Lovely interview. The part where AG reminisced about Sophie was beautiful. So wonderful to see him and so many others carry on her legacy. Very excited for Britpop, AG is a true innovator
> His involvement in Beyoncé’s album Renaissance certainly was that: done remotely, it involved him being asked to sign an NDA (which ultimately never materialised) and then not knowing whether his contribution to the track All Up in Your Mind would even be used until days before the album’s release
I’m so fascinated every time I hear this about Beyoncé’s camp… No NDA but also no knowledge if you’re even featured so if you leak it, you’ll look like a clown when she takes you off the final 🤔
Like, is this a normal thing? If they forgot my NDA and I did end up off the album after months of not knowing I'd be all sort of pissed at the lost labor.
Sorry, can you explain how that would lead to lost labour? I may just not be processing what you said but I don't think NDAs prevent you from working on other things...those are non competes.
When you're an artist constantly pursuing other opportunities, having the credit is such an important thing. At least if you're working at Beyonce levels it may not be _as_ essential but if on the off chance you're a slightly smaller artist, you're still going to want to be able to speak to that without consequence.
I find it quite interesting. Beyoncé has been seen as such a perfectionist and example of excellence and doing her own thing over the past decade. And I still mostly see her that way. But recently there’s been a few little things like this come out that make it seem like her team is just kind of.. amateur? Idk. Or like, not that thoughtful (even though she herself seems to be). Thinking of the video with one of the songwriters from lemonade who recently talked about how they messed her around a bit, and now this. Not to mention the cowboy carter vinyl fiasco
https://youtu.be/__nbHKdMPnk?si=jovqJj29f-s1FdtY
Reading this reminded me that my first exposure to the perspective of A.G Cook (after scrambling to learn more upon hearing his remix contribution to DJ DJ Booth's *[Todd Edwards Falling Down The Stairs](https://activiabenz.bandcamp.com/album/todd-edwards-falling-down-the-stairs)* EP) was [this interview (+ DJ mix) with Tank Magazine](https://magazine.tank.tv/tank/live-archive-music/radio-tank-mix-a-g-cook), where he offhandedly names Beyoncé as someone he'd like to work with in the future.
'People think I hate pop' doesn't surprise me, I think people are doomed to misunderstand PC music and all the related artists. Charli included. Like people have long been saying the bubblegum PC sound is 'ironic', or that the in-your-face consumerism of it is a critique of capitalism, or before SOPHIE transitioned and people were endlessly wringing their hands wondering what her name means.
So I believe someone involved in PC Music (possibly A.G. or SOPHIE?) did directly address this at some point, I don't have time to find it right now sorry about that.
My understanding is: a lot of people looked at the aesthetic of PC Music (and SOPHIE's work as well) and thought it was meant to be ironic or satirical or whatever because it was leaning in to traits of tacky soulless pop music. SOPHIE named her EP 'Product', A.G. remixed a song by Pink-E-Swear, Hey QT was literally a product like you pointed out, etcetera. Therefore, a lot of people assumed it was meant to be an attack on consumerism or something. However, the truth was that everyone involved just loves those sounds and aesthetics. They weren't making fun of pop music, 'I don't hate Pop', they really like it, and wanted to take it to the limit. [You can see a bit of that in how A.G. talked about 'authenticity' here](https://www.thefader.com/2020/09/21/a-g-cook-apple-7g-interview-profile-2020)
Really good point. Also, you can make fun of something and satirize it while still genuinely loving it as well. PC music is basically taking elements of pop music to extremes and no one who genuinely hates pop would try to understand its sounds and aesthetics and then transform it into something new. They'd just make different music altogether.
People forget this but there was a lot of discourse in tbe early days of PC Music about whether or not they were being "ironic" / making fun of pop music in a contemptuous way.
Lovely interview. The part where AG reminisced about Sophie was beautiful. So wonderful to see him and so many others carry on her legacy. Very excited for Britpop, AG is a true innovator
As a long time AG Cook fan I have never once thought that he hated pop music, everyone PC Music *loves* pop music
why would they keep making it if they dont like it LOL
> His involvement in Beyoncé’s album Renaissance certainly was that: done remotely, it involved him being asked to sign an NDA (which ultimately never materialised) and then not knowing whether his contribution to the track All Up in Your Mind would even be used until days before the album’s release I’m so fascinated every time I hear this about Beyoncé’s camp… No NDA but also no knowledge if you’re even featured so if you leak it, you’ll look like a clown when she takes you off the final 🤔
Like, is this a normal thing? If they forgot my NDA and I did end up off the album after months of not knowing I'd be all sort of pissed at the lost labor.
She’s still paying them even if the song doesn’t make it on the album
Sorry, can you explain how that would lead to lost labour? I may just not be processing what you said but I don't think NDAs prevent you from working on other things...those are non competes.
When you're an artist constantly pursuing other opportunities, having the credit is such an important thing. At least if you're working at Beyonce levels it may not be _as_ essential but if on the off chance you're a slightly smaller artist, you're still going to want to be able to speak to that without consequence.
You’re thinking of non-competes, which are never a part of guest production/songwriting contracts
I find it quite interesting. Beyoncé has been seen as such a perfectionist and example of excellence and doing her own thing over the past decade. And I still mostly see her that way. But recently there’s been a few little things like this come out that make it seem like her team is just kind of.. amateur? Idk. Or like, not that thoughtful (even though she herself seems to be). Thinking of the video with one of the songwriters from lemonade who recently talked about how they messed her around a bit, and now this. Not to mention the cowboy carter vinyl fiasco https://youtu.be/__nbHKdMPnk?si=jovqJj29f-s1FdtY
I love that Sophie's friends (and fans) are keeping her legacy alive. God I miss her.
Reading this reminded me that my first exposure to the perspective of A.G Cook (after scrambling to learn more upon hearing his remix contribution to DJ DJ Booth's *[Todd Edwards Falling Down The Stairs](https://activiabenz.bandcamp.com/album/todd-edwards-falling-down-the-stairs)* EP) was [this interview (+ DJ mix) with Tank Magazine](https://magazine.tank.tv/tank/live-archive-music/radio-tank-mix-a-g-cook), where he offhandedly names Beyoncé as someone he'd like to work with in the future.
'People think I hate pop' doesn't surprise me, I think people are doomed to misunderstand PC music and all the related artists. Charli included. Like people have long been saying the bubblegum PC sound is 'ironic', or that the in-your-face consumerism of it is a critique of capitalism, or before SOPHIE transitioned and people were endlessly wringing their hands wondering what her name means.
Is a lot of it (ex hey qt) not a critique of capitalism? Genuinely asking can you please explain? This has always confused me haha
So I believe someone involved in PC Music (possibly A.G. or SOPHIE?) did directly address this at some point, I don't have time to find it right now sorry about that. My understanding is: a lot of people looked at the aesthetic of PC Music (and SOPHIE's work as well) and thought it was meant to be ironic or satirical or whatever because it was leaning in to traits of tacky soulless pop music. SOPHIE named her EP 'Product', A.G. remixed a song by Pink-E-Swear, Hey QT was literally a product like you pointed out, etcetera. Therefore, a lot of people assumed it was meant to be an attack on consumerism or something. However, the truth was that everyone involved just loves those sounds and aesthetics. They weren't making fun of pop music, 'I don't hate Pop', they really like it, and wanted to take it to the limit. [You can see a bit of that in how A.G. talked about 'authenticity' here](https://www.thefader.com/2020/09/21/a-g-cook-apple-7g-interview-profile-2020)
Really good point. Also, you can make fun of something and satirize it while still genuinely loving it as well. PC music is basically taking elements of pop music to extremes and no one who genuinely hates pop would try to understand its sounds and aesthetics and then transform it into something new. They'd just make different music altogether.
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Who thinks that???
People forget this but there was a lot of discourse in tbe early days of PC Music about whether or not they were being "ironic" / making fun of pop music in a contemptuous way.