JAMES BELL FEAT. CHRIS BELL - They Ring 'til We're Down

Hi friends,
When I first started learning recording at around 13 years old I left the microphones on Dad's drums.
This was recorded August 5th 2011
. I added bass, vocals and synths just before Fathers day this year.
Link below for download .
Occasionally on Sundays, Dad and I played together a while after Sunday dinner and to exhaust ourselves (or get a ringing ears after just a quarter of an hour) and get hungry enough for Chinese or Indian takeaway. I wish I could still eat that stuff without getting itchy.
Anyway, on one occasion I happened to record us because my laptop was in the garage so why not?
I think back then we'd have been disappointed listening back as my production "skills" turned the everyone into lackluster players. And never listened or recorded ourselves again which is very sad because if I'd known just how much difference the knowledge and gear causes then I think I'd have recorded us every jam.
I found this recording just before father's day whilst searching for recordings of my old songs that I want to recreate.
And I thought how sad it is that dad has never heard himself recorded properly and doesn't realise what a difference there is from the source to final product.
So I thought it would be nice to add in bass guitar, and vocals and synths to our jam and then edit the sounds with all the knowledge I've gained since so he could have a bit of an idea.
It's still not fair because this was on cheap microphones, only one (instead of two) for the cymbals so therefore they're not panned left and right and will get in the way. Only the rack and floor tom had microphones on and the floor Tom's microphone was broken!!
And the ride cymbal kept hitting the right crash cymbal stand whenever it was hit hard but at least it's a lot better than the dry original recording.
About?
The song is originally about how we got away from the horrible area we lived in but still have horrible dreams about it and any sound here can trigger PTSD. And of course a bad dream about that place can cause a bad day I think for Dad and for myself and we’re back in that place.
But I’ve realised because not so specific it could even be about the good stuff from the past you don’t have in present and you get sad thinking about them. So the “BELLS” can be good or bad stuff. Originally it was just bad stuff though and specifically it was the hours of dodgy Church Bells whilst the gun club was active from 830am - 2pm every Sunday where we lived that were the fricking icing on the cake after a week of neighbours pointless noise bored of cutting leaves off hedges with chainsaws.

[@billmaher1634]

Hey James ,This tune Rocks bigtime !!! Great vocals ,Great guitar !!! So cool you got to jam out with your Dad !!! Hey Mum and Dad ,You did an excellent job bringing up your son !!!! Thanks !!!! Oh yea James Great pics and videos too !!!

[@johncarpentier4880]

SUPER SUPER SUPER EXCELLENT ORIGINAL, EMMOTIONNAL, ,,,, JAMES,,,,,,,, SUPER MELODY,,,,,, SUPER,,,, VOICE,,, SUPER FILM,,,, SUPER SOLOS,,,,,,, ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED SIR JAMES,,,,, YOU ARE A GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT ARTIST FOREVER,,,,,,,,,, JOHN ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Chakirisan]

I love this James, you are such a positive force through your music. I hope you can find real solutions for your health issues so illness no longer gets in the way of your musical gift. Stay strong.

[@billmaher1634]

You are a positive force in this world !!! You sing with so much conviction, I think I hear the bells across the pond !!!

[@juergenkriks5741]

What a beautiful video and great song. Keep going James. We love you. J.&B.❤❤

[@todhunt182]

Interesting back story. Rock on, James!

[@JamesBellx]

@@todhunt182 thanks for reading it

[@KevinHolland-i7d]

This is brilliant. Your vocals are insane with guitars to match. So well thought out and the lyrics are meaningful based on your own trauma ( and i know what that feels like too!) Definitely a favourite. Awesome! Thanks James and your dad. Kev 😊

[@john-r-edge]

Not sure of right words. But kudos to James's family for being the foundation which James has had to remain grounded despite fame and positive despite adversity. Keep up the good work.

[@chrisbell5032]

Thanks John.

[@greggroberts7698]

Another great Rock song AWESOME 🎉thanks so Much James🎉

[@JamesBellx]

Thank you!

[@AEMachinas]

That James Bell isn’t top of the charts is proof the music industry is dead.

[@gixxusmetalman7435]

Love the Honda

[@ronhoffman7941]

Really nice. Thank you James. Stay hard.

[@gixxusmetalman7435]

I'll say it again,why aren't you famous ?! You're groove is massive!

[@gixxusmetalman7435]

I reckon,what the hell is wrong with these music exec idiots have no sense of rhythm or they're just greedy for the next dollar $$$

[@michaelwalker6840]

Beast mode sir.....

[@eneidagrenegard1950]

Beautiful ❤

[@JamesBellx]

Thankyou

[@frenchroast1355]

Jamming with your Dad, how cool is that?

[@tenossos]

I'd still like to see what you could do by remaking some of your early songs with your current vocals.

[@JamesBellx]

@@tenossos thanks for the suggestion! any particular old favourites I could start on?

[@tenossos]

@@JamesBellx How about The Lion, Take A Trip With Me, or Patience?

[@JamesBellx]

@@tenossos i will try. Have you seen that I posted both Fight a lion and take a trip this year? Theyre old vocals but they are redone and sound a lot better than the originals

[@JamesBellx]

@@tenossos in fact i know you ve seen the latest version of fight a lion . Is that any better than the old even without re recording the vocals?

[@Fossilsunleashed]

where did the bells go they took them down because of that healing sound they put all around . i had a aunt bell