Is Damien even recording an album?

[radiohead33]

what evidence is there that damien is even recording a new album? I several years ago suggested he might go back to what he was doing after he left Bell X1 which was to be a farmer and live a carefree easygoing commune like life, but no one here thought it was a sound theory.

we are now 5 years out from the last album. The 10 songs in 10 days idea never worked out. And we know he's been recording songs with actresses, like the woman from Inglorious and the girl from Letters to Juliet. the song for that movie about Tibet (?)

Other than that, there is nothing to suggest damien has been working on recording any material at all.

While i'd love more than anything to hear a new album, i sort of wonder if he is done.

Seems to me the lisa thing destroyed him. And while if anyone could create bueatiful art out of the situation, it would be Damo, I dont know if he will ever release an album again.

I can see him moving to italy or something and living as a farmer and painter the rest of his day.

[Spamlet]

Within the past few years, he's written perhaps over two dozen songs and recorded more than half of them, he still frequently plays publicly (as recent as a week ago he debuted a brand new song) and has also been recording with a lot of other pals. He just commented about a week ago that a most of the songs for a new album hadn't been recorded yet (we don't know whether he's referring to any of those we've heard or how many are a whole other batch).

I agree that these facts mean we likely won't be getting a new album this year.

How you get that he's retiring from the music business after all that, though, is completely unfathomable to me. Besides which, when he was tomato farming he was still writing music which he obviously also recorded and then later released. Even if he did retire forever, after he died I've no doubts we'd discover there were thousands of unheard demos left. Songwriting is in his bones. It's simply what he does.

He clearly hates feeling rushed and will take his time until he feels that it's right. The perfectionism is the only thing that kept him from putting out the Barcelona stuff; so the revelation that he's hating himself for not fulfilling his artistic potential (indicated in the intro and lyrics to the new tune) are the clearest signal yet to me that he's going to be attacking album recording again soon.

I personally don't mind waiting another year or two as long as we keep hearing things that are as interesting and exciting as what we've been treated to since "9". Every great "retired" artist should be this active.

[commonsense]

"thousands" seems a little high.

[glo32]

Other than that, there is nothing to suggest damien has been working on recording any material at all.

We know he has been recording with lots of people (from producer Steve Lillywhite and Carmen Rizzo to musicians like Earl Harvin, Joel Shearer, Helgi Jonsson etc...) so what do you need exactly to know he has been working on an album? Do you want pics from the studio? Before 9 was released, we didn't get any proof that he was actually recording for a new album, right?

Plus, he's not retired at all. Since the last tour in 2007, he's been working with music all the time, playing festivals and gigs here and there, recording with friend for the benefit album, scoring documentaries, helping other musicians to get their records done (not only Melanie Laurent from Inglorious Basterds... he has also produced two beautiful albums by Luke Slott)...

so I really don't understand where your point is coming from... sorry..

[Gatsby]

Wait, Damien was in Bell X1?!?

Was he the big hairy chap in the backround on the xylophone?

[radiohead33]

Originally Posted by glo32

We know he has been recording with lots of people (from producer Steve Lillywhite and Carmen Rizzo to musicians like Earl Harvin, Joel Shearer, Helgi Jonsson etc...) so what do you need exactly to know he has been working on an album? Do you want pics from the studio? Before 9 was released, we didn't get any proof that he was actually recording for a new album, right?

Plus, he's not retired at all. Since the last tour in 2007, he's been working with music all the time, playing festivals and gigs here and there, recording with friend for the benefit album, scoring documentaries, helping other musicians to get their records done (not only Melanie Laurent from Inglorious Basterds... he has also produced two beautiful albums by Luke Slott)...

so I really don't understand where your point is coming from... sorry..

recording songs with other musicians and actresses and producing other peoples albums is a far cry from recording damien rice album 3. So thats where Im coming from. He can record songs for soundtracks and documentaries and play benefits all he wants, and thats his perogative, but that means squat in terms of him actually getting in the studio and recording album 3. yes, he premiered a new song last week, but that doesnt mean he's any closer to recording an album.

[radiohead33]

we did know he was recording the follow up to 9. it was pretty clear.

[Spamlet]

Originally Posted by commonsense

"thousands" seems a little high.

Not at all. Quite easily attainable in just 20 years by writing a few songs each month.

[borneoman]

Originally Posted by radiohead33

we did know he was recording the follow up to 9. it was pretty clear.

no, we never got any indication of that. 100% opposite this time. We've heard of recording sessions all over the world, remember those in Iceland that were even attended by fans, or the ones at Avatar studio in NYC with the Lillywhite guy

[cille]

Originally Posted by Gatsby

Wait, Damien was in Bell X1?!?

Was he the big hairy chap in the backround on the xylophone?

[commonsense]

Originally Posted by Spamlet

Not at all. Quite easily attainable in just 20 years by writing a few songs each month.

He would have to write more than 2 songs a week, every week, for 20 years straight to have thousands of songs in that time frame.

[ElephantMan]

[quote=radiohead33;365706]QUOTE]


more important than a new album is the tour that follows...dont forget, we are lucky to hear 2 'new' songs on the album....the rest we already heard from youtube or wherever , such as 'you shouldnt be here', so its the tour that folllows that we will hear the occasional new song live or someone posting it on youtube


gone are the days of the excitement of going to record store on the tuesday release date and playing a record/cd and hearing 10 songs for the 1st time....

[verenita]

haven´t we agreed on leaving the man alone?
i can understand your concern, anxious, excitemente or whatever it may be... i just wonder

[Gatsby]

We are the nights that say ni

ni!

[Spamlet]

Originally Posted by commonsense

He would have to write more than 2 songs a week, every week, for 20 years straight to have thousands of songs in that time frame.

Correct, presuming he doesn't have a substantial number already which we haven't heard. Since I was both accounting for the fact that he does and am definitely expecting him to live far longer than age 58, my original sum is hardly such a stretch.

[commonsense]

you really believe he writes 2 songs every week?

[cille]

^I don't get that discussion, who the **** cares. As a songwriter, sometimes you write 5 songs in a week, sometimes you go a month without any work. In the end the volume isn't that big of a deal.

[Spamlet]

I agree, Cille. Creativity comes in spurts (hmm, that sounds like a naughty Damo thing to say). Sometimes you write ten songs in ten days and sometimes you don't write any for a long time.

Common, I don't know how often he currently writes. Again, my point was that even if he "retired" he wouldn't be retiring from writing songs. Actually, I could imagine him writing far more often if he felt like that it was no longer a job and he doing it for himself with no fear of pressure.

[borneoman]

^don't give him ideas!!!

[davidcotyalex]

lol

[cmigliaccio]

Bit of a thread hijack, but has anyone put together a list of what songs have been put out in the last few years, and how to find them? The lack of touring has led Damien to really slip off my radar the last couple of years, and I haven't been following his limited appearances and compilation contributions nearly as close as some of you have (in no way a knock - there are many bands I follow with that dedication). It's possible someone's already done this, in which case I'd appreciate a link.

I'm honestly less upset about the lack of a third album (it'll come when it comes), than the lack of any real tour since 2007, outside of the one Latin American jaunt. It really kills an artist's connection with his fans if they don't see him for three and a half years.

[verenita]

hey, marti made a list (until november 2010). you can find it here.

after that, we can add:
- Damien on new Maria Doyle Kennedy album (no further information, as far as i remember)
- New song on Argentinian Compilation Album

and, the last but not least (!!!)... beautiful new song :hello2 at whelan´s:

[davidcotyalex]

lazy bastard

[cmigliaccio]

Thanks marti for making the list, and Verenita for the link.

[verenita]

^
i forgot to mention he also joined Angus and Julia Stone in LA, where he sang a beautiful version of "you´re the one that i want" with julia

[davidcotyalex]

so I was emailing with my wife today - on what damo song we should ask ford to cover - and her response was "I don't even remember most of his songs any more." And this is a gal that has seen damo live at least ten times and loves loves him

this is the real danger of what he is doing - of course all the knuckleheads like us will clamor for the glimpse of a new song at whalen's...............but I do think he is very much in danger of losing not only fringe fans but even some at the core (like coty) unless he puts something out there relatively quickly.

so to the original matter at hand - if you could request one damo cover on either guitar or piano what would it be?

as it will be a party am thinking more along the lines of volcano or coconut skins and not so much cold water lol..........

[Spamlet]

Danger to whom? I believe he'd like nothing more than to be less popular and to have people forget about him for a while so that there's less pressure on him.

As for the covers question: you really should just start a whole new thread for it.

[davidcotyalex]

simply an observation...............and I don't doubt for a second you are correct in terms of the way he sees it....odd though as entertainers entertain - usually to crowds

relatedly but not in the context of discussing damien - was speaking with rob holden (david gray's manager) the other month - he doesn't buy the struggling artist thing - he feels that all want some sort of recognition - and trust me both he and david had plenty of the struggling artist days - and like him or leave him I think david gray has done a phenomenal job of staying true to his art while also having a modicum of success in this horrible business as it exists today

just a few more thoughts - obviously to each his or her own!!!

as for the covers it would most likely go the way of the current ford thread where I am the only one talking lol...........I think what I will do is just give ford a couple options

[Cerque]

Oh Damien...