So here we are on Day 3…songs are coming out great. This album has a lot more juice than anything we’ve done before and nearly all the tunes are originals. At some point along the journey of making a record, tough decisions need to be made (someone needs to be the bad guy…usually me). Through the creative journey certain things rise to the top and really standout: a riff, a vocal line, a song, a theme etc. It’s almost like the project takes on a life of it’s own and you’ve got to let it become what it wants to be. Sort of like raising a child (or so my friends who have kids tell me). As this project is taking on a life of it’s own, we’re following a simple roadmap that we usually use when making decisions: figure out what needs a facelift, an overhaul, or a funeral. Today we hacked a few of my songs, a.k.a. “creative pruning.” We cut off entire verses and choruses that I wrote. Keeping an open hand and heart is one key to bringing out the best. Songwriters understandably get pretty personal with their music, but good is often the worst enemy of the best. And the best is what sets the final product apart. I recently heard Chris Vascher, a songwriter from Canada say, “the best songs are not written, but re-written.” So here we are, facelifting, overhauling, and saying R.I.P. to parts of songs or even entire songs. Well, someone has to be the bad guy…but the final product is going to be the best of our best! Can’t wait for the world to hear this.