Extras I have included here the interview I have had with the German Music Magazine http://www.gaesteliste.de: Dear David, Lovely to hear from you. I will try to answer your questions as best I can.
-It's the year 2004 now - how does it feel having your first full-length I am really excited that the album is finally coming out as it was made over a year ago and I know it takes these things this long to come through. But I do feel honoured that it is finally seeing the light of day...I know there are lots of people where their albums do not actually get this far so I do keep this in the back of my mind. -For yourself, did it feel like a very long to time to be able to release
an Yeah, I feel that it has taken ages but as you say there is a certain part of me that says 'I am writing all the time and any release is a great bonus' and not only that but I am very excited that the artwork/design has been a home design without the help of the label...something Firestation records took a little time to get used to but after they seen my initial efforts they took to it and sent it round all their various departments for their approval and it came back that they loved it...That was the icing on the cake. -When bands/musicians release their debut album, it often seems to
be a The songs are all very old songs...having been written over five years ago. They seem to have been saying a similar thing at the time but they would have been written within a year or so of each other. I have around three hundred tracks in some sort of partly finished format that I have recorded in my home studio (which is incidentally where we practice our live material) and I seem to collate the songs as they happen onto cds that I number. Most of the album's songs came from cd number 3 I think. But I always record cds of music for friends and family and they give me feedback of which tracks they prefer over other ones...they always tell it like it is. Sometimes I get a few friends round and I get them in front of the computer and I ask them what they like/dislike about particular songs...instant feedback...you can't beat it...I have fallen out with a few friends this way...Nay only joking...I insist they tell me what they feel. The album choice of songs was made in a similar fashion. -From what I understand, you don't have a "proper" band,
you are working I have a little conglomerate of musical friends that help me out when they can. It has happened quite recently that the label in the UK has asked me to do a few live shows and because of this I have had to get organised with a few like-minded individuals. But ideally instigating ideas and song writing is very personal and must be done by myself. I have tried writing with other people down through the years but it has never felt as comfortable nor complete as doing the whole job by myself...don't get me wrong...I am a very social person but when it comes to writing tunes my own company is a must. The band of friends I have gathered for live shows are working together very well at the minute...I run with the friendship thing first and then musical talent...you must be able to feel good with these people and what with layers of harmonies you have got to be able to click right from the start. -How does the song writing work for you in general - it is like putting I walk into my home studio and lift the acoustic guitar and sit down and strum/pick a few things...if anything doesn't happen within five minutes, I put the guitar down and walk right out again...it's as simple as that. I used to keep little notes of ideas/thoughts and in a way I still do and the odd time I would dip into those but when a few ideas come musically the feel/tone of the tunes will generally dictate what the lyric will be and after a few lines you know what you are talking about. Sometimes it is the realisation of what the song is about (after a few lines or even a verse) that makes things very emotional as up to that point you were completely in the dark...it is a weird thing for me and after that stage things appear more obvious and sometimes it is difficult to make the lyrics as obscure as at the beginning (for I dislike songs where you are certain of what a songs is about). Van Morrison in interview never divulges the meaning of any of his songs as he wishes for the song to have different meanings to different people...and I agree with this totally. -Do you find it difficult to write the lyrics? And are the lyrics drawn
from The lyrics write themselves...if it doesn't come easy I tend to scrap it as I will be trying too hard and the songs will sound strained and too well crafted (that is the job of the producer at the final stage )and not flow as well as they should. I used to be able to write stories and narratives when I was younger where I could put myself into the body of the person in question and feel/see everything from their perspective...sometimes I see a bit of these in my songs and I must say it is something I do not mind. -In most of the reviews about your music, people mention words like I was told a good few years ago that it is only through loss/negativity/etc. that we as humans react by word of mouth to pass on our feelings at a level that people will understand our loss. Being Irish we are all great storytellers and it is only by telling stories that we are able to pass on the story and try to make a difference (with the odd elaboration to the fact...). I have never been able to pen a happy song really and I suppose someone who champions the underdog I will always be the forever optimist but always prepared for defeat and I suppose this is a recurrent theme in lots of my music. So the 'vulnerability and melancholy' works for me and it has also been said that my voice suits the more pure heart-felt emotional stuff than other more obvious pieces. -In the song "Nails To The Quick" it says "kill a pop
star / they're all the I have not bought many cds over the past few years and seldom go to many live shows of artists. I believe that the creative side of us is present in everyone...some to a lesser or greater degree and sometimes this is mixed up with personality and I know it does not take much to enable an artist to get where they are where they are put on a pedestal to dictate to the generation. Does the fact that you are twenty years old and have a number one single qualify you to dictate your understanding and reasoning of the world? I don't think so... -But besides all of this rather "dark" topics, you're singing
"I'll never Without it, where would we be? As I mentioned earlier I am the optimist and believe that between good and bad we will evidently swing both ways but end up siding with good and this is reflected in many ideologies. Most songs of mine belong to the camp where there is the choice between the positive/good and the negative/bad (the ying with the yang and all that) but without one ingredient things become too safe and unresponsive. -On your website it says: "I hope you have reached my web site
through word I agree with you totally...I have asked different people about my music down through the years and sometimes I get the response '...it's really good...' or '...you have a lovely voice...' and I realise that they are missing the point just a little ... when I was at school and you heard something on the radio (Evening session/or 'John Peel' show - God rest him) and you recorded something that you thought was special...you wanted to let all your friends hear it as if it was something very cherishable and almost too fragile for everyone else but something that you had discovered that did that something for you...I would love for that to be the case with my music and so when I recorded the album and designed the artwork I wanted something totally home-grown and part of me ... to the extent that I photocopied the screen of my computer so I could replicate every track of my home demos to get them to have the same feel on the album. -Any chance that you might come over to Germany to play some shows? I would love dearly to come over ... Firestation Records have asked me a few times and I have said I will come over when we have got things sorted on the live front...we have a few dates in London coming up to promote the single release on Wretched Recordings and we have been asked back into the studio in the new year to add a few new tracks for the UK release of 'Tymes Ten' so after I have got that sorted it will open a window where we can talk about a few things outside the UK. -Would you be able to name your top 5 albums? My top five albums?? Here are a few that I like in no particular order... How's that...come to think of it there are another dozen or so and
I haven't mentioned U2, Christy Moore, 10,000 Maniacs, ... =========== Well, Greg, thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions! P.S.: Thanks a lot for the song "The Gathering" - the chorus/melody
is Cheers, greetings from Germany, take care, David It was my pleasure David and thank you for your interest. And thank you for your kind words regarding 'The Gathering' - that was probably one of the earliest songs that I ever wrote. Take care, David. Greg
Interview by Toshiko Matsumoto from the record shop "Apple Crumble
Record" Dear Toshiko, It is lovely to talk to you...I am glad you like my album. 1. Where are you from in Northern Ireland? How is your city like? I am from a town in the north of Ireland called Lurgan which is about a half an hour's drive down the M1 from Belfast. Years ago it was a pretty big industrial linen centre but not anymore. I went to university in Belfast and I am very fond of the place. Lurgan is pretty small with a mixed Catholic/Protestant makeup...and because of this it has seen it's fair share of the troubles. But I now live in Stoke-on-Trent in North Staffordshire where the people are really friendly and the town just as industrial as Lurgan. 2. Please introduce yourself for the Japanese fans. I've heard you
was born Yes my dad and uncles and family and friends were always part of musical bands and acts thoughout the 60's and 70's and the Irish being the Irish were always singing and performing more often than not with a pint of Guinness in their hand. Story telling goes back a long long way and with it comes the music and poetry and tales of tragedy love lost/heart ache, etc. I suppose you learn to pick a few things up as you go along. Sometimes you must perform something at any gathering be it a wedding or funeral and adapt a party piece that people call your own...I suppose mine was making up tunes and lyrics...God I sound like I was born in 1916! 3.Why/when did you move to Stoke-on-Trent, near Manchester? The love of my life moved to England and I had to follow...I'll tell you, I remember going to Paris on a school trip when I was about 11 or 12 and having to plead with my teachers to stop the bus as we made our way across London to get to Calais as I was going to be sick. I remember the driver stopping outside the houses of Parliament just long enough for me to cover the pavement with sick!...From there onwards England always made a sour taste in my mouth...and to add to this my mu and dad had spent a spell in London while they were going out together and it always was a time of heartache for them as they were away from their family and loved ones and they were only there because of lack of work at home. I find it strange that I really enjoy the place and I cannot see myself moving back for a long time...although I dolove to get back occasionally and touch base again and see friends that I haven't seen for ages. 4.Why/when did you start to make music? Have you ever make the records? While at university in Belfast I played saxophone in a blues/soul band but I used the instrument more as a cover for not wanting to sing. At the time we used to busk in town and play songs that everybody knew and I could not do the songs any justice as I could not sing in the same style as the original artist...I always found that I lacked that dramatical showmanship/showwomanship that others often put on to get away with singing the song with expression...maybe as I had no affiliation with the song and music...until I began writing thoughts and feelings myself and trying to adapt some melody to fit around them...I feel that was the start of it and soon the saxophone was swapped for an acoustic guitar! 5. The great indie pop labels all over the world...such as Shelflife,
Bus I wrote lots of things all of a sudden and found that what I had been listening to began sounding just like what I was writing...so I stopped listening to music...and only when I felt the urge would anything come out. If something was forced it would be shelved for something in the future maybe...I recorded some things for friends who began giving spirited feedback but like always you feel because they are your friends, you feel they are being kind to you. One of them said I should send some things off to labels which I did but I was never able to chase things up as is the necessity ... I was far too intimated by their a'n'r label talk so the internet was the next best thing. I had chosen to try very small labels first ... those who seemed to care about their music and that's when Luis Calvo at Elefant replied telling me that he thought he could use some of my music for a release on his label...I was completely made up...Pierre at Plastic Pancake loved the music also and even allowed me to design my own cover sleeve which was fantastic. As soon as one seemed to like my stuff a few other replied that they thought they would like to release material...no contract was signed until Fire Station and Wretched managed to persuade me that they could distribute my album to different territories and give it the attention it deserved. 6. How was the recording for the album "Tymes Ten"? How long
had it take? I had done no studio waor before with the exception of my own little
home set up and I thought the experience was fantastic...hard work but
fantastic. I record vocals and guitar first ...sometimes together and
most vocals are first takes as I love the spontaniety of the first idea
approach but in a professional studio the producer (John Kettle) said
from the off that this approach would yield awful results and there
is no way he would allow first take vocals...to his surprise the vocals
for the album (although attempted 3 or 4 times for each song) were more
often than not the first attempt. 7. Please let me know the details about the contract between you and Uwe, Jan and Helen at Firestation have been great to work with ...from the very start there has been a really good friendship and mutual understanding between us where there has not been a week gone by where we have not communicated at least three times. They loved the demos for the album, they loved the older material that was used for their compilation album and now they love the new stuff ... I feel they understand where I am coming from and allow me the freedom to create my own album artwork, design and production for the album. Their is also a mutual respect and understanding and I feel very comfortable working with them. My contract is for the current album but they are looking at further projects depending of course on how well the album goes down worldwide. I feel they are good people who appreciate what I do and who are so easy to work with...I always know that they will try their very best and they also have faith in me. 8. I read you like the bands like The Smiths, 10000 Maniacs, Brian
Wilson, Really early on my dad's music was probably my first inflence ... being taditional Irish music/Christie Moore/Mary Black/Clannad/Black Velvet Band and then came the American singer song writers...Charlie Pride/Willy Nelson/Kris Christoferson/Johnny Cash/The Beach Boys/even early Irish Show Bands, etc. Then my older sister came on board with Bruce Springsteen/John Mellencamp/The Waterboys/Van Morrison/Abba/Simon & Garfunkel, etc and then friends at university introduced me to more obscure things as university develops that rebellious streak that only allows certain people to appreciate good music...the smiths/teenage fanclub/U2/REM/The Adventurers and The Hot House House Flowers and countless others...I will have to get my gig tickets out ... there are hindreds! 9. Your music reminds me of the bands like Kings Of Convenience, Simon
And I love S & G and I take the comparison as a huge complement but I have not heard of the Trash can sinatras, except from my friend last week saying that I sounded a bit like the vocalist from the TCS's. B & S are a little twee for my liking as some of their songs are great but others I simply can't get my head around andhis vocals can sometimes irritate me...i don't know what it is...i can't seem to put my finger on it. K's of C I take as a complement surely as they make lovely music...finger picking and harmonies is never a bad thing in my book...i must give them another listen some time...my friend done me a cd of theirs along with a Nick Drake one...I preferred them. 10. How do you make such nice acoustic-pop and folky-pop music? I don't know..I just go with my feelings...and it just comes out ... sometimes good sometimes bad. 11. How do you flash the nice melody into your mind? I will tell you...I have always loved the challenge of adapting different melodies to the simplest chord changes and indeed recently...chord unchange as some of my songs are only one chord! 12. I like your vocal style also. How do you feel like sing your songs I often think what the songs is trying to say and take myself there...a little out of body if you like but it helps...I try to do a Van Morrison and change the vocal style to suit the melody and style ... sometimes I get away with it. 13. Are there any concept in the album? No I don't feel their is a concept behind the album...the songs swirl with loves/hates/births/deaths/ups and downs of living a part of my life that I can translate into 3 and half minutes of memories. 15. Are there any good bands in Ireland at the moment? The Frames are a wonderful band that my wee brother keeps telling me about...they seem to make hit after hit at home in Ireland and play the odd tour of England to mixed reviews and never seem to make any progress up the ladder of greatness...Snow Patrol are making steps in the right direction and there is of course another little underground outfit that keeps having to reinvent themselves in order to try and get somewhere...I think they are called U2...I don't know if they'll take off though. 16. Please let me know the future plans (releases, gigs and etc.etc.) I will certainly keep you updated with things in the greg murray camp over the next few months...www.gregmurray.co.uk where you can find details of our German tour during Easter of next year...maybe we will make it to Toyko one day...it has long been an ambition of mine to make it there one day. 17. Please have a message for the Japanese fans. I feel that if you give my songs a listen you will hear a little something that might make a difference to you...I hope they bring you good memories and associations that will last you a lifetime and even make things a little easier on whatever path you take. ...that's all. Thank you very much. Have a great day and best wishes, Toshiko Many thanks Toshiko and I really appreciate your lovely comments. take care,
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