Charlie Grant and Pete Woodroffe formed their songwriting and production partnership in 2001. Charlie was gigging in London as an artist and Pete had spent more than a decade producing and co-writing with Def Leppard. Together the duo have penned hit songs for Simply Red, Melanie C and Rooster and have enjoyed success with two UK top 10 singles.
1. You've been writing together since 2001. How many songs have you written since then?
We’re constantly trying to write faster – but usually find that if you put the work in the songs get better. We write about 20 songs a year – so you can do the maths!
2. Tell us how you work together to write a hit song.
If only it were so easy!
We find that if you have three ingredients when you start out on a writing session you’re laughing: 1) a feel 2) a title (or lyrical concept) and 3) a musical starting point (which could be riff, a chord structure or a melody).
We always set out to write a hit song – but there’s an element of luck. If it was easy to come up with a hit every day then the songwriting legends of the world would be flooding the market with classics.
3. You've co-written with many artists, including Melanie C and Simply Red, how does that work?
It’s great to sit down and write with the artist – you get instant feedback on ideas and you can tailor the song to where they’re going creatively. These days it’s also very hard to get cuts on songs which are not co-written with the artist. Most artists are reluctant to record songs they haven’t had a hand in.
4. Who would you most like to work with?
There’s no-one specific – it’s always great when you find you’re working with someone with loads of ideas and talent who you can help to realise their ideas.
5. Pete - you spent more than a decade producing and writing with Def Leppard. How was that experience for you?
I think you should speak to my analyst about that. Although we spent years in the studio on those albums I will always be grateful to them for letting me in on the songwriting process. Their encouragement and advice gave me the confidence to continue with the songwriting.
6. Do you have any stories you can tell us about your time with Def Leppard? Did you live the rock'n'roll lifestyle?
Despite people's preconceptions we spent most of the time working out and sticking to assorted healthy diets. We also monitored at frankly un-rock and roll levels on small monitors (ProAc Studio 100s to be specific). One night, after a particularly stressful day in the control room, I was explaining to the bands trusty tour manager Malvin Mortimer about the guilt I felt eating an entire bag of Kettle Chips on my own at one sitting. He told me not to worry – it could be worse – 'they’re not technically a Class A snack'.
7. What has been the defining moment of your partnership so far?
It has to be the moment we heard Rooster’s first single Come Get Some on the radio for the first time. The band were playing a gig at the Water Rats in Gray’s Inn Road and about ten of us were crowded round a car that was parked outside the gig with the doors open and the radio on.
8. What would your one piece of advice be to aspiring songwriters?
Try to be brutally honest about your own songs. It’s better to write one great song with universal appeal that takes you weeks to craft than to write half a dozen OK ones. Don’t let a weak section slip by. Re-writing and honing ideas is the key. Also, it’s very easy to get frustrated and despondant if things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d like, and a song you really believe in is being ignored. Don’t expect anything to happen overnight but just keep plugging away. Fostering relationships with people in the industry is very important too, behaving like a prima-donna will be remembered and held against you at some stage so be nice!
9. Why are royalties important to you as songwriters?
No royalties. No food. Realistically, for every ten songs you write, one will have a chance of getting out there and earning you money so a royalty cheque represents the reward for an awful lot of time and effort.
10. Do you remember how much your first PRS royalty cheque was for and what you spent it on?
Neither of us can remember the specifics of the first one, but we generally celebrate with a slap-up lunch in Zippy’s diner on Goldhawk Road (London).
11. What's next for you both in the future?
We’re being managed by Andy Graham (who also looks after Chris Braide) and so are really excited about having him take the helm and allowing us more time to write and less time spent selling ourselves. Our writing room is underneath his office – so he keeps an eye on us and hears our latest songs a thousand times a day before they’re finished. Lucky man.
www.myspace.com/charlieandpete