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Reels Rehearsal

Here's a sneak peek at the string rehearsal for one of the songs, Reels, from my upcoming album. String arrangement by Madeleine Davey (that's her conducting), Jan on guitar, and me in my studio specs getting rather excited about what I'm hearing.

Remember, You Don’t Have An Antenna

I’m not entirely sure just what Clues will be at this the first entry, or what exact functions and roles it will end up performing. But I know my hopes for it are many, varied and exciting.

I have so much I’d like to share but am notoriously lazy in the communication department, internet based and other.

I am that person that doesn’t write but thinks of you daily.

I’ve been told to remember that I don’t have an antenna.

But perhaps now I do?

First and foremost, what’s on my mind is the album I’ve been creating this year.

A specific and kind of strange collection of songs have been brewing (sometimes trickling, sometimes storming) up in me for a little while now.

I felt that this emerging set were a little different from the main fare

They didn’t seem to want the usual treatment (whatever that is)

They wanted to be set aside, placed in a humidicrib and left to strengthen.

Other songs came and went, shared through my main musical outlets. But ever increasingly these ‘other’ songs came along, needing to be set aside, not wanting to be the voice of any pre-existing set up.

I wasn’t quite ready for them. They didn’t exactly fit into what I was up to musically. Until now.

I often write almost frustratingly diverse bunches of songs, I don’t hold one genre or writing style above another. I just look for continuity within batches, and try to pick songs that feel related to each other but not the same as each other to create an album.

This has been a year of change, of comfort zones becoming uncomfortable and growing new limbs (freak!)

So I’ve begun working in earnest now on this album of ‘other songs’ with a producer who shares and pushes the visions I’ve described.

He hears the request from the songs to be treated differently and treat them that he does.

I‘ve known Jan for a long time but we’ve never worked together before. The timing feels auspicious and the process is all at once fun, hard, revelatory, incredibly exciting and massively educational.

As always I feel beyond blessed to be in the studio doing what I truly love, and I often feel there is all kinds of great magic at work when I am there.

I know it sounds a bit trippy dippy to say, but going into the studio six days a week, as I have been lately, is like a spiritual retreat for me. I get to commune with that which I love.

I get to be a part of ‘It’.

Writing a song is like praying, beautiful and private, my favorite moment in the process. Going in to the ‘stood’ is like going to Church, tapping into the Gospel energy.

Well, I’m totally speculating here, I’ve never really been to Church, except to sing a carol once when I was nine. It was Silent Night. I choked on the high bit and I cried in the car on the way home. Scarring?

Well I think I’ve waffled on enough for what was meant to be a short preliminary introduction. I’m thrilled to think I may have found the antenna I lack at such a perfect time, when there’s things, all sorts of good things, to share.

Things I hope others find interesting and enjoyable. Maybe funny, maybe inspiring even, who knows…?

I should also mention that on this adventure in communication I’ve enrolled one of my very best friends and oldest collaborators, a lady with as many talents as the day is long. Clever doesn’t begin to describe her, but along those lines and keep going. (Take a left at amazing then a right at a little loopy)

So she, Laura is her name -though I usually use one of my million homemade monikers- is my not-so-silent partner in Lost Clues, as silent is a highly inappropriate word to use in association with her! A big big thank you to her for all her help.

I can’t wait to share this upcoming music with you (that’s the future news) but till then I will share with you what I can of the process and my inspirations.

Bon Apetit!

Ella K. Hooper