It’s hard for me to talk about this collaboration, this friendship, this new EP. It’s not for a lack of things to say, but because I don’t know where to begin, nor where to stop.
John Walker and I “met” “in” Facebook during the COVID times, in early 2020. We immediately enjoyed each other’s sensibilities and bodies of work, and collaborations seemed to naturally fall out of that vibe. He was the first person ever to ask me to arrange and perform vocals on anything, and then I played guitar on a couple things, and then things got really out of hand and I played drums and bass on everything and then drums and bass and harmonica and guitars on everything and now we come to this: my favorite thing I’ve ever worked on.
Whatever Happened to John
So here’s how it happened: John would send me tracks with, generally, an acoustic guitar, a scratch vocal, and maybe some synth ideas. I’d play whatever the hell I wanted and send everything back to him. He’d react to whatever vibe I’d brought to the tune by elaborating on the arrangement, rethinking the vocal approach, whatever. He’d record other amazing artists on their instruments. I might add a harmonica or a guitar solo or some oohs and aahs, and eventually John would declare it done and mix the song.
It takes 20 minutes to listen to the whole thing; I hope you’ll set aside the time to do it! I think the songs are as good as anything. Here are some Feinberg-centric notes on the production:
Plus All the Usual
I immediately heard it as 1967-era Beatles, and approached it that way. Huge, noisy, ringing drums; distorted electric bass with a pick, and a crunchy Hohner Pianet (the electric piano from I Am the Walrus and other classic rock songs).
Make a Dime
This is very simple “railroad” drums with the flavor-add of a frying pan played with a spoon for that clank. I thought harmonica would be nice. I played bass.
Trudge
I sang a bit as part of the The Sigh Figh Town Hall Choir, played drums with a tambourine in my right hand; I smashed the high hat and cymbals with the tambourine, which gives it a Give Peace a Chance kind of anarchy that I like. I do not remember playing the electric guitar and bass, but I think that’s me, listening to it.
When You’re Playing Records
Two complete stereo drum tracks on top of John’s drum machine programming. I’d put my bass playing on this track up against anything on pop radio, and I don’t care who hears me say it. It’s a song about how there are spirits, who take the form of earthly animals, wandering your neighborhood, needing to feed. They’ll eat you if they have to, but they’d rather listen to the LPs you play while you show them the liner notes and full-sized art. So you’d better race to the family room and drop the needle.
Fell in Love with a Dirtbag
This one came late in the process, after I thought we were maybe done tracking. It was like Christmas wrapped up with first love to receive the acoustic guitar and vocal track from John. This time was more like 1968-era Beatles, White Album maturity and authority on the drums and bass, and even a nod to Don’t Pass Me By with honky-tonk out-of-tune piano. By the time I recorded this I had spent a few months playing keyboards in a band, and was feeling way more loose and confident on the instrument, and that’s what I hear when I listen to this track. Oh, and I sing “listen while the big boy sings” real low when that line happens.
Ballad of Howard
This is the toughest one to talk about because I don’t want to say too much. I’ll just say that it makes me weepy every time I hear it, and that this emotional valence informed how I played drums and bass on it. You’ll hear Hot Rods on drumset, shaker, tambourine, and layers of handclaps. I played the Johnny Marr-style guitar solo in the middle 8, on acoustic and electric guitar, and I sing a lot of oohs and textural dooh dooh doohs towards the end. My buddy Dan Koulomzin plays rhythm guitar all through. So beautiful. The song is about a very specific moment from the life of a specific fictional character, but I didn’t know that until I’d finished my work on it, and I’m so glad I was able to add that fact to the emotional resonance the song has for me.