What a week!
Well...we did it.
Three of the craziest days of my life, but somehow the Climb Way Up cast recording happened and is now being mixed. I'd love to tell you straight off that it's incredible and the best musical theatre album you're ever going to hear, but the truth is -
I just can't remember.
There were moments of sheer joy recording certain bits and real excitement listening to them back, but on the whole, it's all bit of a blur.
A massive task to complete in the time we had, I suppose I didn't have to the opportunity to relax back and enjoy myself as much as perhaps I should have done; but this is probably as it should be - this is my first professional cast recording and I want it to be right. I'll enjoy it when it's on Spotify, ok?! Also, I'm just not that guy - often far too concerned with what everyone else thinks to only check in with my own response and rely on that alone.
It's weird, because my instinct in full time use when I'm writing a thing...and I never doubt it then. As soon as it's out there in the world, I'm having an existential crisis. Maybe it's right that my barometer for the success of a song or a lyric or a particular moment lies specifically with what the audience needs and not with what I want...who knows.
What I can say for sure is that the arrangements my MD Tom Pieczora did were yummy and so right for the material, and the performances of my fellow cast members Anna Stolli, Alex Cosgriff & Sarah Pearson were SUBLIME.
The idea that these sensitive and beautiful interpretations of my work will be there forever for all to enjoy is more than enough to reassure me that I've done the right thing by making this album happen.
All I can hope now is that come the autumn when we release the thing, you'll enjoy hearing it as much as we enjoyed making it - not long to wait!
Graham x
Three of the craziest days of my life, but somehow the Climb Way Up cast recording happened and is now being mixed. I'd love to tell you straight off that it's incredible and the best musical theatre album you're ever going to hear, but the truth is -
I just can't remember.
There were moments of sheer joy recording certain bits and real excitement listening to them back, but on the whole, it's all bit of a blur.
A massive task to complete in the time we had, I suppose I didn't have to the opportunity to relax back and enjoy myself as much as perhaps I should have done; but this is probably as it should be - this is my first professional cast recording and I want it to be right. I'll enjoy it when it's on Spotify, ok?! Also, I'm just not that guy - often far too concerned with what everyone else thinks to only check in with my own response and rely on that alone.
It's weird, because my instinct in full time use when I'm writing a thing...and I never doubt it then. As soon as it's out there in the world, I'm having an existential crisis. Maybe it's right that my barometer for the success of a song or a lyric or a particular moment lies specifically with what the audience needs and not with what I want...who knows.
What I can say for sure is that the arrangements my MD Tom Pieczora did were yummy and so right for the material, and the performances of my fellow cast members Anna Stolli, Alex Cosgriff & Sarah Pearson were SUBLIME.
The idea that these sensitive and beautiful interpretations of my work will be there forever for all to enjoy is more than enough to reassure me that I've done the right thing by making this album happen.
All I can hope now is that come the autumn when we release the thing, you'll enjoy hearing it as much as we enjoyed making it - not long to wait!
Graham x