My favourite track i have ever produced.
Someone asked me earlier today what is my favourite song i have ever worked on, produced, mixed or been a part of. Get your tissues out because this one is going to be deep.
To me it's still this, Gonvena, a beautiful song and tribute to Dave Stewart's late mother, a piece of music truly so emotional that Dave had to truly brave recording it, with the entire first take of vocals one seamless unedited, uncut raw emotional take which still to this day sends shivers through my entire body.
I remember Dave had wrote the entire song on Clean Guitar/Acoustic and it was during a session which was back at my house and the rest of the lads nipped to the chippy with mine and Dave's order in tow. In the space of 20 minutes we managed to structure the rest of the song together musically and add rough drums and ambient sections, it was the first time i actually ever truly musically collaborated with Dave and i am so thankful he trusted me with the job of conveying this wholesome, loving tribute to the greatest woman in his life.
then with his vast an detailed knowledge of melody added beautiful harmonies under Dave's climatic last part of the track and incredible octave chords further adding that emotional weight to the moment the song gains dynamic traction.
tracked his screams for this in one single take, it was important to capture the rawness and energy in this song and he delivered Dave's message perfectly.
For Sam Gaines who is also my Ride Or Die, Best Mate and Brother this was the very last song added in the process, only added a week before recording, so the simplistic but powerful delivery was spot on and the most emotional part was him trusting me and letting me track the drums for the very last verse over the pattern " i am the puzzle with the missing piece" climatic double vocal from Dave and Andy. Sort of reversing the roles and him then engineering whilst i tracked that very small part. There is a beautiful phone photo Dan Wheeler captured of both of us looking at each other during this session and it really captures our dynamic perfectly, brothers who are more twin like and have been inseperable since birth.
I probably cried at least 3 times working on this song, i remember editing late at night and just feeling overwhelmed with emotion, such a weighty yet powerful song. Dave really poured his entire being into this song, his every drop of his Soul.
It brings me to the next point in this very lengthy rant and its that you should pay serious attention in songwriting to the Energy you are putting in, recording music is LITERALLY transducing real Kinetic energy into Electronic Energy. What you put in, is what comes out. Worry less about your music being perfect and being like everyone else and do what is in your heart.
If you have never heard this song before, please take 3 mins of your life to hear Dave's story and tribute. ( He will probably kill me for posting this but i fucking love you man and am so proud of you for having the bravery to put this out).
Peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcbYpeqyO90&fbclid=IwAR1vrtzc9SyxV7_-SJethcZy_elF9cqjAU2FjGD94-pCsgO7aP-OPRQIXSw