Brian Eno is a pioneering British musician and producer.
He helped define the sound of some of the biggest bands of the '80s and '90s.
Eno began working with U2 in 1984.
He helped grow them from a disorganized post-punk band to one of the biggest groups of their time.
The Joshua Tree became the band's most widely praised record.
However, after critical acclaim and a hugely successful world tour, U2 found themselves struggling to return to the studio to record their next album.
We had a great gorgeous setup, plenty of time, and session structure.
And after all the success they've had so far, they expected another record to leak out.
But it never came.
They reminded me of their previous albums. How easy it was to write the song.
There was an afternoon when “Where the Streets Have No Name” seemed to appear out of nowhere.
In contrast, this new record has been a real struggle.
After a particularly fruitless studio session, Eno told the band to lay down their instruments.
“We're going to dinner.”
He took them to a three-star Michelin restaurant.
The place was sublime. The epitome of serenity.
Peaceful, pristine, pure white.
Soft music played while elegant guests enjoyed beautiful food served by attentive staff.
The whole experience was embodied perfectly.
Eno then led the band through the dining room and into the kitchen.
They hit a wall of abuse. Scream. shout.
Chefs are bumping into each other and staff are running around like crazy.
Burns. Spills. Stains. Broken dishes.
Complete confusion.
Eno turned to the band.
“This is the place to make music! Stop trying to make music in a restaurant. Make music in the kitchen!”
Eno knew that producing great results often requires a tedious process.
Even if it's music. art. write. advertisement. The same principles apply.
The structure, calm and discipline are great. However, it is not a place for creativity.
Sometimes you need noise. Passion. Energy. Friction. Naming. Fighting.
Bump into something.
Creativity comes from chaos.
To borrow a quote from Dave Trott, he borrowed it from Orson Welles.
“In Italy, 30 years of Borgias rule, war, terror, murder and bloodshed gave birth to Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, brotherhood, 500 years of democracy and peace gave birth to what? The cuckoo clock.”
Where do you work? In a restaurant or in a kitchen?
