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The First Take Is The Deepest: Demos Turned Hits
Sometimes, those rough "demo" tapes of a song hold just the right ingredients to be a hit -- and nothing further needs to be done.
Mark Daponte
Mark Daponte is a copy/blog writer for an advertising company and has published/sold four short stories, three full length screenplays, nine short screenplays (including two animation scripts) and punches up screenplays—because they don’t punch back. He has had six short comedic plays performed by various theater companies, including one in Los Angeles, (Sacred Fools) and Sacramento, CA (Sacramento Actors Theater Company). When he isn’t sinking down to a thirteen-year-old’s level to make his teenaged sons laugh, he can be found seeking signs of intelligent life in his hometown of Brooklyn, NY.
Ruthann Friedman: The Bronx Folkie
Ruthann Friedman was the furthest thing from "California," but she captured a certain 60s vibe, writing one of the era's most enduring hits.
“MacArthur Park”: The Greatest or The Worst Song Ever?
It's an epic slice of musical cheese (with sweet green icing flowing down), but it's been enticing enough to be covered nearly 200 times.
Before Being Criticized, They Were Music Critics
A number of rock figures started their careers writing about other musicians. Once they hit it big, the tables turned.
When The Beatles & Stones Were Minor Hitmakers
Before they ruled the world, the Beatles and the Stones were just trying to catch a break -- which included writing for other artists.