October sure rolled around fast this year! I feel like, as is fitting for such a spooky month, it really sneaked up on me. AHHHH! Surprise. IT'S HALLOWEEN TIME!
When Droo and I first started talking about getting into the Halloween spirit, it was already two weeks into October. We decided we'd consider possibly trying to maybe come up with some sort of offering for the world as far as a new Halloween song goes, but... you know, no pressure.
Honestly, I think we were both half kidding.
Turns out, two half-jokes can make a pretty kickass whole-song... and fast!
It started getting serious when, knowing Droo and I had a sesh coming up on the 18th, I decided to actively open myself up to lyrics and imagery that might denote the holiday's scary and unpredictable overall vibe. I wore a lot of black and put on edgier makeup than I normally do. One might go so far as to say that I wore 'blood colored lenses,' for the remaining month.
On the morning of the 16th, while practicing the guitar and allowing myself to feel especially receptive, an eerie melody came to me. I can't even begin to describe my level of enthusiasm for it as I went on to figure out exactly how to pluck the small part on guitar. Then the words! The words seemed to want to flow out as well... like blood from a severed... never-mind, too much.
Anyway, I wrote out some verse ideas and proceeded on with the slightly darker version of my life.
Later that same day, while taking a shower ((do everyone's best ideas happen in the shower!?)) a new, oddly chipper melody came to mind with some lyrics attached that I really liked, including the four words that ultimately became the song's title. As soon as I was dry, I decided it was time to record and share 'em with Droo. I sent the recording with a clearly written caveat that the melody for the chorus was 'nothing serious.'
"It's just too out-of-place," ...I thought.
When the 18th rolled around and Droo and I met for one of our consistently awesome musical bootcamps, out-of-place-spontaneity was the name of the game! Every idea was a good idea... on-the-spot goofy what-if's became full-blown movements in the song.
I think the moment I knew it was going to get weird was when Droo said he wanted to keep the chipper melody I had sent him. After that, it was like being in the eye of one of those liquid tornados that witches must make when they stir their magical brew.
Ah-MAHZ-ing doesn't even cut it - Droo laid down every beat before my very eyes and then proceeded to play real instruments on top. Trap, jazz, reggae, ska... it doesn't matter the style, the tempo or the instrument, the guy can do it all! He took on the challenge of melding genres and undulating time signatures like a quilter to a quilt. The result is the auditory equivalent of a waterproof, down-filled, temperature-regulating blanket made of jerseys from different sports that can fold up to fit in your pocket. It's WILD!
It was so much fun to break all the rules and just go nuts. Droo and I both really went all in!
At one point, I got so pumped up listening to the early draft of our track, that I developed a full-on adaptation of the song's character and recorded myself dancing around, [never did it before, won't do it again, and definitely don't recommend] playing with matches. ((I was having way too much fun to be smart, shy or self conscious.)) Somehow, the idea must have hit me and Droo at the exact same moment because we texted each other with JINX-like precision that we thought it'd be a good idea to get reaction videos for this song when it was ready to be released.
Creatively, it seems to me, some things just want to be done. This song was one of those things. Every step of the way, pieces fell into place to make this song what it is... and that somehow even includes an entire character, a lyric video and video campaign, song reviews, reaction videos and more.
I am so freaking proud to have had a hand in creating It's Not A Clown. Proud AF and ever so thankful to all the people who helped us bring it all to fruition.