Are there any genres or musical traditions you ’ d like to experiment with in the future ? Well , interestingly , I have a new song that ’ s kind of a soul music song . It ’ s something that could have been written in the 1970s . I listened to a lot of the soul stations growing up . Even now , there ’ s a station in Newark , New Jersey — WBGO — and on the weekends , they play all these Motown type songs . I have a new |
myself back in what might have been 1910 , like it was part of the spirit of the age . When they were working with my voice on developing the MP3 , I was completely unaware of it . But the inventors at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany invited me to go there , and when they played my voice before they refined it , to my ears , my voice sounded like Linda Blair in The Exorcist ! |
millions of albums , which I have to say I liked . But that also came with a sense of responsibility . It also came with the knowledge that , at some point , that honeymoon would be over , and I would probably be dropped . This did happen , of course , but it happened much later , and I was on the A & M label for 18 years . So we had a good , long , healthy relationship . When |
What ’ s your label called ? It ’ s called Amanuensis Productions .
That ’ s an interesting name ! I ’ ve read that you incorporated the letters “ A ” and “ M ” intentionally as a play on your previous relationship with A & M . Is that true ? Not at all . In fact , it hadn ’ t even occurred to me until you just said it ! I guess you ’ re right . It does have “ A ” and “ M ” right in the front . But it
|
|||
song that I ’ ve written called “ Love |
was a play on words : Amanuensis is |
|||||
Thief ” that has a sort of a R & B feel |
a servant who is a scribe who takes |
|||||
to it , which a lot of people seem |
dictation . And I was thinking that , |
|||||
surprised by . That ’ s kind of thrilling |
at my best when I ’ m writing songs , |
|||||
to me because I grew up listening to |
I feel that I ’ m kind of writing down |
|||||
and loving music by Marvin Gaye |
things that come through me , you |
|||||
and Curtis Mayfield — that whole |
know , as though I ’ m the servant . |
|||||
genre . This is a side of my personal- |
And the other thing is that now |
|||||
ity that people may not know , and |
because I have my own record label , |
|||||
this will be on my new album we ’ re |
I get to own the master recordings , |
|||||
hoping will come out in April of |
which is what we call the recorded |
|||||
next year . |
finished product . So my little slogan |
|||||
I heard that you experimented with an early recording technology called the Edison Wax Cylinder , which was the first popular format for music distribution |
is “ Amanuensis : where the servant owns the master .” That was my little joke . And now you ’ ve made it even better ; that ’ s brilliant ! Totally unconscious . |
|||||
from the late-19th century . As |
You ’ ve collaborated with many |
|||||
someone whose song “ Tom ’ s |
artists over the years , and I ’ m |
|||||
Diner ” was used in develop- |
curious if there ’ s a dream collab- |
|||||
ing the MP3 format , what are |
oration that you ’ d like to realize |
|||||
your thoughts on being part of |
someday ? I was friends with Dan- |
|||||
both the earliest and one of the |
ger Mouse for a while , and he makes |
|||||
most recent chapters of audio |
very interesting productions . So I |
|||||
recording history ? That ’ s very |
don ’ t know if he would be up for that |
|||||
funny . It was fascinating working |
kind of thing , but I would . I ’ d also |
|||||
with the wax cylinder because when |
like to work with Anderson . Paak . |
|||||
I heard “ Tom ’ s Diner ” through that |
I ’ m a big fan of his work , and I like |
|||||
medium , it sounded old , like it |
Silk Sonic , which is his work with |
|||||
was a song from the 1920s . There ’ s something about the melody of that song — it is so simple and it sounds like it could have been a melody from any time . The medium of the wax cylinder made it sound old and old timey , which I loved . It came out with a little bit of a hit of the needle and then a kind of slightly warbly sound . It sounded like those old recordings . I just thought it was fascinating . I felt like I was listening to |
What changes in the industry have you found most challenging or exciting over the course of all those years ? Well , interestingly , what is the most challenging is also the most exciting . I really liked my career in the very beginning . I was very successful right from the start , and my first five years in the industry were my most successful . From the ages of 25 to 30 , I sold |
I was dropped , I began to worry . But then I found that having my own record label is really great . I followed in the footsteps of Aimee Mann and Ani DiFranco , who had their own record labels , and now I ’ ve got mine and I can do what I want and I find that I am , in fact , making money from that , which is just a very good feeling . |
Bruno Mars . I actually approached them to see if they would like to think about doing something with me on my new work , but I haven ’ t heard back yet .
In the age of streaming and playlists , how do you feel about the concept of albums ? Do you still approach creating an album as a cohesive work ? I think I ’ ll always make albums , and it isn ’ t even so much that I approach it
|
|||
August Fall 2024 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 9 |