rock'n'rill
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From The Studio
Hi guys,
we’re up in Bockenem near Hannover recording what will eventually become our next album.
We gathered here on Thursday afternoon and by now we have six songs in the can. I guess I should qualify that - some will need a few more overdubs (organ, cello), some seem pretty much done.
I’m very happy with what we’re getting. Some of it is beautiful, some is far out and pretty cool, some is rockin’. And it all sounds like our little band.
We’re getting along great with our soundkeeper and host Achim as well as with his right-hand man, VB Kühl. I’ve known both of them for 20+ years, the Troublemaker boys just met them the other day but it feels like we’re a gang :-)
More work to do today. Day three is often a difficult one. Let’s see how we fare!
Wish us well!
Y’all take care & keep rollin’,
Markus
A great interview with Leonard Cohen
I don’t know nearly enough about Leonard Cohen.
Here’s an article with an overview of his career and a short interview portion which offers some absolutely stunning insight into songwriting.
Recording countdown
Hi guys,
been a little quiet here in the blog lately, I know.
Gearing up and preparing to go into the studio starting next week Thursday. So I’ve been weeding out songs, thinking about arrangements, polishing up a few lyrics. It’s all nitty-gritty work that’s important and it’ll pay off but it’s nothing exciting to blog about. (Yes, in case you haven’t noticed, the other stuff I blog about is supposed to be exciting.)
An example? Sure. I changed a line from “things will soon be better” to “things are bound to soon be better”. See? It works for me but I doubt it’s super-exciting for you at this point. Hopefully, it will be once you hear the song (A Braver Smile).
There’s 14 songs we’re planning to record. Ten or eleven with drums and a few quieter acoustic tunes. The band knows eight of those ten or eleven songs. There’s a few I like to confront them with in the studio. Why? Because I think there’s some magic in creating a song and playing it for the first time and I hope we can capture that moment in the studio.
The first time we played “In My Bones” in our rehearsal room all the way through … I don’t mean to sound smug but we all felt it had come together beautifully and we all wish it had been recorded right then and there. Now when we go in to record this song, we’ll be chasing something that’s already happened, trying to recreate something rather than trying to create something. It can work (and I sure hope it does) but sometimes that feeling of chasing after something can create a difficult mindset in the studio.
A similar thing happened when we were recording “The Kid From Tupelo” for “Wild Blue & True”. We did several takes trying to get it just right, the way we heard it in our heads. It got a little frustrating. Then Tom – the producer/engineer – played us a rehearsal take which had a much more relaxed feel. A slightly different drum arrangement than the one in our minds but still, it had that intangible vibe that you’re always shooting for. Needless to say we went with that rehearsal take for the album (and have also adopted the much more natural drum/rhythm arrangement since).
But then there’s other songs that want to be prepared a little. Maybe because they’re a little more intricate or maybe because I imagine a specific arrangement that I want to be able to try out and tweak before we actually record the song. “Your Own Private Rainbow” from “Wild Blue & True” is an example of such a song.
In general I’d say maybe it’s the slower songs on which I lean toward a spontaneous approach and maybe it’s the one or two songs on each record that you imagine might be a little more radio-friendly that I think will profit from a more thought-out approach.
But then, of course, there’s also other songs that I just want to play to the band as soon they’re written because I feel they’ll be a great asset to our live show and I’m excited about them RIGHT NOW. You’ve heard some of them in our shows over the last six or eight months, The Facts About My Life is a good example. In other words, my excitement about a new song often gets in the way of my considerations of what might be best for a particular song when it comes to making an album. It’s often difficult to constrain myself.
Back when I made those three albums in Nashville, before I flew there, I asked the participating musicians whether they wanted to hear solo demos of my songs before going in to record them and the usual reply was they like to hear them fresh in the studio and be able to approach them with an open ear and an open mind in the studio. I love that attitude and I learned greatly from it. Of course, you can only allow yourself that kind of attitude when you know you have the chops to handle absolutely anything. And when you trust your instincts. And when you don’t get nervous in the studio situation.
I’m working on it.
Markus
PS: By the way, this Thursday, Jan 19, I’m at Wunschlos glücklich in Würzburg, next Wednesday, Jan 25, at Stadtcafé Hünfeld.
2011 in the rearview & the road ahead
I’m not really in a retrospective mode right now. I’m very much looking ahead and looking forward to going in the studio with the guys in less than four weeks. We have a bunch of great songs that we’re planning to record. Then we’ll get some friends in to overdub some cool stuff and then hopefully we’ll have ourselves a new record.
Also still hoping for the live DVD to be all done for our February string of gigs.
And looking forward to other cool stuff on the horizon like going on an acoustic music cruise in October, recording some songs with Annika Fehling in March, maybe trying to book some UK gigs for August. There’s always more things that I plan to do than I actually get around to doing but, hey, I’m glad I still have ideas and I’m as excited about the music life as ever, if not more so.
Still, a little evaluation of 2011 can’t hurt. After all, I’ve seen “Wild, Blue & True” on a few lists of people’s favorite albums of 2011 and that makes me feel pretty good. I also got the accounting statement from Blue Rose about sales numbers in the first half of the year and – considering the album was officially released in March – those numbers are wonderful. Maybe I am getting somewhere finally.
Some of 2011’s highlights were:
- the Visby Songwriter Festival
My friend Annika Fehling invited me to perform at her festival in Visby on the beautiful island of Gotland/Sweden. I brought the entire family and had a grand time playing a few shows, staying with Annika, her husband Arne and their daughter Mira and in Stockholm at Eva Hillered’s house, exploring beautiful Gotland & Stockholm with my wife and our little daughter (at Pippi Longstocking Park) and giving a fruitful songwriting workshop with lots of the festival’s other performers in attendance
- the band summer
Summer is often a slow time cause there’s no club gigs. But this year was a great summer for The Troublemakers and me. We played a whole bunch of really cool gigs. Very special was the Königsallee gig that we shot for our upcoming live DVD.
- Berlin with Annika Fehling
Spent a few days in Berlin this September sharing shows with Annika. We’ve done quite a few duo gigs and tours by now so it’s always fun to get together and play on each other’s songs. We wrote a very nice new one.
- Finding booking help
I’ve finally found some friendly, competent, motivated booking help. Yay! We’re almost all booked for the spring.
- The Songwriting Workshop for Gitarre&Bass
Started writing a regular 1 ½ to 2-page songwriting workshop/column for German musician’s magazine Gitarre & Bass a few months ago. I think five or six instalments of the series must’ve run so far. It’s interesting and a lot of fun and it gives me some nice exposure. Been getting good & interesting feedback on this as well. I hope to continue doing this for a long while – and maybe turn this into a book on songwriting at some point.
There were many more great gigs along the way (together with Markus Leidig and Robert Oberbeck) and some not so amazing ones - but that’s what makes the good ones stand out. I expect 2012 will bring more gigs and more of everything.
I hope we’ll play more band gigs and will have occasional guests sitting in (piano player Jan Reinelt, maybe a fiddle player) and joining the band. And, like I said, I have a ton of new songs that I really like and am gertting ready to start recording. Should be a good year! I hope to see you all along the way!
Happy 2012,
Markus
Do You Remember Bobby Fischer?
I recently saw an immensely moving portrait of chess genius Bobby Fischer, his ascend to the world championship in the 1972 match with Boris Spassky and the decline of his mental health in the years after. It was so moving, I immediately wanted to write a song about this fascinating man and his journey.
I sat down and out came those four lines that are now the first verse of the song below.
Somehow, though, it seemed those four lines wanted to belong to a different kind of song than the one I had envisioned. Maybe I have written enough biography-type songs in the last few years (Sarah Stein, Natascha, Kid From Tupelo, Girl Of Many Secrets and a brand new one about Townes van Zandt).
So I followed the direction these words pointed me to. I wrote a few more verses than ended up in the song. Some characters, it turned out, didn’t belong into the song once it revealed what it wanted to be about.
It’s often a fine line between being too obscure in your song and being too obvious. I think the first time you listen to this song, it seems like little more than a list of names of famous people and kind of a trite middle part/bridge.
However, if I listen to it a few times in a row (and, yes, I’m embarrassed to admit I do that with my own songs), it seems to be just right. Very simple, surely, but just right.
I do have one hangup, though. I’m not sure I can keep the van Gogh verse. I think he really only became famous posthumously. Which means he doesn’t entirely fit the bill. Must research.
I hope you enjoy the song.
Do you remember Bobby Fischer?
He was the champion of the world
Do you remember Bobby Fischer?
a brilliant mind once upon a time
Do you remember Vincent van Gogh?
Sunflowers on the easel
Do you remember Vincent van Gogh?
one of a kind once upon a time
Do you still recall Bill Haley?
the first king of rock’n’roll
Do you still recall Bill Haley?
a comet so bright once upon a time
Fame and wealth they don’t mean nothing
I guess they only fade away
Me, I keep doing what I’m doing
and take it day by day, day after day
Do you remember Ernest Hemingway?
He was a man amongst men
Do you remember Ernest Hemingway?
so strong and alive once upon a time
Fame and wealth they don’t mean nothing
can’t take ‘em with you when you go
can’t all of us be lucky
I know, I know
Do you remember Bobby Fischer?
A brilliant mind once upon a time
The usual disclaimer: It’s just a home demo with the guitar & me. No fancy arrangement tricks, just the bare bones skeleton of a song.
Looking forward to hearing your feedback and thoughts on this.
Thanks for listening,
Markus
Great blogs by great musicians - The Bob & Knopf tour
Hey guys,
you may have read about the Bob Dylan/Mark Knopfler concert I recently saw in Nuremberg.
Before and after that gig I immensely enjoyed reading tour diaries by two of Mark Knopfler’s band members, Nashville guitar virtuoso Richard Bennett and Knopfler’s right-hand man, keyboarder Guy Fletcher.
Both have been blogging regularly, writing about every gig and every hotel along the way, often very insightful and humorous and always immensely readable.
For a glimpse of what it’s like to be on a tour of this scale, I wholeheartedly recommend both of their websites. 
Guy Fletcher’s site - go to The Diaries
Richard Bennett’s site - go to Notes From The Road
Both websites, and in particularly those blogs, are treasure troves.
If your time is limited, do check this blog post about the very last show of the tour written by Guy Fletcher.
In fact, let me quote this little snippet from Guy:
It’s fascinating to see how Bob and his band give each other signals during the show and from this new viewpoint it’s clear to see that all important eye contact as only Bob knows when each song will draw to an end. Great too to be able to hear Donny’s fabulous work, Stu’s rocking rhythms and lead work, Charley’s clever little parts, Tony’s solid and funky bass foundation and George’s incredible wrist action. He’s a drummer we all love to watch; a truly great band and what a lovely bunch of guys too.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy browsing around both blogs.
Have fun,
Markus
My favorite records of 2011
Seems to me like 2011 was an exceptionally fine year for new music. Lots of my favorite artists released a new album this year and then I also found some new artists, or ones that were new to me, at least.
I could’ve put together a real strong top ten list after the year’s first half – and that almost never happens to me. Usually, a lot of September/October releases make it into my year-end top ten, mostly on the basis of still sounding fresh to my ears.
Get this, two of my favorites released strong and enjoyable albums this year that didn’t even make the list, Robert Earl Keen and Joe Ely. Truth be told, they might’ve made the list had I put it together another day.
Here’s the countdown.
15. Foster & Lloyd – Already Tomorrow
Very glad those two are back together making joyful, intelligent music.
14. Amos Lee – Mission Bell
Album opener “El Camino” is a very strong contender for song of the year. A beautiful mellow album.
13. Greg Trooper – Upside Downtown
Greg is a soulful singer and great writer. My song of the year award (which is only a virtual handshake) goes to “They Call Me Hank”.
12. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest
I’m very glad Gil & Dave are back. This is a strong return.
11. Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO
Man, this is enjoyable. Clearly these songs are inspired by the type of venues Hayes & his band usually perform in. More Continental Club than Carnegie Hall.
10. Eliza Gilkyson – Roses At The End Of Time
A consistently strong writer with a wonderful atmospheric sound.
9. Deadman – Take Up Your Mat And Walk
A band I’d never heard of with a very soulful, well-written album. Sounds abolutely great in a The-Band-meets-van-Morrison-kind of way. Shouldn’t come as a surprise, after all they’re from Austin.
8. Madison Violet – The Good In Goodbye
I met them when I opened for them a few months ago. Absolutely enchanting harmonies and songs you won’t forget.
7. John Hiatt – Dirty Jeans And Mudslide Hymns
John Hiatt never lets up. He keeps churning them out every 18 months or so and they’re always strong. This one features “Train To Birmingham”, a song I’ve loved since I first heard Kevin Welch’s version more than ten years ago.
6. Slaid Cleaves - Sorrow & Smoke, Live At The Horseshoe Lounge
Slaid is a true class act, always underrated. This live album shows him as a wonderful singer, very strong writer and cool, easy-going performer. This appeals to me on so many levels!
5. Tom Waits – Bad As Me
The first time I heard this I thought “nothing much is new in Tom Waits’s world.” It baffles me now how I could’ve come to this conclusion. Very very strong!
4. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Here We Rest
I may have listened to this album more than any other this year. Jason to me is the most interesting songwriter of the younger generation, unafraid to tackle heavier subjects. And then there’s his impeccable musicianship to boot. I’m sure he has many more great albums in him.
3. Robyn Ludwick – Out Of These Blues
Probably the most pleasant surprise all year. When Robyn’s debut came out, I was skeptical. I mean, how many great artists can there be in one family? But, boy, this album - produced by the great Gurf Morlix - sure proves that Robyn has some amazing stories to tell. This is the kind of top-to-bottom great album I’ve been waiting on from Lucinda for ten or more years.
2. Dave Alvin – Eleven Eleven
Before this, I’ve always liked Dave Alvin’s folkier, storytelling side better than his rowdy barroom-type stuff. But, man, this album is steeped in the blues and yet sounds absolutely fresh & fantastic. The stories are as compelling as always and this combination of bar room swagger and storytelling finesse makes it a truly great album!
1. Steve Earle – I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
It’s probably pretty obvious that few, if any, songwriters have influenced me more than Steve Earle. Still, his last few albums didn’t quite speak to me like some of his earlier work did. This one, however, is a return to form, both as a convincing singer and unequaled songwriter. And T-Bone Burnett created a beautiful musical bed for Earle’s strongest songs in years. This one contains a number of future classics!
What are your favorites?
Storm approaching - an unearthed gem
Hi guys,
I’ve been sick in bed the last couple days so I spent some time going through old demos I still had on my laptop. When I came across a song called “Storm Approaching”, the title didn’t ring a bell. Listening to it was a very pleasant surprise.
Seems to me it’s a real good solid song with some nice lines. It could’ve been a contender :-) So here it is:
Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
I’m trying to hitch a ride
but there’s no one out on this lonely road tonight
They’re all sleeping safe & sound
nestled in their babies’ arms
me, I’m ready for the coming of the storm
Let it come and blow all my sins & sorrows away
or let it blow them right up in my face
Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
staying out of the way of harm
I’m ready for the coming of the storm
It’s cold here by the highwayside
I can see the neon lure
but I pray that it won’t break my will no more
I recall the friends I failed
and the girl that I done wrong
and I hope that memory, too, shall fade before too long
Let the wind come and blow all my sins and sorrows away
or let it blow them right up in my face
Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
and the changes it might bring
I’m hoping it’s gonna wipe my slate clean
You may call it false bravado
call it anything you want
Everybody’s afraid of the storm approaching
staying out of the way of harm
I’m ready for the reckoning to come
This was recorded in October 2007 so this song was in the running for the Things That Count album. Why did it not make it onto that album?
I think after Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami I didn’t feel so good about recording a song that attributed cleansing power to a storm. There’s also a line in there about a “girl I done wrong” and I’m pretty sure I felt I had written more than enough about that particular topic at the time.
Hearing the song now, none of these issues strike me as taking away from the song.
This was one of the last demos I recorded at my good friend Ben Wagner’s before I got my own little home demo setup.
How do you like it?
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Markus
Rock The Boat
On Saturday we played a double header concert at das boot in Würzburg with Lick And A Promise, a great rock’n’roll band in the Stones/Black Crowes/Faces tradition. The Troublemakers presented a new band member in piano and organ player Jan Reinelt and a whole bunch of new songs. It turned into a great gig!
Lick And A Promise opened with a few acoustic numbers. I love a rock band that knows more than one gear. They have some beautiful acoustic tunes, some of the psychedelic Led Zep school and some with a bit of a country influence, obviously those are closer to my heart. And then they have a knack for writing truly great rock songs. Sometimes it seems like writing a kickass rock’n’roll song is a lost art. These days most songs in that vein have a certain rock factor (big drums, big riffs) but lack the roll part of the equation, the swing, the tongue in cheek, the finger-snapping groove. Lick And A Promise have certainly got it all.
They have a singer with charisma, a great guitarist who plays licks with flair (and looks, I must admit, just how you want a rock guitarist to look), a drummer with drive & subtlety and a bass player with great harmony vocals and arrangement skills. They’re often joined but Andi Kümmert, a talented songwriter/guitarist with a great voice, and a horn section. The horns weren’t there on Saturday but the songs and the band were in shipshape.
I sat in with them on Hard To Handle, the Otis Redding number.
Knowing that Lick would bring a bunch of fans, the Troublemakers also played a pretty rocking set that saw a few debuts.
Pianist Jan Reinelt played his first gig with us. I’ve known Jan for a while, he has often mentioned that he likes my stuff and would be willing to sit in should the occasion arise. He recently said this again and this time the timing was perfect. (My longtime partner Andi Obieglo is far away in Berlin these days and very busy with his band Carolin.No.)
We spent three hours on Saturday afternoon running through the songs with Jan (we’d only had a private two-guy rehearsal before) and he rounded them out and made them sound fabulous. We also debuted a whole bunch of new songs.
- Free To Fly - a driving, bluegrassy/country rocker
- When The Night Calls - a soul-inspired number
- In My Bones - a poignant ballad to which Jan added a beautiful piano melody
- Never Come To Know - a midtempo burner that picks up momentum along the way
- Edge Of Nothin’ - it’s got a cool, stomping groove and some fiery guitar
They all went well, we felt good on stage and had fun playing with Jan.
And as a rousing encore, Jochen and Manuel of Lick joined us for a cool take on the Stones’ classic You Can’t Always Get What You Want (perceiced by many as the evening’s highlight) and Chuck Berry’s Nadine.
photo by Regina Haflinger
Whew, what a real good night. We’re still getting great feedback from the camp of Lick & A Promise and their fans.
Looks like we’ll repeat this soon.
rock'n'rill
Rock'n'roll-folk-country-Americana songwriter Markus Rill blogs about his latest exploits, upcoming shows, backstage shenanigans and more.
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