Mike Fusco Original Wednesday extra “You I Won’t Forget”

Hey everyone-

I’ve had this song recorded for awhile now, it was actually the first song I ever wrote on guitar (and it was completely by accident!)  I was waiting for Mr. Jim Fusco (who’s great new album “Halfway There” is available now for purchase!…you’re welcome, Fusc!) to get off the phone my sophomore year of high school so I can Dial up (for those of you who don’t know what that is, we used to have to dial up to go online and connect to a blazing 24.4 kbs on an old modem) and go on Instant Messenger.  AOL was the place to be at night in high school, and my brother took up our only phone line.

Impatiently waiting, I picked up my unplugged electric guitar I had received two years earlier (on Jim’s 16th birthday, actually).  My father can’t turn down a good deal, so he excitedly asked me if I wanted a guitar, too, and drove us to the JCPenny outlet store that morning before the party so I could have one as well =)  I never learned how to play it in those two years, but Jim had started to get the basics and knew all the chords.

I recall seeing him play a G (which, to a non-guitar player, looks like this cool, difficult chord).  So I pick it up, throw my fingers on it, get it completely wrong, but as soon as I strummed it, I LOVED the chord.  It sounded like a harp.  And an entire melody and lyrics hit me all at once, as I struggled the better part of the night to figure out how the strings worked and BS some chords to fit this new tune.

Needless to say, I never made it on instant messenger that night.  I became a guitar player =)  And it still goes down as one of my favorite songs, and I thank Jim for three things- 1. Vocals on the original recording 2. driving me home in the camaro everyday so I’d stare at the passenger-side side-view mirror that said “Objects are Closer Than They Appear” (listen for a variation in the song!) and 3. Talking on the phone too long. =)  enjoy!

“Glide” (Stone Temple Pilots Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Yes!  It’s me again two nights in a row!  I have the privilege of bringing you another previously covered band (yeah I know, it seems like it’s new to cover a band we’ve already covered, but hey).  And not only that, another cover of a song you may not have heard before (just like yesterday).  I hope you enjoyed “Mourning Train”, because it’s just another impressive hit that I am happy to bring to you.

Well today here’s another song I have always liked from another favorite band Stone Temple Pilots.  Despite their rocky past and continually shaky future, they remain a favorite band of mine.  I enjoy their catalog from the beginning to end.  However, their later material has always shone much more to me.  This is because they geared more towards a “bluesy” and guitar-driven sound, rather than the reliance on power chords of the typical 90’s alternative bands.  This made them stand out much more to me.

Tonight’s song is “Glide” from their album “No. 4”. Glide is a very unique song in that the chords are all based on the same root for all the verses.  Despite the countless inversions and add 9s in the guitar part.  Like a song I have covered earlier in the year (“Spies” by Coldplay), it’s a unique guitar part but I am happy I pulled it off (mostly) on video.

I really tried my best to relax and belt this song out.  Combine the guitar part commentary mentioned above with a huge jump in notes and the use of falsetto, and you see I picked a doozy to cover.  I decided to be a bit more forgiving of myself in the mistake department, so you may spot a couple of misfingerings here and there.  To me it does not detract from the flow or the overall feel of the song in any way.

I recorded this song in the same session as the previous cover, and I had also attempted to record another song for a future session, but after this song I was just plum out of energy.  That’s ok – you’ll still see that cover on Tuesday!

Be sure to come back for our regularly scheduled Jim Fusco acoustic cover, and then Chris Moore will make your Monday a bit less manic.  For me, i’m just gonna “glide” on upstairs to beat my wife in a game of Gin Rummy!

Until then…

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

“Delirious Love” (Neil Diamond Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Welcome to your Stupendous Sunday edition of The Laptop Sessions! Today I bring you yet another song that I know because it is a part of Jim’s collection. It also is really one of few songs that I know from Neil Diamond.

Today also marks my 30th Laptop Session!

Off of his album “Twelve Songs” (which there are actually thirteen on the album!) , he re-recorded a song he wrote already called “Delirious Love”, and he was heavily assisted in the production by Brian Wilson himself. The only part of the vocals I did were Brian’s backing to the bridge. The recorded version is so catchy, so I tried my best to make this session be just as catchy.

Oddly enough, my voice isn’t that bad for Neil’s style.

And even though there are really only three chords, what a great song. I hope you enjoy this session!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

“Empire in My Mind” (Wallflowers Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Welcome to your Thumpin’ Thursday edition of the Laptop Sessions! I bring you yet another song from the Wallflowers, and one that not everyone is going to catch.

The song is “Empire in My Mind”, which is a bonus track from their album “Red Letter Days”. It is a solidly written song as well. While simple as well, it remains a favorite of mine.

The Laptop Sessions continue the trek through 2008 for a Session a day! Stay tuned for my next video on Sunday, and then my next edition of Original Wednesday, where you will get to hear a world premiere from my upcoming album!

I hope you are enjoying the Laptop Sessions!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!