I'd always been taught that a job interview means a suit, tie and a bag of lies about how much you love the company, with your prepared answers for the inevitable 'what are your strengths' question rolling around your mind, leaving perhaps just enough room for a nervous and forced demeanour, in which you try to sound nice and employable. Although completely artificial and ineffective, its much easier giving an interview for an office job, than it is for any kind of music audition. You can't print out a list of questions to ask from a music website: “if you were a musical instrument, what would you be?” (my answer: probably something from the woodwind section; maybe a magic flute). Every individual is different, and when emotions are thrown in things can go either way.

I recall when I first met my producer for a week try-out before we started recording. I made a spurious comment about an instrument I saw in his studio, a VCS3- a sampler unit that creates sounds through various filters. The device is controlled via a grid of pins, that when placed in given configurations create a circuit in different places, something that reminded me of 'battleships'. When I said so, I didn't realise it was a gaffe that gave the entirely wrong impression, perceived as a slight on such a remarkable instrument.

So when I'm meeting musicians for the first time, its hard to strike a balance between being formal and professional on the one hand, and casual and open on the other. Inevitably, some subjective consideration has to arise, either my impression of a singer's performance or their impression of me or our music.

Big Expectations

That's before you consider what someone looks like or their charisma. I don't know if, in general, I can expect from musicians, going cold into a song, that they can connect or perceive it in the way that the writer intended. On the one-hand, I hope that there is something inherent in the music that says something a trained ear can read- enabling an uncanny repeat of the original perception, like two people looking through the same telescope. On the other, many of the best pieces of music grow on you, and you can't tell straight-away if you like it.

Before I began taking music seriously, I was much more liberal about voicing musical criticism. I'd dismiss artists, even if they could fill stadia, as tone-deaf, boring or noncy. Its different when I play my own backing tracks to a critical ear. I hope that the singer will jump on it, demanding that they stay until they have sung it perfectly. Enthusiasm is a good start; without a solid relationship for trust there has to be something to go on.

Common ground

I think that enjoying the same influences is vitally important. To be in our group, you have to at least like Radiohead. After that, things get hazy. Its like being on a date- you know almost straight-away when someone is incompatible; it might be something they say that they love and you positively hate - e.g. if I was dating someone and they told me how they love staying in watching Big Brother, I'd go off them straight-away (unless I thought there might be a shag in it anyway). Take two of our influences: Keane and Coldplay. As with most bands, there are some Keane and Coldplay songs I really like, some I really hate- I didn't think much of Keane's last two albums, nor did I much like Coldplay's X+Y, despite all the hype. But if you can't stand either of them, its possibly not the best start for a musical collaboration.

Experience

Its great working with musicians who know a bit about recording. There's no bullshitting the fact you forgot to mute the last take, or haven't turned the microphone up, and all of the other completely stupid mistakes I make on recordings. Its how they respond in the studio that's the main thing. I've worked with people who make me feel at ease, others not quite so. The best singers I've recorded were the ones who were able to smooth over the technical glitches, keep their temper and were consistent. If you lost a take through some mishap- the best thing to do it sing it again while the energy is still there. I've never seen a tantrum in a studio yet; but when people's feelings are at stake, its probably only a matter of time.

Sizing up

Singers then, are like a pair of jeans; you've just got to try it on for size. The demo is just the beginning of a long journey that hopefully ends in a decent record. Pink Floyd couldn't stand each other at times- but if the result is a hit then all the strife has to be worth it.