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October 18,
2005
The next tune I want to share with you is The Bridge. I had a real
struggle with this one and it took me a while to compose. It is quite a
short piece but to me it is a very long story. Quite what that is I am not
sure but this tune did come as a result of a dream I had while I was on the
American tour earlier this year. Apparently a dream sequence lasts a very
short time (REM) but when we wake up they seem to have lasted an eternity.
The title refers to the bridge between the conscious and unconscious (an
ideal space for creative people). It's a mysterious space full of wonder,
hope and sometimes total confusion. When we are in this state we sometimes
have very illogical thoughts but to us they make total sense. I hope you can
find some sense in this one. This is actually my favourite tune I have
written so far. I hope you like it. Statistics will tell me that my
favourites are never yours, so I am prepared for this one to be no
different.
Listen to 'The Bridge'
October 21,
2005
By periodically showing you these tunes I am really inviting you to play
catch up with this project. Once you have heard all the pieces I have so far
I think it will then start to get interesting because from then on I will be
in no man's land. That is when the real essence of this concept will start
to take shape because I will be sharing my ideas with you as and when they
arrive kind of like straight from the oven (as on Lyres String). You
will see me with all the cracks like you haven't before. Making music is a
bit like cooking (I don't cook but have had conversations with some well
known chefs whose creative process I can identify with). I will let you know
when we arrive at this point. At the moment I am busy working on another
project with another artist which means I won't resume work on Fourth
Wall until the beginning of November. In the meantime I hope you
get something out of The Bridge.
October 22,
2005
Imagine walking into a store and buying a really nice picture frame and
then taking it home and placing it on the mantelpiece next to other
photographs of your loved ones. Only thing is, you still have the 'demo'
couple in the picture and not one of yours. Strange thought I know but the
reason I am running it past you is to show you how I feel about a new tune I
am working on at the moment. I have this great idea but don't have any
familiarity with it whatsoever. I don't know where it belongs or where it
came from but I don't want to discard it. This one feels like the uninvited
guest who everyone wants to know even though they should know better. This
is the 'naughty' tune. At the moment it is just a kind of a cheeky boyish
motif (pretentious word for riff) and I am thinking of calling it
Uninvited. This will be its code name until I come up with something
better. I will keep you posted.
October 28, 2005
Sometimes it's necessary to detach myself from this journey and do or delve
into something that doesn't belong to me. Imagine going on a long walk
across a desert or forest and seeing some light far ahead of you with what
looks like some activity. Do you keep going, or have a look? In this case I
stopped, had a look, and made the experience part of my journey. The result
is Bachiana. I love this piece of music so much it drives me crazy. I
had fun with the arrangement and I hope Villa Lobos (the composer) won't
turn in his grave should he hear it. I learnt this one by ear which is quite
hard but very rewarding because doing it by ear gets you closer to the
essence of the harmony. This is because you really have to use your ears to
hear subtle intervals that on the page don't look like much. Learning
something by ear is easier to remember because you are also using your
heart. This is my experience. Hope you like it.
Listen to 'Bachiana'
November 4,
2005
The Marcello
tune is another one I worked out by ear by listening to a Glen Gould
performance. I really love this piece and find it incredibly Italian and
romantic. Italian music from this era is so strong in melody and emotion.
There must be many ways of interpreting it but in the end I chose with this
simple approach. The only twist was to make it merge (or segue) into
Iguazu which is one of the first tunes I composed for this album. To me
they go together very well because there is a strong contrast in feeling.
The Marcello ends in a D major and Iguazu starts in a D minor type of
chord which is quite dramatic. I enhanced this chord by playing it on
keyboards but I am not entirely sold on the idea that it will 'live' on the
final mix. What you will hear with Iguazu is everything or nothing
muted. Over time and with some fine tuning with the arrangement I might end
up making it more sparse but for now this is how I like it to be. I hope you
enjoy it.
Listen to 'Iguazu'
December 26, 2005
Here is the next instalment of Barock. I think I am
getting the hang of it now. I have made three changes. First, I have made
the opening phrases with just one guitar as opposed to two and mixed it much
dryer which I think makes it simpler. Secondly, I have developed the outro
much more in to a piece of its own. And third I have changed the title. I
see this tune as three different entities which are totally reliant on each
other. I couldn't possibly take one away without offending another. This
makes me think of the dynamic that can happen between three people as
opposed to two (if that makes any sense). Think of the way your children
behave when they are in a group of three. This can work really well but
sometimes there is tension there. I suppose I am dealing with this tension.
So this is three stories or points of view that come together as one.
Sticking with the Fourth Wall concept I see these three parts as three
consecutive dances expressing whatever you want them to. This is now called
Three Souls. My friend Adam Glasser played some chromatic harmonica
on this which I really like. He played on Unify and A Cause
from the Second Nature album I recorded in 1999. I hope you like it.
Listen to 'Three Souls'
January 3, 2006
Here is a new one I have been working on in my head during the Christmas
period. I recorded it at 5:30am one morning after Eva woke up and then went
back to sleep. This was originally a Tweeters tune which I never felt we did
justice to. I have been meaning to record this for a while now so I am glad
I have made a start. I feel it belongs to this project for various reasons
not least the mood of it. This recording was done quite quickly and I was
half asleep and certainly in a semi dream state so there are a few blemishes
here and there but I think the overall message is good. Until I come up with
a good title I am calling it London Paris Cardiff which represents
the cities we all come from (me, Manu Katche and Pino Palladino
respectively). I am tempted to add some production with a rhythm section,
percussion, strings, flute, harmonica or whatever but for now this is the
tune in its bare form. Hope you like it.
Listen to 'London Paris Cardiff'
January
7, 2006
Since recording Three Souls and London Paris Cardiff I feel I
have the sound I am looking for for this album. Unfortunately this means
some of them don't work alongside each other with this new found direction.
Therefore I am having second thoughts about two tunes. Marcello and
Bachiana. I love both of these but don't really see how they fit on
this album unless I drastically change their arrangements. I am happy with
Iguazu and actually really like the way it comes from Marcello
but I might have to change that too. I see Iguazu as a perfect start
to the album but I want to re-record this one with a different attitude. I
will be working on this from now on. I really do have focus with the way I
want this record to sound now and am very excited with this new clarity. Up
until now it has just been a few ideas that have enjoyed their own merit.
Now I can and will make them work together. I will keep you posted.
January
21, 2006
I have set myself a deadline. I want this album completed by the end of
February. This may seem like an impossible task but I need it. The last
couple of weeks have been great for this record. The flautist Dave Heath
(who played on Foi Boa from Second Nature) came and played on
four tunes. I really think he's the best player in the world. He certainly
has the best sound I have ever heard on a flute. (I wonder if Amy Fe would
agree). My niece Claudia who is eighteen has been over to do some vocals on
two tunes. She really has a lovely voice and I will be proud to be
demonstrating her talents on this record. Things are moving along nicely and
I am starting to think about the artwork. I will keep you posted. In the
mean time here is a rough mix of a new track I put together with William.
It's called Count it Off. Claudia and Dave are also on this. I like
this tune because I am only playing one chord on the guitar all the way
through which contrasts nicely with some of the more complicated
arrangements. I make the changes with the keyboard and how I use the other
elements. This has no form but this is exactly what I like about it. It is
just an attitude. Until next time...
Listen to 'Count It Off'
January
25, 2006
Just so you know, I am making this album in a world of domesticity. A lot of
the time I am holding Eva even while I am behind the controls, or playing
with Pablo. He often walks in the studio while I am working. I am doing the
dishes, cleaning the floor, clearing a mess here or there. I am picking kids
up from school, spending time with my older ones. I am being a husband and I
am extremely tired. But I do feel great. What this means is I only spend an
hour or two hours maximum a day (if I am lucky) on this project. This means
I have to make this time count. I can't afford to turn the equipment on,
stare into space and wait for divine intervention or inspiration. The
inspiration comes from being here and now. While I am doing this I make very
specific plans as to what exactly I will be documenting when I have the
time. This might explain why this is taking so long. But once again I have
learnt something valuable from the experience. I don't know quite how to
articulate what this is but trust me, I am a musician. Until next time.
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