Our third and final winner of the #WhatIfDrone remix contest is Martin Quibell. Focusing on the songwriting aspect of music, he has written lyrics since the age of 10. At that early age he had the guts to send some to Paul McCartney, which earned him a response by postcard from George Martin (telling him Paul thought his lyrics were “pretty good”). No surprise, then, that submitting creative work makes sense to Martin. His piece “Lazy Day Drone” is atypical for drone music, and unfolds in an interesting and unique way.

Clio: What was your creative impetus behind the drone piece you created for us?

Martin: Hmm, that’s slightly tricky in truth. The piece was actually [I think] the third attempt at creating something. The other ideas might be returned to at some time in the future, but this one just seemed to have something.

Your “drone” is unusual in that it doesn’t carry through continuously. Why did you decide on this musical solution?

To me, having a lazy day of doing nothing isn’t something that I find easy. That’s where the uneasiness comes from.

I suddenly happened upon this idea based on the “crickets” and “accordion” [sound samples from the What if? SoundCloud], making me think of the sort of almost discomfort that I myself find in moments of “doing nothing”. I personally find those moments difficult, and get fidgety, so I tap rhythms, play an instrument, or anything, just to be doing something.

To the accordion and crickets I added the acoustic guitar note that I played, along with scratching along the guitar strings, me playing harmonium, also me playing didgeridoo (itself a drone instrument), finger cymbals, and some radio static that I recorded. I’ve always enjoyed adding natural sounds to songs, so this was a lot of fun to me. The fact that it changes occasionally is that it is putting across that uneasiness, and the fidgety nature therein.

How does this piece fit into your usual creative process?

My creative process has always been one of trying to find something different. I do get stuck into certain routines, styles, etc, so I frequently go somewhere different to give me something else that I’m not normally inclined towards. I am a musical sponge that soaks up what it can, and then it gets reflected in what I create, I suppose.

Featured image courtesy of Martin Quibell.