19:27:23-08:00

Jimmy M.

What a beautiful, haunting song.
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/what-a-beautiful-haunting-song
John Kyle rocks! Dude - you put us into the 5th dimension and we want more! Oh, yeah... you have a 100-watt smile. Are you really hanging out in New England until October?

Scott Flanders

John Kyle
2018-09-07T02:18:28-07:00

Scott Flanders

John Kyle rocks! Dude - you put us into the 5th dimension and we want more! Oh, yeah... you have a 100-watt smile. Are you really hanging out in New England until October?
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/john-kyle-rocks
Wonderful. Your voice reminds me of the lead singer of R.E.M.

@followthepassion82

John Kyle
2018-09-07T02:45:22-07:00

@followthepassion82

Wonderful. Your voice reminds me of the lead singer of R.E.M.
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/wonderful
I love this song so much. Could be used in a Twilight Saga movie. And this voice!!!

ForestG

John Kyle
2019-11-09T22:51:02-08:00

ForestG

I love this song so much. Could be used in a Twilight Saga movie. And this voice!!!
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/forestg-i-love-this-song-so-much
I just read your lyrics to your songs and I started crying while reading Rain. Those are really good. How do you come up with lyrics like that?

@ummelt

John Kyle
2018-09-07T02:51:53-07:00

@ummelt

I just read your lyrics to your songs and I started crying while reading Rain. Those are really good. How do you come up with lyrics like that?
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/i-started-crying
Your music needs to be shared! You truly are a great artist John Kyle....WOW! Hope to catch a gig when I am traveling through the US...

@BunnzCee

John Kyle
2019-10-02T21:08:09-07:00

@BunnzCee

Your music needs to be shared! You truly are a great artist John Kyle....WOW! Hope to catch a gig when I am traveling through the US...
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/your-music-needs-to-be-shared
Anyone who missed John Kyle at Flask Lounge this past Wednesday missed an artist performing with cosmic passion.

Scott Flanders

John Kyle
2018-09-30T22:19:20-07:00

Scott Flanders

Anyone who missed John Kyle at Flask Lounge this past Wednesday missed an artist performing with cosmic passion.
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/an-artist-performing-with-cosmic-passion
Haunting, dark, poetic lyrics. The music is fantastic. Very well done. (Summer Came)

Lora B.

John Kyle
2018-09-07T03:20:09-07:00

Lora B.

Haunting, dark, poetic lyrics. The music is fantastic. Very well done. (Summer Came)
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/haunting-dark-poetic-lyrics
Your song Soon gave me goosebumps!

Sibour

John Kyle
2018-10-15T23:48:00-07:00

Sibour

Your song Soon gave me goosebumps!
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/goosebumps
John, you are an amazing performer. I wish you well as a troubadour 😎 I hope you'll be back here again sometime.

George H.

John Kyle
2019-02-18T22:25:05-08:00

George H.

John, you are an amazing performer. I wish you well as a troubadour 😎 I hope you'll be back here again sometime.
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/john-you-are-an-amazing-performer
Babar Hassan
One of the most beautiful songs ever.

Babar Hassan

John Kyle
2019-11-21T17:40:23-08:00

Babar Hassan

Babar Hassan
One of the most beautiful songs ever.
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/babar-hassan-one-of-the-most-beautiful-songs-ever
JESUS! What a cover! It touched my heart and made me cry...

Martin Reynals

John Kyle
2019-08-02T01:55:53-07:00

Martin Reynals

JESUS! What a cover! It touched my heart and made me cry...
https://www.johnkyle.com/testimonials/4191
0
John Kyle

johnkylemusic

John Kyle ★ 𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖈 𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙
O my love, please don't cry You are the apple of m O my love, please don't cry
You are the apple of my eye
When all your wishing wells run dry
I shall replenish your supply
JOHN KYLE - "Apple" Live at @cafeugly 2/20/23 
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#lovesongs #livemusic #newmusic #johnkyle #johnkylemusic #theuglymug #openmic #openmics #openmicnight #igmusic #instamusic #indiemusic #indieartist #share#songwriter #singersongwriter #sweetsong #beautifulsong #acoustic #acousticmusic #californiamusic #folkrock #indiefolk #santacruz #santacruzmusic
Wolves, voices in my head, and @publicenemy. Rea Wolves, voices in my head, and @publicenemy. 
Read the story behind my song "Given Me" https://www.patreon.com/posts/given-me-story-73817924
#storybehindthesong #love #kindness #patience #peace
You may not know it, but I came close to leaving t You may not know it, but I came close to leaving the planet in 2013. Read my story and hear my song on Patreon. 
https://www.patreon.com/posts/grow-wings-71184218 <- copy that or click link in bio
#SuicideAwareness #SuicidePrevention
Help me keep creating songs and stories by becoming a Patron for as little as $1/month - click link in bio
Stone cold chillin at @bradysyachtclub #santacru Stone cold chillin at @bradysyachtclub 
#santacruz #divebar #bradysyachtclub #bradysyachtclubsantacruz
My cover of "Metal Heart" by Cat Power. Borrowed w My cover of "Metal Heart" by Cat Power.
Borrowed with love from @catpowerofficial 🖤
Find the reasons why https://www.patreon.com/johnkyle
#catpower #metalheart #chanmarshall #coversongs #coversong #songsthatsavedmylife #songsthatmakemecry #beautifulsong #beautifulsongs #sadsong #sadsongs #bestsong #bestsongs #bestsongever #bestsongsever #igmusic #johnkyle #johnkylemusic
For the past year I've been locked away studying m For the past year I've been locked away studying music like Arvo Pärt -
"Pärt entered the first of several periods of contemplative silence, during which he studied choral music from the 14th to 16th centuries." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvo_P%C3%A4rt
Lyric video for original song "Diesirae" by JOHN KYLE - Gothic Folk Rock, Alternative Rock  Slowcore, Sadcore. 
Music and lyrics © 2021 John Calvin Kyle IV. All Rights Reserved. Still Awake Music/ASCAP. 
All sounds by John Kyle. 
📜 Read the story behind "Diesirae" at https://www.patreon.com/posts/56850006
#johnkylemusic #johnkyle #diesirae #newmusic #gothicfolkrock #indiemusic #melancholymusic #darkmusic #sadcore #slowcore #alternativemusic #psychfolk #trippymusic #instamusic #igtvmusic #igmusic #esotericmusic #musick
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