This is what happens during crunch time, he tells EW on a recent September evening.
I imagine its the sort of mayhem that surrounds the finishing ofThe Life of Pabloor something.
When the music is really great, youre excited all the time, he says.
Credit: Collier Schorr
Drawing on rock and country influences, shes now penning heartfelt lyrics about relationships and family.
Still, Gagas confidants say the new music will quiet any doubts.
An uptown origin story
If the thought of Gaga making an entire album with the Uptown Funk!
guy sounds weird, it shouldnt Ronson and Gaga actually go way back.
It just felt very familiar from the start, Ronson says.
We both grew up in New York 10 blocks from each other.
She was like anyone I could have been friends with growing up.
Once they got into the studio, however, any concern about what theyd create quickly disappeared.
[He] was a really amazing change in the whole sound, Ronson says.
Homme ended up co-producing several tracks in addition to playing guitar and drums.
I dont even know what weve done to deserve Josh Homme as our side axeman, Ronson says.
The things he does with a guitar, no one else can do.
I probably dropped my cell phone, she says.
Despite their radically different careers, finding common ground was easy.
Lord, we would have gotten in a lot of trouble in high school together, Lindsey says.
Sometimes the two bonded over glasses of wine at Gagas home in L.A. and laughed like little schoolgirls.
Her mom cried and came over and put her arms around her, Lindsey says.
I started tearing up.
She said so many things [where] I was like, Thats a song!
And then shed say something else, and Id be like, Thats a song!
While Lindsey played guitar, Gaga hammered out lyrics on an old-school typewriter.
I dont know if shes got two or if it travels, but I absolutely loved that.
Food was never in short supply, either.
She took care of everybody.
A warm welcome back
So far, the world seems ready to embrace the Gaga-next-door.
Perfect Illusion debuted at a solid No.
15 on Billboards Hot 100 and has been well-received by radio.
Shes done a great job of reinventing, truthfully.
Its not by any means a rock record, says Ronson.
She loves her fans and all those people who supported her from the beginning.
In the studio, shes always like, Maybe we put that littleFame Monsterhook in there.
Theres definitely a lot of that in there.
If anything,Joannewill finally offer unprecedented and unfiltered access to the woman born Stefani Germanotta.
I hope fans hear it for what it is: Lady Gaga speaking from the heart, Lindsey says.
She can show the world that she doesnt need all the tricks.
She can still grab you and have you in the palm of her hand.
A version of this story appears in this weeks issue of Entertainment Weekly buy it here now.
