Sometimes it's great to be proven wrong. If we were right ALL the time we wouldn't have our sometimes narrow perceptions challenged, our minds wouldn't be as open. This week I've been proven wrong and in spectacular fashion.
For years I've listened to many artists, musicians/engineers and others in the music industry talk about the "Nashville Sasuage Factory". How most of the records that come out of there sound bland, homogenised and made to order. How the musicians there play essentially the same ole parts over and over. I've been a willing participant in these conversations time and time again. Until now....
I'm here at the moment producing (with Sam Hawkesly) an album for the Harmonators and 2 EP's for Jessica Jade-Bruce and Brooke Schuberth as part of the Nashville Recording Package I put up on my website a while back. We've spent the last 4 days recording the band tracks for these artists. Same group of players, same mic setups for each act. What I've experienced has been truly magical. These players right from the start have given their heart and soul to these songs. Once they realised that Sam and I weren't here to make carbon copies of whatever they'd done the day before they were off. Suggesting often brilliant chord and arrangment ideas, freely experimenting with different sounds and working and sculpting their parts until they were completely satisfied that they'd given their very best (even when Sam and myself thought they'd long since gotten there) . I was concerned that because we're using the same players for each artist that they would all sound too similar. Wrong again. After 2 days of tracking the modern country sound of the Harmonators they shifted effortlessly to the pop/soul sound of Jessica Jade-Bruce. One track had a funk groove so deep Sam and I were even compelled to dance (not with eachother of course)....a rare and not alltogether pleasant sight.
Now I'm not suggesting for one second that this is the only good record to come out of Nashville.....There are hundreds of incredible records made in this town every year. What I have learned out of this more than anything is that people want to be inspired no matter where they are or what they do. If you give someone the right conditions, the right encouragement, put the right people around them and you get down in the trenches with them then you're going to see that person truly give the best of themselves.
Sam and I have managed to create that this week and I am truly grateful for the experience. Cannot wait to come back and do it again! Thank you Nashville
For years I've listened to many artists, musicians/engineers and others in the music industry talk about the "Nashville Sasuage Factory". How most of the records that come out of there sound bland, homogenised and made to order. How the musicians there play essentially the same ole parts over and over. I've been a willing participant in these conversations time and time again. Until now....
I'm here at the moment producing (with Sam Hawkesly) an album for the Harmonators and 2 EP's for Jessica Jade-Bruce and Brooke Schuberth as part of the Nashville Recording Package I put up on my website a while back. We've spent the last 4 days recording the band tracks for these artists. Same group of players, same mic setups for each act. What I've experienced has been truly magical. These players right from the start have given their heart and soul to these songs. Once they realised that Sam and I weren't here to make carbon copies of whatever they'd done the day before they were off. Suggesting often brilliant chord and arrangment ideas, freely experimenting with different sounds and working and sculpting their parts until they were completely satisfied that they'd given their very best (even when Sam and myself thought they'd long since gotten there) . I was concerned that because we're using the same players for each artist that they would all sound too similar. Wrong again. After 2 days of tracking the modern country sound of the Harmonators they shifted effortlessly to the pop/soul sound of Jessica Jade-Bruce. One track had a funk groove so deep Sam and I were even compelled to dance (not with eachother of course)....a rare and not alltogether pleasant sight.
Now I'm not suggesting for one second that this is the only good record to come out of Nashville.....There are hundreds of incredible records made in this town every year. What I have learned out of this more than anything is that people want to be inspired no matter where they are or what they do. If you give someone the right conditions, the right encouragement, put the right people around them and you get down in the trenches with them then you're going to see that person truly give the best of themselves.
Sam and I have managed to create that this week and I am truly grateful for the experience. Cannot wait to come back and do it again! Thank you Nashville
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