A Day in the Life

 ‘Day in the Life’ showcases the everyday lives of songwriters and producers. Today: songwriter/producer Jamie Alexas.

Amy Darling photo shoot

Yesterday started with some classic, sit-down-at-the-piano writing. I’ve been briefed by one of the artist projects I am currently working on to write her a ballad. She’s started me off with a verse idea and vented her various emotional traumas to me – all good material for a heartwrenching ballad. Sometimes I think being a songwriter must be a bit like being a therapist, the process of writing a song can be cathartic, all that’s missing is the black leather couch. I got the basic framework of the song together quite quickly, so I then laid down a quick acoustic demo and sent her the initial idea. After that, action stations – I was playing a gig in the evening, plus a photoshoot with the band before the gig. Though I don’t ever perform as an artist in my own right, I am more than happy to play in a band setting: backing vocals, keyboards, perhaps the occasional tambourine. It might sound exciting doing a photoshoot, but believe me, when it’s February in cold rainy England, freezing your arse off under a tunnel in Shoreditch is far from glamorous. Still, we managed to get some EP cover-worthy shots. A few weeks ago, the band spent a couple of long days in the studio to lay down four tracks for her forthcoming EP ‘Party Queen’. I’ve been playing keys and BVs for Amy Darling since she started her band in the UK last year and this would be our last gig – she’s off to chase her dreams in Nashville.  After a smashing set, we gave this American rock’n’roller a good send-off, with plenty of whisky to boot. Sore heads all round this morning…