How to create an album in 5 easy steps with… Maybeshewill

1. WANT TO DO IT

If you don't want to write an album, you won't, so don't. Also, if you're just writing an album because you're obliged to, don't - it'll be balls (see countless indenti-kit indie bands when they hit their second album for prime examples of this).

2. WRITE SOME SONGS

Obvious step right? We've been working on this new record for about a year, which is a total change of approach for us, but it's worked wonders.

The last album (Sing The Word Hope In Four Part Harmony) was written in about 3-4 months and recorded in about a week - which worked for that record I think as it's quite immediate anyway. This time around we've been writing and recording in fits and starts, in some cases changing and adapting bits right up until we went in to the studio for that particular session.

It's a little bit more intense a process, and perhaps stressful for Jamie (Our bassist, who's producing this record) but it means every last detail is right. You should know which approach'll work for you, or just try a bit of both.

3. DO YOU SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME AS BAND A, B, C OR D?

If so, go back to step 2. We've never claimed to be the most unique band, but on our travels we've come across literally HUNDREDS of bands that sound *exactly* like Explosions in the Sky - and that's just in our line of work, so I would imagine it's very much the same for other genres as well.

Contrary to popular belief bands do not like being supported by bands that sound just like them, so cutting your own niche isn't going to affect your chances of getting a good gig - probably quite the opposite actually.

3. TOUR YOUR SONGS SENSELESS

Playing your songs to other people, or even just over and over again to yourself until you're sick to death of them is pretty vital. Getting them out to a show can change your whole perspective on them and influence how the rest of the album is going to shape up, or how you're going to adapt what you've already got. If you're bored of your songs immediately, everyone else will be too.

5. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN, DO IT YOURSELF

We made our last two albums on a budget of basically zero with borrowed gear and a lot of patience. Even the new album, despite us using proper studio spaces for the first time, has been recorded entirely by members of the band.

Buy or borrow a few semi decent mics, read as much as you can about recording and get on with it. At the end of the day, you know best what your band should sound like, and that perhaps counts for more than you might think.