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Hey, I'm Tess. I am a musician / songwriter / guitar player / performer and I am 19. Ever since I can remember, I've always had a passion for music. Starting off on the keyboard when I was 7 and then using that to help me play other instruments, mainly guitar. Whilst digging my routes into the guitar, I met a few other musicians I liked to play with at my secondary school in my hometown.
After a little while we joined a small group called "Stranded", playing a wide range of music from classic rock to some old 80s pop music, the band also started playing some of my songs which soon took up half of our set. My role in this band started as just guitarist, but as I developed my skills and creative flair I took on backing singer and songwriter at the group. We gigged around the area for 4/5 years and went through various bass players, vocalists and keyboard players, until I decided that I needed something different and fresh since I felt I had outgrown the band's capability.
Now I am trying to keep writing new and original songs and push myself creatively. My songs right now are my strongest aspect of my ability, plus it's the thing I most enjoy to do. This is why I have decided to base my life and career around song writing and composing, I have the dedication and I've been told I have "what it takes" So what i've been trying to do recently is to find out how I can get contacts or gigs etc, and getting the help I need to build my music career. I am also in Leeds for a 3 year degree in popular music at the moment [at leeds coollege of music], i believe its gunna be a great experience to learn all about my craft and hopefully have a lot of fun in the mean time.
In the past few years of my song writing, I have been recording my music at home and occasionally using college equipment, I have used my favorite tracks that I have written and recorded to put together a self produced, fairly professional looking, album to give to friends and family and sell occasionally at gigs. I play all instruments myself on these tracks, which includes drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, occasionally keyboard/piano and all my vocals . My songs are all different and varied, I like to think of them as a nice blend of my influences
I like a lot of different types of music, when I was younger I was interested in modern popular music and a big fan of Robbie Williams which I think helped me develop my sense of melody. But since robbie dropped guy chambers his music just doesnt appeal to me anymore. I was also interested in a lot of classic rock when I picked up the guitar, some of my favorite artists at that time included queen, deep purple, clapton and van halen (mainly e.v.halen's guitar playing) these are the people who influence my electric guitar style, although i think the main influence now would be the band Free - their influence has given me a slightly bluesy edge. At the moment I love a lot of music, I quite like the sound of some modern bands like maroon 5, the kooks and the stereophonics, I also like the way Jamie cullum writes songs. My songs also have a little of a country feel in it because most of it is acoustic guitar based, some people have compared me to artists such as Missy Higgins, KT Tunstal, and Sheryl Crow [all of which i love] . If I had to narrow it down, I would describe my songs as “ melodic acoustic soft rock".
I hope you enjoy it
- Tess
After a little while we joined a small group called "Stranded", playing a wide range of music from classic rock to some old 80s pop music, the band also started playing some of my songs which soon took up half of our set. My role in this band started as just guitarist, but as I developed my skills and creative flair I took on backing singer and songwriter at the group. We gigged around the area for 4/5 years and went through various bass players, vocalists and keyboard players, until I decided that I needed something different and fresh since I felt I had outgrown the band's capability.
Now I am trying to keep writing new and original songs and push myself creatively. My songs right now are my strongest aspect of my ability, plus it's the thing I most enjoy to do. This is why I have decided to base my life and career around song writing and composing, I have the dedication and I've been told I have "what it takes" So what i've been trying to do recently is to find out how I can get contacts or gigs etc, and getting the help I need to build my music career. I am also in Leeds for a 3 year degree in popular music at the moment [at leeds coollege of music], i believe its gunna be a great experience to learn all about my craft and hopefully have a lot of fun in the mean time.
In the past few years of my song writing, I have been recording my music at home and occasionally using college equipment, I have used my favorite tracks that I have written and recorded to put together a self produced, fairly professional looking, album to give to friends and family and sell occasionally at gigs. I play all instruments myself on these tracks, which includes drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, occasionally keyboard/piano and all my vocals . My songs are all different and varied, I like to think of them as a nice blend of my influences
I like a lot of different types of music, when I was younger I was interested in modern popular music and a big fan of Robbie Williams which I think helped me develop my sense of melody. But since robbie dropped guy chambers his music just doesnt appeal to me anymore. I was also interested in a lot of classic rock when I picked up the guitar, some of my favorite artists at that time included queen, deep purple, clapton and van halen (mainly e.v.halen's guitar playing) these are the people who influence my electric guitar style, although i think the main influence now would be the band Free - their influence has given me a slightly bluesy edge. At the moment I love a lot of music, I quite like the sound of some modern bands like maroon 5, the kooks and the stereophonics, I also like the way Jamie cullum writes songs. My songs also have a little of a country feel in it because most of it is acoustic guitar based, some people have compared me to artists such as Missy Higgins, KT Tunstal, and Sheryl Crow [all of which i love] . If I had to narrow it down, I would describe my songs as “ melodic acoustic soft rock".
I hope you enjoy it
- Tess
Blog 
| Recording Odyssey | December 18, 2008 |
My first day in the studio
Comments (2) | Read more »
| Odyssey | December 7, 2008 |
The title track of the album
Comments (2) | Read more »
| I'm making an album | November 20, 2008 |
:o)
Comments (7) | Read more »
Music
| Title | Genre | Released | Plays |
| Puppeteers | Pop | Aug 19, 2008 | 344 |
| Peeping Toms | Pop | Aug 2, 2008 | 255 |
| Raining Outside | Pop | Jun 10, 2008 | 231 |
| Forever [Studio Recording] | Pop | Jun 10, 2008 | 292 |
| Pretty Blue Things .2 | Pop | Mar 14, 2008 | 301 |
| Fighting Talk | Rock | Mar 8, 2008 | 415 |
| Stranger | Pop | Dec 7, 2007 | 852 |
| Loved By You | Spiritual/Gospel | Nov 12, 2007 | 409 |
| So Long | Pop | Oct 13, 2007 | 556 |
| Open Your Mind | Pop | Aug 9, 2007 | 1092 |
| Slowly | Pop | Jul 16, 2007 | 972 |
| Cutting the tension | Electronica | Jun 15, 2007 | 415 |
| Evolved | Pop | May 22, 2007 | 408 |
| Back Down | Pop | Apr 29, 2007 | 457 |
| Forever | Folk | Apr 21, 2007 | 1194 |
| Hold Your Guns [new version] | Pop | Apr 21, 2007 | 618 |
| Whiskey On The Rocks (acoustic) | Rock | Feb 16, 2007 | 772 |
| Care For You | Folk | Jan 28, 2007 | 1377 |
| Everybody | Pop | Dec 18, 2006 | 977 |
| A Kiss | Electronica | Dec 16, 2006 | 903 |
| Lighter Shade | Pop | Dec 8, 2006 | 1044 |
| The Puzzle (version.2) | Pop | Nov 23, 2006 | 813 |
| Whiskey On The Rocks (piano and voice) | Pop | Oct 8, 2006 | 1091 |
| The Puzzle | Rock | Jul 16, 2006 | 1353 |
| What They Say | Rock | Jun 2, 2006 | 1139 |
| Pretty Blue Things | Rock | Jun 1, 2006 | 834 |
| Hold Your Guns | Rock | May 31, 2006 | 606 |
| This Sound | Rock | May 27, 2006 | 1248 |
| To Do With Love | Rock | May 21, 2006 | 750 |
| Never coming back | Jazz | May 21, 2006 | 942 |
| A Thousand Young Voices | Rock | May 21, 2006 | 1480 |
| Whiskey On The Rocks | Rock | May 21, 2006 | 1135 |
| High and Dry | Rock | May 20, 2006 | 1364 |
| Search Party | Rock | May 9, 2006 | 1403 |
Collaborations
| Title | Genre | Released | Plays |
