Hillsong United’s Joel Houston -
The current issue of
Worship Leader tackles the broad subject of collaboration in songwriting. Covering topics that are as various as why we collaborate, how we prepare for it, what roles we each writer should play, and the like, the issue is chock-full. But we wanted to go even further, so, right on the heels of recording his upcoming Hillsong United album, we had a chance to talk with Joel Houston about the collaboration process he goes through with his band. Most worship leaders are also bandleaders, so check out his insight on how to bring it all together in writing with a band.
Worship Leader: How does the songwriting process work with your band and the community you have cultivated at your church?
Joel Houston: We have worked hard to try and develop a song writing community. We are always encouraging our young people to be writing and working on their craft. Within this environment we spend significant time engaged in songwriting conversation. We talk and encourage each other in every aspect of the writing process. From revelation and theme to style and arrangement, vibe, etc. This conversation engages everyone from our non-musical, but spiritual leaders to our musicians and worship leaders to our friends and young people. Ultimately we want to be writing songs that carry the revelation of our leaders and communicate the desires of our people toward God. It's a great atmosphere, and it means that when we bring a new song to the table, we are mostly all thinking the same way. The very nature of what we are doing is corporate and inclusive. So that mindset is essential within the process.
WL: How finished are your songs before you bring them to your band and how do you help your band members take ownership of new songs? JH: It varies. Sometimes a writer will come with it all there. Usually it's a pretty rough demo. I'll usually come with a lot of the arrangement in mind. But it's important the muso's (musicians) are released to add their flavor to the parts. Usually they take my beat-box drum part or mega-lame guitar riff idea and create something way, way better. But I find it helps to give some direction from the perspective of the emotion that you want to communicate within the lyric and melody. It's important to create an environment where nobody is precious about ‘their' idea. And this starts with the songwriter. But at the same time, the musicians need to know their responsibility is to create music that carries the song. Not hides it under how great or technical their part is.
WL: What kind of input are you hoping to get from the various musicians in United when you first introduce a song? JH: I have a great relationship with the muso's I do life with. It's an open environment where input and criticism is encouraged-as long as it is constructive. It means you have to be secure in what you're doing. There are voices I trust more than others, but the bottom line is if there is even a hint of doubt toward an idea I'll go and try write something better. A great song is a great song. If as a songwriter you are relying on the arrangement to make a song work, chances are the song is not good enough. Look at the best songs, and the less the band adds to it the better it seems to communicate ("Here I Am to Worship," How Great Is Our God," etc). And it doesn't seem to matter what the band does. The parts seem to work. That's the sign of a good song.
WL: What are a couple of things to keep in mind for a worship leader who is planning on collaborating with a band in writing a song? JH: Be humble. Release others. I include musicians as co-writers if either something they wrote has caused me to alter the melody or the lyric; if the song isn't working, and something they write causes the puzzle to come together; or if a riff or an idea they have come up with inspires the writing of the song. Usually chord changes and parts are not included as reason to warrant a co-write. Communication is key, and it is always better to lean toward the selfless option.
WL: What is the most challenging part of writing with a band and what is the best part about it? JH: Community. It's who we are and what we do within the Church. It is inclusive, and it is what separates us from the way of the world. It includes, challenges and has great reward. Relationship is more important than any idea. Put others first. And always keep the main thing the main thing. And that is the cause of Christ. If that is the center, we remove our own end from the picture. And I believe God honors that.
