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INTERVIEW
JH: The easy ones are first. Who are your 3
favorite songwriters of all time?
TD: Joni
Mitchell, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Richard Thompson
(had to make it 4)
JH: How would you describe your creative
process or songwriting technique? What I’m getting
at is do you have a specific writing process and
schedule or is it more like when lighting strikes or
the ever wonderful moments of clarity or better put;
would you say your writing is more from within,
inspiration and talent than it is about the craft?
TD: My technique
used to be, wait until the muse comes. I don't
recommend this for anyone who wants to write lots of
songs, unless they plan on living a very long time.
Over the last 6 or 7 years I have been co-writing
with a good friend and lyricist George Wardwell. The
way we work is, he e-mails me lyrics and if they
strike me, I immediately sit down and try and write
the song. There have been a few instances when I
thumbed through older lyrics that I had for whatever
reason passed on and found that I liked them and
wound up writing a song with them.
I have found that going to see great songwriters
perform live always inspires me to write. I'm not
sure why but it usually works for me.
JH: You told me recently that you joined Taxi
and it has opened some doors. Would you recommend
their services to other songwriters?
TD:
I would recommend it to writers who
really want to improve the craft aspect of their
writing. Your music is screened by people that Taxi
hires. Most of these people are in some aspect of
the music business. They are looking for commercial
appeal most of the time. It has to get past them
first before your song has a chance of getting into
the hands of the person or company that may use it.
I have had quite a few songs forwarded to the next
level and recently signed a publishing agreement
with a company that specializes in background music
for daytime TV shows. All My Children on ABC just
used Escape And On You Go from my last CD.
JH: You recently completed your second solo
CD, how has your solo work differed from that of
your writing and recording with Devonsquare, for
Atlantic right?
TD: My work with
Devonsquare and Atlantic Records was a great
songwriting and learning experience. I learned how
to co-write, arrange and accept honest criticisms.
Our technique was for the most part, putting
ourselves in a room somewhere for 3 or 4 hours and
trying to come up with an idea that we could build
on. I was the only chordal instrument in the band so
I would just start playing anything that came to my
head. There were times when one of us would come to
songwriting day with an idea that we would then try
and finish. It was always a relief when this would
happen as it took the pressure off of making
something out of nothing and sometimes just staring
at each other for hours.
Writing songs for my first solo project was a very
rewarding experience as it turns out. I initially
started writing on my own but realized this was
going too slow. I then started working with my
friend and lyricist George Wardwell who writes
brilliant lyrics. I had never before started songs
with just lyrics but found that I really liked the
process. I wrote more songs in a 6 month period than
I had written in the last 6 years. The years of
collaborating with Devonsquare made it easy for me
to work with George as I was used to the give and
take. There is a purity to my solo project songs
that I couldn't always capture with Devonsquare.
JH: We’ve also talked in the past about how
your label really loved Devonsquare but did not know
really “what to do” with you because the band really
didn’t fall into any specific categories and you
ended up being thrown on tour with the totally wrong
kinds of acts. Can you tell us a bit about that – or
even your favorite crazy story? I love the Peter
Frampton and Steve Howe ones you’ve told me.
TD: Working with
a record company that likes you but doesn't know
where to market you is a bit of a waste of time.
After all, you're with that company to sell records.
This is why they signed you. If they don't know who
they're going to sell those records to it's almost
impossible to be successful.
As far as being put on tour with the wrong acts, we
spent a large part of our careers doing just that.
We toured with Peter Frampton in 1992 for a month of
one nighters. He basically ignored us for the first
2 weeks and hardly even said hello every day at
sound check. His manager wouldn't let us stay in our
dressing rooms right after our show because Peter
would come in to the venue 15 minutes before he
played his show and warm up his voice. I guess he
didn't want anyone to hear that. One night in
Philadelphia his road manager forgot to kick us out
of our dressing room and Peter started singing in
the next room his big hit song "Show Me The Way".
Well, being the harmony freaks that we are, we
couldn't help but to sing along with him on the
chorus. When he heard us he stopped singing. We
thought we were off the tour at this point. He stuck
his head into our dressing room and stared at us for
about 10 seconds and then said "do that again". He
brought his guitar into the room and sang the chorus
with us and stopped and said "be on stage for the
5th song and sing those harmonies with me" We sang
that song and a few others with him every night for
the rest of the tour. He even had a few drinks with
us in our room on occasion.
JH: You work now as not only a
Singer/Songwriter but also a producer and have
quickly earned the reputation of being one of the
best in New England. Do you enjoy one over the
other?
TD: No, I like
them both equally. They're both very rewarding and
require different yet similar skills.
JH: We’ve talked in the past about the
“assembly line” or “cookie cutter” approach so many
songwriters are taking these days hoping to get a
cut. I know you’ve tried (after being invited to do
so) working with other writers in this fashion, do
you think putting commerce first undermines a
songwriter’s natural creativity or boxes them in so
to speak? Do you think it endangers a writer’s
natural gift or talent?
TD: If you have
a gift for songwriting I don't think this will hurt
or endanger your talent. If anything, it will let
you know right away whether you're cut out for this
sort of thing or not. Songwriters who try and write
hits and are great at it can make a ton of money.
The ones I have met who fall in this category also
enjoy this kind of writing. There has to by real joy
involved to create anything worth creating. You
can't fake real joy and enthusiasm.
JH: You’ve helped me to finish a few songs I
was stuck on and turned what was a mess into
something. Do you enjoy co-writing and helping other
writers?
TD: To me
co-writing is like going on a blind date. If it
clicks then it's a blast and very exciting. If it
doesn't, well it's a long night. I enjoy writing
with people I respect musically and feel comfortable
with. As far as helping other writers, I have been
asked often to help finish a song or maybe write a
bridge to a song. This can be fun.
JH: What’s your take on the whole commerce
and art issue; does it ever enter your mind at all
when you’re writing? Like say you’ve got some great
lyrics and you think “wow that could be a hit” do
you ever then intentionally try to write a
commercial sounding song?
TD: Never. I
made that mistake a long time ago and nothing good
ever came of it. I believe you have to let a song
become a song on it's own terms. If it becomes a
commercial success that terrific. Some of my
favorite all time songs were never commercial
successes.
JH: You have always been an inspiration to me
personally, as a songwriter and performer and of
course golfer and person. Rather than asking what
advise you might have for aspiring songwriters, I’d
like to know what wisdom you would offer to
musicians just beginning to perform in public –
whether it’s covers or originals. As my Mom says to
me “how can you stand there playing and singing when
nobody claps or seems the slightest bit interested?”
I’m sure this happens to me more than you; it’s a
tough hurdle anyone gigging needs to cross and I’ve
known several who never made it.
TD: To perform
live you must develop a toughness tempered with
self-honesty. Sometimes they'll love you for all the
wrong reasons and the other way around. You must
believe in what you do or you're screwed before you
start. There is a book that I would recommend to
anyone who performs in public, whether it be a
songwriter or someone giving a speech. The book is
called "The Art Of The Solo Performer" by Steve
Rapson.
JH: The one that always gets asked; what song
do you really wish you had written?
TD: For monetary
reasons "White Christmas" For artistic reasons "A
Case Of You" by Joni Mitchell
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