Solo Show

What: Solo Opener Show
Where: Jericho Tavern (56 Walton St., Oxford, UK)
When: Friday, October 31, 2008 @ 8:30pm (Doors @ 8pm)
Cover: £5
Other Details

Also performing: PRDCTV, Crowds and Power, Phil King

Songwriting & Composing in the UK

Since last February, I’ve been working with some music supervisors composing music and writing songs for pitching to television (advertising and series) and film placements.  A few years ago, I had been working with publisher Michael Kreher of Offensive Tie in Boston on similar stuff  – rock, pop, orchestral, and various eclectic mashups – but all tailor written for a scene brief, script or storyboard.  A bunch of that material inevitably ended up on Thanks To Science, We’ve Got Love.  The great thing about that kind of writing is it puts you in a different head-space from what you’d normally write in.  You’re also forced to be writer, producer and engineer since nobody wants half-finished songs.

Anyway, the idea that one could make a living writing for ads is enticing.  However, in Canada there isn’t really enough work to go around for the amount of writers there are.  And not being in the “inner sanctum” of commercial writers, the bulk of the work never crosses my desk (and breaking in is ridiculously impossible).  I know a number of writers and only a handful of them seems to be making a living.  The ones that do manage to cross the spectrum of media and have plum gigs on CBC spots as well as other film and television placements, like pirates on the airwaves.  Granted, they’re damn fine writers.

Having moved from Toronto to England, I’m going to continue trying to find work here.  I think it’s a bigger market but the economy is kind of in trouble.  And when money is tight, the first thing people stop paying for is advertising and the work goes up like vapor.  However, I’ll continue writing and giving away the occasional free music.  And at some point an album will come out of it.

Flashpoint TV Series on CTV/CBS

There’s a new TV show on CTV and CBS called Flashpoint starring Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars) and Hugh Dillon (Hard Core Logo, Durham County).

The second episode (entitled “First In Line”) airs this Friday, July 18 at 10pm ET and features an end montage with a new song of mine called Precious Things (which can be heard on MySpace).

Flashpoint-sm.jpg

Update: Precious Things is now available on iTunes at Jonathan Seet - Precious Things - Precious Things.

NXNE – Club Showcase

At the Now Lounge (189 Church St., Toronto).  Usual NXNE wristband/cover applies…

NXNE – Park Showcase

Alexander The Great Square, Danforth & Logan, Toronto