Listening To His Creativity
Last modified: 15:27:40 CET on 25 Nov, 2011 |
All alone
Compared to its previous albums, "The Empyrean" is neither a work recorded with minimalist means, or a production with a comfortable budget. Frusciante both wanted to make the basis for all the songs alone, without anyone else than himself behind the mixing table, as in the days he recorded only four tracks, but he was looking at going on further the arrangements of his compositions, therefore the need for sophisticated studio equipment he installed in his home.
John Frusciante: In reality it is only on what I created in that moment that I am totally left to my own and I do not need anyone. For the album, there was a kind of transition period between the time I depended on others to record and the time I made my own way. But it was not about for me to rely anymore on an engineer behind the console. This one took increasingly the role of assistant to make sure I was not doing too much rubbish and that I might not put the fire by accident (laughs).
So you don’t have any voices coming from the cabin to tell you that it was wrong and that you need to do a new recording.
John Frusciante: Absolutely. But I must say I haven’t done nonsense for all that. I tried to remain as faithful to what encourage the development of the songs. Afterwards we made numerous experiments with editing and mixing. Everything was cut and sorted so that I can always correct a part without having to change the whole. I had not the slightest fear that the sounds are not always calibrated for a sequence to another, that's the interest of music.
Isn’t it necessary for a musician, to have his mind free from material constraints and therefore not having to deal with a studio that is a complex tool?
John Frusciante: I like everything of what has to be done in a studio, even the cleaning of equipment, checking all the elements or otherwise. I find it very pleasant. In fact it is far less impressive than what we could see being a single musician on the other side of the glass. The more it goes, the more it becomes a problem of organization and a source of concern. Now, I don’t imagine a second turning back. It's so wonderful to hear the speakers nearly the same as what we had in mind, which for me is the ultimate goal of recorded music. When you are forced to go through other people it’s as if we put filters on the course.
NO BAND!
Guitarist & Bass: On "The Empyrean", Frusciante called his mate Flea to play a few bass parts (four on the initial version of the album), Josh Klinghoffer, for keyboards or drums but also a renowned string ensemble (Sonus Quartet), or a real choir (The New Dimension Singers). Though, it could not be considered as a band but as what seems to be a pure representation of a solo album.
John Frusciante: My friend Josh has had a lot of ideas of songs, for years, which are on the record. He was my closest partner. There are only two songs on which I am playing every instrument. For all the others, we set up a basis with Josh and Flea on the bass. We finished it all off within four days and during the following months, we added various things, such as the string quartet or the choir.
Guitarist & Bass: Among the concepts Frusciante hates, the first one is the "super band". This is what prevented him from having too many famous guests on his album. He would leave that to his friend Chad Smith. The Red Hot's drummer has indeed been setting up an amazing band, called Chickenfoot, starring Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, and his former partner back to Van Halen time, Michael Anthony.
John Frusciante: I am not interested in being part of a band anymore. Over the last ten years, I have spent more than for years and a half touring with a band. The Chili Peppers had to perform an incredible number of concerts. To me, this represents too long periods of time when you can hardly ever prove creative. I am having a show within two months but it will not be rock. I cannot tell anymore about it today as there are still things to define.
Guitarist & Bass: On this record, there is more than a song that would suit to a small band on stage...
John Frusciante: I know but, if I had to perform, even just a few shows, that would mean forming a band, rehearsing for one or two months to learn the songs and to adapt them to live. Then, there would be one or two months on the road. I cannot figure out giving up everything I am currently doing in studio for four months. I am playing music all day long at home and I am happier than ever this way. I also love playing on stage but I do not appreciate as much long journeys or waiting endlessly before being able to play...
Marr was on tour with Modest Mouse and he couldn't spend more than one night in the studio for the album.
John Frusciante: For me, it was incredible. I work with abstract symbols to compose the music and the structure. I organise a song based on some precise chord progressions, which I can inverse and embellish. It's like a plan to me. I learned so much while discovering Johnny's particular chord combinations and his use of composed intervals, eleventh, ninth or thirteenth...I was really surprised to learn that he wasn't composing music by following theoretical aspects, but that it was all instinctive for him. And as soon as he plugged in, it was like magic. I was behind the console with Josh and we suddenly looked at each other, thinking, "My god, he really has a unique way of playing!" Even if I replayed the exact same part as him, I would never, in all my life, sound like him. I'm convinced that Johnny and I will work together again in the near future.
Secret Virtuoso
Although he didn't attend Hollywood's Musician Institute (circa 1987 regularly), Frusciante is far from a failure, especially since we know he had an audition for Frank Zappa. All that, just to back out 5 minutes before his turn. However, the musician was ready to rock the scene. Like Robert Fripp, he loves to explore everything that you can get out of a guitar, even if that means being completely liberal with conventional technique. But he also knows to keep it simple and keep the guitar for musical accompaniment in all his songs.
With 10 studio albums and "From The Sounds Inside," an album that was offered online, free of charge (with no less than 20 tracks), and some EPs, John Frusciante is a very prolific composer. This probably wouldn't be the case if he focused too much on his range or the precision of his playing. Additionally, you can't stop wondering if what would appear to be a mistake or a lack of skill with any other guitarist is completely intentional with him.
John Frusciante: With this album, my main goal was to play the type of music that one can listen to really loud late at night. I was trying to make music that has the same psychedelic effect as the albums I've always listened to, with their sounds that captivate me without my being distracted by other things. I concentrated on this goal and I wasn't trying to imagine what anyone but me would be able to feel. I've always told myself that if I love the music that I make there will probably be people who will feel the same emotions, who will feel good in the same sphere as me. I appreciate a wide variety of music, from the cleanest pop, to music that would be considered avant-garde, to jazz, classical, electronica....I wouldn't deny that after all these years with the Chili Peppers, the group's music has also become a part of me. This album retraces my life and one can find some familiar elements, even if I didn't conceive of the music in the same way as I did with the group.
