Fun with Middle Eights / December 10 2007
Whilst working on Nelson’s new recordings last week, we came across a slight predicament with his use of middle eights.
Most of his songs include such things and, by and large, as his producer, I am happy for them to stay there. Also as his producer, I found it necessary to point out to him a few times that he has a worrying tendency to overuse them slightly. The problem has been that – in pre-production - he shows me the song complete with its middle eight or twelve or whatever and then says to me: ‘That’s where your solo comes, straight after the middle eight.’
I love playing guitar solos – especially on Nelson’s stuff but I had to mention to him that too many of his new compositions follow the predictable structure of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, middle eight, Napoleon’s solo (nothing to do with The Man from Uncle, sixties TV fans), verse, chorus, end – usually a double chorus or fade-out. Perfect for your classic simple pop song but Nelson’s works are often quite more than that; and so, I believe, would benefit from a less conventional, more sophisticated or even, perhaps, more linear structure.
‘I love your middle eights, they are always so original and inspiring, Nel,’ I told him, ‘so lets keep those; but do they always have to be followed by me playing a guitar solo? Besides, I’m not made of solos, you know!’
That set us thinking and we experimented by having another verse or chorus follow the middle eights for a change, perhaps being in a slightly different tempo or style such as being sung acapella or having the bass guitar drop out. Then we really started to get creative . . .
‘How about going into a different musical style completely - like reggae or a waltz? Or even . . . what about going into another song entirely – by another artist?’ I enthused. ‘How about the middle eight leads into an experimental piece by Stockhausen or the largo from Dvorzak’s New World Symphony?’
‘Don’t be absurd,’ he said. But I was on a roll.
‘I’m serious, Nel,’ I continued, ‘Try thinking laterally for a change. After the middle eight, your song could even go into a completely different art-form. It could lead into a poetry reading or a dance piece or a short film about Cornwall or an oil painting by Turner; think of the possibilities!’
‘Yeah, right, Nap,’ he yawned, ‘why don’t we let the middle eight lead into a once-in-a-lifetime world cruise or a sporting event even - a darts tournament, say, or the London marathon?’
‘Now you’re just being ridiculous, Nelson,’ I told him.
Filed under Humour / Nelson Galaxy / Recording Studio / Song Writing / Songs / Writing
Comments
2 comments on “Fun with Middle Eights”
Jo Beaufoix / December 12th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Hee hee. It could work. Or you could do the middle eight, then stop to make a trifle. That would be visually beautiful.
Napoleon Fantastic / December 12th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Thanks, Jo.
Brilliant!
You see, this is the kind of thing that I was suggesting to Nelson but he just does not get it. No imagination sometimes, that boy.
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