mike skliar

mike skliar

JOINED:1 year ago
PROGRESS:63

Winner!
LOCATION:New York City
WEBSITE:www.mikeskliar.com
INFLUENCES:lots of things... songwriters including Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Loudon Wainwright III, John Prine, Richard Thompson, Jerry Garcia, Tom Lehrer, Dan Bern, and many more, as well as (sometimes) the older songwriters (Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rogers, etc)...

BIO:

Singer & Songwriter based in New York City. Multi-instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, dobro). I have two cds ("Mike Skliar" and "Ship of State") as well as a new single ("No Tea for Me") up at CD Baby, on iTunes, amazon.com and many other places (search for 'mike skliar' and you'll find, or check my website as well)

first 2011 update-- since my PC died in the spring (and my new pc won't run with my old m box & pro tools (complicated story) i'm down to very basic demos for now- just using the crappy onboard mic on my macbook laptop and garageband. So the word for at least the start of this 50/90 will be .. 'lo fi'!
(at least for now)

EDIT -update August 6th-finally have a bit of a better recording setup, and just recorded a test song using it ('satan sandwich'). Glad to be able to make some better quality recordings from here on in, although I forgot how time consuming it is! might have to do a few more lo-fi ones too, here and there..

EDIT Sept 2011- been recording on the new setup, which sounds lots better then what i was using for the month of July-- I've began to re-record or remix some of the songs i did in July with better mixes, vocals with the better mic, etc.. some of em are up now, some soon...and of course there's still new songs being done..

EDIT Sept 25, 2011- well, got to 50, plus a few more, with some really rewarding and fun collabs at the end.. still may have another song or two or collab or two coming in the next few days, we'll see.. been a great 50/90!

Songs: 63 ( + = Songs posted by a different Songwriter that you Collaborated on.)

		Title	Collaborators	Comments	Post date
1		Whatever our hearts advise		24	30 weeks 5 days
2		Fireflies or Fireworks		17	30 weeks 5 days
3		My Solution		16	30 weeks 3 days
4		Webs (songskirmish)		13	30 weeks 2 days
5		States of the United States		13	29 weeks 5 days
6		Open My Heart		12	29 weeks 5 days
7		103rd St Train Song		17	29 weeks 4 days
8		La La Land		8	29 weeks 3 days
9		My Love's in Schenectady		11	29 weeks 14 hours
10		The Solution (songskirmish)		7	28 weeks 6 days
11		Song for James Joyce		8	28 weeks 6 days
12	+	I Don't	mike skliar Calum Carlyle	27	28 weeks 5 days
13		Hot!		8	28 weeks 13 hours
14		Feel So New	Calum Carlyle	21	28 weeks 3 hours
15		Curse of 27		12	27 weeks 6 days
16		whenever you're ready (songskirmish)		16	27 weeks 2 days
17		Reckoning Day		8	27 weeks 13 hours
18		Jesus was a socialist		10	26 weeks 6 days
19	+	His Grim Jackhammer Love	mike skliar Donna Devine	11	26 weeks 4 days
20		Satan Sandwich		13	26 weeks 1 hour
21		It's impossible to lie while playing banjo		8	25 weeks 6 days
22		Around the world in a box (instrumental)		8	25 weeks 6 days
23		404 error- muse not found		9	24 weeks 3 days
24		I've got my muse again		4	24 weeks 3 days
25		When old Bob was new		3	24 weeks 3 days
26		Morning has broken and needs to be fixed		4	23 weeks 6 days
27		Rick Perry's Universe		3	23 weeks 6 days
28		Feeding my soul		3	23 weeks 6 days
29		Little Boy Butterscotch		8	23 weeks 6 days
30		At the same moment (songskirmish)		5	23 weeks 5 days
31		The Hurricane is Coming!		13	23 weeks 3 hours
32	+	Hurricane Irene	mike skliar Mister Mann	3	22 weeks 6 days
33		The Wrong Side of Morning (songskirmish)		9	22 weeks 5 days
34		At the same moment (finished collab)	downburst	6	22 weeks 3 days
35		Remembering that day in September		6	22 weeks 3 days
36		Buster Keaton's Reel (instrumental)		3	22 weeks 2 days
37		Instructions for Use (songskirmish)		6	22 weeks 1 day
38		rubber breath (instrumental)		5	21 weeks 6 days
39		take it easy, but take it		6	21 weeks 6 days
40		anything you want (songskirmish)		5	21 weeks 5 days
41	+	Anything You Want	mike skliar kathy moran	10	21 weeks 5 days
42		never said a word, in the dim light of evening...	blindkiwi	10	21 weeks 4 days
43		Moby Dick, Beowulf, James Joyce and Shakespeare	nancyrost	8	21 weeks 15 hours
44		A new dark ages (Too late to stop)		5	20 weeks 6 days
45		What a Spectacular World	Chip Withrow	2	20 weeks 6 days
46		The counting song		4	20 weeks 4 days
47	+	Breakfast In Bed	T.C. Elliott mike skliar nancyrost	4	20 weeks 3 days
48		One No Closer to Yes		6	20 weeks 2 days
49		Eggheads and Blockheads		4	19 weeks 6 days
50		morning walk (instrumental)		7	19 weeks 6 days
51		Class Warfare		4	19 weeks 3 days
52	+	Not in my Name	mike skliar Helen	4	19 weeks 1 day
53	+	Things that we don't know	mike skliar Helen	6	19 weeks 1 day
54	+	I Know I Did Wrong	Das Binky tfish77 mike skliar kristian	6	19 weeks 17 hours
55		Won't let me leave	Helen	4	18 weeks 6 days
56		Loved and Lost (explore the core)	Loved Lost EtC	9	18 weeks 6 days
57	+	Boxcar Chase (Mandolin Battle)	mike skliar Das Binky	2	18 weeks 23 hours
58		Be Smart		1	18 weeks 13 hours
59		that half finished mandolin thingy		0	18 weeks 2 hours
60		that other half finished thing....		0	17 weeks 6 days
61		Sitar improvisation for George Harrison (...		2	17 weeks 6 days
62		this song has a purpose		1	17 weeks 6 days
63		the Pi song		1	17 weeks 6 days

Soundboard

Welcome to the guestbook of Mike Skliar

Roddy_

13 weeks 3 hours ago

Mike
Thank you for all your comments on my songs. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this and value what you have to say.

Deaf Steever

15 weeks 5 days ago

Hi, Mike! Thanks for listening to and commenting on my lo-fi version of "Spike Driver Blues". I'm using my Seagull Maritime acoustic for this one - it's in standard tuning, in G position, with a capo at the 3rd fret. I don't use fingerpicks (couldn't quite get the hang of 'em!) but will very occasionally use a thumbpick - it depends on the song!

Recently, I switched to Martin silk & steel strings. I'm in love with them! It never mattered how much I played before, phosphor bronze strings always chewed up the fingers on both hands. I must have bad skin chemistry or something, because no matter how much I tried, I never could build up the proper callouses that everyone claimed would develop!! S&S strings are awesome for someone like me. Just a dream to play. And I can play non-stop, too. Fingers never get too sore! The added bonus, for me at least, is that they just SOUND more like Mississippi John Hurt's post-rediscovery 1960's guitar sound. :-)

I shall definitely check out your stuff soon, once I get a bit of free time. I like this Rocktober thing. Because the number of songs is lower than FAWM and 50/90, it's far more likely that I can hear every single song!! :-)

Scribbler

18 weeks 1 day ago

CONGRATULATIONS ON REACHING WINNER STATUS!

oneslowtyper

18 weeks 1 day ago

Hey Mike, I wrote these lyrics figuring that an NYC guy would pick them up... and who do you think I thought of. LOL

http://fiftyninety.fawmers.org/songs/12145

I actually like Mayor Bloomberg, so the songs really NOT about him.

nancyrost

19 weeks 1 day ago

I found a photograph of one of your brown socks.

oneslowtyper

19 weeks 2 days ago

WOO HOOOOO!! You did it Mike, on to the plus side of fifty!

blindkiwi

19 weeks 2 days ago

Hey thanks for the comment and the suggestion Mike, I revisited the one rhyme that was really bothering me and think I fixed it betterer like ;)

downburst

19 weeks 2 days ago

Ray Davies is my #1 favorite musician! There is no nicer thing to say to me. :)

Rob From Amersfoort

19 weeks 2 days ago

You made it, congratulations!

FenderTele71

19 weeks 3 days ago

Congrats on 50 Mike! I've got a lot of catch up listening to do...

orinoco

19 weeks 4 days ago

Congratulations on winning!

kathy moran

19 weeks 6 days ago

Wow, have you been busy! I love what you did to "Anything You Want" Between the hurricane, the family, being in the middle of s systems conversion and a two day virus (to me, not the pc), I haven't kept after things here the way I had planned on this year. Thank you so very much for the added lyrics, the changes, the melody and the recording. I can't wait to learn it!

Dragondreams

20 weeks 4 hours ago

Hi Mike :)

Many thanks for the listen on the Moment of silence collab. I've added the lyrics to the song page (CC still had them locked and I couldn't find my copy when I posted).

blindkiwi

20 weeks 1 day ago

Thanks Mike, just two characters in the song but each one is an amalgam of several inspirations.

Man, you are getting close. A week ago, I thought I would never make it but I have had a sudden rush of inspiration(s) this week.

Scribbler

20 weeks 1 day ago

Thanks for listening to Here's To All The 50/90er's. I did not know that quote was pre-Elvis. Thanks for letting me know.

musicsongwriter

20 weeks 2 days ago

Thank you so much Mike for your beautiful comment on my collaboration with Gerry on Anything you want. I'm so happy you like it.

musicsongwriter

20 weeks 3 days ago

Hello Mike. Thank you again for your beautiful comment on Anything you want. This piece now has the vocals you were mentioning might be added, Gerry created a very beautiful demo adding his lyrics and vocals. If you get a chance, would you please kindly take a listen:
http://fiftyninety.fawmers.org/songs/10906
Thank you Mike.

angelinapowersuit

20 weeks 3 days ago

Thanks once again Mike, so kind! And great suggestion (and fortunately for me, easy fix). Hoping I can get to 10 by deadline!

Scribbler

20 weeks 4 days ago

Thanks for listening to Batman and for the nice comment. I chose that guitar riff because it did sound so much like a siren. I put the song together using Acid Music Studio 6.

kristian

21 weeks 12 hours ago

Wicked! I'll get back to ya later today with the details :) thanks!

nancyrost

21 weeks 14 hours ago

Nice work on "Moby Dick"! Thanks for letting me be a part of it.

angelinapowersuit

21 weeks 3 days ago

Thanks SO so much for your comments on "When summer comes," I just listened to it with speakers for the first time and you're totally right about the solo guitar volume needing to come up, and the other as well. Will definitely adjust!

TomS

21 weeks 3 days ago

Mike, re: The Union, I had been listening to Billy Bragg for most of the day. Started with Talking to the Taxman About Poetry, and ended up with the Mermaid Avenue. :) Thank you for the listen and the nice comment!

Outasync

21 weeks 5 days ago

Thanks for your comment on "Anything You Want". I've got the demo finished: http://fiftyninety.fawmers.org/songs/10904

BTW - listened to your take on the same title and loved it. Fantastic guitar sound and a neat lyric.

kathy moran

21 weeks 5 days ago

Hi, Mike. Thanks for the kind words on "In the Night Light". If you find the words interesting, by all means, please feel free to add a melody. I'm glad you caught on to what I was trying to do with it. Let me know if you choose to and I'll add you as a collaborator so you can post it. I see you're up to 40 - that's great. I've hardly had time to write all summer, something I really wanted to do. But there is still time.

Dargai

22 weeks 3 hours ago

Mike, thanks so much for the feedback! RT is my strongest influence; I try to avoid sounding like a copy-cat but his sound is deeply ingrained and I love drop tunings and hybrid picking. I will return this weekend to listen to your stuff!

oneslowtyper

22 weeks 2 days ago

Hey Mike,
Just listened to your song "No Tea For Me" and got inspired to jump on the bandwagon with "Blame Game". Thanks for the inspiration!

oneslowtyper

22 weeks 2 days ago

Hi Mike,
Glad to hear the storm didn't cause much trouble down your way. Me and my son went out on the lake today with the kayaks and couldn't believe all the debris floating in the lake - yet still there was a couple of morons in motor boats cruising down the lake, totally oblivious to all the floating "hazards".
Kind of bummed upstate here... the weather canceled the last 2 outdoor summer concerts up here. I'm gonna have to start hitting open mics. LOL
Glad you like my suggestion on the song. I know it was a small change, but it still feels nice just having suggestions considered.

Cya,
John

FenderTele71

22 weeks 2 days ago

CD Baby

FenderTele71

22 weeks 2 days ago

Hey Mike. Just downloaded your album, Ship of State. Great collection of music. Especially liked Ship of State, Song for George Carlin, and Abraham and Charlie. Excellent production, well performend music, and good flow to the track order.

Leslie

22 weeks 3 days ago

Thanks for the comment on Procrastinatrix, Mike. It's an Asperger's thing: I will do anything I can to push everything to the last second, including everything else that I'm not supposed to be doing, and I can find any excuse to justify my opposition, no matter how absurd or paradoxical it may seem to others. And heaven help the person who attempts to point out I could avoid the stress I'm unduly causing myself. My husband is a brave man. ;) At least I can laugh about it. :D

angelinapowersuit

22 weeks 5 days ago

Hey Mike! I just wanted to belatedly thank you for your thoughts on "Brand New Toy. . ." I actually put a lot of thought into your feedback and ended up CHANGing the chorus lyrics to make them even more different from each other, which I know is exactly the opposite of what you requested I do (which was to make them the same). I just couldn't bear to part with either. In part because in my mind it is conceptually a linear song, recapping lessons learned throughout my life. The first big lesson - "love can't be bought." the second - "death doesn't knock." anyway, I'm even happier with my changes thanks to you because I wouldn't have examined it any further otherwise. So THANK you!

musicsongwriter

22 weeks 5 days ago

Thank you Mike, I'm always interested in suggestions, please feel free to let me know what can be improved. Thank you for your comment :)

Mister Mann

22 weeks 6 days ago

Miiiike!

Keep me company as I feast during Hurricane Irene in the chat?

TomS

23 weeks 5 hours ago

REM!!! Good god, you are hitting all my favs! Thanks again, Mike!! :)

standup

23 weeks 2 days ago

Thanks for comments on "Catch and Release." I think I was more in the 40's than the 60's, I was thinking about swing chord progressions.

T.C. Elliott

23 weeks 4 days ago

KVE = Our very own Kevin Emmrich
He's a great guy, but I've only listened to a few songs this 50/90. His vocals in past challenges are pretty stylistic and you reminded me of them briefly. Sorry for the cliffhanger.

barbara

23 weeks 4 days ago

Thanks for your suggestion to add more specific images on "at the same moment" - it's a cardinal rule that I seem to have mislaid in the heat of the skirmish. I appreciate your reminder!

angelinapowersuit

23 weeks 5 days ago

Mike, reading your oh-so-very-way-too-kind comments makes me want to sit down and write a hundred more! Thanks so much for cheering me on and motivating me to keep going. You're THE best! I agree with your suggestion about raising the vocals on "Circle of Sisters", though I will probably have to double up that last line because my voice is just really quiet there.

Thanks again, it means SO much to me to get your feedback.

Did I say thank you yet? Just in case - THANKS! ;-)

Rob From Amersfoort

23 weeks 6 days ago

Thanks for your comment on NYC, and for the inspiration! I wanted to point you to the song, but you had already found it, so that's great! I just loved to sum up all these places, and in the end I also mention NY state as well. Do NYC dwellers make weekend trips upstate, or do the consider everything outside Manhattan to be foreign area?

Scribbler

23 weeks 6 days ago

Thanks for listening and commenting on Jesus Will Be There For You. After the 50/90 is over I may try your suggestions.

kiwafruit

25 weeks 5 days ago

*psssst* You should be able to use the "Contact" button at the top of the profile page to email me... But I've got your email now anyways... mwuahahahah ... ahem. Sorry. I'll flick you an email later today to organise a time. Thanks! :)

Gonzo Sombrero

25 weeks 6 days ago

Thanks for your kind words Mike!

themiller

25 weeks 6 days ago

Hi Mike, thanks for commenting on Sleeping Dogs. I originally posted this with what are now verses 1 and 3 - although I had meant to write something like verses 1 and 2. (the other comments were from the earlier version without verse 2). I guess thats the bitter and twisted person in me - or is it all about dogs?
But yes its kinda like 2 different songs so I'm not sure whether to go back to the original that the other guys liked or to go with verses 1 and 2 as you prefer. hmm.

blindkiwi

26 weeks 3 days ago

Perhaps the cooking with music series is alive and well after all ;)

Matt Blick

26 weeks 3 days ago

Thanks Mike - you're right the verses are 4/4 it's the choruses where it strays. I've amended the description to make it clearer

Donna Devine

26 weeks 4 days ago

Mike, PM on your doorstep. (-:

themiller

26 weeks 4 days ago

Right... now that I've calmed down. Here's a happier one
http://fiftyninety.fawmers.org/songs/9269

themiller

26 weeks 4 days ago

Mine lighthearted? well I'm glad you said that, because I was absolutely raging when I wrote it. I was wondering if it was too offensive and might have to be taken down.

angelinapowersuit

26 weeks 5 days ago

Hi Mike! Didn't know your grandma was the same age as mine when she passed - aren't we both so lucky? I still remember yours (Ruth?) well. She was so darn cute and peppy and fun. I'm so happy to have known her!

I can't thank you enough for your comments on "Lay Me Down." It really made my day (actually morning I think it was about 2 a.m. when I read them). To read your thoughtful and encouraging words, it actually makes me think that I could go somewhere with this music-writing thing. Gosh, that would be a dream come true. But where, exactly? At the least, it encourages me to write the next one, just to know that you'll listen, and (hopefully) like it :-)

mike skliar

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