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Can you tell us a little about your latest Walker Reinhardt single out today, “Feels So Good” ?
Ya, It started with this piano riff that I would occasionally play. It would always be stuck in my head and it just sat in my voice memos for a few years. Eventually, after some newfound inspiration, I was finally able to finish writing it last year.
Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?
Ya, once I met my fiancé, the song was easy to write. I wanted to write about someone that brings you back to simpler times and your cares melt away when you’re with them. She makes me feel that way. We were supposed to be married in May, but had to postpone till next year due to the pandemic. I decided to release the song on her birthday today.
How was the writing and recording process?
I actually recorded the piano part before I had finished the lyrics. I had a basic structure that I knew I wanted to follow, so I laid down the piano at my friend Dan Ballard’s studio. He was out of town and was gracious enough to let me use his place for a few days. He has a beautiful grand piano and a great mic collection. This was at his old place, which was in a basement under a flower shop. He now has a new amazing studio in Newport Beach called Gold Pacific Studios. I then took the files to my studio in LA and started working on the rest of the production. I was working with this drum loop at first just to build a vibe, knowing I’d replace it later. Then I began writing lyrics, which came together quickly. I sent the track off to my friend Kiel Feher, who’s an amazing drummer in LA, and he nailed the drum part. I then had Elijah Thomson, who I’ve always been a fan of, play bass on the song. He played a ton with Richard Swift and now plays for Father John Misty. I knew he’d be the perfect fit and he was! The synth that can be heard throughout the song and especially during the bridge was an old Sequential Circuits synthesizer that was originally my Dads. I had traded it for a guitar pedal when I was in high school and somehow my parents tracked the guy down and got it back from him for my birthday a few years ago. It was a trip seeing that thing again. The vocals were recorded at my studio but then re-tracked at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, TX. I was working at Sonic Ranch on a record with Dave Sitek and Daniel Ledinsky and I wanted to use this Telefunken 251 microphone they had. I hooked up my laptop and recorded the vocal in a small bedroom at the ranch. The vocal is actually a blend of that vocal and the vocal I recorded at my studio.
As someone who is regularly working with other artists, do you tend to take a different approach when you are working on your own material?
The process is similar in a lot of ways. I like to approach music like a child as much as possible. As if I’m discovering it for the first time. When I work with someone else it’s great, because we get to do that together. It becomes a collaborative process, which I love. Sometimes working on your own can be pretty isolating and as much as I love it, you have to be careful not to lose perspective and take time away from the music. At the initial stages though, I like to just throw ideas at the wall and not think too much about it. Then you can go back and sort through your instincts. I think it’s very important to follow your initial instincts on a song when you first hear it. You really don’t get that back once you’ve heard it a thousand times while mixing and editing.
You recently worked with TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek for his latest project The Neverly Boys and the debut record came out in May. How was the recording process for that and how did you get involved?
My friend Daniel Ledinsky, who is a magical person and incredible songwriter, told me he and Dave were forming a band and were rehearsing for a show they had coming up at Zebulon. He asked me if I wanted to come to rehearsal and meet everyone and play the show. I was just coming off the road and the timing was perfect. I went to the rehearsal and met Dave, who is a musical genius, and we hit it off right away. Eventually, they asked me to fly out to El Paso, TX to record the album. We did the album at Sonic Ranch, an incredible studio built on to a 3500 acre pecan farm. It was an amazing experience and we were joined by some incredibly talented people like Jamie Lidell.
How does the experience producing and collaborating with others influence your solo work do you think?
I always gain something from everyone I work with. Every experience opens new doors, new avenues, new ways of approaching things.
Does the single mean we can expect any other new material from this project soon?
Yes, I have a handful of songs waiting to be released. I will probably release them all this year, one by one. I also have a project with one of my closest friends, Scotty Clowes, called Casavant. We will be releasing an EP later this year, which I’m really excited about.
What else are you working on now?
Besides finishing up the Casavant EP, I’ve been producing another EP for my friend, Haddon Cord, who is a really talented singer-songwriter that I’ve known for years.
Instagram @classichanson / @walkerreinhardt
