Tony Geary (ex-Luke, GH) provides backup vocals and appears in a video for photographer to the stars Jim Warren’s new song, “I Love Amsterdam”. Warren, who met Geary when the latter first joined GH, and has served as both a publicist and currently, a photographer, has visited Amsterdam many times, which prompted him to pen a tune. “At the start of the whole world being quarantined last year, I took a musical theater workshop with two West End performers,” explains Warren. “They were kind, patient, and encouraging. That gave me a bit of confidence. I wrote ‘I Love Amsterdam’ during COVID-19 and showed the lyrics to Tony, and he was very enthusiastic for me to do something with it, so I recorded it. Of course, I needed a little backup singing, and he said yes, very quickly. I tried to include as many of the things that stand out to me about Amsterdam in the song, including Tony and my quest to find the very best tomato soup — and we’ve been to dozens of cafés along the canals. All of the video in the music video is from the past few years.”
Here, Geary weighs in on the project:
Were you surprised when Jim told you that he wrote a song about your hometown? “Yes. Surprised because I knew he was a fan of country music but didn’t know he was a tunesmith. I certainly was not surprised to find Amsterdam had moved him to take pen to page. This city has inspired artists, philosophers, engineers, writers, photographers, lovers, sailors and whores for a thousand years.”
What did you think when you first heard it? “I loved it. There is a genre of music that is very popular in Holland that is referred to as ‘Dutch Country’. It is in the style of, and inspired by, American country music. I knew Jim was a country music fan. When I first read his lyrics, I told him it read like a Dutch Country song.”
How did he get you to record with him? “He asked … and reminded me of the compromising photos he has of me.”
And then the video. How did you enjoy being back on camera, albeit briefly? Does it capture the Amsterdam you know? “Being on camera holds no allure for me. However, I found it gratifying to be asked. I was able to do my part from my living room overlooking one of the sweetest canals in the city, so what’s not to enjoy? The song does present a side of my hometown that through lyrics, attitude and video is familiar and iconic — I love Amsterdam. Another element of the song that brings this city to life is the international flavor of the musicians and the tech people Jim used to create it. The international flavor of the crew and the musicians is a very Dutch element of the song … international city, international artists. Very A’dam! And, impressive, interesting and creative from a producer’s POV.”
To hear the song and check out the video, click here.
