Paul McCartney – Twin Freaks: Darkroom

Twin Freaks is a collaborative album by musician Paul McCartney with DJ and producer Freelance Hellraiser (Roy Kerry). The album was released on June 14, 2005.

History and structure

McCartney and Kerry created the double vinyl album as a continuation of Kerry’s collaboration with McCartney from a 2004 tour. Kerry had previously released the mash-up album A Stroke of Genius, in 2002. The format of the mashup is that of an extreme remix in which two disparate musical and recording experiences are combined in a manner that goes beyond remix to literally merge or mashup the two songs so that they emerge as something unique or hybridized. The technique sometimes obscures the original source material or so seamlessly blends the divergent elements that disentangling the grafted parts becomes nearly impossible.

Kerry performed a half hour set prior to McCartney’s 2004 gigs in which the Kerry remixed various McCartney tracks into unusual and often unrecognizable forms. Twin Freaks was the outgrowth of these manipulations.

All McCartney tracks are strongly revised and reinvented in the process. Who is responsible for what aspects of the works or their reinvention is unclear. Parts of basic McCartney tracks are vigorously reworked.

The album was produced as a double vinyl release and a digital download in Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. The cover and interior artwork features paintings that are similar in tone and style to artist Willem de Kooning. McCartney knew the late artist, with whom he shared a similar painting style.

“Really Love You” and “Lalula” were also released together as a one-sided 12″ single.