Hello WordsWorthians,
My name is Brendan. This will be my fourth (I am getting sooooo old) time teaching at camp. I’m psyched. It just keeps getting better year after year. Also, because I am getting old, I have no memory, so it is good that I keep going back so I get to jog it.
This year I’ll be teaching songwriting. Sweet business! Songwriting class is awesome. At the start of each session, two students will play their favourite tunes for everyone to listen to, and we’ll all sit around on the floor with our eyes closed blissing out. If that’s too hippy-sounding for you don’t worry. Then we get to work. Each class, we will separate into groups and write a song in a different genre: rock, folk, hip hop, emo, trance (just kidding, maybe). If that sounds too hard don’t worry. It’s just about exploring. There’s also an open mic at the end of each class, where we get to perform for each other. AND we record all our songs on fairly pro equipment and get a song at the end of each session. Sound amazing? Wait – there’s more. Everyone gets a bar of gold! Just kidding. But who needs gold when you have music? This is a great class to learn about the building blocks of what makes a great song: amazing lyrics, beautiful melodies, killer choruses, monster hooks, and suitable arrangements. Because this is a writing class, our emphasis will be on how words work in a song, so you can definitely take this course if you don’t play an instrument. However, if you do play an instrument, all the better! Bring it along. We are gonna rock out. Or ballad out. Or jazz out. Whatever you’re into!
A bit about me: I like to write in a variety of different genres. So far, I have one published book, a touring play, three storytelling and poetry cd’s, and eight crappy novels and three crappy screenplays I never published. Sometimes, I even write advertising (okay, just once, but hey, money is money, get off my back). Anyways, you can see some of my live stories here: http://www.youtube.com/brendanmcleodpoems
One of my main loves is songwriting. By myself, I write mostly goofy songs. Stuff like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9z_DqJQh0. But I also have a “serious” band, called The Fugitives. You can find us at www.fugitives.ca or you can just type “The Fugitives” into youtube and watch hours and hours of grainy footage of us playing in bars. It has been an amazing experience being in a folk band – I’ve travelled all over the world and gotten to play with some of my favourite people in the world. It’s a lot like being a pro hockey player, except there’s way less money and nobody knows who you are. I can teach you these very important skills! Yes! Exciting! See you at camp!
PS. If you made it this far, you deserve a treat. Watch me get tackled for a dollar on the street: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAw4tnNQ4lI&context=C4eee96fADvjVQa1PpcFM8nZhYc4yAqkzPl_2zmBuIPCXsZ4oB72w=
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