In former ages artists understood that their work of art’s effectiveness was significantly enhanced if audiences were kept in the dark as to the process of its creation, not unlike magicians, who refuse to explain to the audience how they made the bunny disappear from the hat.

People who have no talent for music are rather quick to assign the term ‘genius’ to anyone who does, both from a pagan compulsion to idolatry and also as a means of assuaging a sense of inferiority: viewing a talent as a gift from God, and the artist, by extension, as a divine being, enables one to reflect: “With someone so blessed, I do not need to compete.” People who do not understand the creative process generally assume that it cannot be understood. They find it magical, and use terms like divine inspiration. (more…)

In the early days, when making a record, record companies relied on the concerted efforts of trained artists.

Regardless of whether you were hired as a musician, singer, songwriter, lyricist, arranger or recording engineer, you had in all likelihood studied your craft in university and were familiar with its conventions and rules: even composers of mere jingles and sync tunes had studied Bach and Mozart; lyricists had studied English literature. The orchestras involved in the recording of a Frank Sinatra record were as a rule made up of such virtuoso musicians that not more than three takes of any given song were usually required. Sinatra himself always felt that if he did not get it in three, there was little chance of him getting it at all that day. (more…)

To say it again: RIDING HIGH is a mainstream album, RIDING HOOD a mainstream band: we are generally described as “Blondie for a new generation” or “sexually depraved Avril Lavigne”. (Check the ‘Ransom’ video.)

However, while we have a sound and songs to rival major label releases for universal appeal, only two people: Rhiannon and I, were involved in the writing, arranging, recording and mixing of RIDING HIGH. Apart from the initial outlay mentioned above, it cost us only time to produce it. Since we recorded it in our own studio (a laptop in a living room,) we own the recordings (a rare feat.) The album went from my laptop to a mastering studio, and from there, straight onto the web, released through our own label, WOLF WHISTLE RECORDS.

We are an independent, mainstream band.

Music business will increasingly be conducted in this way, but things used to be different…

A year and a half ago, Rhiannon and I spent 600 pounds on an audio recording software package, and set out to record, on my laptop, the first fully independent, mainstream rock/pop album. This record, our band RIDINGHOOD’s debut album RIDING HIGH is now available online. (more…)