THE SONG/RECORDING: A love song for ya'll. It's about how we show love. There are so many ways... There's a great book called the 5 Love Languages... check it out... this song isn't inspired by that book... but they relate. This song lays out the story of someone proclaiming love through a bunch of BIG actions and displays... meaningful stuff... but in the long run, it all just represents this simple, authentic, monumental truth that is just as meaningfully expressed through looking in someone's eyes, letting that love be seen and living a life that is devoted and respectful to them... I guess you could say it's about the non-romantic side of love and how real, powerful and essential that side is... it's the hard part really.... the daily love thing. In the chorus she just says "that's all cool and what not, but you don't have to go crazy, just mean it and live it."
I wrote this song while FALLBORN (my previous band) was still going... near the end of 2009. But my creative process on it, was more similar to my solo stuff. I wrote it and recorded most of it in one inspired sitting... then the guys put some some down on it (bass/guitar)... and I left my drums on it. Much later I added the strings played by The Section Quartet.
The Drums: On a whim I bought a set of roto-toms. I went nuts on them... and turned them all into little snares. I cut up snare wires and added them to the bottom of each drum.... just bent against the head. You'll here these drums on the verses (those high snaps in different pitches). Then I used my custom made Fatty Snare on the verses (see INVENTIONS section). I believe I used marching bass drum mallets for these drums as well.. for that juicy dumpling like attack:)
The first verse of this song went through quite a few incarnations before I landed on what you hear... For some reason it took a minute to find just the right way of opening the song... once the live strings were involved it came together for me.
Recording The Section Quartet was super fun.... and of course, slightly intimidating if I'm honest! haha... there's something about recording a live string quartet that is like "oooooooooh"... it's just so legit and amazing... and they're SO focused in there... nothing like 4 fretless instruments in one room performing together to get the tension rising! They were all so pro and great to work with though, which was great. I had emptied out my drum room and rented some ancient ribbon mics (that I barely used in the end!!). I have some film of this session (which Nic Rodriguez helped with!)... someday I'll throw some of it up:)
Enjoy!
:)A
Original Release Date: September 21, 2010