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February 27, 2006
I have reached the point on this project where I need an extra boost with
another element or new tune. Very often it's the last tune which holds the
thing together. This one really does that. I am glad to say I have found it
(or it has found me). I woke up feeling quite strange yesterday. One of
those mornings when nothing feels right. I didn't know how to get out of
this rut. What I did do was go in to the studio and jam for no reason. I
don't usually do this. Normally I work on something more specific. But this
time I was playing away and out of nowhere came this little riff. It's like
it dropped from the heavens. Thankfully I have become more adept at
recognising these little miracles when they are in front of me. Of all days
to be inspired like this! Someone told me that when fear knocks on the door
and faith answers, there is no-one there. I would like to dedicate this
concept to the new tune because that is exactly what happened. I just had
faith at a time when I was out of sorts (a relation of fear) so I am
grateful. I also pulled a little trump card for this one by doing it in open
tuning (DADGAD). Sometimes it's good to just get away from the norm and see
what happens. This is now my favourite tune. For now it's called Lost &
Found. The title refers to the concept of faith being found again when
it has been seeked. Without trying to sound religious I think I am talking
about "seek God and you shall find Him".
Since I
wrote the above Nicolas Fiszman came over to play some bass on the album. He
has played on Lost & Found, Three Souls, The Bridge and what used to
be Take it All which is now called One More Second. I am
saving the latter as the track you won't hear till it's over. Just a little
wind-up. Tomorrow Mike Lindup will be coming over for a couple of days to
make his contribution to various tunes. I go to Cologne on Friday to have
Rhani Krija play on the album. After that I shall be mixing the thing. I am
exhausted but very excited to be coming to the end. I have been reading and
processing your thoughts on the artwork. I have a great concept which you
will no doubt hear (and see) about soon.
Listen to 'Lost & Found'
March 1,
2006
Mike Lindup came
round and did some incredible things on this album. He SO knows what this
album is about. I don't need to give Mike direction because he instinctively
knows what this is. Probably more than I do which may sound strange but
quite possibly true because as well as being part of my "orchestra" he is
also playing the role of objective outsider looking in. Kind of the same as
my role with Sting. I can bring fresh ideas to his tunes which brings them
to life a bit more. He is coming back again today. It was a difficult day
because Fanny had to go to the dentist and she left me with Pablo and Eva.
There was a point when I was holding Eva, telling Pablo NOT to touch "that
one" (buttons on the mixing desk) while engineering and interacting with
Mike. Let's call it multitasking. My studio is quite a small space so this
may have looked absurd. Anyway, disaster struck. While I was talking to Mike
about the arrangement for Lost & Found Pablo was of course busy
pressing the red buttons on the Hard Disk. These are his favourite because
they light up. Cut to half an hour later. Where are Nicolas' cool bass parts
in the middle of the tune? Where are they ***k? Houston we have a problem.
My dear little Pablo managed to erase this. I felt nauseous. I gave Pablo a
look he may never forget or want to see again. Anyway, I am a great believer
that there is a master plan here which isn't mine. It's His. So I am getting
over this and also figuring out a way to copy those segments from the rough
mix (which you have heard) over to the new version which might sound
strange. It might even sound cool. We'll see. Isn't it ironic the tune is
called Lost & Found? It's living up to the name.
March
4, 2006
I just got back from Cologne where Rhani joined me in the studio to lay down
some percussion on the tracks. He lives there so it was more convenient for
me to fly there than have him come here with all his stuff. He has so many
different and exotic instruments he has collected over the years. That's
what percussion players are like. They need to have it all there just in
case they think of and then have access to a certain sound they need.
Sometimes percussion players turn up to sessions with a van load of stuff
only to be asked to play a shaker and a triangle. You just never know. We
put the tunes up and I was in the control room going "YES YES RHANI that's
it!" over Iguazu. I soon realised all he was doing was taking some of
the bells and chimes out of his bag. The engineer thought that was funny.
But it just sounded great. Eventually we homed in on the tunes and if course
he was brilliant. I will probably only use about 20% of what he did because
I want all the elements on this album to be sparse. It's quite frustrating
for musicians to hear me say "hardly play a anything, keep it really simple
and try not to groove". But when they hear the final mix they always agree
with my strategy. Space is a wonderful thing in music, especially with
percussion players. I don't need a percussion player to telegraph a feel
that is already there. If one does it can cancel the feel of a piece of
music. I really like little moments and then space because that makes more
of a statement and connects better with the listener. Same applies with just
about anything. I could expand on this for pages and pages. I will say this:
Rhani delivered and I am very happy with his contribution.
Nicolas
came over from Belgium which was great because he is so enthusiastic about
this project. He also played bass on Count It Off which sounds
amazing. At the end of the session the three of us jammed and I came up with
a new tune loosely based some chords I had been playing with earlier that
day in my hotel room. It's turned into a lovely tune with no title yet. What
I love about it is we are playing live with no overdubs (I will overdub a
melody when I find one). This means there is another tune for the record. I
think I will call it Meeting Point to reflect the feeling musicians
experience when they connect with one another. This we did.
March
8, 2006
I
thought I would take a moment to explain a few points about the
business side of things. One thing that's been really important to me
on this album is to make a record or testament of something I really
believe in. I think I am arriving at that point. Now is the time I
feel ready to make decisions about which would be the best outlet for
this record. In other words, which should be the right label and why.
The scenario I wanted to avoid was to do the deal first and then find
the direction based on others' (the label's) expectations. I have done
that before with a classical album I did. Although I am proud of its
success I now see it isn't the real me so in effect not a true
testament or qualification.
Shapes was signed by BBC Worldwide in UK. Then Decca/Universal
signed it and released it worldwide. We have sold around 120,000
copies between both labels. This figure has far exceeded our
expectations. These days the record business is so volatile that
unless you balance the books with a project you get dropped. In the
old days record companies thought more long term about artists and
bands by nurturing them until they arrived at a point where they would
not only mature with their artistry but balance the budget and
sometimes sell millions. If U2 had been new these days I don't think
they would have made it to the second album. When they released
Joshua Tree everything changed for them and Island Records. Or
worse, they might never have made that record. To put it in a
nutshell, if you don't sell around 200,000 copies you are not really
making it for the record companies. So you get dropped. This is why
most major labels think short term by signing artists and bands they
can be sure will sell or else the A&R (artists and repertoire person
and usually the one who signs the band) guy gets fired. These acts
include cheesy pop "artists" and reality show contestants. Sure, there
are a few artists and bands that come through I really like but the
majority are pretty awful and reflect the times we live in. Mostly one
hit wonders, if they are lucky.
Do I
want to be in this position? I don't need to be in this position. I
want to work with a label that understands what it is I am doing. But
unless I do, they won't. This is actually one of the hardest parts
about making a record. The worst thing an artist can do is to listen
or take direction from an A&R guy and make a record solely for the
purpose of making money for the record company. A true artists
shouldn't care. A sensible artist will take both these factors into
consideration. These are some of the successful ones.
I
have lined up meetings with a few major labels who are interested to
know what it is I am up to. I will see them, play them this stuff,
explain to them where I am going with it and then we can look in each
others eyes and decide if we are making a connection or not. The great
thing is I won't be changing my sound to fit anyone else's mould. I
know what this is and I suspect you do too by now. I would seriously
be letting myself and you down if I were to water this record down to
fit any given genre: smooth jazz, crossover classical, world,
instrumental jazz, etc. What this is is just what it is. I don't
believe it can be categorised. This of course minimises my chances of
being signed and then marketed in a major way (as with Shapes).
We'll see.
But
there is someone who does get this and what I am about. He is the guy
who has released my other three records around Europe. He has a small
label but a good and respected one (Third World outsold
Shapes in Germany). We have become friends and he is also my
agent. He totally gets this album. I have already decided I want to
release this album with him for everywhere except USA. For US I will
be considering a major label (or they will be "considering" me).
America is a tough place because it is so huge. It's like fifty
countries with different cultures, climates, trends etc. My Euro guy
doesn't really know the territory well enough to just release it there
and see what happens. If you want to be successful in America you have
to "be" there and be seen to work for it.
I
will keep you posted. But know this: I will not compromise my sound or
direction for anyone. This album will remain something I believe in.
If only one person buys it, really likes it and gets some meaning from
it I will have achieved my goal.
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