I have mentioned on my review how I enjoyed The Foolks‘ album All Get Nothing To See especially when I knew more about the process of recording the album went online among several countries. I got more curious to ask the French producer and songwriter Emmanuel Dron about the idea of the project and more details about the album journey. Let’s discover!
Tell me more about your musical background, and when did you start songwriting?
I have been playing the guitar since the early 1990s. I always wrote music since the beginning and keep them in a notebook.
Okay, what about music production. Also, in your opinion, what’s the difference between being a musician, and record producer in a project?
That is indeed two different things and I like to do both. It is like to be a Chef. A good chef does not always make the best restaurant. A restaurant is not just the food. You need to know how to create an ambience, design your menu, pair the food with a great wine list etc. Here, it is the same. Once you write a song, you need to find a nice tone, colour to it. The arrangement is infinite and you need to get the one that reflects the tone you want to give to the song but also to your album. On that project, I was also interested to create the four single covers and the album and logo.
2020 is a year full of challenges, although it didn’t stop you to form The Foolks. Tell me more about the project, and the idea of the band name.
Because of the challenge of the year 2020, that band and album came alive. I got time to write and finish the songs, to find great musicians to work on that album. The name of the band “The Foolks” is playing on the words “Fool” and Folks”. The world is a bit in a crazy state. So the band name reflects that.
Working with a group of musicians in the same city can be difficult to arrange, manage, and scheduling rehearsals. But What about dealing with musicians from different countries, how was it?
For touring definitely a nightmare !! But to record, the modern technology of communication really made it quite easy.
You mentioned that most of the album songs were composed on specific guitar tuning key, Have you been looking for a specific vintage rock’n’roll sound?
Indeed I like to play in G Tuning (the Keith Richard Tuning) and I wrote 8 of the 10 songs in that tuning. It gives definitely a different tone when you play, even when you play a simple G or C chords. It doesn’t sound the same as in normal tuning. I didn’t necessarily look for vintage sounds because it the sounds I like and use. It was really natural. I think it doesn’t sound enough vintage for my taste ..haha.
“We’ll All Get Nothing To See” isn’t a concept album still each lyric builds up amazing ideas, morals, and themes. Can you elaborate more on the lyrical theme?
The album title is just “The Foolks”. Thank you for the comment. Lyrics are inspired by what I see around me within the case of the first album. Friends, love but also depression, the second chance in life and be responsible for your actions. About life in fact. What touches you every day in your life.
‘The Most Beautiful Queen’ online music video, was it a recorded online jam or live shooting? And are you aiming for a music video soon, guys?
That was unfortunately not done live. I would have loved it too. For a music video, not sure yet. No plan about it. But to do more music definitely. Already working on a second album …
‘Sweet Sour Freedom’ is a tribute for the iconic Rolling Stones. Any other songs are tributes as well?
The two first songs (The Most Beautiful Queen but indeed most especially “Sweet Sour Freedom”) on the album are indeed a tribute to the King of the G Tuning Riff, Keith Richard.
Another “tribute wink” on the album is the drums on the song “Hitty” which is inspired by the song “Ocean” by the Velvet Underground. The drums were classic at first recording. I didn’t like it and while thinking about the tempo, the song cymbals on “Ocean” came back in my memory and I told Andrew on drums, let’s try this style.
Finally, don’t you think it’s a risk to release the album now during the COVID crisis? Would it effect on album sales and listens?
Maybe but the main goal was to create and play music. It achieved that goal. Rest is pure bonus.
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