Ryan Adams and The Strays - My Arsenal

The Story

Following the poor reception of the 'Love Is Hell' album by Mercury/Lost Highway, Ryan Adams is keen to prove them wrong and pen and record a 10 song album using the remaining studio time left over from the LIH sessions in New 0rleans. He bumps into Daniel Lanois whilst in a guitar shop in town and Lanois agrees to helm the 10 day project. The two quickly get to work writing and realise that with the help of a lot of southern bourbon, early mornings, and beautiful blue sky weather the songs are really starting to flow. Lanois persuades Adams to re-introduce the lap steel into his sound, the like of which he goes on to use heavily in his later albums, 'Cold Roses', 'Jacksonville City Nights' and 'Easy Tiger'. This addition to the sound spectrum prompts Adams to abandon all pre-conceived notions and he starts to make phone calls to all his musician friends to find out where they are on tour; the aim being to make an album of duets and call the collective the Strays due to the fact that he was calling people in from all over the US. First to return his call is Rufus Wainwright, who had been a friend from New York days in the 90's. Lanois and Adams get to work writing a song that will compliment Wainwright's lovelorn warble. After a few failed attempts they stumble upon an uptempo rhythm and a repetitive piano riff that is part Rolling Stones and part Dolly Parton. They go to town with the lap steel, add some Leonard Cohen-style female BV's and call it 'If I Had To Come To New Orleans'. Rufus' tour swings into town on the 4th day of recording, and after his sell-out show at the nearby ballroom he makes it in for just gone midnight and records his part of the duet first take. Lanois and Adams rally round, add their vocals and they have the first whole track complete. Next returned call comes from Teddy Thompson, who is recording in Nashville. He happily agrees to drop by and records his vocal for one of the first Adams/Lanois efforts, 'Gooseberry Goo' - a song about their favourite gooseberry pie, served in the all-night cafe next-door. On Day 6 they get an unexpected visit from Willie Nelson, whose travelling circus has just rolled into town. He is more than pleased to be one of the Strays (seeing as that's what he's been all his life!) and settles in for the afternoon to record his vocal on 'My Heart Won't Break Another Time'. Having recorded his vocal, the old man calls in two expensive hookers and insists on having blow jobs in the vocal booth. Adams and Lanois are much amused. Day 7 sees a phone call come in from Polly Harvey. She has heard about the project through her manager Paul McGuinness, an old friend of Lanois. She is looking round the New Orleans area trying to find a studio to demo some new tracks. Adams takes the call and is ecstatic to have one of his favourite singers come in for a duet. Inspired in the moment, he rushes off a sweet, catchy song entitled 'I'll Be Your Boy'. Polly Harvey adds her vocal after 5 takes and the track is quickly finished when they realise that it feels complete with piano, guitar and vocal alone. Next to call is Leslie Feist, who has a day off between TV appearances. As a big fan of Adams she catches the first flight to New Orleans to add her unique vocal to ballad 'Soldiers'. Feeling optimistic after this successful flurry of collaborations, Lanois and Adams are startled when a sheepish Mancunian voice calls them from California. Morrissey had heard about the project through Paul McGuiness and is feeling creative. He flies in and sings vocals on two co-writes, 'Ballroom Days' and 'Seventeen' as well as putting his vocal on the Adams track 'So Alive', which was written in the style of The Smiths for the 'Rock N Roll' album. The icing on the cake comes when Bono and The Edge return Lanois' call and drop by to co-write an uptempo rocker 'With My Friends'.

The album is sent to Lost Highway with great expectation. They think it's unfocused and oddly tracklisted. Adams hits the roof. The whole album gets shelved.

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Album Artwork

Credit: l.wilcoxen