Go For The Unexpected

Go For The Unexpected

One of the great thrills of my recording career was making a record with the incredible Annie Lennox.

In 2007 I was part of a recording band for her album called “Songs Of Mass Destruction”.  The band recorded in 2 separate, 2 week periods.

One of the songs we recorded is called Lost.  It was quite a challenge to find the sonics and emotion Annie was hearing it in her head.  We recorded 2 full versions in one day. Nearing the end of each of those visions being realized Annie felt that it wasn’t right yet.   The song is dark and the lyric is haunting.  I don’t remember what I played on the first 2 versions but it was something you’d play to try and represent a delicate ballad…brushes, cross stick, maybe a light beat…something more groove and beat oriented.

By the time we launched into the version 3 I was scanning my brain for fresh ideas and of course trying to figure out what she was searching for.  My approach this time would be to actually play much less and just try to color sections.  Cymbals with mallets, light pulsing on a floor tom covered with a towel.   I had also moved over to my “alternate kit” which was a 2nd kit set up with minimal mics.  I felt I needed to remove myself from wanting to play any beat or anything conventional. 

As we approached the bridge (which comes right after the first chorus) I felt like the song was going to need some rhythmic motion but I didn’t want to play a beat.  Next to me on the floor were all my extra snare drums with the snares turned off.  Instinctively I reached down and played them in a descending order.   It seemed to work and as we finished the take I fully expected a comment from the engineer or producer or Annie to leave it out.  No one said a word.  I continued this for the next few takes and all of a sudden we had it.   Some cymbal swells, light pulsing and these descending snare/tom sounds was all I had played.

I’m not sure what possessed me to ever hit those drums since it seemed so unorthodox. I wasn’t even sure they’d be picked up by the mics properly but sure enough when you listen to the song they are prominent and they really seem to fit the mood. 

Never be afraid to go out on a limb and try something.  Get creative. All someone can do it tell you no and you just move on.  But if your gut tells you something in the moment, go for it.

Please go have a listen.

Blair