1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:23,196 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Polly Jeene Harvey, better known as PJ Harvey, is 2 00:00:23,236 --> 00:00:26,316 Speaker 1: without question one of my favorite songwriters of all time. 3 00:00:27,036 --> 00:00:29,556 Speaker 1: Her debut album Dry came out in ninety three. It 4 00:00:29,596 --> 00:00:32,676 Speaker 1: is what the La Times called a near instant classic. 5 00:00:33,276 --> 00:00:35,436 Speaker 1: The same with her sophomore release, rid of Me, which 6 00:00:35,436 --> 00:00:39,556 Speaker 1: became an inspiration for Navana's last album, in Utero. Ten 7 00:00:39,596 --> 00:00:42,276 Speaker 1: albums later, and Polly continues to be not only a 8 00:00:42,316 --> 00:00:45,236 Speaker 1: remarkable songwriter on her new album Eye inside the old 9 00:00:45,276 --> 00:00:49,196 Speaker 1: You're Dying, but maybe more impressively, continues to find new 10 00:00:49,316 --> 00:00:53,116 Speaker 1: musical territory and new voices to write from, keeping her 11 00:00:53,116 --> 00:00:55,756 Speaker 1: songs and artistry as interesting as they were when she 12 00:00:55,836 --> 00:00:59,396 Speaker 1: first put out music over thirty years ago. John Parrish, 13 00:00:59,396 --> 00:01:02,196 Speaker 1: who's been a frequent collaborator of Polly since the eighties, 14 00:01:02,556 --> 00:01:05,676 Speaker 1: produced the new album along with Flood, and joins me 15 00:01:05,716 --> 00:01:08,756 Speaker 1: in conversation with Polly to discuss their process of working together, 16 00:01:09,116 --> 00:01:12,196 Speaker 1: beauty of Polly's last few albums, and how they bonded 17 00:01:12,276 --> 00:01:18,276 Speaker 1: a long time ago over Captain b Fire. This is 18 00:01:18,356 --> 00:01:22,156 Speaker 1: broken record liner notes for the digital age. I'm justin Richmond. 19 00:01:22,916 --> 00:01:27,876 Speaker 1: Here's my conversation with PJ Harvey and John Parrish. I'm 20 00:01:27,996 --> 00:01:30,396 Speaker 1: very excited to be able to talk to both of you. 21 00:01:30,636 --> 00:01:33,316 Speaker 1: I don't always think about you guys in Unison, so 22 00:01:33,356 --> 00:01:35,836 Speaker 1: it was fun to sort of think about how you 23 00:01:35,876 --> 00:01:38,396 Speaker 1: guys worked together on these things. But you guys met 24 00:01:38,436 --> 00:01:41,076 Speaker 1: in the eighties, which I didn't realize was the case. 25 00:01:41,556 --> 00:01:42,036 Speaker 1: That's right. 26 00:01:42,116 --> 00:01:46,636 Speaker 2: We met in the in nineteen eighty seven, I believe. 27 00:01:47,196 --> 00:01:49,956 Speaker 1: And it was through your band, John. 28 00:01:51,436 --> 00:01:54,356 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, it was. It was the guitar player in 29 00:01:54,396 --> 00:01:57,476 Speaker 2: my band, Jeremy Hogg, had met Polly at a party 30 00:01:57,556 --> 00:02:00,276 Speaker 2: and she'd been singing some songs and he was really 31 00:02:00,316 --> 00:02:03,676 Speaker 2: impressed with the only mentioned he mentioned her to May 32 00:02:03,836 --> 00:02:06,876 Speaker 2: and then she came to a couple of gigs of 33 00:02:07,076 --> 00:02:10,276 Speaker 2: the band and gave me some tapes songs she was. 34 00:02:10,716 --> 00:02:13,356 Speaker 2: She was a teenager and her voice already sounded really 35 00:02:13,396 --> 00:02:15,836 Speaker 2: great to me back at that time, so I asked 36 00:02:15,836 --> 00:02:18,476 Speaker 2: if she wanted to join the band when she left school. 37 00:02:21,916 --> 00:02:24,916 Speaker 3: I think you did it audition me, sort of sort 38 00:02:24,916 --> 00:02:26,276 Speaker 3: of auditioned me first. 39 00:02:26,716 --> 00:02:30,436 Speaker 2: It was it was a sham audition because you're definitely what. 40 00:02:33,796 --> 00:02:36,036 Speaker 3: I came up to Bristol, didn't I. And we just 41 00:02:36,236 --> 00:02:40,476 Speaker 3: we played through some of your band automatic the Meani's 42 00:02:40,716 --> 00:02:42,996 Speaker 3: main riffs. I think you were just listening to see 43 00:02:42,996 --> 00:02:45,956 Speaker 3: if I could play the riff with feel or not, 44 00:02:46,076 --> 00:02:50,036 Speaker 3: because I wasn't a very adept guitar player at that point. 45 00:02:50,236 --> 00:02:54,076 Speaker 3: I could play chords, but I wasn't very adept at 46 00:02:54,076 --> 00:02:57,796 Speaker 3: anything else, and a lot of John's music was based 47 00:02:57,836 --> 00:03:01,756 Speaker 3: more around melodies than chord structures. So I remember playing 48 00:03:01,796 --> 00:03:04,436 Speaker 3: through some melodies on the guitar with you. John. I 49 00:03:04,516 --> 00:03:06,396 Speaker 3: think you were just trying to see if I could 50 00:03:06,436 --> 00:03:09,036 Speaker 3: play with feel or not. In fact, I often talked 51 00:03:09,156 --> 00:03:11,996 Speaker 3: about feel, you know, just when I'm talking about music, 52 00:03:11,996 --> 00:03:15,276 Speaker 3: because I think the feel that I play with is 53 00:03:15,316 --> 00:03:19,556 Speaker 3: what I learned from John, because we often recognize how 54 00:03:19,596 --> 00:03:22,796 Speaker 3: similar we'd play. If I've written a part on the 55 00:03:22,836 --> 00:03:25,676 Speaker 3: guitar and I'm asking John to play it for live performance, 56 00:03:26,196 --> 00:03:28,196 Speaker 3: he plays it just like me. But that's because I 57 00:03:28,316 --> 00:03:34,676 Speaker 3: play like him, because he play finding a circle like that. 58 00:03:34,836 --> 00:03:36,756 Speaker 1: So you don't think before that audition or that time 59 00:03:36,796 --> 00:03:39,836 Speaker 1: you started playing with automatic meaning that you played, your 60 00:03:39,836 --> 00:03:42,556 Speaker 1: playing was different before then you think, well, I. 61 00:03:42,596 --> 00:03:45,876 Speaker 3: Was just I hadn't been playing guitar for very long, 62 00:03:45,916 --> 00:03:48,636 Speaker 3: and so all I could play was chords on the guitar. 63 00:03:48,916 --> 00:03:52,236 Speaker 3: I could play saxophone quite well, and I think I'd 64 00:03:52,276 --> 00:03:56,716 Speaker 3: got to grade seven on saxophone, but I'd only just 65 00:03:56,756 --> 00:03:59,716 Speaker 3: started playing the guitar, and all I knew was chords 66 00:03:59,716 --> 00:04:03,036 Speaker 3: that I learned from songbook, and I didn't really pick 67 00:04:03,036 --> 00:04:05,916 Speaker 3: out melodies. But then when I met John, I started 68 00:04:05,996 --> 00:04:12,196 Speaker 3: learning about fingerpicking melodies, and then I practice with records 69 00:04:12,196 --> 00:04:14,636 Speaker 3: at home a lot of those with things that John 70 00:04:14,636 --> 00:04:17,956 Speaker 3: had introduced me to, like Captain Beefhart, things like that. 71 00:04:18,716 --> 00:04:22,756 Speaker 1: Damn, wow, you were put Captain bee Far. 72 00:04:22,796 --> 00:04:24,996 Speaker 4: It's a lot to ask of like a sixteen, seventeen, 73 00:04:25,076 --> 00:04:28,436 Speaker 4: eighteen year old that I'm still trying to crack. Like 74 00:04:28,476 --> 00:04:31,436 Speaker 4: I got seen as milk, I can get it as milk, 75 00:04:31,476 --> 00:04:34,276 Speaker 4: and then it goes behind that and still breaks my brain. 76 00:04:35,196 --> 00:04:38,596 Speaker 2: Yeah, I had had high expectations, which which she which 77 00:04:38,636 --> 00:04:40,636 Speaker 2: she she always met, So it was. 78 00:04:42,116 --> 00:04:43,556 Speaker 1: So that must have been the kind of stuff John 79 00:04:43,556 --> 00:04:45,476 Speaker 1: that you were Really you're kind of like go to. 80 00:04:46,676 --> 00:04:50,156 Speaker 2: I guess Captain beef stuff has been for years and years, 81 00:04:50,196 --> 00:04:53,676 Speaker 2: you know, the years obviously an absolute one off in 82 00:04:53,796 --> 00:04:56,996 Speaker 2: what he's done, and it's very difficult to get tired 83 00:04:57,516 --> 00:05:00,236 Speaker 2: of listening to him because you're always finding something new. 84 00:05:00,276 --> 00:05:02,796 Speaker 2: You know, I've been listening to those records for forty 85 00:05:02,876 --> 00:05:05,716 Speaker 2: years and there's still ill still think, oh, I suddenly 86 00:05:05,756 --> 00:05:07,796 Speaker 2: see how that works. Because a lot of it to 87 00:05:07,836 --> 00:05:10,556 Speaker 2: me was just like a a weird puzzle. That was 88 00:05:10,556 --> 00:05:12,596 Speaker 2: how I got interested in the first place, because I 89 00:05:12,596 --> 00:05:15,356 Speaker 2: didn't understand it, and I thought I understood music. And 90 00:05:15,396 --> 00:05:18,036 Speaker 2: when I first said kept in b fhar, I thought, 91 00:05:18,116 --> 00:05:20,276 Speaker 2: I don't know what's going on here. I can't figure 92 00:05:20,276 --> 00:05:23,476 Speaker 2: out who's saying, why they're doing it. Nothing made sense. 93 00:05:24,316 --> 00:05:26,516 Speaker 2: But I was kind of interested enough to keep listening 94 00:05:26,596 --> 00:05:28,716 Speaker 2: because I realized it had a physical effect on me, 95 00:05:29,316 --> 00:05:31,036 Speaker 2: and I had a physical effect on other people that 96 00:05:31,036 --> 00:05:32,036 Speaker 2: were listening to it as well. 97 00:05:32,116 --> 00:05:34,516 Speaker 1: So it wasn't just that it was like bizarre that 98 00:05:34,596 --> 00:05:36,596 Speaker 1: it was that you didn't understand it, but you could 99 00:05:36,596 --> 00:05:37,236 Speaker 1: feel it still. 100 00:05:37,396 --> 00:05:39,396 Speaker 2: I felt that there was something there. It was like 101 00:05:39,476 --> 00:05:42,276 Speaker 2: hearing a foreign language and you're not not knowing what's 102 00:05:42,276 --> 00:05:44,276 Speaker 2: going on, and then you listen to it enough times 103 00:05:44,276 --> 00:05:46,516 Speaker 2: and gradually, like there's some words, you think, oh, I 104 00:05:46,556 --> 00:05:49,356 Speaker 2: know what that word is, and you know you can 105 00:05:49,396 --> 00:05:51,876 Speaker 2: put a couple of sentences together. And it was really 106 00:05:51,996 --> 00:05:54,556 Speaker 2: like that. I gradually got to understand it in a 107 00:05:54,596 --> 00:05:57,036 Speaker 2: way just by listening to it. And there are still 108 00:05:57,036 --> 00:06:01,156 Speaker 2: things that I'm discovering now, So absolutely still go to 109 00:06:01,476 --> 00:06:02,076 Speaker 2: May for sure. 110 00:06:02,116 --> 00:06:06,556 Speaker 1: That's great. So before trout Mask Replica Parli, like, what 111 00:06:06,676 --> 00:06:11,756 Speaker 1: was before that awakening? What was would have been the 112 00:06:11,836 --> 00:06:13,716 Speaker 1: things that you were really loving to listen to at 113 00:06:13,756 --> 00:06:14,196 Speaker 1: that time. 114 00:06:15,356 --> 00:06:18,876 Speaker 3: Oh, I remember loving the Pogues at that time and 115 00:06:18,916 --> 00:06:21,236 Speaker 3: the little band that I had, which was only a 116 00:06:21,236 --> 00:06:24,116 Speaker 3: three tiny, three piece band. It was me on an 117 00:06:24,156 --> 00:06:26,636 Speaker 3: acoustic guitar, a girl on a flute and a penny 118 00:06:26,636 --> 00:06:29,316 Speaker 3: whistle friend of mine called Catherine, and this guy called 119 00:06:29,356 --> 00:06:31,556 Speaker 3: Gus on the bass, and we used to do a 120 00:06:31,596 --> 00:06:33,876 Speaker 3: lot of folk covers. I think when John came to 121 00:06:33,916 --> 00:06:36,316 Speaker 3: see me, that's what I was doing in the local pub. 122 00:06:36,756 --> 00:06:38,716 Speaker 3: But so I loved things like the Post because I 123 00:06:38,716 --> 00:06:42,196 Speaker 3: could hear that it was folk music, which I loved, 124 00:06:42,236 --> 00:06:46,716 Speaker 3: but it also had rebellion and spirit and punk. And 125 00:06:46,796 --> 00:06:49,476 Speaker 3: then I fell in love with the Pixies as well, 126 00:06:50,076 --> 00:06:52,956 Speaker 3: and they were a huge influence on me. I think 127 00:06:53,036 --> 00:06:55,476 Speaker 3: John knew. I think you introduced me to Nick Cave 128 00:06:55,556 --> 00:06:59,156 Speaker 3: in the Bad Seas because I remember you playing Cabin Fever. 129 00:06:59,716 --> 00:07:02,316 Speaker 3: You know what you were just describing about chout Mass Replica. 130 00:07:02,356 --> 00:07:04,716 Speaker 3: I remember listening to that going, I don't know what 131 00:07:04,756 --> 00:07:07,916 Speaker 3: this is and it made me feel seasick. I just 132 00:07:07,956 --> 00:07:10,636 Speaker 3: didn't know what I was listening too. And you played 133 00:07:10,636 --> 00:07:13,756 Speaker 3: me from Her to Eternity as well, and then I 134 00:07:13,876 --> 00:07:17,516 Speaker 3: really got into Nick Cave in the Bad Seats and 135 00:07:17,636 --> 00:07:20,516 Speaker 3: Tom Waits. I don't think I knew weights, and then 136 00:07:20,596 --> 00:07:23,116 Speaker 3: John introduced me to that and that was a massive 137 00:07:23,636 --> 00:07:25,876 Speaker 3: influence on me. So I had this sort of mixture 138 00:07:25,956 --> 00:07:29,836 Speaker 3: of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, the Pixies, Captain b Phart, 139 00:07:29,876 --> 00:07:33,196 Speaker 3: and then my mum and dad's collection of records, which 140 00:07:33,596 --> 00:07:36,636 Speaker 3: was brilliant, mostly Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. It's 141 00:07:36,676 --> 00:07:37,756 Speaker 3: all sort of off sot with that. 142 00:07:38,396 --> 00:07:40,156 Speaker 1: I love it. I can. I can hear that feel 143 00:07:40,196 --> 00:07:43,116 Speaker 1: and you're playing that there's some stones in there, some 144 00:07:43,236 --> 00:07:47,396 Speaker 1: stones in the Pies. You mentioned your sax plane when 145 00:07:47,396 --> 00:07:50,996 Speaker 1: you're growing up playing sax in Endorset, like, is it 146 00:07:51,076 --> 00:07:54,316 Speaker 1: a jazz ensemble or is it more as part of 147 00:07:54,356 --> 00:07:57,116 Speaker 1: like a like a brass ensemble in the classical sense. 148 00:07:57,236 --> 00:08:00,276 Speaker 3: Well, my mum and my dad were always very into music, 149 00:08:00,916 --> 00:08:03,556 Speaker 3: so much so that they had a group of friends 150 00:08:04,076 --> 00:08:08,156 Speaker 3: that were London based that started introducing them to rhythm 151 00:08:08,156 --> 00:08:13,996 Speaker 3: and blues bands from London that my mom started then 152 00:08:14,356 --> 00:08:17,236 Speaker 3: bringing those bands down to play in the local village 153 00:08:17,236 --> 00:08:21,156 Speaker 3: tools in our village areas. So we'd end up with 154 00:08:21,236 --> 00:08:24,636 Speaker 3: these rhythm and blues and boogie woogie bands staying with 155 00:08:24,716 --> 00:08:27,956 Speaker 3: us nearly every weekend and some great players. And that's 156 00:08:27,996 --> 00:08:30,316 Speaker 3: when I thought, oh, I really loved saxophone. And then 157 00:08:30,636 --> 00:08:33,996 Speaker 3: they'd start giving me ad hoc lessons on the saxophone 158 00:08:34,036 --> 00:08:37,076 Speaker 3: when they're staying and I started learning at school, so 159 00:08:37,116 --> 00:08:39,956 Speaker 3: that's how that happened. And then I joined the local 160 00:08:40,276 --> 00:08:43,276 Speaker 3: big band. So I was second tenor in a big 161 00:08:43,316 --> 00:08:45,956 Speaker 3: band for quite a few years, which I love because 162 00:08:45,996 --> 00:08:49,836 Speaker 3: you play all those big band standards Wow Wellington and 163 00:08:49,916 --> 00:08:52,956 Speaker 3: you know, played some amazing songs and I learned a 164 00:08:52,956 --> 00:08:58,076 Speaker 3: lot about structure and parts and being one of a 165 00:08:58,116 --> 00:09:00,036 Speaker 3: whole from doing the big band work. 166 00:09:00,476 --> 00:09:02,956 Speaker 1: Were you interested in big band music? 167 00:09:03,236 --> 00:09:07,156 Speaker 3: Not really, No, I wasn't much more into track mass replica, 168 00:09:07,356 --> 00:09:12,876 Speaker 3: but playing in a big band because I guess you know, 169 00:09:13,196 --> 00:09:16,756 Speaker 3: in the way that I love playing in the current 170 00:09:16,796 --> 00:09:19,676 Speaker 3: band we're in. You just learn about listening. You learn 171 00:09:19,716 --> 00:09:22,956 Speaker 3: about listening to each other and you learn about playing 172 00:09:22,996 --> 00:09:25,956 Speaker 3: off of the feel that you're all creating. Then that 173 00:09:26,116 --> 00:09:28,556 Speaker 3: changes all the time. That's what makes it so exciting. 174 00:09:29,156 --> 00:09:31,556 Speaker 1: I was listening to I think you're on it too, John, 175 00:09:31,596 --> 00:09:34,756 Speaker 1: But you did a Ian Stewart tribute. You guys did 176 00:09:34,956 --> 00:09:35,876 Speaker 1: a Lonely Avenue. 177 00:09:36,596 --> 00:09:39,916 Speaker 3: John wasn't on. I was. I did that with my cousin. 178 00:09:40,716 --> 00:09:42,316 Speaker 1: You and your cousin that John might have been on. 179 00:09:42,796 --> 00:09:44,676 Speaker 1: You said, it's so natural doing that. 180 00:09:45,236 --> 00:09:50,516 Speaker 3: So my mum's brother's son, my cousin Ben Waters, he's 181 00:09:50,516 --> 00:09:54,156 Speaker 3: a boogie with pianist, and he became a boogie we 182 00:09:54,316 --> 00:09:58,356 Speaker 3: be peers because he loved seeing Ian Stewart play. 183 00:09:58,476 --> 00:09:58,596 Speaker 2: Now. 184 00:09:58,636 --> 00:10:01,796 Speaker 3: Ian Stewart was often known as the fifth rolling Stone 185 00:10:02,556 --> 00:10:06,476 Speaker 3: or sixth sixth rolling Stone, and well he was. He 186 00:10:06,516 --> 00:10:09,036 Speaker 3: was always in the background. I mean, rumor has it 187 00:10:09,196 --> 00:10:11,036 Speaker 3: that he wasn't in the Stones because he didn't look 188 00:10:11,156 --> 00:10:13,596 Speaker 3: right right. But he was always with the Stones and 189 00:10:13,636 --> 00:10:15,836 Speaker 3: he ended up being their road manager and he played 190 00:10:15,876 --> 00:10:18,876 Speaker 3: on stage with them a lot. You'll often see him 191 00:10:18,916 --> 00:10:21,196 Speaker 3: in the background now. He was a great friend of 192 00:10:21,236 --> 00:10:24,516 Speaker 3: mom and dads. He influenced my cousin to want to 193 00:10:24,556 --> 00:10:28,836 Speaker 3: play boogy boogy piano So now my cousin Ben Waters 194 00:10:28,916 --> 00:10:32,516 Speaker 3: is a professional boogie boogie pianist and he put together 195 00:10:32,556 --> 00:10:36,516 Speaker 3: this tribute to Ian Stewart and that's how that happened. 196 00:10:37,076 --> 00:10:40,036 Speaker 1: So was Ian Stewart around then? Like was he one 197 00:10:40,036 --> 00:10:40,876 Speaker 1: of the exactly? 198 00:10:41,876 --> 00:10:43,556 Speaker 3: You know? I said, my mom and dad had a 199 00:10:43,556 --> 00:10:47,756 Speaker 3: group of friends from London. I'll try and keep it simple, 200 00:10:47,836 --> 00:10:50,556 Speaker 3: but so down here in Dorset where we live, it's 201 00:10:50,596 --> 00:10:54,796 Speaker 3: a very very beautiful part of the countryside with rolling 202 00:10:54,876 --> 00:10:58,676 Speaker 3: hills and an incredible coastline that's now become like a 203 00:10:58,756 --> 00:11:03,076 Speaker 3: World Heritage site. It's called the Jurassic Coast. So people 204 00:11:03,156 --> 00:11:06,956 Speaker 3: from London would just come here every weekend. One of 205 00:11:06,996 --> 00:11:11,516 Speaker 3: them had a flat in this little cove and all 206 00:11:11,516 --> 00:11:13,196 Speaker 3: of the people from London will come here just because 207 00:11:13,196 --> 00:11:15,676 Speaker 3: it was so beautiful to escape London. And mom and dad, 208 00:11:16,316 --> 00:11:19,316 Speaker 3: who lived down here already met those people. One of 209 00:11:19,356 --> 00:11:21,316 Speaker 3: those people that used to come down every weekend was 210 00:11:21,356 --> 00:11:24,836 Speaker 3: Ian Stewart. He was the one that introduced mum and 211 00:11:24,916 --> 00:11:28,156 Speaker 3: dad to all of these bands from London that ended 212 00:11:28,236 --> 00:11:31,236 Speaker 3: up coming down to play. And one of all bands 213 00:11:31,356 --> 00:11:33,716 Speaker 3: was Ian's band, which was called Rocket eighty eight. 214 00:11:34,036 --> 00:11:36,396 Speaker 1: Right right, which would I guess would have been based 215 00:11:36,436 --> 00:11:39,436 Speaker 1: on that. I turned it song from way back when 216 00:11:39,796 --> 00:11:41,756 Speaker 1: growing when you've seen him, did you know he's part 217 00:11:41,796 --> 00:11:44,236 Speaker 1: of the Rolling Stone and maybe the founder of the 218 00:11:44,276 --> 00:11:44,876 Speaker 1: Stones too. 219 00:11:45,076 --> 00:11:47,716 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah we did, and me and my brother and 220 00:11:47,756 --> 00:11:51,476 Speaker 3: because Charlie Watts came down and Charlie played in Rocket 221 00:11:51,476 --> 00:11:55,036 Speaker 3: eighty eight, you see, So Charlie Charlie ended up coming 222 00:11:55,036 --> 00:11:57,916 Speaker 3: and staying in our house. And I remember my brother 223 00:11:57,956 --> 00:11:59,876 Speaker 3: and I following him around because we knew that he 224 00:11:59,956 --> 00:12:02,716 Speaker 3: was famous, so we just followed him around the house 225 00:12:02,756 --> 00:12:09,436 Speaker 3: the entire time, followed Garden, followed him every where. 226 00:12:09,996 --> 00:12:12,916 Speaker 1: Did you ever talk to him after following him? 227 00:12:12,716 --> 00:12:15,116 Speaker 3: I h I think maybe a little bit. We were 228 00:12:15,156 --> 00:12:17,076 Speaker 3: a bit shy because we were quite young. Then. 229 00:12:17,676 --> 00:12:22,556 Speaker 1: Yeah, that is a crazy experience. I love Charlie Watts. 230 00:12:22,756 --> 00:12:24,756 Speaker 1: I was trying to figure out. I feel like the 231 00:12:24,836 --> 00:12:29,996 Speaker 1: last decade or so has been a really fruitful I 232 00:12:29,996 --> 00:12:32,396 Speaker 1: seem to have read that it was a little difficult maybe, 233 00:12:32,396 --> 00:12:35,196 Speaker 1: but a really fruitful run of records from like Let 234 00:12:35,276 --> 00:12:37,996 Speaker 1: England Shake to Eye Inside the Old Year of Dying. 235 00:12:38,036 --> 00:12:40,116 Speaker 1: I mean, just the three records that have come out 236 00:12:40,116 --> 00:12:43,476 Speaker 1: in that time have just been really moving and interesting. 237 00:12:44,076 --> 00:12:47,796 Speaker 1: But I was thinking about you guys' earliest work compared 238 00:12:47,836 --> 00:12:51,076 Speaker 1: to this, and I mean, how does your guys' creative 239 00:12:51,076 --> 00:12:55,476 Speaker 1: relationship work this well over time? I mean, it's just 240 00:12:55,516 --> 00:12:58,316 Speaker 1: insane that you guys are sort of still seemingly, to 241 00:12:58,396 --> 00:13:01,276 Speaker 1: the listener's point of view, like in lockstep creatively. 242 00:13:02,396 --> 00:13:06,476 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think that that's quite rare to 243 00:13:06,556 --> 00:13:11,876 Speaker 2: be a good creative relationship for that many years. I 244 00:13:11,876 --> 00:13:15,956 Speaker 2: think we're both really appreciative of that. I mean, it's 245 00:13:15,996 --> 00:13:17,996 Speaker 2: not something that you can make happen. It's either there 246 00:13:18,396 --> 00:13:22,676 Speaker 2: or it's not. And I think that we've been lucky 247 00:13:22,756 --> 00:13:27,396 Speaker 2: that we've, for whatever reason, creatively developed along similar lines 248 00:13:27,476 --> 00:13:30,076 Speaker 2: or parallel lines for a long time. But we've always 249 00:13:30,196 --> 00:13:32,996 Speaker 2: kind of understood what each other's doing, and we know 250 00:13:33,036 --> 00:13:36,036 Speaker 2: each other's parameters really well. So it's very easy to 251 00:13:36,356 --> 00:13:39,716 Speaker 2: judge things you know for each other and accept judgment 252 00:13:39,756 --> 00:13:43,516 Speaker 2: from each other because we understand the parameters. We also 253 00:13:44,476 --> 00:13:47,396 Speaker 2: trust each other implicitly, and that's again, it's not something 254 00:13:47,436 --> 00:13:51,076 Speaker 2: that you can make happen. It's either there or it's not. 255 00:13:51,276 --> 00:13:54,636 Speaker 2: And again, we're really appreciative that we have that because 256 00:13:55,236 --> 00:13:59,396 Speaker 2: it just feels like when we're working together in the studio, 257 00:13:59,836 --> 00:14:02,596 Speaker 2: and particularly when we're working with Flood as well. He's 258 00:14:02,636 --> 00:14:04,996 Speaker 2: obviously been a part of all of those records. It 259 00:14:04,996 --> 00:14:10,036 Speaker 2: feels like a very an incredibly strong creative unit. It 260 00:14:10,076 --> 00:14:12,676 Speaker 2: creates a situation where people are not afraid to take 261 00:14:12,796 --> 00:14:15,796 Speaker 2: chances and not afraid to take risks, and we know 262 00:14:15,916 --> 00:14:19,756 Speaker 2: that there will always be somebody there to either support 263 00:14:19,796 --> 00:14:23,556 Speaker 2: it or to say, actually that's not working, but maybe 264 00:14:23,676 --> 00:14:26,676 Speaker 2: it's a route to something else. And it is afraid. 265 00:14:27,036 --> 00:14:30,036 Speaker 2: You know, we're not worried about trying something and not 266 00:14:30,156 --> 00:14:33,956 Speaker 2: working and then somebody thinking then they're not really very good. 267 00:14:33,996 --> 00:14:37,116 Speaker 2: You know. We know that we have great respect for 268 00:14:37,156 --> 00:14:41,196 Speaker 2: each other, the terrific trust, and that's been absolutely foundational 269 00:14:41,476 --> 00:14:43,956 Speaker 2: to the work. I think, yeah, I. 270 00:14:43,876 --> 00:14:47,516 Speaker 3: Mean I completely agree with John. I think it's having 271 00:14:47,556 --> 00:14:49,916 Speaker 3: that level of trust because we've known each other for 272 00:14:49,956 --> 00:14:52,756 Speaker 3: a long time and we've been through a lot together, myself, 273 00:14:52,836 --> 00:14:57,156 Speaker 3: John arm Flood, and so then you can just be 274 00:14:57,236 --> 00:15:00,236 Speaker 3: so open, you can be so risk taking and come 275 00:15:00,316 --> 00:15:02,516 Speaker 3: up with crazy ideas and we'll have a go at 276 00:15:02,516 --> 00:15:04,516 Speaker 3: them anyway, and then a lot of them fall down 277 00:15:04,516 --> 00:15:06,596 Speaker 3: and theyre rubbish and we just laugh about it because 278 00:15:06,676 --> 00:15:08,716 Speaker 3: and the other thing is We do laugh a lot. 279 00:15:09,156 --> 00:15:10,956 Speaker 3: We have a similar sense of humors. We spend a 280 00:15:10,996 --> 00:15:13,876 Speaker 3: lot of time laughing and that really helps. And we 281 00:15:13,916 --> 00:15:16,476 Speaker 3: don't have egos in the sense of needing to hold 282 00:15:16,516 --> 00:15:19,076 Speaker 3: on to some precious idea. We just let it go 283 00:15:19,196 --> 00:15:21,836 Speaker 3: and we try something else. So it makes for a 284 00:15:21,996 --> 00:15:29,236 Speaker 3: really wonderful inspirational collaboration. You're just constantly firing ideas off 285 00:15:29,236 --> 00:15:29,676 Speaker 3: each other. 286 00:15:31,276 --> 00:15:32,956 Speaker 1: After this break, we'll be back with more of our 287 00:15:32,996 --> 00:15:36,676 Speaker 1: conversation with John Parrish and the One and Only PJ. Harvey. 288 00:15:40,956 --> 00:15:43,996 Speaker 1: We're back with more from John Parrish and PJ. Harvey. 289 00:15:44,916 --> 00:15:49,276 Speaker 1: Speaking of like being open to ideas, the demos to 290 00:15:49,316 --> 00:15:51,956 Speaker 1: Let England Shape were really fascinating. There's a lot of 291 00:15:52,836 --> 00:15:56,436 Speaker 1: you singing, not even singing, but you writing songs over 292 00:15:56,916 --> 00:16:01,836 Speaker 1: samples of things. Yeah, which is a really wild idea. 293 00:16:01,836 --> 00:16:05,156 Speaker 1: I've never heard demos that sound that way. How did 294 00:16:05,196 --> 00:16:07,956 Speaker 1: you start demoing songs that way for that record? 295 00:16:08,636 --> 00:16:12,116 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was the first time I'd done that. It 296 00:16:12,196 --> 00:16:16,236 Speaker 3: was going back to feel. It was some pieces of 297 00:16:16,316 --> 00:16:18,956 Speaker 3: music I loved the feel of, but also the words 298 00:16:19,076 --> 00:16:22,596 Speaker 3: were absolutely right for the words and the lyrics I 299 00:16:22,676 --> 00:16:26,436 Speaker 3: was creating, so I only used loops of things that 300 00:16:26,676 --> 00:16:30,796 Speaker 3: resonated with the subject matter of the song, so that 301 00:16:30,956 --> 00:16:35,316 Speaker 3: made for a really strong combination. And then some of 302 00:16:35,356 --> 00:16:38,356 Speaker 3: those loops we did use in the eventual recording, and 303 00:16:38,436 --> 00:16:39,836 Speaker 3: some of them we didn't, or some of them we 304 00:16:39,956 --> 00:16:43,396 Speaker 3: just referenced, but we used parts of on So it 305 00:16:43,476 --> 00:16:46,836 Speaker 3: was just a good launching pad for me as I 306 00:16:46,876 --> 00:16:49,516 Speaker 3: was trying to find my way into what I was writing. 307 00:16:49,916 --> 00:16:51,716 Speaker 3: And you can also hear on the demos I was 308 00:16:51,756 --> 00:16:54,356 Speaker 3: mapping out vocal ideas as well, because I knew I 309 00:16:54,436 --> 00:16:59,636 Speaker 3: wanted lots of additional singers. But it's very interesting to hear. 310 00:16:59,676 --> 00:17:03,596 Speaker 3: How then those demos then moved into the final recordings 311 00:17:03,636 --> 00:17:05,596 Speaker 3: and that changed quite a bit. John, I don't know 312 00:17:05,596 --> 00:17:07,916 Speaker 3: if you want to say about I think our environment 313 00:17:08,036 --> 00:17:10,076 Speaker 3: just being in each church had a big impact. 314 00:17:10,596 --> 00:17:13,156 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it did. It was a great session. The 315 00:17:13,196 --> 00:17:16,996 Speaker 2: demos were really interesting. We didn't want to use like 316 00:17:17,116 --> 00:17:20,796 Speaker 2: whole loops going through all the tracks, you know, and 317 00:17:20,956 --> 00:17:25,476 Speaker 2: so we approach in different ways, either sometimes replaying some things, 318 00:17:25,756 --> 00:17:30,516 Speaker 2: replaying little bits and pieces of them, or using sort 319 00:17:30,556 --> 00:17:34,516 Speaker 2: of segments instead. But it was such a strong body 320 00:17:34,516 --> 00:17:38,196 Speaker 2: of songs and lyrically, it was a big departure for Polly. 321 00:17:38,436 --> 00:17:40,396 Speaker 1: Well, and how do you view that as someone who's 322 00:17:40,436 --> 00:17:41,996 Speaker 1: worked alongside her for so long? 323 00:17:42,076 --> 00:17:44,436 Speaker 2: You know, I have to say when Police first said 324 00:17:44,596 --> 00:17:48,836 Speaker 2: that she was writing an album of songs loosely about war, 325 00:17:49,316 --> 00:17:52,036 Speaker 2: I was a little bit nervous as to how she 326 00:17:52,156 --> 00:17:53,796 Speaker 2: was going to pull that off, because I think that's 327 00:17:53,836 --> 00:17:59,356 Speaker 2: act an incredibly difficult thing to do in an artistically 328 00:17:59,396 --> 00:18:02,436 Speaker 2: successful way. As soon as I heard the first three 329 00:18:02,476 --> 00:18:04,676 Speaker 2: or four demos, I was like, Okay, these are great. 330 00:18:05,196 --> 00:18:07,876 Speaker 2: She's totally going to do it. And it tears a 331 00:18:08,076 --> 00:18:11,316 Speaker 2: tremendously press his piece of writing. All the songs on 332 00:18:11,316 --> 00:18:15,196 Speaker 2: that record. When we came to record them, it was 333 00:18:15,236 --> 00:18:18,836 Speaker 2: the most open that Polly had been in a recording situation. 334 00:18:19,516 --> 00:18:22,036 Speaker 2: And I don't know whether that was just the time 335 00:18:22,036 --> 00:18:25,916 Speaker 2: of the development as an artist, the development of Polly's 336 00:18:25,956 --> 00:18:28,596 Speaker 2: a human being, or the fact that the songs were 337 00:18:28,716 --> 00:18:32,076 Speaker 2: very much the third person up until that time. You 338 00:18:32,076 --> 00:18:35,236 Speaker 2: could say there was a degree. Well, certainly people would 339 00:18:35,276 --> 00:18:38,636 Speaker 2: interpret most of the songs before that as being Polly 340 00:18:38,636 --> 00:18:41,876 Speaker 2: writing the first person, even if they weren't, whereas this 341 00:18:41,956 --> 00:18:45,276 Speaker 2: group of songs you do absolutely couldn't. I suppose you 342 00:18:45,316 --> 00:18:47,716 Speaker 2: could try and glean some kind of idea what she 343 00:18:47,796 --> 00:18:51,356 Speaker 2: might think about historical events or current events, and how 344 00:18:51,396 --> 00:18:54,716 Speaker 2: she was timed the two together. But for whatever reason, 345 00:18:55,596 --> 00:19:01,116 Speaker 2: in that session, Polly was incredibly open to the process. 346 00:19:01,276 --> 00:19:03,556 Speaker 2: Maybe it was also to do with being very confident 347 00:19:03,596 --> 00:19:06,676 Speaker 2: in the material. The songs came together very very quickly 348 00:19:07,116 --> 00:19:09,996 Speaker 2: in a beautiful space. It was a big open space 349 00:19:10,596 --> 00:19:12,996 Speaker 2: church where we could all play at the same time, 350 00:19:13,836 --> 00:19:16,196 Speaker 2: and literally every day we would start a new song 351 00:19:16,316 --> 00:19:19,516 Speaker 2: and we wouldn't really know how it was going to 352 00:19:19,676 --> 00:19:21,916 Speaker 2: work out. We wouldn't even know who was going to 353 00:19:21,956 --> 00:19:25,396 Speaker 2: play what instrument, you know, whether Mick would be playing 354 00:19:25,436 --> 00:19:27,476 Speaker 2: drums or whether I would be playing drums, and then 355 00:19:27,796 --> 00:19:29,956 Speaker 2: the other one of us would be playing either guitar 356 00:19:30,036 --> 00:19:32,956 Speaker 2: or keepers or Poly might be playing guitar or auto harp. 357 00:19:33,036 --> 00:19:35,836 Speaker 2: It was really, this is the song. It's a great song, 358 00:19:35,876 --> 00:19:37,796 Speaker 2: let's see where we can take it. And by the 359 00:19:37,876 --> 00:19:40,796 Speaker 2: end of each day pretty much the song had really 360 00:19:40,836 --> 00:19:45,076 Speaker 2: found its own direction. It was a really tremendous session. 361 00:19:45,516 --> 00:19:47,636 Speaker 1: Does that feel true to you probably in terms of 362 00:19:47,636 --> 00:19:50,956 Speaker 1: this feeling like this writing being a little bit different 363 00:19:50,996 --> 00:19:52,436 Speaker 1: than your other writing before it. 364 00:19:52,836 --> 00:19:59,636 Speaker 3: Yeah, definitely. I remember after White Chalk I just knew 365 00:19:59,836 --> 00:20:05,196 Speaker 3: I needed to find a completely vibrant and exciting new 366 00:20:05,276 --> 00:20:08,196 Speaker 3: path for myself, and I didn't know what that was, 367 00:20:08,236 --> 00:20:11,116 Speaker 3: and it took quite a lot time to find it. 368 00:20:12,076 --> 00:20:15,996 Speaker 3: And anything I write about, I've got to feel very 369 00:20:16,036 --> 00:20:19,156 Speaker 3: deeply emotionally connected to it or very moved by it. 370 00:20:19,196 --> 00:20:22,076 Speaker 3: And I can remember at that time that England was 371 00:20:22,116 --> 00:20:26,676 Speaker 3: involved in the Afghan War and the Iraq War, and 372 00:20:26,716 --> 00:20:29,796 Speaker 3: I think I was just watching a program, a documentary 373 00:20:30,436 --> 00:20:34,916 Speaker 3: about one soldier who'd been wounded in the war in Afghanistan, 374 00:20:34,956 --> 00:20:37,836 Speaker 3: and I just found it so incredibly upsetting. I just 375 00:20:37,876 --> 00:20:41,596 Speaker 3: remember this whole night feeling so upset, and I thought, 376 00:20:42,516 --> 00:20:45,156 Speaker 3: you should write about that if you're feeling this upset. 377 00:20:45,396 --> 00:20:48,196 Speaker 3: I think I was crying, you know, right like that, 378 00:20:48,596 --> 00:20:50,796 Speaker 3: right about that, And that's how I thought, how can 379 00:20:50,836 --> 00:20:53,156 Speaker 3: I write about that? And that's how it began. How 380 00:20:53,596 --> 00:20:56,876 Speaker 3: how do you do that? So that was the starting point, 381 00:20:57,276 --> 00:20:59,436 Speaker 3: and I think I learned a lot from that moment, 382 00:20:59,476 --> 00:21:03,996 Speaker 3: because I think every album I've done since then, I 383 00:21:04,196 --> 00:21:07,316 Speaker 3: have really thought the area that I'm trying to explore 384 00:21:07,396 --> 00:21:09,156 Speaker 3: has to have a lot of meaning for me and 385 00:21:09,236 --> 00:21:12,956 Speaker 3: has to really move me in order to really write 386 00:21:13,036 --> 00:21:13,596 Speaker 3: good work. 387 00:21:14,636 --> 00:21:17,276 Speaker 1: That moving from this is what I should write about? 388 00:21:17,356 --> 00:21:21,196 Speaker 1: To how do I write about it? To actually then 389 00:21:21,276 --> 00:21:25,236 Speaker 1: having written about it before you got anything you felt 390 00:21:25,916 --> 00:21:28,396 Speaker 1: was good? Were there are like a lot of failed 391 00:21:28,396 --> 00:21:30,876 Speaker 1: attempts to write well. 392 00:21:30,996 --> 00:21:33,796 Speaker 3: LANGL and Shake Again was the first time that I 393 00:21:33,876 --> 00:21:38,236 Speaker 3: wrote words firstly alone on a page with no music. 394 00:21:38,596 --> 00:21:41,876 Speaker 3: Prior to that, I'd always created songs in tandem, music 395 00:21:41,956 --> 00:21:45,676 Speaker 3: and lyrics together. They'd grow with each other, and sometimes 396 00:21:45,756 --> 00:21:49,876 Speaker 3: words would grow out of just chanting rhythmically on top 397 00:21:49,916 --> 00:21:51,956 Speaker 3: of a riff that I had on the piano or guitar. 398 00:21:52,676 --> 00:21:55,676 Speaker 3: But this time, because of what John said, like how 399 00:21:55,956 --> 00:21:59,876 Speaker 3: you know it's such a difficult subject, how on earth 400 00:21:59,876 --> 00:22:02,836 Speaker 3: you're going to approach that, I knew I had to 401 00:22:03,156 --> 00:22:05,956 Speaker 3: get the words right, at least a semblance of them 402 00:22:05,996 --> 00:22:09,316 Speaker 3: being right. First is that I couldn't just improvise words 403 00:22:09,356 --> 00:22:10,156 Speaker 3: on top of music. 404 00:22:10,236 --> 00:22:10,436 Speaker 1: Here. 405 00:22:10,836 --> 00:22:13,996 Speaker 3: I had to think really carefully about what I was saying. 406 00:22:13,996 --> 00:22:17,196 Speaker 3: It was a very fine line to tread. And there 407 00:22:17,236 --> 00:22:20,636 Speaker 3: were a lot of words written. I lot it for, 408 00:22:21,156 --> 00:22:23,316 Speaker 3: you know, the songs that made it on the album, 409 00:22:23,396 --> 00:22:25,876 Speaker 3: and a lot of them never came to anything. And 410 00:22:25,916 --> 00:22:27,916 Speaker 3: that's the other thing that was the first time I 411 00:22:27,956 --> 00:22:32,036 Speaker 3: started moving into poetry, and I started taking poetry lessons 412 00:22:32,076 --> 00:22:35,596 Speaker 3: that I wouldn't call letting is not poetry their songs. 413 00:22:36,356 --> 00:22:38,876 Speaker 3: But it was where my interest in wanting to learn 414 00:22:38,916 --> 00:22:42,836 Speaker 3: the craft of poetry began because as a starting point, 415 00:22:42,836 --> 00:22:45,316 Speaker 3: I went and read all the First World War poets 416 00:22:45,796 --> 00:22:50,636 Speaker 3: and I could see this magical craft that they had, 417 00:22:50,756 --> 00:22:52,636 Speaker 3: and I wanted to learn how do you do that? 418 00:22:52,956 --> 00:22:55,036 Speaker 3: So that was the first time I really thought, oh, 419 00:22:55,036 --> 00:22:56,316 Speaker 3: I can't want to go into this, and then I 420 00:22:56,356 --> 00:22:59,556 Speaker 3: moved into it deeper with Hope six and then with 421 00:22:59,836 --> 00:23:01,076 Speaker 3: Iro Inside the Old Year. 422 00:23:01,836 --> 00:23:04,596 Speaker 1: Were you reading a lot of World War One histories 423 00:23:04,676 --> 00:23:05,116 Speaker 1: as well? 424 00:23:05,876 --> 00:23:11,276 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, and contemporary war the time, like Afghan Iraqi war. 425 00:23:12,556 --> 00:23:16,596 Speaker 1: And before this documentary, there was no interest in war, 426 00:23:16,916 --> 00:23:18,276 Speaker 1: no personal interest in war. 427 00:23:18,556 --> 00:23:18,836 Speaker 2: No. 428 00:23:18,836 --> 00:23:24,036 Speaker 3: No, No, always in you know, very engaged with what 429 00:23:24,116 --> 00:23:28,116 Speaker 3: was happening in the world, very upset by current conflicts. 430 00:23:28,956 --> 00:23:34,836 Speaker 3: Always fascinated too by the history of Afghanistan, and I 431 00:23:34,916 --> 00:23:40,676 Speaker 3: always felt drawn to that and Britain's involvement in both 432 00:23:41,316 --> 00:23:44,556 Speaker 3: world wars. So no, I was very interested. It just 433 00:23:44,636 --> 00:23:47,436 Speaker 3: never occurred to me that I could possibly write about it. 434 00:23:47,836 --> 00:23:49,916 Speaker 3: I just didn't be qualified, you know. But you have to. 435 00:23:50,236 --> 00:23:52,836 Speaker 3: I think there's a way in that you don't have 436 00:23:52,996 --> 00:23:55,676 Speaker 3: to be qualified, but you can still walk the right 437 00:23:55,756 --> 00:23:58,956 Speaker 3: line of speaking in a very naive way. I mean 438 00:23:59,396 --> 00:24:03,716 Speaker 3: often think of William Blake's Songs of Innocence Experience, because 439 00:24:04,396 --> 00:24:08,596 Speaker 3: that tiny little book is basically how to live, you know, 440 00:24:09,196 --> 00:24:12,676 Speaker 3: but it's written like children's nursery rhymes. So I think 441 00:24:12,716 --> 00:24:15,276 Speaker 3: you can write in a really naive way but still 442 00:24:15,716 --> 00:24:16,836 Speaker 3: say an awful lot. 443 00:24:17,436 --> 00:24:21,636 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, even just you know, it's funny. The sample 444 00:24:21,996 --> 00:24:26,516 Speaker 1: on the demo of let England Shape is stambul not Constantinople, 445 00:24:26,556 --> 00:24:28,156 Speaker 1: which was like a kind of a goof of a 446 00:24:28,196 --> 00:24:30,356 Speaker 1: song in a way. But even that song is kind 447 00:24:30,356 --> 00:24:32,356 Speaker 1: of seen a lot in it's a weird way, you know, 448 00:24:32,436 --> 00:24:35,596 Speaker 1: like these histories of countries conquering one another in name 449 00:24:35,716 --> 00:24:37,436 Speaker 1: changes and what's in a name and what they mean. 450 00:24:37,516 --> 00:24:39,716 Speaker 1: It's I don't know, that's interesting. 451 00:24:39,516 --> 00:24:42,036 Speaker 3: Yeah, And that's what I love doing, playing off what 452 00:24:42,196 --> 00:24:45,516 Speaker 3: the original loop was doing and then laying my words 453 00:24:45,556 --> 00:24:48,356 Speaker 3: on top of it, sometimes joining in with those words, 454 00:24:48,356 --> 00:24:52,116 Speaker 3: sometimes not. I think it also added a certain level 455 00:24:52,156 --> 00:24:54,836 Speaker 3: of humor where it's not too self important. It's got 456 00:24:54,876 --> 00:24:58,436 Speaker 3: a lightness to it. Which in having that lightness, it 457 00:24:58,516 --> 00:25:02,436 Speaker 3: actually makes it heavier. It makes it mean more and 458 00:25:02,516 --> 00:25:03,236 Speaker 3: affect more. 459 00:25:04,276 --> 00:25:06,316 Speaker 1: Tell me about that. You guys recorded in a church 460 00:25:06,396 --> 00:25:08,876 Speaker 1: and in Dorset. It was at the first time you 461 00:25:08,956 --> 00:25:10,556 Speaker 1: got I said, recorded there. How did you guys settle 462 00:25:10,556 --> 00:25:12,116 Speaker 1: on that place as a makesift studio. 463 00:25:12,876 --> 00:25:15,756 Speaker 2: I think it was Polly didn't want to record in 464 00:25:15,756 --> 00:25:20,956 Speaker 2: a studio in a traditional studio setting, and I guess 465 00:25:21,356 --> 00:25:23,236 Speaker 2: it made sense to her because it was close to 466 00:25:23,276 --> 00:25:25,796 Speaker 2: where she was living at the time, and it was 467 00:25:26,236 --> 00:25:28,116 Speaker 2: kind of that simple in a way, like looking for 468 00:25:28,196 --> 00:25:30,236 Speaker 2: a space that was close to where Polly lived, this 469 00:25:30,396 --> 00:25:35,396 Speaker 2: was available. I think we had some concerns as to 470 00:25:35,436 --> 00:25:38,596 Speaker 2: how it would be acoustically, but you know what, we 471 00:25:38,636 --> 00:25:43,596 Speaker 2: moved a studio set up in there and it sounded great. 472 00:25:44,236 --> 00:25:47,036 Speaker 2: It was a really just really cool space. 473 00:25:47,956 --> 00:25:50,876 Speaker 3: It was quite quite magical as well, I felt, and 474 00:25:50,916 --> 00:25:53,676 Speaker 3: I think we all felt that because it's on the 475 00:25:53,716 --> 00:25:56,596 Speaker 3: top of the hill that overlooks the sea, and there's 476 00:25:56,636 --> 00:25:59,356 Speaker 3: not really any any other buildings around it, and it's 477 00:25:59,396 --> 00:26:02,116 Speaker 3: often very windy, so the trees were all bent by 478 00:26:02,116 --> 00:26:05,916 Speaker 3: the wind, and the gravestones are still there. So we 479 00:26:05,916 --> 00:26:11,636 Speaker 3: were singing these songs about death and war, and it 480 00:26:11,676 --> 00:26:14,396 Speaker 3: felt like the wind was kind of blowing the voices 481 00:26:14,796 --> 00:26:17,036 Speaker 3: in from the sea and the graves all over us. 482 00:26:17,516 --> 00:26:21,436 Speaker 3: I do feel like there was something quite magical happening 483 00:26:21,476 --> 00:26:26,996 Speaker 3: in that building, in that that Let England Shake session 484 00:26:27,156 --> 00:26:29,716 Speaker 3: recording was one of the most special times of my 485 00:26:29,796 --> 00:26:33,716 Speaker 3: life for that reason. It was just absolutely magical and 486 00:26:33,796 --> 00:26:35,996 Speaker 3: so inspired and so exciting. 487 00:26:37,516 --> 00:26:41,196 Speaker 1: Do either of you feel particularly religious or spiritual or 488 00:26:41,196 --> 00:26:45,116 Speaker 1: have any affinity for a connection to at a personal 489 00:26:45,196 --> 00:26:46,796 Speaker 1: level churches or a church? 490 00:26:46,996 --> 00:26:50,196 Speaker 2: And I'm not religious, but I grew up going to 491 00:26:50,316 --> 00:26:53,716 Speaker 2: church as a kid, And you know, obviously there's the 492 00:26:53,756 --> 00:26:57,276 Speaker 2: fact that those buildings mean a lot to so many people. 493 00:26:57,556 --> 00:27:00,356 Speaker 2: You know, you can't help but notice that and be 494 00:27:00,716 --> 00:27:04,396 Speaker 2: infected by it. Yeah, So I have respect for it 495 00:27:04,636 --> 00:27:06,716 Speaker 2: without without having faced myself. 496 00:27:07,636 --> 00:27:12,436 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm so interested in what different people are drawn to. 497 00:27:13,196 --> 00:27:17,516 Speaker 3: I feel the beauty of those beautiful buildings, but also 498 00:27:18,076 --> 00:27:20,356 Speaker 3: beauty in the fact that people want to come together 499 00:27:21,156 --> 00:27:25,836 Speaker 3: to try and find meaning and try and share and 500 00:27:26,116 --> 00:27:30,276 Speaker 3: to give and receive love and places where beautiful music 501 00:27:30,356 --> 00:27:34,556 Speaker 3: is created and shared. So I'd keep an open mind, 502 00:27:34,916 --> 00:27:37,916 Speaker 3: you know. And I often feel removed when I'm at 503 00:27:37,916 --> 00:27:40,836 Speaker 3: places of worship. As I was in Eap Church when 504 00:27:40,836 --> 00:27:43,596 Speaker 3: we were making Let England Shake. I did feel that 505 00:27:44,076 --> 00:27:48,556 Speaker 3: the beauty of the building and its position helped us 506 00:27:49,116 --> 00:27:51,996 Speaker 3: channel a perfect energy for that record. 507 00:27:53,276 --> 00:27:55,316 Speaker 1: Yeah. Quite poor. I mean, you know, I just think 508 00:27:55,316 --> 00:27:57,556 Speaker 1: about myself. There's a church right down the street from 509 00:27:57,556 --> 00:28:02,316 Speaker 1: where I live, assignment particularly beautiful church, but enough that 510 00:28:02,396 --> 00:28:04,196 Speaker 1: when I passed it, it makes me feel I'm, like, you know, 511 00:28:04,316 --> 00:28:06,876 Speaker 1: feel on some level drawn to it. But at the 512 00:28:06,876 --> 00:28:09,036 Speaker 1: same time I can't help but think about you know, 513 00:28:09,636 --> 00:28:13,276 Speaker 1: it's the pain that sometimes that's the same beliefs bring 514 00:28:13,316 --> 00:28:14,876 Speaker 1: to people, et cetera. And so there's kind of I 515 00:28:14,876 --> 00:28:16,596 Speaker 1: don't know, it's just like a lot of there's a 516 00:28:17,076 --> 00:28:20,156 Speaker 1: for me, a very contradictory feeling about churches, like a 517 00:28:20,196 --> 00:28:23,756 Speaker 1: deep reverence and it's an't their aunt'spiring in a lot 518 00:28:23,756 --> 00:28:27,156 Speaker 1: of ways, And I'm very much jealous of these people. Do, 519 00:28:27,276 --> 00:28:29,156 Speaker 1: like you say, come together to find some level of 520 00:28:29,156 --> 00:28:29,756 Speaker 1: meaning in life. 521 00:28:29,836 --> 00:28:32,876 Speaker 3: Yeah, Like I said, I the power of people wanting 522 00:28:32,916 --> 00:28:35,636 Speaker 3: to come together to try and find meaning. Why this 523 00:28:35,876 --> 00:28:40,076 Speaker 3: In Afghanistan, I went to a Sufi It wasn't even 524 00:28:40,116 --> 00:28:41,596 Speaker 3: a church, it was just a room, but it was 525 00:28:41,636 --> 00:28:46,356 Speaker 3: their Sufi Sunday morning practice together where they'd sit for 526 00:28:46,476 --> 00:28:51,436 Speaker 3: four hours chanting together, kneeling down and chanting till they 527 00:28:51,436 --> 00:28:54,556 Speaker 3: were rocking back this and fores. It was incredibly moving 528 00:28:54,996 --> 00:28:58,156 Speaker 3: in a different way. But again it's just the power 529 00:28:58,196 --> 00:29:02,556 Speaker 3: of people coming together. I think to look for something 530 00:29:02,596 --> 00:29:06,476 Speaker 3: to share, something to find the power together. 531 00:29:08,236 --> 00:29:10,436 Speaker 1: After this last break, we'll be back with more from 532 00:29:10,516 --> 00:29:17,716 Speaker 1: John Parrish and PJ. Harvey. We're back with the rest 533 00:29:17,756 --> 00:29:21,996 Speaker 1: of my conversation with John Parrish and PJ. Harvey. You 534 00:29:22,116 --> 00:29:25,156 Speaker 1: referenced a trip to Afghanistan. You know, the whole sixth 535 00:29:25,196 --> 00:29:29,116 Speaker 1: Demolition project was the record after Let England Shake and 536 00:29:29,156 --> 00:29:31,596 Speaker 1: before your Guys's newest one inside the Old Year Dying. 537 00:29:32,236 --> 00:29:37,076 Speaker 1: You traveled around with Seamus Murphy, a great photographer, want 538 00:29:37,156 --> 00:29:41,476 Speaker 1: to Afghanistan, coast of Ops DC. Were you intending to 539 00:29:41,516 --> 00:29:44,196 Speaker 1: make a record based on those travels or was the 540 00:29:44,276 --> 00:29:45,836 Speaker 1: travel something completely separate. 541 00:29:47,356 --> 00:29:52,076 Speaker 3: I didn't know what it would become. I started working 542 00:29:52,116 --> 00:29:55,996 Speaker 3: with Seamus on letting in shiks. He made the beautiful 543 00:29:56,036 --> 00:29:59,916 Speaker 3: films that accompanied each song, and he took photographs and 544 00:30:00,036 --> 00:30:02,716 Speaker 3: I grew a friendship with Seamus. And you know, Seamus 545 00:30:02,716 --> 00:30:06,116 Speaker 3: has spent his whole life as a voter journalist, traveling 546 00:30:06,156 --> 00:30:09,996 Speaker 3: all over the world and sometimes into very dangerous war 547 00:30:10,076 --> 00:30:15,356 Speaker 3: torn areas, and from the interest I'd added from writing 548 00:30:15,436 --> 00:30:18,716 Speaker 3: letting in shake, I still didn't feel close enough, and 549 00:30:18,756 --> 00:30:21,956 Speaker 3: I thought, gosh, what if I could actually in instead 550 00:30:21,996 --> 00:30:28,156 Speaker 3: of garnering information secondhand or from other people's writings, Well, 551 00:30:28,196 --> 00:30:31,756 Speaker 3: if I could actually go somewhere myself. And James and 552 00:30:31,796 --> 00:30:34,316 Speaker 3: I talked about that and he did say, well, look, 553 00:30:34,356 --> 00:30:37,516 Speaker 3: why don't as a start, why don't you just come 554 00:30:37,556 --> 00:30:41,276 Speaker 3: with me to Afghanistan where he goes a lot. And 555 00:30:41,356 --> 00:30:44,756 Speaker 3: of course I was very nervous, but I thought, well, yeah, 556 00:30:44,756 --> 00:30:48,316 Speaker 3: I feel like I really want to, and so I 557 00:30:48,356 --> 00:30:51,756 Speaker 3: had no expectation. I just went with a notepad and 558 00:30:51,796 --> 00:30:53,756 Speaker 3: I thought, well, all I'm going to do is just 559 00:30:54,196 --> 00:30:56,596 Speaker 3: record what I see. That's all I'm going to do. 560 00:30:57,196 --> 00:30:59,756 Speaker 3: And then it grew into going to cross Fow together, 561 00:30:59,836 --> 00:31:03,556 Speaker 3: going to Washington, DC together, and I just carried on 562 00:31:03,676 --> 00:31:05,956 Speaker 3: doing that same thing. I'm just going to write down 563 00:31:05,996 --> 00:31:08,516 Speaker 3: what I see, that's all. I didn't know what it 564 00:31:08,516 --> 00:31:11,796 Speaker 3: would become. But at the same time, like I said, 565 00:31:11,836 --> 00:31:15,076 Speaker 3: I was growing an interest in poetry. So I ended 566 00:31:15,116 --> 00:31:17,876 Speaker 3: up with having an enormous amount of words to play with. 567 00:31:18,276 --> 00:31:20,836 Speaker 3: Then thought, okay, can I try and want some poems 568 00:31:20,876 --> 00:31:23,796 Speaker 3: out of this? And a poetry book came out of it, 569 00:31:23,836 --> 00:31:26,516 Speaker 3: and then an album came out of it, and then 570 00:31:26,556 --> 00:31:30,596 Speaker 3: I sort of organically fell into this new way of 571 00:31:30,636 --> 00:31:35,276 Speaker 3: sort of writing poems and writing songs, which sits with 572 00:31:35,396 --> 00:31:37,556 Speaker 3: me very well at the moment and might not in 573 00:31:37,596 --> 00:31:39,956 Speaker 3: ten years time, but right now it does. And I 574 00:31:39,956 --> 00:31:43,516 Speaker 3: think that's what happens as an artist. You find different 575 00:31:43,556 --> 00:31:46,116 Speaker 3: modes of working work well for you at that time 576 00:31:46,156 --> 00:31:48,596 Speaker 3: in your life, and you adopt them, and then later 577 00:31:48,676 --> 00:31:50,516 Speaker 3: on down the line, they don't, you do something else. 578 00:31:50,556 --> 00:31:54,996 Speaker 3: And right now that's become quite a satisfying way for 579 00:31:55,116 --> 00:31:57,916 Speaker 3: me of finding my way through words and music. 580 00:31:58,556 --> 00:32:00,756 Speaker 1: It's really as a listener, I mean, I really have 581 00:32:00,876 --> 00:32:03,756 Speaker 1: enjoyed these last few projects. I didn't one hundred percent 582 00:32:03,836 --> 00:32:06,636 Speaker 1: know that you were in a different mode of working, 583 00:32:06,796 --> 00:32:09,436 Speaker 1: but the resulting work is just so interesting. You know, 584 00:32:09,716 --> 00:32:11,876 Speaker 1: the feel of these records are and I don't know 585 00:32:11,876 --> 00:32:14,156 Speaker 1: if that comes from the writing necessarily. It could just 586 00:32:14,196 --> 00:32:16,876 Speaker 1: be from you know, the groups of people you guys 587 00:32:16,916 --> 00:32:18,476 Speaker 1: are playing with and all you're recording them, But it's 588 00:32:18,516 --> 00:32:21,036 Speaker 1: just I really, really really love these projects. I feel 589 00:32:21,036 --> 00:32:22,836 Speaker 1: special in an interesting way. 590 00:32:23,556 --> 00:32:26,076 Speaker 3: I think it comes about because of all the ingredients. 591 00:32:26,236 --> 00:32:28,836 Speaker 3: You know, it's because of the way they're written. But 592 00:32:28,876 --> 00:32:31,556 Speaker 3: it's also a huge part of it is coming together 593 00:32:31,596 --> 00:32:34,556 Speaker 3: with John and Flood. And I share with John and 594 00:32:34,636 --> 00:32:38,076 Speaker 3: Flood all of my workings, all of my writings, all 595 00:32:38,116 --> 00:32:41,876 Speaker 3: of the words, the demos, so they're a big part 596 00:32:41,916 --> 00:32:44,076 Speaker 3: of the growing of the whole project right from its 597 00:32:44,116 --> 00:32:44,716 Speaker 3: very beginning. 598 00:32:45,516 --> 00:32:48,836 Speaker 1: And I imagine John, you knew about her trip to Afrigat, 599 00:32:48,956 --> 00:32:51,396 Speaker 1: I mean that were you worried about that draft? 600 00:32:52,916 --> 00:32:56,636 Speaker 2: Yes, I was, well, I was worried. I think it's 601 00:32:56,716 --> 00:33:01,916 Speaker 2: incredibly brave to do it. It was obviously it was 602 00:33:02,076 --> 00:33:05,156 Speaker 2: very incredibly valuable to the to the writing process, but 603 00:33:06,036 --> 00:33:10,516 Speaker 2: it's not something that I personally would have risked. I 604 00:33:10,596 --> 00:33:13,076 Speaker 2: think it was the risk, and she was very brave 605 00:33:13,156 --> 00:33:14,676 Speaker 2: to do it. And yes, I was worried. 606 00:33:15,156 --> 00:33:18,636 Speaker 1: Were you much of a traveler before, Polly, Ah? 607 00:33:19,156 --> 00:33:21,756 Speaker 3: No, but I always wanted to be, and you know, 608 00:33:21,756 --> 00:33:25,396 Speaker 3: I had a huge interest in Yeah, I just didn't 609 00:33:25,436 --> 00:33:28,556 Speaker 3: wanting to see things firsthand and thought there's only one 610 00:33:28,556 --> 00:33:30,116 Speaker 3: way to do that. You just got to go there. 611 00:33:30,276 --> 00:33:35,156 Speaker 3: And I think that desire overrode any fear, because the 612 00:33:35,236 --> 00:33:37,876 Speaker 3: desire to actually be there and see it was greater 613 00:33:38,116 --> 00:33:39,436 Speaker 3: than the fears that I had. 614 00:33:41,076 --> 00:33:42,796 Speaker 1: I mean, I imagine that you probably didn't even do 615 00:33:42,956 --> 00:33:45,516 Speaker 1: much travel, I mean outside of touring. 616 00:33:45,316 --> 00:33:48,716 Speaker 3: Right, No, not really no, I mean a. 617 00:33:48,636 --> 00:33:52,116 Speaker 1: Lot of people end up kind of getting hooked to traveling. 618 00:33:52,196 --> 00:33:54,236 Speaker 1: Do you did it change you in that sense? Do 619 00:33:54,276 --> 00:33:56,716 Speaker 1: you feel like you want to go more places now? 620 00:33:56,876 --> 00:34:00,476 Speaker 1: Or was that it was? Are you content having just 621 00:34:00,516 --> 00:34:01,356 Speaker 1: gone on that trip? 622 00:34:02,596 --> 00:34:05,556 Speaker 3: You know, I'm a I'm a maker, and the thing 623 00:34:05,596 --> 00:34:09,436 Speaker 3: that I'm drawn towards making, I will serve in any 624 00:34:09,476 --> 00:34:13,236 Speaker 3: way I have to, And so the next thing that 625 00:34:13,276 --> 00:34:16,796 Speaker 3: I do will probably be to do with the project 626 00:34:16,796 --> 00:34:20,036 Speaker 3: that I'm serving at the time. That's my drive, if 627 00:34:20,076 --> 00:34:24,156 Speaker 3: that makes sense. So I don't know, you know, if 628 00:34:24,156 --> 00:34:28,076 Speaker 3: the next project's going to mean I need to travel 629 00:34:28,196 --> 00:34:30,916 Speaker 3: to source the material better than I will, or if 630 00:34:30,916 --> 00:34:32,876 Speaker 3: I need to stay in one place, then I'll stay there. 631 00:34:33,676 --> 00:34:36,356 Speaker 3: It really down to that. That is kind of what 632 00:34:36,396 --> 00:34:38,556 Speaker 3: I do, and that is my driving force. 633 00:34:39,916 --> 00:34:42,596 Speaker 1: You had mentioned before that like that was a very 634 00:34:42,636 --> 00:34:46,436 Speaker 1: difficult record to write in hindsight. Does that still feel true? 635 00:34:46,876 --> 00:34:52,396 Speaker 3: Yeah, it did feel difficult to write musically more than lyrically. 636 00:34:52,996 --> 00:34:56,556 Speaker 3: The poems and the words that I gathered came together 637 00:34:56,636 --> 00:35:00,956 Speaker 3: quite easily, but I found it difficult to create the 638 00:35:01,076 --> 00:35:04,596 Speaker 3: music I wanted to hear, and it took me quite 639 00:35:04,596 --> 00:35:07,956 Speaker 3: a while to get enough material together. I think I 640 00:35:07,956 --> 00:35:10,956 Speaker 3: had to write fight a lot of things to really 641 00:35:11,716 --> 00:35:13,236 Speaker 3: get to some good things. 642 00:35:13,756 --> 00:35:15,116 Speaker 1: Did you hear that from the demos? 643 00:35:15,356 --> 00:35:19,436 Speaker 2: John, Yes, there were definitely a lot more songs that 644 00:35:19,436 --> 00:35:21,596 Speaker 2: we had to go through before we found a collection 645 00:35:21,836 --> 00:35:24,396 Speaker 2: that we felt was a really strong body of work. 646 00:35:24,596 --> 00:35:27,556 Speaker 2: So there was a you know, I don't remember there 647 00:35:27,596 --> 00:35:31,756 Speaker 2: being very many demos from the Letting Wind Shake sessions 648 00:35:31,796 --> 00:35:34,596 Speaker 2: that didn't make it either onto the album or onto 649 00:35:34,596 --> 00:35:38,556 Speaker 2: a B side, whereas there were a lot I think. Yeah, 650 00:35:38,636 --> 00:35:40,476 Speaker 2: as Polly said, she had to write a lot of 651 00:35:40,516 --> 00:35:42,436 Speaker 2: stuff to come up with the ones that were strong 652 00:35:42,556 --> 00:35:43,236 Speaker 2: enough to work on. 653 00:35:44,116 --> 00:35:48,036 Speaker 1: How does having maybe weaker demos or demos that you're 654 00:35:48,076 --> 00:35:51,396 Speaker 1: not quite sure how they're going to work? How does 655 00:35:51,476 --> 00:35:53,916 Speaker 1: that change the recording approach? 656 00:35:54,996 --> 00:35:57,276 Speaker 2: Well, I think that we wouldn't even go into the 657 00:35:57,316 --> 00:36:00,316 Speaker 2: studio until we were comfortable that we had all the songs. 658 00:36:00,556 --> 00:36:02,436 Speaker 2: So it was more it was more that it took 659 00:36:02,796 --> 00:36:05,556 Speaker 2: a long time to get to that stage, but Polly's 660 00:36:05,596 --> 00:36:06,916 Speaker 2: always you know that. 661 00:36:07,436 --> 00:36:07,996 Speaker 1: For me, the. 662 00:36:08,476 --> 00:36:13,196 Speaker 2: Absolute strongest thing about Polly's work is that it's every 663 00:36:13,276 --> 00:36:16,876 Speaker 2: record has been different, and obviously the more records you make, 664 00:36:17,156 --> 00:36:20,756 Speaker 2: the harder and harder that becomes. Of course, I know 665 00:36:20,836 --> 00:36:24,276 Speaker 2: that she wanted them to be singable songs because they 666 00:36:24,316 --> 00:36:26,716 Speaker 2: were again, they were dealing with difficult subjects and she 667 00:36:26,756 --> 00:36:28,876 Speaker 2: didn't want to make it. It was a way of making 668 00:36:28,876 --> 00:36:34,996 Speaker 2: it not a heavy, mirthless affair. So she wanted singable melodies. 669 00:36:35,516 --> 00:36:37,116 Speaker 2: And again, so how do you come up with something 670 00:36:37,156 --> 00:36:40,116 Speaker 2: like that that's not you know, something that's singable that 671 00:36:40,156 --> 00:36:42,716 Speaker 2: you haven't done before, but it's not asinine as well. 672 00:36:42,796 --> 00:36:45,916 Speaker 2: So there was a lot, asking a lot of yourself 673 00:36:45,956 --> 00:36:47,436 Speaker 2: to come up with that, and it took a while 674 00:36:47,476 --> 00:36:48,956 Speaker 2: to get to that stage. 675 00:36:49,636 --> 00:36:51,556 Speaker 1: Is that a standard you feel you hold yourself to 676 00:36:51,916 --> 00:36:55,076 Speaker 1: Polly like that? You want every record to have to 677 00:36:55,116 --> 00:36:57,756 Speaker 1: feel different, to sound different, to be different in some way? 678 00:36:58,636 --> 00:37:03,036 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is. I've just always been like that. Even 679 00:37:03,076 --> 00:37:07,116 Speaker 3: when I was doing an art foundation course, everything I 680 00:37:07,156 --> 00:37:10,516 Speaker 3: did I wanted it to be like nothing I'd ever 681 00:37:10,556 --> 00:37:13,156 Speaker 3: done before. And I've been like that my whole life. 682 00:37:13,236 --> 00:37:17,636 Speaker 3: I just I'm so interested in learning. I really like learning, 683 00:37:17,676 --> 00:37:19,316 Speaker 3: and the only way you learn is to do things 684 00:37:19,316 --> 00:37:22,836 Speaker 3: you don't know. It's just doing something you don't know, 685 00:37:22,996 --> 00:37:27,356 Speaker 3: and that's so exciting, just always finding out something new, 686 00:37:27,676 --> 00:37:31,316 Speaker 3: and that's what keeps me just looking under different songs 687 00:37:31,356 --> 00:37:31,996 Speaker 3: the whole time. 688 00:37:32,396 --> 00:37:34,796 Speaker 1: So you find that's true of your relationship to artists 689 00:37:34,876 --> 00:37:37,316 Speaker 1: other artists you love. Do you find yourself disappointed when 690 00:37:37,596 --> 00:37:40,036 Speaker 1: artists sort of repeat the same thing or return to 691 00:37:40,076 --> 00:37:43,396 Speaker 1: a similar place and aren't evolving similarly. 692 00:37:43,436 --> 00:37:46,036 Speaker 2: It depends some artists you like on some level when 693 00:37:46,116 --> 00:37:49,436 Speaker 2: you don't expect them to be reinventing themselves every time. 694 00:37:49,556 --> 00:37:54,196 Speaker 2: Some artists you have a different expectation. I have extremely 695 00:37:54,276 --> 00:37:58,676 Speaker 2: high expectations of Polly, and so I feel that she's 696 00:37:58,716 --> 00:38:01,516 Speaker 2: not coming out with something new, then it's going to 697 00:38:01,516 --> 00:38:05,916 Speaker 2: be disappointing for me, because she's one of the very 698 00:38:05,956 --> 00:38:10,036 Speaker 2: select group of artists that I regard as inspirational. And 699 00:38:10,356 --> 00:38:13,836 Speaker 2: for those people, you want more than just another good record. 700 00:38:13,956 --> 00:38:16,996 Speaker 2: You're looking for something that is going to inspire you. 701 00:38:17,156 --> 00:38:18,036 Speaker 2: And that's tough. 702 00:38:18,996 --> 00:38:21,396 Speaker 1: Yeah. Personally, I kind of put you parley like with 703 00:38:21,476 --> 00:38:23,556 Speaker 1: Neil Young, where it's like, I mean, some people would 704 00:38:23,556 --> 00:38:25,436 Speaker 1: say that Neil Young always sounds the same, but to me, 705 00:38:25,556 --> 00:38:27,876 Speaker 1: I hear something different all the time. You know, it's 706 00:38:27,916 --> 00:38:31,196 Speaker 1: like always changing, and I can hear his focus and 707 00:38:31,236 --> 00:38:35,436 Speaker 1: determination and I don't know, it's creative process that I 708 00:38:35,436 --> 00:38:38,516 Speaker 1: think comes out on the records, and I feel that 709 00:38:38,596 --> 00:38:42,716 Speaker 1: same spirit or sense you know from your records. 710 00:38:43,436 --> 00:38:46,676 Speaker 3: I have great admiration for Neil Young for the reason 711 00:38:46,756 --> 00:38:50,476 Speaker 3: you're saying. He's always trying different things, radically different things, 712 00:38:50,556 --> 00:38:54,156 Speaker 3: and that's so exciting. I'd much rather hear an artist 713 00:38:54,196 --> 00:38:57,236 Speaker 3: doing that and not always hitting the mark, you know, 714 00:38:57,356 --> 00:39:02,236 Speaker 3: but even and the fact that you've tried something radically 715 00:39:02,316 --> 00:39:05,636 Speaker 3: different is a success in itself, I think in my 716 00:39:05,716 --> 00:39:06,836 Speaker 3: book anyway. 717 00:39:06,676 --> 00:39:09,276 Speaker 1: That's why I'm mark. I mean, you put out those 718 00:39:09,316 --> 00:39:12,676 Speaker 1: four track demos early. That's why I was like listening 719 00:39:12,756 --> 00:39:15,916 Speaker 1: to that collection of songs, and that's why ultimately, when 720 00:39:15,916 --> 00:39:18,116 Speaker 1: I finally got around to listening to the new like 721 00:39:18,476 --> 00:39:21,356 Speaker 1: the sort of spade of demos, really demo releases that 722 00:39:21,436 --> 00:39:23,516 Speaker 1: you put out a couple of years ago, that was 723 00:39:23,556 --> 00:39:25,516 Speaker 1: exciting too. I mean, it was so fun to hear 724 00:39:25,996 --> 00:39:29,916 Speaker 1: something familiar but not quite there. It's like I can 725 00:39:29,996 --> 00:39:33,596 Speaker 1: hear the reach you for what was ultimately what ultimately 726 00:39:33,636 --> 00:39:35,396 Speaker 1: got made it to the record, you know, And it's 727 00:39:35,556 --> 00:39:36,676 Speaker 1: just fun to hear the attempt. 728 00:39:36,956 --> 00:39:40,316 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it felt like the right time to show 729 00:39:40,396 --> 00:39:44,076 Speaker 3: those I really love hearing those early stages of a song. 730 00:39:44,516 --> 00:39:46,156 Speaker 3: You can hear, like you said, you can hear where 731 00:39:46,156 --> 00:39:48,716 Speaker 3: it's trying to go. It hasn't quite yet. You can 732 00:39:48,796 --> 00:39:50,956 Speaker 3: hear the idea of it, but the idea is not 733 00:39:51,036 --> 00:39:51,916 Speaker 3: fully formed yet. 734 00:39:52,076 --> 00:39:54,956 Speaker 1: And sometimes it's better, I mean, to be honest, Sometimes 735 00:39:54,996 --> 00:39:57,476 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, I didn't you know, wouldn't have known. 736 00:39:57,556 --> 00:39:59,556 Speaker 1: But I liked this demo version a lot. 737 00:39:59,716 --> 00:40:03,156 Speaker 3: They can be enchanting in a different way because they're 738 00:40:03,196 --> 00:40:06,356 Speaker 3: still so new. It's like the first time we've ever 739 00:40:06,916 --> 00:40:08,996 Speaker 3: it's probably the first or second time I'd ever sung it, 740 00:40:09,636 --> 00:40:12,916 Speaker 3: and there's something always going to be lovely about that, 741 00:40:13,116 --> 00:40:14,916 Speaker 3: I think, John. 742 00:40:14,996 --> 00:40:17,836 Speaker 1: I mean, having listened to the demos, speaking for myself, 743 00:40:18,196 --> 00:40:19,636 Speaker 1: I would feel like I was going to fuck up 744 00:40:21,996 --> 00:40:25,316 Speaker 1: some really good work. How do you feel when you're 745 00:40:25,316 --> 00:40:27,836 Speaker 1: listening to Polly's demos? Do you always feel like, oh, 746 00:40:27,836 --> 00:40:29,756 Speaker 1: I can make this better, or we can make this better, 747 00:40:29,836 --> 00:40:32,356 Speaker 1: or is it like damn, this is maybe best as is. 748 00:40:33,156 --> 00:40:36,516 Speaker 2: Once or twice maybe more, I have thought that we 749 00:40:36,556 --> 00:40:39,556 Speaker 2: should do nothing to this. This is absolutely done as 750 00:40:39,596 --> 00:40:42,676 Speaker 2: far as I'm concerned. But usually there's something there that 751 00:40:42,796 --> 00:40:46,156 Speaker 2: you think, Okay, we can I think because we've been 752 00:40:46,236 --> 00:40:48,196 Speaker 2: doing it for so long and working like this for 753 00:40:48,276 --> 00:40:50,796 Speaker 2: so long, that we know we can always move things 754 00:40:51,036 --> 00:40:53,716 Speaker 2: on from where they work. They already sounded great, but 755 00:40:53,756 --> 00:40:56,156 Speaker 2: there's always somewhere better you can take it, and you 756 00:40:56,316 --> 00:41:00,556 Speaker 2: always managed, with maybe one or two exceptions, we've always 757 00:41:00,636 --> 00:41:04,316 Speaker 2: managed to do that. And you know it's not immediately 758 00:41:04,396 --> 00:41:06,956 Speaker 2: apparent what it is that you're going to bring to it, 759 00:41:07,036 --> 00:41:10,196 Speaker 2: But there has always been something that has moved those 760 00:41:10,236 --> 00:41:13,236 Speaker 2: demos on, even though they were already in a good place. 761 00:41:13,436 --> 00:41:17,436 Speaker 1: At the risk of going somewhere uncomfortable. Is there a 762 00:41:17,636 --> 00:41:19,596 Speaker 1: record that either of you agree on that you guys 763 00:41:19,716 --> 00:41:22,236 Speaker 1: moved it somewhere different, but maybe not to a place 764 00:41:22,316 --> 00:41:24,876 Speaker 1: that was better or as good as the demo. 765 00:41:25,516 --> 00:41:28,636 Speaker 2: There's a song, but a particular song that is a 766 00:41:28,756 --> 00:41:31,276 Speaker 2: long time favorite of mine that Paulina, which is a 767 00:41:31,356 --> 00:41:40,956 Speaker 2: song called the Garden from is this desire both me 768 00:41:41,116 --> 00:41:44,676 Speaker 2: and Flood for when we heard the demo that is done? 769 00:41:45,276 --> 00:41:46,236 Speaker 1: That is just brilliant. 770 00:41:47,156 --> 00:41:53,116 Speaker 2: It didn't stay that way, and I've always been slightly 771 00:41:54,716 --> 00:41:56,996 Speaker 2: not upset because then, of course it's come out as 772 00:41:56,996 --> 00:41:59,156 Speaker 2: a demo and we've played the demo version. We're playing 773 00:41:59,196 --> 00:42:01,596 Speaker 2: the demo version live on the current tour, and it 774 00:42:01,796 --> 00:42:05,356 Speaker 2: is absolutely fantastic version. For me, that was really the 775 00:42:05,476 --> 00:42:07,596 Speaker 2: only one where I was like, oh my god, that 776 00:42:07,716 --> 00:42:10,676 Speaker 2: was the perfect recording already, why have you done it again? 777 00:42:11,396 --> 00:42:14,756 Speaker 2: Otherwise I think everything, everything was valid, And we've also 778 00:42:14,836 --> 00:42:17,156 Speaker 2: not been afraid to use bits from the demo, so 779 00:42:17,196 --> 00:42:20,476 Speaker 2: it's not like the demo is one thing and the 780 00:42:20,556 --> 00:42:24,356 Speaker 2: recording that on the records are totally differently. Often there 781 00:42:24,396 --> 00:42:27,636 Speaker 2: are elements of the demo that are in the finished recording, 782 00:42:27,716 --> 00:42:30,556 Speaker 2: so it's not that it's not either or yeah. 783 00:42:30,516 --> 00:42:34,316 Speaker 1: Yeah, Do you feel that way about the Guardian I 784 00:42:34,436 --> 00:42:34,916 Speaker 1: do now. 785 00:42:35,116 --> 00:42:38,396 Speaker 3: At the time on in total disagreement John, of course 786 00:42:39,756 --> 00:42:43,076 Speaker 3: the road opinion said no, I'm doing this fabulous new 787 00:42:43,116 --> 00:42:45,516 Speaker 3: recording of it, and now, of course I know he 788 00:42:45,716 --> 00:42:49,316 Speaker 3: was right because he usually is. Well, I'm quite happy 789 00:42:49,396 --> 00:42:52,756 Speaker 3: to now play the demo version of the Garden that 790 00:42:52,796 --> 00:42:54,236 Speaker 3: we're playing live, and it's beautiful. 791 00:42:54,876 --> 00:42:57,196 Speaker 1: Are you tempted to do any more of the demo 792 00:42:57,356 --> 00:42:59,316 Speaker 1: versions live or is that the only one that you 793 00:42:59,356 --> 00:43:01,356 Speaker 1: guys are really really considered. 794 00:43:03,436 --> 00:43:06,236 Speaker 3: I guess you might. We were talking about bringing in 795 00:43:06,396 --> 00:43:09,836 Speaker 3: some more songs for next year and some of those demo. 796 00:43:09,756 --> 00:43:12,076 Speaker 2: Yeah we are are, actually there are. Yeah, there are 797 00:43:12,116 --> 00:43:14,156 Speaker 2: one or two that were we were thinking about. 798 00:43:14,636 --> 00:43:16,596 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a brand new project, so maybe you 799 00:43:16,716 --> 00:43:18,956 Speaker 1: don't know, but do you plan on releasing any of 800 00:43:18,996 --> 00:43:21,076 Speaker 1: the demos from Eye Inside the Old You're Dying? 801 00:43:21,836 --> 00:43:25,196 Speaker 3: Well, there were no demos really for Iye Inside the 802 00:43:25,276 --> 00:43:28,916 Speaker 3: Old Dear Dying. And that was that this that was 803 00:43:28,996 --> 00:43:31,636 Speaker 3: a new step again. I decided I did. I wasn't 804 00:43:31,676 --> 00:43:36,276 Speaker 3: going to demo because I felt like it it would 805 00:43:36,276 --> 00:43:39,796 Speaker 3: be better to just free fall into what the song 806 00:43:39,916 --> 00:43:42,156 Speaker 3: was going to become. And so all I did was 807 00:43:42,196 --> 00:43:44,436 Speaker 3: sung them into an iPhone. It would just be the 808 00:43:44,516 --> 00:43:46,516 Speaker 3: voice and me on the piano or Meal the guitar, 809 00:43:47,196 --> 00:43:48,876 Speaker 3: and I sang them into an iPhone and that was 810 00:43:48,956 --> 00:43:52,196 Speaker 3: the demo. And I think I was trying not to 811 00:43:52,276 --> 00:43:56,356 Speaker 3: get attached to demo recordings, which often happens with me. 812 00:43:57,436 --> 00:44:01,436 Speaker 3: And also I felt more and more confident in what 813 00:44:01,676 --> 00:44:06,116 Speaker 3: we can just create together. I mean, that's that confidence 814 00:44:06,156 --> 00:44:08,996 Speaker 3: has grown. I know how John Flood and I work, 815 00:44:09,196 --> 00:44:13,196 Speaker 3: and it's such an inspiring environment that I could take 816 00:44:13,196 --> 00:44:16,716 Speaker 3: a scrap of a thing in. And actually I think 817 00:44:16,756 --> 00:44:20,356 Speaker 3: it was more conducive because we only had a scrap 818 00:44:20,436 --> 00:44:21,996 Speaker 3: of a song. We had the words, and we had 819 00:44:22,076 --> 00:44:25,676 Speaker 3: roughly had the chords when but everything else was open 820 00:44:26,196 --> 00:44:29,876 Speaker 3: and so all three of us could equally bring as 821 00:44:29,996 --> 00:44:34,076 Speaker 3: much creativity to the song and our other player, Cecil 822 00:44:34,116 --> 00:44:36,156 Speaker 3: Adam Bartlett, who was in the room with us, so 823 00:44:36,276 --> 00:44:40,396 Speaker 3: we were all bringing our creativity along with Rob Crowan 824 00:44:40,476 --> 00:44:43,396 Speaker 3: who was recording it. So it was a very collaborative 825 00:44:44,276 --> 00:44:48,796 Speaker 3: creative space, and more so because the demos weren't really fixed. 826 00:44:50,316 --> 00:44:53,276 Speaker 1: Well, look, thanks so much for doing this. It's really 827 00:44:53,276 --> 00:44:55,996 Speaker 1: beautiful work you guys have done with this record for 828 00:44:56,076 --> 00:44:58,236 Speaker 1: the last few records and really all of them, So 829 00:44:58,636 --> 00:44:59,356 Speaker 1: thank you so much. 830 00:45:00,036 --> 00:45:03,556 Speaker 3: Oh, thank you. Thanks a lot. Yeah, it's been lovely 831 00:45:03,676 --> 00:45:05,836 Speaker 3: to talk to you. Hopefully you can come and see 832 00:45:05,916 --> 00:45:07,196 Speaker 3: us play sometime next year. 833 00:45:07,596 --> 00:45:08,756 Speaker 1: Yeah, we'd love to you. Are you guys coming to 834 00:45:08,796 --> 00:45:09,036 Speaker 1: the US. 835 00:45:09,156 --> 00:45:12,716 Speaker 3: Yes, yep, we are in September October time. 836 00:45:13,156 --> 00:45:16,436 Speaker 1: Okay, great, yeah, yeah, I'll definitely come. Can't wait, right, 837 00:45:19,476 --> 00:45:21,956 Speaker 1: Thanks to PJ Harvey and John Parrish for talking about 838 00:45:21,996 --> 00:45:24,036 Speaker 1: their long standing creative partnership. 839 00:45:24,516 --> 00:45:25,036 Speaker 2: You can hear. 840 00:45:24,996 --> 00:45:28,116 Speaker 1: Pj's latest album, I Inside the Old You're Dying along 841 00:45:28,196 --> 00:45:30,876 Speaker 1: with our favorite PJ Harvey songs on a playlist at 842 00:45:30,956 --> 00:45:34,876 Speaker 1: broken record podcast dot com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel 843 00:45:34,956 --> 00:45:37,796 Speaker 1: at YouTube dot com slash broken Record Podcast, where you 844 00:45:37,836 --> 00:45:41,116 Speaker 1: can find all of our new episodes. You can follow 845 00:45:41,196 --> 00:45:44,596 Speaker 1: us on Twitter at broken Record. Broken Record is produced 846 00:45:44,676 --> 00:45:47,516 Speaker 1: and edited by Leah Rose, with marketing help from Eric 847 00:45:47,596 --> 00:45:51,916 Speaker 1: Sandler and Jordan McMillan. Our engineer is Ben Tolliday. Broken 848 00:45:51,996 --> 00:45:55,316 Speaker 1: Record is a production of Pushkin Industries. If you love 849 00:45:55,396 --> 00:45:59,436 Speaker 1: this show and others from Pushkin, consider subscribing to Pushkin Plus. 850 00:46:00,076 --> 00:46:03,356 Speaker 1: Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription that offers bonus content 851 00:46:03,476 --> 00:46:06,116 Speaker 1: and ad free listening for four ninety nine a month. 852 00:46:06,836 --> 00:46:10,756 Speaker 1: Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple Podcasts scriptions, and if 853 00:46:10,796 --> 00:46:13,196 Speaker 1: you like this show, please remember to share, rate, and 854 00:46:13,276 --> 00:46:16,156 Speaker 1: review us on your podcast app. Our theme Music's back 855 00:46:16,156 --> 00:46:17,956 Speaker 1: any beats. I'm justin Richmond.