A Conversation with Dave Stewart – HuffPost 8.22.11

Mike Ragogna: Hiya, Dave.

Dave Stewart: Hi.

MR: Dave, let’s dive right into the new album, The Blackbird Diaries. You co-produced the record with Mike Bradford.

DS: Yeah, that’s right.

MR: And you were locked up in the studio for five days recording it. Before we get into the music, can you go into what that experience was like?

DS: Kind of by default, I ended up in Nashville–I was kind of drawn there through a series of events. I decided to make an album there in John McBride’s studio called, Blackbird Studios. I arrived without writing a song, and wrote fifteen songs and recorded them all in five days. So, it was a bit of a mind-bending experience.

MR: This album rides roots-rock, blues-rock, and country. In spots, it rocks more than your past albums. Would you say that is true?

DS: Yes. You see, years ago, I was in my early teens, and I had a cousin that would send blues albums from Memphis. I was just learning the guitar, so I did kind of learn, originally, all these blues styles. My career took off and I played in various groups, but then when the punk movement happened in Britain it made me think, “Okay, for now, guitar rock ‘n’ roll music is over.” It was such an amazing powerful force–The Clash, The Sex Pistols. I wanted to do something that was completely different, that was another statement, and that’s when I picked up a cheap keyboard and started to experiment, which was forming the beginning of the Eurythmics music. I very quickly turned Eurythmics into playing an r&b kind of feelings with “Would I Lie To You” and “Missionary Man.” All these songs, I was using my Stax, r&b, bluesy, soul influence.

MR: Right, and these songs seem more personal or autobiographical than your previous projects. Was it in the process of recording and creating the album material that allowed you do get more personal?

DS: I think it was. I think it was partly a trick I played on myself, by putting myself in that position of having to write the songs and record them all in that space of time. That’s why I call it “diaries,” you know, The Blackbird Diaries, because I kind of wrote them like a journal, taking slices of time. “Magic In The Blues” is where I sing about my mama who just left home, and I’m stuck there in an empty house. I’m about fourteen, “…and I lay down on my brothers bed, had on my father’s” shoes…picked up my mother’s wedding ring, the one she tried to lose when she went looking for some clues to find magic in the blues.” I’m literally detailing moments in my life that led to me running away to London, and then meeting Annie, and all that stuff. So, it is really a little diary of my life, and these are just little pages out of it.

MR: Dave, that song in particular, is a very touching. Are there any more songs on the project that came from that same revealing place?

DS: Yeah, there’s a song I recorded that I do with Martina McBride. It’s a song I wrote called “All Messed Up.” It starts with, “Here in the rain again…” and I’m referring to Eurythmics notions and lyrics, but I’m singing about myself and Annie, and just reflecting on those epic times and putting them into some sort of musicality. Martina loved the song, and so we did it as a duet.

MR: It’s a beautiful song. In addition to Martina, you feature a couple of great guest artists on The Blackbird Diaries. You also teamed up with Stevie Nicks on a song that appears sequentially after a song you seem to have written about her, “Stevie Baby.” You produced her last album, right?

DS: That’s right. While I was producing Stevie’s album, I was going to Nashville to make my album. This is a funny story. Stevie and I were in the studio one night, and Reese Witherspoon came by one night. I was having a martini and chatting, and I mentioned that I was heading to Nashville to record my album next week. Reese said, “Oh, you should stay in my condo.” Stevie said, “Oh, that’ll be cheap,” and Reese said, “Hey, what’s cheaper than free?” I looked at Stevie like, “That’s a good song title.” In Nashville, Stevie had written some words, and I rang her up and said, “Hey, here’s the tune.” She quickly wrote the rest of the words, and I sent her back a finished take two hours later and she was amazed. Then, we sang it as a duet. It’s hard to explain–this is all happening in real time.

It’s the same as “Worth The Waiting For,” which I had started to play with Dylan. There was this jam session in my studio in London, and then I have this recording of us all singing on a cassette in the kitchen. The words weren’t finished, though, and a lot of the melody was patchy. So, I finished the words and the melody, and I sent Bob a little scratch version of it, and he said he really liked it. I said, “Okay, I’m cutting it now.” So, I cut it with a Nashville band and sent that off. I got a message back saying, “That was really good.” It was like somebody in a basement somewhere throwing things over his head, “Here’s another one.” Some of them I’d just literally start playing and singing, and the band would join in, and then I’d say to the band, “Okay, have a fifteen minute break,” and I’d finish the words and I’d say, “Okay, ready,” and we’d cut it.

MR: That’s a great process. Did you feel rushed by it at all or was it a very comfortable situation?

DS: I felt great because I was surrounded by great players, who if I decided to create a new track, they would love it in like ten minutes–it wasn’t like, “Oh my God. Now, I have to start everything from scratch again.” Of course, as usual, my control room at the studio was just full of other artists coming in all the time, listening–it was sort of like a mini party going on.

MR: You also included Colbie Caillat and The Secret Sisters on this project.

DS: Yeah, you’re right. We’re thinking about doing something again, actually. She and I wrote a song called “Bulletproof Vest,” and I ended up cutting that with these guys in Nashville. Colbie loved that song, and we sang that as a duet. There are three duets on the album, so they’re kind of interspersed. I think it’s a nice relief when you hear a duet with my sort of lower register, and the girl’s voice that can harmonize in a higher register.

MR: Now, Blackbird Studio has a reputation for having both vintage equipment and cutting edge technology. During the recording process, did you find yourself edging more towards the older equipment or the newer equipment?

DS: The older equipment, really.

MR: It does have a very vintage sound.

DS: Yeah, it’s got that very warm sound that you get from old-fashioned microphones and limiters and stuff, and I wanted that sound. Because I’m English–I’m from the North of England–it has that sort of quirky northern boy mixture with country blues from Nashville, so it’s kind of timeless in a way.

MR: What was the experience like when you sat back and listened to the record as a whole? What was your first reaction?

DS: When we’d done it all and I came home and put it on, I was pretty amazed that all of that work had been done in five days. I love the album. There is something kind of spontaneous sounding about it, and it’s recorded so beautifully.

MR: There is also a video portion of this project that features psychics and hypnotists. Can you go into that a little bit?

DS: Well, I have a very funny life. I’m working with a band, critical artists all the time, and with amazing people. I wanted to show that my songwriting process is not me sitting in a room at a piano with a blank piece of paper staring out the window…it’s living life and chaos. Songs come to me in the middle of conversation. So, I had different people like Joss Stone playing parts. Then, I had Diane Birch playing the part of the hypnotist. I have Big Kenny from Big And Rich playing a character–they all sort of helped me make the album.

MR: Speaking of Joss Stone, you produced her latest album, LP1, right?

DS: Yeah. I’m working with other musicians all the time, and most of the time, for no particular reason, just because we enjoy it.

MR: You also recorded a project called SuperHeavy featuring Mick Jagger, Damien Marley, and Joss.

DS: Well, I have a band, SuperHeavy, with Mick Jagger, Damien Marley, Joss Stone and A.R. Rahman, but even before that, Joss and I would hang out, write songs, and just generally get on well and have a lot of fun. So, when I took her to Nashville and made her album in six days, it was like a couple of best friends hanging out and really having fun, but at the same time, getting down to serious songwriting and playing with great musicians. It was a great experience, and Joss had a really great time doing it. With SuperHeavy, we recorded thirty songs, and we whittled it down to eighteen.

MR: Is this what you normally do? Actually, I think most of your records sound like there’s way too much fun going on. (laughs) Do you find that to be a universal experience when you’re working with acts?

DS: Yeah. I think if you talk with any act I’ve written with and produced, from Sinead O’Connor and Gwen Stefani to Daryl Hall and Jon Bon Jovi, you’ll find they’ll say, “Oh, it was the best time.” They’re surprised by how much work we get done because they thought we were just having a really great time and then they go, “Oh bloody hell, we did all of that and now it’s finished.”

MR: One of my favorite albums that you participated in is Ringo’s Liverpool 8. Lots of fun.

DS: Ringo was making some album, and then he asked me if I could help him out on it a bit. I just jumped in and wrote a couple of songs with him. Again, Ringo and I have spent a lot of time hanging out, with him on drums and me on guitar. I was a great friend of George Harrison for years and years. In fact, the whole Wilburys formed in my house, in the back garden, and we covered all the Wilbury albums in my back garden and studio. I tend to be very much among artists as a kind of conduit and somebody who likes to play guitar, write songs, and not just get stuck on the boring sides of the music business. I like to do it, you know?

MR: Yeah, it shows. With your many years of experience, what advice would you give to new artists?

DS: Well, in this day and age, even more than before, you just have to really hone your live performance and get out there and do it. Some people think, “Oh, well, on the internet, we can just put up some music on there,” but so do seventy-million other people. If you go out, even in your local town, and you play an amazing show with great songs, you’ll find that the next time you play, there will be more people around. Then, you’ll start moving from town to town and start building a following.

MR: Dave, I really appreciate your time. All the best with your new album, The Blackbird Diaries. I hope to speak with you again someday.

DS: Okay, thank you very much.

Transcribed by Ryan Gaffney