"The Afterlife" by Mike McClellan

The Song Saloon | Songwriting, Live Performance, & New Music Discovery

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This episode of the Song Saloon features Mike McClellan, a Burbank-based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. McClellan shares insights into his approach to songwriting as a music producer, and why he writes while working so heavily in production. He discusses the impact of working on his song 'The Afterlife,' a piece inspired by the pandemic, highlighting the new life it took on post pandemic with its abstract and universal themes. Mike and Jordan exchange thoughts on the lyricism, melody, and the process of song creation, including working with unusual time signatures. We also chat about the shortcomings of streaming platforms, detailing Mike's experience with his music being removed from Spotify due to bot-generated streams and the lack of support from distribution and streaming companies. They conclude with a discussion on the importance of building genuine connections with an audience beyond streaming numbers. This episode offers a look into the complexities of modern songwriting, production, and navigating the digital music landscape.

00:00 Welcome to the Song Saloon: Introducing Mike McClellan

00:27 Getting to Know Mike: the Masterful Multifaceted Musician

01:18 Balancing Songwriting and Production

04:28 Exploring the Abstract in Songwriting

05:51 Lyrics in 'The Afterlife'

07:44 Live Performance

11:04 Song Structure

19:40 Exploring Musical Influences and Time Signatures

20:35 "Comfortable" Writing Music

21:42 The Maya Principle: Balancing Novelty and Comfort

32:12 Building Your Fanbase

37:58 Final Thoughts and Future Projects
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1. Welcome to the Song Saloon: Introducing Mike McClellan (00:00:00)

2. Getting to Know Mike: the Masterful Multifaceted Musician (00:00:27)

3. Balancing Songwriting and Production (00:01:18)

4. Exploring the Abstract in Songwriting (00:04:28)

5. Lyrics in 'The Afterlife' (00:05:51)

6. Live Performance (00:07:44)

7. Song Structure (00:11:04)

8. Exploring Musical Influences and Time Signatures (00:19:40)

9. "Comfortable" Writing Music (00:20:35)

10. The Maya Principle: Balancing Novelty and Comfort (00:21:42)

11. Building Your Fanbase (00:32:12)

12. Final Thoughts and Future Projects (00:37:58)