My second vocal layered cover. Radiohead's I Will, 2004

I've been a Radiohead fan from the beginning and just adore Thom Yorke.  From his music to his environmental activism, he is incredibly inspiring to me. It is a lifelong goal to work with him someday, so, you know, feel free to let him know.   When Hail to the Thief came out, I loved the whole album but this song really stuck with me.   This was my second a cappella recording and I believe this was recorded in a couple hours from start to finish back in 2004.

I approached it the way all Smiths Project songs eventually happened.  I would start with a vocal based on the root of the chords, sometimes just ahhhs and oooohs to set the pitch for the song. Then I continued to the next layer, adding harmonies in what ever order seemed to make sense.  In general, and this is still true today, I never have any clue what I'll sing ahead of time.  Every layer is an improv built on listening to the previous layers as I sing.  Sometimes a concept would quickly form and I'd take it the harmonies in a particular direction.  Other times, I just kept going until one of the layers suddenly sparked an idea.

Someone once asked me if I had sheet music of all 71 Smiths Project arrangements.  Ooooof.  I wouldn't even know where to begin.

(btw, only a few more days until the first official Smiths Project song is posted!)