I always love to see artists cover songs from completely different genres. Usually with Western songs, the melody is preserved or slightly modified while the instrumentation is changed significantly.
Compare, for instance, the two versions of "When Doves Cry," the wildly successful single from Prince's film and album, Purple Rain. The first one is Prince's original version. The latter is a version by Ani DiFranco and Aimee Mann; they found a way to take a Prince song and transform it into a quirky folk pop song.
Next up in our series of interviews with real guitarists is Peter Katz, an award-winning Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, and artist in general. Check out an audio clip of his song "Taking on the World" below. Exemplary guitar work and songwriting, if I do say so myself.
In addition to writing his own original songs, Katz also writes songs for other artists. So we asked him:
In addition to writing and performing your own songs, you write songs for other artists. How does the creative process differ when writing songs for other projects as opposed to writing material for yourself?
His response:
Funnily enough, most of my writing for other artists is not really straightforward 'songwriting'. I tend to work with modern dancers, coming up with original 'soundtracks' for their work. It definitely gives me the freedom to move away from the guitar and my voice and really get creative with instrumentation and finding all kinds of different sounds. I also get into very heavy layering, sometimes having up to 50 different tracks running simultaneously, creating various soundscapes and such. What I like most about the whole process is the fact that unlike the very personal nature of my songwriting (where I'm really looking within), on other people's projects I am forced to look outside of myself and complement somebody else's inner-expression. It's almost a second-hand interpretation and the onus is not on me to come up with the 'soul' of the piece. The challenge is really to identify what I think is going on (in a general or specific way) and figure out how I can musically enhance it.
When I was asked to write music for a play a few years back, in that instance, I did have to write a song. Similarly to what I love about writing for dance, what I enjoyed about that particular experience was that I was given what the main inspiration for the song by an outside source. It was then up to me to figure out how I was going to go about coming up with an appropriate piece, what mood I felt it should take on, what perspective I should write from. The song that I wrote was called 'The Fence' and the whole piece was so important to me, I refused to force it out in any way. Once that little piece of the chorus spilled out of me, I just sat on it and played it every night for about 6 weeks. Every once in a while, I'd have a little breakthrough and a little more would come out. Eventually, I had a full song.
When I'm writing my own songs, it's much different. It's much more unsure, it's a lot more of a mystery and there's no guarantee it will ever be fully-realized or finished. When I actually get to the end of writing a song, I'm so relieved. Most of them die long before they ever get finished...and many die soon after they're completed. NO song actually feels ready though until I've played it live at least 10 times.
*****
For more on Peter Katz, visit his web site at www.peterkatz.org. And if you know of any other guitarists who could share their insight into the craft with us, shoot me an email at kmercury@gmail.com.
No Doubt's breakthrough album Tragic Kingdom, which sold over 15 million copies, was fueled by a number of hit singles -- perhaps the most memorable of which is "Don't Speak," a song about the romantic breakup of band members Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal. The guitar part of the song's intro and verse bears a striking resemblance to Aerosmith's legendary song "Dream On." Compare:
Dream On:
Don't Speak:
Check out the tablature and you'll see the similarities:
So there you have it. Another example of a classic rock song reinvented to great a wonderful new song aimed at a different audience.
We'll be back next time with more examples of reinvented songs as well as our ongoing series of interviews with professional songwriters and guitarists to shed more insight into the craft. ++
***
Know of a song that has been reinvented? Or a compelling guitarist and songwriter that we should interview? Shoot me an email to let me know.
For the reclusive singer/songwriter -- such as myself -- the process of marketing your work is an uncomfortable one at best. Of course, it is necessary, especially if you're looking to share your work with others.
That brings us to Scott Andrew, a man who, in addition to writing great acoustic melodies, is a savvy marketer of his tunes. Check out the clip from his song, "The Big Lie That Solves Everything."
Given his skill in marketing his music, we asked him:
You're an independent singer/songwriter with a few records and a good frequency of live appearances. What advice can you give guitarists just starting out with promotion regarding marketing their music?
He answered:
Seriously, the first thing anyone just starting out should do is sit down and write a one- or two-sentence description of what you sound like. Be as precise as you can. Potential fans, music journalists, club owners and booking agents want to know what you sound like in advance. Do not make us guess. Don't rely on our curiosity. Too many artists describe their music simply as "utterly original" or "we don't sound like anyone you've heard." This is a cop-out, overused and also untrue. A lot of artists are just afraid of being pigeonholed. Don't be one of them. If you honestly don't know what to call your sound, ask ten friends for their opinion.
Avoid generic labels. Don't just say "singer-songwriter." Are you an Ani DiFranco-style rocker with politically-charged songs? Are you quiet and breathy like Sufjan Stevens or Damien Rice? Don't be afraid to name-check your influences. If you love the Drive-By Truckers, say so. Likewise, if enough people tell you that your music reminds them of Big Star, go with it. Don't worry about driving people away who dislike your influences. Chances are they weren't going to dig your music anyway. Concentrate on reaching out to people who love the type of music you play.
Knowing what you sound like will inform everything you do in promoting your music: what venues you'll play, what papers will write about you, what promoters will work with you, etc. So don't misrepresent yourself by playing it safe. If you're the second coming of prog-rock, declare it proudly.
*** For more of Scott Andrew's music, visit his web site at www.scottandrew.com. And, if you know of a guitarist/songwriter who you think would be great for us to interview, please email me.
Next up in our interview with independent guitarists/songwriters is Scott Cooper, a native of Canada with two albums under his belt, and another on the way. Scott plays pop music -- no, not Britney Spears, but more like an infectious singer-songwriter, a la Elliott Smith.
Scott has a number of cover songs on his site, including this gem of a remake of the Ryan Adams song "In My Time of Need." Compare the two versions below:
Scott Cooper version:
Ryan Adams version:
For our interview series, I decided to ask Scott a question about cover songs. My question: You have a few cover songs you've recorded. How do songs you like inspire you to write new ones? Do you ever decide to use the same chord progression, or use modify a melody to work in a new song?
His response:
I like recording a cover here and there because it's a really fun exercise, and it helps me to get out of my head. I think so much about my own output and "What It All Means" when I'm writing new songs and doing demos etc. So taking a song that you've always loved and just letting 'er go, feels really natural to me. It always takes me back to a pure place where I just love playing music. It's not intellectualized, it's simple and real like jamming with a friend. Once I feel better, I really don't try to use anything from the tune other than to attempt re-creating those feelings on my own. There's this saying, "a good song is a good song" and I really love that. If you're inspired by a certain genre, you can always add that feel in later after it's written. If it's a good song, it'll work. But if you set out to ape something else, the music is forced and not coming from the right place. No, not Albuquerque! Your heart.
***
For more of Scott Cooper's music, visit his web site at scottcoopermusic.com. And, if you know of a compelling songwriter that we should interview, let me know.++
Next up in our blogumentary is Josh Woodward, an accomplished guitarist and songwriter with a catalog of over 70 songs, all of which are freely available from his site. Below is a clip of a song of his entitled "Cherry."
We spent some time with Josh to get his unique insight on songwriting and guitar playing.
On your site you list what guitars you use. What advice can you give about how to pick out a guitar that is right for you?
I'm personally lucky when it comes to choosing guitars - my father is a luthier, so I can have him build me one to my exact specifications. They reflect some of my quirks as a musician, for instance, the neck is flatter because I wrap my thumb around to play bass notes, and the top is thinner because I keep my guitar detuned by a full step.
While most people don't have the option for quite that level of customization, the same applies. Think about your specific needs, and try to find a guitar that fits them. There's no substitute for finding an instrument store with tons of guitars to play with. You'll know when you find the right one.
You play both six string and twelve string guitars. Is there really a difference between the two in terms of how difficult they are to play? Can a six string guitarist pick up a twelve string and make it work pretty much the same?
I remember the first time I picked up a twelve string, and was struck with how easy it was. It sounds hard because you have to fret twice as many strings, and the neck is wider, but if you're decent at the six string it should become second nature fairly quickly. One exception is finger-picking, which is a different animal, because you need to hit two strings at a time (although you can get interesting effects with one at a time).
You have a lot of experience in writing songs and playing live. What advice can you give regarding developing the discipline needed to make it happen?
With songwriting, nothing is better for motivation than just doing it. Last year, I had a project of writing and recording 40 songs in one year. It was a huge task, but it worked. And surprisingly, I still like almost all of the songs that came out of it. Just write, and write often. When you stumble upon that one-out-of-ten song that really clicks, put some more work into it.
As for playing live, if you've got the songs, the rest of it comes together. If you don't have any songs that you feel proud and excited about playing, it's better to go back to the drawing board and write some that do excite you. Once you have 'em, you'll be motivated to book gigs, and the audience will notice.
Developing an original sound and compositional style is one of the most personally meaningful and enlightening aspects about playing guitar. Once you have crafted a voice and figured out your personal style, you're a lot closer to becoming the best songwriter you can be, and probably a bit more mature as well.
A brief listen to Helen Avakian's music reflects that she is a songwriter who has taken the time to develop her own sound. Avakian draws on her diverse musical background, which includes formal training in classical music, to create her own unique voice. Below is our brief interview with her on her songwriting process.
Your songs tend to fuse together various genres of music to create a unique style. Can you describe what the songwriting process is like for you?
Songs sometime start as a lyrical phrase that comes to me when I am going about my daily life. I write down phrases I like in my current notebook. Other times I start with a musical idea, usually from just messing around on the guitar. Then I try to run with whatever is happening. It turns into a sort of mystery or puzzle I am working to solve. There is some playfulness and just writing whatever comes and also sitting around praying for some lines. Eventually hopefully I keep it going and finish a song I like. Sometimes I carry ideas for years. Once in a great while (generally when I am writing a lot) a song comes really fast. That is a great feeling!
Is it a conscious effort to create a sound with merged genres of music, or is that sort of a byproduct of your influences and unique style?
I think it is more a byproduct of taking what I love about other songs and styles I have heard and coming up with something that seems a bit original whenever possible.
You're trained in classical guitar playing. Do you think classical composition is a completely different skill than rock, folk, or pop composition? Do you ever benefit from your knowledge of classical music when writing your own songs?
I do not think classical composition is completely different from any other type of composing. Especially these days when everything from popular to classical to so-called ethnic styles are fusing in so much music. As for benefitting from my knowledge of classical music, I would say my years of classical and Flamenco guitar playing have given me an easy facility with guitar, particularly fingerstyle, which gives the accompaniment a certain flavor. I quoted a small section of a JS Bach lute piece in a song I wrote about a classical violinist once. I may do such things again. Also I put some instrumentals on my album along with the songs.
You mention on your site that you get a lot of inspiration for lyrics from books. Do lyrics often come to you first when writing a song?
Once in a while lyrics come first, as I stated earlier. I try to start with lyrics when I can, because I find it much easier to structure music around lyrics than the other way around. I am working on a song now that I made up a few years ago. I love it musically, but I am finding it a big challenge to find the right lyrics for it. On my CD one song, "Drifting Days," which came from reading a book by a political prisoner called Life in Death in Shanghai was completely written before I put music to it. It took a while for me to find the point of view for the song, but once I found it, I was able to get the music done pretty much immediately. Another song inspired by poet Audre Lorde's autobiography was music first, then words. Whatever works!
Or at what point are you ready to put down some lyrics?
I sometimes write several different takes of the same song, and pick which direction I like best. If the music comes first I just sing whatever comes out of my mouth (first making sure no one is around to hear). Then if something grabs me I write it down and take it from there.
For more information on Helen Avakian and her music, visit her web site at www.helenavakian.com.
Next up in our online "blogumentary" -- this blog's exploration of the craft of songwriting and guitar playing -- is Darren Poyzer, a solo singer/songwriter based out of the UK. Darren, who has been playing original music since 1986, has three full length CDs and a concert DVD under his belt. You can visit his site at www.poyzer.com.
Below is a clip of one of Darren's songs, "Eye of the Hurricane."
Darren's been through some tough times in his life, as many of his songs based on his experiences can attest. So we asked him:
You mentioned on your site that you've been through some tough times, both financially and psychologically. Do you think that's sort of related to your songwriting talent? How have those experiences impacted your songwriting, if at all?
His answer:
My first desire to write came when I was 18, and as life goes, I was traveling home from The Falklands War of 1982. How I came to get involved with that is another story, however there I was, rather distressed by the whole conflict thing, and screaming on the inside.
Having been pushed into music a child, I backed off at first from musical instruments. I went through school as the class joker, putting a smile and a silly act on to get over a number of family tragedies. When my childhood innocence was replaced by the sensibility of adulthood, more or less overnight in 1982, I caught the urge to write poetry with a message, and to express anger and relieve pain through creativity.
Then having moved some 3-4 years later into poetry performance, I realised that music performance was a more powerful way to express emotion, and present a piece of theatre for an audience to become attracted to. I therefore picked up the guitar and taught myself the basic chords, putting a few words to them along the way, and eventually taking on a small audience for the first time in 1986.
It’s through live performance, helped by a good dose of confidence and desire, that I now share some of my most personal experiences with my audiences as a songwriter. Not all; there are some things I remain very uncomfortable with, and I need to keep those to myself, at least for the time being.
And I must say that a Poyzer show is far from depressing or dull. Indeed, I work hard to ensure it is an uplifiting experience. It is through the sharing of human emotions that I open doors with my audiences, through which we share a varied batch of songs, a few laughs, a deep thought or two, the tickling of a memory, and I hope, a good time all round.
Have my experiences impacted my songwriting? Yes. They are my songwriting. They are my very soul, my fingerprint …
If you have a songwriter you think would be great for the ActoGuitar "Blogumentary" on guitar playing and songwriting, please let me know.
