OTHER TRACKS

SINGLES AND PROJECTS

SINGLES

Teardrops On An Echeveria

2016
Teardrops on an Echeveria – Single Cover (smaller)

My teardrops on an echeveria,

In your garden in the sky,

And I feel like that it's the end of an era,

But I don't know the reason why,

This makes me want to cry.

 

A snowflake in the middle of summer,

That shouldn't be allowed,

And as the air is getting much much warmer,

The heat is rising through the cloud,

Yet ice is forming on the ground.

 

As the snow starts landing on your lips,

I feel your face with my fingertips,

The harsh cold winds are blowing through your hair,

I start to wonder if you're even there.

 

Your silence sends a shiver through me,

A chilling sharpness to your kiss,

I remember when your smile used to warm me,

Bring back that love I really miss,

That would be my only wish.

 

As the snow starts landing on your lips,

I feel your face with my fingertips,

The harsh cold winds are blowing through your hair,

I start to wonder if you're even there.

You turned your back on me and left me alone,

You even refuse to pick up the phone,

Your flying garden is falling apart,

Gives me a crushing feeling in my heart.

 

My teardrops on an echeveria,

A shimmer in your eye,

Your sadness has become much clearer,

As the flowers start to die.

My teardrops on an echeveria,

In your garden in the sky,

And I feel like that it's the end of an era,

But I don't know the reason why,

This makes me want to cry.

This makes me want to cry.

This makes me want to cry.

This makes me want to cry.

This makes me want to cry.

This makes me want to cry.

Well this makes me want to cry.

This makes me want to cry.

Concept

Refined Steel's first ever "Single", written with the inspiration and influence from a beautiful photo of a raindrop in the middle of an Echeveria taken by Eugénie Henshaw.

The theme behind the piece is about a man singing about a woman who he loved but they are no longer together. The garden and Echeveria described in the song are metaphors for their love and he sings about how he misses it, as the garden gets colder and starts to die.

UNIVERSITY PROJECTS

Exploring Timbre

Fall Of Saigon

Miss Saigon Cover
Print

Concept

As a massive fan of the Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg musical "Miss Saigon", Fill Shaw decided to recreate the iconic "Fall Of Saigon" piece, by changing the instrumentation and timbre, and therefore changing the genre, but keeping the emotion and feeling that the original musical piece had.

Working with some sheet music and also by ear, Fill Shaw wrote out the chords and melody lines and recorded them with electric guitars, keys, bass, and drums to change it into an 80's metal style piece. Still keeping the drama, action, and fear, the translation from an orchestral musical style to heavy metal works in a great way.

Turn It On Again

Genesis Cover
Turn It on again

Concept

Being a huge fan of Genesis, Fill Shaw couldn't resist the temptation to cover one of their tracks in a unique and different way. Taking the 1980 single 'Turn It On Again' from the album 'Duke', Fill altered the piece into a slow ballad, musicalesque style by changing the instrumentation and the timbre.

The main change of instrumentation and timbre, is replacing the original electric piano sound, with a grand piano. Fill also slowed the tempo greatly and even changed the timing and rhythm of some parts to alter the mood of the piece even more. With the addition of some strings and horns as well, the piece develops into an almost different piece.

Op. 40 No. 1 'Prelude'

Nikolai Kapustin Cover
8concert etudes

Concept

For this piece, Fill Shaw knew he wanted to use a piece from 'Nikolai Kapustin' and specifically one of the pieces from 'Eight Concert Etudes Op. 40. He first wanted to record 'No. 3 Toccatina' but in the end settled with 'No. 1 Prelude'. Taking the original piano jazz etude, Fill Shaw decided to change the timbre of the piece to represent that of a jazz/rock fusion band.

Using some sheet music, Fill Shaw split the original score across 3 instruments. Electric bass, jazz organ, and electric guitar. Fill Shaw then added his own drums and beat to the piece. In the mid section of the piece, Fill also tried his own improvisational wah guitar solo so give it an even unique feel.