News
Pirates take over The Village
Andy Wood May 1 2008, 9:00am
Album of pirate songs recording in Los Angeles
Actor and musician Johnny Depp was at The Village studios in Los Angeles earlier this year with renowned music producer Hal Willner (pictured, left, with Depp) working on a new volume of sea shanties, sea songs and pirate ballads, a follow-up to 2006's "Rogue's Gallery."
The new project involves the completion of over 20 tracks recorded during the making of the first album, which was co-executive produced by Depp and Gore Verbinski, director of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film trilogy, along with Willner.
"Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys," released on Anti/Epitaph, comprised a two-disc set of 43 songs that included contributions from Bono, Sting, Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Loudon Wainwright III and many others.
This second album, featuring work performed at The Village with engineer Ghian Wright and second engineer Brad Conrad in Studio A, will also feature an all-star lineup.
At the time of the initial release Willner explained the types of songs: "A sea chantey (often spelled shanty) is a work song that was sung on the ol' ships in the day. Rhythmically they matched the activity speed of these men hauling on lines. A sea song is a song about a life at sea from a narrative or personal point of view. A pirate ballad is a song telling a tale of pirates."
The new release is planned for later in the year. Plans have also apparently been discussed for a tour of select European countries.
Founded in 1968 by Geordie Hormel, The Village is a state-of-the-art, full-service recording complex housed in a Masonic Temple built in the roaring Twenties in West Los Angeles. The Village Recorder is famous for landmark sessions by Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Rolling Stones, Supertramp and Pink Floyd. The studio is also well known for its film score recording and commercial music work.
villagestudios.com
