Austin Furgerson

May 9, 2014
A Media Analysis

The Auteur Theory of Musicians
The debate of the greatest auteur film makers of all time has been a great discussion since
the idea originated in France during the 1940s. This master author discussion is heated, yet it
is hard to really say one person is an auteur these days. With film crews rapidly expanding in
size, averaging 500 to 1000 crew members, it is difficult to consider a work any one persons
doing. A team of people truly creates each works unique vision. Many of the greatest auteur
film makers, such as Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino, and Wes Anderson,
all use recurring cast and crew members in lead roles and each major department. Many, many
people are involved in creating movies, and the number is growing as the size of effect teams
explode. Due to the number of personnel, I believe that musical artists fit the auteur theory even
better than film makers. With far fewer people, any time the team changes, a drastic change in
sound can occur. Bands usually prefer a specific producer, or specific producers, and create a
career long relationship building their unique auteur sound; any change to that chemistry can
have drastic effects on the music.
There are two type of musical auteurs in my mind. The first is a team consisted of an
artist or band and their usual producer. The second is the Pop producer, usually creating the
entire musical vision, and then inserting artist x that the song works for. A great example of
this is Dr. Luke who produces Ke$ha, Katy Perry, and the revived Britney Spears. The auteur
theory I believe applies to both, but the way it applies to individual bands is more intriguing than
the ability to make generic radio hits with any artist. A band writes their songs and works with
the producer on every aspect of recording the sound perfectly.
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There are many great auteur band/ producer teams throughout history. Sam Phillips
produce most of Johnny Cashs and Elvis records. Teo Macero was a master of jazz production
and recorded with Miles Davis, David Brubeck and Simon and Garfunkel. Perhaps one of the
most famous examples would be for The Beatles. The Beatles producer, George Martin, is
largely considered the fifth Beatle. He produced all of the bands records through Abbey Road
and is always considered to be an integral part of the sound of The Beatles. When bands and
producers work together and mesh well, a powerful relationship is born. Once a band likes a
producer, they will continue to use them. Artists may use multiple producers before they find the
right one.
For Dave Matthews Band, finding the right producer was easy. Members looked at the
back of their favorite records, and one name kept appearing: Steve Lillywhite. Lillywhite worked
with Morrissey, U2, and Kirsty MacColl, and the band loved the sound he produced. The story
between Dave Matthews Band and Steve Lillywhite spans over two decades; it is a complicated
story. The band sent Lillywhite a demo called Remember Two Things, and he instantly fell in
love. The band set to work on Under The Table and Dreaming. The first album with Lillywhite
is always quoted as a magical experience. They brought the band to a large barn with dimly lit
recording studios. It helped create the perfect vibe on their first record in 1994. It was youthful,
happy, and energetic, just as the name implies. The unique ideas started with this record; when
the band recorded a song #34 (named due to it being the 34
th
song they wrote), 22 blank tracks
were added between #34 and the track prior to it, Pay for What You Get. That way, #34
was actually tracked #34. Soon after Under the Table and Dreamings release, Ants Marching
became their first hit, and Lillywhite was instantly requested for the second record in 1996.
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The band began work on Crash, which went on to surpass sales of their first major
record; a feat many artist do not accomplish. Lillywhite brought them back to the same studio to
make the record. The auteur catalogue was beginning to build. Dave Matthews Band and Steve
Lillywhite were producing a second record together in the same place as before. They continued
on the path they were down before, except now the band was given more room to jam. Longer
studio tracks were recorded attempting to capture the bands live show in the studio. The last
track, Proudest Monkey, clocks in at over 9 minutes. The lead-single, Crash, went on to be
the definitive Dave Matthews song for all time. With Under the Table and Dreaming, the team
created a sound. With Crash, they became an auteur team, developing and building upon the
ideas they had already established. Lillywhite was able to open up the bands sound even more in
the studio and for Crash, he added snippets of the band chatting ever so slightly in the mix in
tracks. The sound of a candle burning and ping pong being played is audible on Crash as well,
representing the studio they were in while recording. Things like this seem to be truly auteur
marks besides the overall sound that is musically being made. When any of the 6 people working
on the record hears these intricacies, they will be transported back in time to that moment and
that record.
These first two records were composed of songs Dave Matthews Band had already
completed writing, and just needed to them be captured effectively. When it came to 1998 and
the next record, Before These Crowded Streets, it was an easy phone call to make. Lillywhite
was tapped once again. The label remained largely uninvolved with the albums production due
to the success of DMBs freshman and sophomore efforts. With their old material used, the band
went to writing mostly new music and creating songs from old jams they performed live.
Lillywhite was an integral part of the latter process. He helped go into the archives of shows
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from 1991-97 looking for even 30 seconds of genius. Up to this point, no one knew the sound of
Dave Matthews Band better than Steve Lillywhite. He was more than a producer, but also a fan.
Numerous tracks were fleshed out but only 11 made the cut. With so many little clips floating
around, Matthews decided it would be an interesting idea to add commercials between songs.
The clips featured miniature jams outside of the feature album; however, The Last Stop
features a reprise following silence at the end of the final track. The new album had bright spots
and dark spots through musical paths the band had never ventured. What was released was
different, but definitely a masterpiece.
Before These Crowded Streets was not received as well as the previous two records. It
was too dark and different for many audiences. With increased success, it is hard to image true
auteurs not becoming so extremely personal that it distasteful to general audiences and critics. If
anything, they were just following the ideals of auteur theory, by using their style and particular
ideas to convey art. The band work became less about pleasing others, and more about creating
personal, reflective works for themselves. This is considered the best album the band has ever
released, yet because of the critical reception, management peeped its head back into the studio
with Dave Matthews Band.
The band was a much larger group, selling out arenas like Madison Square Garden and
stadiums like Giants Stadium by 1999. When it came to record their 4
th
album in the summer of
1999, Lillywhite was their choice yet. The band was extremely pleased with their previous work,
only management had qualms with the direction the band was moving. Dave had been writing
songs during his tours with Tim Reynolds, long-time guitarist friend from Charlottesville,
Virginia, Dave Matthews Bands home town. The idea was to go into the studio and work on
new music that Dave had been writing. With all their old material and ideas used, Matthews was
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trying to stay ahead of the game and keep material flowing for the band to work with. It seemed
the creative burst that began with Before These Crowded Streets had rolled over all the way to
their next studio session.
The next auteur work was completely new based only on Daves sketches. It was
personal and introspective, but most of all dark. Even the happy sound of some songs had dark
meanings and lyrics attached. However, the emotion and feeling was real. The ideas were
concepts on Dave Matthews mind; Lillywhite and the band thought they were something special
and followed him down this dark path. True auteurs have to make what they feel, anything less is
not truly an auteur work.
The label requested a rough copy in the summer of 2000. Lillywhite was dismissed from
the project soon thereafter. Instead of working with Lillywhite, someone who knew the band
arguably better than anyone, he was removed from the project. No one suggested the idea of
turning the project around, or wanted to blame the band. Lillywhite could be the only head on the
chopping block. Dave was set up with Glen Ballard, a pop producer, to write their next record.
The label wanted it would sound like the new rock coming out at the turn of the millennium.
Everyday was written in three days, with each band members part already written on sheet
music for them in the studio. They would come in and just record what was written; this is a
process that the band has never done nor repeated. The band was essentially artistically stifled by
strong-arm label tactics. The auteur relationship with Lillywhite was destroyed with the release
of Everyday. The album was critically successful as their largest debut to date, yet the true fans
were left awestruck in the difference of sound.
Soon after their 2001 release, the fan-dubbed The Lillywhite Sessions leaked from those
summer 2000 sessions. The songs werent even complete, many missing mastered mixes and
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fully developed lyrics, yet the fans fell in love. It sounded like Dave Matthews Band! The music
was incredible too, even without lyrics. Many contain just melodies and ideas that Dave was
working with at the time. Still, some of the best music the band has made was developed during
those sessions. No one truly knows how the Lillywhite Sessions leaked, other than an anonymous
poster to Napster. The rumor is that Stefan Lessard (Bass) purposefully, or accidently, left his
copy of The Lillywhite Sessions in Colorado after talking with a fan.
Due to acclaim of the unfinished album, the band was asked to return to the studio in
2002 and finish the record. Some songs had been road tested, and become more developed.
Busted Stuff was soon released through yet another producer, John Alga. The band sounded flat
in the release, as it was doomed to be compared with the infamous Lillywhite Sessions. There
was no way that nearly four albums worth of sound development could be replicated by any
producer. Almost every song on Busted Stuff is considered weaker than the original recordings.
Songs like Captain went from a dark ballad, to a jazzy, upbeat tune. Grey Street received a
nice pop polish as well before it was released and Kit Kat Jam was release sans lyrics. Finally,
fan favorites from the sessions never saw the light of day, including Sweet Up and Down,
Monkey Man, and JTR. All were scrapped for years only to be brought back during the 2010
tour.
The way that management was handling Dave Matthews Band drove the band to not
releasing another record until 2005. The record was again set up with an R&B/ Pop producer,
Mark Batson. Batson and his album Stand Up are the worst things to ever happen to DMB.
Carter Beauford is considered one of the best drummers of all time, yet this producer decided
drum machines would better fit the band and the sound that was out. While the songs created
from Stand Up eventually fully developed into proper songs after years in the live setting, the
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album sounds more like a list of demos than a cohesive piece. The band was far, far away from
their cohesiveness with Lillywhite and the auteur team that was destroyed. The sound of the band
change entirely without their producer.
Another long gap between albums was forced due to the labels handling of DMB. 2009
saw the next studio attempt, only because the band required that they pick the producer, not
management. Rob Cavallo was selected by the band. Cavallo and the band went to work on
songs in Seattle before their summer tour. Sitting in a circle and playing songs helped get DMB
back to their roots. The album was then recorded in New Orleans in 2009 and released as Big
Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. Founding member and saxophone player LeRoi Moore passed
away due to an ATV accident near the beginning of these sessions. That seems to be one of the
main reasons the band started communicating musically once again. It made them realize what
brought them together and how it used to be. Just sitting in a circle noodling and jamming out
songs. BWATGGK was a success critically and with the hard cores. The sound was not classic
DMB, and very heavily electric. However, Cavallo is a phenomenal rock producer and was able
to capture Carters drums and the guitars in an in-your-face way. Still, the auteur sound created
was lost, but the band was trying to find the mojo they lost at the end of the 90s that disappeared
for an entire decade.
Out of nowhere, 2012 was the year that reunited Dave Matthews Band and Steve
Lillywhite. Speculation was at an all time high when Lillywhite tweeted a picture with Matthews
along with a quote about catching up with old friends. They decided to work on another record
together. Away From The World. This record was the Dave Matthews Band that was missing for
years. The band was able to get back to the basics with their last effort with Cavallo, and realized
that what they were missing was Lillywhite. They managed to create a 5
th
record to add to the
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DMB/Lillywhite auteur catalogue. The instrumentation was so beautiful present and subtleties of
quiet songs like Mercy, Sweet, and Snow Outside still tear through. The presence created
with Lillywhite is unmatched by any producer, at least for this band. The band plans to continue
to make records with Lillywhite, but Cavallo, is also being considered for another album. Still,
no producer has made more than one album with DMB. Once they found their sound and
assembled their team, they needed no one else. Then, they became lost as management got in the
way of the music. Some people have more pull and stronger vision than others, but one
individual is not creating these things; as a unit, great pieces of art are created. Everyone helps
each other create that standard style and vision. Changing anything can ruin the auteurs work,
and Dave Matthews Band has seemed to realize that.
Sadly, the time of the auteur band/producers may soon be over. In reality, the
monetization of Pop music from large companies and labels, along with piracy may make many
artists of today obsolete in the future. Rock may very well go the way of the Blues, Jazz, Funk,
and Disco. Pop music today has lost its uniqueness with cluttered partying music and radio
rapper smut. With things like Spotify, the way people listen to music has change forever. One no
longer has records passed down from various family members and then invests heavily in one or
a few artists. Social media brought about the proliferation of FOMO, or the fear of missing out.
People choose to listen to what others star and like, mostly pop songs, and they continue to
spread like the plague. Everyone listens to these songs, thinks they are good just because that is
what everyone else is listening to. Will auteur bands and producers like associated with
Radiohead, The Beatles, or U2 disappear in the future? Possibly. Just as film is losing auteur
directors, so it the music industry. It could really go two ways: either there is a transition to
completely electronic music, or there will be a drop off of electronic and pop due to blandness
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and live music will flourish once again. Still, auteur musical recording artists develop a specific
sound with a singular producer. That is where many bands get their identity. Once the formula is
changed, such as a band member or producer, the music a bound to be effected. This effect is far
more than film production could ever amount to when losing only one person. Differences
between films and difference between albums is like comparing apples to oranges. However,
there is still something to be said about auteur sounds created in various bands over the years,
and the specific choice to use a repeat producer once a great one is stumbled upon. There is a
unique sound and style created by these artists than emulates the film industrys great auteur
directors.

Links to songs: Guide to sounds-
1. #34 Under The Table and Dreaming (first record sound)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfqDkDIohA8
2. Crash Into Me Crash (Movement to second record sound)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU2E1lX1geY
3. The Stone (with commercial before) and Pig (with commercial after)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNzN9OPUSHE
4. The Last Stop [Reprise] Before These Crowded Streets (Commercial
Example) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBxEsLT03UE
5. I Did It - Everyday (Drastic Change in Sound)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8_0D30C-LQ
6. Angel - Everyday (Terrible lyrics, that are not Daves, drastic change in sound)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_aX3b3rTUw
7. Captain Busted Stuff
8. Captain The Lillywhite Sessions (For comparison on change of sound)
9. Grey Street Busted Stuff
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10. Grey Street The Lillywhite Sessions (For comparison on change of sound)
11. Old Dirt Hill Stand Up (Example of drum machine/ change of sound)
12. Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives) Stand Up (Change in sound/
compare to in live setting.)
13. Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives) Live (Weak audio, but the
change in song structure is there, developed fully from Stand Up sessions.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PPlKOtX7XI
14. Shake Me Like A Monkey Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (Return to
song writing and recapturing some old sound)
15. Squirm Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (Return to song collaboration,
unique experimental sound.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEReWa6V1zA
16. Mercy Away From The World (Return to classic sound and Lillywhite)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQxYKL3zB5A
17. Sweet Away From The World (Small song, intricately turned into a large
song)
18. Snow Outside Away From The World (Most classic sounding song on the
record. The end jam is noteworthy for bringing a presence about it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Yz8sNaIiY