#This isolated version really makes me appreciate the layers of vocals much more

[yridenergyridenergy]

Shinya said this about the writing process for The Devil In Me:

"In all of our singles and album songs, I don't think I've ever composed a song while knowing so little about it. I did not even know if the chorus would have a melody or a death voice. Therefore, I worked on it while vaguely having an image of things like: 'I wonder if this part will open up?'

----In the end, when the vocals came, were they what you had imagined?

It mostly matched. But even now, I still can't really grasp it, and it is difficult to understand. Why it turned out like that, I still don't know."

(Usually, Shinya has the vocals file already when he composes the drums for a new song.)

[babyspiderling]

Little Red Corvette p.2 Michael Jackson x reader

(Bad Era)

Eight Months Later (1983)

I did this pregnancy on my own. My mother was appalled at the fatherless child growing inside of me and refused to support me through my pregnancy. The struggles and frustrations for the past nine months very easily justified when I held my baby boy in my arms. His skin was a beautiful shade of brown, his eyes deep and pulling like his fathers. Looking down at the tiny human finally in the world, there was no question or doubt in my mind who the father was. By blessing or curse, I was the only one who knew who the father was. Relatively early in my pregnancy, Michael released a video for one of his songs "Billie Jean". I sat and stressed over the possibility of him knowing of the child in my womb for weeks, but nothing came of it. No managers offering hush money, no reporters asking about the legitimacy of the child inside of me, nothing, so life went on. Looking down at the life in my arms, snuggled towards me I spoke softly. "Edward Michael L/N. My little blessing."

1986

It wasn't too long after Edward, or Eddie was born that I went back to work. I hired a sitter, or depending on the client, brought him in with me. Whitney Houston and Cher absolutely gushed over him during breaks. When Eddie was three, I got a call from Quincy Jones asking me to help him out on the mixing on an album. I agreed and found someone to watch my son while I worked. Quincy didn't tell me who I was hired for and I didn't want to seem unprofessional to whoever Quincy was working with. I kissed my three year old good-bye and got into my car to head to the studio they were using. "Bye Blessing! Mommy's going to work, but I'll be home soon. I love you so much!" I drove through the California traffic to the studio and parked my car near the front. I checked myself in the mirror before making my way inside.

"Y/N! You made it! Where's Eddie? You know you can bring him any time? Little dude has got potential if you ever want him to get into our world." I laugh at Quincy's antics. "Yeah, I know you love Eddie. Thank you for the compliment, but he's three, Q. He's not going into show business any time soon." Q shrugs his shoulders and turns back to the soundboard in his rolling chair. "Alright, let's get down to business shall we?" He nods and presses play on the vocals. I feel the blood drain from my face as a familiar voice croons from the speakers.

"I don't care what you talkin' 'bout baby, I don't care what you say. Don't you come walkin' beggin' back mama,I don't care anyway"

I stand stock still in shock, flashes of our one night together, my isolated pregnancy, my little boy waiting at home for me. I yank myself out of it with a sharp gasp when Q places a hand on my elbow, his eyebrows creased in worry. "Hey, Y/N, you good? You look like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?" I swallow and tuck my hair behind my ear, a nervous tick. "Yeah, I'm fine Q. I don't know what that was. How're we mixing this one?" He sits back in his chair, taking a deep breath and heaving it out in a large sigh. "Yeah, about that. Smelly's really particular on how he wants each track to sound on this album. He wants his voice to be layered in a harmony with himself during the chorus. He's recorded the audio, now it's our turn to get it just the way he wants." I nod and sit down in my own chair, slipping the large, bulky headphones over my ears to start working. The sooner I can finish working on Michael's album the better.

"Alright! Two music heads working on that was much faster than just me. I've got a few more tracks to work on before the release of the album. You good to come in say, day after tomorrow? Early morning so we can get a lot done. And bring Eddie. I miss my godson." I laugh and roll my eyes, giving Quincy a playful shove on the shoulder. "Works for me. And yes, I'll bring Eddie if the 'Client' won't mind a toddler running around the studio space while we work." Q chuckles and reclines in his chair. "No, he won't mind. I have a feeling you know who we're working for here?" I nod, and grab my purse off the ground. "Alright, you know it's Michael. I promise he won't mind. He loves kids" I nod, not really looking forward to potentially forcing Michael into Eddie's life out of obligation. I drive home reflecting on the strange chain of events that brought me here in the first place. I pull into the driveway and unlock the door. I drop my things on the floor where I stand and catch my little boy running into my arms. "Mommy! Me and April painteded! Come see! Come see!" He wiggles out of my arms and drags me to the fridge by my wrist. He bounces where he stands as I look at his painting. It was surprisingly detailed for a three year old. I smile proudly at him as I turn to my sitter, April. "Thank you for watching him so last minute. I really appreciate it." She just smiles at me and grabs her purse from the table. "Oh, Ms. L/N, it's really no trouble. Eddie is just the best kid ever. He was so funny during lunch. I had the radio playing while we ate and he just sat there, dancing in his seat. He didn't even realize he was doing it! But honestly, he is the easiest kid I have ever watched." I pay her and walk her out to her car parked on the street. I turn back to Eddie with a smile. "Wanna eat and watch a movie tonight with Mommy?" My blessing nods his head so hard and fast, I think it'll fly off like a bobble head with a loose spring. "Alright bud, what do you want for dinner?" "PIZZA!" I chuckle at my little boy. "Alright, pizza it is."

I buckle Eddie in the backseat, and climb into the front seat myself. "We're gonna see Uncle Q today buddy! Mommy has to make some music, but you get to hang out with us!" He kicks his legs in the air and gives a shout of excitement. "Yay Uncle Q!" I turn on the radio and look over my shoulder to pull out of the driveway to get to the studio. Parking, I pull the keys out of the ignition and grab Eddie, reminding him to put his backpack on. I hold his hand as we make our way to the studio, the front empty. I sit Eddie down on the chair and go to grab a cup of coffee from the lobby. "I'll be right back baby. I'm gonna get some coffee, and find Uncle Q ok?" He nods and swings his legs in the chair. I hand him the truck from his bag and kiss his forehead before leaving.

I bumped into Quincy in the hall after getting my coffee and went back to the studio space together. When we opened the door, a slim caramel skinned man was kneeling before my son, talking and laughing with him. At the sound of the door opening, Eddie glanced at us. "Mommy! Uncle Q! I made a new friend! His name is Michael, like me!" I widen my eyes in shock at his innocent chatter. Quincy scoops up his godson and chuckles. "Oh yeah Eddie? And what did you guys talk about?" Eddie wraps his arms around Q's neck. "We talked about drawing! Michael is very really good at coloring!" Q humors his godson, chuckling at the boy who has him wrapped around his little finger. While the two talk Michael lifts himself from the ground and introduces himself. "Hi, I'm Michael. I don't think we've been introduced." He sticks out his hand and I feel conflicted. I was so afraid of him noticing me, connecting the dots, but it hurt a bit that I meant so little to him. In his defense, it was one night, four years ago. I grasp his hand and introduce myself again. "Y/N. I'm mixing for your album with Q. You've already met my son, Eddie." He shakes my hand, and smiles back at Eddie. "He's a joy. I was recording and didn't know he was here. I look up and little guy's just dancing in his seat like crazy. He was just coloring on a blank sheet of paper. Sweet kid." I nod and swallow. "Let's get to work, shall we?" Michael nods and goes to the soundboard to listen to the new version of "Leave Me Alone". I watch Michael bob his head to the rhythm, as Eddie dances in the corner. I nibble and pull on my lips in a nervous tick. The music fades out and Michael looks at Q and I with a smile. "Awesome guys! Just what I wanted. I want Y/N as my mixer for the rest of the album. That good Quincy?" Quincy bounces Eddie in his lap, grinning. "Of course it's good! Gotta teach my godson the ropes right?" I smile and ruffle Eddie's hair lovingly, nodding along. Q, Eddie, and I occupy the main front of the studio space as Michael goes back to record another track.

The day goes by quickly, Q leaving the three of us alone to grab lunch. I sit at the recording desk and write down a few lyrics here and there, a melody and message in my head dying to get out. I glance over at my son and see him and Michael goofing around. I smile sadly, imagining what our lives would be like if Michael didn't leave that morning, if he knew he had a son with me. I guess I didn't realize how long I had been staring at the two until my son met my eyes, causing him to run to me in a comforting manner. "Mommy, what's wrong?" I shake off the sadness and force a smile on my face to keep my caring boy from worrying over me. "I'm fine baby. Just a bit tired. It may be Mommy's nap time soon." He nods and giggles, kissing my cheek before going back to Michael. Michael picks up Eddie, placing him on his hip, and walks towards me. 'Hey, Y/N, if you want, you can take a nap in the recording studio. I've got a couch back there. I can come and get you when Quincy comes back with lunch. I try to turn down his offer, but a yawn interrupts my objection. Michael gently guides me to the studio and sits me down on the couch, exiting and turning the lights out on the way. Against my wishes, I close my eyes and succumb to the peace of sleep.

I groggily pulled myself from the depths of dreamland at the sounds of people talking and laughing. I heard Eddie and Michael talking and it immediately caught my attention. "So, your mom makes music, your Uncle Q makes music, what does your dad do?" I peek out from the window and see Eddie and Michael sitting on the floor, rolling toy trucks around, a takeout container setting on the desk. "I don't know. I don't have a dad. Mommy plays Mommy and Daddy. She goes to all my games, plays with me, teaches me how to put on shoes." From where I stand, I can't see Michael's face, and I decide now is a good time to get back out there. I open the door and both boys look up at me. I glance at my watch and see that it's about time to go home. "Hey, sorry I slept so long. Why didn't you wake me up?" Michael shrugs and stands. "You looked so peaceful while you slept. Didn't want to wake you, let alone let you drive home tired. Lunch got here not too long ago so your food should still be warm. I was actually about to head home myself if you're ok with coming in tomorrow instead? We can keep working." I nod and grab my container. "In case I get here before you, what are you wanting to do with the other tracks?" I eat my food as he goes over what he wants to be done with a couple other songs to be put on the album. Now finished with my food, I throw away my empty container, asking Eddie to pack up so we can head home. Before we leave, Q comes back in, sad that we have to leave so soon. I promise to bring Eddie back tomorrow if that's alright with Michael, which it of course is. I give a hug to Q, and an awkward hug/handshake maneuver to Michael. Eddie practically tackles the both of the men in hugs and races to grab my hand. As we leave, I can faintly hear Michael tell Q "She seems so familiar, like I've met her before."

Taglist: @accio-boys​

[ahnminhyk]

okay so I'm gonna go on a rant about how wonderful and brilliant bts' music is, get ready

okay so first of all, this is my opinion. I know jackshit about music or the technical aspects of it, the only thing I'll be doing is give my thoughts on why I feel like bts a) doesn't have single bad or even sub-par song; b) probably will never have a bad or even sub-par song; and c) why they stand out from other kpop groups in so many ways

first of all, I'm gonna talk about genres. bts literally can do any musical genre outgere and succeed. I mean, boys could be yodelling for 4 minutes and it'd be amazing. why? again, not an expert, but I think it's because they know very well how to blend genres to make them work in their favour. they mix hip hop with pop with edm with fuck knows what else and make it look effortless. there are not many artists or producers who can do that. on that note, kudos to bts' production team, not just joon and yoongi and hobi, but also supreme boi, pdogg, bang PD and everyone else, they are so talented and they make the boys shine even more every time.

bts has songs for every occasion. literally. they have gritty, rough songs that go so hard you wanna punch someone in the face (i.e. cyphers, fire, mic drop). they have songs that will make you cry your eyes out (i.e. spring day, butterfly, sea). they have songs that will have you blushing for no reason and smiling like a dork because they're so cute (i.e. I like it, coffee, miss right). they have bangers that could be played in clubs all over (i.e. dope, save me, best of me). they even have songs that'll make you want to overthrow a government and personally kick oppressors to the fifth circle of hell (i.e. not today, n.o, we are bulletproof).

they are so freaking versatile it's a miracle they haven't broken off into millions of different pieces. i think part of why that is is the fact that each member brings something entirely different to the table. each of them have their own style and unique voice that makes the whole thing come together in the best way.

i’ll go on and analyse each members styles now:

rm -- okay so namjoon is probably universally known as the best rapper in the group. i don’t disagree. i’ve seen people who certainly know more about rapping than i do (which isn’t really hard but w/e) say that the way rm raps is the tightest, better than many western hip-hop artists these days. i think this is evident in the recent collab with fob where he raps in english (not saying he raps better in english; he raps amazingly in any language tbh). i think anyone who listens to that song and doesn’t know who namjoon is will think he’s a legit rapper/hip-hop artist. however, what i wanted to talk about was his rapping style from my point of view (again, just my opinion). i think the way namjoon raps is unique and different form the other members of the rap line because it’s very polished, but it still has that raw element that he refuses to shed completely. i often think of it like this: kim namjoon could be telling you to fuck off but it would take you three years to realise that’s what he meant. his rap style isn’t necessarily aggressive (compared to suga’s, for example), but it’s still kind of harsh and emotive, and i think that’s a really amazing balance. his voice is very mellow as well, like when he talks or sings, i feel like his voice just.........embraces you, in a way. it’s hard to explain. of course, there are songs where his rapping is more aggressive than others, but overall i feel like his rap style is more subtle in that sense, and that’s what makes it even more amazing

suga -- oh boy. i don’t even know where to begin. i know i said that namjoon is universally the best rapper in the group, but if i had to pick a fave out of the rap line, it’d be yoongi. why? because boy goes hard as FUCK and i freaking love it. i don’t know if you’ve listened to his mixtape (listen to it, it’s freaking amazing) but you can see what i’m about to say even more clearly on there. to me, yoongi is such an expressive and emotive rapper it blows my mind every time i see him perform. it’s the way he spits the lyrics out, it’s the way he says them almost without breathing for what seems like forever, it’s the way he always puts everything he has into what he’s singing. you can hear his heart in his rapping and to me, that’s what makes him such a fucking great rapper. i know there’s also the stuff with diction and bars and shit but i’m not getting into that because i have no idea what i’m talking about. all i know is how he makes me feel when i hear him, and what i feel is that every time he throws a verse, he does so with all of his heart, he feels everything he sings. it’s almost angry and frustrated the way he raps, like he has so much to say and not enough time, not enough breath. i can’t even put it into words properly, but if you see him perform you’ll know what i mean. if namjoon can tell you to fuck off without you realising he’s doing it, yoongi will tell it to your face and then smack you all the way there. and that’s why i love his style so much. he is shameless in it, in his anger, in his emotions, and it makes me connect with him on a whole other level.

j-hope --  ahh yes, hobi. i’ve only recently really started to appreciate hoseok’s style, and i don’t know why, past me was an idiot. at this point, i’m not sure if that rumour about him starting off as a vocalist is true, but the fact of the matter is that hoseok has something the other members of the rap line don’t show as much, and that is a level of musicality in his voice that is unlike anything i’ve ever heard in a rapper ever. i don’t really know how to explain it, but you can hear it in several bts songs. he almost like sings his rap at times. i think that’s what makes him so unique. his voice blends with the music in a way that’s almost similar to the way the vocal line’s do. i think that is such a beautiful thing to be honest. that being said, of course his rap is also super tight and in every level on par with the other two rappers. i just love how the three rappers have three very unique styles and voices and ways to rap. it brings that diversity and versatility to the group that would be hard to get if they were all sort of on the same level or had the same style

jin -- to me, jin’s voice is one of the most beautiful in the world, period. i love how it’s slightly nasal, his tone and timbre are so unlike anything i’ve ever heard. awake is one of the most beautiful songs ever to me. he has a sort of classical way about his singing that is very very nice, and that contrasts well with the other vocalists’. i’ve seen people saying that his voice is more suited for ballads and that is why he doesn’t get as many lines in the more upbeat songs. i disagree. i think the perfect example of this is his part in the ‘go go’ chorus. i just love it. his voice goes perfectly with the rhythm and melody of that song. his voice is more versatile than people give him credit for i feel. i hope that with time, we get to see more of it in more upbeat songs, but i won’t be that person that says bighit is doing him dirty bc they don’t give him more lines, i don’t wanna start that discourse on here. anyway, this all to say, jin’s voice is really beautiful and unique to me, and that allows bts songs to get yet another layer of complexity and melodic diversity. jin really contributes to it in my opinion with his timbre and higher tone.

jimin -- i don’t even know where to begin with jimin. of course, he is the king of high notes. no contest there. i just love jimin’s voice so much. i think it really gives the vocal line something extra that ends up bringing the whole thing together spectacularly. i know he is very insecure in his vocal skills, but boy can sing for shit!!!!! it’s amazing how he holds those high notes for so long. i can’t even do those notes. but isolated high notes aside, jimin has a very sweet voice. i don’t know how else to put it. his voice is just sweet. i feel like smiling every time he comes in singing in his base tone because it’s just..........so sweet. i think it goes so well with the otherwise more gritty music bts is known to do. that being said though, i LOVE when he comes out with those growls and raspy verses. i just love how versatile he can be, and i wish we could hear it more often in recorded versions, because boy goes all out in live performances. i don’t think his versatility and vocal ability is really acknowledged that much, i know he’s mainly known for his high notes and generally high voice, but he can do a lot more than that and it gives bts a certain kind of balance, in my opinion

v -- listen, whoever told kim taehyung he can’t sing in the past is a fucking moron. like, i don’t know what those people were drinking because what the heck????? this boy has one of the widest vocal ranges i’ve ever seen in my life. he is also probably the most versatile voice in bts. he can go high, he can go low, he can go raspy, he can do harmonies. he can do anything, really. and i love everything he does with his voice. i love it when he goes low and gets that sultry feel to his voice, like a jazz singer almost. i love it when he belts out high notes and holds them like they’re his bitch. i love it when he rasps out verses like he’s a fucking rock singer who’s had too much liquor before going on stage. i love it when he harmonises with literally any other members. speaking of harmonies, can we PLEASE have more jimin and tae lines where they sing together????? their voices go together SO WELL it’s insane. when they harmonise my soul legit leaves my body and ascends to the fifth dimension. tae’s voice is such a beautiful contrast and contrabalance to the other vocalists’ voices, it doesn’t matter which, because when they go higher, he can go a little lower and the result is fucking brilliant. i could talk about kim taehyung’s voice all day to be honest, but i won’t. go listen to stigma and you’ll basically know everything you need to.

jungkook -- it is amazing what this boy can do with his voice. there is a reason he is the main vocalist, and that is because his technique is fucking stellar. i’ve seen people ask why he gets more chorus lines when he’s not even the best singer, and i just get slammed because.......... what? for the record, i don’t think any of the vocalists are better than the others, they all have very unique and amazing voices that balance each other out in the best way possible. but jungkook........... i wish i knew more about the technical terms of this so i could explain it properly. one of the things that always floors me is how, in the earliest bts songs, he was 15 and 16 years old. most of the boys i knew at 15 still had their voices breaking and screeched at random fucking times. yet jk has always been steady as a rock when it comes to his vocal ability. i think he is the baseline for everyone else’s voice because he ties the harmonies together so well. he keeps the base tone going while the other members go higher and lower and bring out the other aspects of the song. however, and we all know this, when this boy goes, he fucking goes hard. his high notes are no goddamn joke. they fucking shock me every time. and the way he’s able to maintain them is flawless. i feel like i can’t even talk about his technique, i’m just not good enough. another thing i love about jk’s voice that i don’t know if many people notice is how it’s always slightly husky when he’s singing in his base tone. i don’t think i’ve ever heard a voice like that in a boy his age. his voice has something behind it that, while being extremely subtle, also makes it stand out.

okay now that that’s done, i wanna talk about content, more specifically lyrics.

now, being an i-army, and knowing almost nothing about the korean language, i don’t understand most of bts’s songs without subs or a translation. that being said, i can get the feel and vibe of a song from the very first time i listen to it. before i even looked at translations, i could tell that fire was a song about just wanting to let got for a while and do crazy shit; i could tell that i need u was about heartache and pain and a love that hurt. i could tell that butterfly was a song about loving someone and being scared they’d disappear. of course, i won’t pretend to know that that was exactly what they were about, but i could feel it when i heard them. i might’ve not known the exact way to put it in words, but the songs brought up feelings in me that matched them perfectly. i think that says enough about how my thought and effort bts puts in their songs and musical arrangements, because they know music is about more than words being sung, it’s about the feelings, it’s about what you want people to feel when they hear the song.

but about the lyrics themselves, i think bts do something not many other kpop groups (or mainstream artists in general) are able to do. of course, i know plenty of artists get political in their songs, i’m not discrediting them for it. what i am saying is that, from what i’ve seen of the kpop industry and culture, a group talking about the topics that bts bring up isn’t that common. in their songs, they’ve broached topics such as anxiety, depression, feeling like you’re set up to fail, the pressures put on teens to do well in school and go to a good uni, strict educational systems, social standards, social inequalities, rich vs. poor dichotomy, youth, the transition between teen and adult, among many others that you don’t often see addressed in such a consistent way. they’ve stayed true to what they’ve been doing since their debut, which is be a voice for young people beyond love songs. what they say resonates with people, it makes us feel understood, we see ourselves in their lyrics and music.

this brings me to the topic of music videos. now we all know that bts mv’s are a whole other level of production. but what i wanted to mention really quick is how nothing they do on those videos is random. i’m sure they have a fantastic team behind them helping with this, of course. but bts music videos always have several subliminal messages hidden under the surface. i wanna talk specifically about the hyyh series videos. those are, in my opinion, better than many oscar-nominated feature length movies. they are incredibly well thought out and aesthetically planned, as well as being so heavily meaningful and charged with narrative continuity that just leaves you speechless. not to mention the boys’ acting like wow. specifically in the i need u mv, even if the song is about love and separation, the mv goes so beyond that it leaves you wondering why they even put the song on there. it could just be a film on its own. it’s so raw and gritty and intense, charged with meaning and sensitive topics not everyone would care to address in an mv like that, for that kind of song. it sets a whole picture for the other videos, and it just leaves me so floored every time i watch it, as well as the other videos in the series, because the level of detail and planning and thought that went into that series is seriously another level entirely. i think that definitely sets them apart from anything else in the world, really, beyond kpop or music in general.

i’ll just talk about live performances really quick. the fact that people say they lip sync literally makes me want to throw a chair in their faces. in fact, i wouldn’t even be that mad if they did lip sync. i mean, with their choreo and demanding vocals, it’d be understandable. but they don’t. it’s so clear every single time they perform. they have recording to back them up and a few vocals here and there, but the core is all them. do you have any idea how hard it is to do the kind of choreo they do and deliver that level of vocals and rap? as someone who’s had to do it, i’ll tell you for a fact it is a bitch. but they do it, and they make it look effortless. they bring their all into every single performance they do. i love watching their performances. i love the energy, i feel energized after watching a video of them performing. i love their adlibs, i love how tight they are with choreo, and how wild they get when they can just walk around the stage and interact with fans. i love jimin’s shouts and growls in every song he sings. i love jk showing off his stellar vocals. i love jin showcasing his freaking amazing vocal abilities for the world to see. i love v’s raspy vocals and how they sound live with an audience. i love hobi’s energy. i love suga hopping around and spitting fire like he’s talking about the weather. i love namjoon all hyped and having the time of his life dancing with his members and the fans.

one more thing final i’ll mention, and that i think anyone who’s seen them together has noticed, is the deep connection the members have with each other. i’ve noticed that with some other groups, there tends to be sub-groups and pairs or little groups of members that are closer to each other than with everyone. i don’t see that with bts ever. ofc, every dynamic is different, but you can tell they are all family. it’s the kind of love and connection you just can’t fake. it’s the kind of love that goes beyond just being in the same group together. in my idealistic view of the world and universe, i truly do believe that bts are 7 soulmates that were lucky enough to have found each other. like, every time i think about all the things that had to happen for them to be where they are today, i’m floored. from jungkook being scouted by 6 other agencies (3 of which are the biggest idol companies in korea) and choosing small label bighit because of rm, from v only going to that audition to support his friend and not to participate himself, to jin turning down sm because he thought it was a scam, or hobi landing on bighit and not jyp when they split, or rm trading his surely brilliant academic career for music, or yoongi fighting so hard for his dream he would walk home and skip meals. these boys have such an incredible amount of dedication to music, to each other and to us that just makes me so freaking emotional. they not once have taken any of it for granted. they know what it is like to struggle for your passions. they know what it’s like to feel like you’re not good enough. you see it every time they win an award or surpass another landmark in their career. they’ve stayed humble and not once taken army for granted. it’s beautiful to see.

and that is why, in my opinion, bts are as successful and as amazing as they are. none of it is coincidence (see what i did there). it’s their hard work, it’s their insane amount of talent, it’s their combined efforts to make music no one has done before. it’s their thoughtfulness and dedication. it’s their honest to goodness genius. and maybe, i guess, a little bit of serendipity as well.

[sinceileftyoublog]

One True Pairing Interview: A Glorious "Fuck You”

Tom Fleming (formerly Wild Beasts); Photo by Jenna Foxton

BY JORDAN MAINZER

For Tom Fleming, the end of Wild Beasts represented the opportunity to start over. Just last month, he released his self-titled debut as One True Pairing, a name inspired by the concept of a perfect match between two fictional characters, but that Fleming co-opted to fit with the theme of romanticism for a better world. His touch-points? Combining the idealism of 80′s heartland rock with the grey-hued class frustration of discordant UK punk. But unlike fan fiction, Fleming was actually able to combine worlds, in real life. 

Much of One True Pairing was written on acoustic guitar and recorded on a 4-track with one microphone so Fleming could really isolate the feeling of the lyrics. “If I get straight on the computer, I mess around” with “stuff nobody cares about at that stage,” he told me over the phone last month. Once he had about 6-7 solid songs and was happy with his melodies, he worked with mixer and producer Ben Hillier until they were satisfied with the songs. But Fleming appreciated his time alone, previously used to being in a band constantly bouncing ideas off one another, this time able to reflect on his own creations.

Don’t get him wrong: Fleming is still in touch with his former band mates, calling Hayden Thorpe’s solo debut Diviner a “beautiful record.” And while he’s performed One True Pairing songs live as a duo, he’s open to the idea of putting a band together. But for the most part, he’s enjoying calling the shots. “To be on the road for 10-12 years is a difficult life,” he told me. “I wouldn’t berate anybody for not wanting to do that into your sixties.”

Read on below, as Fleming discusses various songs on the album and their sonic and lyrical influences, as well as consciously differentiating from Wild Beasts.

Since I Left You: How did you achieve a balance with your first solo record between making a personal, artistic statement and a politically timely one?

Tom Fleming: I was very aware of a solo record being some kind of secret ambition I’d always had--it was nothing like that. I had no idea what I was doing after Wild Beasts. I didn’t want it to feel like an indulgence. I wanted it to have a reason to exist other than my artistic vision. In terms of being timely, I was bothered by a lot of things--it wasn’t an attempt to make a quote-unquote political statement. It felt dishonest and weird and a bit creepy to not write about what was in front of me or at least in some refraction. There’s a reason people turn a blind eye in the UK in terms of economics. They like to think they’re “woke” and these things never come up until you implicate them...I wanted to make something that had a logic outside of itself. But I was very eager not to make a singer-songwriter record from a singular perspective.

SILY: The tie-in for a lot of people will be Wild Beasts. Did you consciously decide to make something that sounds separate from that?

TF: Some of it is a reaction--not necessarily for the audience’s benefit, but because I got tired of doing certain things. Wild Beasts records were very layered and quite delicate in places. I am trying to approach this as “I am a new artist.” I’m not sure I particularly care what the artists in bands are doing next unless it’s good. I don’t think it carries over.

SILY: Whenever you see a new moniker that’s also the name of an album and a song, it’s gotta mean something. Would you say that the song “One True Pairing” is emblematic of this new chapter for you?

TF: Yeah. The name just kind of stuck. There’s a hopefulness and romanticism. The words appealed to me. Not having my name gave me a bit more freedom and a role to play with.

SILY: What about the song “Zero Summer” made you want to open with it?

TF: Lyrically, and in terms of the sonics, it’s got that kind of aggression and slightly sarcastic nods to 80′s heartland rock that’s on the record. It’s also about the life of T.S. Eliot. There are a few puns to myself in it. [laughs]

SILY: I definitely got the 80′s vibes on “Blank Walls” and the guitars of “Dawn at the Factory”, because you still did an interesting synthesis of 80′s heartland rock, but the synthesizers are used differently than Springsteen, Henley, etc. did.

TF: Thanks, man. That’s kind of what I was going for. British music is a refraction of American music, so I wanted it to be that. There’s a romanticism to what I’m doing, and I wanted to do that but also make it a bit twisted and a bit askew and have the lyrics be a bit off-message. [laughs]

SILY: Some of the songs are a bit of a slower burn, like “Elite Companion” and “King of the Rats”, which is much more vocal-forward. How did it feel to be the only one singing on the record as compared to your past experiences?

TF: It’s different. I felt like I had to sing differently. I was ready for it, though. I wasn’t the lead vocalist before. I realize how much of it is delivery. The lyrics on the page don’t feel like how they sound, not only with pitch and accent but the type of attitude you sing it with. I sing a lot more aggressively, too. Un-decorative. I wanted it to sound a bit intimidating and a bit less pleasant to listen to. I wanted it to be unavoidable. You’re gonna hear every word here.

SILY: A couple songs stood out to me for their epic arrangements: “Alive in the Resplendent Flames” and especially “Weapons”, which has a loud-quiet-loud dynamic with an explosive chorus.

TF: That was a sort of like Joni Mitchell-y guitar tune with a stealth chorus that comes halfway through the measure. “Weapons” is a little darker in tone, but both those songs both have themes of escape from marination in violence and oppressive threats. There’s a line in “Zero Summer” about being doomed to repeat the same things over and over. I was very wary of making a white boy singer-songwriter record, which I think has been done infinitely, and much better than what I could probably do. [laughs]

SILY: A lot of the good examples of those singer-songwriters records have a sense of personal sharing, which you do communicate in terms of your interaction with the world around you, especially as it comes to contemporary society and politics. You kind of felt there was a lacking in people making art about the situation we’re in or addressing it head-on. Did you feel a responsibility to do it yourself?

TF: I’ve been quite fortunate to get where I got to. There are a lot of things I won’t escape from my economic background way back. In the UK, there’s a kind of fatalism to what you can and cannot be. There’s a dishonesty about how woke people tend to be. It’s very selective and public facing. It’s not really addressing their own role in it. I wanted to implicate the listener. I wanted them to go, “Oh God, that’s what I helped to create.” I’m not the only one doing something like that, but I’m trying to offer a point and counterpoint to it.

SILY: What about “Only God Can Judge Me” made you want to end the album with it?

TF: There’s a glorious “Fuck you” about that song. It’s like a gathering together. There’s a sort of a summation. That was the only one written in the studio. We were playing around on guitar and decided to add lyrics. The lyrics of that song and the way it feels are me wondering, “What does all this mean? What do I do now?” It felt right thematically to put there. There’s an almost sea shantiness to it, which appealed to me. 

SILY: Do you have a favorite song on the record?

TF: Oh man...hmm, good question. I come and go as to which one I like best. I think “King of the Rats” turned out well. It was written quite quickly. It was very much a feel thing. I like “Zero Summer” in that it begins the record with a “fuck you,” just like the end.

SILY: What’s the inspiration behind the album art?

TF: I love Jandek. His portraits are so off-kilter. I wanted to do something like that. It was the inspiration for me being in water...I didn’t want it to be kitchen sink realism. 

SILY: How have the songs changed live?

TF: They’re more minimal, I guess. “Alive in the Resplendent Flames”, I’m doing a sit-down version of that, but for the most part they’re still full. This isn’t an acoustic show; this is a rock show.

Tour dates:

10/31: Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands

11/4: King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, UK

11/5: Yes, Manchester, UK

11/6: Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen, Leeds, UK

11/7: The Louisiana, Bristol, UK

11/8: The Grand Social, Dublin, Ireland

11/11: The Victoria, Dalston, London, UK

[occultationrecordings]

Translation of Ruta 66 John Howard interview

John Howard: So near yet so far

Howard Michael Jones was born in Lancashire in the early 1950s and came very close to achieving success at the very start of his career, when the powerful CBS label had high hopes of his debut, the wonderful “Kid In A Big World”.

However, the stars failed to align on that occasion, even though the aforementioned first LP was an exquisite pop confection, where, among the sparkling of a precocious talent there were fleeting glimpses Bowie at his most melancholic, early Scott Walker and a few couplets that wouldn’t’ve out of place on a Kinks LP; this misfortune and a failed second album kept him away from the music scene for a full 29 years; or at least, to be more specific away from the scene for artists, as during this lengthy period he swapped the spotlight for the office, joining the payroll of the EMI multinational label working in various departments, from A&R to music publishing and also including the marketing departments.

There was no further musical news from him until the fourth year of the new century, maintaining his quality control on wonderful records such as “As I Was Saying” (Cherry Red, 2005) although they slipped under the popular radar. Sadly and obviously having been sidelined as a minority interest artist, he managed a sporadic, jumbled music career until last year he gave us a surprise, leaving us breathless with what I feel is his masterpiece to date, the brilliant “John Howard & The Night Mail” on which he worked with musicians usually to be found playing with the likes of Paul Weller and Edwyn Collins and on which he excelled with timeless, albeit slightly melancholy pop songs, full of brilliant style and dealing with the everyday splendours and miseries of life lived to the full in remnants of happiness. Listen to songs like “London's After-Work Drinking Culture”, “Deborah Fletcher” and the single “Intact Smile” and you’ll find the explanation for my clumsy arguments for yourselves.

Once again his talent was on fairly near being recognised, as the album was reviewed enthusiastically in media as wide-ranging as AllMusic, MOJO and the magazine you are now reading (see Ruta 66 no. 332). However incredible it might seem, once again he came up against a wall of indifference, he went almost unnoticed and barely thirty people made the trip to the Sala Apolo in Barcelona to enjoy a genuinely magical night with the British bard - times really are tough for talents as subtle as his. Oblivious to the setbacks and heartaches of show-business, Howard now offers us the exquisite “Across The Door Sill”, five poems set to music with voice and piano hand-in¬-hand, a subtle piece of craftsmanship which will be appreciated by amateurs of ethereal, inspired pop. Having moved to rural Murcia a few years ago, we took advantage of his physical proximity to ask him about his expectations for this new record.

R66: In terms of your discography, it may look as though you’re shooting yourself in the foot by releasing a record as intimate as “Across The Door Sill” after the warm welcome given to your last recording with The Night Mail; I'm aware that an artist’s mind doesn’t work like that, but did you never think about continuing with that project, either with the same musicians or a band?

JH: Well, I started writing the songs for this new record while we were playing “John Howard & The Night Mail” live, but it was always clear to me that “Across The Door Sill” was a solo project; in fact when I was at Robert Rotifer’s (The Night Mail guitarist - author’s note) house in Canterbury getting ready for the tour, he played me a few of his new songs and I played him some of mine on my own at the piano, I think un artist must never stagnate, you have to avoid repeating yourself. I wanted to try something completely different to what I’d done in the past, and I decided to try mixing music and poetry. This doesn’t mean that The Night Mail can never record again, but we’d have to see when all the members were available to get together again; in fact at the moment I’m negotiating with Occultation Recordings to record a new album in 2017, and I’d like to do it with a backing band - I’ve got lots of ideas, but at the moment that’s all they are, ideas…

R66: Did you get any offers from labels to continue working with The Night Mail?

JH: Unfortunately not, but you’ve got to remember that The Night Mail wasn’t a band in the usual sense, all of the members are involved in their own projects and touring as backing musicians, which means that the idea of continuing with that project was really difficult; I’ve got to admit that I loved making that record and I hope we’ll be able to get together again one day.

The work involved in preparing the songs for the record is rather unconventional, as it sees that you started by writing five poems with no melodies at all – how did you then manage to fit the music to the words?

JH: I wrote five poems rather anarchically, without thinking about conventional metre, more or less with the structure of a pop song, literally letting the words spill out onto the paper, like when dreams give you images and you don’t know where they come from. Later on I covered these poems with notes on the piano, looking for choruses and rhythms which would fit with the shape of the poetry, then letting the melodies develop naturally. Once I had the basic part of the song ready, I recorded a few layers of piano, one on top of another and finally the vocal, taking fragments from various pre-recorded vocal tests, ending up with the backing vocals and stressing the harmonies, again using various pre-recorded tracks. This is the most I’ve ever got out of the studio, I wanted what you hear on the record to be different from the live versions.

R66: Whose attention are you asking for on the album’s opening track, “Who Cares?” It might seem like a lament for someone who’s been abandoned or neglected – is that the way you feel?

JH: (Laughter) I really don’t feel abandoned or defenceless, in I’m now getting more attention for my music than at any other time in my career, I feel that my fans love me!!! The lyrics on this album shouldn’t be interpreted literally, as they were written in a random, dreamy kind of way. On that song the backing vocals repeat the mantra “Who Cares?” but they’re talking about a question a lot of people are asking at the moment, as they’re worried about the direction in which the world is going, and often they don’t find the right answers. You don’t need to worry about me though, I feel loved and I know there’s definitely someone who cares about me (laughter)

R66: What’s the process involved in writing a song as amazing as “Preservation”? For me this is the most brilliant song on the album and perhaps also the one which most closely follows the melodic parameters set out on the previous record.

JH: Interesting question… I think “Preservation” is the most orthodox song on the album, as it’s got a verse-chorus structure, and it reminds me of some of the sixties folk songs I grew up with. It’s got a very pastoral feel, even the vocal harmonies sound like a folk-pop group, in the tradition of Fairport Convention. In fact a few DJs to whom I’ve given advance copies of the record are playing it on their shows, maybe it’s the closest to what we might define as “a John Howard song”.

R66: In Barcelona you told me that you’ve chosen a life away from the madding crowd, sharing a farm in Murcia with your partner, where you breed chickens, you’ve got a kitchen garden, etc. Does this mean you keep your distance from show business, the latest music etc.?

JH: I’ve spent quite a few years away from the vicissitudes of the music business, even more so since I moved to your country; even so, I’m still in touch with new music through my fellow Night Mail members Robert Rotifer and Ian Button, writers such as Ralegh Long and Darren Hayman and labels like Gare Du Nord, Tapete and Occultation, who have some wonderful artists.

I tried to have a career in the seventies, but I ended up tremendously isolated and now I feel part of a whole network of artists, writers and musicians, I feel as though I belong to the current scene  much more strongly than when I started out almost 50 years ago; on the other hand I’ve absolutely no interest in the kind of pop that’s in the charts, with its utterly detestable, uniform sound, it hurts my ears - a lot of modern singers seem happy to sound like computers, which I don’t like and I try to avoid them

R66: You’re getting ready for a tour to promote this record – I imagine it’ll be you on your own with the piano, like the concert you did at the Sala Apolo in Barcelona. This format depends in some ways on the venues in which you can perform and also requires a certain predisposition on the part of the audience – do you feel you’ve got the strength to cope with all these possible “drawbacks”?

JH: For now I don’t have any gigs planned, but I would love to be invited back to Barcelona or to any other city and have the chance to play my new material. I’m a bit anti-touring, especially if they’re very long. I don’t like being away from home for long, being on the road doesn’t suit my temperament, I’m much happier recording in the studio and creating new material, but on the other hand I love playing small venues where I can feel that the audience are close to me and I can communicate with them, the only condition I lay down is that I need to have a good acoustic piano, I prefer them to electronic pianos. In the acoustic format my songs work much better and I can give the music richer nuances.

Text: Manuel Borrero

Photo: Eva Fraile (Apolo, Barcelona)