- Interviews
I am rather neutral at present; today is Sunday and it has been perfectly uneventful. The view is typically my attempting to find moments of optimism to take me from one point to another. I have too many objects in my house; little time capsules of stuff I need to organize or get rid of; I need to have a yard sale.
I have to start with you telling me previously that “
I met Euros Rowlands (former GZM drummer) in
Do you consider the new album the ‘Down at the 5-Star’ to be a natural progression from ‘Forever the Moon’ or are they totally separate pieces of work?
I consider 'Down at the 5-Star' to be a natural transition; for whatever reasons, I had a bunch of songs come my way in 2010. I am sitting on a back-catalogue of songs from that period that I hope to turn into another album or two.
Down at the 5-Star is described by your record label as “Chamber
'Chamber
Is there a process you follow or a place you have to been to start creating a song or, is it just when an idea occurs? What comes first, melody or lyrics?
If I am well rested I am able to work on music. I tend to write words separately from music. When I have a musical idea I like, I try to find some words to sing along. Rarely does a melody come first. I don't like to write words with a melody in mind; it fucks up my process; I don't want meter or a melody to hinder the words that may fall to paper or to fuck with my folk-art mood... I usually write at my kitchen table; I have one sweet song titled 'Sally Ann' that I wrote while driving and a few things I've written in motels, etc.
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Hi Nicki, how are you today?
Woke up in
How did find yourself in the music business and how did the band come together and, with what ambitions?
I have always loved and appreciated music and musicians but it wasn't until I met Tim (band mate, producer and husband) that I ever thought I would do it myself. He was really the one to encourage me to start singing and performing. I had never even considered it as a profession before meeting him.
The music business feels like living in the Wild West most of the time but the band and I are motivated to it give our biggest effort. I put the band together back in 2008 to support my first record "Toby’s song" and our album release show. I wanted the show to represent the full sound of the record and I needed a band to do that. It was so much fun playing together we decided to keep going.
The band are called the ‘Gramblers’. What is a Grambler?
It’s a word our good friend Greg Loiacono (of the Mother Hips) made up a while back. I guess it's a little bit gambling...a little bit rambling...but really it can mean whatever you want it to.
Is it a plus being in the same band as your Husband?
Most of the time! Tim has been my mentor through all of this. I can't imagine doing it without him. Now we are a team and we work very well together. It’s not always easy but we are learning how to be married and be in a band together more gracefully every day.
What is your song writing process and where do you tend to be located when the seed of new ideas are sown?
I am most productive writing at home in my living room. I typically sit down with a guitar and just see what comes out. Sometimes I’ll have something on my mind I’m trying to process or get out and other times it is much vaguer. I just started writing on our piano the other day which is new to me. I am not a piano player but sometimes you stumble on something cool in your own ignorance.
How do you approach getting your music heard and making an income? How important is it to find a label? What are you feelings about Social networking as a means to musical recognition?
It seems like if you are in the music business to make money...you're in the wrong business. We try to make music we believe in, music that we love and that speaks to us. Hopefully other people feel that as well. We have found social networking to be an amazing tool in spreading music around. It’s a great way for people to connect and share. It is a community within itself...probably the largest one there is and there's power in that. I think if you find a record label that suits you and your needs it can be a great thing.....but, I do believe that is rare these days.
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Is there a process you follow or a place you have to been to start creating a song or, is it just when an idea occurs? What comes first, melody or lyrics?
Our writing process is pretty all over the place. Usually either Kieran or I will come up with a musical idea like a verse or a beat and we just keep adding to it until the song takes shape. The initial song idea is rarely collaborative but the final version of any of our songs is very much a representation of our combined input and production. For me I would say that almost 100% of my songs start as a musical idea that I add lyrics to afterward but I know that Kieran definitely gets lyrical and melodic ideas before writing any music. If you ever check the voice memo section of his iphone you’ll find a treasure trove of song fragments sung by what sounds like a crazy person.
Are the songs on the record real life tales or are there any particular stories you would like to share around any of the songs on the album?
I think the record is a combination of intensely personal experiences as well as some broader ideas that we extrapolated into songs. I’m not sure I have any particular stories to share but I will say that I think this record is very much about introspection and trying to find answers within you. I feel like in the past I would write songs as a way of telling friends or girlfriends what I really though about what they were doing with their lives. It was a way of pointing a finger or confronting them while still being able to hide behind the ambiguity of song lyrics. I wish they were as subtle as I thought they were...but they just ended up being angry and obvious (read: corny). To me the songs on Perpetual Surrender act more as an inner monologue or a way of working through self-doubt rather than being confrontational.
What was your first impression being in the studio to make you own record rather than playing on someone else’s album?
Excitement and terror. It was exciting because we were finally at a stage in our lives where we felt comfortable making music that meant something to us. For the first time we had the musical maturity and freedom to do exactly what we wanted to do. We were also in a beautiful studio with a producer (Roger Leavens) who gave us as much time as we needed to experiment and try out any silly idea we though of. Not having any time constraints was huge! No one was waiting for this record so we could just take our time and make music for music’s sake.
It was terrifying because once we finished the album it was ours to own and stand behind. We were no longer side men who could hide behind a band leader.
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The Band from the Song, 'World on Fire' at least, have a big AOR sound, FM radio and road trip feel. How would you describe your music?
Imagine yourself looking out, standing on the edge from the top of the empire state building and breathing in all the vast landscape that looks as though it goes on for ever. That’s
Tell us about the band, how did you get together, when, were and with what ambitions?
I met Marc when Paloalto went on tour with Supergrass in
Marc then introduced me to the slippery long hair ( formerly of RJSA ) on bass, Elias a year later and then of course came our fearless drummer Kemble Walter of ( Julliet and the licks, Ages, fame ).
We were set. All the components where there and the planets aligned.
Your album 'Division' has already been released in the
Oh yeah Division needs tot be released in the
You have toured extensively in the States, any particular highlights from your last stint on the road?
For starters we have a tons of songs that are featured in TV shows and films. I guess you could say getting your songs licensed is like radio for us. It was really exciting to see people singing along to the songs in every city.
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RB: Yeah it’s even going kind of further out now, maybe even into the realm of something someone won’t want to hear. (laughs). I’m working on a project now – I don’t know if it’s going to happen or not – but it involves speaking parts that are non songs or, parts that are spoken over non-melodic harmonies with extra sections and it’s a direction I really want to explore. And I’m getting to because of a project assignment. Which project assignments are great for - making you pursue something you wouldn’t normally pursue. It’s nice to dig up what you can and see what kind of holes you made.
SJ: Well I’m excited to hear what you come up with next. It’s never a dull moment with you…
RB: (laughs)
SJ: As I know from touring and traveling with you way back! Never a dull moment with Rick Buckner on the road.
RB: Oh my god. (laughing) I’m a much more disciplined writer now. I wish I had been writing down the things that happened over the last 25 years but with my mind things have been lost or things written down incorrectly. I wish I had more of those notes over the years.
SJ: Some big adventures I’m sure..
RB: Yeah you look at things and think that would make a great story. But the excess of vices or the after effect of them, you don’t see it how it really happened.
Over the years, especially when I go back to places I haven’t played in a long while, people will bring up things and ask ‘remember this?’ and I think, ‘That didn’t happen. I don’t know what you’ are talking about’.
I’m telling this to a guy at a club last year. We were talking about things and he told me some story that I swore didn’t happen and I said well I’m trying to put these things together now. Put together a bunch of short stories. I’m working on them now. And I then thought you just gave me a good concept for this book: Things that never happened.
SJ: I like that! I have vague memories of when we did some shows together, and they’re entertaining, and funny I know that much.
RB: Yeah the details disappear sometimes but I remember it was a good time too. We did have a good time too. I remember we were both sort of on the same trajectory and we were trying to get through things and also trying to make the most of the moments we had from the situations we were in. And the way we thought about things at the time. And what we thought we could pull off,. And whether we did or did not pull it off, we weren’t aware of at the time.
SJ: Ah, the road was our oyster. So obviously you’ll be heading out on tour to support this. Are you bringing other musicians or …
RB: No, there’s no money. I swear to god, one of these gigs the minimum payment on the contract is between one and ten dollars.
SJ: Are you kidding me?
RB: No. So there’s really no way, I’ve really lost my shirt a bunch of times over the years taking chances, and bringing people out. Even though I budget tours and I’m very careful about that, something always happens that screws me. Once again the label is asking who are you taking on tour. How are you going to do this? And well I recorded the songs all alone and I can’t bring someone else with me.
They’re just going to be what they are now in the way I’m playing them. Which is good? Because over the years I try and change up my actual way of playing and in the last few years I’ve done away with the pedals, and even the picks and I’m just using my fingers. Mostly my thumb and a couple fingers, trying to re-form the arrangements and see all the songs in a way that’s different than the way they would have been played on the record or in the past years.
I think that is making other things happen with the songs and changes your own dynamic, therefore making the shows much more individual.
- Interviews
We were very lucky to be able to put Susan James and Richard Buckner, two musicians’ who are old friends together, to discuss Richard's new album 'Surrounded' plus a whole host of other musical topics; writing, recording, band mates, microphones, state of mind, playing live and more.
Susan (SJ);
I was at the beach sitting on a deck in the shade with headphones on when I first listened to it. And it absolutely made sense in this setting. The sun glittering on the ocean, pelicans diving fearlessly head first into the water. It blended. Just as it would on a future rainy night..or a foggy morning. Richard Buckner’s new album ‘Surrounded’ is like an ambient daydream with a pulse. He’s an old friend and we’ve toured together. We had a chance to talk about his new album, touring, performing, and the need for privacy, for space after a performance.
After I read it back I worried a bit on some parts of this, but it shouldn’t come off as anything but a quest to put ones’ self in the space that is needed to create, for writing a song or a performance. And the space to recover when you’ve spent an an hour or two onstage, finding that place to pull the songs forward from. I say this for Richard, myself, for any creative moment or inventor: Any flaws in the creator, it seems, shouldn’t eclipse the beauty of his/her creation. And oh what a beauty his new creation is.
SJ So …How’s it going?
RB (Richard Buckner): You know…(laughs), woke up again.
SJ: Congratulations! That’s great! (laughs)..Meanwhile, Lets talk about your new album a bit. So, which number is this?
RB: I think it must be ten..
SJ: I think you should get something, some special gift for that. You know, like a wedding anniversary. The gift recommendation at first starts out as, like, cotton or a piece of grass and then it gets to the precious metals. I think you’re at a precious metal stage in album releases.
RB: Well, you know heavy metals can be bad for you too, you know, so you gotta be careful.
SJ: Well maybe you’ll get a metal album to listen to or…
RB: I would love to MAKE a metal record!
SJ: That’s what you should get, free studio time to make a metal album!
RB: I’d love to get a metal band to do all the songs, all the playing and all I have to do is get up there onstage in front of the microphone and do my thing without playing anything. That would be great
SJ: That would be awesome - you would be really good at that.
SJ: I could see it happening. Would you do that for real?
RB: Totally. Totally!!
SJ: So I know and you know that recording an album can truly test your sanity at times. How did it go this time? How did you do this one?
RB: Well the last one I did, “Our Blood”, I did in the same setting as this one – In my room. And I didn’t think I could do that again. I didn’t want to do that again. Because I’m one person and only have a few tricks, as well as limited equipment that is sometimes working or not working.
But when these songs started coming out all of a sudden after I finished my last one, some were written with certain musicians and recording situations in mind. I initially set about trying to just demo them as completely as I could. So when I did take them in the studio I would have these sketches that the musicians could work off of and do their own versions of.
As I finished the demos, there was no money to do that or any way to pull that off. My only option was to take the demos and give them to someone who could polish up what I had done at home and reassemble them in a way that maybe was something, I could pull off.
Because I record myself and I’m not an engineer, I just hit erase and record, and erase a lot more. I don’t use compression or any of that kind of stuff, because I don’t have use for it when I’m working fast and trying to get things in my head on to the recorder as fast as I could. So it was just a matter of putting the songs down the best I could and when I was done, I had what I had. And then had to expel it from the house the best way I could.
- Interviews
Hi guys, currently on a Euro tour, where are you today and how is the tour going?
We're in Bien
Your new album 'Perhaps' has arrived hard on the heels of you second LP, what were the reasons in getting album No.3 out so quickly?
Its just the nature of the industry just now unless you're at Coldplay’s level. The most important thing for us is that we continue to play and generate interest and the best way to do that is to keep releasing.WE love recording and there’s nothing more refreshing for a band than to play new songs. I have no issue with albums coming in quick succession. I think it puts the focus on the band rather than particular tracks or albums, it’s just about our sound. I always admired how bands like Brian Jonestown or even
You seem to be progressing as both musicians and songwriters with each album, is that your feelings as well and how would you say 'perhaps' differs from your past two records?
We hope so, we're pretty confident with our style now so its easier to progress it and still know what kind of band you are without getting lost. The main difference with perhaps is that we tried to bring ourselves out as individuals. We each took a couple of tracks each where the focus was mainly on one of us which we hadn’t explored before. We also tried to push the production with more of a full sound; we weren’t scared to go back and add to songs and really fill them out.
Was there anything new in the studio this time around that you had not tried before or new instruments?
This time we came away from the jangly sound that we had used one 'The Ashbury's' and went for a more straight up approach. all of our influences are still as clear as ever but it should sound new compared to our first two records.
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Hi Frank, how are you today, is there any downtime in your life at the moment?
I'm good thanks, on a day off today, just gathering my strength for another festival weekend.
What was the creative process behind the new album, what was the inspiration and how does it feel now it completed, to your previous records?
I write on the road, autobiographically and chronologically, so I was writing about the things happening in my life since the last record. Obviously, my preoccupation was a broken relationship and a tough time in my personal life. It was a very cathartic record to write and release, and it's been well received for the most part, so that's nice.
Who designed the Artwork for the new record and how much input do you control on that side of things?
I control all artistic aspects of what I do. I asked a friend of mine,
Do you mind writing about personal topics knowing millions of people are going to hear your deep dark secrets?
It's not really a question of whether I mind or not.. I just feel the need to. It can be uncomfortable after the fact, but I don't make art to be comfortable, I'll leave that to Avicii.
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Hello Suzie, how are you today and where are you?
I'm doing pretty well thanks, if a little tired. I'm currently in Sussex at my Grandmother's house drinking tea recovering from 4 weeks on the road. It's a nice break before the last show of tour in London on Sunday.
You are on an extensive solo tour of Europe, just how does the dynamic feel, playing solo rather than with a band?
I really enjoy both - and I enjoy the opportunity to play the songs in a different way with different instrumentation. It's hard to explain but with the solo shows at the moment I somehow feel more connected with the audience. My live show has changed a lot over time - sometimes with band, sometimes without. At the moment in Australia I play with cellist Gareth Skinner as a duo. I like having that flexibility.
Tell us how you would describe your music and just what was the spark that made you take a musical path in you life?
I'm still no good at describing my music - after 6 years gigging I get asked this and still say "rock kind of stuff". Ha, how eloquent - I'll work on that. Other people have likened my music to Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Cat Power, Mark Lanegan etc - I'd be happy to be in this company. Music is something I've always gravitated towards, it's a part of me - I've sung for as long as I can remember. I took my sweet time to start gigging though.
You come from Australia, whereabouts and does your hometown have any influence on your songwriting?
I grew up in Sydney but have been living in Melbourne for the past 9 years. I moved to Melbourne looking to find my feet musically, I had been trying to put a band together in Sydney for years and couldn't find the right fit - at the time I wasn't confidant playing guitar so would co-write and stay only on vocal duties. Melbourne has many more venues and a really strong music scene; it provided opportunities for me to get up play. I ended up doing this solo - but I don't think things would have worked out so well if I'd stayed in Sydney.
Photo by Liz Reed
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“I heard someone say that they found a new ideology through the record. That's what it's all about to me.”
This week one of the best albums of the year, ‘Comfort Songs’ by Cloud, was released. We caught up with the man behind it, Tyler Taormina, to ask him some questions, and also spoke to label owner Jamie Halliday to find out how he came to put the record out. First up was Tyler:
Hi Tyler – where in the world are you and how are you doing?
Right now I'm sitting in my backyard on Long Island in the house I grew up in. I'll be here for about 3 more weeks before my big move to Los Angeles where I'll pursue my career in writing for TV. I'm doing pretty well. There isn't too much to complain about but just graduating college can be tolling in a lot of ways.
Is the "Comfort Songs" record solely your vision, or was it shaped and influenced by the people who played on it with you?
I guess it's mostly a vision but it'd be hard to say that without giving the credit to friends who came up with parts that made me reconsider how the song should be. For instance, my friend Jon Davies, who I'm in a drone band with called Fjords, was the one to suggest, "this should be slower.... I mean... real slow" while practicing Authorless Novel in Boston.
There’s a sort of hymn-like vibe to a couple of songs, not to mention the musical hints of ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Amazing Grace’ on ‘Stomach Pit’. Did you have what you’d call a ‘religious’ upbringing and if so is this something that still has an influence in your life?
I do. I was raised catholic and attended a Youth Group all throughout High School even when I fell out of touch with my religion. I'm mostly a nostalgic person and church being in my childhood so prevalently plays such a key role of the past-- especially with its connotations to purity. Also, I love thinking of my songs as ones that people have been singing all throughout time.
You’ve said that when you were recording this you were working at the Sheraton Hotel & driving around in your Grandma’s ’88 Cadillac Coup DeVille, which only played cassettes. What music were you listening to in the car?
Well I mostly have drone & noise cassettes but I don't prefer listening to them while driving. My favourites were friend's tapes -- Infinity Girl's Stop Being On My Side, For Serious This Time's When You're In It, and Giant Peach's People Don't Believe Me. So great.
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A former boxer, does that help or influence your song writing?
Not really, but doing lots of monotonous training like skipping and jogging was perfect opportunity to daydream.
Does being an ex boxer, help with dealing with the ‘music business’ or has it been a pleasant experience so far?
It's all been good, but boxing and music aren't that different, they both require a certain amount of discipline, self belief, bottle and being able to adapt and not stay stuck in one mode for too long. Now I'm a musician I just don't get smacked in the head (as much).
Marvin Gaye has been quoted as a influence anyone else who perhaps you listened to during school days that still influence you today?
At school I was a big fan of Common, Mos Def, Lauren Hill, Finlay Quaye, Eryka Badu, but was opened up to all sorts of other music by my older brother like the blues albums from Chess, Arthur Lee and Love and lesser known 60's folk artists like Jim Ford and Terry Callier.
You have toured with Emeli Sandé. How was that experience and did you learn anything on that or other times being on the road, that have really stuck with you?
Touring with Emeli Sande was cool it was good to see how a market for your music is built and being on the road has taught me the same as what selling clothing has taught me, which is that the creative stuff happens at home, or in the studio, then that is your product and then you get in your car and try and put it in front of as many people as possible to see who's going to come with you.
- Interviews
Hi, I hope the sun is shining for you today, where are you?
How would you describe your sound to people that have not heard your music yet?
I think we’re a band that needs to be seen to be understood. But I think we've stepped into a territory where without being or sounding too arrogant, I would describe our sound as Exit Calm. I think we've really become something more than the sound that comes out of the speakers. Were much more than that - were all about connecting with people and communicating a way beyond words and descriptions.
There are a lot of bands, making a lot of noise out there, what makes Exit Calm different?
Were doing exactly what we want to do. We’re not a part of any scene, movement or fashion. We make the music we want to make and we do it with absolute honesty.
How did the band come together and when?
With fate and luck we got together about 6 years ago. Were about to release our second album in September and it all feels as good as it ever has done.
Where was your first gig and, what are the key memories?
Our first gig was in
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Hi there. Hope all is well with you today, where are you?
I'm en route back to
Fourth Album and you have Bobby Keys and Catlin Rose on the
record, happy?.. how did that come about?
Well Caitlin and I have been together for close to 3 years so that's an easy one.
With Bobby, we'd played a couple shows with him in
Fingers tribute night, so we struck up a friendship and he was kind enough to assist
us on the record.
Did you try anything new in the studio this time around that you
hadn’t onthe other three records?
Overall, we just spent a lot more time recording this time around. We
didn't want to settle, and I don't think we did. Also, we did this record
on protools as opposed to analog for the previous three. It allowed us to
focus a little more on vocals and it streamlined the whole process, by our
standards of course.
What are the Up’s & down’s of being based in
The central location of
close to a bunch of different markets which makes touring so much easier
and more economic then say, doing it out of
the scene is so saturated that it's easy to feel like a drop of water in
an endless sea.
There seem to be a strong influence in your music from the Stones,
Eagles and Tom Petty; is that a fair assessment?
No matter how hard we try, it's hard not to come across as a heavily
classic rock-influenced band. I'm over fighting the label, I think it's
just in the genetic makeup of the band.
