|
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Q. Your album comes as a surprise to those who have been awed by your mastery of the guitar and powerful vocal style at your live gigs. What is your music trying to say?
A. There is not one specific message I am trying to get across. With this album I drew from a myriad of life experiences. Songs like Rather Be A Butterfly and What You Wanted are very close to home. When certain aspects become a little overwhelming, I need to express myself through songwriting. Most of my songs are purely emotive and based on life experiences.
Q. What songs on your album, Rather Be A Butterfly, are the most meaningful?
A. The most intense songs lyrically on the album are What You Wanted and Sean’s Lament. I originally mapped out the music for What You Wanted and once I got the opening lines, it quickly unfolded. I was inspired by a few events that occurred during that time, particularly the death of a 16-year-old tragically killed one night walking home from a party. I paid my respects to him where he died. I expressed my thoughts in this song.
Sean’s Lament also deals with the death of a friend. This song fell out of me a couple of days after he passed. It was a very emotional time for family and friends. I feel the song helped me and others cope with such a heart-wrenching loss. I hope the song immortalizes Sean and he lives on in our hearts forever.
Q. Your music is fuelled by the quality of your lyrics, but the melodies are strong enough to stand on their own. How does your music bring your lyrics to a new level?
A. The music that supports the lyrics is significant because if the music isn’t strong, there is no incentive to embrace the lyrics. If I come up with a riff I think is catchy, I’ll then make up a melody I think fits the riff and slot my lyrics in between.
The style of the song dictates the style of the lyrics. A song’s hook is also important because I use it to tie all of the lyrics together, especially if there is more than one theme in the song. The hook in Rather Be A Butterfly catches people’s attention because it, coupled with its catchy riff and melody, enhances the lyrics.
The Beatles used very infectious chordal progressions that have heavily influenced me.
Q. Why are there so few lyrics in Tea In China?
A. With Tea In China I did what was necessary. The song didn’t need four ten-line versus because the music supports the lyrics. I feel the best way to ensure a song I write is meaningful is to unify the music and lyrics, so I express my emotion as I need.
Q. The album has a distinct sound that entwines complex themes with a constantly evolving mood. How did you nurture this sound?
A. When I was writing the songs for Rather Be A Butterfly I was going through a phase in my musical life. I had just been introduced to the realm of multimedia and technology at university. I must say though that I felt that environment did little for creativity. At least for me as a songwriter.
Nevertheless exposure to computerised music gave me an entirely new perspective on songwriting. At the same time I was still playing a lot of solo shows - just an acoustic guitar and me. These two factors, as well as the music I was listening to, contributed to a sound I steadily developed and was happy with.
If there were an underlying theme or idea behind the entire album, it would be the combination of technology with acoustic instruments.
Q. When did your love affair with the guitar begin?
When I was 10 or 11, I got an old classical nylon string guitar. I developed an unhealthy obsession. I hope it stays.
Q. What roles did you play not only in the development of the songwriting, but also in the production of Rather Be A Butterfly?
A. I used this album to hone in on my producing skills. Many of the songs were reworked, rearranged, and key changes were implemented. I focused on each song as an individual piece of music, polishing that particular track with whatever means necessary. I guess I tried hard to express in music what I was feeling and saying in the lyrics.
I played almost all of the instruments apart from the drums and a few sporadic keyboard tracks. I was also particularly pedantic about my bass lines. I also played the mandolin on Wild Willow - this was a last minute decision in the studio. I tracked all of the vocals and harmonies.
Overall I am happy with the album’s production and song arrangement. I have learnt so much from the experience and I hope it shows on the production of my next album.
Q. Who contributed to the album?
A. A drum teacher from a music store in Ipswich, Mick Sippel, played the drums. I showed him the songs and a week later we were ready to record. Mick has an energetic drumming style that instantly captured me.
Yanto Browning is an immensely gifted individual who I met at university. Yanto engineered all of the songs and co-produced most of them as well. Aside from the production, Yanto also played the lead guitar part on Come And Play My Game and the keyboards on Wild Willow and The Coroner Was Blind. Soundtrack to Fantasy was a Yanto Browning re-mix of my original version that may appear on a future album.
Little Stoned Grasshopper was co-produced by Yanto Browning and Neil Baxter.
Q. The lyrics to Little Stoned Grasshopper are not documented on the album leaflet. Why?
A. I didn’t put the lyrics to Little Stoned Grasshopper on because I didn’t feel they fitted. I wanted the lyrics to be poetic and I tried to achieve continuity. You will notice that Soundtrack To Fantasy is not detailed on the album cover either although it has lyrics.
Q.The album’s track arrangement is immaculate. What principles did you employ to ensure each song seamlessly weaved into the next?
A. Amber Management and I both agreed the track arrangement was vital. After reading books by people like George Martin and paying particular attention to artists before us, we felt we had the foundation to make a reasonably informed decision. Management was more involved with this than I was. We knew the opening track had to have an impact, so we worked tirelessly to give it that extra special element in the studio. We felt the title track should be one of the first three songs.
Soundtrack To Fantasy is number six because it creates an interesting twist and perhaps lays a foundation for things to come.
Little Stoned Grasshopper was a late addition and was the final track on the album to be completed. Management and I decided the album definitely needed something light hearted and LSG was that track.
Aside from that my input on the track arrangement was limited. I don’t how much input the Beatles had but I think it’s safe to say each artist needs their own George Martin.
|
