What Had Happened Was Things Fall Apart Part 2
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Dec 20, 2023 This episode explores the stories behind songs from The Roots album 'Things Fall Apart', including the difficulty of creating the hit single 'You Got Me'. They discuss encountering Jill Scott and her replacement by Erykah Badu on the song. The chapter also touches on the concept of survival, the creation of 'Step into the Room', mixing and cooking experiences, creating music for a record, and a battle between Jill's version and Erykah's version of a song.
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Early Influences Shape Album's Sound
- The album's sound was deeply influenced by early hip hop and acid jazz scenes from the late '80s and early '90s.
- Producer Anthony Tidd taught a technique to shadow melodic rap lines with keyboard riffs creating a distinct vibe.
Balancing Admiration and Professionalism
- Approaching a musical idol requires balancing admiration with professionalism to avoid losing credibility.
- Openly fan-worshipping in front of a respected genius can be counterproductive in creative collaborations.
Joe Tarsia's Drum Sound Hack
- Joe Tarsia, a legendary engineer, introduced the "Earl's blanket" technique to deaden drum sounds.
- Placing a blanket over drums created a sound indistinguishable from iconic disco drum sounds by Earl Young.