The producer and songwriter Andrew Watt changed from the pop world to the studio, where he worked with his rock heroes. Of the Rolling Stones up to Pearl Jam. Now he is a executive producer of Lady Gagas new album Mayhem Back in the center of pop. His career is currently reaching new heights. With a Grammy win for the Stones’ Hackney Diamondsan Oscar nomination for a title with Elton John and Brandi Carlile (which will launch a double album produced by watt). And a long number one placement for Gagas and Bruno Mars’ “The With A Smile”.
“Name me another band in the story that made such a good album in their eighties, with this level of songwriting and this performance”
In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now Gives watt insights into his work with these superstars. To hear the entire episode, go here To the podcast provider of your choice, stop Apple podcasts or Spotify Or just press “Play” at the top. Here are some highlights from the conversation:
Watt passionately defended Stones’ recent Grammy profit against online complaints that younger rock bands were disadvantaged. “They are in their eighties,” says Watt. “You are 82 and 83 years old. Name me another band in the story, which made such a good album in its eighties, with this level of songwriting and this performance. Fuck production. I press on recording. Do you know what I mean? And I make sure that it sounds good. They play, sing, write, give everything. You can’t tell me any other band that has ever made such a good album in your 80s. And the reason why they can’t tell me that is that Rock ‘N’ Roll is not that old yet! There is confidence in humanity in which what a person could be capable of. “
Watt sees a trend in the increasing spread of AI that reunits pop music towards human performances. “It is no coincidence that parallel to all these live instruments, the AI is on the rise,” he says. “People think: Okay, computers become so good that they can do these other things too. What is the most real, rawest you be unable to? “
Even more songs from “Hackney Diamonds”
There are still many remaining songs from the Hackney Diamonds Sessions, and Watt wants the Stones to finish them. “It was a productive time for the band. They had accumulated material from 18 years in these sessions, ”says Watt. “There was so much to search through. And at first there was so much that you could choose from. And then new songs were added because everyone was on the move and somehow in intoxication. So we recorded more than fit the album. There is more material. I can’t say whether it will happen or not. It is up to them, but it would be great. Why not finish the material, do you know? “
Gaga’s single “Abracadabra” was created spontaneously. “She just heard something immediately. The microphone grabbed and began improvising in the room, ”says Watt. “As soon as this type is from the beginning, it always runs to the piano. Because then a song becomes of it. And then the chords come and there is this crazy, funny synthesizer part and then where can it go. As soon as you have found the chords for the other parts, we take it on on other synthesizers. You run constantly between the control room and the live room, the control room and the live room. “
The emergence of “The With A Smile” was as old school as possible. “It was a really long day and a long night,” says Watt. “Bruno was with [Produzent/Songwriter] James Fauntleroy there. And they just started playing together. Gaga wrote down all chords and all changing bass notes so that she knew what she would play. Bruno played guitar. And they just started to disassemble the song together. Really sang together and arranged their harmonies organically. Everything in this song is live. Live drums, live bass, live guitars, live singing. Listen to them while singing. It’s raw. “
Ozzy is really looking forward to this concert
The upcoming last Ozzy Osbourne concert Will offer “a huge amount of surprises”, says Watt. “I only know that I was asked to play with a series of things that they have put together. Ozzy is very much looking forward to this concert. Every time you give him a goal that he should achieve or challenge him, he will do it. “
Watt secretly with his other projects Paul McCartney recorded. “He is like my professor, Professor Paul,” says Watt. “We have worked on different things in small times in recent years. He also helped me to complete the deal for the appearance with the Stones. “
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