One Down. Three To Go, And Then…
There are a lot of exciting things happening this and next year, but it’s this year that requires clear focus and an organised approach to getting a great deal done in a very short time. After what has seemed like incessant delay and things getting in the way, “A Proliferation Of Pointlessness” is now completed and will be ready for the YouTube Listening Party at 6pm (UK) on Friday 29th August.
This is the first album where I’ve felt completely confident sending it to Ali for production. It’s normal to be not quite happy with something. This time around I’ve been significantly more self-critical, brutal at times. One song was jettisoned altogether. Another, recorded for the second album (“A Proliferation Of Protest”, to be released on 24th October), was also going to be ditched until I played it on acoustic guitar rather than the cittern. It was reprieved. By the time I sent the whole work for production, I was confident my job was done.
Musicians care, but there comes a point when not caring is also a positive and really important thing. Not caring when you make a mistake in a live performance, and not caring what other people think after releasing an album, are both signs of confidence in what you’re doing. It’s also a sign that I know my producer and he knows me. In October, Ali and I will have been working together for ten years, and there’s a two way confidence that we’re both more than capable of doing our jobs.
Yes, it’s nearly ten years since we started recording “Moorscape”. Back then, I had a vertical learning curve to contend with. I was confident enough in my roughs of the songs, but had no real idea how the studio recording process would pan out. Ali believed in the project, and could see I was going to work hard at my task. Without his faith in me, I may not have got as far as this. Back then, my destiny was entirely in his hands. Now we’re trading as equals, and it feels good.
I also had a lot of help back then from Kieran Heaney, who would bluntly tell me when things sounded clunky, lyrically or with my music. He, Jad and Emma made contributions to “Moorscape” that made the songs, and actually their contributions were the icing on the cake for the album. This new album, “A Proliferation Of Pointlessness”, is all my own work. I think that’s the first time I’ve created an album entirely by myself. There have been no guest musicians, and I’m completely relaxed about that.
So we’re at that point where my work is done, and it’s now up to everyone else what they think of the album. On 29th August it will be completely out of my hands, then I can resume work on “A Proliferation Of Protest” without distraction. Now that my social media presence is restricted to Blue Sky, I’d be most grateful if you would do whatever you can to help spread the word.
Peace.
John
“A Proliferation Of Pointlessness” will be released on Bandcamp at https://johnreed.bandcamp.com/ after the YouTube Listening Party at 6pm on Friday 29th August (https://www.youtube.com/@johnreed-music/videos).