Leo, m’ man … …is Life Good or What?

Sep 1, 2011 Uncategorized
Posted by JohnHampton

Ultimo, Leonardo!   Grazi!

Brother Leo is not in this entry nor on this site.

Collaboration … root word, labor. So, labor together. Work together! There is something to be said about thing A inspiring thing B, now OR apart.Togeher as in John and Paul. Inspiring apart, whether time or distance, as in David Bowie and Marilyn Manson! Years apart!

A buddy and I were always tech-ing on studio anomalies, some of which were simple and obvious, others that were horribly complex. But we didn’t call it collaborating … we used the acronym “THABTO … Two Heads Are Better Than One.”  Simple, right? Well, that’s not just my acronym … Patrick and I both came up widdit. We collaborated. I ALWAYS like me  when i’m mixed with something more than just me solo. Its ALWAYS at least 10 to 110% more entertaining. And entertaining is 110% of what music wants to be. I mean, …as everybody knows … I  …. i .

I LIKE to be entertained …

You see, no two people think EXACTLY alike. I may lean a bit toward the physical, scientific side of “stuff” where a good collaborator would be the one adding to me and, with common sense, I to him. Alone, I couldn’t get it- nor could he. But together, we could look at many more possibilities because the person 1 may not let person 2 wander off knowing in the end, it isn’t helping get to the “goal”. On something that takes long term planning … say, writing a book … I may write until I’m just running out of creativity, then give it to Mr. THABTO for a few weeks. Gone from me, its time I use as “RELOAD TIME”  so that when he/she begins to take instead of give (to the planet), the entire direction of mine would be less stale and go for a few weeks on a new, more inspired course, then back to him. Over and over this scene repeats until we have a work of substance on our hands, when actually neither one of us individually was even a near here!

Think back: Leiber and Stoller. Karen and Richard Carpenter. Jesse and Robin (Gin Blossoms) or back to:

John and Paul,  The Coen Brothers. Sid and Nancy (Sid and Nancy??)

You must admit. By himself, John Lennon had an edge. And good reason to have him that edge. But to many it was just a bit too much reality. Too acetic. Enter Paul McCartney. Alone, he was just a bit too “sweet”, if I may. (Too much honey gluts the stomach) Too much acid BURNS the stomach. BUT … together, for many years, each tempered the other, and the result was exactly what the mainstream music listeners wanted. And neither self-destructed, like many solo artists are prone to do after awhile. Doug Hopkins from Gin Blossoms. Kurt Cobain. That zany Beck is a definite exception. But many times, the BEST music comes from collaboration. Just like “O’ Brother Where art Thou?” is a mind-melding from the Coen Brothers.

And you know what? Since everyone gets a recording studio in their laptop or whatever, collaboration has gone down the tubes. Not only that, but the “Musical Masturbation” that goes on in these self-imposed music prisons has given us nothing but SHIT! (But there are always exceptions)

John and Yoko, Bogie and Bacall
Hanna- Barbera, Simon and Garfunkel, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Missy Elliott and Timbaland… the list is MILES long.

And, as I ask for opinions, I leave you with this: One person is one highly entertaining, life improving entry into the journal of human experience if it becomes real PLUS. One = one. Two each is one and one equals two. so far we haven’t exactly moved mountains, changed much, and may have overall actually left less than if we had never been there. No biggie. BUT two together makes a third thing: number one and two and the two combined is different … number 3! There is more there than what was there to begin with. “It’s one better!”. Talk to me.

Next question, Geronimo …HereComeThePlanes