Several people have recently asked us how we write our songs, and who writes what etc, so I (Ned) thought I’d write a short (bread) blog post about it.

We always write our songs separately, although sometimes we’ll jam a riff out a bit first before one of us goes off with it. Then, when the song has its lyrics, melodies and main guitar part, we jam (usually apricot) it out with the other party and come up with vocal harmonies, other guitar parts, and any changes to structure. Vedantha’s structures usually stay the same, whereas mine change a lot, basically because Vedantha is really picky…

I can’t speak for how Vedantha comes up with his lyrics, although they’re often about really niche feelings he has (like about camomile tea), things I cannot even dream of. Personally, I usually write a song after being in a place or setting I find really cool and trying to paint a picture of it. For example, Jazz and Candlelight was inspired by Marqueyssac, a castle in the Dordogne where they have a maze (maize) and candlelit jazz evenings in the summer. I then try to combine the feeling I had when in the place in question with the images I’m describing – so J & C is kind of about wanting to hide away from real life in the jazz and gorgeous grounds of the castle.

However, I throw too many space-related metaphors into the lyrics at the moment, and sometimes there are lyrics which don’t really fit into the song – I’m now trying to draw my metaphors from a wider variety of bases (like pizza bases), and generally think more about what I want each song to mean or convey.

Once we’ve finished a song, we keep jamming it out until we’re completely happy with it, and sometimes we leave songs for a while and come back to them months later (like home-brewed beer) with fresh minds, if we’re not totally happy.

Also, I have a cool falafel recipe if anyone wants it… even my dad liked it and he’s a tough cookie (chocolate chip).

Ned

20/09/2012 - A Blog about song writing (and food)