Behind the Board: Ant Thomaz Talks Writing, Recording & Studio Mishaps

One of the most obvious aspects of Ant Thomaz’s sound is how worldly it feels, and it’s really no wonder. When you consider his upbringing and musical background, you wouldn’t expect anything different than the broad, diverse sound that you hear. Situated in Glasgow, Scotland, Thomaz also has strong family roots in the Bayou of Southern Louisiana. It would only make sense that his music features such diversity. For instance, his latest single, “Good Times Roll,” was written and recorded with the intention for it to sound like the Scottish version of Mardi Gras. That community feeling is present throughout his discography. There is a humanity to his music that listeners really connect with. Thomaz draws from both personal experience and his diverse heritage when writing songs.

A songwriter since the age of 12, Ant Thomaz has built a reputation rooted in connection and authenticity. His sound blends folk, soul, pop, rock, and zydeco, a form of American roots music that originated in Southwest Louisiana among French-speaking Black Creole people. He tries to let his songs take shape naturally with lyrics focused on themes of self-discovery, youth, and spirit. As a person and a songwriter, Thomaz fully and completely embraces optimism. He believes in beauty, joy, and self-affirmation as tools to help you navigate life. He hopes these are feelings that listeners can derive from his music and apply to their own lives.

Today, Ant Thomaz joins us for a Behind the Board interview to discuss writing, recording, and working in the studio.

Which song was unexpectedly challenging to produce, and why?

Ant Thomaz: “My latest song, ‘Good Times Roll,’ was tough to create because it was hard to express the ideas I had in my mind.

“I realized that the music I enjoyed growing up might not be familiar to many people, since it comes from a small village where mostly Cajun folks and members of the Coushatta Indian tribe live, and they mainly know Zydeco music. Mixing that with sounds from Scottish musicians was difficult because we didn’t want it to sound forced. We tried our best to blend the two styles. My producer said we had to wrap things up and get it out there, so here we are now.”

What’s your go-to snack or drink when you’re pulling an all-nighter in the studio?

“It’s obvious to me that Irn Bru, barbecue lentil chips, and Mexican rice are. My wife believes I have the strangest snacks for staying up all night, but they help me stay motivated and concentrate on finishing as much work as I can in one night. Normally, we listen to the same four bars a thousand times to make sure a section sounds as good as it can.”

Ant Thomaz, photo courtesy of Ant Thomaz

If you could have any artist, living or dead, produce your next track, who would it be?

“Rick Rubin. I admire the way he encourages artists to look within themselves to discover something special instead of just rushing through the process. He focuses on the finer points, like the words and the atmosphere, and allows artists to express their genuine ideas. Artists who mix various music styles can sometimes make mistakes, as adding too many instruments and voices can lose the true feeling of the music. That’s why I would be excited to collaborate with him, as he truly pays attention to the emotion in the music.”

What do you do when you’re stuck creatively in the studio?

“My band and I hang out in the studio’s back garden and just mess around playing football or basketball while talking rubbish to each other. This helps us come up with ideas. It usually goes well when we aren’t too serious about what we’re doing. I believe that even the craziest ideas can end up being good and meaningful. So, writing freely or just going into the recording room and messing around with a tune helps me until I discover the right words or story. The same goes for melodies; they usually pop into my head or one of the other band members’ heads when we’re not trying to force it.”

Ant Thomaz, photo courtesy of Ant Thomaz

Have you ever scrapped an entire project after recording? Why?

“Yes, that is the reason it took me ten tries to finish my first solo album.

“I’m really focused on sharing stories in a way that feels fresh and different. That’s why I don’t see myself as a typical songwriter.

“I have a lot of friends who adore bands like Oasis, they often sound and write like them, it’s fine when it’s a few, but when it’s hundreds of thousands of artists doing the same thing, it’s because boring.

“If I start to feel like our music is going in that direction, I throw it away until we create something that we actually want to hear. When I listen to someone else’s song, I don’t want to guess the lyrics ahead of time; I want to be surprised if they don’t rhyme or if they say something unexpected. That’s what makes it exciting for me. So, I finally completed my first album, and I’m glad it took this long because I wasn’t prepared before.”

What’s one piece of recording equipment you refuse to work without?

“We pick a different microphone for every song to create a unique sound. When we’re going for a deep soulful vibe, we choose an older model like the Sontronics Corona. If we want a more personal feel, similar to a singer-songwriter style, we go for Shure or AKG mics, but we change them based on the feel of the recording session.”

Share your funniest studio mishap.

“Forgetting to hit the record button right after you’ve done the greatest take ever!

“It may seem easy, but when everyone is pumped and thrilled because something amazing just happened, there was a moment where we had a full band playing live. We were all looking at each other like, yes, we’re doing great, this song is the best we’ve ever made, and we can’t wait for others to hear it. Once we wrapped up the take and went back to listen, we found out that no one had hit record.”

What’s your opinion on Auto-Tune and pitch correction software?

“It’s not really my thing because it feels like it removes the feeling of the song, but some musicians like it. I enjoy dancing to party music at the club, and I listen to people who use auto-tune, so I don’t have a problem with it. But I recognize that it suits my style as well.

“Mistakes and wrong notes don’t always have to be spot on; things can get boring if they are. Pop stars and singer-songwriters can all shine in the same music charts.”

Ant Thomaz, photo courtesy of Ant Thomaz

What’s the biggest argument you’ve had in the studio, and what was it about?

“The biggest argument I had in the studio was about not being able to try new things. The greatest ideas come from exploring different sounds, chords, or lyrics that are special. I’m fine with making things better, but I don’t think we should do it to every single song. That makes the music feel empty. What’s the point of creating if everything sounds the same? I want to let the music have space to grow. When someone is in a hurry to finish things just to get them done, that’s when we disagree. Rushing can hurt the creativity because the technology doesn’t feel the music when it comes out.”

What common mistakes do artists make when first recording?

“Hastening the procedure or pursuing time in order to produce a commercial pop song for the benefit of an audience that they do not currently have or formerly had. In my opinion, it causes mental health problems and twists reality. Art is supposed to be your therapy or a way to express yourself freely, so if it’s simply about being wealthy and well-known, you should at least work in the business world and understand what your currency is.

“The studio is a unique place where the magic occurs if you leave the door open. When the album is released, people will be interested. At the very least, be you; I don’t want to be particularly appealing or perfect.”

Ant Thomaz, photo by Brian Sweeney

Which genre do you think is the hardest to produce and why?

“Funk rock is, in my opinion, the most difficult genre of music to perform due to the groove you have to maintain and the intense rock component you have to have, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Due to the bass line and guitar, it is funky and danceable. The drums are the driver because they have to play so many rhythms, but they can’t overdo it because it’s easy to get things wrong if one thing is out of time and because a producer’s perspective might make it sound corny if you overdo it.”

Which album do you consider perfectly produced?

“Red Hot Chili Peppers, I think Californication is perfect. The album’s soulfulness, hip hop, funk, punk, singer-songwriter, songwriting, musicianship, narration, the relaxing melodies The rhythm is driven by Anthony Kiedis’s voice because no one sounds like him. He’s maybe the most underappreciated frontman, but I think he’s among the greatest.

“Rick Rubin’s skill at reducing a song to its core components, allowing the lyrics to be heard, elevated them to a different level. Its character However, it is still enjoyable. humorous, insane, and provocative.

“No other group has combined so many genres and made it sound priceless.”