I am a songwriter, musician, producer and blogger from Australia

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For anyone who is visiting this site and reading this blog for the very first time, I extend the warmest of welcomes to you.

It’s my goal to keep you coming back for more. More content about my life and the songwriting, music business and home recording components of it.

However, for those of you who have known me either personally or from afar over the years, you’ll see yet another attempt from me to start up Corey Stewart Online only to have it disappear from the internet under the guise of being “under construction” or whatever excuse I can come up with.

I’m not intending to make this post sound like a total beat up on myself however, I am telling the truth here.

I’ve stopped and started many times with my websites and with each version of Corey Stewart Online (and other blogs) created, I’ve crossed my fingers and hoped that this would be the last time that I wipe the online slate clean and start again.

So, what makes this time any different? Nothing really, but I am however, much more motivated than I have been in the past and this is the reason why.

Mara, my partner (and muse) for fifteen years and my wife for almost six, passed away on November 22nd, 2020 and from that moment on, my life irreversibly changed.

Whereas before I was a perfectionist, always willing to wipe the slate clean and start again in the hope that next time around whatever I was working on would be perfect, I am now not so hung up on perfection.

Whereas before I was a control freak, getting upset if the slightest deviation of my planned day was to be experienced, I am now not so hung up on control.

Whereas before I was ultra-competitive to the point of being jealous, not finding the joy in the success of others over my own endeavours, I am now not so hung up on competition.

And what has been the driver of this change?

It’s the fact that life is far, far too short to engage in these empty emotional activities that don’t get you anywhere except a one way ticket to misery and suffering.

As for Corey Stewart Online… Well, this blog is my way of addressing the famous quote from Socrates.

“An unexamined life is not worth living.”

Two of the main things that Mara taught me was to first of all, embrace life with both hands and secondly, to treat other the way that they would want to be treated.

She did this just by living her life and it was an absolute joy to be around her when she was in full Mara mode.

Being in full Mara mode meant that Mara was 100% in the moment, just by being herself. She knew what being her meant because she lived an examined life.

Whereas me, I was still living on autopilot.

I want to live my life in full Mara mode too which means I need to stop living on autopilot and examine, embrace and explore what it really means to be ME.

Hence starting up Corey Stewart Online again but this time I’m not coming at this from a place of ego, I’m coming at this from a place of learning… About myself.

So, if you’re a first time visitor to Corey Stewart Online and first time reader of this blog and you’re still here… Just know that there’s a lot of history attached to this site but at the end of the day, I think we’re going to get along just fine.

For those of you that know me either personally or from afar… Thank you for sticking by me and this time around, I wont let you down.

And Mara, wherever you are… The memories of you that I hold dear will not be in vain. It is now the driving force behind everything that I do.

Peace,

Corey

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Corey Stewart Online – Why I do what I do?

I have been active participant both on the stage and behind the scenes in the Australian Music Industry for the past 35 years and in that time I’ve learnt a thing or two about songwriting, the music business and home recording hence this website, Corey Stewart Online.

This site is all about the sharing of experiences and information…

First of all, I’m sharing information about myself, my music and my thoughts about what makes this world tick and everything that is connected with it. I figure that if you’re going to hang out around my part of the internet you might as well get all of me while you’re here.

Secondly, I’ll be sharing with you songwriting tips, music business information and home recording techniques that I’ve picked up along the way. I’ll also be curating the very best songwriting, music business and home recording news and information that I can find online.

Personally , I think it’s really important to have an outlet where you share yourself and your creations with the world. I mean, that’s what creativity is all about isn’t it?

Corey Stewart Online is my way of leaving my mark, creating a legacy and imparting information plus highlighting strengths and exposing weaknesses that can be either embraced or improved on by me as I walk along my chosen path.

I’m creating this site for my benefit as well as for my readers. We are all in this together.

Sometimes though, this journey can be a lonely one so if there’s anything that you read that touches, moves, inspires or simply drives you to complain, then contact me and we’ll chat about it.

It will be great to just simply connect with you all.

My intention with Corey Stewart Online is to also be building up my own songwriting services as well but of course there’s no pressure on you to engage in that side of this website if you don’t want to.

Eventually I want Corey Stewart Online to be one of THE reference sites for anything songwriting, music business or, home recording related and that can only happen with input from YOU.

Over time I’ll be expanding into podcasting and videos on YouTube but first things first. Let’s get this website up and running first.

With all is said and done, I take my first step into the unknown… NOW!

Peace,

Corey 🙂

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Hi there, my name is Corey Stewart and I am a Songwriter, Musician, Producer and Blogger.

I wrote my first song at the age of 13 and ever since then, I’ve written hundreds of other songs, performed in countless bands, played in far too many gigs to remember and experienced all of the highs and lows of being a performing songwriter and musician in Australia.

As you may have guessed, I have a deep love and passion for the craft of songwriting both for myself and in the encouragement of other songwriters to be the best that they can be.

You’ll find out how deep that passion is for songwriting through this blog where I will also talk about the music business, home recording and everything else that makes up the complex character of ME.

As well as being a songwriter, I have been an active participant in the music industry for over 35 years and throughout that time I have judged many songwriting contests and band competitions, taught guitar and bass, been a musical director for touring bands and worked in numerous recording studios as a session musician for hire.

My latest love affair has been with SongMachine, my very own home recording studio and I’m perpetually fascinated with how the songwriting and the recording processes overlap each other.

I used to be scared of the recording studio and my ability to work in it but nowadays, I certainly look at the recording studio the same way as the great Brian Eno does… As a stand alone instrument to be manipulated in infinite ways.

My overriding goal is to write more songs, play more gigs, meet more like minded creatives all over the world and generally take every opportunity that comes my way for me and my music with both hands and ride the wave that is this new music business.

Personally, I have no idea where I will end up but it’s sure going to be a lot of fun finding out and Corey Stewart Online will be my document to that journey.

Contact me and say hello, it’ll be great to meet you and I hope you can come with me for the ride.

Peace,

Corey 🙂