Who does what?

[anitanee]

I'm curious ... I know Dan writes the songs, but how does the whole creative process work ...?

Ie - music first or words/themes/ideas ... or does it vary ... how and when do the rest of you get involved, and in what way?

And anything else you care to share ...

[George Moorey]

Curiosity is good! Thanks for asking the questions, they're good ones.

Dan - vocal & guitar, doubts & fears
George - piano, guitar, backing vocals, grit & determination
Shane - drums, percussion, backing vocals, taste & good sense
Andy - bass, brass, hope & happiness

Dan will start off on his own working on words and music. He'll sometimes bring the rest of the band a half formed idea of music and lyrics and we make mostly musical suggestions and if he's really stuck come up with words. Once he's got what he needs from us Dan will go back and finish the song structure, chords and lyrics off. The songs aren't really complete and final until they've been recorded because we'll play them slightly differently every time until they are recorded.

I think we must have consigned about 25 of Dan's songs to the "won't ever be used" pile over the course of deciding what went on the album. Some of these were played live over the past few years by Dan and I, but Dan says that despite people liking what they heard he isn't always comfortable singing all of his songs and feels like they would be better sung by other artists if those songs really are as good as I think they are. I think Dan's finally found his preferred style and is confident about that now which means he is able to lead the band more effectively than before.

These songs on the album follow a loose narrative that involves stories, ideas and imagination based on life in Gloucester. We didn't get as far as linking the whole narrative together, but I like to think they work much like a collection of short stories might.

In the recording studio a process emerged for starting song projects where we would record a draft of Dan singing and playing acoustic guitar to a click track. Then we'd add draft drums and bass. That gives us a template that we can cut and paste around. Once we're happy with the structure we'll focus on replacing the drafts and recording particular instruments and writing counterpoint and harmony parts. Sometimes the drafts are really good so we keep them and don't replace them.

It's much like a standard rock band, but in our case the piano tends to carry the riffs and lead lines, although Andy is likely to use his trumpet a bit more in future for lead lines.

Both Shane and I have production experience so we alternated leading sessions with Dan. Dan had a specific idea about the sound and vibe he wanted to achieve. Shane's able to set things up rhythmically as he's the drummer and I'm able to add colour using keyboard and guitar. It's not difficult because each of us are capable to a degree of adding percussive, guitar, bass and keys on our own, but then for the purposes of performance we will stick to a defined role as the drummer, guitar player, bass player and keyboard player. The toughest thing is keeping everything sounding fresh after you've been working on it and over it for so long.

A couple of the songs had to be more or less scrapped and started again which was frustrating but ultimately very satisfying knowing there was no compromise but to get it right.

A production trick that I have used many times which we did with a few of the songs with members of the folk band Way Out West is to get the bare bones of the song recorded (bass, drums, guitar, voice and maybe some piano parts) then ask other musicians to play orchestral instruments or sing backing vocal parts over the top - often ad lib, then on my own I can edit those parts into cohesive sections that fit with the bare bones arrangement. It's like adding the final touches.

The song Olympus was thoroughly researched by Ruth, Dan's wife, hence all the strange references. It was when they lived round the corner from the New Olympus theatre.

My favourite parts of the creative process are hearing Dan's new songs for the first time, writing piano parts and editing those ad lib parts by other musicians. I like the spontaneous parts of the whole process and am not too keen at the monotonous parts.

The most challenging thing about this band is that we have such an intense collection of musical and artistic skills between us it's hard to be democratic and feel creative - there are lots of decisions to be agreed and sometimes one of us can't help trying to be autocratic. We've all got experience that counts and is to be respected, but sometimes we disagree and ego comes into make things tense. I think we all acknowledge that this type of tension can sometimes be the catalyst for extremely productive periods as a band.

It's been great encouraging Dan to lead us artistically. He has the final decision, but he's always so diplomatic and amiable about reaching agreement. At the beginning both Shane and I attempted to push the process along and Dan's was not always been confident of the results. However giving Dan the power as the leader means he is rightfully proud and confident to show people what we've made.

[Dan]

Usually I'll have a chord progression I'll be noodling around with, singing nonsense over the top, then a phrase will pop out from somewhere that works as a start point for lyrical ideas. Then I brain storm around that idea, developing rhyme and rhythm as I go. I try to carry around a pen and paper as much as possible to write down ideas as I get them. Sometimes, although less often, I'll have verses written down and at a good stage of development before matching them up with any spare musical ditties.

Then i'll play them to any combination of Ruth, George, Shane, Andy, Nic or other trusted parties who I can rely on to give me honest feedback. It is normally better when an idea comes fully formed before I show anybody else because then I deliver it with more confidence and sell it much better. Sometimes though, I think an idea is good enough to build on but requires outside help so I appreciate feedback on the early sketches of a song. Most, if not all the songs on the album came almost fully formed or are very close to songs I've written before but with stronger themes or hooks.

Then it is up to the other blokes to do what they do best in interpreting the initial feel of the song. It is rare that I'll have a strong negative reaction to anything they might bring. It happens of course but we have reasonably similar tastes and everyone is fairly responsive in giving trial to unfamiliar territory if needed.

A strong north easterly breeze helps too. obviously. That's a given.

[Pat]

Way Out West a folk band? How dare you! OK Moorey, outside; we'll settle this. There are three of us and we can definitely take you.

George Moorey said:

Curiosity is good! Thanks for asking the questions, they're good ones.

Dan - vocal & guitar, doubts & fears
George - piano, guitar, backing vocals, grit & determination
Shane - drums, percussion, backing vocals, taste & good sense
Andy - bass, brass, hope & happiness

Dan will start off on his own working on words and music. He'll sometimes bring the rest of the band a half formed idea of music and lyrics and we make mostly musical suggestions and if he's really stuck come up with words. Once he's got what he needs from us Dan will go back and finish the song structure, chords and lyrics off. The songs aren't really complete and final until they've been recorded because we'll play them slightly differently every time until they are recorded.

I think we must have consigned about 25 of Dan's songs to the "won't ever be used" pile over the course of deciding what went on the album. Some of these were played live over the past few years by Dan and I, but Dan says that despite people liking what they heard he isn't always comfortable singing all of his songs and feels like they would be better sung by other artists if those songs really are as good as I think they are. I think Dan's finally found his preferred style and is confident about that now which means he is able to lead the band more effectively than before.

These songs on the album follow a loose narrative that involves stories, ideas and imagination based on life in Gloucester. We didn't get as far as linking the whole narrative together, but I like to think they work much like a collection of short stories might.

In the recording studio a process emerged for starting song projects where we would record a draft of Dan singing and playing acoustic guitar to a click track. Then we'd add draft drums and bass. That gives us a template that we can cut and paste around. Once we're happy with the structure we'll focus on replacing the drafts and recording particular instruments and writing counterpoint and harmony parts. Sometimes the drafts are really good so we keep them and don't replace them.

It's much like a standard rock band, but in our case the piano tends to carry the riffs and lead lines, although Andy is likely to use his trumpet a bit more in future for lead lines.

Both Shane and I have production experience so we alternated leading sessions with Dan. Dan had a specific idea about the sound and vibe he wanted to achieve. Shane's able to set things up rhythmically as he's the drummer and I'm able to add colour using keyboard and guitar. It's not difficult because each of us are capable to a degree of adding percussive, guitar, bass and keys on our own, but then for the purposes of performance we will stick to a defined role as the drummer, guitar player, bass player and keyboard player. The toughest thing is keeping everything sounding fresh after you've been working on it and over it for so long.

A couple of the songs had to be more or less scrapped and started again which was frustrating but ultimately very satisfying knowing there was no compromise but to get it right.

A production trick that I have used many times which we did with a few of the songs with members of the folk band Way Out West is to get the bare bones of the song recorded (bass, drums, guitar, voice and maybe some piano parts) then ask other musicians to play orchestral instruments or sing backing vocal parts over the top - often ad lib, then on my own I can edit those parts into cohesive sections that fit with the bare bones arrangement. It's like adding the final touches.

The song Olympus was thoroughly researched by Ruth, Dan's wife, hence all the strange references. It was when they lived round the corner from the New Olympus theatre.

My favourite parts of the creative process are hearing Dan's new songs for the first time, writing piano parts and editing those ad lib parts by other musicians. I like the spontaneous parts of the whole process and am not too keen at the monotonous parts.

The most challenging thing about this band is that we have such an intense collection of musical and artistic skills between us it's hard to be democratic and feel creative - there are lots of decisions to be agreed and sometimes one of us can't help trying to be autocratic. We've all got experience that counts and is to be respected, but sometimes we disagree and ego comes into make things tense. I think we all acknowledge that this type of tension can sometimes be the catalyst for extremely productive periods as a band.

It's been great encouraging Dan to lead us artistically. He has the final decision, but he's always so diplomatic and amiable about reaching agreement. At the beginning both Shane and I attempted to push the process along and Dan's was not always been confident of the results. However giving Dan the power as the leader means he is rightfully proud and confident to show people what we've made.