In the Darkest...
...of your furthest reaches, there's no light...
Ending the second week of our two week writing sojourn before heading back into the studio. Due to scheduling commitments with our producer Brian Virtue (Gummo), we are going in on the 14th instead of this Monday the 7th. One more week to finish the new song ideas, and who knows... maybe something else will come.
Another song idea arrived yesterday, so this brings us to 3 new songs. With next week now open, we can spend more time and get these new musical offspring up and walking. With so much music around us currently, the task is now on me to rotate the satellite dish skyward and wait for what comes down. I plan on taking some of my "lyric walks" and seeing what comes of them. At the moment, not many lyrics are coming. These lyric walks involve me picking a location, and taking my sketchbook and iPod and wandering around with no goal in mind and losing myself a bit. This relatively new technique has been really useful with all the work on this record. I've explained this before, but I have found that sitting at home with pen in hand makes nothing but ... motionless ideas. I have been tricking my creative Channel by listening to the music while out in the world, and not specifically focusing on it. Then, the ideas seem to show themselves to me. I have learned a lot about the "Channel" recently, that you can't impatiently force it to appear, ...but also can't just sit around and wait for it, either. I am finding that it's a bit like achieving a state of readiness, respect and humility, and then "it" comes.
The 3 new songs are "Blue Bruises", "Was it Worth All This", and the new one, "Churn". "Churn" isn't the actual title, it's a codename-type title. With all these song ideas, I have been having to give a song idea a handle right away, so I can differentiate it. Since I record mp3's of a few different versions of an idea as we work on it day by day, it's become vital to have these code names.
The rain has stopped here in Los Angeles. People were complaining too much and it decided to leave us. I realized during this storm that I might at some time in the future need to move somewhere where it rains more. I thoroughly enjoyed the rainstorms this year. I came to see them like how I view my lyric walks: as creative inspiration "events" to try and enjoy.
I sure wish it would rain again.
Been listening to the new record from The Mars Volta, "Frances the Mute" non stop since it came out. Tuesday night I stayed up and listened to it alone in my room. Last night, the same. It's playing right now as well. I think it's a wondrous, fantastic work. Of course it's a bit difficult of a piece to get into I suppose, but who cares? It's magical. I gave a copy to a friend of mine whose opinion of music I respect greatly, and he said: "It's the most impressive horrible record I've ever heard", and "this is what I imagine hell sounding like". Well, you can't win them all. I'm actually a bit surprised that I like it so much, as I tend to gravitate toward more songwriter-focused music. I think what appeals to me is the melodic sense. A strong melodic component is the common denominator to all music I truly love (and why I can't stand Rap and most Hip-Hop), and "Frances" definitely has that in spades. This has been my introduction to the Mars Volta, and now I am set on getting "Deloused in the Comatorium" and the EP, and learning as much as I can about them. When "Deloused" came out I was in a dead space where I didn't want to hear any band music, or Rock specifically because I was kind of crushed about the whole Skycycle thing, and band music made me sad.
We rehearse tomorrow, then on Saturday, Dave and I are going to do an acoustic version of "Outsider" live on his Camp Freddy radio show.
Aha!!! I just turned down the music for a moment and heard the white noise of weather on the roof...
IT'S RAINING!!!!!
Comments
Hey Steve,
I think its great that you can express how you find a creative headspace. I've struggled lots in the past finding a place or state of mind where creativity flows...more specifically when composing (mostly on guitar). It seems I'm either in a state where I've got so many ideas I can't focus, or not enough ideas and feel barren ;) Anyways, walks are good, pods are good. I read this article the other day about a savant who could actually describe how he calculates massive numbers - the scientists are fascinated by him because he can vocalise how he sees patterns, colours, shapes in his head, and they turn into numbers...very cool.
Keep writing dude, I can't wait to hear your band.
Posted by: Simon | March 4, 2005 06:32 AM
Wow, Steve,
Such interesting insight into the creative process. I am reading this book called Flow (by Csikszentmihalyi) that gets into 30+ years of research on accessing that state. Very cool stuff. Anyway, glad that you find yourself developing more strategies, as the sleepless state is only one of many (in my opinion).
Can't wait to hear the music on Saturday's CFR!
Take care,
Jennifer
Posted by: Jennifer | March 4, 2005 06:42 AM
Another insightful blog, its great to actually take each step of the process with your thoughts being captured and fanbase right at your side(or heels :-)
What time would I have to Log in the UK to catch the CFR show this saturday evening?
If anytime soon FTM leaves your sound system, I would definately reccomend a copy of either a)Amused to Death
or b)Radio KAOS by Roger Waters(Amazing rainy weather records).
The song Sunset Strip always gives me a feeling that I need to get my shit together and move out to LA.(I'd like to be home with my monkey and my dog)
Keep up the good work, TPC is globalizing, can't wait til you guys fully spread your wings.
Be Safe Be Happy
Tonto
Posted by: Tonto1% | March 4, 2005 07:29 AM
B/T/W Nice photograph there, wait a second that is my countrys future King, Shite, now more than ever I feel the need to relocate to LA, I can feel K.A.O.S coming on!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Tonto1% | March 4, 2005 07:33 AM
Steve, if you love the rain, you should come to the UK - there's plenty of it here!!
Posted by: Ben | March 4, 2005 08:10 AM
Steve, on the subject of singer/songwriter albums, have you ever heard any of John Frusciante's recent solo albums? They have been amazing creations. My fave has been the last one "Curtains".
Posted by: Ben | March 4, 2005 08:13 AM
Thanks for the update Steve...it's raining here too...enjoy your beautiful day! :D
Posted by: Cori | March 4, 2005 08:46 AM
Hey Ben, My fave has to be either To record only water or Niandra La Des.... Hauntingly Beautiful
On the subject of rain, I live in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales the rain capital of the UK :-(
Posted by: TONTO1% | March 4, 2005 08:48 AM
All John's albums have so much passion in them. TROWFTD was a cool album too. I would say i'm more of a fan of the stuff he did from "To Record..." onwards. I followed him from Niandra. I can't wait to hear what he and the rest of RHCP have been up to!
Posted by: Ben | March 4, 2005 08:55 AM
hey steve...haven't posted in awhile but hope you're well. i saw the mars volta live on the chili peppers' last tour....MV and QOTSA opened for their By The Way US tour. they're really great but rhcp fans were pissy and people were booing the mars volta...so later on, flea bitched everyone out. good times! (and this was in nyc)
peace
ellen
Posted by: ellen | March 4, 2005 09:58 AM
I love the rain, too -- but enough of it for awhile. Let's get back to idealic SoCal weather. I'm sure you'll produce either way...
Posted by: MIke | March 4, 2005 12:02 PM
Steve, if you want rain, then come to Cleveland.
it's like the 18th cloudiest place on the planet. It rains all the time. And just look at the list of people inspired to be musicians by the area...
Maynard James Keenan (Ravenna)
Trent Reznor (Cleveland)
Scott Weiland (Shaker Heights)
Marilyn Manson (Akron)
Richard Patrick (Cleveland)
Seriously, the rain makes musicians crazy and artistic here. lol
Posted by: Six7Six7 | March 4, 2005 04:28 PM
Steve, have you guys considered this dual-disc CD-DVD double-side format thing as an idea for TPC? Could make use of all the multimedia things surrounding the web site, etc.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=769&ncid=762&e=7&u=/nm/20050304/music_nm/music_dualdisc_dc
Posted by: Mike | March 4, 2005 08:43 PM
Steve, you mentioned vocal "doubling" a couple of times before. Is the best way to do that to just lay an identical recording over the other? With no modifications.
Posted by: Mike | March 5, 2005 10:34 AM
Good job on CF tonight, man! Sounded good. Must've been nerve-wracking...
Posted by: Mike | March 5, 2005 07:11 PM
Steve,
Beautiful rendition of "Outsider" tonight. It doesn't matter if you are screaming or crooning, you have a lot of emotion and passion in your voice, and it shows! Keep up the solid work, and the Best of the Best you and Riss.
Cheers,
Mike C. (FLA)
Posted by: Mike | March 5, 2005 10:40 PM
"In the Darkness...
...of your furthest reaches, there's no light..."
is it just me or does that seem a little redundant? Doesn't darkness mean that there's very little or no light?
Anywho, great job on Camp Freddy Radio, Steve! I was singing along right with ya. :)
Great choice with The Widow! Since I don't have the album yet I turn on the radio just to hear it. LOVE it.
Posted by: mortisha8 | March 5, 2005 11:37 PM
Loved the acoustic version of Outsider on CFR last night. Just had a second listen on Panic Channel radio, it's really beautiful.
Hope you stop by Indie more often!
Posted by: Caffeinated Sue | March 6, 2005 06:44 PM
The song you & Dave performed last Saturday on CFR was the most amazing song I've heard in ages. Your vocals are incredible. I can't wait to hear the whole CD when it's released.
Posted by: Beverly | March 6, 2005 10:30 PM
OK, bought the Mars Volta album. Hope it's as good as everyone's been syaing...
Posted by: Mike | March 6, 2005 11:21 PM
Mornin'
C'mon son! You know where you can find the rain...although actually it's just bloody cold here at the mo!
As For FTM: I took the advice given by all these lovelies and got it on Saturday...played it a few times, but not yet with no distractions...off to digest it properly with quiet empty house...
Peace to all
RP
x
Posted by: RecklessPrincess | March 7, 2005 05:21 AM
OK...so the pic's got me perplexed...
Posted by: RecklessPrincess | March 7, 2005 05:22 AM
Steve,
You rocked on CFR, hope you drop in more often!
Posted by: Junebug | March 7, 2005 08:11 AM
I am completely blown away by FTM. It is truly incredible! Steve, have you heard the Shins' cd "Chutes Too Narrow"? If not, you should definitely check it out. Also, another great cd that I just got turned on to is "Out of the Shadow" by Rogue Wave. They are on Sub Pop and remind me of both the Shins and Elliott Smith. You will not be disappointed.
Posted by: Eric | March 7, 2005 04:17 PM