Recording the Music of Sprog Rock
Kim Donohoe
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Artist Kim Donohoe is one of the brilliant members of the Sprog Rock band who recently toured all across Scotland writing brand new music with local children. The band have just finished the tour, and are now working together with videographer Jassy Earl, to create a tour film and record some of the music. Here, Kim takes us behind the scenes at the recording studio.
Recording the Music of Sprog Rock
Hello! I’m Kim, I’m the one in Sprog Rock doing a bit of everything, mainly keyboard, glockenspiel, backup vocals and lots of dancing! I love being part of Sprog Rock and I’ve had such a great time on the tour.
The tour might be over, but we’re still working to record some of our songs for the amazing Jassy to use in the Sprog Rock film, and also for everyone to be able to listen to at home.
We spent a day recording two songs, Same But Different and Sound of Shapes. These are two of our favourites to perform as a band, and recording them was a great way to learn even more about them. As we’ve been performing all of our songs live at the gigs we’re really used to thinking on our feet and responding to the audience, normally all while dancing and keeping an eye on all the technical things that go along with using amplified sound! Recording a song means we can spend time working on each part and trying things lots of times to get the perfect take.
Same But Different was one of the first songs we created on the tour with Kelly Street Nursery. It’s a really sweet and hopeful song about growing up, and recording it gave us a chance to work out some amazing harmonies. It also meant that the whole band could sing on it, so Liam and Suz (who are normally on the drums and bass keeping us all in time!) could add in some beautiful singing. I think it adds a whole new dimension to a song, and really boosts the emotion that we feel while performing it.
Sound of Shapes is so fun to perform live, I especially love it because it samples the voices of children who helped us write the song at Play Cafe. I also like it because I get to be the triangle, a character with a very silly voice! The downfall of having such fun songs is that it’s easy to get the giggles while recording, which we did multiple times whilst recording the vocals. Luckily we managed to pull ourselves together get some good takes so that Rory and Ronan could add on some funky brass, and Pete could go all out with the samples!
These recordings will be part of Jassy’s film documenting the whole tour, and I can’t wait to see it and reflect on the amazing journey we’re all been on. Sprog Rock is a joy to be part of, and I’m so proud of the band and all of the amazing children we worked with to make such exciting original songs.
A special mention has to go to our littlest band member, whose Mum and Dad are Sprog Rocker’s Suz and Rory. She has been to every rehearsal, gig and recording session (with her wee ear defenders on for the louder songs!). We love having her in the room and seeing how she reacts to different songs and sounds, falling asleep on her Mum during the cosy songs and having a dance whenever her Dad plays the trumpet!
Did you attend the Sprog Rock Tour? Watch this space for our 2017 Tour film!
Sprog Rock toured this Autumn to four local authorities in Scotland, creating brand new music with children in local nurseries. They then performed that new music at gigs at local community venues, enabling the children and their families to share their first live music experience together, with a full live band.
THE AUTUMN 2017 TOUR
Beacon Arts Centre | 30 September | 11:30 & 14:30
Macrobert Arts Centre | 7 & 8 October | 11:30 & 14:30
Platform, Glasgow | 21 October | 14:00 | 22 October | 10:30
LYRA | 4 November | 12:00 & 14:30