Chambers: knocked Rufus into shape
Guy Chambers is the craftsman behind multi-million selling hits like Robbie Williams’ Angel. Rufus Wainwright is happiest composing florid operas inspired by Schubert. Pop hits, he admits, are not his forte.
So when the BBC brought the pair together to compose a ballad designed for mass appeal radio airplay inside 48 hours, it’s understandable that Wainwright initially chafed at the prospect.
“I wasn’t aware he was wary and had compared it to a doctor’s appointment before he arrived,” says Chambers of the encounter that launches The Secrets of the Pop Song, a BBC Two series which begins on Saturday night.
“That would have made me even more apprehensive. He was nervous initially but once we started and he heard something he liked it was easier.”
The programmes pair Chambers, who has written and produced with Kylie Minogue, Diana Ross and Sir Tom Jones with Mark Ronson, in order to create a Breakthrough Single and The Noisettes to magic up an Anthem.
Rufus: Cajoled after initial wariness
Writing a Ballad with Rufus proved the most challenging. Rufus is a “genius”, Chambers says. But Wainwright turns up with an idea about creating a folk song mixed with rap.
“We can’t use any of that,” advised Chambers when they meet in his London studio. A Rufus melody prompts the response: “We don’t want to go into dirge mode.”
Eventually Rufus responds to Chambers’ idea that they use World War Three as a musical theme and hits on the line “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus” as the hook for a song which gradually develops.
Ballads are about universal emotions of love and pain, the programme shows. The Rufus song, which will be streamed on the show’s website, is much more commercial than Wainwright’s usual meandering style and demonstrated to the singer that the direct, melodic approach doesn’t have to mean a sell-out.
“He’s used to controlling the process so to let go was a big step,” says Chambers. “I thought it was really good experience. I hope we do more together.”
The writing process is inter-cut with clips of leading songwriters explaining why their hit songs work so well. Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant describes Rent’s melancholy chorus as the perfect mix of “hard and soft. Like Lennon & McCartney.”
Stand By Sting?: Big hit was borrowed
Sting admits that Every Breath You Take is based around the chord sequence of Ben E. King’s Stand By Me and marvels that people use the quite sinister Police song about stalking as a wedding dance staple.
So why aren’t there as many landmark songs today as there were in the 80s? The indie guitar world in particular is bereft of memorable tunes. “A lot of indie bands would benefit from working with songwriters,” says Chambers.
“They never land hits because their songs aren’t good enough. It’s a shame they have such tunnel vision. Unless they’re geniuses like Everything Everything, who don’t need any help.”
Chambers reserves praise for the Biffy Clyro song, Many Of Horror, which “has got the melody, great words and delivery. It’s an exocet missile of a pop song.” Adele earns approval for breaking all the rules about production dominating melody in today’s beats-based chart pop.
“It’s no good being indie and cool if you want to get on daytime Radio 1,” says Chambers who says he’d like to spread some magic chart dust over Miles Kane’s material.
Chambers, who says he’d be interested in a talent show role if the programme had a songwriting component, is currently working with X Factor winner Matt Cardle and a new band he calls a “female AC/DC”.
Artists should be weaned off signing publishing deals that guarantee them 70% of the songwriting credits on an album, argues Chambers. If they carved out 50% to professional writers they could have more hits. “Tom Jones has a great 40 year catalogue but he’s never written a note in his life.”
Chambers describes in the programme how Robbie’s 4 million-selling Angels developed from its hymnal, “reassuring” major key chord opening. Will they work again after an acrimonious parting in the Noughties?
“I still want to work on a musical with Robbie. The last time we talked he wasn’t interested. After the Take That tour he might be interested again. I would like to work on new songs with Robbie for it as well as the catalogue. I’d love to do it but it’s all down to him and whether he wants to. He won’t do anything unless he really wants to.”
The Secrets of the Pop Song, BBC Two, Saturday July 2, 9:45pm – The Ballad
Sat 9th July 9.45pm – Episode 2 - Breakthrough Single
Sat 16th July 9.45pm (tbc) – Episode 3 – Anthem
