Introduction
Dan Collins is an acoustic singer/songwriter from Lincoln; he goes by the name of Natural Born Fool. His music is soulful and melodic, with emotional lyrics that speak true of today’s generation. Originally Dan’s tracks were to be performed solo, featuring himself and his guitar, but for the recording of this EP he decided that he wanted to build more on his original compositions and arrangements, using more instrumentation such as bass guitar, electric guitar and percussion.
Background (A&R research)
Dan has been writing music for most of his life, and he sings about his feelings about life. Originally I found Natural Born Fool on Soundcloud, and thoroughly enjoyed his music, this lead me to get into contact with him to see if he would be interested in a recording project at the University of Lincoln. Dan’s previous experience on music courses meant that he had a good idea of his direction as an artist but also as a producer himself.
Description of the ARTIST (style, genre, USP etc.)
Dan states his genre as Acoustica. His music has a pleasing combination of chilled acoustic elements, but also drawing influences of heavier grunge. He has been in rock bands, and his time is these bands have proved not only valuable, but also fundamental to the development of his skills as a songwriter. For this EP we are aiming to capture both ends of the spectrum with regards to the production.
Similar artists (who went on to be successful/well known)
One of Dan’s biggest influences is Jeff Buckley, an American songwriter and guitarist. Buckley’s style is reminiscent of the heavy grunge scene of the time but also features some emotional guitar parts. Dan also cites Frank Turner, Kurt Cobain, and John Lennon as his influences as a songwriter. From the stance of production, his influences are The Beatles, Silverchair, and The Civil Wars. These artists were extremely popular in their own right.
Analysis of REPERTOIRE
Here are the Natural Born Fool tracks we will record:
Balance – This track features progressive chords and is in the key of E major. It has various sections in the form of verses and choruses, as well as a middle section where the instrumentation will break down into a more minimal style.
Searching – Searching starts with a catchy acoustic guitar riff. This was the first track I heard by Dan when browsing his Soundcloud page, and what originally drew me to want to work with him. The lyrics are deep and meaningful and could mean something to anybody who listens to the song. This song is in the key of D major, however Dan uses a capo and alternate tuning.
Matriarchal Past – This track is also in the key of D major. This key suits Dan very well is his vocal range sits comfortably. The verses hold tension between two chords and then release into a G major in the chorus. This is another one of the songs that I heard on Soundcloud prior to contacting Dan to ask if he wants to work with me to record his back catalogue.
In Your – This song has a great acoustic rock feel. It is in the key of E major. The chorus breaks down into a heavier grunge vibe with the vocals reaching higher notes that add to the overall emotion of the song.
Analysis of applicable producers (approach, style etc.)
Andy Wallace – Produced Grace by Jeff Buckley. We want the Natural Born Fool EP to sound like this in terms of sonic qualities. The stereo field in Grace is incredible, with ambient sound effects and multi layering of guitar tracks.
Steve Albini – We plan to draw the heavier grunge influences from Albini’s work on albums such as In Utero by Nirvana.
George Martin – Martin’s work on Rubber Soul by The Beatles will influence my work with Dan greatly. We want the EP to draw ideas from Rubber Soul.
Session musicians
Dan will perform most of the tracking on the EP, however Dan would like me to also perform on some aspects of the songs such as the bass guitar on Searching as well as the keyboard parts on Balance. I also plan to record various percussion and drum parts alongside Dan.
Identification of target market
Dan writes his songs for his own personal meaning. His approach is open-minded, and his audiences are other individuals who share his open-minded approach to life. His music is primarily acoustic, so any fans of acoustic music could be interested in his music.
Online, radio, TV plans and angle of attack
After the completion of the EP, we could get in touch with local radio stations such as Siren FM and Brayford Radio. We could also send the EP to BBC Introducing. Dan had a friend who used to work at Mansfield Radio and got an earlier version of the track In Your played on the station. Dan also has a Natural Born Fool Soundcloud page, which we plan to upload the tracks to upon completion of the recording project.
Potential studios to record in
For this project, we will record in the Multitrack Studio at the University of Lincoln, however there are also other studios based in and around Lincoln which we could have rented and recorded in; Insonic Studios and Playing Aloud are two local studios which offer recording packages.
Potential collaborations
One of Dan’s tracks, In Your has been previously remixed by a producer/remixer named Scissor Kill. This remix is in an EDM style reminiscent of Deadmau5 or Kaskade. We could get into contact with Scissor Kill and see if he would be interested in remixing some of the other tracks from the EP. I also remix tracks myself under the alias of Genki B, and at a later date, I would be interested in remixing one of the tracks from the album.
Potential songwriters
Dan is the songwriter behind Natural Born Fool. I have helped him to develop his material in terms of arrangement and instrumentation as his producer. Dan writes the songs on his acoustic guitar.
Brief outline of potential promotional strategy
Upon completion of the project, we aim to promote the EP using social media such as Facebook and Twitter. We will also upload the tracks on to the Natural Born Fool Soundcloud page. In the final weeks of the project we aim to get a photo-shoot done in the studio, so I will contact some students who would be interested in taking these photos. We also aim to contact local radio and ask if they would help us to promote Dan’s music.