Week one of the matthew show revisited:
I'm going through my catalog and selecting highlights for those who either weren't around when they happened or might need a refresher. This week, we're going back to 2003 on my debut album, texas. Although the bulk of that record is original, something pulled me towards this old Phil Collins tune as I was tinkering in my new home studio. The intro riff was something I'd developed as part of another song that failed to launch, so I recycled it and put a little of my own flavor on this one. It's one of the only songs on 'texas' where I play every instrument, including an e-bow I'd just bought that adds a bit of spooky atmosphere. The random sound effects were recorded at my first Brooklyn apartment, a tiny box separated from the neighbor by a thin set of double doors.
Oddly, I feel there's a shared spirit on this song, the original of which came from Phil's Face Value album, his first solo record outside of a band setting. texas was also my first solo album, and the sense of excitement at being able to play around on your own is something I think Phil probably felt as well. Doing something that you're not concerned with running by any committees lets you make different choices, succeeding or failing on your own steam. This was my first time doing that, and clearly I liked the feeling.
Enjoy...