My own writing!
Over the years from time to time I’ve started writing a song intended for someone else. Then a funny thing happens. The closer I get it to actually being presentable, the more it becomes a ‘me’ song, and in the end I don’t have the heart to give it away.
I wrote a song called ‘Interference’ for Michael Jackson. Initially I just had the bass and drum groove. I sent him a demo and he said he liked it and would try to add a melody. Then I didn’t hear any more, and next thing I knew, a Jacksons album called Victory came out, and there was my groove. (I guess MJ suffers from the same malady—he can’t bear to give things away!) So like a sucker I started writing another one for him, inspired by memories of him as a kid. You know, back when he was really cute and actually had a fabulous voice. The song was called ‘Hyperactive.’ But I didn’t get far into it before I realised it was really all about me. So I kept it for myself, and it became my only substantial UK singles chart hit.
One day circa 1980 I went to see The Thompson Twins play live at a college refectory gig in central London. This was in the days when they were a nine-piece, including my friend Matthew Seligman on bass. I recall they had this kind of flag onstage, a bit like a Roman Legion standard. They would pass it around from person to person while they played, backlit with lots of smoke. I suppose it was symbolic of them being a tribe or whatever, it was visually very effective. Shortly after that the ‘tribe’ shrunk to two guys and a gal, and they became megastars overnight. I was taken with the ‘shape’ of some of their songs… not sure how to describe it, there was a kind of epic cadence to the phrasing, enhanced by some long stereo delayed reverb on the vocals. I went straight home and started writing a song for them. At first it had no lyrics, but as soon as they began to form they were clearly very personal. That song turned out to be ‘One Of Our Submarines’, IMO one of my very best.
I worked briefly with Belinda Carlisle many years back, playing the keyboards on ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth’ (I know, I know…. but cut me some slack, I was trying to get into her pants! for the record, she found me completely resistable. ) I later wrote a song for her called ‘The Road to Reno’, but it fell on deaf ears. However the song is a bit of a cracker and I’ve recently recorded it with Matthew and Kevin, and it’s going on my new album.
So an odd thing happened over this weekend. I was approached last week to contribute something to a large scale, long-term musical project involving several world-class musicians bouncing tracks back and forth via FTP. I had this germ of an idea for a song a couple of years back, and it never really felt like a ‘me’ song, because the lyrics such as they were didn’t seem to apply to me. The title was ‘I’m Not Your Dog.’ It was just a groove and a hook. But I decided to try to whip it into shape, as it were, and send it off to them.
48 hours later, a familiar pattern is emerging! It’s sounding pretty interesting, and I think I’ve found a slant to the lyrics that makes it work as a solo effort. Not sure now whether it’s destined to ever leave the Nutmeg until it’s fully parceled up as a TD song. So what’s up with that? Well, I reckon there must be something very healthy about getting out of one’s own skin for a while. It takes away the pressure to live up to the prescribed vision of oneself that can be such a burden. It loosens up the imagination, allowing new ideas to flow.
It’s early days, but perhaps ‘I’m Not Your Dog’ will end up on the new album too. It’s got a meaty mid-tempo groove, extremely grungey uncompromising Virus and Omnisphere synths, a ’60s style falsetto bit to the hookline, even a harmonica riff and a pseudo-Southern Rock slide guitar!
Wow. That explains why “One of Our Submarines” (aIMO one of your very best) so frequently ends up in very close proximity to almost any song off the Thompson Twins’ “Into the Gap” album when I DJ early-evening sets.
–Naomi
Re: HIAPOE – I’m sure worse aesthetic crimes have been committed in the name of lust, it’s just that i can’t think of any at the moment
One of Our Submarines and Windpower were, to me, two of the greatest tracks from Golden Age of Wireless. Which, as a work in toto, helped me retain my sanity in the time and place where I first heard it.
Don’t know what went wrong since then…
a really fantastic post Thomas, thank you!
just for info, i read that residents of the slums of Mumbai held demonstrations to protest “Slumdog Millionaire” (now turned to celebrations, post-Oscars) where children were holding up signs saying “don’t call me a dog!” — i guess it’s too late, but could that fit somehow into your “I’m Not Your Dog” concept?
As always its fascinating to hear how your songs have come to be and how the process of writing for someone else only to end up one of your own is still happening. It brings a new perspective to the old stuff and makes me want to listen to it all again. Your connections to other artists makes great reading.
‘I’m Not Your Dog’ sounds like its going to be great. I do like a bit of falsetto in a song! I’m glad that you still do it!!
I hope the old timbers of ‘Nutmeg’ can take your heavy bass riffs? Talking of ‘Nutmeg’ I’d still like to know more of how she was fitted out by the carpenters, what she looks like below deck and how that fantastic drawbridge of a door came to be. Any chance of some more pictures please.
Cheers
A harmonica riff? How cool would it be if you got Andy Partridge to reprise that role? Very, I say!
Absolutely love getting any info about the origin of songs that are a big part of my life.. and treasure them even more as I totally understand your reluctance to reveal said facts as many times the truth only “bursts bubbles” in the minds of the faithful… also glad to hear that there are more & more “grooves” coming together onboard the good ship Nutmeg… hope the USB slippers are keeping the appropriate areas toast on the cold nights…
Once the new disc is out, hoping to see you again here in ATL and hopefully get to shake your hand again at a “meet&greet”…
Stay Warm!!
Count Culo
What a terrific post.
How about a sneak preview or two of some of your new material?
Brian
Re: Belinda Carlisle, her pants and your keyboards: first of all,
Second of all, was that you on “Circle in the Sand”?
you dog.
If so, that would be yet another example of your having played
keyboards on one of my all-time fave songs! That album was pretty
popular when it was new, so no shame in having contributed to it!
And I respectfully second bricameron’s motion…your descriptions
of your grooves are tantalizing!
Blah…I got the album-name and single-name mixed up. I don’t
know nothin’ today, hee hee.
Thomas, if you need an impartial opinion of your new songs I am willing to clear some time in my busy schedule to give them a listen. It would be somewhat inconvenient and a bit of a drag but, ok, I’ll do it for you – just this once.
Fyi Thomas, back in the 80′s I too wanted to get into Belinda’s pants and would have too if it hadnt have been for my pesky mother waking me up for breakfast!!!! Great posting by the way, very interesting thanks. Jim
Cool stories. Thanks.
Sounds like you should call the new album “Can’t let go” !
Thomas, Your post helped shed some light on an age old mystery for me. I’ve always felt that the bass line from the Thompson Twins track ‘All Fall Out’ (released on their 1983 album “Quick Step & Sidekicks”) shared an uncanny resemblance to the bass line from “One Of Our Submarines”. They’re virtually identical, just a slower tempo and different key in the T. Twin’s case. Since “Submarines” was released a year earlier, there’s little doubt in my mind now that the Twins must have adapted it.
Belinda Carlisle?
was that who ‘Airhead’ was about? Or was that an actress you tried it on with?
You seemed to have been putting out quite a bit around the ‘Buick’ days TD lol
The sound of these new songs seems intriguing the more you post about them. Definitely waiting eagerly to hear them!
I have to ask; which song off “Victory” was your contribution? I’d imagine it could have been anything except “One More Chance”, “Be Not Always”, and “State Of Shock”… I’m really curious now.
By chance did you write “Radio Waves” for Roger Waters? If not, you should sue, parts of it sound a lot like Flying North.
P.S. Have you seen this cover of Europa? It’s excellent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Q-iYzniVw