2nd Annual Speak Into My Good Eye 24-Hour Songwriting Challenge

The Vansaders were one of many contributors to the 2014 SIMGE 24-hour Songwriting Challenge.

Expanded Reach for 2015

Last year, our friends at Speak Into My Good Eye challenged New Jersey songwriters to write and record a new, original composition in one 24-hour period. The resulting compilation consisted of 33 songs and included submissions from a wide range of NJ artists like John Muccino, Son Of Dov, Paper Streets, A Halo Called Fred, Joe Makoviecki, The Battery Electric, Glycerine Queens, Deal Casino, The Clydes, and more. A few of the songs, like Hot Blood's "Cop in a Tank" and The Vansaders' "Ripped It Apart," even ended up on official releases. All proceeds from the 2014 compilation went to benefit the Monmouth & Ocean Counties Arts Council.

SIMGE are doing it all again this year; and, this time, they're expanding the scope of the challenge to New York and Pennsylvania as well. I'm just guessing here, but I think that if you over there in Alabama or you over there in Colorado wanted to submit something, you wouldn't be turned away either.

Anyway, the date for this year's challenge is Saturday, September 12th; and the 2015 beneficiary will be the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Songwriters interested in participating can send an email to speakimge@gmail.com, and you'll be added to a list to receive updates as they're released. I'm even hearing rumors of a celebratory concert associated with this year's challenge, so keep it tuned here for updates on that.

As a little bonus, here's The Vansaders' re-worked version of their 2014 contribution, "Ripped It Apart." It will show up on the band's Jumping At Shadows EP to be released tomorrow, August 22nd, when they play a pre-Social Distortion set at The Stone Pony. Who knows? Maybe you'll write something this year and end up playing it on that big stage somewhere down the line.