Page 21 - Write Away Magazine April

Steve Thompsonteve Thompson
S

“ “
co-w
co-w “shit, I could die in the desert 20 shit, I could die in the desert 20 shit, I could die in the desert 20
co-wrote some with vocalist Jon rote some with vocalist Jon rote some with vocalist Jon
min
D D min
Deveril and I presented some of my everil and I presented some of my everil and I presented some of my
minutes away from my hotel”utes away from my hotel”utes away from my hotel”
o o
own. wn. wn.
I wa
I wa
I was surrounded by movie making s surrounded by movie making s surrounded by movie making
D D a a
Desert of No Love was one of my esert of No Love was one of my esert of No Love was one of my
at MCA. I looked out of my office t MCA. I looked out of my office t MCA. I looked out of my office
offerings and it went on the album.fferings and it went on the album.fferings and it went on the album. window one day and was shocked to indow one day and was shocked to indow one day and was shocked to
o o
w w
“Desert” is what I refer to as one of Desert” is what I refer to as one of Desert” is what I refer to as one of
“ “ see a cop with gun in hand peering ee a cop with gun in hand peering ee a cop with gun in hand peering
s s
out from behind a bush. Then I ut from behind a bush. Then I ut from behind a bush. Then I
my “L.A.” songs. MCA Music, my y “L.A.” songs. MCA Music, my y “L.A.” songs. MCA Music, my
m m o o
n n
publishers of the time had sent me ublishers of the time had sent me ublishers of the time had sent me
p p noticed that the “bush” was a prop oticed that the “bush” was a prop oticed that the “bush” was a prop
to Los Angeles to work with some o Los Angeles to work with some o Los Angeles to work with some hel
t t
hel
held by someone and and the d by someone and and the d by someone and and the
o o
of their American writers. I worked f their American writers. I worked f their American writers. I worked c c
cameras were running, ameras were running, ameras were running,
p p
particularly with Glen Ballard and articularly with Glen Ballard and articularly with Glen Ballard and
We made demos of songs in MCA’s e made demos of songs in MCA’s e made demos of songs in MCA’s
Brock Walsh (Google them). It was rock Walsh (Google them). It was rock Walsh (Google them). It was
B B W W
a a studio which was in the basement to tudio which was in the basement to tudio which was in the basement to
s s
an amazing experience working out n amazing experience working out n amazing experience working out
t t there on the MCA Universal backlot. the Universal Pictures building. One here on the MCA Universal backlot. the Universal Pictures building. One here on the MCA Universal backlot. the Universal Pictures building. One
The staff writers (of which I was one) evening we had to wait whilst they e staff writers (of which I was one) evening we had to wait whilst they e staff writers (of which I was one) evening we had to wait whilst they
Th
Th
had an office complete with a piano ad an office complete with a piano ad an office complete with a piano shot a scene for Night Rider in the hot a scene for Night Rider in the hot a scene for Night Rider in the
h h
s s
a a basement parking lot which was the asement parking lot which was the asement parking lot which was the
and one was assigned to me for my nd one was assigned to me for my nd one was assigned to me for my
b b
time there. So between times ime there. So between times ime there. So between times acces
t t
access to the studio.s to the studio.s to the studio.
acces
w w
writing with other MCA writers I riting with other MCA writers I riting with other MCA writers I
And so Desert of No Love, written nd so Desert of No Love, written nd so Desert of No Love, written
a a
also wrote a few on my own which lso wrote a few on my own which lso wrote a few on my own which A A
w w
were greatly influenced by working ere greatly influenced by working ere greatly influenced by working
w w whilst I was in L.A. soaked up all hilst I was in L.A. soaked up all hilst I was in L.A. soaked up all
with Glenn and Brock as well as ith Glenn and Brock as well as ith Glenn and Brock as well as
w w t t these influences. It is simply a story hese influences. It is simply a story hese influences. It is simply a story
other influences taken on board ther influences taken on board ther influences taken on board
o o o o
of love gone wrong. An f love gone wrong. An f love gone wrong. An
impressionable person taken in by a pressionable person taken in by a pressionable person taken in by a
im
from that time. Glenn and Brock rom that time. Glenn and Brock rom that time. Glenn and Brock im
f f
manipulative person. I used anipulative person. I used anipulative person. I used
were hugely successful songwriters ere hugely successful songwriters ere hugely successful songwriters m m
w w
E E
but I was touched by their ut I was touched by their ut I was touched by their Euphemism, Metaphor and uphemism, Metaphor and uphemism, Metaphor and
b b
I I
excitement to be working with me. citement to be working with me. citement to be working with me. Imagery it disguises a boy/girl lyric magery it disguises a boy/girl lyric magery it disguises a boy/girl lyric
ex ex
Th
Th
a a
They were quite taken with my ey were quite taken with my ey were quite taken with my and makes it more interesting. I also nd makes it more interesting. I also nd makes it more interesting. I also
En
En
Englishness, particularly my glishness, particularly my glishness, particularly my u u
used a technique I’ve used many sed a technique I’ve used many sed a technique I’ve used many
N N times which is to tell a simple hu-imes which is to tell a simple hu-imes which is to tell a simple hu-
Northern Englishness. I think they orthern Englishness. I think they orthern Englishness. I think they
t t
imagined they were working with agined they were working with agined they were working with
im
im man story in cinematic or an story in cinematic or an story in cinematic or
m m
t t the Beatles. One day Brock said to he Beatles. One day Brock said to he Beatles. One day Brock said to novel terms. “Desert of No Remorse” ovel terms. “Desert of No Remorse” ovel terms. “Desert of No Remorse”
n n
w w
m m
me “hey man, give us an English e “hey man, give us an English e “hey man, give us an English would have been a movie using ould have been a movie using ould have been a movie using
exac
exactly the same story line which tly the same story line which tly the same story line which
L L exac
Lyric”. I asked what he meant. He yric”. I asked what he meant. He yric”. I asked what he meant. He
instead was a pop/rock song - Desert stead was a pop/rock song - Desert stead was a pop/rock song - Desert
said “sounds great, means f**k all”. aid “sounds great, means f**k all”. aid “sounds great, means f**k all”. in in
s s
o o
S S
So I took my O level in English o I took my O level in English o I took my O level in English of No Lovef No Lovef No Love
l l language and came up with “Desert anguage and came up with “Desert anguage and came up with “Desert
o o
of No Love”. It has the mystique they Link to album.....f No Love”. It has the mystique they Link to album.....f No Love”. It has the mystique they Link to album.....
w w
were referring to but it doesn’t mean ere referring to but it doesn’t mean ere referring to but it doesn’t mean
“ “ I run a songwriters master class un a songwriters master class un a songwriters master class
“f**k all”.f**k all”.f**k all”.
I r I r
w w
which you can find on this link.........hich you can find on this link.........hich you can find on this link.........
O O
Other things influenced this song. ther things influenced this song. ther things influenced this song.
M M
MCA offered to get me a car but I CA offered to get me a car but I CA offered to get me a car but I
didn
didn
didn’t drive back then so I walked ’t drive back then so I walked ’t drive back then so I walked
down the hill each day from my ho-wn the hill each day from my ho-wn the hill each day from my ho-
do
do
t t
tel to MCA Universal. One weekend el to MCA Universal. One weekend el to MCA Universal. One weekend
(a (a
(as a non driver) I took a walk from s a non driver) I took a walk from s a non driver) I took a walk from
m m
my hotel. I didn’t realise that nobody y hotel. I didn’t realise that nobody y hotel. I didn’t realise that nobody
wa
wa
walks in L.A. Pretty soon the side-lks in L.A. Pretty soon the side-lks in L.A. Pretty soon the side-
wa
wa
walk ran out and I had a sense I was lk ran out and I had a sense I was lk ran out and I had a sense I was
on the edge of town and going off n the edge of town and going off n the edge of town and going off
o o
into the desert. I thought to myself, to the desert. I thought to myself, to the desert. I thought to myself,
in in
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