Henry brings it on home -- to own studio
By Jon Matsumoto - San Jose Mercury News - Published: Tuesday, July 13, 1999
LIKE a number of other independent-minded Americans, Joe Henry has realized the benefits of working at home. After years of renting professional recording studios, the veteran singer-songwriter now says, ``The smartest thing I've done in my professional life was to take big pieces of my last two record advances from the record company and money I've made from producing other artists, and put them into my home studio.'' ``I mean,'' says Henry, who plays Slim's Friday, ``I'm going to score my first film almost completely at home. I have a freedom I wouldn't have otherwise.''
Before, the Los Angeles-based Henry found himself deeply frustrated by what he viewed as his confining work methods. A generally modest recording budget would force him and his support musicians to record quickly and without much creative leeway at rented studios. ``The way I made records before was like doing live theater, where every mistake became a part of the fabric of the performance,'' he explains. ``I wanted to be like a filmmaker. I wanted to (have more time and freedom so I could) manipulate and create illusion.''
Henry's 1996 album ``Trampoline'' was a turning point. It was his first full foray into home recording and digital technology. More significantly, it represented a dramatic stylistic change. Henry had previously been known primarily as an alternative-country figure. He received critical raves for his 1993 album ``Short Man's Room,'' which featured musicians from the Americana band the Jayhawks. But with ``Trampoline,'' Henry found himself working with a stronger soul groove. Instead, of writing lyric-based songs on his acoustic guitar, the Michigan-raised maverick started a process of creating sonic landscapes based on prerecorded rhythm tracks from sources such as old Spinners and N.W.A. records. The lyrics develop from the often dark shadings and rhythms of the music. ``Fuse,'' Henry's latest work and the follow-up album to ``Trampoline,'' is a beautifully haunting collection of moody songs incorporating soulful rhythms with sometimes jazzy pop textures. The album is the 38-year-old's most popular offering yet. He says sales figures for the album have far exceeded the modest 16,000 units that ``Trampoline'' sold.
``I'm not a wealthy man or anything,'' he acknowledges. ``But I've had a lot more exposure with this album and it's received more reaction than anything I've ever done before. Partially, its because (my record label) Mammoth is in a better place today. It also has to do with doing better work and being a better performer. Plus, I've surrounded myself with fabulous musicians (both on record and on the road).''
Since ``Fuse'' was released, Henry has been the guest of David Letterman, Rosie O'Donnell and Jay Leno. He also appeared on ``Politically Incorrect.'' It's the first time in his 13-year recording career that he's received such high-profile media attention. Henry credits O'Donnell for giving him exposure the week ``Fuse'' was released. After that breakthrough, other major talk shows started to fall in line. Coincidentally, Henry and Pamela Anderson Lee appeared as guests on the same installments of ``The Tonight Show'' and ``Politically Incorrect.'' ``I've had friends tell me that there are all kinds of rumors about (a romantic link between) me and Pamela on the Internet because of us being on the two shows together,'' says Henry with a laugh. Actually, Henry is happily married and has a 7-year-old son and a 21-month-old daughter. His wife, Melanie Ciccone, is Madonna's sister and producer Daniel Lanois' manager. Henry, Ciccone and Madonna all attended the same high school in Michigan. But Henry and Ciccone didn't start dating until many years after they first met. Recording at home also offers some domestic benefits for Henry since he's able to watch over his kids at the same time. He says balancing these dual responsibilities has gotten easier with time. ``When I first started making `Fuse' I couldn't have anybody over because I never knew when I would have time to work,'' he says. ``I would put my daughter down and work till she woke up. ``But as she got older and I got deeper into the project, I was able to carve more time out for myself. Plus, I found out that I got as much work accomplished as I used to. It made me see how much time I wasted before.''
Henry should be spending a lot of time at home in the coming months. One of his current projects is composing the score for ``Jesus Son,'' a film featuring Billy Crudup, Holly Hunter, Samantha Martin and Dennis Hopper. Scoring films appears a natural for Henry since his solo music has become much more cinematic and moody with ``Trampoline'' and ``Fuse.'' Not surprisingly, the producers of ``Jesus Son'' were looking for ``a kind of dark and minimalist'' score when he was hired.
Henry's musical profile has changed so radically that he says he no longer performs any of his pre-``Trampoline'' material. He has even called his early work ``un-listenable.'' ``I've taken a lot of heat for saying that, not the least of which from my mother,'' says Henry. ``I've been duly scolded for speaking disparagingly about my previous records. But I am proud of those records. It's just that when I listen to them, I hear the shortcomings. I get letters and I meet people for whom they have connected and I'm very proud of that.''
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