1. Hi The Song Doctor, this is inevitable but what do you specialize in? Can you cure a broken heart?
I specialize in MELODY I think – my first aim with a song is to make it so that people will want to sing along. That sounds a bit happy-family-gathered-around-an-open-fire but I mean it in the sense that if you heard it on the radio, it should get under your skin pretty quickly and have you singing or whistling at work. On that first level it doesn’t matter what the song is about. The next level is if the lyrics carry a meaning (and they don’t always), then the fact that you have been hooked in by the tune will have you learning the words….and perhaps exploring their meaning.
Finally, if the first two do their job, then the performance will be aiming towards connecting with and touching the listener in some way. So many people go through their lives with experiences and situations that they share with others without realising it – and to hear a song dealing with your own situation in an empathetic way can be very moving…right? We’ve all been there I’m sure.
This may sound a bit calculated, but it’s really just a kind of mission statement; I like to think that the songwriting decisions I make are more instinctive than fabricated. Mostly, if it touches something in me, then it’s in. If it doesn’t, then it will probably not make the final song….or perhaps the whole song idea will be put aside for recycling.
Can I cure a broken heart? Good question! My ‘Song Doctor’ name originally came when I was trying to think of something interesting to call my myspace page. It occurred to me that I was already helping others ‘fix’ their music, so it was more of a ‘healer OF music’ rather than a ‘healer WITH music’. I wanted to help people bring their basically good tunes to life with a little tinkering. I must admit I hadn’t looked at it in the way you ask it here…but now you mention it – yes of course I can! Music is something we all turn to when we are down. To have someone singing about similar feelings and experiences can be cathartic, and I remember when my heart was last broken (a long time ago!) playing songs like ‘Without you’ – the Nilsson version of course – over and over and over and crying along with it….until I was better! It works. And then you can put some happy music on again to uplift you.
So roll up folks – just £5 in the Song Doctor can save a life…..
2. How did your musical path begin?
I have to be honest, it was a really long time ago. I know it’s not cool to be my age in a young business, but a lot of folk behind the scenes are NOT spring chickens, and I am not specially trying to be this year’s thing, so although I am risking having investments drop when people realise I am not 23 and sporting flowing golden hair and a sixpack, I’ll
answer this honestly!
I grew up discovering bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Yes, Genesis, Deep Purple and many others. I had been listening to The Beatles (whom I loved) but I think my big ‘turning point’ was a friend coming round with the first Led Zep album and putting it on my record player. It just blew my socks off and there was no turning back. I do feel my generation had it SO good. Even if a lot of the music sounds strange and dated now, there was so much innovation, so many new sounds being experimented with, that it was such an exciting time. I really believe music has almost run out of ideas now – at least in terms of coming up with a sound that is not only packed with a WOW factor, but also commercially viable. Very few bands come along now that you could say have a chance of gaining the status of acts like the ones mentioned above – and also having the longevity of career to still be around 30 or 40 years later. And it’s not their fault…it’s just all been done. Sorry if that sounds a bit negative – I am always hoping to come across someone that can still blow me away!
On the back of discovering these amazing bands, I met a guitarist who wanted to form a band; I didn’t play an instrument but said I would play either bass or drums – whichever one we found to join us, I would learn the other! We found a bassist, so I started my musical career, in 1972, by buying a drum kit and playing along with Free’s ‘Alright now’ over and over again until I could play that infectious drum beat. We didn’t really become a band for a while, but when we did, somehow I became one of the main songwriters, from behind my drums….I had started twiddling with a guitar by then and was more motivated than the others I guess.
A few recordings have made it through the technological changes from the late 70s; I am going to be brave and allow any of you who want to fully research their investment to go and have a listen to the early works of a songwriter…. www.myspace.com/stonecatmoving shows (I think) the identity crisis already developing; two songs that are pretty much pop tunes, and two that are ‘Epics’ that were heavily influenced by bands like Yes, Genesis and Kansas. However, perhaps you will also hear the ‘tunes’ poking their heads out too, even in the strange rock indulgences! At least if I do this now, it won’t matter if the tabloids discover it later…
So this is where it all began. The first recordings (remember it wasn’t so easy in those days to record music.) of any note that show my songwriting roots. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s quite fun hearing it again!
Later I started listening to a lot more pop and soul along with all the rock, and that’s when I started to realise that tunes and hooks were what really turned me on – it didn’t matter what the style of music was, if there was one chord change that wrenched my gut, or one line that made me cry.
3. You are in a way unique as far as Slicethepie artist go, you are a songwriter and if you reach financing you will record the album using your songwriting skills and with the help on performance from various higher-profile artists. What are in your opinion the benefits of this, taken aside the fact that this way is more likely to satisfy wider audiences?
I will be honest yet again. I am not sure! I have explained elsewhere on the STP forum that I found myself in a showcase by accident having initially just put the tracks up for a bit of feedback to help me in my decision-making. It then became necessary to explain that I was not ‘the artist’ in the traditional sense, and find a way to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that was presented to me. It depends really if you are investing for personal gain, to support ‘new’ talent or just because you like the tunes you hear on someone’s profile and would like an album for a fiver.
In truth, I have felt a bit uneasy being here in the company of some genuinely excellent artists, but now I am here I have to add value and give myself a chance of raising the funds. Just because I am a bit older and not a gigging band doesn’t mean it means any less to me. In many ways, it means MORE. I have pretty much blown out any career/pensions/other sensible things…the kind of things most people of my age are worrying about, in favour of pursuing something that has been my ‘dream’ for 30-odd years. It’s not so much that I WANT it badly. It’s that it is something that burns inside and won’t let me go. I am not really happy unless I am working towards some part of my musical career. I don’t function properly. I get grumpy. I HAVE to do it. So if you are investing in dedication, or in someone that deserves a shot – go for me.
Back to the ‘benefits’ of my project: if you’re just investing £5 – you have nothing to lose. If you are considering more, then I think you have to come on my ‘journey’ with me. Share my ambitions, help me record an album that will be packed with hooky songs that will either have the potential of being hits in their own right, or that may be taken on by others to make money for you and me in other markets. I don’t wish to compete as such with the other great acts here, but if you are weighing up where to put your money, then what I offer that the others do not is that they are tied to one format – themselves. With me, you are buying into the songs, each of them with their own passport to travel anywhere and make a success of themselves!
4. Which artists have you worked with so far, anyone that stands out? Is there a certain artist that was a special joy to work with?
Well, I haven’t worked with anyone you would have heard of…yet! One part of my work is in ‘discovering’ singers and musicians and helping them get to the next level, whatever that may be. I love collaborating, there is so much energy generated in a good songwriting session. Members of bands will know this all too well, whereas solo acts may find (like I often do) that writing a song on your own is frustrating and lonely.
I have a few current favourites based on their talent; these guys will come out of the woodwork in the coming months, and may well be strong contenders to feature on my album. I am not showing them off right now as the music is not finished/recorded/ready. The moment will come!
As for a ‘special joy’ to work with, that would have to be the young lady whose voice features on my STP track ‘’The One’. She goes by the name of Kristy Rhode and does session work for around $60 US per song. At the time she recorded the song for me, that was just over 30 quid! The backing tracks had been prepared, and she breezed into the studio on a Friday morning, on the phone to a client (her day job is as a real-estate agent), closed the deal on a house, and then just stepped up to the mic and worked her butt off on my song. So professional, yet also so committed to the song – watching her sing was like a masterclass in immersing yourself in a tune. I took some video footage and show it to any singer I think needs a kick in the pants. She blew away my tune and a couple of others, popped her coat back on and went back to selling houses. Brilliant!
5. You say that your tracks are easy to imagine being played as opening songs of romantic movies. Lets get some imagination into this; pick up a few of your tracks and a few movies that you feel they would work with (you can also explain why).
Now you’re scaring me! I don’t really know movies that well. My main reference made to working in movies is with regard to the song ‘Here it is again’. It’s a light, airy tune about that old concept of ‘I’ll never fall in love again’ and then being totally helpless as it blindsides you when you are least expecting it. This was a bit of a random song for me – I was sent the lyrics by a friend and they made me play chords in a way I don’t normally play – it wasn’t very ‘me’. Yet this song came out from somewhere. My own acoustic guitar and voice demo got a lot of praise from other songwriting buddies, so it was a favourite to be recorded when I went to Nashville in December 07. The band’s interpretation of it was quite Latin in feel, which took it even further from my own comfort zone, and then we topped it off with a country singer doing the vocal at the last minute, replacing the original choice of…me!
But listen to the song. Now imagine a typical romantic comedy starting off – the opening credits are rolling and our two unsuspecting stars are hurrying through an airport, on a collision course for each other. There are a few near misses as they barge through the crowds to catch their flights….until finally they crash into each other and baggage spills all over the floor. The chorus ‘Here it is again…’ starts as they look up and their eyes meet. Yuk, slushy I know…but that’s what I imagine when I play this song. I can see it in that type of scenario.
‘The One’ was actually written as a sort of personal challenge to write something similar to the song sung by the winner on shows like American Idol. The message in there is clear, about belief and support. This tune could easily feature in a movie based on a similar contest, or a sporting event…something like that. They do get made now and again, and although they maybe a little crass at times, they do need music and they tend to be popular. And popular means sales!!
6. You have a lot of material already done and on the way, where do you get the ideas from?
If I am writing lyrics, I usually take a phrase I like and try to develop that into a song/story. If I hear a phrase that seems like it would make a good song, I make a note of it for future reference. Then I raid my notebook when I am in full flow!
If I am sent lyrics by someone else, the music will come by messing on the guitar until something fits with the mood of the words. Or (more often!) not.
Other times, I may just twiddle on the guitar until something jumps out as being something worth working with. This will happen perhaps once in 10 or 20 sessions! Sometimes the guitar will end up being put down abruptly in frustration. Not thrown across the room…really.
Finally, I may see something on the TV, a news item or something that touches me and gives me an idea for a song concept. I have one song that originated from that mass shooting in a school in Russia a few years back – but it has been generalised to cover the emotions felt when any of these awful things happens. (Two such incidents TODAY I believe!! Terrible, terrible tragedies.) It’s waiting for the right singer and arrangement right now, but it’s a song that I feel very strongly about. I also wrote something a few years back that was ‘inspired’ by a young local lad who committed suicide in a very unusual way. It affected a lot of people in the community, and I tried to get inside the head of a lad who had it all to live for, yet decided to end his life so young. Strangely, I have now recently met his mother and am wondering whether to share this very personal song with her. A big quandary, and quite a responsibility.
7. If you would be granted a wish to have any artist you wish to work with on your music who would that artist be and why?
That is soooo tough, especially for someone as old as me with so many influences! So I am going to cheat and choose TWO. Probably one of my biggest heroes would have to be Elton John, and I would love to work on a tune or two with him for the older folks.
As for someone a bit more contemporary… hmmm…how about Beyonce? She’s shaking her booty and strutting her stuff as well as anyone right now, and apart from the fact that she is a very HOT young lady, I think she covers a lot of genres and is an influence to people of all types. She can sing too. And she has ENERGY. Oh, and did I mention she’s HOT?!
8. Why do you believe people should take a chance on you, why are you the one that should get financed?
I think I pretty much covered this earlier, so let’s just say…. because I’m worth it!
9. Let’s say reincarnation exists and if you would be able to reincarnate as anything you want (except human) what would you be and why?
I never really like questions like this, but something came straight into my mind on this occasion….an eagle. Don’t really mind what sort. Just to be somewhere up in the mountains, with the clean air and the beauty of the natural world to soar over. Fantastic. And of course swooping on and eating small rodents would be a bonus!
10. What is the strangest thing (music related) that happened to you?
Nothing really. Mostly things happen for a reason; in this business you certainly make your own luck and I don’t think there are too many co-incidences. You talk to people, you make contacts, you work with people, you keep working….things go around and come around. I feel it’s strange that I am in this position now, but….here’s how it happened.
4 or 5 years ago I took a phrase from my notebook and wrote a song around it dedicated to my lovely wife Mandi. It grew into a generic inspirational song and when I heard 2 years ago that American Idol were running a songwriting contest for the winner’s song, I changed it a bit and entered it. In doing this I met on the forum at American Idol a whole bunch of people just like me, and we became friends and started writing songs with each other. I co-wrote ‘The One’ with one of these writers, in readiness for the following year’s Idol contest. Later that year, she suggested to me that I come over to Nashville to record the song properly. I was terrified of flying but in the end I went, and had a few songs recorded by awesome session musicians. Then, because I was always looking at opportunities, I found Slicethepie; I watched it for a while and then put the tunes here to get a bit of feedback. I got great feedback and made a showcase. Then another showcase. Then they changed the site and I was in the group up for finance. Then people started putting money in….
Luck? I don’t think so. Strange? Not really. I keep doing things; some of it works and some does not. But if I keep going, I think even stranger things may happen. I hope so.
11. Shortly this was it, anything you would like to add?
You want me to write MORE??
No, just thank you for the opportunity to let people see a little bit more of what I’m about. It’s up to them whether they like it or not!
Toz x
http://www.myspace.com/thesongdoctor
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