Uploaded October 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
💿 Get Vol. III: Primitive Normative on CD 👉 plaidonflannelshop.com/products/primitive-normative
Nolan Randall playing the guitar solos and bridge of “Make It Happen” by Plaid On Flannel from the 2015 album Vol. III: Primitive Normative.
Words and music by Nolan Randall
He separates himself from the rest
He travels with the wind, it helps him on his quest
Imagination lies within
Now, tell me where does he begin?
And tell me how has he been?
It's not too late to make it happen
Living off the soul he bares
Answering his only prayers
Well, Rusty has to make it happen, for good
From where he stood he always knows he should
Nobody seems to understand
He's getting pushed around and hassled by the man
Domingo keeps himself in line
He's waiting for his time to shine, waiting for a sign
It's not too late to make it happen
Knowing that he's not so blind
The clearest vision in his mind
Well, Rusty has to make it happen, he knows
The life he chose, it keeps him on his toes
There he goes
Seeing the life he was meant to see in the 21st century
Being the man he was meant to be, it is his destiny
It's not too late to make it happen
Living off the soul he bares
Answering his only prayers
Well, Rusty has to make it happen, he knows
The life he chose, it keeps him on his toes
There he goes
© Copyright 2015 Plaid On Flannel
*Song Description By Noles*
I wrote the music for "Make It Happen" on March 7, 2015. With the guitar in drop-D tuning, "Make It Happen" is a song where I wanted to explore the heavier side of Plaid On Flannel. And use spaces in the main rhythmic power chord guitar riff. Plus, I knew the Primitive Normative album could use some more heaviness on the record. I also wrote the other drop-D guitar tuned song from the album "Primal Desire" later in the year. But that tune was set to be a little more bluesy and funky. I knew "Make It Happen" would be a headbanging song as soon as I wrote the music for it. And that spaced out rhythm guitar motif I mentioned before was inspired by Rush's "Anthem".
After producing 9 songs for the Primitive Normative album, I started recording "Make It Happen" on June 14, 2015. While the spaced out power chord guitar riff at the beginning and end of the song is sludgy and fierce, the rest of the tune has organ playing all the way through it to give it more colour. Keyboardist Jen Doyon joined the Plaid On Flannel band on February 22, 2015. And that convinced me to add more keyboards to the new songs I was recording for the Primitive Normative album. There are 3 different types of organ sounds that are played throughout "Make It Happen". I used varied MIDI software instruments to achieve these sounds on Logic Pro X. For the continuation of the opening guitar riff which also returns between the 1st chorus and 2nd verse, I used an effect called Heavy Metal Organ. This complements the distorted power of the progression in the guitar riff. During the verses of "Make It Happen", the organ sound is called Grand Organ. It's a little more subdued than the sound of the Heavy Metal Organ. This allows more breathing room for the vocal melody, while still enhancing the verses' melodic qualities. The final organ used in "Make It Happen" is called Power Chord Organ and it can be heard in the choruses and the bridge of the tune. This organ has a sound somewhere between the other 2 organs as far as intensity goes. Giving those parts some power and flavour at the same time.
The lyrics for "Make It Happen" were written on July 4, 2015 while I was recording the song. With words that continue the story of "Rusty Domingo", the tune follows the Primitive Normative concept album's protagonist in a more optimistic way. As the lyrics to "Rusty Domingo" are a little more pessimistic, "Make It Happen" tells a tale of fortitude despite all the obstacles that Rusty Domingo faces. It's somewhat of a self-awareness anthem. And the only way to get results is to take action and "Make It Happen". This song title is also meant to have a connection to "Make Them Understand" on the Primitive Normative album.
There is a flangilated lead guitar used during the intro and guitar solo sections of "Make It Happen". In fact, there are some other lead guitar overdubs used throughout the tune. With a double lead guitar harmony leading into the bridge of the song. "Make It Happen" has a harmony backup vocal that starts in the 2nd verse, and is used during the remaining choruses and bridge of the tune. I finished recording "Make It Happen" on July 26, 2015 and the Primitive Normative album was released by the end of the year on December 31, 2015. Although I've never played "Make It Happen" with a band before, it's a song I really want to try out with some personnel in the future.
#AlternativeRock #ProgRock #AltMetal
💿 Get Vol. III: Primitive Normative on CD 👉 plaidonflannelshop.com/products/primitive-normative
Nolan Randall playing the guitar solos and bridge of “Make It Happen” by Plaid On Flannel from the 2015 album Vol. III: Primitive Normative.
Words and music by Nolan Randall
He separates himself from the rest
He travels with the wind, it helps him on his quest
Imagination lies within
Now, tell me where does he begin?
And tell me how has he been?
It's not too late to make it happen
Living off the soul he bares
Answering his only prayers
Well, Rusty has to make it happen, for good
From where he stood he always knows he should
Nobody seems to understand
He's getting pushed around and hassled by the man
Domingo keeps himself in line
He's waiting for his time to shine, waiting for a sign
It's not too late to make it happen
Knowing that he's not so blind
The clearest vision in his mind
Well, Rusty has to make it happen, he knows
The life he chose, it keeps him on his toes
There he goes
Seeing the life he was meant to see in the 21st century
Being the man he was meant to be, it is his destiny
It's not too late to make it happen
Living off the soul he bares
Answering his only prayers
Well, Rusty has to make it happen, he knows
The life he chose, it keeps him on his toes
There he goes
© Copyright 2015 Plaid On Flannel
*Song Description By Noles*
I wrote the music for "Make It Happen" on March 7, 2015. With the guitar in drop-D tuning, "Make It Happen" is a song where I wanted to explore the heavier side of Plaid On Flannel. And use spaces in the main rhythmic power chord guitar riff. Plus, I knew the Primitive Normative album could use some more heaviness on the record. I also wrote the other drop-D guitar tuned song from the album "Primal Desire" later in the year. But that tune was set to be a little more bluesy and funky. I knew "Make It Happen" would be a headbanging song as soon as I wrote the music for it. And that spaced out rhythm guitar motif I mentioned before was inspired by Rush's "Anthem".
After producing 9 songs for the Primitive Normative album, I started recording "Make It Happen" on June 14, 2015. While the spaced out power chord guitar riff at the beginning and end of the song is sludgy and fierce, the rest of the tune has organ playing all the way through it to give it more colour. Keyboardist Jen Doyon joined the Plaid On Flannel band on February 22, 2015. And that convinced me to add more keyboards to the new songs I was recording for the Primitive Normative album. There are 3 different types of organ sounds that are played throughout "Make It Happen". I used varied MIDI software instruments to achieve these sounds on Logic Pro X. For the continuation of the opening guitar riff which also returns between the 1st chorus and 2nd verse, I used an effect called Heavy Metal Organ. This complements the distorted power of the progression in the guitar riff. During the verses of "Make It Happen", the organ sound is called Grand Organ. It's a little more subdued than the sound of the Heavy Metal Organ. This allows more breathing room for the vocal melody, while still enhancing the verses' melodic qualities. The final organ used in "Make It Happen" is called Power Chord Organ and it can be heard in the choruses and the bridge of the tune. This organ has a sound somewhere between the other 2 organs as far as intensity goes. Giving those parts some power and flavour at the same time.
The lyrics for "Make It Happen" were written on July 4, 2015 while I was recording the song. With words that continue the story of "Rusty Domingo", the tune follows the Primitive Normative concept album's protagonist in a more optimistic way. As the lyrics to "Rusty Domingo" are a little more pessimistic, "Make It Happen" tells a tale of fortitude despite all the obstacles that Rusty Domingo faces. It's somewhat of a self-awareness anthem. And the only way to get results is to take action and "Make It Happen". This song title is also meant to have a connection to "Make Them Understand" on the Primitive Normative album.
There is a flangilated lead guitar used during the intro and guitar solo sections of "Make It Happen". In fact, there are some other lead guitar overdubs used throughout the tune. With a double lead guitar harmony leading into the bridge of the song. "Make It Happen" has a harmony backup vocal that starts in the 2nd verse, and is used during the remaining choruses and bridge of the tune. I finished recording "Make It Happen" on July 26, 2015 and the Primitive Normative album was released by the end of the year on December 31, 2015. Although I've never played "Make It Happen" with a band before, it's a song I really want to try out with some personnel in the future.
#AlternativeRock #ProgRock #AltMetal






![What You Believe (Acoustic Version) - Nolan Randall Of Plaid On Flannel
💿 Get Get On! [EP] on CD 👉 https://plaidonflannelshop.com/products/get-on
Nolan Randall performing a solo acoustic version of What You Believe by Plaid On Flannel from the 2017 EP Get On!
Words and music by Nolan Randall
You wanna find out something you dont know
Dont wanna see you let it go
And then your life it moves so slow
Another friend becomes a foe
Figure something out before youre falling out of line
Dont wanna fall too far behind
The things you want are by design
Whatever makes you feel so fine
So many people want an ordinary role
What happened to soul?
You gotta keep on grindin
Keep your mind in your vision
Its what you do to make it through
Do what you believe
Its what you see, wont you believe in me
Feeling aware of what you believe
Gotta declare in what you believe
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
A lot of people tell you what to do
You always seem to misconstrue
Theres more to what theyre telling you
Stay true to your point of view
Falling into a rhythm, somethings going on
Youre far from gone
With all the people moving, they are soothing, forever
Its up to you to make it through, do what you believe
Its what you see, wont you believe in me
Feeling aware of what you believe
Gotta declare in what you believe
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
A lot of people want an ordinary role
What happened to soul?
You gotta keep on grindin
Keep your mind in your vision
Its up to you to make it through, do what you believe
Its what you see, wont you believe in me
Its what you do to make it through
Do what you believe
Its what you see, wont you believe in me
Feeling aware of what you believe
Gotta declare in what you believe
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
© Copyright 2017 Plaid On Flannel
*Song Description By Noles*
The music for What You Believe was written on March 7, 2015, when I was in the thick of recording Plaid On Flannels 3rd album Primitive Normative. Theres quite a difference between this version of What You Believe and the one performed with the band and recorded for the Get On! EP. For starters, theres a guitar riff in the original rendition that follows the post-chorus chord progression and plays octave jumps. I even used my Digitech whammy pedal to jump octaves and enhance the riff. This gave it a garage rock feel much like the style of The White Stripes. The Get On! EP version of What You Believe doesnt have a guitar riff and instead has a harpsichord keyboard riff played differently by POF keyboardist Jen Doyon.
The lyrics for What You Believe were written on March 22, 2015. Its a song that lyrically addresses self-belief and affirmation. Not taking others viewpoints on life too seriously in order to follow your own path. Doing what you believe is right for you. And not sacrificing your integrity by conforming to the norms of the people around you. In a world where conformity is held in such a high regard. When individuality is so estranged from a modern society. Thats what What You Believe is about in a nutshell.
I started recording the Primitive Normative version of What You Believe on March 16, 2015, and finished recording the track on April 10, 2015. Another difference between this rendition and the Get On! EP version is the harmony lead guitars during the verses which was influenced by Ty Segalls Whos Producing You. As well, there are backup vocal harmonies in the 2nd verse of the Primitive Normative rendition. Those effects were excluded from the Get On! EP version. Instead of the Ahs after the post-chorus of the Primitive Normative rendition of What You Believe, there are Ohs that are sung on the Get On! EP version. This enhanced the tune as the Oh vowels sound better with my voice. The song key of What You Believe was transposed from F# m to Em on the Get On! EP rendition.
Now, I will just talk about the Get On! EP version of What You Believe. As mentioned before, Jen Doyons harpsichord intro really sets the tone for the tune in its minor key. Giving it a baroque kind of feel. This harpsichord is used throughout the song, but there is also an additional synthesizer added which gives the tune lots of colour and atmosphere. What was initially a garage rock type song, turned itself into a synth rock anthem. The synthesizer becomes more prominent as the song progresses. What You Believe was the first song we recorded as a band that has 3 and 4 part vocal harmonies. Drummer Minas Hatzigiannatzoglou even sang a baritone low octave vocal towards the end of the tune. The tempo of What You Believe slows down at the very end of the song. This was influenced by the way some Red Hot Chili Peppers tunes slow down at the very end. What You Believe is a song Ive played in acoustic sets and I feel like it will live on in Plaid On Flannels live arsenal.
#PlaidOnFlannel #WhatYouBelieve #AcousticVersion What You Believe (Acoustic Version) - Nolan Randall Of Plaid On Flannel](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iG780k-4PHQ/mqdefault.jpg)



