2+2=5

Today, something quite exciting is happening. I'm taking part in my first collaboration for (counting...) at least eleven years...

A fellow songwriting friend is coming over at 1pm this afternoon. We've long spent coffee and lunch breaks talking about our ongoing writing & recording; excitedly discussing our weekend's work, consoling each other when we've hit creative brick walls; offering technical & creative solutions; challenging the other's (mis)conceptions about what could and should be done within a particular track, lyrically, orchestrally, technically, etc... We've swapped CDs on a Monday morning, desperate to hear something fresh, something new, something other than the track we've spent the weekend alone with; but falling back in love with our own work all over again, when we see the look on someone else's face when they hear it...for the first time...

Anyway, after months of talking about it, we're finally writing & recording something new together. We've talked about it for so long, but always in loose words, as a nebulous idea. would we start with one of 'his' tracks? One of mine? Something new? But then, would we both feel pressure?

It's not 'just' sitting down to create with someone else. It's not just someone else seeing you as you 'really' are; in your truest habitat; it's allowing someone all access, all trust, all influence in that place; while you are going through the process. Together.

Talk about terrifying and exciting.

We finally decided to do this, i think, partly because we both seem to have fallen into a period of creating and playing with loops. We've both been listening to lots more cinematic music than usual. (And anyway, i've long been a sucker for strings n' beats, as anyone who knows me knows.) We've both recently 'discovered' bands like Sigur Ros. And we both want to push our personal envelopes and rid ourselves of our personal comfort zones.

We both crave escape from our self imposed Little Empires...

So. The deal was that during the week just passed, we'd both start. I'd start creating loops and ideas within a 70bpm, Em framework. Nick has been working in a 140bpm, Dm set up. In about 2hrs, he'll knock on my door, with a CD of his loops in his pocket. We'll sit down, import them into my existing project and start piecing it all together...

Then, we'll fire up all the toys. The Alesis SR-16 drum machine; the Jen SX1000 synthtone, an ancient, wooden-framed 70's beast (which i'm convinced was the only machine used to soundtrack every episode of Dr Who - ever), and many more... Also joining the party, will be various guitars, basses, percussion instruments and probably some abstract vocal noises.

Oh, and an electric razor. (trust me - better than an e-bow on an electric guitar!)

And then, maybe, after hours of tinkering, laughter and noise; we might potter out of the proverbial shed with something quite interesting...

Whatever happens, I'm going to have a seriously fun afternoon. I hope you do, too!