How The Songs Were Made

[Don Caballero]

Does anyone know how Don Caballero wrote their songs? I can't really tell if the songs that are tabbed were written around key centres or were atonal. Were the riffs simply written, developed and then compiled into an order to create a complete song?

[XBangyrdead]

Don said:

Does anyone know how Don Caballero wrote their songs? I can't really tell if the songs that are tabbed were written around key centres or were atonal. Were the riffs simply written, developed and then compiled into an order to create a complete song?

I'm sure there were probably a variety of ways that the songs of Don Cab came about. Like any band, there is never a sure-fire formula that seems to always work. Songs sort of take on a life of their own and expand outward. Although, in each album there is somewhat of a mood throughout. So, there's really no telling how the songs came about. But Don Cab was a band that allowed themselves to get away w/ just about anything. So I'm sure that gave them more musical freedom than most bands who are always trying to stay in a certain key or follow that melodic pop formula. A large part of their material is atonal at times... but there are tonal pieces throughout... many unorthodoxed at times. Check out my "Fire Back About Your New Baby's Sex" tab. You will notice that there is much emphasis on the note "E". Thus, I believe that is the overall key the song is in. I have noticed trends in many of the songs though. Take "In absence of strong evidence...." for example. Mike B. plays a tapped figure featuring an octave shape and an extra note(s). He moves this shape all over, so it seems to be the riff the song is written around. Ian kind of noodles around on top of it. That is a classic example of writing a song around a riff. Which can be very effective. Many times in Don Cab's music there is a prominent riff that becomes the high-point/climax, or the basis of the song. Sometimes the songs have a form, where parts are repeated or revisited. But sometimes the songs are through-composed and parts aren't ever reapeated. I've also noted that in Ian's playing (which is mostly a lead guitar style), he uses lots of pull offs, hammer on's, and slides; and tends to use most of the strings open throughout many songs. That is certainly a trend he tends to follow on much of their material. It's part of his style. The open strings tend to establish key centers at times with not many accidentals (sharps or flats). But Don Cab breaks the rules so much, it's hard to pinpoint anything tonally or harmonically usually.

So, in short, to answer your question (well, somewhat):
Only the guys in the band will ever be able to tell you exactly how the songs came about. There are atonal and tonal passages and parts throughout their songs. Many times switching between the two. Very seldom do the songs stay in the same key for a really really long time. And there are clear examples of certain ways that some of the songs came about. "In Absence Of Strong Evidence...." was clearly focused around Mike's tapped riff. And with all of the time changes, tempo changes, key changes, note changes, whatever.... there was a vast arsenal of tools available to Don Cab my friend. These tools allowed them to shape and mold their songs effectively into the powerhouse motherfuckers that you enjoy day in and day out. Well, enough babbling... hoped that helped in some way. It's just my take on things.

[banfield]

The process normally started with an idea brought in by Ian or myself. Then it was usually a group process to get to the end product Changing or editing parts was usually difficult since Damon really didn't like to abandon any parts that had already been created.

[XBangyrdead]

rad Mike...
Thanx for the input!
And welcome to the forum!
Cheers....

[brikelly]

Welcome to the forum indeed!

And thanks for making some seriously fucking cool music ;-)

[Bangyouaredead]

Yeah... that ain't no shit!

[streb]

Considering that a large percentage of the music was worked on as a group, and that I see that Mike Banfield is here, I'd like to know how the rotating cast of bass players affected the writing process. It seems that all the bass players that played in the band had a very similar style and sound.