“i’ve often pondered what the source of creativity is.
our minds are capable of such complex emotions, of holding on to vivid memories, and also creating new ideas seemingly from nothing.
but in the case of creativity – it’s never consistent.
why does creative energy feel so fleeting? why am i unable to access that part of my mind on command? i never see a good musical idea coming, and often have this sense that there may not be any more good ones left in me.
this song started nearly 3 years ago.
i was staying with the fultons in their vermont home, just as the state’s famous fall colours were fading for the year. one night moments before dinner – as the plates were being put down on the table – a perfectly formed melody materialized in my mind. for me, these sparks of ideas feel so momentary, and if i can’t capture them immediately the idea will be gone. like trying to remember a dream seconds after waking.
in a panic to not let this idea fade, i rushed to the guitar upstairs. aware that i was holding up dinner, i frantically tried to transcribe what i was hearing in my head. like most of my favorite musical ideas that have come to me over the years, as i sat down to the guitar to learn it, my hands naturally shifted to the correct chords. i pulled out my phone to capture it.
after dinner i was standing in the kitchen with the rest of the family, talking to Pierce, when Griff and his wife suddenly came in to announce to everyone that they were expecting their first child. i remember feeling so caught off guard, that i was quite literally standing silent, unable to find any words. the moment that followed was a burst of emotion for everyone. as hugs were being given all around, Griff’s father-in-law turned teary eyed to Pierce and I, and simply said “from now on, you’ll need to be there for them.”
it was then i realized how much trust he had in us, and how much Pierce and I had both grown as friends over the years.
as the night was winding down, i found myself sprawled on a big couch next to a warm fire listening back to what i had recorded earlier on the guitar. i renamed the demo to ‘you need to be there for them’.
Frederika Pierce Arntzen Fulton was born on June 6, 2021 – which would have been Pierce’s 29th birthday.”
- gordon
‘when the quiet comes’ is out May 19 via Anjunadeep.
Pre-order the new album ‘when the quiet comes’: https://anjunadeep.co/wtqc.oyd Sign up to Leaving Laurel’s newsletter: https://www.leavinglaurel.com