In this episode, John is joined by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and producer James Ford, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘The Ballad of Darren’.With Damon’s initial demos to hand, the pair give us a guided tour of the record, right through the early versions and studio sessions, from the moments that reignited the feelings they had when writing in the 90s, to piecing together the musical jigsaw that forms the Blur sound.Along with stories of Damon’s inspirational chickens and the dangers of making pesto while writing an album, we’re treated to an in depth production and songwriting masterclass, with details on manufacturing the sound of a room, and the importance of energy and intention behind a song.Listen to find out what makes the first performance of something so special, why a 4-track recorder can sometimes be a great replacement pillow, and what benefits come with giving yourself distance from a record.Tracks discussed: St. Charles Square, The Everglades (For Leonard), The NarcissistLINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  linktr.ee/tapenotes Listen to ‘The Ballad of Darren’ here  Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group CompanyIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel CollectiveGEAR MENTIONSEventide H3000U47 MicNeve 1073 PreampNeve DeskTON-1501 Analog Strings SynthesizerPowertran Transcendent 2000Coles 4038 MicsMellotronWhurliClavinetFender AmpsSemler AmpsGaragebandOUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgearHELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :) DonateOr you can join us on Patreon, where among many things you can access full length videos of most new episodes, ad-free episodes and detailed gear list breakdowns.KEEP UP TO DATEFor behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @tapenotes Twitter: @tapenotes Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  YouTube: Tape Notes PodcastDiscord: Tape NotesPatreon: Tape NotesTo let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear! Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.ukTAPE NOTES TEAMWill Brown - Executive Producer, Engineer & EditorTim Adam-Smith - Executive ProducerWill Lyons - EditorVideographer - Andy Tindall/Herbie Elton-RowleyGuy Nicholls - Production Assistant