Neil Davidge Interview
9th November 2008
Neil Davidge graciously took some time out to do a quick email interview for MASSIVEATTACK.IE! Neil is Massive Attack's long time producer now going on 13 years. In that time, he has had a major impact on the sound of the band, helping them in producing Mezzanine and 100th Window and all the recent soundtrack projects the band has been involved in. At the moment, he is right into the making of the eagerly anticapated next Massive Attack studio album. You can also visit his portfolio website to check out the rest of his work at NeilDavidge.com. In the interview, a few of the topics Neil touches upon, are how he first met Massive, the differences in writing for album vs. film and how "LP5" is shaping up.
To download the interview as a RTF document file, click here. Also, the acknowledgements of everyone who helped with the interview are at the bottom of the page.
Q 1. Starting at the beginning, how did you get involved in music production and how did that lead you to being introduced to Massive Attack? Did you think at the time that it would be such a lasting partnership as it is now?
I had no formal training in music, couldn't play a note when I formed my first band with mates from school in the late 70's post punk free-for-all. Years of dicking around, picking things up, trying to make a noise and record my efforts lead me to a recording deal as a singer songwriter in the late 80's Bristol explosion.
Nothing came from this however due to my reluctance to play 'Pop star' and the problems they had in pigeon holing the music. I got the start I needed though. With the advance they gave me (when record companies still sold records) I bought a load of equipment and started remixing and producing other artists. I was producing some tracks for a friend of mine (that eventually became Sunna, 1st album released on Massive label Melankolic) when I met Dee. He was working on a track with the Insects for the Batman Forever soundtrack album upstairs at Christchurch Studios. They couldn't finish the track due to a prior engagement so Dee asked if I could help them finish it... 12 years later... yeah, I had no idea.
Q 2. The last two Massive Attack albums you've been apart of have typically had some sort of dilemma or problem associated with them during their making. With Mezzanine, it was the friction between the band members. With 100th Window, it was the absence of G and Mushroom. How has it been so far on LP5 compared to those albums?
There's always friction in the Massive Attack camp of some sort, they seem incapable of concentrating solely on the music... I guess in some way it's what sets them apart from everyone else, the music is almost a flirtation. Arguments go from moral / political differences to bathroom tiles, you get used to it after a time and it becomes a breeding ground for fresh (yeah and stupid) ideas, some that get fed back into the music.
It can be a very long and frustrating experience though, even when the music eventually comes into focus.
This album has been no exception, I generally try to stay out of the way when the shit starts flying but when it's just me and Dee in the studio for months, years, it's not so easy to divorce yourself. He and I have had some blinders. It always amuses me when we've battled for an hour only to find that we're making the same point... from different angles.
For the most part though it's been productive, five movie scores, a bunch of Ads, a couple of tours, 'Live with me', 'Collected' and of course the soon to be unveiled LP5.
Q 3. Many fans have been excited at the news that G is back in the studio for LP5. How has it been adjusting to his return and how has it impacted the dynamics of how the album will be produced, compared to 100th Window? Has there been any cross-pollination of ideas between D and G or has it been mostly a solo effort so far on their parts?
Well, as ever, they make every effort not to be in the studio together. Grant has mainly worked with a couple of guys who go by the name of 'the Robot Club', Dee with me... but as to the individual efforts affecting the other... it's like two brothers trying to impress the same girl.
Q 4. It came as little surprise to many people when Massive Attack entered the world of soundtracks a few years ago. Since then, you have done a number of film scores. How has it been, balancing the two disciplines of writing for a film vs. working on the next album? Do you find it liberating at times to get away from the album workload and has there been anything you have learned from doing soundtracks, that you can apply to the album making process?
Yeah, working on film soundtracks is a natural progression. I admit it has been easier for me to adapt than it has for Them. As a writer / producer I'm always trying to do the best for the project, willing to let go of personal creative ambitions when they're in conflict with the projects best interest. Dee however isn't used to being told his idea doesn't work and there's no time to try and 'make' it work. Generally I've taken the lion share of responsibility for the scores, he'll get involved when he feels his input will be best put to use and back off when his 'artist' temperament flares up. There have been times though when roles reverse. I'll have spent days writing and arranging a piece to perfection (in my eyes) and he'll walk in, cut through the crap and break it down to a far simpler and effective solution.
I love writing to picture, to a concept, a feeling, a story... anything that splatters the blank piece of paper with some colour, you get straight to the meat of it. Sometimes it just feels more honest. The music has a tangible purpose, it's tells the story in a way that nothing else can and you generally know if it's working or not. It's not about ego, it's not intended to get girls (or boys for that matter) or impress your mates, it does the job or it doesn't and you start again. It's no less poignant or essential than a stand alone track.
As for lessons learned... every creative experience has it's lessons. They're stored in your unconscious and when you're scratching around, looking for that tread, something rises up and off you go again. Album, live, score... life, they all inspire the other.
More directly though, I'll write a load of tracks for a movie and some may end up on the cutting room floor but if they're great ideas.... A number of these have become the basis for LP5 tracks and of course it works the other way too.
Q 5. In your "Sound On Sound" interview back in 2005, you and D spoke about how your new studio would provide a better outlet for your creativity than previous studios you've used in the past. In the time since then, how has the new studio affected your work practice and has it been everything you hoped it would be?
Having our own studio has brought a lot more freedom, especially having a dedicated live room, it's great being able to leave something setup for a while just in case, then maybe try some bizarre mic arrangement for fun, no pressure. It's also allowed us to run more than one project at a time, I could be working on a film in a couple of rooms whilst Dee is working on the album, with maybe someone else editing or mixing in another.
But there's a con for every pro, having to book a studio gave you a deadline, both in preparation for a session and during. We now have more opportunity to experiment and less reason to be decisive. Self imposed deadlines are never as effective as the real thing. I'd be lying if I said we haven't wasted weeks, even months getting nowhere till we have to finish due to external pressures.
Q 6. Over the years there has been a few unreleased tracks floating around that the fans have been aware of - Wire, Aftersun, Just A Matter Of Time, No Souvenirs etc... Is there any chance any of these tracks will be released eventually or reworked by yourselves? On that note, is there any old material that you have been sitting on for a while now, that might be worked into the upcoming album, or is most of it relatively new?
I don't think these tracks will ever be released and for good reason, they weren't that great, sorry.
There are a few tracks we have in the vaults that may see the light of day. I have some personal 'almost made it' favourites, possibly bonus tracks, maybe a movie in the future, a solo project... who knows. Anything really good gets recycled at some point if it's appropriate. Nothing is a complete waste.
Q 7. Ever since the release of "In Rainbows" by Radiohead last year, this next question has become pretty popular in interviews with musicians. What do you think of the shifting model for music distribution in this decade away from physical sales and into downloads, legal or otherwise? Would you know what the rest of the band think of this issue? Are Massive Attack already part of the Featured Artists Coalition or would they consider signing up? - http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com
I'll forward the link on to them, it looks like something they should support if they aren't already.
Physical vs Digital... I don't know. Until recently I've still favoured a physical CD even though I hate the format, the stupid little cases that break and the flimsy piece of paper cover that gets lost and torn. Plus who's gonna know who produced, who wrote, who played on it? Credits seem to be a thing of the past with music. LPs were a substantial piece of art, I'll always miss that. But I do download (legally) more often than not these days, it's convenient I guess. I think Dee is planning a unique format release along with the traditional ones for LP5.
But I take comfort that there are more people listening to more music today than ever before, if only the artist got paid accordingly!
I got given a paper based on the TV license model, if every person owning music reproducing technology would pay a nominal fee per annum illegal file sharing would disappear overnight, unlimited legal downloads could be easily tracked, there'd be fair distribution of cash, more investment available for new music and musicians wouldn't need to sign on or do odd jobs for their builder mate to feed their kids. Ahhh, if the world was fair....
Q 8. Many casual fans of Massive Attack might be unaware of how much you (I'm sure you could also say the same for Lee, Alex and now Euan) have contributed to the sound of the band and how your writing/producing partnership with D has been the cornerstone of the band now for nearly 10 years. Have you ever felt the desire to get more involved in "band stuff" like touring, promo shoots, interviews (etc...) or do you prefer a "behind the scenes" approach and do not want to be too visibly attached to the Massive Attack label?
For me the most important thing is the music.
I know what I did, the difference I made, the tracks I wrote, the part I've played. That the music is appreciated is enough. I've only ever been onstage twice with the band but I've stood in the audience and felt the love countless times... it's hard not to feel good when people scream at the opening of Teardrop, Angel etc. The past few years I've been involved more with the live show, working closely with the band to make better use of the medium, updating sounds, arrangements... oh and getting rid of backing tracks!
Dee has asked me to tour as a player and MD, it was a hard decision but I had to say no, I decided a long time ago that my life was in the studio. I couldn't sustain the level of creativity, writing film scores, albums, producing other artists if I had to take 6 or more months out every year or so for touring, promotion etc.
The actual gig aside, I think I've got the best deal.
Q 9. Finally, just a quick question. How is 7Hz Productions doing? Do you have any other side-projects on the table away from Massive Attack?
7 Hz Productions is my managers production company. I was a director for a time and we tried to develop an artist but after sinking a lot of money into it we decided to shelve it and go back to the more traditional arrangement of him get me work, me do work.
I've just finished a score for a film by Paul McGuiggan (Gangster No1, Lucky number Slevin, the Acid House) called 'Push' - http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/push/ - (due Feb 09) with the help of a friend of mine Irina Artamonova - www.myspace.com/artamonova & www.myspace.com/whitenightie. It's the first major project I've done completely independent of Massive Attack in 12 years and a conscious decision for Dee and I to take a break from working together. There are a number of other 'solo' projects in the pipeline plus I've been helping Terry Callier with his new album.
As a footnote... the last 12 years have been amazing with Massive Attack and my partnership with Dee goes deeper than just producer / artist / partner, he's like a brother and I love the bugger. We'll no doubt work together in the future, but for now I need to do something new, work with new people, shake things up, step over the edge into the unknown.
Thank you everyone for your questions. Thank you Richard for getting in contact.
Peace.
Neil.
For obvious reasons, I would like to thank Neil for taking the time out to have this little converstation with fans. I would also like to thank Barry for help in getting in contact with Neil and Marc over at Massive's management.
Ex - for encourgaging me to ask me to ask in the first place. And some of the top fans of this band who helped come up with ideas for a few of the questions and for others who have supported this site - Liquidsky, Avalanche, briaeos, Nooc210, moxley, Ghinzu, astral, Pee, Resonance, bm, Favaad, Caz, Azure, tjaxx, Pearly Sunrise, kfrinkle and Damian.
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