In this interview, Scrimshaw Porn’s Nick Helgesen takes us on a nostalgic journey through five defining tracks that have shaped his musical vision
From the effortless cool of Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’ to the introspective beauty of Janis Ian’s ‘At Seventeen,’ Helgesen reflects on the personal and emotional connections these songs have held throughout his life. Each track, representing a different decade, reveals influences that echo in his own music, from The Beatles’ intricate production on ‘Fixing a Hole’ to the perfect pop craftsmanship of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’. Helgesen also spotlights Grizzly Bear’s ‘Two Weeks,’ admiring its harmonies and layered instrumentation, elements that feature prominently in Scrimshaw Porn’s own sound. Join him as he recounts memories tied to these iconic songs and discusses how they’ve influenced his creative process.
Whittle down a thousand songs I love to only five. Hmmm. Tough, but how about filtering by decade? - Nick
In no preferential order: Take Five on Brubek's Time Out album because I heard it from birth and love the role reversal in having the piano play the supporting rhythm and it is a raw, live recording of pure genius. It's Desmond's song and he crushes the sax solo. Obviously, Brubek's piano is seminal and Morello's drumming and his solo are straight up, cool as fuck. Cap it all off with a pioneering jazz time signature and three piece suits and it's a heart melter to hear and watch.
Fixing a Hole is my favorite song on Sgt. Pepper, I've always been a Paul guy. It's sad, beautiful, whimsical and trippy as hell. It brings me back to the first time I ever really listened to the album as a ten year old. I was alone and began leafing through the albums in a warm, sunny, plant filled room at my Aunt and Uncle's house on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia. I certainly knew the Beatles at that age but this was the first time I really listened to both sides. I played it at least six times in a row and love every track. George Martin's heavy, heavy influence on the production is gorgeous and different from any album prior. The sound oriented quality has absolutely influenced the same motif in Scrimshaw Porn songs.
Moving into the 70's, god there's just so many. I'll go with Janis Ian's At Seveteen. Her live 1976 performance makes me cry every single time I hear it. From her intro chat where she says she felt unattractive compared to tall, blonde cheerleaders and beauty queens to her perfect guitar and somewhat off time, heart wrenching vocals. ...just a beautiful composition I could relate to with my curly auburn hair and protruding ears, while all the German kids around me had blonde, straight hair, center parts, blue eyes... I got along with everybody but having been transplanted from New England to York, Pennsylvania when I was four, I realized quickly that my parents spoke differently than my neighbors and friends. I always felt like an outsider and that is the essence of At Seventeen. I'm going to listen again now.
The 80's gets much harder to choose because there were sooo many killer songs and acts that absolutely flavored my formative years as a teenager. Those years were oh so wonderful and tumultuous -stretching wings, pushing boundaries, trying drugs and booze for the first time, losing friends to car accidents, first loves and heartbreaks, growing up and going through all of this with lifelong friends. All while this unbelievable new British music was just everywhere. I think that Everbody Wants to Rule the World has to take the cake with many, many others in a tie for second place. This song is a perfect pop song. The drumming is flawless and unusual with the reverse hi hat pattern. I love it from the opening guitar hook to the mellow keys, the soaring guitar solo that is interspersed with rhythmic shots, and the beautiful froggy vocals. Straight up great song writing. The song's message was somehow sad in the same way that St. Elmo's Fire was sad at the time -changes coming as we graduated and realized we were not always going to be with people we love as we left for school and slowly scabbed up into real humans -welcome to your life, there's no turning back... also, my dad always had at least a few Austin Healey 3000's he had restored, so I love the driving scenes in the vid.
Tears for Fears' best song was super well crafted, perfectly produced and makes me sentimental for those care free days of self discovery. It captured the zeitgeist of that time in my life - Nick
Moving forward, I'll go with We Built This City on Rock and Roll. Totally kidding. It's like Ishtar x The Bodyguard in pop music, gakkkk. Seriously, I will semi randomly but honestly say I love Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear. I wish I wrote that song. It is simple, unusual and beautiful. Massive vocal harmonies, Scrimshaw-like bouncy piano, killer guitar & drum work, the tweaked video with the boys in suits all slow mo, with doll-like eyes that slowly morphs into energy bursting from their heads. The dynamics of the song are perfect. Occasionally, the pieces of a song come together in a very special way and I hope one of my songs writes itself in this way at some point.
Thanks for making my brain hurt, more to follow