An expression we’ve all heard before, I would think. Justified, as well. With anything decent, there is expectancy for something more, something healthier, somewhat more intuitive and at the end of the day just a plain bigger kick in the balls.
Learning from others in the industry, it has become clear that resting on your laurels or featuring in every ad on the telebox, does not increase credibility or polite references via blogs or Twitter. Laughing to the bank might be another fairytale altogether though.
This literally brings me to the difficult second album. Some in my time have done it hands tied behind their backs (Arctic Monkeys, Razorlight and Muse, to name a few) while others have failed more miserably than a Milli Vanilli cover band. (Feel free to use your own examples here. There are many.)
As our second endeavour starts to take serious shape, I can’t help but wonder what the reviews and reactions towards it might be. I guess it doesn’t matter, but the rollercoaster ride that the writing of an album brings is nothing short of exhilarating (as rollercoaster rides are designed to do since the beginning of the United States of Americaland).
Like olives in a pickle jar the songs feel out of place. More contrived than seahorses in stables they feel. Manufactured out of mounds of ear infections and heartbreaks they come across as. Not really.
The songs are so next level we’re convinced the record label is going to give us R10 million and a private jet. Producers are queuing like they want tickets for that game with the round ball that is not tennis happening not next month.
And this is where the problem lies.
As with any closely-knit creative team, Groupthink can be the biggest downfall and staying objective is about as easy as milking a male chicken. Who has ever cared what anyone says about your album though, right?
Besides the fact that it’s not pleasant to read that you’re something that other bands have forgotten on the kitchen floor, no one really. Most artists want to deliver products that get recognised and reach as wide an audience as possible, without losing credibility and as with any industry, music also has its nay and yah-sayers. You just deal with them. The deadly cocktail of downloads, album sales, playlistings, festival slots, music videos and top 10s can comfortably cause hangovers the size of the Namib Desert, unless you down a glass of impartial water to help swallow two apathy pills.
I Like the ‘I basically don’t give a shit, but if I like you, I’ll harmonize to you’ attitude. Second albums are always the worst to do, when it is in fact, the next best thing to denim and a coke. Reaching a point where you can say: “Let’s make the second album”, is almost similar to God creating the universe. When He created light, He said it is good, and continued with the seas, plants etc. If the light was bad, would God have continued to make the world as we know it today? (I know that is somewhat useless, but food for thought nonetheless). Seeing that we are only human, and – in this case – a band gets only one chance these days, it is of vital importance to make that first album a “kick in the balls”. If people like it and say stuff like: “Hey, this is good”, please continue. I think that is what I am trying to say, yes. Please continue.
Peace
Hello daar meneer! Fancy seeing you here
Great post BTW…
hehehe… dejavu!
Having walked this road many times before, the most valuable suggestion I can offer is to “let the first one go” altogether and see this one as a “new beginning”, be it a roaring success or a failure, it’s still better for it to have its own independent lifespan…yes until it eventually dies and the 3rd one has it’s own beginning. The only thread that should tie it together is “that sentiment that got you your current fan-base in the first place” and even that changes over time as people’s changing life-world cause them to evolve in taste and preference. Once it’s mastered and packaged, just be bold, put a clean nappy on it, put it’s dummy in it’s mouth and let it walk out the front door. You can only support it further by playing the stuff live. The rest is in the hands of the Gods my friend. All the best for the album man, looking forward to hearing it!