Ballard

I was listening to a podcast at work yesterday. I listen to lots of podcasts at work as it’s so boring I need something to get me through. This particular podcast is from Inside Home Recording and it was the first one I’d listened to. It wasn’t bad, if a bit dry at times, but I suppose that’s the nature of such a geeky podcast as one that deals with recording nose flutes and discussing power conditioners. I’ll certainly keep listening to it.

Anyway, they discussed an interview with Imogen Heap in Sound on Sound magazine.

Imogen Heap

Now, I’d already read this interview but didn’t take in a key comment from her. Fortunately the guys on the podcast mentioned it. Here’s what she said;

“Every time I do a song I’ll release it the next day on the Internet, so it’s already out there doing its thing. When I finish a song I just want it out, and not have to wait for all the promo and manufacturing; that just feels so against what it’s all about today.”

That really struck a chord with me yesterday. I have loads of songs that are lying around, either finished or nearly finished, and they don’t seem to fit together. If I had to put these songs on an album it would sound strange as I bounce around stylistically. They’re not dramatically different but they’re different enough. So I tend to tell myself that songs A, F, and G can wait till they have 5 more songs to go with them, whilst songs B, C and E can wait for 2 more and make up an E.P. Meanwhile, songs D, H and I can languish on my hard-drive.

Imogen’s way gets round this. Songs don’t have to work together and they don’t have to sit around waiting for other songs to be finished. Imogen’s way says, “Song A, you are ready. Go out into the world and let people enjoy you.”

It sounds like a great way of doing things. It sounds fun, instant, creative and exciting. And that’s pretty much how I like my music (if spending hours in the studio sounds exciting). So that’s what I’m going to do this year. When a song is ready I’ll put it up here on BallardPop and offer it to the public. Some will be chargeable, some will be free (down to my capricious nature) but they’ll all be up here as soon as they’re done.

And so here’s the first one. It’s a free one too! It’s called This Could Last Forever and is a song all about holding on to what’s good in your life. In a sympathetic gesture very unlike me (I’m a gruff Northern git) I’ve dedicated the song to my parents. I’ve got to really, the last verse is all about them. I do hope you like it and please say if you do so. You could also tell your friends… click on following link to get it – This Could Last Forever.