Bound by time, working purposely and sometimes furiously without the luxury of re-takes, the pace of producing a new song in one evening creates a discipline. Emotions boil over resulting in raw, energetic grooves, off-the-wall lyrics and bouncing instrumentals. “It’s a sweatbox…I have a group of guys in China cranking out songs every 4 minutes” - Drake DiamondINTERVIEW with project manager Drake Diamond and T4HSP co-creator Patrick McConnell.Q: Bob Dylan said ‘there’s enough songs’ and ‘we don’t need any more’. What do you think about that?DD: Who? PMc: What does Bob Dylan know?Q: What is The Four Hour Song Project? PMc: T4HSP is a productive song writing exercise with a restrictive, timed format to create new music. All songs are created from scratch in one night with minimal post editing and polishing. DD: Nothing motivates an artist like a deadline and a check. Am I wrong baby?Q: What other projects have you managed Drake?DD: I work on a lot of intellectual projects, you wouldn’t understand them.Q: Okay.PMc: Drake Diamond has a picture of himself with Elvis in his wallet. He showed me another picture where he’s leaning up against a Rolls Royce. Having Drake involved has given T4HSP a lot of credibility.DD: I heard about what these guys were doing in the studio. So one night I went over and sat down on their couch and checked it out for myself. It was damn fine couch, real comfy. I knew right away I wanted to get involved. So I dropped everything I had going in my life and took the lead on the project. I’m taking Dax, Dave, Patrick and T4HSP to the next level.PMc: And we let him sleep on our couch.DD: Get back in your cage.Q: Can you break down how T4HSP works? PMc: At the beginning of each evening’s performance, we discuss a fresh song idea and the basic concept, genre and arrangements of the song. Then Drake Diamond gives us the signal that it’s time start working on our individual parts (Dave Guitar, Dax Keyboards, and Patrick Lyrics). Tensions start running higher when we start laying down tracks. There’s limited time, so when your number is called you really have to nail it in one or two takes. This can be frustrating if you’re used to seeking perfection with unlimited takes. It takes a lot of concentration and focus to find the clarity and serenity to perform under that kind of pressure. DD: That’s when I start yelling through my bullhorn, “KEEP MOVING PEOPLE!” I force them to give everything they can into four hours - all their blood, sweat and tears.PMc: It’s true, he does. It’s pretty annoying. In the final hour we arrange the tracks, record the vocals and do the final mix-down. Before we leave, we burn a cd and that’s the song. Then we move on to a new song the following week. Q: Is it stressful creating against the clock? PMc: Being bound by time is actually very freeing. There’s an exit strategy. I feel a little pressure on my way to the studio, but once I walk thru that door I feel very relaxed. I’m addicted to the way my brain fires in that kind of environment. We can take an idea as far as we want, but we know time is slipping by. It’s like life. So we just let go and relax – and listen to a lunatic telling us what time it is all night long.DD: Everyone has a song inside them waiting to get out. They just need a few hours in a high pressure environment, working against the clock to ‘coax’ it out.Q: What’s the mood in the studio at the beginning of the night compared to the mood at the end of the night? DD: It’s mellow at the beginning of the night. No one has the shakes. At the end of the night, there is a big release and we can all finally relax. The middle part is where all the action is. I force them to capture their spirit in 1-2 takes and we move on to the next part of the song. I’ve pinned artist’s shoulders against walls to restrain them from becoming an unwelcome guest in a song, “Let it go…or I’ll lay you out!” And “Make sure you don’t have any sharp objects in your back pocket before you sit on that couch!” Q: How do you know when a new song is truly done? DD: It’s the end of the night. Q: Do you ever go back and revisit a song to add a little polish?DD: No, we have a steadfast rule. That would defeat the whole purpose. PMc: Actually, we flimflammed a few.DD: Wait, what? When?PMc: When you were asleep on the couch.Q. Now that you guys have hit it big and you have the cars, the girls and the couches what’s next?DD: T4HSP is catching on in a major way. Artists around the world are climbing out of their song writing slumps, jumpstarting their creativity and increasing their productivity. The next logical step is to take production overseas. I have a group of guys in China cranking out songs every 4 minutes. Watch for Vol.2 of T4HSP ‘It’s Always Brightest before The Dusk’ now available.Album art for T4HSP Vol.1 ‘Lord Pufferfish – Bound by Time’ & Vol.2 ‘Wake Up Devil – It’s Always Brightest Before The Dusk’ by Jason Lee.LyricsTrack 1 BlacktrickWho is that? Oh my God! It’s Blacktrick!We better cross over to the other side of the street!Blacktrick! It’s white or wheat.Just add some cheese and add some meat.And it’s complete! It’s white or wheat!Just give me some cheese and slap some meat and I’m complete.It’s white or wheat!General we need a decision, the troops are on the ground!It’s white or wheat!Does the condemned have any choice for his last meal?It’s white or wheat!Hey, heard you knocked up Karen. What’d you guys end up having anyway?It’s white or wheat!I like white but I like wheat too…Just add some cheese and add some meat.And it’s complete!Track 2 Move This Party - HeadphonesTrack 3 MonsterGet ready for action!Stryker!Anything can happen!Bring out Johnson!Monster!Johnson? You’re back!Back so soon, Johnson!?Where’s you know who?Oh, here he is…Monster!Maybe this will refresh your memory!Eh, Johnson?Bring Monster back in here…This is top secret!Track 4 Elder Underwater Welder Wonderwear I worked for the Macedonian government excavating a four thousand year old underwear archeological site. I’ve got extensive experience. It’s heavily fortified. It’s gonna be dangerous. I’ve got five years of wet diving in the old oil patch if you know what I mean.Working underwear swinging heavy loads On an offshore floating construction zone.Danger overhead, below there’s slippery decks.Chemicals and gases are hazardous.Darkness and danger is waiting for you.Sharks, Eels and Pufferfish to name a few.Riser clamps, flange ups and NDT.Working down in zero visibility.Chamber operators are in high demand.I’m never, ever, ever going back to land.I got my Elder Underwater Welder Wonderwear.My Elder Underwater Welder Wonderwear.There super absorbent and their custom fit.I never have to worry when my torch is lit.They compliment my figure and their comfy as hell.And all the other Welders think I’m fashionable.You’ll never, ever, ever have to come up for air.If you’re going underwater get yourself a pair.Elder Underwater Welder Wonderwear.My Elder Underwater Welder Wonderwear.They’re more than underwear.They’re my Wonderwear.They’re so fun to wear.My Elder Underwear.My Elder Underwater Wonderwear.Elder Underwater Wonderwear.Elder Underwater WonderWhere’s my Elder Underwater Welder Wonderwear?!Track 5 Chocolate Milky - featuring Ken Andrew on GuitarI’ve been in tough spots before…Double-handcuffed in a burned out squad car.For my own protection they said. It’s all in the official report, you can read it.It’s getting hot in here. Can’t a fellow get something to drink?Why’s my life so messed? So many things, that didn’t work out.But now…I’ve got a chance. This is a sure thing.No one took me serious before, but they will soon.Go get me chocolate milky or I’ll punch you in the face!I want that shaken not stirred. Don’t you dare stir that chocolate milky!Where’s my jet pack? Weren’t we all supposed to have jetpacks by now!?No one can touch me now! Unless they hurt me.That technically would be touching me.Go get me chocolate milky or I’ll punch you in the face!You better shake it up and don’t stir it. Or I’ll punch you in the face!I’ve been in tough spots before...but this ain’t nothin'!Sure, double handcuffed in the back of a burned out squad car is not a walk in the park.It gets thirsty back here. A fellow could use some drink, some sugar.Go get me chocolate milky or I’ll punch you in the face!I come to the VIP…waiting for Beyonce.Go get me Beyonce and shake her up, don’t stir her!Bring me Beyonce!Ohhhh…it’s steaming.Get me chocolate milky. Track 6 Only Four Hours – Headphones – featuring Ben Pratt on Guitar (benprattmusic.com)Track 7 Hyperallergenocide! – featuring Benjamin Pratt on Guitar Cockroach vermin!Feline dander!Eau de Toilet!?Mold and mildew?!Hyperallergenocide!Feeling pressure on my brain.It’s driving me insane!Sinus pressure’s on overload!My head’s gonna explode!Hyperallergenocide!The world is under attack!The pollen count is at an all time high.This doesn’t have peanuts in it does it?Hyperallergenocide!Track 8 EufurriaHey Miss Prickle, come with me.Bring your friend Mr. Hammy along.We can soar to the heights of ecstasy.Put your trust in my online degree.I’ll make you purr, unruffle your fur.I’m the man that gives the cure.Once I indulge all your fantasies.Your owner will buy me a flat screen TV.Hey Miss Prickle, come with me.Bring your friend Mr. Hammy along.We can soar to the heights of ecstasy.Put your trust in my online degree.I’ll make you purr, unruffle your fur.I’m the man that gives the cure.Once I indulge all your fantasies.Your owner will buy me a flat screen TV.Track 9 Nothin’ Round I got an eighty year old woman on top of my house cutting a hole in my roof!I can’t wait to get the bill on that one.Nothin’ round but a pool table.Nothin’ square but a bank roll.Everyone’s in a hurry to get to hell.I’ll give you fifty bucks.I’m getting a John Deere tractor And planting me some Jerusalem artichokes.I’ll give you fifty…* her!Nothin’ round but a bank roll.Nothin’ square but a pool table.I’ll give you fifty bucks to * her!That’s cool your sister married uh… That’s cool your sister married a black guy.That’s cool your sister married a Bl-bl-bl.Come on over man, I got four different kinds right now.You didn’t happen to see a green lighter last time you were here did you? Ten years ago.You still got my green lighter I think.When you left I just didn’t have it.It looks like the same lighter you got.What are the odds?Yeah, I almost had the DEA coming down on me last week.They said they wouldn’t because I was their number one customer.Nothin’ triangular but uhhh…Nothin’ round but a bank roll.Nothin’ triangular but uh…Nothin’ round but a bank roll.Nothin’ square but a pool table.Nothin’ black but a Cadillac.Nothin’ triangular but uhh…Get away from where you’re at!And then get away from there!Keep moving!Track 10 Only Four Hours – featuring Benjamin Pratt on Guitar Well get up and dance b**ch! Funky fresh tracks. These boys are in the studio making a mockery of Marky Mark and the entire Funky Bunch.That’s not cool man!I sounded like a brother on the telephone(so they put me in the closet with a microphone).Sounded like a brother on the telephone. That’s really great.Don’t let time get ahead of you.Or you’re gonna be late for the arrangement view.That’s where all the action is.I once arrived at the arrangement view.I didn’t even know I was there.Everyone was acting so nonchalant, It reminded me of my days back at the University.Try to make that rhyme: University. It can’t be done. See, that’s the whole point. Hahahaha!We lost a track and then we done got down long, long time.Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch? It’s not cool man! Right Buffy?!When you only got four hours to get the job done, Who you gonna call?The original knock off sucka’ Marky Mark And the original suck-off knocky, mocky Marky Marky.With vacuum bags and porno mags.Big Jugs, Asian Delight, On the Fence!?When you’ve got only four jobs in four hours, That’s one job per hour.Now if you divide four by four, you get one. The man focus: we’re having fun.We are laying down the foundation of an original song.You can only make music like this over here.And you’ve only got four hours.We like to try to reign in their creative genius into a small, kind of a compartmentalized cubicle if we could.Yeah, get funky, but don’t get too funky, you’ve only got four hours anyway.Four hours of funky fresh beats. Funky fresh beats for hours. We’ve got hours of funky fresh beats and their on sale.