A collaboration between me and singer-songwriter Eric Bay.
Eric contacted me after hearing my last album Mitigating Circumstances wanting to try and write something together in the vein of Prince & The 1975.
Eric has been collaborating with many different song writers online as part of his Write, Co project and I found this idea appealing.
I was interested because after 8 albums and hundreds of unrecorded songs, I have never actually written a song with someone before; a traditional back and forth, trading verses and arrangement ideas, not to mention trying to do a duet and writing it all remotely, which were all appealing challenges. However we were able to build a song from almost nothing to what you hear now.
Eric initially sent a piano idea of around a minute. He liked the title Minefield. I felt there was a section we could use for the genre we were going for and so I found an appropriate bpm, replayed it on some synths, adding a drum beat, bubbly bass, strings and guitar. I sang a few lines and sent it back. Eric then sang some lines, harmonising with himself, adding a brass line, a bass line and some subtle synth pads along with some further guitar ideas for me to play, I wrote the chorus and so on over two months of back and forth until we made a song.
Eric has a brilliantly detailed ear for minute-adjustments within the mix of a song and I've never worked with anyone outside of a Producer, who notices the DNA of a performance. Conversations with Eric about the sound of the song were not just nuts and bolts stuff, it was more like debating the thread of a particular screw- this is the way I enjoy making music, there is no detail too small in an arrangement or production and it was a pleasure to work with someone who felt the same way.
I of course found myself effortless to work with and once again loved my ideas.
At this point I should say 'I hope you enjoy our song Minefield and that it brings you any happy years of pleasure within the fullest extent of the law'; but I'm Welsh, so I will just shrug and say 'it's alright, it's the best we could have done'.
Spinear Segelov lives in 'Philly S.Wales with just his modesty and a corduroy rhino called Bert (not pictured).
Eric Bay we believe is from Surrey but is considered 'at large' by officials.
More about Eric Bay
Write, Co project-
www.ericbaymusic.com/collaborations
His own songs-
ericbay.bandcamp.com
released December 7, 2020
Written and arranged by Spencer Segelov & Eric Bay.
Produced & mixed by Spencer Segelov.
Mastered by Charlie Francis at Synergy Mastering.
Artwork by Eric Bay.