Post by Linsu on Apr 12, 2013 10:43:45 GMT 10
BRILLIANT INTERVIEW!
The Writers Block with Guy Sebastian Posted by Universal Music Publishing on 10 April 2013
This week The Writer’s Block sits down with the man that boasts more Top 20 Singles than any other artist in Australian history, Guy Sebastian. Read on to hear Guy talk about his new found success in the United States, what it is like to work with Lupe Fiasco, why he calls himself a ‘gear tart’ and even hear the man himself invent a brand new word ‘Genre-cism’.
Battle Scars is now 8xPlatinum in Australia, Gold in the USA and making further waves internationally, when you were writing the song did you ever anticipate that it would become so huge?
Ha! Definitely not. You never do as an artist/songwriter. Sometime you think you have written a smash and no one ends up liking it, so it’s just too hard to pick. I think the moment I suspected we had created something special was when I first saw the video. It just felt like everything came together from the lyrics, the music, beat, visuals etc and it had the most important thing which was a heartbeat.
How did you find the process of working with Lupe Fiasco?
Inspiring. He still inspires me. He's a true artist that isn't in it to make a buck but to leave a mark. We still work together and he is very thoughtful, humble and creative.
It must have been a humbling experience to have an artist of Lupe’s caliber release Battle Scars in the U.S. as his own tune?
Absolutely. If it were me trying to release it as some unknown Aussie, the song wouldn't have had anywhere near the legs it has now under Lupe.
You recently performed ‘Battle Scars’ live in the U.S. on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ and the song has just hit Gold over there. Without any knowledge of your local success and history how have Americans been reacting to you and your music?
It's weird cause I'm kind of starting again. Letterman was awesome so too was going on shows like Conan, Jimmy Fallon etc. the reaction has been great and generally people are waiting for what's next so my focus is to just write/produce at the moment. I'm giving the TV gig a miss this year.
The follow-up ‘Get Along’ (now 2xPlatinum) has some challenging lyrical themes and features a tempo that isn’t often heard on commercial radio, were you afraid that it was a risky single choice?
Definitely. I released it thinking there’s no way they will play this but I was pleasantly surprised. It didn't really bother me too much cause I just knew I had to get it out. I have had amazing support from radio and it’s not something I take for granted.
Much of ‘Armageddon’ deals with fairly intense subject matter, where did you source your inspiration for the record?
I guess the inspiration was just growing up. Having a kid will do that too. I guess loving someone SO much really brings me to a place where the world can really hurt me. I find myself so protective of my family and my loved ones and so I guess I examine and scrutinize the world we live in more now. After all it’s the world Hudson is going to inherit and it makes me scared to think that there is so much pain and hatred that exists.
It’s funny though, sometimes the up-tempo light hearted song can be equally as powerful. A very sweet lady told me last week that my song "Don't Worry Be Happy" got her through some very dark days and she listened to it daily. The depth of music’s soul always surprises me.
When Guy Sebastian sits down to write a tune, what typically comes first, the music, the lyrics or the melody?
Hmmm used to be melody nearly every time then I would put chords to it then produce a little demo. More often than not now I am getting themes and lyrics then letting them speak to the melody.
What sort of recording set up do you have at home? Any new toys? Any pieces of recording equipment you can’t live without?
I don't know where to start. I am a gear tart. I started engineering when I was 17 and have collected lot of gear both vintage and new ever since. I have a studio in LA, at home in Sydney and also a bigger commercial studio in Surry Hills. The things I can't live without are my original C12 & U47 Wagner mics amongst many others and my very old Siemens Sitral Console. Oh and my Wurli. For programming I just started using Maschine and find it quite easy to make my kits etc. quickly but bouncing out is a bit boring.
A huge national tour is set to commence across Australia, each time Guy hits the road the show gets bigger, any surprises you can let us in on?
48 shows on the agenda and musically it is definitely the biggest sound I've had. I have flown in Musicians from around the world and have U2's staging/lighting designer. I have an amazing singer/songwriter/producer opening for me and also playing in the band his name is David Ryan Harris. I’ve written a lot with him in the past.
If you could write a tune with any artist or producer in the world, living or dead who would it be and why?
I would love to work with Adele... I mean who wouldn't. I love Sia too, Adelaide chick and super sweet. Her melodies are always very interesting.
Many casual music fans may be unaware that unlike some pop artists you write all of your own material, is it fair to suggest that this self-sufficiency is responsible for much of your career longevity?
Ooh don't get me started on the whole what is "pop" thing. There are some genuine "alternative" artists/writers who break molds but almost everything else falls into the category of "pop" nowadays. It’s not like genres such as folk or blues are obscure anymore. In fact they dominate most of the charts. I've never taken part in the ignorant debate of what genre/style is more "credible".
I hate hearing groups discuss how "easy" it is to make dance or dubstep, I mean you just copy and paste loops right?? bahaha! I always feel like saying, ok heres Ableton or Logic, heres some loops, go write a smash that everyone will sing in a club. Good luck. Writing a catchy hooky melody with a lyric that cuts through in a pop market as every writer around the world knows, is a VERY hard task. Every genre deserves respect and no one should bring another persons art down because of 'genre-cism'. Yes I made that up.
In regards to me writing my own material (sorry to go off topic) It definitely helps psychologically being in control musically cause if it all goes to crap then it's my bad. I haven't got it right all the time but the way I see it is just get up and keep grinding cause not everything can be a hit right? Unless you are Rihanna.
What tips do you have for emerging songwriters?
Just write super catchy melodies with heaps original lyrics that no one has ever said before over progressions that are ground breaking. Easy right?
The Writers Block with Guy Sebastian Posted by Universal Music Publishing on 10 April 2013
This week The Writer’s Block sits down with the man that boasts more Top 20 Singles than any other artist in Australian history, Guy Sebastian. Read on to hear Guy talk about his new found success in the United States, what it is like to work with Lupe Fiasco, why he calls himself a ‘gear tart’ and even hear the man himself invent a brand new word ‘Genre-cism’.
Battle Scars is now 8xPlatinum in Australia, Gold in the USA and making further waves internationally, when you were writing the song did you ever anticipate that it would become so huge?
Ha! Definitely not. You never do as an artist/songwriter. Sometime you think you have written a smash and no one ends up liking it, so it’s just too hard to pick. I think the moment I suspected we had created something special was when I first saw the video. It just felt like everything came together from the lyrics, the music, beat, visuals etc and it had the most important thing which was a heartbeat.
How did you find the process of working with Lupe Fiasco?
Inspiring. He still inspires me. He's a true artist that isn't in it to make a buck but to leave a mark. We still work together and he is very thoughtful, humble and creative.
It must have been a humbling experience to have an artist of Lupe’s caliber release Battle Scars in the U.S. as his own tune?
Absolutely. If it were me trying to release it as some unknown Aussie, the song wouldn't have had anywhere near the legs it has now under Lupe.
You recently performed ‘Battle Scars’ live in the U.S. on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ and the song has just hit Gold over there. Without any knowledge of your local success and history how have Americans been reacting to you and your music?
It's weird cause I'm kind of starting again. Letterman was awesome so too was going on shows like Conan, Jimmy Fallon etc. the reaction has been great and generally people are waiting for what's next so my focus is to just write/produce at the moment. I'm giving the TV gig a miss this year.
The follow-up ‘Get Along’ (now 2xPlatinum) has some challenging lyrical themes and features a tempo that isn’t often heard on commercial radio, were you afraid that it was a risky single choice?
Definitely. I released it thinking there’s no way they will play this but I was pleasantly surprised. It didn't really bother me too much cause I just knew I had to get it out. I have had amazing support from radio and it’s not something I take for granted.
Much of ‘Armageddon’ deals with fairly intense subject matter, where did you source your inspiration for the record?
I guess the inspiration was just growing up. Having a kid will do that too. I guess loving someone SO much really brings me to a place where the world can really hurt me. I find myself so protective of my family and my loved ones and so I guess I examine and scrutinize the world we live in more now. After all it’s the world Hudson is going to inherit and it makes me scared to think that there is so much pain and hatred that exists.
It’s funny though, sometimes the up-tempo light hearted song can be equally as powerful. A very sweet lady told me last week that my song "Don't Worry Be Happy" got her through some very dark days and she listened to it daily. The depth of music’s soul always surprises me.
When Guy Sebastian sits down to write a tune, what typically comes first, the music, the lyrics or the melody?
Hmmm used to be melody nearly every time then I would put chords to it then produce a little demo. More often than not now I am getting themes and lyrics then letting them speak to the melody.
What sort of recording set up do you have at home? Any new toys? Any pieces of recording equipment you can’t live without?
I don't know where to start. I am a gear tart. I started engineering when I was 17 and have collected lot of gear both vintage and new ever since. I have a studio in LA, at home in Sydney and also a bigger commercial studio in Surry Hills. The things I can't live without are my original C12 & U47 Wagner mics amongst many others and my very old Siemens Sitral Console. Oh and my Wurli. For programming I just started using Maschine and find it quite easy to make my kits etc. quickly but bouncing out is a bit boring.
A huge national tour is set to commence across Australia, each time Guy hits the road the show gets bigger, any surprises you can let us in on?
48 shows on the agenda and musically it is definitely the biggest sound I've had. I have flown in Musicians from around the world and have U2's staging/lighting designer. I have an amazing singer/songwriter/producer opening for me and also playing in the band his name is David Ryan Harris. I’ve written a lot with him in the past.
If you could write a tune with any artist or producer in the world, living or dead who would it be and why?
I would love to work with Adele... I mean who wouldn't. I love Sia too, Adelaide chick and super sweet. Her melodies are always very interesting.
Many casual music fans may be unaware that unlike some pop artists you write all of your own material, is it fair to suggest that this self-sufficiency is responsible for much of your career longevity?
Ooh don't get me started on the whole what is "pop" thing. There are some genuine "alternative" artists/writers who break molds but almost everything else falls into the category of "pop" nowadays. It’s not like genres such as folk or blues are obscure anymore. In fact they dominate most of the charts. I've never taken part in the ignorant debate of what genre/style is more "credible".
I hate hearing groups discuss how "easy" it is to make dance or dubstep, I mean you just copy and paste loops right?? bahaha! I always feel like saying, ok heres Ableton or Logic, heres some loops, go write a smash that everyone will sing in a club. Good luck. Writing a catchy hooky melody with a lyric that cuts through in a pop market as every writer around the world knows, is a VERY hard task. Every genre deserves respect and no one should bring another persons art down because of 'genre-cism'. Yes I made that up.
In regards to me writing my own material (sorry to go off topic) It definitely helps psychologically being in control musically cause if it all goes to crap then it's my bad. I haven't got it right all the time but the way I see it is just get up and keep grinding cause not everything can be a hit right? Unless you are Rihanna.
What tips do you have for emerging songwriters?
Just write super catchy melodies with heaps original lyrics that no one has ever said before over progressions that are ground breaking. Easy right?
