Denise Hudson
Hi I’m Denise Hudson aka @suspiciousden aka RangerDenni. A smoodge vague perhaps, but so are many of my songs. This is because I’m as elusive as my music is, yes..filled with secrets and intrigue. My songs are actually little snaps of autobiographical moments riddled with hidden connections. Chains of little easter eggs, hidden song-characters and catch-phrases, callbacks to other songs, and shifting styles that are seldom explained. Semi-invisible universes, but for and about Invisible Me--since the very first round of the very first Spintunes and even before that, since Our Contest was only a single-celled organism. So everything is still Connected, by the threads that no one sees.
In my walking-on-floors life, I also write music and do music direction and other entertainment/creative things for various people and organizations. This most often involves playing the piano, but I also help with other activities where you have to make things up usually on-the-spot. So a lot of improv and also musical improv for myself too—but I have made a personal goal to do even more things for me as the next half-century of my life begins, so I have of course …made some mysterious new plans.
Gray Porter
I learnt the basics of songwriting competing in the early days of this contest under the moniker of 'Emperor Gum' and I by "learnt" I mean 'ignored' in favour of chasing my alternative style. In the years since I studied sound recording at uni, did some video game sound design, learnt the piano and tried to learn to sing. Now I'm back to judge you all in my alternative style! Bonus points on offer for including a clarinet. ;)
Ian Moore
Ian Moore is a musician, songwriter and bandleader, most recently performing around Wisconsin with Mother Tree and Trouvaille. He went to music school for drums in Virginia and had a career playing in bands in Austin and Chicago. As a songwriter and guitarist, he recorded several albums of his band's music and currently produces folk-punk acts in his home studio.
"So many things go into a great song, a killer hook, some surprising harmonic element or unique sonic world - a vision that is so utterly itself that every song feels a necessary iteration of your style. We are living in a great musical era - the songscape keeps expanding its limits without outgrowing its simplicity, but the best are those remarkable songs where their form is in some way inescapable - subtle where a whisper is required, bigger than hell when it's time to scream."
Kris
(Rounds 2 and 4)
At the age of 7, Kris started developing a connection with music after landing the coveted role of “Princess Maid” in a musical parody of the Princess and the Pea by being the loudest singer under 10 who auditioned. After spending a number of years in the alto section of any available choir which also coincided with a very brief foray into operatic training, Kris is now less of a musician and more of a poet who sings on occasion. As a longtime fan of musical composition, Kris particularly values the interplay between instrumental sounds and word flow/meaning conveyance and always appreciates the intentional energy that musicians put into their work. Kris is excited to be a judge this year and looks forward to listening to everyone’s creative productions during this year’s SpinTunes!
Lichen Throat
(Rounds 1 and 3)
Mark Nemeth has been recording music since 2016 under the name Lichen Throat. He is regular at SongFight, Nur Ein, and SpinTunes. His long-term musical goal is to record a conventional indie rock song, rather than the distinctive nonsense he ordinarily churns out.
He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he is employed as a civil engineer. In addition to music, his hobby interests include hiking, reading, tabletop games, poetry, disc golf, and woodworking.
See-Man-Ski
SpinTunes 19 Champion
HELLO EVERYONE
It's been way too long! Somehow (how this happened I'd hope at least somebody knows) I managed to win spintunes 19, ah well, what does it matter anyway? I'm thrilled to be invited back to start some new chapters in this spintunes journey as a judge and I'm looking forward to keeping a travellers journal on all the seeds that are sown. They are bound to be smokin' hot and I'm so excited I've been howling at the moon.
I have no idea how it will go, I'll likely be hiding in my secret lair, silently sitting trying to merit each song like a murder on the greyhound. I should warn you though. I won't be writing this in invisible ink and will keep you posted, so please like and subscribe.
As you may have guessed I have no idea how to write bios. No matter who I speak to or what articles I read! So I have taken inspiration from the past to ease my mind. I should probably start again but I figured it'll be ok.
I know this will have a few of you sighing and saying "oh no". You'll probably be turning from either side of the grave and for the new joiners it will sound like I'm from two different worlds and mean absolutely nothing.
Just don't say anything, it's our little secret ;)
Contest Administrator: Micah Sommersmith
Micah was SpinTunes 14 Champion and has been running things since SpinTunes 17. He has also been an active part of Song Fight and Nur Ein, is a member of the folk-rock band Mother Tree and the long-distance duo All the Robots, directs a church choir, and wanders around playing the accordion wherever they won't kick him out. When not making music, Micah can be found constructing crossword puzzles, solving crossword puzzles, and raising three small children.
Great to meet the fellow volunteer judges, y'all look real talented!
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