1 00:00:15,436 --> 00:00:22,796 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hey, y'all, it's justin Richmond. Today on the show, 2 00:00:22,796 --> 00:00:25,836 Speaker 1: we're talking to Stuart Murdoch and Stevie Jackson from the 3 00:00:25,876 --> 00:00:30,076 Speaker 1: Scottish folk pop band Belle and Sebastian. The band formed 4 00:00:30,076 --> 00:00:32,956 Speaker 1: in ninety six after meeting through a government funded class 5 00:00:32,996 --> 00:00:36,436 Speaker 1: for unemployed musicians. It soon became a showcase for Stuart 6 00:00:36,476 --> 00:00:40,036 Speaker 1: Murdoch's catchy melodies and witty stories about the everyday lives 7 00:00:40,036 --> 00:00:43,956 Speaker 1: of Scottish bohemians. Inspired by the sounds of the sixties 8 00:00:44,036 --> 00:00:47,316 Speaker 1: like the Beatles, Paul Simon, Burt Back Iraq. Their music 9 00:00:47,396 --> 00:00:51,916 Speaker 1: has been described as perfect chamber pop music. On today's episode, 10 00:00:51,956 --> 00:00:54,756 Speaker 1: Bruce Helm talks to Stewart and Stevie about writing and 11 00:00:54,796 --> 00:00:58,196 Speaker 1: recording their latest and tenth album, A Bit of Previous. 12 00:00:58,796 --> 00:01:01,556 Speaker 1: Stewart also talks about how getting sick at twenty one 13 00:01:01,716 --> 00:01:04,556 Speaker 1: was a critical moment in the start of his music career. 14 00:01:07,596 --> 00:01:10,756 Speaker 1: This is broken record Liner notes for the digital age. 15 00:01:11,036 --> 00:01:15,436 Speaker 1: I'm justin Richmond. Here's Bruce album with Stuart and Stevie. 16 00:01:15,996 --> 00:01:18,236 Speaker 1: You've got a new album coming out. Can you tell 17 00:01:18,276 --> 00:01:20,756 Speaker 1: me a little bit about the making of this album? 18 00:01:20,796 --> 00:01:23,316 Speaker 1: Because it was done during the pandemic. How did that 19 00:01:23,356 --> 00:01:25,876 Speaker 1: affect how you did the album, Where you did the album, 20 00:01:26,236 --> 00:01:28,756 Speaker 1: How did all that shake out. We had our bags 21 00:01:28,796 --> 00:01:31,876 Speaker 1: packed for Los Angeles. We were ready to go, and 22 00:01:31,996 --> 00:01:36,796 Speaker 1: this was back in the spring of twenty twenty. Of course, 23 00:01:36,876 --> 00:01:40,596 Speaker 1: the pandemic happened. We were locked down. So for the 24 00:01:40,636 --> 00:01:42,836 Speaker 1: first six months or so, we didn't do anything. Everybody 25 00:01:42,956 --> 00:01:45,876 Speaker 1: was locked in, you know what it was like. By 26 00:01:45,956 --> 00:01:48,916 Speaker 1: that time, we decided, you know what, this is going 27 00:01:48,956 --> 00:01:51,476 Speaker 1: to take a while, So we gave up the idea 28 00:01:51,476 --> 00:01:54,436 Speaker 1: of going to Lae. Chris the band, and also Brian, 29 00:01:54,516 --> 00:01:58,516 Speaker 1: who's our engineer upstairs. We all decided to renovate the studio, 30 00:01:58,556 --> 00:02:02,316 Speaker 1: turn the studio into a proper recording studio rather than 31 00:02:02,356 --> 00:02:07,316 Speaker 1: just a rehearsal place, and we made extra rooms. We 32 00:02:07,356 --> 00:02:10,236 Speaker 1: made little booths so that it could be safe, so 33 00:02:10,276 --> 00:02:12,836 Speaker 1: that we could work safely in pandemic. Time to go 34 00:02:12,836 --> 00:02:15,396 Speaker 1: a whole year for us to start recording with a Vengeance, 35 00:02:15,636 --> 00:02:18,636 Speaker 1: because it was another surge in the pandemic. By that time. 36 00:02:19,116 --> 00:02:21,196 Speaker 1: The song line up had changed, but that was quite nice. 37 00:02:21,276 --> 00:02:24,716 Speaker 1: I'd written quite a few new songs and so we 38 00:02:24,836 --> 00:02:29,276 Speaker 1: brought them in really in a raw state. The beauty 39 00:02:29,316 --> 00:02:32,596 Speaker 1: part of that was that instead of preparing to go 40 00:02:32,676 --> 00:02:35,476 Speaker 1: to Los Angeles and having everything written, we had more 41 00:02:35,516 --> 00:02:37,596 Speaker 1: time and we could make it up as we went along. 42 00:02:37,996 --> 00:02:41,556 Speaker 1: So how many songs did you have written for LA? 43 00:02:41,836 --> 00:02:43,876 Speaker 1: It's kind of hard to say, Stevie. Do you remember 44 00:02:43,876 --> 00:02:46,076 Speaker 1: the pool of songs we had for LA? No, it's 45 00:02:46,076 --> 00:02:48,916 Speaker 1: too long ago. There's probably maybe a nebulous pool of 46 00:02:48,956 --> 00:02:52,356 Speaker 1: about fifteen or twenty, but I think maybe probably ten 47 00:02:52,396 --> 00:02:56,076 Speaker 1: of those got ditched along the way somewhere. Is that 48 00:02:56,116 --> 00:02:58,516 Speaker 1: typical for you to go into an album with sort 49 00:02:58,516 --> 00:03:01,716 Speaker 1: of that many songs ready to go? I think yeah, 50 00:03:01,756 --> 00:03:04,316 Speaker 1: it's I think that's probably about the top number. And 51 00:03:05,156 --> 00:03:08,596 Speaker 1: actually we've done records in Atlanta, we've done two in LA. 52 00:03:08,676 --> 00:03:12,836 Speaker 1: We us try to record about seventeen or eighteen because 53 00:03:12,836 --> 00:03:15,196 Speaker 1: they usually needed it, but also it makes a better 54 00:03:15,236 --> 00:03:17,676 Speaker 1: album if you've got songs to choose from. You know, 55 00:03:17,756 --> 00:03:20,836 Speaker 1: things ended up very differently. Like I said, we kind 56 00:03:20,836 --> 00:03:22,356 Speaker 1: of left a lot of songs. A lot of the 57 00:03:22,396 --> 00:03:26,396 Speaker 1: songs went off the boil and didn't seem to appealing anymore, 58 00:03:26,756 --> 00:03:29,796 Speaker 1: and then new ideas sprang up, and because we were 59 00:03:29,916 --> 00:03:34,396 Speaker 1: hands on, between the band and Brian, we were producing 60 00:03:34,436 --> 00:03:37,196 Speaker 1: ourselves we could invent new techniques and new ways of 61 00:03:37,236 --> 00:03:39,076 Speaker 1: working and go back to our roots all that kind 62 00:03:39,116 --> 00:03:42,116 Speaker 1: of stuff. So I'm interested. Tell me which songs on 63 00:03:42,156 --> 00:03:44,716 Speaker 1: the album now are the new songs the songs you 64 00:03:44,796 --> 00:03:47,556 Speaker 1: developed after you initially thought you were going to be 65 00:03:47,716 --> 00:03:51,716 Speaker 1: recording in La Sure, so the first song young and Stupid, 66 00:03:52,156 --> 00:03:54,396 Speaker 1: and then I think if they're shooting at you might 67 00:03:54,436 --> 00:03:57,556 Speaker 1: have been a German, but the words came along later on, 68 00:03:57,636 --> 00:04:00,956 Speaker 1: and then certainly profits on Hold that just came up 69 00:04:00,996 --> 00:04:04,076 Speaker 1: on a day in the studio and was talked to 70 00:04:04,116 --> 00:04:05,876 Speaker 1: me quite a late one as well, Stevie. Can you 71 00:04:05,876 --> 00:04:08,876 Speaker 1: remember I can't remember? That was a tune that Sarah 72 00:04:09,356 --> 00:04:12,036 Speaker 1: and and what about your own tune? That was quite 73 00:04:12,036 --> 00:04:15,196 Speaker 1: a late edition as well. Yes, yes, yes, which was 74 00:04:15,236 --> 00:04:18,676 Speaker 1: called Deathbed of My Dreams. That's a beautiful song, by 75 00:04:18,716 --> 00:04:21,396 Speaker 1: the way, Oh thank you. That was doing the process 76 00:04:21,516 --> 00:04:24,036 Speaker 1: of being here. I think it end up being different 77 00:04:24,036 --> 00:04:27,436 Speaker 1: than a traditional balance of Bastian album that Moore was 78 00:04:27,476 --> 00:04:30,316 Speaker 1: worked out in the studio, as opposed to you coming 79 00:04:30,356 --> 00:04:33,956 Speaker 1: and the writers saying here are the songs and choosing 80 00:04:33,996 --> 00:04:37,236 Speaker 1: from those. I think we've been loosening up for a 81 00:04:37,236 --> 00:04:40,876 Speaker 1: few years now. We recorded a bunch of EPs in 82 00:04:41,036 --> 00:04:45,116 Speaker 1: Glasgow previous to this, and on that occasion that was 83 00:04:45,156 --> 00:04:47,836 Speaker 1: almost like a dress rehearsal for this record. We were 84 00:04:47,876 --> 00:04:51,676 Speaker 1: trying different approaches building songs up from scratch. We were 85 00:04:51,676 --> 00:04:56,596 Speaker 1: meant to be working with Sean Everett in California, and 86 00:04:56,876 --> 00:05:00,556 Speaker 1: we were very prepared to meet him halfway, and I 87 00:05:00,596 --> 00:05:02,476 Speaker 1: think it would have been such a different record. We 88 00:05:02,836 --> 00:05:06,956 Speaker 1: might have ended up writing to order. There's a songwriter, 89 00:05:07,076 --> 00:05:10,596 Speaker 1: I'm affected by the environment find yourself in. I think 90 00:05:10,636 --> 00:05:15,356 Speaker 1: we would have ended up writing songs, especially for his production. 91 00:05:16,516 --> 00:05:20,156 Speaker 1: You were such a prolific songwriter and the band is 92 00:05:20,196 --> 00:05:24,916 Speaker 1: so productive. Was this the longest hiatus you'd had away 93 00:05:24,956 --> 00:05:28,076 Speaker 1: from songwriting during your career. I wouldn't say it was 94 00:05:28,116 --> 00:05:30,996 Speaker 1: a hiatus away from songwriting at all, as far as 95 00:05:31,036 --> 00:05:33,716 Speaker 1: I'm concerned. The longest gap that we had was around 96 00:05:33,756 --> 00:05:37,356 Speaker 1: about two thousand and six to two thousand and ten 97 00:05:37,516 --> 00:05:39,916 Speaker 1: or something like that. I went away to make a movie, 98 00:05:40,196 --> 00:05:42,436 Speaker 1: but I was working on music and Stevie was working 99 00:05:42,436 --> 00:05:44,676 Speaker 1: on music. He did a solo WELP, so everybody was 100 00:05:44,716 --> 00:05:46,796 Speaker 1: still working. You know, A song I was interested in 101 00:05:46,836 --> 00:05:50,356 Speaker 1: a lot was profits on hold and Nactually when I 102 00:05:50,396 --> 00:05:54,436 Speaker 1: saw the title, I thought, well, is this pandemic related? 103 00:05:54,516 --> 00:05:57,596 Speaker 1: Because of course everybody was on hold. That's an angle 104 00:05:57,636 --> 00:05:59,836 Speaker 1: that I never thought about. It was just a song 105 00:05:59,876 --> 00:06:03,036 Speaker 1: that popped up in the studio. But then again, you're 106 00:06:03,036 --> 00:06:07,276 Speaker 1: taking everything, everything that's going on, and it percolates. Songs 107 00:06:07,276 --> 00:06:09,516 Speaker 1: just come out, so it seems to be unre related 108 00:06:09,556 --> 00:06:11,956 Speaker 1: to what is actually going on outside. Maybe in fact, 109 00:06:11,996 --> 00:06:16,556 Speaker 1: the experience of Lockdown did infect affect this song the 110 00:06:16,596 --> 00:06:19,436 Speaker 1: way it came out, But I'd never thought about that. 111 00:06:19,676 --> 00:06:21,996 Speaker 1: And you play a few bars of it, Yeah, there's 112 00:06:21,996 --> 00:06:26,476 Speaker 1: a slight caveat here. What happens with my songs is 113 00:06:26,516 --> 00:06:29,236 Speaker 1: that we construct the songs in the studio and the 114 00:06:29,236 --> 00:06:32,396 Speaker 1: band comes in and colors in once we get into 115 00:06:32,436 --> 00:06:37,276 Speaker 1: the production and we get into the song making I forget. 116 00:06:37,676 --> 00:06:40,516 Speaker 1: I never have it under my fingers. I've never played 117 00:06:40,516 --> 00:06:43,596 Speaker 1: this song from start to finish, you know, especially this one, 118 00:06:43,916 --> 00:06:46,636 Speaker 1: So obviously we have to learn to play this song 119 00:06:46,836 --> 00:06:49,956 Speaker 1: when we come to the concert. What I'm basically saying 120 00:06:50,036 --> 00:06:52,036 Speaker 1: is that me and Stevie are just trying to learn 121 00:06:52,076 --> 00:06:54,756 Speaker 1: how to play a few bars for you just today, 122 00:06:55,316 --> 00:06:58,396 Speaker 1: so we don't actually know it, but well, we'll have 123 00:06:58,476 --> 00:07:05,316 Speaker 1: a goal. Can I call you sometimes talk get out 124 00:07:05,516 --> 00:07:12,476 Speaker 1: on the phone. We don't have to be loved first, 125 00:07:13,956 --> 00:07:20,516 Speaker 1: We could be less alone. It's a rough, rocky road 126 00:07:23,236 --> 00:07:30,196 Speaker 1: and it's gonna get steep. I just wanted your soft 127 00:07:30,596 --> 00:07:39,196 Speaker 1: tone to allow me to sleep. And I sometimes confuse 128 00:07:41,076 --> 00:07:57,756 Speaker 1: you fuck God or angel yo, just a person sometimes confused. 129 00:07:59,756 --> 00:08:15,596 Speaker 1: I Gocklorian my mind a soft song once. Well, you 130 00:08:15,636 --> 00:08:18,916 Speaker 1: guys are quick learners. That was terrific. We were kind 131 00:08:18,916 --> 00:08:21,916 Speaker 1: of like, I'm looking at the chord sheets and for 132 00:08:21,996 --> 00:08:25,596 Speaker 1: the listeners, that probably kind of replicates the idea of 133 00:08:25,676 --> 00:08:28,356 Speaker 1: what happened when we brought the song in at first 134 00:08:28,916 --> 00:08:31,756 Speaker 1: and we were just feeling the chords. Was that purely 135 00:08:31,756 --> 00:08:34,716 Speaker 1: a musical idea you had and then added the lyrics 136 00:08:34,916 --> 00:08:38,076 Speaker 1: or did the lyric come at the same time. More 137 00:08:38,236 --> 00:08:41,236 Speaker 1: regularly for me, the words and the lyrics will come 138 00:08:41,276 --> 00:08:43,796 Speaker 1: at the same time. It's sometimes it's not a strong 139 00:08:43,996 --> 00:08:48,396 Speaker 1: urge to say something lyrically at first. It's more likely 140 00:08:48,436 --> 00:08:53,996 Speaker 1: to be a musical idea, you know, and then immediately 141 00:08:54,036 --> 00:08:57,636 Speaker 1: I'll try and cannot call you sometime. And you might 142 00:08:57,676 --> 00:09:00,396 Speaker 1: even think that that would start off as a scratch 143 00:09:00,516 --> 00:09:04,476 Speaker 1: lyric that you would replace later talk it out on 144 00:09:04,516 --> 00:09:09,756 Speaker 1: the phone, but a bit quite often your first lyrics 145 00:09:09,876 --> 00:09:12,676 Speaker 1: end up as the actual song itself. It's got a 146 00:09:12,716 --> 00:09:15,356 Speaker 1: great rhythm on the record. It's got the same kind 147 00:09:15,396 --> 00:09:18,716 Speaker 1: of bounce as the sound of Breaking Glass by Nick Lowe. 148 00:09:18,796 --> 00:09:20,716 Speaker 1: If you know that song, Oh yeah, that's a great one. 149 00:09:20,876 --> 00:09:24,036 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, how does that one go? Stepe? I love 150 00:09:24,116 --> 00:09:31,556 Speaker 1: the sound of Breaking Glass. You can learn his songs 151 00:09:31,596 --> 00:09:34,876 Speaker 1: even faster. That's amazing. And because I love the title 152 00:09:34,916 --> 00:09:37,756 Speaker 1: so much, Profits on Hold. I mean, are you sitting 153 00:09:37,796 --> 00:09:40,076 Speaker 1: around somewhere you've got a notebook and you think of 154 00:09:40,116 --> 00:09:42,196 Speaker 1: the phrase profits on hold? Or are you on the 155 00:09:42,196 --> 00:09:44,916 Speaker 1: phone and you just write it down thinking I'm going 156 00:09:44,996 --> 00:09:47,316 Speaker 1: to use that at some point? When did that occur? 157 00:09:47,636 --> 00:09:51,156 Speaker 1: I take note of titles and then sometimes they lie 158 00:09:51,196 --> 00:09:54,956 Speaker 1: for years and then they become songs later on. That 159 00:09:55,116 --> 00:09:57,036 Speaker 1: was a case of that came out in the lyric 160 00:09:57,156 --> 00:10:00,716 Speaker 1: that day, just as I was writing underneath your Thin Skin, 161 00:10:00,756 --> 00:10:03,316 Speaker 1: we are profits and Hold, that occurred to me that 162 00:10:03,316 --> 00:10:05,756 Speaker 1: that could be the title. I'm going to talk about 163 00:10:05,796 --> 00:10:08,276 Speaker 1: the source of the songwriting in the group. You know, 164 00:10:08,436 --> 00:10:10,876 Speaker 1: you are one of the those bands that's not afraid 165 00:10:10,956 --> 00:10:15,236 Speaker 1: to be witty. I don't mean sort of modern lee witty, 166 00:10:15,276 --> 00:10:20,556 Speaker 1: but there is that kind of tradition in English Scottish, 167 00:10:20,796 --> 00:10:23,516 Speaker 1: you know, songwriting. Morrissey is a good example, and I 168 00:10:23,596 --> 00:10:26,236 Speaker 1: think he was an influence on you, almost that kind 169 00:10:26,276 --> 00:10:29,876 Speaker 1: of nol Coward school of being kind of funny. Where 170 00:10:29,916 --> 00:10:32,516 Speaker 1: does that come from in your background? It's sort of 171 00:10:32,516 --> 00:10:34,716 Speaker 1: hard to say. I mean, I'm not sure it's a 172 00:10:34,716 --> 00:10:37,036 Speaker 1: gift that we have for wet Maybe it's a gift 173 00:10:37,076 --> 00:10:40,436 Speaker 1: that we have for honesty and not being afraid to 174 00:10:40,836 --> 00:10:43,876 Speaker 1: leave it all out there. That is a progression from say, 175 00:10:43,876 --> 00:10:46,516 Speaker 1: for instance, you know, the Beatles through the Smiths to 176 00:10:46,956 --> 00:10:49,076 Speaker 1: us and to other bands that if you draw a line, 177 00:10:49,116 --> 00:10:51,956 Speaker 1: I think the people, you know, songwriters are more inclined 178 00:10:52,036 --> 00:10:56,276 Speaker 1: to be very honest and talk about their feelings, talk 179 00:10:56,316 --> 00:11:01,236 Speaker 1: about what's on their mind, very conversational. Whereas you know, 180 00:11:01,236 --> 00:11:04,356 Speaker 1: if you go back a little ways, songwriting was more 181 00:11:04,996 --> 00:11:07,116 Speaker 1: rigorous and there was rules, and there was things that 182 00:11:07,116 --> 00:11:09,396 Speaker 1: it would be cringy to say. At the time, when 183 00:11:09,436 --> 00:11:13,276 Speaker 1: I started songwriting, I didn't have anything to lose and 184 00:11:13,316 --> 00:11:16,796 Speaker 1: I wanted to tell the world how I felt from 185 00:11:16,876 --> 00:11:21,156 Speaker 1: my position of pain and anguish. But sometimes the humor 186 00:11:21,396 --> 00:11:23,996 Speaker 1: or being able to have a joke about it, and 187 00:11:24,116 --> 00:11:26,956 Speaker 1: even if the joke is on yourself, can be refreshing, 188 00:11:26,996 --> 00:11:30,476 Speaker 1: it can be liberating. But you're known for that level 189 00:11:30,516 --> 00:11:33,596 Speaker 1: of kind of wit. You know, if you're feeling sinister, 190 00:11:33,836 --> 00:11:36,676 Speaker 1: go and see a minister. There are a million examples 191 00:11:36,876 --> 00:11:40,236 Speaker 1: in your music. Were you a particularly literary kid. Was 192 00:11:40,276 --> 00:11:42,396 Speaker 1: there a lot of reading in your background. I did 193 00:11:42,436 --> 00:11:45,516 Speaker 1: quite a lot of reading as a later youth. I 194 00:11:45,796 --> 00:11:47,796 Speaker 1: did everything at the wrong time. When I was at 195 00:11:47,956 --> 00:11:52,036 Speaker 1: university doing science, all I would be doing was reading 196 00:11:52,156 --> 00:11:55,436 Speaker 1: English literature to the extent where the way that you 197 00:11:55,516 --> 00:11:59,316 Speaker 1: speak actually changes. I don't know if Stevie ever felt 198 00:11:59,356 --> 00:12:03,036 Speaker 1: that phenomenon, or yourself felt that phenomenon. I did go 199 00:12:03,116 --> 00:12:05,236 Speaker 1: through a couple of years where I was reading Jane 200 00:12:05,236 --> 00:12:09,956 Speaker 1: Austen and French authors, and the way that you actually 201 00:12:09,996 --> 00:12:12,596 Speaker 1: talk you could tell that it was changing because you 202 00:12:12,676 --> 00:12:16,076 Speaker 1: would be composing sentences the same way as these Victorian 203 00:12:16,156 --> 00:12:19,756 Speaker 1: all arts. And so that that was a period a 204 00:12:19,796 --> 00:12:23,156 Speaker 1: couple of years, and then I actually dropped out of university. 205 00:12:23,876 --> 00:12:27,196 Speaker 1: I didn't do signs anymore. I got more interested in 206 00:12:27,236 --> 00:12:30,156 Speaker 1: the art side. We're going to take a quick break here, 207 00:12:30,196 --> 00:12:32,116 Speaker 1: but we'll be right back with more from Stuart and 208 00:12:32,156 --> 00:12:40,596 Speaker 1: Stevie from balan Sebashtan. We're back with Bruce Adam's conversation 209 00:12:40,836 --> 00:12:43,836 Speaker 1: with Stevie and Stuart. There's a couple of songs I 210 00:12:43,956 --> 00:12:46,556 Speaker 1: want to ask about and then we'll dive into some background. 211 00:12:46,836 --> 00:12:48,996 Speaker 1: If they're shooting at you, tell me a bit about 212 00:12:48,996 --> 00:12:52,636 Speaker 1: the genesis of that song. I'm glad that you've asked 213 00:12:52,636 --> 00:12:55,076 Speaker 1: me about this one. Let me just try and get 214 00:12:55,116 --> 00:12:57,636 Speaker 1: the words of the song in front of me, and 215 00:12:57,876 --> 00:13:00,596 Speaker 1: I hope you don't feel that's too feeble, not at all. 216 00:13:00,796 --> 00:13:03,556 Speaker 1: So the funny thing about if they're shooting at you, 217 00:13:03,956 --> 00:13:06,196 Speaker 1: although I said it before, it was a new song 218 00:13:06,316 --> 00:13:10,436 Speaker 1: coming into this. I'd had the idea for the tune 219 00:13:10,476 --> 00:13:12,796 Speaker 1: for a couple of years and I brought it into 220 00:13:12,836 --> 00:13:15,916 Speaker 1: the studio pretty much the same day as Bob and 221 00:13:15,956 --> 00:13:18,076 Speaker 1: the band. He brought in an idea, and this was 222 00:13:18,156 --> 00:13:19,796 Speaker 1: during the time we were doing the EPs a couple 223 00:13:19,836 --> 00:13:22,516 Speaker 1: of years ago. So he played me this idea and said, 224 00:13:22,556 --> 00:13:24,836 Speaker 1: could you come up with words for this? And I 225 00:13:24,876 --> 00:13:28,796 Speaker 1: realized it had the same rhythm and vibe as the 226 00:13:28,836 --> 00:13:30,596 Speaker 1: thing I was writing, and I thought, well, this is good. 227 00:13:30,716 --> 00:13:33,436 Speaker 1: I like that that's interesting when that happens, because you 228 00:13:33,476 --> 00:13:36,516 Speaker 1: can combine the two in such a way that sometimes 229 00:13:36,516 --> 00:13:39,596 Speaker 1: something interesting comes from it. I find that the easiest 230 00:13:39,636 --> 00:13:41,876 Speaker 1: way to combine two ideas they probably need to have 231 00:13:41,876 --> 00:13:44,276 Speaker 1: the same rhythmic feel. You can always go from chord 232 00:13:44,316 --> 00:13:47,396 Speaker 1: to chord and figure out a way. I ended up 233 00:13:47,476 --> 00:13:52,476 Speaker 1: lending Bob's song a section of this song, and we 234 00:13:52,556 --> 00:13:55,156 Speaker 1: wrote words and became a song called Poor Boy and 235 00:13:55,276 --> 00:13:59,076 Speaker 1: as You was a single. But as we approached this LP, 236 00:13:59,516 --> 00:14:01,836 Speaker 1: I had the idea for this song in my head. 237 00:14:01,876 --> 00:14:03,516 Speaker 1: I still had the tune in my head. I felt 238 00:14:03,516 --> 00:14:06,956 Speaker 1: it hadn't been fully exploited, so I wrote discreet words. 239 00:14:06,956 --> 00:14:09,196 Speaker 1: I wrote separate words. I actually said to the and 240 00:14:09,276 --> 00:14:13,476 Speaker 1: beforehand it if you don't think this is too lazy 241 00:14:13,516 --> 00:14:16,516 Speaker 1: of me? Could this be a song? Could we try 242 00:14:16,556 --> 00:14:20,396 Speaker 1: this song? So maybe, like if if there's Belcabacitian fan, 243 00:14:20,556 --> 00:14:22,516 Speaker 1: you know, listening just now, they might be able to 244 00:14:22,556 --> 00:14:25,996 Speaker 1: reference part of the song. Will we play you a 245 00:14:26,116 --> 00:14:29,676 Speaker 1: verse or something from the would be great? One? Two? 246 00:14:30,156 --> 00:14:36,556 Speaker 1: So huh said, do you? I'm not free? I got 247 00:14:36,636 --> 00:14:43,076 Speaker 1: a mountain falling down on me, I got say the 248 00:14:43,356 --> 00:14:49,956 Speaker 1: san I've got down all the beeple one, a scream 249 00:14:50,076 --> 00:14:57,956 Speaker 1: and shout. I'm so tired. I'm always on money and 250 00:14:58,276 --> 00:15:05,516 Speaker 1: I'm called it's always januine worry in this huh and 251 00:15:06,116 --> 00:15:13,276 Speaker 1: on this streets. It's so great. I can't take it. 252 00:15:14,036 --> 00:15:25,396 Speaker 1: What happened to like fun? You sweat to? What did 253 00:15:25,516 --> 00:15:33,996 Speaker 1: you go okay? What would just think would just give 254 00:15:34,036 --> 00:15:38,196 Speaker 1: you a little taste lovely? What was behind the feeling 255 00:15:38,276 --> 00:15:41,156 Speaker 1: of that song, the lyrics of that song. It started 256 00:15:41,196 --> 00:15:45,836 Speaker 1: off very personal and became more general. It was me 257 00:15:45,996 --> 00:15:49,836 Speaker 1: looking out there at stories that were in the news. 258 00:15:50,236 --> 00:15:53,316 Speaker 1: If you look at the news any day, there's stories 259 00:15:53,316 --> 00:15:56,596 Speaker 1: about violent oppression, you know. Like I said, I started 260 00:15:57,156 --> 00:15:59,556 Speaker 1: singing from my own the way that I was feeling, 261 00:15:59,796 --> 00:16:02,196 Speaker 1: and then I started writing from the perspective of the 262 00:16:02,276 --> 00:16:04,516 Speaker 1: things that were happening that I could see happening to 263 00:16:04,636 --> 00:16:08,236 Speaker 1: other people. And sometimes things that are happening to you 264 00:16:08,636 --> 00:16:10,956 Speaker 1: they're quite small compared to the things that are happening 265 00:16:10,996 --> 00:16:13,916 Speaker 1: to other people. People are dying, people are being tortured, 266 00:16:14,236 --> 00:16:18,476 Speaker 1: people are in prison. This is terrible, terrible things happening, 267 00:16:18,516 --> 00:16:21,836 Speaker 1: And what do you do. I can't imagine facing those things, 268 00:16:22,436 --> 00:16:26,036 Speaker 1: but I know and I've seen it. People have faith 269 00:16:26,756 --> 00:16:29,996 Speaker 1: sometimes that's the only thing that can get them through it. 270 00:16:30,396 --> 00:16:34,316 Speaker 1: I know faith isn't for everybody, but I've experienced faith. 271 00:16:34,396 --> 00:16:38,036 Speaker 1: But also I've seen faith at work in other people, 272 00:16:38,316 --> 00:16:43,276 Speaker 1: and I know that at that point of disaster, upon it, 273 00:16:43,356 --> 00:16:46,916 Speaker 1: even death, that sometimes faith is the only thing that's 274 00:16:46,916 --> 00:16:49,116 Speaker 1: going to do it. So that's the second half of 275 00:16:49,156 --> 00:16:52,196 Speaker 1: the song. Really. Now, when you talk about faith, because 276 00:16:53,036 --> 00:16:56,316 Speaker 1: you're a practicing Buddhist, you're also a Christian, do you 277 00:16:56,396 --> 00:16:59,996 Speaker 1: mean religious faith in that sense or another kind of 278 00:17:00,076 --> 00:17:04,236 Speaker 1: faith in the sense it's a religious faith. And although 279 00:17:04,396 --> 00:17:06,956 Speaker 1: I am a Christian and would say not so much 280 00:17:06,996 --> 00:17:11,316 Speaker 1: a practicing Buddhist, but obviously very interested in Buddhism. You know, 281 00:17:11,716 --> 00:17:14,396 Speaker 1: I don't mean to be badantic. If you're practicing Buddhists, 282 00:17:14,436 --> 00:17:19,236 Speaker 1: you go for refuge to Buddha. But I'm a Christians, 283 00:17:19,316 --> 00:17:22,996 Speaker 1: I go for refuge to God. And so that's who 284 00:17:23,956 --> 00:17:26,756 Speaker 1: I feel that I'm talking about in this that God 285 00:17:26,916 --> 00:17:30,916 Speaker 1: is actually a voice in the song. Oh see, like 286 00:17:31,076 --> 00:17:34,756 Speaker 1: many of your songs, it starts as a conversation. Something 287 00:17:34,836 --> 00:17:37,956 Speaker 1: you're you announce, you're saying to another person. Is that 288 00:17:38,076 --> 00:17:40,916 Speaker 1: what the two voices are in the song? What happens. 289 00:17:40,956 --> 00:17:45,276 Speaker 1: It becomes the person that I was thinking about, the 290 00:17:45,396 --> 00:17:49,276 Speaker 1: oppressed person and God, and God is saying, they might 291 00:17:49,356 --> 00:17:52,316 Speaker 1: do terrible things to you, but I've got your back. 292 00:17:52,676 --> 00:17:55,156 Speaker 1: This might mean that this experience goes beyond this life. 293 00:17:56,236 --> 00:17:59,236 Speaker 1: And I know that that's maybe hard for some people 294 00:17:59,716 --> 00:18:02,676 Speaker 1: to imagine or some people to take, but I feel 295 00:18:02,716 --> 00:18:05,796 Speaker 1: like we have to look beyond, and you know in 296 00:18:05,876 --> 00:18:09,596 Speaker 1: the song, God is getting this person's back. You talked 297 00:18:09,596 --> 00:18:12,156 Speaker 1: about sort of seeing things in the world, particularly with 298 00:18:12,276 --> 00:18:16,796 Speaker 1: this song that you know we're terrible things. It doesn't 299 00:18:16,836 --> 00:18:21,036 Speaker 1: strike me as an angry song though. Malcolm and I 300 00:18:21,116 --> 00:18:24,036 Speaker 1: just did a big project with Paul Simon, and I 301 00:18:24,076 --> 00:18:25,956 Speaker 1: don't think it made the final cut of the project. 302 00:18:26,636 --> 00:18:30,676 Speaker 1: But I do remember asking him if he ever wrote 303 00:18:30,756 --> 00:18:34,796 Speaker 1: out of anger, and he said he did, but he 304 00:18:34,956 --> 00:18:37,276 Speaker 1: works on the song until all the anger is gone. 305 00:18:37,876 --> 00:18:40,396 Speaker 1: How do you see sort of anger in your songs? 306 00:18:40,476 --> 00:18:43,356 Speaker 1: Do you see anger underlying this song? No, not so 307 00:18:43,516 --> 00:18:45,436 Speaker 1: much this song, and it certainly, I mean to be 308 00:18:45,516 --> 00:18:48,796 Speaker 1: honest with you, I've had to work on anger issues 309 00:18:49,116 --> 00:18:51,516 Speaker 1: in my life. I think we all have. I think 310 00:18:51,756 --> 00:18:54,916 Speaker 1: perhaps many of us mellow as we get older. We're 311 00:18:55,036 --> 00:18:58,556 Speaker 1: constantly trying to become more patient, especially I've had kids, 312 00:18:59,196 --> 00:19:02,236 Speaker 1: and having a kid or kids is a lesson in 313 00:19:02,596 --> 00:19:06,436 Speaker 1: patient acceptance. You're working on your anger constantly when you 314 00:19:06,516 --> 00:19:10,516 Speaker 1: have kids. So I had more issues and I was younger. 315 00:19:11,196 --> 00:19:14,716 Speaker 1: Stevie would probably a test, and you know, things you 316 00:19:14,836 --> 00:19:17,356 Speaker 1: get quite spiky in the band and an everyday life, 317 00:19:17,396 --> 00:19:19,876 Speaker 1: and sometimes that would leak into some songs that I 318 00:19:19,956 --> 00:19:24,236 Speaker 1: could think about. But in this case, I think the 319 00:19:24,436 --> 00:19:27,716 Speaker 1: song is looking for a different solution. Even though terrible 320 00:19:27,796 --> 00:19:30,796 Speaker 1: things are happening to people and anger seems to be 321 00:19:31,436 --> 00:19:34,796 Speaker 1: sometimes seemed to be an appropriate response, I think I'm 322 00:19:35,036 --> 00:19:38,556 Speaker 1: suggesting in the song there's another way. I do want 323 00:19:38,596 --> 00:19:40,156 Speaker 1: to shift to Stevie, and I did want to ask 324 00:19:40,196 --> 00:19:42,836 Speaker 1: you about Deathbed of My Dreams. It's got a lovely 325 00:19:42,956 --> 00:19:45,716 Speaker 1: kind of country feel to it. Almost sounds like one 326 00:19:45,756 --> 00:19:49,676 Speaker 1: of those old kind of Nashville kind of dreamy slide 327 00:19:49,716 --> 00:19:53,836 Speaker 1: guitar songs. Can you tell me about that song? Well, sure, 328 00:19:54,956 --> 00:19:59,476 Speaker 1: without getting sued. That's the first time I wrote a 329 00:19:59,516 --> 00:20:01,476 Speaker 1: song in a specific way. There was a song in 330 00:20:01,596 --> 00:20:04,516 Speaker 1: my head which already existed. I basically wrote my own 331 00:20:04,596 --> 00:20:08,676 Speaker 1: words to someone else's song, and I've never done that 332 00:20:08,796 --> 00:20:11,516 Speaker 1: before got the folk tradition or something, and then I 333 00:20:11,636 --> 00:20:15,356 Speaker 1: changed the chords under it so that the melody changed. 334 00:20:15,436 --> 00:20:17,596 Speaker 1: And now you can't tell that you know that it 335 00:20:17,716 --> 00:20:20,396 Speaker 1: started off as another tune and I just changed it. 336 00:20:20,556 --> 00:20:21,796 Speaker 1: But this way, it's like a sort of an a 337 00:20:21,876 --> 00:20:25,716 Speaker 1: moral dilemma because I actually deliberately used another tune to 338 00:20:26,156 --> 00:20:29,156 Speaker 1: express myself and then changed it. But maybe you could 339 00:20:29,236 --> 00:20:34,996 Speaker 1: argue that's a kind of folk process. Yeah, it's it's 340 00:20:35,116 --> 00:20:38,156 Speaker 1: very common in folk and country music. I'm interested. It's 341 00:20:38,196 --> 00:20:41,996 Speaker 1: got a beautiful, very distinctive sound on the record. Now, 342 00:20:42,076 --> 00:20:44,556 Speaker 1: your albums are always full of different sounds. The song 343 00:20:44,676 --> 00:20:46,956 Speaker 1: we just talked about, if They're Shooting at You, which 344 00:20:47,076 --> 00:20:50,596 Speaker 1: we made sound fairly grim, actually sounds like it's like 345 00:20:50,716 --> 00:20:54,476 Speaker 1: a great bird backrack song. Yeah, Deathbed of My Dreams 346 00:20:54,516 --> 00:20:57,076 Speaker 1: has a very particular sound. Was it the sound of 347 00:20:57,116 --> 00:21:00,276 Speaker 1: this other song that attracted you? A Stuart and his 348 00:21:00,476 --> 00:21:03,356 Speaker 1: Songs and our producer Brian, you know, the aforementioned song 349 00:21:03,396 --> 00:21:04,956 Speaker 1: If They're Shooting at You. I think they took a 350 00:21:04,996 --> 00:21:07,076 Speaker 1: long time to get the rhythm of it, or you know, 351 00:21:07,156 --> 00:21:08,756 Speaker 1: like they spend a lot of time in the studio 352 00:21:09,836 --> 00:21:12,836 Speaker 1: getting it right. And I just don't have the patience 353 00:21:12,956 --> 00:21:14,996 Speaker 1: for that kind of thing. I my kind of way 354 00:21:14,996 --> 00:21:18,516 Speaker 1: of working is is that kind of audio verity thing. 355 00:21:18,596 --> 00:21:22,196 Speaker 1: I just assemble the musicians, play them the song, and 356 00:21:22,316 --> 00:21:24,836 Speaker 1: whatever will be will be, or would try and capture something, 357 00:21:25,076 --> 00:21:27,996 Speaker 1: or you know, usually try and capture it fast. I 358 00:21:28,076 --> 00:21:29,596 Speaker 1: think like with this song, I think it was in 359 00:21:29,756 --> 00:21:33,876 Speaker 1: c and and I just said, look, just play whatever 360 00:21:33,956 --> 00:21:36,676 Speaker 1: you want. I gave a couple of counters and didn't 361 00:21:36,836 --> 00:21:38,876 Speaker 1: quite happen. Then we had a coffee break and as 362 00:21:38,876 --> 00:21:41,956 Speaker 1: it us to it in the A and then it 363 00:21:42,036 --> 00:21:44,276 Speaker 1: just kind of came together quite nicely and we got 364 00:21:44,316 --> 00:21:47,236 Speaker 1: it in a few takes. That's certainly my memory of it. 365 00:21:47,316 --> 00:21:52,756 Speaker 1: And then Brian and I overdubbed a steel guitar which 366 00:21:52,836 --> 00:21:54,676 Speaker 1: they have played. The way it kind of came out, 367 00:21:54,716 --> 00:21:57,836 Speaker 1: it did sound like that kind of Nashville nineteen sixty 368 00:21:57,916 --> 00:22:00,236 Speaker 1: one kind of sound, so we kind of pushed it 369 00:22:00,316 --> 00:22:03,356 Speaker 1: that way a little bit like a day or bass 370 00:22:03,396 --> 00:22:06,236 Speaker 1: player he'd done that classic Nashville thing of he doubled 371 00:22:06,276 --> 00:22:09,756 Speaker 1: his part with a Fender six guitar along with a 372 00:22:09,876 --> 00:22:11,956 Speaker 1: kind of upright bass kind of feel. So has that 373 00:22:12,076 --> 00:22:14,316 Speaker 1: kind of two basses playing which is about in Nashville 374 00:22:14,556 --> 00:22:17,716 Speaker 1: kind of sound. It's a beautiful song. There are a 375 00:22:17,796 --> 00:22:21,396 Speaker 1: couple of songs on this album. I think, maybe particularly 376 00:22:21,996 --> 00:22:27,596 Speaker 1: the performance of Unnecessary Drama, that it felt like you 377 00:22:27,676 --> 00:22:30,116 Speaker 1: were a band that was desperate to play live again. 378 00:22:30,596 --> 00:22:33,316 Speaker 1: It just kind of had more aggression, more kind of 379 00:22:33,956 --> 00:22:37,276 Speaker 1: a live kind of feel. Were you itching to get 380 00:22:37,356 --> 00:22:40,076 Speaker 1: back out in front of a live audience when you 381 00:22:40,156 --> 00:22:44,276 Speaker 1: were recording these I would say no, personally, no, no. Yeah. 382 00:22:44,756 --> 00:22:46,956 Speaker 1: The key thing about this song is that this song 383 00:22:47,116 --> 00:22:50,396 Speaker 1: is Bob's song. You know, Bob isn't here to tell 384 00:22:50,516 --> 00:22:53,316 Speaker 1: his side of things, but Bob is. You know, he's 385 00:22:53,436 --> 00:22:55,676 Speaker 1: very organized and he had a plan for this song. 386 00:22:55,796 --> 00:22:58,876 Speaker 1: He had a sound. He has everything meticulously planned out. 387 00:22:59,436 --> 00:23:03,516 Speaker 1: So this is very much his sound. When I I'm 388 00:23:03,556 --> 00:23:06,596 Speaker 1: in the studio, I don't care whether I'm in Atlanta 389 00:23:06,836 --> 00:23:10,036 Speaker 1: or Ellie or London. You're sort of in a womb. 390 00:23:10,276 --> 00:23:12,556 Speaker 1: You're in a very safe place, and that's why it's 391 00:23:12,596 --> 00:23:14,836 Speaker 1: a It's a wonderful place for songs to be born. 392 00:23:15,276 --> 00:23:20,636 Speaker 1: I like studio stuff. I like a studio sound. You know, 393 00:23:20,716 --> 00:23:23,956 Speaker 1: there's a lushnessism. I like middle of the road sixties 394 00:23:23,996 --> 00:23:28,116 Speaker 1: and seventies records. For me, it's complete yean and yang. 395 00:23:28,716 --> 00:23:31,316 Speaker 1: But of course, as members of the band, we're all 396 00:23:31,476 --> 00:23:35,436 Speaker 1: ready to support the person whose idea and whose song 397 00:23:35,516 --> 00:23:39,156 Speaker 1: it is, so we're really happy to I mean, Stevie, 398 00:23:39,636 --> 00:23:42,956 Speaker 1: did you suggest that harmonic or did Bob suggest that harmonica? No, 399 00:23:43,036 --> 00:23:45,716 Speaker 1: it was Bob, yeah, and it was actually an overdub. 400 00:23:45,756 --> 00:23:48,556 Speaker 1: I didn't record it with the band. Bob did all 401 00:23:48,556 --> 00:23:50,836 Speaker 1: the guitars on it because he's you know, like I said, 402 00:23:50,876 --> 00:23:52,276 Speaker 1: it's not like an add to It's like it's like 403 00:23:52,316 --> 00:23:55,396 Speaker 1: a military campaign when he does one of these songs. Honestly, 404 00:23:55,476 --> 00:23:57,916 Speaker 1: it's like it's also a thought out and you know, 405 00:23:57,996 --> 00:23:59,836 Speaker 1: as a guitar player or nothing that I can add 406 00:23:59,836 --> 00:24:01,396 Speaker 1: to us. I just leave him to it. But on 407 00:24:01,476 --> 00:24:03,716 Speaker 1: the day, you know, as we'll come and play harmonica 408 00:24:03,716 --> 00:24:05,396 Speaker 1: on it. And that's just what came out, which you 409 00:24:05,436 --> 00:24:08,076 Speaker 1: said about the studio being a womb and not thinking 410 00:24:08,116 --> 00:24:10,396 Speaker 1: about playing live. So I have to ask you if 411 00:24:10,476 --> 00:24:14,396 Speaker 1: you watched the Beatles documentary Get Back. Oh sure, I did. 412 00:24:14,516 --> 00:24:16,596 Speaker 1: I mean, like a had a three D party at 413 00:24:16,636 --> 00:24:23,836 Speaker 1: my house. I had food and invited interested friends. One 414 00:24:23,876 --> 00:24:25,836 Speaker 1: of the things that fascinated me about it was that 415 00:24:25,956 --> 00:24:28,156 Speaker 1: they had been in the womb of the studio so long, 416 00:24:28,276 --> 00:24:30,836 Speaker 1: and they sort of announced their intention to go play, 417 00:24:31,596 --> 00:24:35,796 Speaker 1: and there was that just stress between just playing for 418 00:24:35,876 --> 00:24:38,636 Speaker 1: themselves and making things up and knowing they had to 419 00:24:38,676 --> 00:24:41,876 Speaker 1: get in front of an audience. Did that trigger any 420 00:24:41,956 --> 00:24:46,356 Speaker 1: memories or any studio trauma of your own going through 421 00:24:46,436 --> 00:24:49,876 Speaker 1: that stress? Now? Yeah, the transition from studio to live 422 00:24:49,996 --> 00:24:52,596 Speaker 1: is so different. You have to relearn all the songs, 423 00:24:52,636 --> 00:24:54,516 Speaker 1: you have to be prepared to get up there and 424 00:24:54,596 --> 00:24:58,516 Speaker 1: face the music, face the audience, and it's such a 425 00:24:58,596 --> 00:25:02,716 Speaker 1: different thing. And even today, I mean, you've kind of 426 00:25:02,796 --> 00:25:05,036 Speaker 1: inspired us to get our finger out and get moving 427 00:25:05,036 --> 00:25:08,116 Speaker 1: a little bit. And even having a rough play through 428 00:25:08,236 --> 00:25:10,836 Speaker 1: some of these songs is built a bit of confidence 429 00:25:11,316 --> 00:25:13,796 Speaker 1: for me because I'm thinking, no, that that tunes Okay, 430 00:25:13,916 --> 00:25:15,796 Speaker 1: that's a tune that that we don't need to you 431 00:25:15,836 --> 00:25:19,036 Speaker 1: don't need to hide behind studio trickery. It'll be okay. 432 00:25:19,476 --> 00:25:23,796 Speaker 1: Could we maybe play a verse of unnecessary drama for you? Sure? 433 00:25:24,116 --> 00:25:26,396 Speaker 1: Even though it's a hard hitting song, I think it's 434 00:25:26,396 --> 00:25:28,836 Speaker 1: a nice pop song, you know, even when you strip 435 00:25:28,876 --> 00:25:31,236 Speaker 1: it down. So so I've just added something that cursed 436 00:25:31,236 --> 00:25:34,036 Speaker 1: to me that I like this one, because it's when 437 00:25:34,076 --> 00:25:36,916 Speaker 1: someone else writes music for stuarts, it maybe puts them 438 00:25:36,956 --> 00:25:39,436 Speaker 1: in a position which he would normally wouldn't find himselves in, 439 00:25:40,476 --> 00:25:42,996 Speaker 1: you know, if he was, you know, writing for himself, 440 00:25:43,076 --> 00:25:45,916 Speaker 1: which he does, instead of just having a feeling. I thought, 441 00:25:46,196 --> 00:25:47,876 Speaker 1: where the word's going to be about. I'm gonna have 442 00:25:47,916 --> 00:25:49,916 Speaker 1: to tell a story. I'm gonna have to ride on 443 00:25:50,036 --> 00:25:52,876 Speaker 1: the song. And I ended up kind of telling a 444 00:25:52,956 --> 00:25:56,716 Speaker 1: story about my friend. Yeah, and I didn't play guitar 445 00:25:56,756 --> 00:25:59,156 Speaker 1: on the record. I've played a monicas. I think I've 446 00:25:59,236 --> 00:26:02,916 Speaker 1: just learned it. So here it goes okay, So one, 447 00:26:03,036 --> 00:26:06,796 Speaker 1: two three, I read your letter from before. You've been 448 00:26:06,956 --> 00:26:12,276 Speaker 1: having so much fun, and is it possiful? You're just 449 00:26:12,636 --> 00:26:18,076 Speaker 1: telling me to drum me in. There's an array of 450 00:26:18,236 --> 00:26:22,876 Speaker 1: douche bags landing up to play the stupid it pots. 451 00:26:23,636 --> 00:26:29,076 Speaker 1: And did you ever pass before you gave your loveful way? 452 00:26:30,116 --> 00:26:36,236 Speaker 1: This is my life, This is my soul cold life, 453 00:26:36,916 --> 00:26:43,956 Speaker 1: this is my life, This is my owly life. And 454 00:26:44,156 --> 00:26:47,716 Speaker 1: when you came to me that summer, you were just 455 00:26:48,076 --> 00:26:53,876 Speaker 1: a shell and you were holding close to mother. She 456 00:26:54,276 --> 00:26:58,756 Speaker 1: was ashing with the strange, and there was Master go 457 00:26:59,116 --> 00:27:04,716 Speaker 1: yet Master built that sister loving bund and then I 458 00:27:04,916 --> 00:27:11,476 Speaker 1: figured that the music set your soul place and us 459 00:27:11,676 --> 00:27:17,876 Speaker 1: probably not surprising that ju funing through the day. And 460 00:27:18,076 --> 00:27:22,596 Speaker 1: if I had a second uncoke, I would probably do 461 00:27:23,116 --> 00:27:28,076 Speaker 1: the same. And if the intimacy I but stopped. So 462 00:27:28,756 --> 00:27:34,276 Speaker 1: miss your stories, miss y'all. Let us every awkward fumble 463 00:27:34,516 --> 00:27:42,476 Speaker 1: should be prayed. Okay, they're gonna be holding up their 464 00:27:42,556 --> 00:27:44,876 Speaker 1: lighters for that one. That's gonna be a big, big 465 00:27:45,036 --> 00:27:49,156 Speaker 1: concert pleasure. That was wonderful. Thank God, you're instilling us 466 00:27:49,236 --> 00:27:51,716 Speaker 1: with confidence. I feel that's my job now. I didn't 467 00:27:51,716 --> 00:27:54,076 Speaker 1: think it was going to be my job. We'll be 468 00:27:54,196 --> 00:27:56,076 Speaker 1: right back with more from Bell and Sebastian. After a 469 00:27:56,156 --> 00:28:03,316 Speaker 1: quick break, we're back with the rest of Bruce's conversation 470 00:28:03,476 --> 00:28:06,196 Speaker 1: with Bell and Sebashtan. Here's the performance of their song 471 00:28:06,516 --> 00:28:11,276 Speaker 1: Young and Stupid. Oh one, two, three four. I was 472 00:28:11,436 --> 00:28:18,156 Speaker 1: yelling in my seat. I was crying, feeling weak. Do 473 00:28:18,356 --> 00:28:23,916 Speaker 1: we have to feel this way? It wasn't like this yesterday. 474 00:28:24,956 --> 00:28:31,796 Speaker 1: Everything it's behind when you're young and stupid. Everything's did 475 00:28:31,876 --> 00:28:37,516 Speaker 1: behind when you're young and stupid. There's an easy start 476 00:28:37,596 --> 00:28:44,036 Speaker 1: two things. There's a thrill that beauty bring two together 477 00:28:44,396 --> 00:28:50,956 Speaker 1: at the hips, start together at the lips. Nature was 478 00:28:51,276 --> 00:28:56,356 Speaker 1: the lea heat when you're young and stupid, nurture will 479 00:28:56,756 --> 00:29:10,396 Speaker 1: and phat when you're young and stupid. I thought you 480 00:29:10,436 --> 00:29:12,716 Speaker 1: could talk over this book. Let's just go into the 481 00:29:12,796 --> 00:29:17,876 Speaker 1: last verse two three four. Now we're old with creaking bones, 482 00:29:18,916 --> 00:29:23,756 Speaker 1: some with partner, some alone, some with kids, and some 483 00:29:24,116 --> 00:29:31,436 Speaker 1: with dogs. Getting through the nightly slug flashes in the behind. 484 00:29:32,036 --> 00:29:36,836 Speaker 1: We were young and stupid keeps us warm and nahi 485 00:29:37,596 --> 00:29:42,476 Speaker 1: all a Young and stupid makes us feel de la high. 486 00:29:43,036 --> 00:29:47,916 Speaker 1: We were young and stupid makes you feel with grayhead 487 00:29:48,476 --> 00:29:55,636 Speaker 1: when you're young and stupid. That was fabulous. Well let 488 00:29:55,716 --> 00:29:58,476 Speaker 1: me ask you now about the origins of that song. 489 00:29:58,596 --> 00:30:01,196 Speaker 1: How did that come about? This was like prophets and hold. 490 00:30:01,356 --> 00:30:04,156 Speaker 1: This was like a walk up song where it was 491 00:30:04,316 --> 00:30:06,476 Speaker 1: kind of walking into the studio and I might have 492 00:30:06,556 --> 00:30:09,436 Speaker 1: actually walken up with a tune of this and then 493 00:30:09,636 --> 00:30:11,596 Speaker 1: sort of just tumbled out of Ben walked into the 494 00:30:11,636 --> 00:30:14,836 Speaker 1: studio thinking about the tune, coming to the piano and 495 00:30:15,036 --> 00:30:17,956 Speaker 1: just writing down the words. It was the quickest is 496 00:30:17,956 --> 00:30:20,956 Speaker 1: definitely the quickest of all the of all the songs. 497 00:30:21,516 --> 00:30:24,996 Speaker 1: Something that's to be noted about the session was because 498 00:30:25,076 --> 00:30:28,236 Speaker 1: we were still in a form of lockdown. The band 499 00:30:28,276 --> 00:30:32,236 Speaker 1: members with kids were on duty, you know, they couldn't 500 00:30:32,276 --> 00:30:34,996 Speaker 1: do full days and they had to work around families. 501 00:30:35,196 --> 00:30:37,796 Speaker 1: We were so lucky. We actually had a friend staying 502 00:30:37,876 --> 00:30:40,836 Speaker 1: who was our pair, and so I got to come 503 00:30:40,876 --> 00:30:44,516 Speaker 1: in every day because I've got kids. And so there 504 00:30:44,596 --> 00:30:46,236 Speaker 1: was a couple of songs that we actually built up 505 00:30:46,276 --> 00:30:49,916 Speaker 1: with drum machines, and young and Stupid was one of them. 506 00:30:49,996 --> 00:30:54,676 Speaker 1: Profits on hold and mostly the first out of the record, 507 00:30:54,716 --> 00:30:57,796 Speaker 1: but then Rachel would come and play over later and 508 00:30:57,916 --> 00:31:02,196 Speaker 1: he would add his own inimitable groove to it. The 509 00:31:02,356 --> 00:31:05,556 Speaker 1: lyrical idea for the song, you know, because you've written 510 00:31:05,676 --> 00:31:09,916 Speaker 1: so many great songs about being young and being in 511 00:31:10,036 --> 00:31:12,556 Speaker 1: school and being in those strange kind of in between 512 00:31:12,676 --> 00:31:16,196 Speaker 1: times in your life, it's just kind of looking back 513 00:31:16,356 --> 00:31:19,756 Speaker 1: now and thinking I was stupid the whole time, and 514 00:31:19,836 --> 00:31:22,236 Speaker 1: that's kind of a good thing. I think it's a 515 00:31:22,316 --> 00:31:26,356 Speaker 1: classic glory days song, and the song very much exists 516 00:31:26,556 --> 00:31:30,556 Speaker 1: and was written from the present. I e I'm in 517 00:31:30,716 --> 00:31:34,156 Speaker 1: this position now, I'm I'm in a dark spot and 518 00:31:34,596 --> 00:31:38,836 Speaker 1: I'm looking back on glory days. Most of your glory days, 519 00:31:38,836 --> 00:31:42,196 Speaker 1: you probably wouldn't really want to go back. But it's 520 00:31:42,276 --> 00:31:45,796 Speaker 1: rose tinted spectacles, isn't it. And I had a cutoff point, 521 00:31:45,796 --> 00:31:48,116 Speaker 1: which was probably about nineteen ninety when I started to 522 00:31:48,196 --> 00:31:51,716 Speaker 1: wise up a little bit. But my glory days were 523 00:31:51,796 --> 00:31:54,676 Speaker 1: from eighty five to ninety because I had these you 524 00:31:54,796 --> 00:31:57,476 Speaker 1: know that, I was just you're running wild. It's so 525 00:31:57,596 --> 00:32:00,356 Speaker 1: much energy, so much energy, but not having the wisdom 526 00:32:00,436 --> 00:32:04,836 Speaker 1: really to know how to use that energy wisely. Most people, 527 00:32:04,996 --> 00:32:08,716 Speaker 1: if they are in a hugely successful pop band, would 528 00:32:08,796 --> 00:32:11,076 Speaker 1: say that their early days in the band were their 529 00:32:11,116 --> 00:32:14,836 Speaker 1: glory days. Your glory days pre date being in a band. Well, 530 00:32:14,996 --> 00:32:17,636 Speaker 1: I had a specific thing that happened to me was 531 00:32:17,876 --> 00:32:21,836 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty nine ninety I got sick. Before that time, 532 00:32:21,916 --> 00:32:24,836 Speaker 1: I was I had boundless energy, and then I got 533 00:32:24,916 --> 00:32:29,116 Speaker 1: this thing called emmy chronic fatigue syndrome where my energy 534 00:32:29,196 --> 00:32:33,316 Speaker 1: went off at cliff and it changed my life radically 535 00:32:33,596 --> 00:32:38,556 Speaker 1: and forever. So it's easier to look beyond that point 536 00:32:39,036 --> 00:32:41,436 Speaker 1: now when I when I think of just having that 537 00:32:41,756 --> 00:32:45,636 Speaker 1: great energy. And you were how old when that struck you? So? 538 00:32:46,436 --> 00:32:50,356 Speaker 1: So nine about twenty one, and so you dropped out 539 00:32:50,396 --> 00:32:52,796 Speaker 1: of college at that point, dropped out of everything. I mean, 540 00:32:52,836 --> 00:32:55,636 Speaker 1: I ended up in hospital. I ended up living back 541 00:32:55,716 --> 00:32:59,756 Speaker 1: with my parents, which was, you know, talk about stepping 542 00:32:59,836 --> 00:33:04,396 Speaker 1: back into the womb. Almost the first part of that 543 00:33:04,636 --> 00:33:07,956 Speaker 1: was a lot of that just searching for the diagnosis, 544 00:33:08,076 --> 00:33:10,716 Speaker 1: trying to find out what happened. I had a good 545 00:33:11,196 --> 00:33:13,556 Speaker 1: year and a half when I was going downhill and 546 00:33:14,036 --> 00:33:17,396 Speaker 1: I'd be seeing doctors and they already It was actually 547 00:33:17,436 --> 00:33:19,756 Speaker 1: my mum that said, oh God, I hope it's not 548 00:33:19,796 --> 00:33:21,916 Speaker 1: that Emmy, because she was a nurse and she knew 549 00:33:22,316 --> 00:33:25,476 Speaker 1: people with emmy, and so she was the first person 550 00:33:25,596 --> 00:33:28,956 Speaker 1: really to diagnose me. And so it turned out that 551 00:33:29,036 --> 00:33:31,716 Speaker 1: that's what it was. And they didn't know much. They 552 00:33:31,756 --> 00:33:34,516 Speaker 1: couldn't really help me. There wasn't There wasn't much they 553 00:33:34,556 --> 00:33:37,636 Speaker 1: could do. Maybe the next six or seven years there 554 00:33:37,716 --> 00:33:40,236 Speaker 1: was where I would call my wilderness years. I was 555 00:33:40,276 --> 00:33:43,476 Speaker 1: splitting life up into and what were those years, like, 556 00:33:43,756 --> 00:33:45,636 Speaker 1: what was your day? You know? When I was back 557 00:33:45,716 --> 00:33:48,556 Speaker 1: staying with my folks. Do you know what a greenhouses? 558 00:33:48,596 --> 00:33:50,396 Speaker 1: Do you call it a greenhouse in America? It's like 559 00:33:50,716 --> 00:33:53,636 Speaker 1: a glass house. They had a glasshouse and that my 560 00:33:53,756 --> 00:33:57,116 Speaker 1: dad had built, and for most of the year it 561 00:33:57,196 --> 00:33:59,796 Speaker 1: was definitely the warmest place. So I used to go 562 00:33:59,916 --> 00:34:02,676 Speaker 1: in there and sit with the you know, the tomato 563 00:34:02,756 --> 00:34:05,916 Speaker 1: plants that he was growing, and try and just grow. 564 00:34:06,916 --> 00:34:10,236 Speaker 1: I just I would sit in an old picture with 565 00:34:10,556 --> 00:34:14,436 Speaker 1: my you know, with my reading for the week, and 566 00:34:15,356 --> 00:34:17,276 Speaker 1: you know, I would vegetate in the morning and try 567 00:34:17,316 --> 00:34:20,996 Speaker 1: and grow, grow like a baby tomato plant. And then 568 00:34:21,356 --> 00:34:24,316 Speaker 1: in the afternoon. Man, this has taken me back, you know. 569 00:34:25,276 --> 00:34:27,756 Speaker 1: It just shows you that the day was like cut 570 00:34:27,836 --> 00:34:30,036 Speaker 1: into portions because you and I had so much energy. 571 00:34:30,436 --> 00:34:33,196 Speaker 1: So in the afternoon I had a friend Michael, now 572 00:34:33,276 --> 00:34:35,956 Speaker 1: Michael and had the same thing that I did. We 573 00:34:36,116 --> 00:34:38,836 Speaker 1: became friends and we would just you know, we'd meet 574 00:34:38,956 --> 00:34:42,676 Speaker 1: up and we'd play scrabble, or we'd we'd driver in 575 00:34:42,716 --> 00:34:45,676 Speaker 1: the countryside. We'd try and get some nature, and later 576 00:34:45,836 --> 00:34:48,036 Speaker 1: on we try to play tennis, you know, so we'd 577 00:34:48,156 --> 00:34:52,276 Speaker 1: try to build up our energy. Did you despair that 578 00:34:52,716 --> 00:34:54,916 Speaker 1: you would never recover? I think in the first couple 579 00:34:54,956 --> 00:34:58,156 Speaker 1: of years there was a shock, and then there was 580 00:34:58,196 --> 00:35:00,156 Speaker 1: a getting used to it. But what happened was that 581 00:35:00,276 --> 00:35:03,716 Speaker 1: maybe about three years in I had been sort of 582 00:35:03,916 --> 00:35:06,476 Speaker 1: going along the bottom. Nothing much has improved. I paid 583 00:35:06,516 --> 00:35:09,556 Speaker 1: a lot to see a doctor and he just he 584 00:35:09,636 --> 00:35:11,916 Speaker 1: said he was going to move you better. And he 585 00:35:12,036 --> 00:35:14,116 Speaker 1: took me for six months and he was giving me 586 00:35:14,156 --> 00:35:16,796 Speaker 1: all sorts of alternative therapies and medicines, and at the 587 00:35:16,876 --> 00:35:18,796 Speaker 1: end of the six months he told me he couldn't 588 00:35:18,836 --> 00:35:22,396 Speaker 1: help me anymore, and that was harsh. That was the 589 00:35:22,476 --> 00:35:24,876 Speaker 1: point where I actually, you know, I had a bit 590 00:35:24,916 --> 00:35:28,436 Speaker 1: of a breakdown. So things got pretty dark for a while. 591 00:35:29,236 --> 00:35:33,116 Speaker 1: But actually, in a sense, it sort of shook me up. 592 00:35:33,596 --> 00:35:37,796 Speaker 1: Something happened that I became almost like so desperate that 593 00:35:37,956 --> 00:35:41,196 Speaker 1: I tried to change things. I really tried to see 594 00:35:41,756 --> 00:35:44,436 Speaker 1: more people, to get out, to make more of a connection. 595 00:35:44,996 --> 00:35:47,676 Speaker 1: Michael and I moved back to Glasgow. We were determined 596 00:35:48,436 --> 00:35:51,956 Speaker 1: from that point onwards, we forced ourselves to do more. 597 00:35:52,516 --> 00:35:55,636 Speaker 1: Was that coincidental with recovery or do you think that helped? 598 00:35:56,276 --> 00:35:59,636 Speaker 1: That helped your recovery along. Another catalyst to that was 599 00:35:59,756 --> 00:36:01,916 Speaker 1: around that time I was seeing I went to see 600 00:36:01,916 --> 00:36:04,876 Speaker 1: a Christian healer and she was the opposite of the 601 00:36:05,556 --> 00:36:08,316 Speaker 1: other medical person that I told you about. She promised 602 00:36:08,836 --> 00:36:12,236 Speaker 1: nothing thing but actually gave a lot, and she charged 603 00:36:12,556 --> 00:36:16,036 Speaker 1: nothing but gave a lot. She's amazing. It's just a 604 00:36:16,116 --> 00:36:19,636 Speaker 1: woman who did it like an amateur in our own house. 605 00:36:20,156 --> 00:36:22,316 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have to describe myself fully as a Christian 606 00:36:22,356 --> 00:36:24,156 Speaker 1: at that point. But she said, look, it doesn't matter. 607 00:36:24,396 --> 00:36:26,556 Speaker 1: This is going to help you. So you know, she 608 00:36:26,676 --> 00:36:29,036 Speaker 1: did her energy stuff. Can I ask you what was 609 00:36:29,156 --> 00:36:31,516 Speaker 1: that that she did? Almost at hands on healing, except 610 00:36:31,556 --> 00:36:34,916 Speaker 1: she to have her hands above me, and it would 611 00:36:35,036 --> 00:36:36,676 Speaker 1: the whole thing would take about an hour of where 612 00:36:36,676 --> 00:36:38,836 Speaker 1: she would just be going around and just she was 613 00:36:38,876 --> 00:36:42,516 Speaker 1: obviously praying or focusing, and I would be thinking the 614 00:36:42,636 --> 00:36:46,196 Speaker 1: same thing, and I it was a powerful experience, almost 615 00:36:46,276 --> 00:36:48,196 Speaker 1: like the time went by really quickly, even though I 616 00:36:48,316 --> 00:36:51,836 Speaker 1: was there for over an hour. And it wasn't until 617 00:36:51,836 --> 00:36:55,036 Speaker 1: a few weeks afterwards that something broke and I felt 618 00:36:55,076 --> 00:36:58,676 Speaker 1: that the healer had been part of the catalyst. Now, 619 00:36:58,756 --> 00:37:00,636 Speaker 1: even if all this stuff was only going on in 620 00:37:00,756 --> 00:37:03,876 Speaker 1: my mind, you can see how something like that could 621 00:37:03,876 --> 00:37:07,556 Speaker 1: be a catalyst. You hadn't written songs before you were ill, 622 00:37:07,676 --> 00:37:09,836 Speaker 1: is that right? That's right? Lit a bit of piano 623 00:37:09,876 --> 00:37:11,836 Speaker 1: when you were young. I think you had piano lessons. 624 00:37:12,236 --> 00:37:14,876 Speaker 1: How did the song start? By the time I'd gone 625 00:37:14,876 --> 00:37:18,076 Speaker 1: to the heelert, I had actually started writing songs. So 626 00:37:18,476 --> 00:37:22,716 Speaker 1: the songs started from this is me back at my parents' house, 627 00:37:22,956 --> 00:37:26,036 Speaker 1: having got to the bottom of my health, just sitting 628 00:37:26,076 --> 00:37:30,836 Speaker 1: at the piano. I remember very clearly writing what was 629 00:37:30,916 --> 00:37:34,076 Speaker 1: to become my first song. I met a girl called 630 00:37:34,156 --> 00:37:36,156 Speaker 1: Kira who was to become my best friend, and she 631 00:37:36,236 --> 00:37:40,356 Speaker 1: also had Emmy, and I was thinking about her, and 632 00:37:40,796 --> 00:37:43,956 Speaker 1: I just I felt like expressing something about her and 633 00:37:44,116 --> 00:37:46,436 Speaker 1: to her, and I just I put my hands on 634 00:37:46,476 --> 00:37:49,276 Speaker 1: the piano and started singing. And that was it. Could 635 00:37:49,316 --> 00:37:51,276 Speaker 1: you play a few of those chords? Now? Do you 636 00:37:51,316 --> 00:37:54,836 Speaker 1: remember what you played? Do you know? I never never 637 00:37:54,996 --> 00:37:59,996 Speaker 1: imagined that we'd be and you don't have to tour 638 00:38:00,156 --> 00:38:01,916 Speaker 1: with this song? Sure? And the song that the song 639 00:38:01,996 --> 00:38:16,356 Speaker 1: has never been recorded, and the she's so young Da 640 00:38:16,516 --> 00:38:31,396 Speaker 1: da da da da da da da da. I mean, 641 00:38:31,996 --> 00:38:35,196 Speaker 1: I can't remember the words. I might have them written 642 00:38:35,196 --> 00:38:38,116 Speaker 1: down somewhere. There's a long time ago. That's all. Like, 643 00:38:38,516 --> 00:38:41,556 Speaker 1: that's all I can remember. But kind of like that, 644 00:38:41,676 --> 00:38:44,756 Speaker 1: that was that was enough, you know, to get going. Okay, 645 00:38:45,636 --> 00:38:48,236 Speaker 1: how long was it before you wrote a song that 646 00:38:48,636 --> 00:38:52,636 Speaker 1: became a recorded song. Yeah, that's a good question. When 647 00:38:52,676 --> 00:38:54,956 Speaker 1: I realized that this was the thing, that maybe I 648 00:38:54,996 --> 00:38:57,516 Speaker 1: could do this, that even as a hobby, I should 649 00:38:57,556 --> 00:39:00,316 Speaker 1: try to. It made me feel good every song that 650 00:39:00,436 --> 00:39:02,156 Speaker 1: I did. It took me a month. It was took 651 00:39:02,156 --> 00:39:03,436 Speaker 1: me a month and a half. It took me a 652 00:39:03,556 --> 00:39:07,036 Speaker 1: long time just to try and wrestle this. So I 653 00:39:07,076 --> 00:39:11,276 Speaker 1: would say after maybe three years of that, the pace 654 00:39:11,396 --> 00:39:14,916 Speaker 1: picked up, and I think it helped that I picked 655 00:39:14,996 --> 00:39:17,476 Speaker 1: up a guitar as well, because it was easier. I 656 00:39:17,516 --> 00:39:20,036 Speaker 1: would say it was maybe another three years before there 657 00:39:20,116 --> 00:39:23,556 Speaker 1: was a song that appeared on a B and S record. 658 00:39:24,436 --> 00:39:28,876 Speaker 1: It does sound a little almost miraculous, like the famous 659 00:39:28,956 --> 00:39:31,796 Speaker 1: Oliver Sacks story about his patient who had a stroke 660 00:39:31,876 --> 00:39:36,716 Speaker 1: and then woke up and just started composing music almost incessantly. 661 00:39:37,436 --> 00:39:42,396 Speaker 1: Do you have this incredible gift for melody? You write 662 00:39:42,436 --> 00:39:45,756 Speaker 1: melodies that sound like they should have been written hundreds 663 00:39:45,756 --> 00:39:47,716 Speaker 1: of years ago, but you just thought of them for 664 00:39:47,756 --> 00:39:51,276 Speaker 1: the first time, and they're very sophisticated. How do you 665 00:39:51,316 --> 00:39:53,836 Speaker 1: account for that? That's an extremely nice way to put it. 666 00:39:54,116 --> 00:39:56,716 Speaker 1: Another way to put it in Stevie, he quite often says, 667 00:39:57,356 --> 00:40:03,036 Speaker 1: all your songs sound like something you know. That's the 668 00:40:03,116 --> 00:40:05,836 Speaker 1: other side of the coin that even though they're coming 669 00:40:05,916 --> 00:40:08,116 Speaker 1: out of you, that it's quite possibly you are bouncing 670 00:40:08,196 --> 00:40:12,196 Speaker 1: around melodies that are deep down, you know inside you 671 00:40:12,316 --> 00:40:14,236 Speaker 1: they've gone in when you were very young, and that 672 00:40:14,356 --> 00:40:19,196 Speaker 1: you're you're borrowing little bits of pieces of those Though music, 673 00:40:19,956 --> 00:40:24,076 Speaker 1: to generalize is miraculous, I think it is miraculous. I 674 00:40:24,196 --> 00:40:25,476 Speaker 1: used to think so when I was young and I 675 00:40:25,516 --> 00:40:27,876 Speaker 1: couldn't write a song, and I still I still think 676 00:40:27,916 --> 00:40:32,276 Speaker 1: so today. It's the most abstract form of art. It's pulling, 677 00:40:32,556 --> 00:40:36,036 Speaker 1: it's pulling magic out of thin air. What were you 678 00:40:36,116 --> 00:40:40,116 Speaker 1: listening to at the time, What were their singers or 679 00:40:40,196 --> 00:40:43,276 Speaker 1: were there songs that were inspiring what you were doing? 680 00:40:43,436 --> 00:40:46,076 Speaker 1: Kind of Obviously that seven year period was a long period, 681 00:40:46,156 --> 00:40:49,076 Speaker 1: and up to that point I was very current. I 682 00:40:49,236 --> 00:40:51,916 Speaker 1: used to DJ a lot, so I'd be playing current records, 683 00:40:52,436 --> 00:40:55,356 Speaker 1: and then, you know, once I got sick, I tended 684 00:40:55,436 --> 00:40:59,116 Speaker 1: to fall back on older records and also explore the 685 00:40:59,876 --> 00:41:03,036 Speaker 1: sixties and seventies more, and also just be more honest 686 00:41:03,076 --> 00:41:05,836 Speaker 1: about what I loved rather than you know, trying to 687 00:41:05,876 --> 00:41:09,676 Speaker 1: be hip and cool. Just I'm what I love. Often 688 00:41:09,956 --> 00:41:13,796 Speaker 1: was quite middle of the road pop music from my youth. 689 00:41:14,036 --> 00:41:17,676 Speaker 1: Can you give me an example? Songs like you know 690 00:41:17,756 --> 00:41:22,596 Speaker 1: the one that goes you walked into my life. I 691 00:41:22,636 --> 00:41:24,916 Speaker 1: don't know what the next chord is, and now you're 692 00:41:24,996 --> 00:41:31,676 Speaker 1: taken over and it's beautiful. Oh no, it's beautiful. I 693 00:41:31,796 --> 00:41:35,396 Speaker 1: remember hearing that song on the radio around about that time, 694 00:41:35,676 --> 00:41:37,676 Speaker 1: not having heard it for years and years, and just 695 00:41:37,836 --> 00:41:41,236 Speaker 1: being a ghast, thinking, I know that song is wonderful, 696 00:41:41,316 --> 00:41:43,196 Speaker 1: and I know maybe the guy next to me is 697 00:41:43,396 --> 00:41:45,556 Speaker 1: ignoring it, or this guy thinks it's chewing gum. For 698 00:41:45,636 --> 00:41:49,076 Speaker 1: the years, I think it's wonderful. You know. So you 699 00:41:49,276 --> 00:41:52,116 Speaker 1: have kids, your fans have kids. Some of those kids 700 00:41:52,156 --> 00:41:55,196 Speaker 1: have become fans. Where do you sort of place your 701 00:41:55,236 --> 00:41:58,836 Speaker 1: own music in the in the kind of firmament that's 702 00:41:58,876 --> 00:42:03,396 Speaker 1: an interesting question. Do you simply produce music because you 703 00:42:03,516 --> 00:42:05,556 Speaker 1: have to him, because you love doing it and you're 704 00:42:05,676 --> 00:42:10,116 Speaker 1: you're happy with just that process, or do you still ache, 705 00:42:10,676 --> 00:42:12,636 Speaker 1: you know, to be a pop star, to be you know, 706 00:42:13,356 --> 00:42:15,996 Speaker 1: every generation throws a you know, a singer up the 707 00:42:16,076 --> 00:42:18,716 Speaker 1: pop chat, as Paul Simon wrote, because I think there 708 00:42:18,796 --> 00:42:22,836 Speaker 1: is always that thing you forget that we're all ambitious 709 00:42:23,196 --> 00:42:25,516 Speaker 1: little buggers. And all these people that you mentioned, and 710 00:42:25,596 --> 00:42:27,996 Speaker 1: all your peers and the people, all the greats that 711 00:42:28,076 --> 00:42:30,756 Speaker 1: came before you, most of them would be nothing if 712 00:42:30,796 --> 00:42:35,676 Speaker 1: they didn't have a relationship with the public. Partly the 713 00:42:35,716 --> 00:42:38,436 Speaker 1: reason we haven't made an album for so long. Quite frankly, 714 00:42:38,836 --> 00:42:41,596 Speaker 1: it's because after we did the last one, it didn't 715 00:42:41,596 --> 00:42:44,876 Speaker 1: feel worth it anymore. It didn't feel like anybody's listening, 716 00:42:45,236 --> 00:42:48,916 Speaker 1: you know, maybe like some of our hardcore audience. So 717 00:42:49,836 --> 00:42:52,636 Speaker 1: that's mean, being pretty honest with you, maybe that's not 718 00:42:52,956 --> 00:42:54,636 Speaker 1: the kind of thing that folk want to hear. But 719 00:42:55,396 --> 00:42:58,716 Speaker 1: if the music isn't connecting with people anymore, I would 720 00:42:58,796 --> 00:43:02,276 Speaker 1: rather do something that really gets me going, you know. 721 00:43:02,316 --> 00:43:04,676 Speaker 1: I'd rather go back and make another film, write a book, 722 00:43:05,036 --> 00:43:08,276 Speaker 1: try something new. I'm a creative person. In the band 723 00:43:08,396 --> 00:43:12,316 Speaker 1: is full of creative people. There's no there's no law 724 00:43:12,836 --> 00:43:18,556 Speaker 1: that says band must do album tour album tour until death? Right? 725 00:43:19,196 --> 00:43:21,996 Speaker 1: Was it just sales or downloads or you just didn't 726 00:43:22,036 --> 00:43:25,276 Speaker 1: feel it was connecting somehow. I think maybe the last 727 00:43:25,316 --> 00:43:28,956 Speaker 1: record connects so well, and that maybe it's just a 728 00:43:29,156 --> 00:43:31,756 Speaker 1: general feeling. I mean, the band's been going for you know, 729 00:43:31,836 --> 00:43:34,476 Speaker 1: at that point, the band had been going for some time. 730 00:43:34,996 --> 00:43:37,476 Speaker 1: You know, people want the new thing. We'll see what 731 00:43:37,556 --> 00:43:40,476 Speaker 1: happens with this record, Okay, Well, I hope great things 732 00:43:40,516 --> 00:43:42,476 Speaker 1: happened with this record, because it's a great record and 733 00:43:42,556 --> 00:43:45,076 Speaker 1: everybody should listen to it, and everybody should go out 734 00:43:45,116 --> 00:43:48,716 Speaker 1: and clap along. When you play Unnecessary Drama live, you 735 00:43:48,876 --> 00:43:51,956 Speaker 1: definitely delve down there. There's some things that I haven't 736 00:43:51,996 --> 00:43:55,596 Speaker 1: thought about for years and years, So as therapists say, 737 00:43:55,676 --> 00:43:59,956 Speaker 1: we'll pick that up again next time. Okay, thank you 738 00:44:00,036 --> 00:44:05,356 Speaker 1: so much, Thanks Birth, Thanks the Bonds, the Bashion for 739 00:44:05,476 --> 00:44:08,236 Speaker 1: talking to us about their latest album and about their career. 740 00:44:08,676 --> 00:44:11,076 Speaker 1: You're more our favorite bones of Bashtian songs. Check out 741 00:44:11,076 --> 00:44:14,196 Speaker 1: the playlist at Broken Record podcast dot com. Be sure 742 00:44:14,236 --> 00:44:16,676 Speaker 1: to subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com 743 00:44:16,796 --> 00:44:19,516 Speaker 1: slash Broken Record Podcast, where you can find all of 744 00:44:19,556 --> 00:44:23,236 Speaker 1: our episodes. You can follow us on Twitter at broken Records. 745 00:44:23,916 --> 00:44:26,836 Speaker 1: Broken Record is produced a helpful Lea Rose, Jason Gambrel, 746 00:44:27,116 --> 00:44:30,916 Speaker 1: vent Holiday, Eric Sandler, and Jennifer Sanchez, with engineering help 747 00:44:30,956 --> 00:44:35,596 Speaker 1: from Nick chaff Our. Executive producer is Mia Lobell. Broken 748 00:44:35,636 --> 00:44:38,516 Speaker 1: Record is a production of Pushkin Industries. If you like 749 00:44:38,676 --> 00:44:42,076 Speaker 1: this show and others from Pushkin, consider subscribing to Pushkin Plus. 750 00:44:42,636 --> 00:44:45,996 Speaker 1: Pushkin Plus is a podcast subscription that offers bonus content, 751 00:44:46,156 --> 00:44:49,436 Speaker 1: an uninterrupted ad free listening for four ninety nine a month. 752 00:44:50,116 --> 00:44:53,836 Speaker 1: Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple Podcasts, subscriptions, and if 753 00:44:53,836 --> 00:44:56,036 Speaker 1: you like the show, please remember to share, rate, and 754 00:44:56,156 --> 00:44:58,876 Speaker 1: review us on your podcast app our, theme music, spect 755 00:44:58,876 --> 00:45:00,676 Speaker 1: any beats. I'm justin Richmond.