Simplistic Psychedelic instrumental I wrote and recorded in Portland, Oregon in April of this year. The video was filmed in Simeonovo, Bulgaria by Katia in July.

To download the song for free go here:
http://www.archive.org/download/FreakOut/FREAKOUT.mp3

What do you want to do?
Fly on up through the sky?
Nothing’s stopping you.
It’s all in your mind.

Put aside your past.
Burn it all down to the ground.
What you want, you can have.
Fly through the cloud.

Words and Music By Jim Guittard 2008
Mount Hood, Oregon filmed in the air by Katia Yankulova 2010.

Download song for free at:
http://www.archive.org/details/WhatDo…

Here are a couple of albums recorded by JIM GUITTARD, currently living in Portland, Oregon, USA.
His music is an interesting mixture of folk/folkrock and country rock with some psychedelic undertone. As one of his influences he mentions THE BYRDS, and I think that one can clearly hear that (e.g. Beach).

If you like the genre, his albums are well worth checking out!
Enjoy!

Jim also worked with Henry McGuinn, the son of BYRDS co-founder Roger McGuinn in a project called THE RAGAS (to be posted later), while living in California.

Q: Where exactly are you from?
A: I am originally from Dallas, Texas. But have lived in various places, thus soaking up the vibes of wherever I have lived. I went to college in a small town called Gunnison in Colorado. After that I worked the corporate world of insurance and got fed up and struck out for Hollywood to attend a music school. After 3 years in Hollywood I traveled back to Texas and became a caretaker for my grandparents. After two years of that, I applied for the Peace Corps and was accepted to teach English in Bulgaria. I was there for almost three years and came back to the States and to Portland, Oregon.

Q: Do you want your real name mentioned? If so: What is your real name?
A: Jim Guittard is my real name and what all my solo music is under.

Q: How recorded?
A: I have been recording myself really since 1994 when I got my first 4-track machine. It was a Tascam. In the early days, I recorded myself mostly doing Beatles, Tom Petty, or other classic rock music. – My favorite guitar to use is a 6-string 330 Rickenbacker. I also have a 12-String 330 Rickenbacker. For some songs I used a Dr. Groove drum machine and make shift shakers (beer can filled with rice taped up). On my earliest album 96/98 I had a friend, (Jim Seagroves) play pots and pans drums. He was a drummer but didn’t have any drums so this is what we did. – In California, I had a lot of gear that was stolen that I used. – I had a Telecaster B-Bender guitar, 12-String Acoustic Guild, and a Fender Jazz Bass. Hope the thugs that stole it are making some good music. – While in Bulgaria, I used a 12 String acoustic guitar.

Q: When recorded?
A: “Busted in Bulgaria” was recorded between July 2006 to July 2008 on my dell laptop using Adobe Audition 3. – “The Notorious G.I.D.D.” was recorded in 2004-2005. It was when I lived at my grandparents and I used the Tascam 6-track recorder and Cool Edit Pro for editing and mixing. I used some kind of keyboard for a few of the tracks. Can’t remember what kind. – “California Daze” was recorded in 2001 to 2002 and on the 6-track Tascam recorder. Brian McKay engineered some of the songs like “Beach (Acoustic)”. But otherwise I recorded it myself. – 96//98 was recorded during the years 1996 – 1998 on my Tascam 4-track recorder.

Q: Who involved? Who played what?
A: “Busted In Bulgaria”: I played all acoustic guitars, all percussion or drum machine, all lead and back up singing. There are various background noises that I got from various real news events like: on “Survival Mode” the Andrew Meyer Taser scandal at University of Florida John Kerry Rally. – On “Gangster” I used some of my students for background talking. – On “8A Class”, you can hear me “trying” to instruct my students over the loud classroom noise.
- “The Notorious G.I.D.D.” is all me with acoustic and electric guitars and lead and background singing.
- “California Daze”: “Beach” is co-written by Dominic Campanella of the neo-..psychedelic band the Quarter After. I wrote the first verse of the lyrics and he wrote the other verses and chorus. I put the song to music. – On “Beach – Acoustic” Vladimir Maskoff played the jazz fender bass. – On “Confusion, Lies, Guns, and Drugs” Vladimir Maskoff played the jazz fender bass. – The songs “Swing Tune” and “Jazz Tune” were instrumentals songs I wrote while attending the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. The recordings of these songs were an actually playing test that I did. I came into class with charts for the musicians that I had written out and they sight-read the 2 songs. The back up electric guitar is a Brazilian guy named Reginaldo. He was a friend of mine. I do not know the name of the drummer. The teacher you can hear in the background is Lupo Groinig who gives a critique.
- On 96/98 I played the acoustic guitars, electric guitar, sitar, tambourine, sang lead vocals unless noted otherwise. My brother Bob Guittard played bass on Chapatis, and electric guitar on “Once Around the Moon.” – Warren Barry played keyboards and drums on “Once Around the Moon.” I played bass on “Once Around the Moon.” – Jim Seagroves played pots and pans drum on many of the tracks as well as sang or talked some backgrounds.

Q: Any more releases? Any “official” releases?
A: No other official releases but I am constantly working on new material.

Q: Since when does this band/project exist (are you into music)?
A: I have been fascinated by the tape recorder and sounds since a small child. I think the first song I learned on the guitar was George Harrison’s “Don’t Bother Me.” I guess I related to George the most because he was the quiet Beatle and often overlooked.

Q: Any previous bands worth mentioning?
A: While in California, I had a duo with Henry McGuinn called the Ragas. We recorded a bit and had a few shows. The music can be found here:
http:../../..www…jamendo…com/..en/..artist/..The_Ragas It is pretty raw. – He is the son of Roger McGuinn co-founded the Byrds. – Here’s a little piece I wrote on the Ragas:
http:../../..jimguittard…com/?p=6

Q: How’d you “label” your music?
A: I don’t like labeling myself because my music may be heard differently to everybody and labeling is rather meaningless sometimes. To me, my music is honest optimistic, psychedelic, folk-rock, country-rock, “figure it out as you go” hopeful music or experimental. A kind of travel life diary music or who knows it may be just crap music.

Q: Influences?
A: I was a child of the 1980′s and I was not into Motley Crue or Def Leppard at the time. I was the guy with sideburns since I was 16 and looked up to Elvis and the Beatles. I got turned onto the Byrds while in California and Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan is probably who I am influenced the most by. It is really his philosophy of life that has influenced me. The rebelliousness of Johnny Cash has also influenced me quite a bit. In that he does his own thing and does not need to please anyone. – And lastly Anton Newcombe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre has heavily influenced me in the music and again mostly for his philosophy of life to keep at it and never give up no matter what jokers are attacking.

Q: Website, myspace?
A: Main website:
http:../../..jimguittard…com/
Myspace:
http:../../..www…myspace…com/guittard
Youtube:
http:../../..www…youtube…com/user/jgidd
To download the albums for free:
http:../../..www…jamendo…com/..en/..artist/..Jim_Guittard

Q: Anything that you think is interesting, that you’d like to inform the blog readers about…
A: Only thing I have to say is that every one should find their own voice through art, music, writing or whatever. The world needs more idealists to express feelings to bring about change. We have been told what to think for so long and we don’t need to be told. As George Harrison said, “Think For Yourself.” Experience things for yourself. Be open-minded and get out of your back yard and experience things that may be out of your comfort zone. – I had a live interview just months before coming back to the States on Tangra Mega Rock Radio Station in Bulgaria: http:../../..jimguittard…com/?p=241
(J. G. via email)

link to interview at Homemade Lo-fi Psych blog

I wrote the music and first verse while living in Hollywood, California in 2001 or 2002. The rest of the lyrics was written by Dominic Campanella who plays with the Quarter After.

http://www.myspace.com/thequarterafter

Filmed on location in Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Cinematography by Cory Wirtz
Edited by Jim Guittard
2010

Beach

I look up into the sky
See the clouds and colours all around.
I hear the waves go in and out
See the birds and stars tonight.

Chorus

Going with the rising tide.
Shouldn’t wait till morning time.
Moments pass as I decide.
Shouldn’t wait till morning time.

I tell myself the reason why.
Waters flow and there’s no turning back.
Reaching for the horizon line,
Where it ends has only just begun.

Chorus

Going with the rising tide.
Shouldn’t wait till morning time.
Moments pass as I decide.
Shouldn’t wait till morning time.

Drifting through my open mind,
Ray of light about to shine.

Download my album “California Daze” that the song is on for free at:
http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Jim_Guittard

Here’s my latest song I wrote and recorded last night. Enjoy!

World’s Angriest Hippie

You’re really a bit mad
You’re not a fad.
Not even bad.
Maybe just sad.

You keep us in line.
And doing fine.
We’re all mad too.
We’re all a little bit blue.

Chorus

The world’s angriest hippie
Turning all our heads around.
Pushing all the buttons.

Instrumental break

Chorus

The world’s angriest hippie
Turning all our heads around.
Pushing all the buttons.

You’re getting Understood.
It must feel good.
You’re music is the weapon.
Falling down from the internet zeppelin.

Keep your ideas flowing.
Your planted seeds are growin
The truth is your friend.
And it’s blowing in the wind.

Chorus

The world’s angriest hippie
Turning all our heads around.
Pushing all the buttons.

You’re just a bit mad
And not a fad
We’re sad.

Words and Music by Jim Guittard 2010

Download for free here:  http://www.archive.org/details/WorldsAngriestHippie

Between 1996 and 1998 I put down a few songs in a rather spur of the moment on my 4-track recorder. Lyrics were made up basically on the spot while the tape was rolling. The sounds are pretty lo-fi and the clanging of metal in some of the songs were spoons, pots and pans that made up our primitive percussion. Jim Seagroves helped out on the racket kitchen percussion sounds as well as general chanting or making a nuisance out of everything.

Back then Jim and I called ourselves “the Gidds”. Basically, it was our little gang name growing up. We listened to NWA in high school and wanted to be white thugs. We had our own language and mockerized the neighborhood. Some of the songs we speak in German.

I play the acoustic and electric guitar, sitar and sing the songs. My brother Bob Guittard played bass and guitar on a few tracks as well as beat on a hand drum. Warren Barry played the organ on Once Around the Moon as well as added to the weirdness.

I used a Dr. Groove Drum machine. I hope you like these weird songs. At the time of the recording I was listening to a lot of Beck’s Odelay. Please enjoy and make comments.

Here it is:

I came across xtranormal.com and made this little piece. At Xtranormal.com you can write little scripts and make animation figures act them out. The site is cool. I had to pass it on.

Here’s my first little thing I did:

and of course to download my music go here:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Jim_Guittard

If you haven’t heard of Jamendo.com then I guess you are really really out of the loop and not aware of the free music phenomenon.  I suggest you get over there, immediately and get in on it.  As of today, there are 15,287 albums posted there for free downloading.  Did you catch me?  Free!

Most of the artists are not known, including me.  There is some really great quality stuff out there.  I recommend the following artists:

• Brad Sucks
• Rancho Relaxo
• Blancheneige
• The Zombie Drivers
• Jamison Young
• The Golden Dawn

I’m tellin’ ya, get in on this scene.  I give you free music; you give me review. It’s “Quid Pro Quo”, ya dig? A free win-win situation. I’d be honored if you’d do this for me.  Just sign up, it is free.  It’s extremely cool.

My stuff is along the lines of folk-rock, psychedelic, and experimental.  I have posted three albums and if you like the Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Byrds you would probably like me. 

Here’s my first album I did in 2002 called “California Daze.” 

Album description

California Daze was recorded in Hollywood, California by Jim Guittard on his 4-track recorder and later mixed with Adobe Audition 2.0. The songs pay tribute to the birth of the Neo-Psychedelic scene that emerged beginning in 2000 in Silverlake, California with groups such as the Beachwood Sparks, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Quarter After, smallstone, the Warlocks, the Tyde, and the Belle Isle.

Jim Guittard played the shaker, drum machine, and sang all lead and background vocals and had the help of friend Vladimir Maskov for bass. Brian McKay engineered the recording of the Beach the acoustic version. Guittard also played all lead and rhythm guitars. The song Beach is co-written by Jim Guittard and Dominic Campanella of the Quarter After.

The “Swing Tune” and “Jazz Tune” are instrumentals written by Jim while attending the Musicians Institute from 1999 to 2000. Jim plays the lead guitar with session bassist and drummer. On the rhythm guitar is a guy from Brazil named Reginaldo. He was a student with Jim at the school. You can hear the teacher, “Mr. Lupo Groinig” giving a critique after the instrumentals end.

Click here for the album:

California Daze

I’m putting up the mp3 source tracks that I recorded to make many of my songs so that anyone can remix or do whatever they want to it. I found a cool website where people can remix other people’s music.
So here’s the site where you can download my source tracks for free of course and create your own thing out of it: ccmixter

I’d be very happy to see what anyone makes out of it. Beware, some of the tracks have sound leakage. I did the best I could to clean it up. I’ll be posting more songs later. Let me know if you have one you’d like to remix that is not up there.

Later,

Jim

Good music cannot be heard if people don’t rise up in defense of good artists.

The money making machine has been in control of what music gets out. But today, artists and fans are fed up.  The elite record labels are overthrown.  They have no respect anymore.  They are only after making the almighty buck.  They care nothing about music.

We, the artists, are sticking it to them.  They have no authority over the artist anymore.  They will not control the release of good music anymore.  They rarely put out good music.  The record company is irrelevant and outdated.

The revolution is upon us.  The fearful status quo thinking of the record company suits is over.  We, the artists, have taken charge.

There are many alternatives to getting the music out there. There is a free culture movement going on. Artists are starting to give their music away. I have have done this. The bottom line is to have my music heard. Look me up at Jamendo

How ’bout that Capital, Geffen, Warner Brothers, A&M, Columbia, etc.?

Jim Guittard

Me