After taking what seemed like an age to get the last track done and dusted, my latest sprung into life very quickly: way less than twenty four hours from inspiration to posting. Spring is in the air, and I’m starting to look at breaking out the mics, preamps and guitars in earnest. (Some context here is that my current “studio” is mainly the bedroom we use as storage area for stuff we haven’t unpacked after our move back from the US, and it’s cold! COVID has temporarily put paid to our plans for a major remodel of the house, which will see me down in the basement, nice and warm and properly set up. Oh well).
Turning to the new song, “Foxtrot Mexico”… The “inspiration” came from a Sky documentary about Conny Plank, and some nice clips of Cluster and Eno. The spacey feel, and sparse keyboards, made me want to write another piano riff based song. The starting point was Eno’s “By This River” from “Before and after Science”, but I was soon diverted as I looked out of the window as I was playing, and became interested in the sunny day outside. I found a much more “up” mood: reflective still, but hopeful for the Spring.
After the electric piano riff, came a very simple arpeggiated chord that provides the slightly chime like melody. Next was the “bass” line – perhaps it’s more accurate to call it “a modulated drone that holds down the bottom end”. Finally I added the children’s choir. I’m not entirely happy with the voicing (the note lengths and velocities), but what I have is a good sketch. I can’t see this ever having vocals on it, but I’m not a singer, what do I know?
I’ll wire up my preamps, and on the next warm day, I’ll get out my acoustic guitar, and see what happens!
I cried when I wrote this song 