Rudi, a message to you

I started reading a fascinating book about songwriting at the weekend. That is, I started it at the weekend, it's not about songwriting at the weekend. That's for part timers.

I decided that I should try to learn more about song structure and composition mostly because of the songs we have written in Mimosa, which are all team efforts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to release an album of material with me playing all the instruments and singing. There's nothing worse in my book than a drummer who thinks he's a total allrounder. The only example of a drummer who has done this and come up with music I like is Dave Grohl, but I think I am right in saying that he played guitar before learning the drums. (Theena, you'll know)

No, I'm not going to preach to anyone about the correct way to write a song because of 2 things. The first is the fact that I have only read the first few chapters of the book. The second is that, from the little I have read, I have discovered that there is no magic formula for writing music.

That's the magic formula. All these successful songwriters say that they just go with their instincts and do what comes naturally. Interesting eh?

And also, here's another thing. Keith Richards, Tori Amos and many others see themselves as some kind of "receivers" for songs. They don't think that they actually write them, just that they interpret the messages and signals they receive. Many of the popular and highly successful writers think that the songs are all written and all they do is "pluck" them out of the air.

And I have also learned that some people actually pay attention to the lyrics of a song more than the rhythm.

Fancy that?