Issue 9: Buena Vista Social Club – ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ (1997)

Apologies to people of a certain age, who are now having alarming flashbacks of late twentieth century dinner parties. You remember, the ones with at least two Liam & Patsy wannabees going all Cool Britannia over the Jamie Oliver starters. Pukka.

Quite often, these parties were soundtracked by a bunch of far cooler Cuban pensioners, swinging gently in the corner. For most of us, this music was revolutionary. Ironically of course, this collection of traditional standards dated from way before the actual Cuban revolution.  

And it’s these warming sounds that are just what we need in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year. Especially for a freelance writer battling the daily urge to stick the heating on and blow the tax savings in an afternoon.

Instead, I can cheerfully tap away, imagining I’m sitting outside a café in the shade of a palm tree. Wispy trails of cigar smoke hang in the air, as I take a sip of my café Cubano and spot a rogue split infinitive. I conjure a 50s Chevy cruising by, revealing just the word I’m after – a tuned-up thesaurus with white-walled wheels. Hell, maybe I’ll even let Hemingway give my copy the once over.

Right, I’m off to find a few handfuls of fresh mint and a couple of limes. 🍹 😎

#copywriting #creativity #copywritersunite #cuba #buenavistasocialclub #rycooder

Issue 8: Vince Guaraldi Trio – ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ (1965)

Need to add a bit of swing to your Christmas copy? Then look no further than this sublime seasonal soundtrack. Full of reflective piano meanderings and melancholy melodies, it’s right on the chocolate money.

It was only a few Christmas Pasts ago that I discovered ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’. Of course, it’s the soundtrack to the cartoon of the same name, commissioned by Coca-Cola. And, as Alexis Petridis remarked in his review for The Guardian, “They presumably weren’t expecting Charles M Schulz to write a script about the money-grubbing commercialisation of Christmas and the depression wreaked by festivities that never quite live up to your expectations...”

And it’s this unexpected doozy from Schultz, expertly scored by Guaraldi, that makes the album so great to write copy to. Because it soundtracks the holiday season in all its cold bread sauce and cracker-debris glory, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ takes you to a place where you’ve the freedom to tell it how it is. To connect with people on an emotional level that resonates with their lived experience of the festive season.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like every track has all the feels of Robert Smith DJing a kids’ party (sorry, Rob 💋). It’s a glorious blend of the highs and the not-so-highs of Christmas.

In fact, to paraphrase Dr Seuss, every time I listen to it my heart grows three sizes. Happy Christmas 🎄

#copywriting #creativity #copywritersunite #christmas #vinceguaraldi

Issue 7: Burning Spear – ‘Garvey’s Ghost’ (1976)

As a writer, there’s nothing like the feeling you get when you’re really in the zone. When the words are flowing, and you know you’re on to something. Winston Rodney’s (aka Burning Spear) ‘Garvey’s Ghost’  gets me in the zone – or rather in the groove.

This record is the dub version of Rodney’s breakthrough roots reggae release ‘Marcus Garvey’ – a fiery tribute to the Jamaican political activist. I say dub. In actual fact ‘Garvey’s Ghost’ is essentially an instrumental version of its predecessor. It doesn’t have the alarming sonic drop-outs or speaker-shredding bass of a Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry or King Tubby dub mix. It just moves along at a steady, head-nodding pace – giving you plenty of room to think and tap away, without the fear of being set upon by some devilish bit of studio wizardry.

So, handy if you’ve got to get your head down with a few web pages or an old skool DM pack. Or if you’re really lucky, an annual report 💪 🔥

#copywriting #creativity #copywritersunite #burningspear

Issue 6: Mogwai – ‘Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will’ (2011)

This album makes me grin from ear to ear. Which is no bad thing when you’re working.

The title’s always amused me too. Even more so when I found out where it came from – an overheard conversation in an off-licence. Apparently, some teenager just came out with it after the shopkeeper refused to serve him. You don’t get that in Tesco.

The music itself is a 6-pack of sound. Crashing drums. Rampant guitar riffs. Hammering bass lines. Stabbed keyboard patterns. It really shouldn’t be any good to write words to. But because it’s all woven together by weirdly beautiful melodies, it makes for an uplifting soundtrack for happily hammering at a keyboard.

Okay, it probably won’t work for everyone. In fact, some of you may end up reaching for ear plugs during some of the livelier moments. Stick with it though, and you’ll end up with ear worms instead.

Mogwai of course named themselves after the character in Gremlins. It means ‘evil spirit’ or ‘devil’ in Cantonese. Makes sense. As the proverb says, the Devil has all the best tunes. 😈

#copywriting #creativity #copywritersunite #mogwai

Issue 5: Kraftwerk – ‘Autobahn’ (1974)

Are we there yet?

Copywriting, in general, is about getting people to do things. To take their head and heart to a place where they buy a product, subscribe to a service, go to the doctor, upgrade, switch, donate – the list is as long as the queue to the Dartford crossing.

But it’s not all about the destination. The journey is just as important. And that’s where the copywriter comes in – we set the tone and the right environment, so when the moment comes for action, the decision is already half-made.

The album ‘Autobahn’ is all about the journey. Hypnotic melodies combine with electronic toots and whistles to create the soundtrack to a changing landscape that drifts by the window to your mind’s eye. Clocking in at over 20 minutes ‘Autobahn’ (the song) is a whole side of vinyl. If it went on twice as long, I still wouldn’t ask if we were there yet. But at 24 inches it’ll be tricky to get on a turntable.

Side 2 is also packed with outrageous melodies that retain all the humanity of the musicians who created it, despite them knocking it out on synths and drum machines. In 1974! When Led Zeppelin were in full flight and the Stones were only into their second decade. I know, ‘Autobahn’ isn’t rock and roll – but I like it.

#copywriting #creativity #copywritersunite #kraftwerk

Issue 4: David Bowie ‘Low’ (1977)

I would have loved to be a fly on the (weeping) wall when Bowie delivered this to the suits at RCA. Eh, David, you don’t appear to be singing anything on side 2? Apart from some wailing and stuff…

Just imagine – one of THE great voices in rock making a call to – you know – not sing for a bit. That’s just after releasing the hugely successful ‘Changesonebowie’ hit-fest. What a guy!

So, it’s the mainly instrumental side 2 I listen to when writing. I can’t listen to anything with words if I’m putting down some of my own.

Apparently, Bowie played a lot of the instruments himself. Including some startling sax. The 4 tracks are steeped in cold war vibes. Warsaw. Berlin. A little sombre, but full of taut emotion – inspirational soundscapes that make it virtually impossible not to come up with messaging that doesn’t connect on a deeply human level.

And then when it’s time to do something really fun – like timesheets or invoicing – I’ll flip the record and marvel at songs like ‘Sound And Vision’, which still sound like they were made last week.

All in all, ‘Low’ is a Ballad Of A Thin Man who most definitely knows something is happening – and does know what it is.

Thank you, Mr. Jones ⚡️

#copywriting #creativity #davidbowie

Issue 3: Orbital ‘Orbital 2’ [aka The Brown Album] (1993)

Waaay back further than I would like to admit, this album helped me though a sometimes gruelling – but very rewarding – Master’s Degree in English. Lots of reading. Lots of writing. Working to deadlines that were a trifle shocking to a recent Undergraduate.

Luckily ‘Orbital 2’ is what is still (hopefully) called a right banger. Front-loaded with samples from Star Trek and Withnail And I, it had me in a matter of minutes.

Now a stopped clock might be right twice a day, but this album is about as far away from a stopped clock as you can get. It’s coiled springs of sound burst from the speakers, bumping along in a way that just gets you going. And just when you’re getting comfortable, something mad happens to shake things up. There’s just no way to get stuck in any kind of writing rut. There are just too many left turns.

I’m going to see them play the album in full at Brixton Academy next April. I’m so excited. Safe to say I won’t be taking my laptop. 🔊🔊

#copywriting #creativity #orbital

Issue 2: The Necks ‘Drive By’ (2003)

This is a relative newbie to my writing soundscapes, having discovered this Aussie improv 3-piece through #MOJOMagazine. ‘Drive By’ is just one instrumental track, lasting an hour. But it never feels even remotely that long.

It zips past – driven by skipping drum patterns, elastic bass and lively piano runs. Weird sounds and samples pop up every now and again, inspiring left-field thoughts to lift my writing and take it to unexpected places.

Is it jazz? Is it ambient? Is it a bit krautrock? In the end it doesn’t matter. It’s just brilliant. I could have picked at least 3 other albums by The Necks – they're that good. But ‘Drive By’ always delivers. The music opens up my mind and leads me to a widescreen landscape, where nowhere is off limits. And if the music finishes before I do, I often just start it again. Because the journey hasn’t quite finished – there’s a bit more driving to do.

#copywriting #creativity #thenecks

Issue 1: Aphex Twin 'Selected Ambient Works 85-92' (1992)

To fully concentrate when writing, I need the help of white noise to block out external distractions. I find the tumble of words from office conversation stops new ones from forming. And actual silence is too loud – an echo chamber for self-doubt and second guessing.

For me, it’s the right kind of music brings the (white) noise I need to eh, pump the lyrical. And I’m sure I’m not the only creative person who works like this. So, I’m going to be sharing my recommendations in this new series of posts – the tunes that keep my mind ticking over. With a bit of luck, I’ll introduce you to new music. Remind you of old faves. And maybe help the artists out too 😎

Issue 1 is my number 1. My go-to when things are going wobbly. When I need to crack a brief that’s so far failed to fire: Aphex Twin’s 'Selected Ambient Works'. It’s a glorious squelchy analogue mind-reboot. Full of strange sounds with even stranger track titles – now rendered strangely familiar from countless plays. No longer just instrumental music. It’s instru-mental. A riot of rhythms that sets my mind free.

There’s a sample from Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka that drops in the middle of the album that sums up my feelings on this extraordinary piece of work. “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” Until next time…

#copywriting #creativity #aphextwin