Wednesday 15th July 2009
The Eleventh Hour?
Today for the first time in this long drawn out process I felt excited about the prospect of getting back to the studio. Most probably because, also for the first time, it seems tangible, within our grasp, not just some far off date that may never materialise. Thomas, our A&R in Roadrunner is a dream to work with. He’s open-minded and calm, he stays in regular contact and he’s always encouraging.
He called today to check on our progress and give us some producer and time schedule updates. I suggested we start to pin down the songs we all want on the album and he agreed that if I emailed him our preferred list, he’d respond with his thoughts. We know we’re a song short (a mid tempo radio hit) but he thinks we have enough fast songs- which is weird since we’d none on album one really. We also have an acceptable number of “slow” songs that we’d like to feature- 2.
So, we had a chat and then sent him our twelve songs of choice. We were a little worried as one or two tracks that we really don’t want to have on the album were touted as potential singles and this could easily have been a sticking point between us. However, much to my/our surprise, he replied within a few hours and said he was in full agreement with our choices. Were it anyone else I’d have suspected they didn’t think about it and just agreed to keep us happy, but not with him. It would have been another fiasco if we’d entered into an email joust about which songs were good enough and which weren’t. So there’s a potentially awkward hurdle overcome, and the end of this part of the process is nearly in sight.
Due to the ongoing medical problems with our producer’s newborn child, his preference seems to be that we record in Germany. I don’t really mind where we go at this stage, I just want to be able to focus on the recording and I want the end product to be even better than I imagine it can be. So, Hamburg, his home town/city, now seems a likely destination. We’ve played there but I’ve never quite explored the city itself.
Thursday 16th July 2009
Stand and Deliver
For several years I’ve been friends with a young(er) Dublin based singer/songwriter called David Turpin. I actually sang some backing vocals on his first album. Recently he was included in a poll of the current top 50 Irish artists as featured in the Irish Times. He’s always struck me as an Andy Warhol-esque character. There’s an eccentricity about him which is both endearing and disarming, but make no mistake he is very perceptive and shrewd.
We were meeting today having not seen each other in possibly a year or more. He wanted to give me a copy of his new album which he just finished last week entitled “Haunted”. He’s one of those artists who seemingly appeared fully formed as he has his own distinctive vocal delivery and writing style. So, I was expecting to hear more of the same, and enjoy it, despite his warning that he’s embraced pop and shunned romance as a theme.
Anyway, this new offering is a natural progression from his first album. There’s more vocal melody, the inclusion of occasional strings and his average b.p.m. has notably increased. All of the above combine to make a very accessible, sing along album with just the right balance of familiarity and originality. Conor from The Villagers and Cathy Davey both feature on the record and add to the sonic flavour. Check out his myspace:
www.myspace.com/davidturpin
Friday 17th July 2009
Arrested Development?
Although I have a very confusing family history (I’m currently devising my family tree as a visual aid, at the request of my new partner, in the hope of making it easier to understand), I grew up the youngest of seven children. There’s something both wonderful and misleading about occupying that position in the family. It doesn’t give you a very realistic view of the world. I was lucky in many ways. I had siblings who always made themselves available, always smiled, encouraged and tolerated me gracefully and we were brought up to respect others, be non-judgmental and to lend a hand whenever it’s needed. So naturally I’ve always endeavoured to treat those around me with the same willing, (hopefully) helpful and polite disposition. As a teenager, I often wondered why, in general, adults were so glum, and seemingly weighed down with worry. “The pressure of responsibilities” I was told- and I accepted that logic. But that’s not the whole truth.
There are lessons learned as one develops, and we all develop in our own time. The truths of life that no-one dares impart (not even over a pint), realities that we must learn alone which can, if one is predisposed to such things, slowly but surely suck the joy, the innocence and the positivity from your outlook.
This past year has been one such learning curve for me, and I’m almost embarrassed to admit it. I’ve come to realise that it doesn’t matter how well you know someone, how much you’ve worked with them or lived with them, whether you are related or not, if you share a common invested goal or otherwise, life has become such that it’s each man for himself. Friendships, relationships and partnerships are more often than not, a fleeting or drawn out façade. People will do what suits them best and seldom return the loyalty extended to them in good faith. “You’re naïve” I hear you say. Yes, perhaps I am but just because you realised this before I did, is nothing to be proud of.
As I watch myself gradually morph into the disillusioned adult stereotype I scoffed at as a child, I know that regardless of the venues I appear in, the audience sizes I perform to, the tv shows I present, the well wishers, yes-men, begrudgers and fanatics - I am alone. We are alone.
PAUL WALSH - ROYSEVEN
