In an effort to celebrate the official launch of djphillips.com, challenge my songwriting/ recording abilities and to take my own swipe at a 30 Day Project I will now post a new song idea every day for the next 30 days. These are not necessarily finished products. They are not necessarily fantastic pop nuggets. But they will be new ideas (written at least within the last few weeks). They will be (pretty much) on time. And they will be original.

Along with each posted song, I'll include a little story of the writing and recording process. If you're the kind of person who doesn't like to know what's behind a song, feel free to skip all the content below the track.

I'm putting these out there-- warts and all-- so let me know what you think! The songs that get a good response will be the most likely to be included on a future release.

When I Go Back to Ohio

Well, so far week two has been way harder than the first week. I've had to force myself to record/write a few more times and the ideas didn't come as easily. I think maybe just the excitement of the new project has begun to wear off a little. The good news is that I'm still going. This is the point of the exercise really. To stretch myself and learn how to write and record songs when I'm not really feeling it. Luckily, I have this running list of ideas to help me out. If I hadn't been accumulating those little bits over the last year or two, I'd be stuck a lot more often.

"Ohio" was more fun experimenting with guitar tones and a little bit with loops. I wanted to do a loop for the odd time signature part but I ran out of time and patience for now. The chord progression/melody is about three separate ideas thrown into one. The odd time signature intro/ interlude came from what was originally going to be a birthday song for my good friend Vessela. I had planned to write it in collaboration with mutual friends Valerie and Brendan while in Boston for Vess' birthday but it never happened. Sorry Vess!

The verse riff is a reggae-ish idea that I've had for a couple of months but couldn't find a good chorus for. And the chorus was an idea that's been floating around for a little while now.

I'm at the ripe old age of 28 now and my 10-year high school reunion is coming up this summer. Honestly, I'm not really worried about it because I like and keep in touch with quite a few high school friends already (thank you, internets!). But it's symbolic of the larger concept of trying to prove oneself as an adult. Ultimately, I think most of us care a lot less about what other people think than we let on and it's really about proving ourselves to ourselves. "When I Go Back to Ohio" is not so much about the literal Ohio as it is the figurative Ohio. Your Ohio could be anything really. Dream away, dreamers.

When I Go Back to Ohio

I'm gonna show them all what I have done What I have become I'm gonna show them that I've grown up some But I have just begun

When I go back to Ohio When I go back to Ohio I'm going back to Ohio

It's in my best interest to tell the truth I still have much to do I'm more anxious now than in my youth I still have much to prove

When I go back to Ohio When I go back to Ohio I'm going back to Ohio

When I go back to Ohio When I go back to Ohio I'm going back to Ohio