The Roughest Cut
Episode #136: The Roughest Cut\xa0 \xa0(song starts 5:30 & 27:57)\nIt\u2019s been a beautiful, pristine, blue sky, early spring day today. But as dusk happened, the night fell, the wind started to get up. I don\u2019t mind that. In fact, listening to the wind when you\u2019re safely indoors is pretty relaxing,\nMusic has the power to lift your spirits. The same with lyrics. The combined force of music and lyrics really has the power to dramatically change our mood for the better.\nWe always have the choice to focus on the good stuff. I include some audio I recorded as I sat in my car today\u2026on my right was the grey city. On the left was a grassy section, the light catching the seed heads, & the shadows. Through the grass wound a path.\nI chose to ignore the passing cars, the city and focussed on the sound of the wind in the grass, the way the grass moved in the late afternoon clear spring sunlight.\nI planned to bring that sound of the field, well at least the mood, into my song this evening.\nAt that stage, I didn\u2019t realise I\u2019d be talking about 'The Roughest Cut'. It\u2019s a bit of a rocker. But when I opened my song book tonight, it just seemed to be the one.\nWhen that happens, I don\u2019t question it.\nSo I recorded a quieter version, then couldn\u2019t help myself\u2026I started to dress it up a little with a vibraphone, a synth and some strings. It\u2019s amazing how an arrangement can come together so quickly.\nOn this episode, I also include the version recorded by PP and The Patient Hum. This was the title track - the song that finishes a recent album of ours.\nI talk about dynamics on this episode. Everything natural in life has its ups and downs. We all do. So by bringing the volume up and down as you perform a song, it\u2019s going to be more engaging for the listener and it\u2019ll have more emotion.\nAnd emotion would be number one, in my opinion.\nThe words came first with this song. I just wrote it from top to bottom (you can read the lyrics on my blog www.petepascoe.wordpress.com\xa0)\nEventually the line \u2018even the roughest cut becomes a diamond\u2019 came through. That\u2019s when I knew this would be the title, the main message of the song.\nIt\u2019s a fascinating process. After all these episodes, I really feel like there\u2019s still so much to discover and talk about\u2026\nThe creative realm, it sure is a great way to get into the now.\nOk sit back and have a listen, I hope you enjoy the chat and the music, it\u2019s all pretty relaxed around here. I present as if I\u2019m on a small stage, sitting at my piano, addressing an intimate audience - that would be your good selves. \nOk, on with the show. Away we go. Enjoy!