Hello
Leading up to the release of my 9th solo album Wonky on 20th March I thought it might be a nice idea to blog about the 10 songs on the album.
I used to think it wasn't a cool thing to tell everybody what a song was about, songs have lots of different meanings to different people so why should I spoil it?
I remember lots of people writing to me about a song on the Slowly Slowly Catchee Monkey album and each person felt that the song was about them and each person had a slightly different take to everyone else, I thought that was kinda cool in itself.
Leading up to the release of my 9th solo album Wonky on 20th March I thought it might be a nice idea to blog about the 10 songs on the album.
I used to think it wasn't a cool thing to tell everybody what a song was about, songs have lots of different meanings to different people so why should I spoil it?
I remember lots of people writing to me about a song on the Slowly Slowly Catchee Monkey album and each person felt that the song was about them and each person had a slightly different take to everyone else, I thought that was kinda cool in itself.
I've always felt that the songs you release out into the world don't really belong to you any more once people start hearing them and liking them, sure I get the royalties and the sales but for me it's always been about much more than just those things - it's always been about being creative as a requirement of life and then sharing and connecting with others.
Once someone is smitten with one of your songs it belongs to them, it lives within their life and (if it's a really good one) it will remain their's, it may represent a point in their lives or it may illicit an emotion, it may enhance a journey somewhere or it may just even make them do silly dances in the kitchen when they hear it.
Once someone is smitten with one of your songs it belongs to them, it lives within their life and (if it's a really good one) it will remain their's, it may represent a point in their lives or it may illicit an emotion, it may enhance a journey somewhere or it may just even make them do silly dances in the kitchen when they hear it.
So what do I write about if not the subject of the song? Well dear reader I am going to write about where I was in myself when I wrote the song, some of the background things that were happening in my life, things I don't normally share very much - The rest is up to you to work out.
When I play live and talk about where the songs came from I have had nothing but positive feedback but it's a different thing putting it on a page (on an internet!) so this will interesting - eek!
When I play live and talk about where the songs came from I have had nothing but positive feedback but it's a different thing putting it on a page (on an internet!) so this will interesting - eek!
The last couple of years have been massive years for me for lots of differing reasons, so by writing about songs I worry it might spoil any mystique it may have? That is possible but I'm going to try and you out there in the world can tell me - stop now Johnno and shut the fLIP up! Or keep going Johnno, it's all good!
Some of the songs subject matter will be obvious any way as soon as I start to sing.
Some of the songs subject matter will be obvious any way as soon as I start to sing.
Track 1 - Wondering
This was the first song to be sketched and demo'd and the last one to be completed.
This was the first song to be sketched and demo'd and the last one to be completed.
I had a bout of depression, blew up out of nowhere and normally I can shake it off within a few days but this one bit down hard.
Most of the time I keep an invisible list of the medical conditions I suffer from, I log the condition, it's affects and it's associated medication and I file the list in the very back of my mind, respect it yet ignore it and carry on - making the best of each day and finding and enjoying the short wonderful bursts of loveliness that life has to offer.
There is always light - you just have to find out where it is sometimes, I hope I've conveyed that sense of optimism that is hard to find but reachable in darker moments.
This low wasn't ready to shift easily though so apart from doing the essential healers that are - getting out of the house, being in nature and being with people in a positive way - I did one other thing that really helps me escape to a good place, I picked up my guitar and I sang!
Most of the time I keep an invisible list of the medical conditions I suffer from, I log the condition, it's affects and it's associated medication and I file the list in the very back of my mind, respect it yet ignore it and carry on - making the best of each day and finding and enjoying the short wonderful bursts of loveliness that life has to offer.
There is always light - you just have to find out where it is sometimes, I hope I've conveyed that sense of optimism that is hard to find but reachable in darker moments.
This low wasn't ready to shift easily though so apart from doing the essential healers that are - getting out of the house, being in nature and being with people in a positive way - I did one other thing that really helps me escape to a good place, I picked up my guitar and I sang!
Now, for me I record everything from the get go because the best ideas are almost always the first ideas, I lay down the mobile, click voice memos, press record and I improvise! And that's exactly what I did with Wondering.
I often don't write down words first, I might have a loose chord progression and sometimes I might even have a song title as a guide but other than that I've found that it's best to just sing about what's on my mind or what fly's into your mind and see what happens.
I can't read music, I know some chord shapes and for the rest I just trust my ears to guide me (more of that later).
With Wondering I just went on an improvised flow of consciousness (I admit, I had to look up how to spell that word).
I often don't write down words first, I might have a loose chord progression and sometimes I might even have a song title as a guide but other than that I've found that it's best to just sing about what's on my mind or what fly's into your mind and see what happens.
I can't read music, I know some chord shapes and for the rest I just trust my ears to guide me (more of that later).
With Wondering I just went on an improvised flow of consciousness (I admit, I had to look up how to spell that word).
I find it funny and it makes me have some belief in myself that a number of the improvised lines I first come up with made it all the way to a record. I just listened to the original demo of Wondering and about 70% of those first improvised words made it to the record - moods, feelings and emotions hold such power.
Plus, I never question how and why ideas float into my brain as if from thin air or why the best ideas (and in turn the best songs) always arrive almost fully formed and oven baked within 20 minutes....it's witchcraft I tell thee!
Plus, I never question how and why ideas float into my brain as if from thin air or why the best ideas (and in turn the best songs) always arrive almost fully formed and oven baked within 20 minutes....it's witchcraft I tell thee!
To begin with I wasn't sure this song was going to be on the album.
Through late 2018 and into 2019 I had recorded another set of songs that were meant to be the next album but I shelved them as I felt they just weren't good enough, this wasn't one of those songs.
I thought it was a good song but I left it for a while after completion as you need time away from your recordings to appreciate them.
I put it on again after a break and I thought Oo Hello you dark brooding beast! (or words to that effect).
And when Luke Barwell started the mastering of the album and spoke in high terms of this song and then my wife did too so I felt encouraged that I had something special here, hey, even big guys have crisis of confidence and self belief!
What was at one point just a possible album track became the first single from Wonky.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you - Wondering
I hope you like what you hear, do keep in touch on the socials too, thanks
Through late 2018 and into 2019 I had recorded another set of songs that were meant to be the next album but I shelved them as I felt they just weren't good enough, this wasn't one of those songs.
I thought it was a good song but I left it for a while after completion as you need time away from your recordings to appreciate them.
I put it on again after a break and I thought Oo Hello you dark brooding beast! (or words to that effect).
And when Luke Barwell started the mastering of the album and spoke in high terms of this song and then my wife did too so I felt encouraged that I had something special here, hey, even big guys have crisis of confidence and self belief!
What was at one point just a possible album track became the first single from Wonky.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you - Wondering
I hope you like what you hear, do keep in touch on the socials too, thanks
Track 2 - Down The Swanny
This track was written around the same time as the other tracks on the album, I just finished it quicker.
I put it out as an early teaser for the album and it featured on the BBC Introducing Mixtape in July 2019, thanks Tom Robinson.
This track was written around the same time as the other tracks on the album, I just finished it quicker.
I put it out as an early teaser for the album and it featured on the BBC Introducing Mixtape in July 2019, thanks Tom Robinson.
Looking back I was obviously over confident that I'd have the time to get the rest of the album done and in the bag in the next few weeks - should of realised that life is way too full of content to do that, ah ever the optimist. But no, instead of having all tracks in the bag beforehand I went renegade, I went DIY and pushed it out as soon as it was done. No regrets though, it set a new #Wonky path and anyway - regrets - nah, not here!
What this song is about is in your own reading of it, to some it's self explanatory and to others they have their own take - I like it that way. People should decode songs to their own world view, their own emotional connection.
And I hope this doesn't spoil that for you, if it might - look away now.
What this song is about is in your own reading of it, to some it's self explanatory and to others they have their own take - I like it that way. People should decode songs to their own world view, their own emotional connection.
And I hope this doesn't spoil that for you, if it might - look away now.
It was shaped by two things, me getting hold of a software called Trilian total bass and using the software to create a tasty bass groove - a number of people have said to me they love my bass playing on this track, which pleased me because I played it via a keyboard (you will find real bass playing elsewhere on the album though bass playing lovers), and the other thing was just me venting about the state of the people of our country at a given point in time.
Everywhere I went at the time - on the streets or on the socials - there was a real sense of doom hanging in the air, an edgy feeling, people were being tribal in a new way, they picked a side and dug in for the long haul, screaming at each other on the socials, going on (and on and on and on) about politics - even the supposedly joyous people seemed angry, it was all gritted teeth and red eyed thousand yard stares.
The B word was at it's height, dominating not only the daily, hourly news cycle but making people who were once friends go at each other in a way I hadn't seen before (and I lived through the 80's).
The thing that saddened me was how the nations handling of change had brought to the surface so much pain, dislike and distrust of each other - whatever side of the political debate you were on.
I mean, I knew there were differences and that we didn't live in a utopia here in the UK but bloody hell!
The B word was at it's height, dominating not only the daily, hourly news cycle but making people who were once friends go at each other in a way I hadn't seen before (and I lived through the 80's).
The thing that saddened me was how the nations handling of change had brought to the surface so much pain, dislike and distrust of each other - whatever side of the political debate you were on.
I mean, I knew there were differences and that we didn't live in a utopia here in the UK but bloody hell!
My commitment during this great time of change that we are still in is to choose kindness wherever possible and do as much good in my community as I possibly can, kindness costs nothing and feel good and everyday life is where we can find it and if not - introduce it.
Anyway, what a bass line though!
Anyway, what a bass line though!
Snippet Johnno