"N Y C D" by The Explosion/B. David Walsh

ARTIST: B. David Walsh of The Explosion
SONG: "N Y C D" (New York Can't Dance)
WRITER: B. David Walsh
ALBUM: Bury Me Standing on Chunksaah Records
YEAR: 2012
SITES: B. David Walsh, The Explosion, Chunksaah Records
BUY: Bury Me Standing - The Explosion

"Just because you win, that doesn't mean I lose," and, "If you don't know, you weren't meant to" are words to live by - and I have lived by them for over twelve years. They are both lines from songs written by my dear friend, Dave Walsh. Dave was one of the guitarists and songwriters for The Explosion, a band that was a prominent part of my life's soundtrack during the years 2000 to 2007. Their last album took a six year journey on its way to finally being released, and just came out a few months ago. In the interim, Dave joined The Loved Ones and embarked on several visual and musical projects of his own. 

You know, I must have seen The Explosion play over a hundred times, but never really sat down with Dave and asked him about his writing. Somehow, when you're too close to a thing, you have a hard time seeing the whole of what it is. 

BA: Dave! This rules that we’re actually doing this. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions about your work.

DW: Hey dude! It’s my pleasure. I am happy to talk about "NYCD."

BA: So, in some ways, this song has had a crazier life than most. It was written and then recorded by The Explosion in 2006 for your album Bury Me Standing; alas, it was just released this past Valentine’s Day, 2012. Does it feel like a ghost?

DW: Actually, no, not at all. It’s hard to believe that six-plus years have passed since "NYCD" was written and recorded. Listening back, though, it feels as energetic and relevant today as it did back then. Lyrically speaking, it is very topical about what was going on at that time, but could easily be transferred to the present time and world we live in today. Sonically speaking and production-wise, I think Tim O’Heir and us guys in The Explosion captured a pretty timeless feel. I’m really happy about that.

BA: Looking at this song within the context of your writing with that band, it seems like both a departure and a fit, at the same time. Conceptually and musically, you veer from the fast, traditional punk themes . . . but you still manage to make it an anthem of sorts. Tell me about how you started to write “New York Can’t Dance.”
 
DW: Musically, "NYCD" is a direct, if not blatant homage to The Clash’s “Know Your Rights.” I remember listening to that song one day while we were in the pre-production process for Bury Me Standing, and thinking to myself, “I want to write a song that feels like this.” So, I began the process of forming the structure of the tune. The gypsy jazz swing guitar licks that form the guitar melodies in the verse of the song are my tribute to the genius of one of my favorite guitar players of all time, Django Reinhardt. I think those licks are what set the song up for a very unique feel, and gave it originality. As we started the recording process, Chris, Andrew and Damian added a more Stranglers-esque feel, which was driven home by the killer keyboard parts of our buddy Brian Pearl. It all came together, and as I remember, it was probably the most fun we had as a band on this particular studio recording.

BA: I’m just going to come right out with it: what is it about?

DW: I have no friggin' clue. Hahaha, just kidding. Actually, I wanted it to be a story about a conversation between an Arab businessman from Bagdad and an American politician from New York City. I set it up against the backdrop of an iconic place, the Chelsea Hotel in New York, for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a cool fucking place. Beyond that, though, it is a place where some sketchy shit has gone down in history. Also, some really cool stuff has gone down there. Anyway, the men are meeting there, but we are not sure why. Perhaps it’s to arrange some kind of political negotiation. Maybe it’s a drug deal. Maybe it’s an international peace-keeping mission. We don’t know, but we do learn is that the Arab’s problem is that his city is burning to the ground, and the American’s problem is that people are not allowed to dance in his city. It begs the question: who has the bigger problem?

BA: I’m not sure how many people have heard the other version of this song, but there does exist a recording with you singing that feels quite different. What did Matt Hock bring to the vocals on The Explosion’s rendering that made them his own?

DW: Well, Matt has a very singular and recognizable voice. He adds a quality and charm that is all his own to any song. I think that is without question. We have worked so well together over the years, trading guitar parts and vocal parts freely between the two of us, and the others in the band. Simply put, there is only one Matt Hock and I'm lucky to have been in a band with him.

The version I did before The Explosion recorded it was strictly for demo purposes. It was never intended for release. What’s funny, is that another version of the song also exists from the Bury Me Standing session that never had a vocal track recorded. It has a reggaeton feel and is super rad . . . and funky!

BA: I love when your voice peeks through on the lines:
“Where the heroin is pure Afghanistan,” and, “That’s American!”
It’s like the spirit of Joe Strummer himself entered your body and delivered those vocals. How did you guys decide that you’d sing those very select parts?

DW: Like I said, this song is probably the biggest ripoff . . . er, I mean “homage” to Joe Strummer I could have ever come up with. I had Joe in mind throughout the entire writing and recording process, and for those lines I really wanted to bring that across. I guess it worked.

BA: This album was the only release of The Explosion’s that featured Chris Gonzalez on second guitar, in lieu of Sam Cave. How was it different to write and arrange your guitar parts with him, on this song in particular?

DW: Chris definitely brought a heavy Stranglers influence into the band in general, but especially on this tune. He is the best guitar player I know, hands down. He is a real perfectionist with a keen ear for guitar melody. It was a dream come true to have him work out counter melodies and arrangements for "NYCD." Where Sammy was a genius at song craft, Chris is a master at his instrument. (He writes a damn fine song too. Listen to “Image of a Son” on Bury Me Standing for a glimpse into his writing.)

BA: You still play "NYCD” live in your solo sets from time to time, right? Does it feel like it’s transformed into a different piece of music by now?

DW: Ha, sure, when I do a solo set. Sadly, there have been a couple of years that have passed since I’ve done that. When I sing it, it definitely has a different feel, and a different voice . . . an off-key voice. HAHAHA! But really, it doesn’t feel like a different piece of music when I do it in a solo setting; it’s just a different version . . . like a cover version of a my own song, which is a strange way to think about it. It’s funny how songs can take on a shape of their own like that.

BA: How much did Tim O’Heir contribute as a producer to the Explosion’s version of the song?

DW: Greatly. He had some ideas that were cool as shit. The harmonica counter melodies were all Tim, as well as some of the sound effect-type things that are going on in the track. It was cool getting his input. It was just one of those songs that was really fun to record. Despite the serious nature of the lyrics, it’s a real international party jam of a song. Tim was really great about pulling things out of us, like those parts I sang on the song. He gave us the space to really run with our creativity, and he brought his own to it, as well. It was good to work with him.

BA: Most importantly, how awesome are those backing vocals by that chick singer? 

DW: Fabulous! Whoever she was, she did a great job!!!

BA: What’s your favorite song right this minute?

DW: There is a new song Dave Hause does called “Autism Vaccine Blues” that has been in my head ever since I saw him play it a couple weeks ago in Montreal. It’s fantastic. He hasn’t recorded it yet, but it is something else.

BA: Radness. Thanks again, pal. So glad that this record finally made it into the world. Your music is the stuff to learn from.

DW: Thanks, BA!!! I’m glad too, the record definitely deserved to see the light of day. I’m proud of it.

"Hey Lover" by Blake Mills

ARTIST: Blake Mills
SONG:"Hey Lover"
WRITER: Blake Mills
ALBUM: Break Mirrors on Record Collection
YEAR: 2010
SITES: Blake Mills, Record Collection
BUY: Break Mirrors - Blake Mills

I stumbled onto the music of Blake Mills quite by accident, while digging around looking for something else (I do a lot of digging around for this project). Since that day, I've heard his name from about fifteen different sources. It's funny how that happens. Aside from being an artist, he is also a guitar man and record producer.

The nice people at his label sent his album to me and I immediately connected with this song. How refreshing it is to hear a love song that actually celebrates love. I recommend listening to it in your car while driving with all the windows down. 

BA: Hey Blake! Thanks for taking the time to talk about “Hey Lover." It’s been on heavy rotation over here for the past week or so. 

BM: Happy to hear it!  

BA: I read that your album Break Mirrors was recorded in bits and pieces, on down time from your work with other musicians. When was “Hey Lover” tracked? 

BM: Pretty shortly after a European run with Jenny Lewis, which was in late 2008. Met my girl on that tour. I remember the song, for whatever reason, coming together quicker than any song I'd previously written.  

BA: Am I correct in my understanding that you played everything except for drums? Tell me about how the track got built for the album.  

BM: Ya, it just started with the acoustic guitars. That was like the canvas for everything else on the tune. Stuart Johnson and I sat down together and played the drums for that song, but I remember it was after things like vocals and bass and electric guitars were already recorded. That method turned out influencing the whole pattern and feel of the drums. That guy is one of my luckiest breaks, Stuart. Not many guys can stand for that raggity-ass tempo stuff and not throw the sticks through a fucking window.  

BA: The song has a certain sunny-ness that makes it feel different from the rest of the record. Was it written in the same time frame, more or less? 

BM: More or less. Most of the record deals with things prior to meeting the person that "Hey Lover" is about, so I suppose it denotes a bit of scene-change. Act 1 to Act 2, so to speak. 

BA: What was the initial jump-off point for the song? 

BM: C major. 

BA: The lyrics seem to float in and out of being conversational with your partner, and then also about her. I like the collage of imagery and sentiment it creates.    
“And I'll never tell her when she plays a song I've never heard because I always learn the music then forget the words” 
Did “she” smile when she heard that? 

BM: Well, to be clear, there are also some lyrics that are most definitely NOT about her as well. But you're absolutely right, it does jump all over the place. It was a strange time for me before Danielle came along. 

BA: And Danielle Haim, for whom the song was written, is singing with you on the choruses, right? 

BM: Ya, I think she liked the song, but I've made her sing it with me so many times now; she's gotta be ready to trade it in for a new one. 

BA: I checked out some of the live versions of this song online, and came across Dawes performing it for The Voice Project. Was it cool to hear your friends and former band mates playing it their own way? 

BM: That was flattering, yes, but it was also a heavily motivating experience for me. I've always gotten so much support and confidence from those guys, to just keep writing, recording, performing. High-fives with those guys forever. 

BA: What other music were you listening to when you wrote “Hey Lover”? 

BM: The Drones, mostly. 

BA: What’s your favorite song right this minute? 

BM: "Something Fine" by Jackson Browne. It's almost unwritable, it's so good.

BA:  I agree. The man's a genius. Thanks for the chat – and good luck with the album. I really enjoy it.   

BM: Thank you! Take care.

"Could You Lie" by Ron Block/performed by Alison Krauss

 

ARTIST: Alison Krauss
SONG: "Could You Lie"
WRITERS: Ron Block
ALBUM: Forget About It on Rounder Records
YEAR: 1999
SITES: Ron Block, Alison Krauss and Union Station
BUY: Forget About It - Alison Krauss

I live in a town that overflows with musical talent and passion. You can't leave your house without running into five great musicians here in Nashville. Still, amid all of that skill and creativity, there is a special tier of individuals that are so good that they are actual masters of their craft. Ron Block is one of those folks. I would watch Ron play the "ABC's" on a xylophone, because I'm pretty sure I would learn something from it. He has done so much as a writer, performer and producer that it was quite daunting to select one thing to discuss. Alas, this song makes my heart sing along every time I hear it. I'm grateful that he put his instruments down for long enough to answer these questions. (I really should have asked him about that xylophone thing.)

BA: Hello Ron, thanks for being a part of the series. I’m so thrilled to be talking with you about your work today.

RB: Thanks for having me here.

BA: “Could You Lie” appears on Forget About It, the eighth album by your longtime friend and band mate, Alison Krauss. How long did the song exist before it was tracked for that record? 

RB: I don't quite remember, but I think it was at least two or three years.

BA: Did you write it for Alison to sing? 

RB: I think I had her voice in mind when I wrote it, though I didn't write it specifically to give to her for Forget About It. The chord progression is like some of her earlier songs.

BA: The song expresses disappointment in another person with such accuracy. Were you speaking from the experience, or are you just a master of observation? 

RB: I think it is a combination of things I'd experienced in a small way in my early twenties, mixed with childhood experiences that affected me, and then combined with things I'd seen others going through around me. Most songwriters combine experience with observation and insight. Without any experience at all, songs won't ring true. Brenda Ueland says in her book If You Want To Write:
"Say that you want to put a Yankee farmer in your story and you want to make him more like a Yankee farmer than any Yankee farmer that ever existed. So you have him look like Uncle Sam and say, 'Wal, Si', etc. The result? No reader believes him for a second. But if you did this: if you had once known a Yankee farmer and, conscientiously and in detail, you describe him as the character in your book, even though he is bald, clean-shaven, and wears neat business suits, the readers will feel he is true. 'There is the most wonderful portrait of a typical Yankee farmer in the book!' they will say. Yes, the more you wish to describe a Universal, the more minutely and truthfully you must describe a Particular."  

She goes on in a footnote to say this: 
"Second-rate artists and writers never seem to know this. But the great ones all do. That is why van Gogh sighed over those who tried to make a picture by half-looking at something, and then from memory making some vague generalization out of it, instead of studying, studying what they painted and showing what they saw and felt about it with all their consummate powers of delicacy and truth."
 
So - experience is gold in the life of a songwriter. It helps us to describe things with resonant accuracy. Now, I don't have to have experienced every single thing to write about it. But I do have to have felt loneliness, or rejection, or sorrow, or loss, or joy, or any number of emotions, and in a very deep and painful way, in order to understand enough to make the song resonate in the heart of a listener. If you're going to be a songwriter I think it helps to have had your heart broken a number of times by various circumstances. Not that we should seek these things out. Kids, don't try this at home.

BA: I love these lines: 
“When morning breaks my heart won't understand 
Spend a lifetime raising houses on the sand” 
What a stunning visual. Where did that come from, for you? 

RB: It's a Biblical allusion. Jesus talks about a foolish man building his house on sand, and when the storms came, the house fell down and the ruin was complete. The wise man built his house on a rock foundation. He was speaking primarily of living for things that matter eternally vs living for the things of this time-bound world. But we do the same thing even in a time-bound sense; we make bad choices when deep down we really know them to be bad.

BA: Even though Forget About It is technically a solo album for Alison, the members Union Station (Barry Bales, Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminski and yourself) are present on it – and the album’s production is credited to all of you, along with Alison, as a group. I’d love to hear a little bit about how this song came together in the studio, if you have memories of it. 

RB: It's always a thrill to have her singing one of my songs. She arranged it for the most part, as far as I can remember.

BA: Did Alison record the song just as you wrote it, or were there modifications made along the way? 

RB: I think she modified a few little things here and there, but essentially it is the same. I have a demo of it around somewhere. It was more finger picky than flat-picked on the guitar.

BA: With a song like this beautiful one, when someone else records it, does it still feel like it’s yours? Or does it belong to all of you – or just Alison, in your mind and heart? 

RB: I have often been reluctant to sing the songs after she records them, but I'm learning to get over that. The way she does them is just magical. I do love the synthesis or teamwork of it all, feeling a part of something bigger than just myself.

BA: Who were your dominant influences at the time you wrote “Could You Lie”? 

RB: I think I was being influenced by some of Alison's favorite writers - John Pennell and Sidney Cox especially. I'm also a big James Taylor and Joni Mitchell fan. Shawn Colvin, too, especially at that time.

BA: How has the song changed over the years, if at all, through playing it live? 

RB: We haven't done that one live much.

BA: What’s your favorite song right this minute? 

RB: I am really loving Kate Rusby's songwriting and singing. She's from England and has a real rootedness. I hear a real respect and love in her songs for the depths of her musical heritage. And I've done a lot of songwriting lately with a poet from East Tennessee named Rebecca Reynolds. Her lyrics are full of images and allusions, and I'm currently recording 13 of the songs we've written together for my new cd. She is so prolific the only way I could keep up is to quit playing and recording music and write songs full time. I've learned buckets full of truth about how creativity works just by osmosis as we've written together.

BA: I can't wait to hear it. Thanks again, good sir. Hope to run into you around town soon enough! 

RB: Thanks Buick Audra!

"Somebody More Like You" by Nickel Creek/Sean Watkins

ARTIST: Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek
SONG: "Somebody More Like You"
WRITER: Sean Watkins
ALBUM: Why Should The Fire Die? on Sugar Hill Records
YEAR: 2005
SITES: Sean Watkins, Nickel Creek
BUY: Why Should the Fire Die? - Nickel Creek

I was shamefully late to the Nickel Creek party. I was so late, in fact, that the party was over and I was the weirdo at the front door with cupcakes at 2 a.m., peeking into dark windows.  Still, better late than never, I suppose.

I visited Nashville for the first time in May of 2007 and stayed with a friend who worked for the record label that had released a few of Nickel Creek's albums. He gave me a copy of Why Should The Fire Die? to check out on my drive from Nashville to Memphis. I made it as far as the second song, and then just hung out there for a long while. "Somebody More Like You" remains one of my very favorite songs in the thanks-for-nothing category and I never grow tired of hearing it. It doesn't hurt that Sean Watkins, Sara Watkins and Chris Thile played it as beautifully as they did. Sean, who penned, sang and played guitar on the track just made my day by telling me about how it all came together.  

BA: Hey Sean! Thanks for talking to me about your awesome song. High-five.
 
SW: Hello!
 
BA: I was completely sold on “Somebody More Like You” the very first time I heard it (and then I obsessively listened to it about eight more times). Not only is it a stunning musical composition, but the lyrics are what I think we all wish we’d said to our respective heart-shredders. Which came first, or did the song just shoot out of you all at once?

SW: Wow, thanks so much! This one came out at the very end of the period where we were writing the songs for Why Should the Fire Die?. The guitar part came to me pretty quickly late one night. I thought it was kind of cool so kept playing it 'til I found a lyrical idea to match it. Once I found a direction, most of the words came pretty easily in the next day or so.

BA: I read somewhere that the words were not based on real events – that you had an idea and built the song around that. Was that really the case? No one put your heart in the blender and walked away?
 
SW: No, it wasn't written in the heat of a bitter moment like it might seem. I knew I wanted it to be called "Somebody More Like You," and I knew what I wanted it to be about generally, but I was happy at the time, so I reached back a couple years to a relationship that ended poorly, and I pulled the lyrics out of the memories of my feelings during that experience.  Sometimes you have to do that.

Funny story about this one . . . I recently went out for coffee with girl who it's about. We were catching up and after a lull in the conversation, she asked me if "Somebody More Like You" was about her. It was out of the blue but very brave and honest. I said, "yes," and
she said, "ya, I'm sorry about that." It was great.
 
BA: I love the bridge, particularly the second half:
“I hope you meet someone your height, so you can see eye to eye with someone as small as you.”
A little bird told me that the bridge was added to the song after the fact . . . true?
 
SW: Yes, if I remember correctly, the bridge came a week or two later . . . back stage at the Orange Peel in Asheville, between sound check and the show. Chris had suggested I write a bridge that changed key and took the song to a bit more of an intense place. I always love an assignment when it comes to writing. I'm glad he made that suggestion. It was a good one.

BA: How arranged and lived-in was the song before you recorded it? Your band was famous for the live shows, so had this song already made the rounds before it was tracked?
 
SW: I don't think we played it live as Nickel Creek before we recorded it. Sara and I had played it at Largo a couple times, I believe. As I was writing it I remember thinking that it'd be a good one for she and I to do as a duo for our residency there, at Largo. We were working on developing a repertoire of songs (originals and covers) separate from NC that we could do there when we were off the road. It was a great way to experiment and find new things in a safe creative environment. But to answer your question: no, it was brand new to us as a band when we recorded it.
 
BA: How did Eric Valentine and Tony Berg inform the outcome of the track we hear on the album?
 
SW: Pretty much all of the demos we gave to Tony and Eric were made by Sara, Chris and me in my garage studio during a couple weeks of intense cowriting. We'd given all the songs very detailed and thought-out arrangements. During a break after that time of band writing/demo-ing, I made my own demo of this song. Although I was excited about it, I wasn't really thinking about it as a contender for the record, but after I made the demo, I thought I'd pitch it. We'd just started the record but we weren't sure if we had all the songs we needed yet for the record. So I brought my demo in one morning, played it, and everyone liked it. It seemed to fit well with the other songs and the general direction of the record. The general arrangement and skeleton of the song didn't change too much from the demo, but Tony and Eric's ideas brought it so much depth. I love the rhythm pattern . . . the way the bass and mandola are playing kick an snare parts. I listened to the demo recently.  It feels so dead compared the record version. Tony and Eric are both genius.
 
BA: Your sister Sara sings the harmonies to your lead vocal on the album; were you always slated to sing the lead, or did you guys try it out a few different ways?
 
SW: Ya, I always sang lead on this one. But in the tradition of brother's harmony, where the melody can be swapped around between two voices. Sara is singing what would (I guess) technically be the melody on the line "Somebody more like you" and I take the low harmony. The rest of the time, her part is the harm above me. The Louvin brothers were amazing at doing that . . . flip-flopping who's singing the lead part.
 
BA: Who were your biggest influences at the time?
 
SW: It's hard to say exactly, but I believe some of the records that I had in rotation at that time were Fleetwood Mac's Tusk, Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Tom Petty's Wildflowers and The Strokes' second record . . . I forget what it's called.

BA: I know that you play “Somebody More Like You” with one of your current projects, W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration).  Does it feel different to perform it now?  If so, why?
 
SW: It is different in a good way. The reason we worked it up in W.P.A. is 'cause it's a song that can be treated different ways. It's so fun to play it in W.P.A. I especially love the angst our lovely drummer brings to it.

BA: In looking for an official video, I found about a zillion fan-made videos, as well as covers of the song. I also saw that it’s had all kinds of television and film placements. Is it interesting for you to see how the song becomes part of others’ art, whatever that may mean?

SW: Hmm, I didn't know it'd be placed in anything television or film-wise. Maybe I should look into that. Perhaps I'm owed money. Hah. But ya, I love seeing or hearing covers.  YouTube is amazing that way. Before, you'd only hear a song of yours if it was covered by a friend or someone with a record deal. It's really cool and I'm honored anytime someone learns a song of mine. My favorite thing is when glee clubs do covers. There was one of "This Side" years ago that I couldn't believe.
 
BA: What’s your favorite song right this minute?
 
SW: "Use Me" by Bill Withers.
 
BA: Dude, you’re the coolest for taking the time to do this. Thanks for doing so, and for the excellent music. Next time somebody lets me down they’re getting a copy of this song in their mailbox – and maybe a burrito thrown at their house, too. I can’t be sure.
 
SW: The "Somebody More Like You"/burrito bombing combo is a tried and true way to make your feelings known, and I back it fully! I'm really honored that you asked me to do this. Thanks so much.