Friday 12 June 2009

in Conversation with Rodrigo y Gabriela
















In Conversation with
Rodrigo from

“Rodrigo y Gabriela”


October 2004


(Updated 13rd June 2009 slightly)

A little background:


Rodrigo and Gabriela as can be read from this
interview are originally from Mexico, but now
based in Ireland, but yet play a style of music
that is literally un-like anything else I
have ever heard, frequently getting
notes and chords from their instrumental
set (which features just the two
of them on acoustic guitars) which
shouldn’t be humanly possible, but is
truly amazing to watch considering they
are known for putting cover versions by
Metallica into their set and unless you
listened to them very, very carefully indeed
you probably won’t realise it was
Metallica! Amazing stuff indeed..

I first saw them at “In the City”, Manchester’s
annual music festival where bands and singers
play a number of gigs through-out the city
to highlight their ability to record scouts etc.
They were a duo I had certainly read about,
but never actually heard anything by, so me,
my brother and one friend decided to pop
down and see them and were completely
amazed by what we saw. Certainly one of our
high-lights of the week-end without doubt.

The interview came quickly after that
when I e-mailed their Manager
and he put me I contact with
Rodrigo and the interview came
very quickly from there indeed.

Thanks to Naill for his help and
a special thank you to Rodrigo
for the interview. I believe you
are playing Manchester soon,
so I hope to see you there soon.

For more information on the
band – please visit them on their
website…

www.rodgab.com

Since the interview, (As off 13rd
June 2009) I have the duo have
released two further albums:

Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006)
Live in Japan (2008)

Besides doing lots off gigs.

I believe they are currently working on their next album also
in Mexico, which I am looking forward to hearing.


Many thanks

Andy N xxxx


Setting Sun:

How's things and what’s happening at
the moment?

Rodrigo from Rodrigo y Gabriela:

We are just about to start a tour in UK and Ireland that will
take us on the road for the next 2 months, so we are doing
some practice for it and try to have lots of material to try not
to play the same thing every night, things are good
anyway and we are glad...

Setting Sun:

Can you now tell us a little bit about
yourselves...
How you got started in music etc?

Rodrigo:

Well we've been playing together for good 10 years first
doing the thrash metal thing that I started along with my
brother in 91, 3 years later gab joined the band and we
kept trying and trying till we got tired and left Mexico
city to go to some beach close to Acapulco and that’s why
we traded the electric for the acoustic, then we came to
Europe in 99 and we still here, man....

Setting Sun:

What are your influences (music wise) and
what music have you been listening to recently?

Rodrigo:

Well we like listening everything from Paco De Lucia to
Megadeth to Michel Camilo to Pink Floyd but our musical
influences I think fall in a very strong mix of Latin rhythms
in a rock estructure kind of way you know is because
we didn’t start playing classical or anything like that,
we don’t read music either so that could explain it all....

Setting Sun:

I recently saw you play live during
Manchester's "In the City" Festival and was blown away
by the atmosphere in your music live, which for me was
one of the highlights of the weekend. How does your
approach differ from performing live to recording
in the studio? Is there one you prefer over the other?

Rodrigo:

Well live is better for us and much more fun and now
we are going to start looking for the best way to do
our next studio album in a way that can capture the
live vibe which is vital for a totally instrumental
act like us.

Setting Sun:

It is clear from listening to your music you
have a very individual style, how does this compare for
example with your forthcoming Metallica covers EP?

Rodrigo:

Well we'll do it because wed love to make a tribute
to the music that gave us the idea of becoming guitar
players, specially metallicas, the way is simple just
a real acoustic instrumental album featuring the best
(for us) of metallica but the most interesting thing is
going to be the drum bits played on the wood of the
guitar using Gabriela’s crazy right hand...

Setting Sun:

So what's next for yourselves? I know you have had a
few releases out etc - do you have any more releases in
mind / or any more live dates?

Rodrigo:

We’ll play the tour in UK and Ireland starting at the middle of Oct,
for more info check out www.rodgab.com


Setting Sun:

What has been your best / worst experiences
of been in a band? Been in a band myself I've had some
fun to tell certainly so I could guess you are the same.

Rodrigo:

Playing womad festival at Singapore last year was amazing but
the flying experience wasn’t as nice having a drop of hundreds
of meters, that along with the normal experiences you have
when playing in a international unfamous thrash metal band,
like ways of travelling, no hotels and all that shit....
and it get s worse...

Setting Sun:

To wind down with now, we'll have a few more
slightly lighthearted questions to wind down with, firstly
what would be your dream job if you were not a
rock and roll musician?

Rodrigo:

Soccer player man....

Setting Sun:

What do you do outside of music?

Rodrigo:

Nothing, if we are touring we gig but if we aren’t we
practice like fucking maniacs that’s something
that we can do fortunately since 6 years ago and
we are happy because of that, as well as the kind
of music we do requires a lot of time otherwise
the guitar players would note we haven’t
practiced enough...

Setting Sun:

Lastly, something light to finish off with. (Nicked from a
pal's Zine almost) "Imagine you were ship wrecked on
a desert Island and could have (clearly have second
sight here - lol) the choice of having 5 records or
Cds with you with a stereo of course - what would
be your desert Island Discs?

Rodrigo:

Help me by the abandoned's

Right next to you by the dreamers

Miles away by st alone

Till I die by f.u.c.k.e.d

Adios by deadenough

Wednesday 10 June 2009

In Conversation with iLIKE TRAINS




















In Conversation with

'i LIKE TRAINS'

July 2005

(Slightly up-dated 11th
June 2009)


A little background:

This interview like the also recently published
Napaloon IIIrd interview (which will be re-uploaded
on 'Setting Sun' in due course I promise) came
through a promising little new record label in Leeds
called "Dance to the Radio", who I heard about
orginally through "This Etal", who I
interviewed back in January this
year.(2005 - SS)

While I found "This Etal" very enjoyable,
perhaps a "Franz Ferninard" I could enjoy,
"iLIKETRAINS" was something else
altogether.

The single and also the mp3's available
for download on their website are chilling
post-rock perhaps Sigor Ros like featuring a
sound like to Stuart Styles, the lead singer
of the Tindersticks more than Nick Cave,
with dark harrowing tales of obession
and what comes after it, before
in some cases where the music
becomes like a voice itself, spiralling
deeper and deeper out of control
before it pulls itself back together.

Interested by it, it became obvious that
I should interview them and so
I sent them a quick e mail and
this is what followed from it.
Thanks to the guys in particular
Simon for their hard work - I look
forward to hearing the next single
which may or may not be about
Chess.

For more information - please visit
them on their website:

http://www.iliketrains.co.uk

Since the interview, (as off 11th
June 2009) the band have certainly
gone to do quite well for themselves
with two albums being released
' Progress Reform' and 'Elegies
to Lessons Learnt' and a whole host
off singles I ain't gonna mention here.

Currently they have also announced a
big tour for October 2009, which
makes me wonder if another release
is on the way.

Cheers again, lads. Can't wait
either way!

Cheers Andy N

Setting Sun:

How's things and what's happening at the moment?

iLiKETRAiNS

Things are good, but I’ve just come back to work
after our first tour.

We’ve just released our first single, and I’m
led to believe it’s selling very well.

Setting Sun:

Can you now tell us a little bit about the
history of iliketrains - who fired the
starting pistol etc, etc?

iLiKETRAiNS

Guy and I go way back, writing songs and making
noise. We met the others while at university in Leeds.
You know, exciting and original.

Setting Sun:

What are your influences (music wise)
and what have you been listening to recently?

ILiKETRAiNS

Musically we have taken the post rock template laid
down by Sigur Ros as our base.

We’ve added a sprinkling of wry dark lyrics a la Nick
Cave or Morrissey to heighten the drama, and left it
to simmer for a year or so.

This is what you taste today. Its best served with a side
order of Joy Division, Velvet Underground or Scott
Walker. That makes no sense… sorry.

Lately we have been listening to the demo by a band
called Shady Bard from Birmingham… they’re grrrreat.

Also Leeds types ¡Forward Russia!, This Et Al and
Napoleon iiird are on heavy rotation.

Setting Sun:

I know from looking at your website that you tour
fairly regularly. How do these compare to your recordings
so far? Is their one you prefer over the other?

ILiKETRAiNS

We do gig quite regularly, but have only just
finished our first proper tour.

I understand we come across a lot better
live, but I’ve never seen us live so I can’t comment.

Which do I prefer?

They both have the potential to go
really well or indeed not. I couldn’t choose.

Setting Sun:

I love your current single as
released on Listen to the Radio
and find it quite interesting it is listed
as a part 1 and 2. Can you tell us
a little bit more about it and
what led you to the decision to
release it as a two part track?

ILiKETRAiNS:

Thank you. BTCC tells the story of a
man obsessing over a girl, to the
point of stalking her, and threatening
to hurt her new boyfriend. Part
2 continues with the same characters,
but is set after an escape
from the mental asylum.

It’s very straight forwards if you listen to the
lyrics and watch the videos…. I think.

Setting Sun:

Can you tell us also the signifiance of the name
of ilikeetrains as it certainly caught me out when I
first saw it's name?

ILiKETRAiNS:

It’s a cynical marketing ploy. An attempt to sell
records to a criminally ignored demographic:
those people that stand at a station platform
with a notebook, anorak and flask of weak
lemon drink. Has it worked? Not really.

Setting Sun:

What's next for you? Do you have any more gigs /
recordings etc planned?

ILiKETRAiNS

We have a few gigs planned, but our main
priority is to get into the studio to
record a new single.

We hope to release it around the beginning of
October and go on tour around the same time.

The new single is possibly about chess.

Setting Sun:

A few slightly more light hearted questions to
finish off with - firstly, what would be your dream
job if you were not a rock n roll act?

ILiKETRAiNS

Bed tester. You could sleep all night and get paid
for it. Leaving plenty of spare time to do other
stuff like hang gliding for instance.

Setting Sun:

What would you like to be doing
when you are 60?

ILiKETRAiNS:

Chilling.

Setting Sun:

What will you be doing
when you are 60?

ILiKETRAiNS:

Stressing.

Setting Sun:

Lastly, nicked from a pal's Zine in away
"Imagine you were ship wrecked on a desert
Island and could have (clearly second sight
here - lol) the choice of having 5 records
or cds with you with a stereo of course.

What would be your desert island discs?"


ILiKETRAiNS:

Ok, well I have asked around, and it goes like this:

Dave: Beck - Odelay

Guy: Scott Walker sings Jaques Brel

Ash: 100% Reggae Volume 1 (for some tropical vibes).

Alistair: Belle & Sebastian – If you’re feeling sinister.

Simon: Reckons he’d bring his iPod - I called him
a loser.

in Conversation with Naomi Elizabeth:















In Conversation

With Naomi Elizabeth:

July 2008
(Updated 11th June 2009)

A little background:


Quoting (http://musecreview.blogspot.com/2008/06/naomi-elizabeth.html)
L.A. musician Naomi Elizabeth plays electronica with
bold and funny lyrics.

Speaking from a Setting Sun angle, despite the simple
comparison I certainly found her music showing a artist that has
being influenced by a whole host of influences and this is
shown on her own myspace.com where she declares
‘This is an art project, wherein I turn away from the pillars
of tradition, academia and the history of civilization
& wallow in the unseemly stereotypes of mass
media, pornography and sleaze’

Listening to Naomi’s music is certainly all of that and is not
a easy ride at times but which speaking from a Setting Sun
perspective makes it even more essential and worth
listening to.

I am grateful to Ms. Elizabeth for her time with
her interview and to quote her on the headline
with her page ‘ "TALK DIRTY TO ME/this is an art
project you idiots"

More information about Naomi can be found
on her myspace.com page which is as follows:

http://www.myspace.com/naomielizabet

Since this original interview, looking at her
myspace.com page she has clearly being a busy
young lady with a full album available for download at a
mere 75 cents per mp3, which is something
I will be checking out shortly.

She's also currently on tour. I only wish
she played England. Maybe someday!

Thanks to Naomi for her time and trouble and sorry

For the delay in posting this interview.

Cheers

Andy N

Setting Sun:

What’s happening at the moment and how are things?


Naomi Elizabeth:

At the moment things are going well, just working
on several projects, writing music and piecing
together future music videos!

Setting Sun:

Next, can you tell us a little bit about the history
of your music – what started you off etc?

Naomi Elizabeth:

I started writing music several years ago, it was
something I wanted to do but I didn't get around
to it for a year or so after I decided that!
I bought a sampler and I was scared to touch it
so it just sat there for a couple months.

Setting Sun:

What are your influences and what are
you listening to at the moment?

Naomi Elizabeth:

Right now I'm mostly influenced by the lowest
common denominator of mainstream radio music,
rappers and pop stars and rock bands that
sound like the Strokes or whatever.

Not the Strokes mind you, I don't listen to
that at all, I just think it's funny how that
band became the template for an entire genre!
Other than that I listen to a lot of noise
music. The more violent the better.

Setting Sun:

I can see from your pictures – you play
concerts.. How do these differ from
your recordings for example on ..
myspace.com.. – is their one you prefer
over the other?

Naomi Elizabeth:

Playing shows is alright, I definitely
prefer recording. I have to be in the right
mood to enjoy myself at a show,
which doesn't always happen, so it can
be a bit of a drag.

Setting Sun:

I have being really enjoying your
songs on myspace.com.. in
particular ‘I’m your Angel‘ – can you
tell us a little bit about this song etc?

Naomi Elizabeth:

"I'm Your Angel" is a song I made last year. I was
trying to write it to be as cliche and sappy as
possible at the time. Whereas when I hear it
now it comes across as being totally sincere!

Setting Sun:

What’s next for you? Do you have any more
gigs lined up, maybe recordings?

Naomi Elizabeth:

There are too many things I want to do in
the near future. I want to make a bunch of
new songs and videos, and set up tours etc.
It's hard to concentrate on all of that at the same
time but I'm doing my best haha.

Setting Sun:

A few more lighter questions to finish
off with… Where are you from? What is
the music scene like where you are from?
Have you seen any good concerts recently?

Naomi Elizabeth:

I'm from San Diego. It's a really nice place,
sort of small in the creative sense,
not a very big community of artists. The last
show I went to was a noise show in
Los Angeles where I saw God Willing,
Privy Seals, Persimmons Pomegranate,
and Emaciator. It was great. That's like
my ideal show.

Setting Sun:

What would be your dream job if you
were not doing music?

Naomi Elizabeth:

I sort of don't like having a job. I try to avoid
it whenever possible which is usually.
It's an unpleasant topic haha.

Setting Sun:

What would you like to be doing
when you are 60?

Naomi Elizabeth:

When I get to be 60 I'd like to start building
giant plaster statues of animals like the
ones that they have on scenic roadside
trips through the middle of nowhere.
Or something like Watts Towers.
I think that would be a good project!

Tuesday 9 June 2009

In Conversation with 'Eye Butterfly'

In Conversation with

‘EyeButterfly’














September 2007

(Slight update 9th June 2009)


A little background:

Eye Butterfly borrowing what they say
On their myspace.com describe themselves
As a ‘female fronted electronic / industrial
Act based out of Toronto, Canada with a pro
Attitude’.

They describe their influences as wide ranging
As ‘Switchblade Symphony, No Doubt, Madonna,
NIN, Kylie Minogue, Lacuna Coil, Aphex Twin,
VNV and Dead Can Dance’ which I think you
Could say from a ‘Setting Sun’ perspective
Is varied even by our tastes, but certainly
With a influence list as wide ranging as that,
It was only natural ‘Setting Sun’ had to
Check them out.

Of course as you may have guessed
From the very fact this interview
Happened, I was pretty well blown away with what I
Heard (I certainly wouldn’t like to try and describe
To you what type of sound they as I have all of the
Above with the possible expectation of Kylie and maybe
No Doubt but take it from me, it was first rate)
And I contacted Valerie from the band and the enclosed
Interview followed shortly after.

Apologizes to Valerie for the delay in posting this
Interview.

Since the original interview back in 07 (Speaking
as 9th June 2009), Valerie has released
one great single '“Broken Wings” and has another
on the way 'Vampire, I do' which is due soon.

From looking on her website - I can't see any
sign of a album but here's hoping one surfaces
shortly, as I think she is talented enough.

Make sure you check them out on myspace.com
http://www.myspace.com/eyebutterfly

Cheers

AEN

Setting Sun:

How are things and what’s happening at the
moment?

EyeButterfly:

Things are great! What’s happening now is a
new song that’s what!

A very talented fellow by the name of
(Ivor 'Tweed8' Stines Front man of the
band '8 Digital') has submitted the first track
of the established band collaborations project
I’ve started. I am working on vocal
ideas as we speak!

Setting Sun:

Can you next tell us a little bit about the
History of ‘Eye Butterfly’ – i.e. –
what started you off etc?

EyeButterfly:

EyeButterfly started off as a duo. Myself,
“Valerie Linaker” (vocals and lyrics) and
“Greg Kowalcyzk”, (programming and
instrumentation.)

Greg and I came together on a let’s see
what happens basis in 2004. Things
went well, starting off with A face in the Crowd,
and Butterfly. Then followed, Elektroboy,
Pandora’s Box,Obsession #101, and Broken Wings.

Shortly after Broken Wings was written in
(2006) Greg left the band. I took on the
name and continued EyeButterfly as a
solo project. The idea now, is to,
find new members and (or) established
band collaborations! You can find
more info on that at the official EyeButterfly
website or myspace page.

www.eyebutterfly.ca

www.myspace.com/eyebutterfly

Setting Sun:

Next can you tell us a little bit about your
musical influences and what are you listening to at
the moment?

Eyebutterfly:

My musical influences are all over the map. I never
stuck to any one genre or sound. I listen to everything
from R&B to Metal. Alicia Keys is a great technical
soul singer and Lamb of God, let’s just say
“god speed!” Hehe, I could go on with this
one forever…. J Type O Negative is in my ipod
at this time.

Setting Sun:

Do you play concerts? How do they compare to your
studio recordings? Or if you don’t – do you have any
ideas how you would approach it?

Eyebutterfly:

I would say concerts are definitely hands down better
than studio! Studio’s can be fun with the right people.
Concerts are great you can somewhat screw up during all
that expended energy, jumping around the crowds moving
with you. Studio’s are like going to the dentist sometimes,
you have to get the right vocal takes. Hehe Really I love it all
even the creative writing part owns my heart…..

Setting Sun:

Have being really enjoying all of your songs on
myspace.com in particular ‘Pandora’s Box’ which drew
me in particular probably of because Louise Brooks
released one of my favorite films ‘Pandora’s Box’,
but anyway – can you tell us a little bit more about
this song?

Eyebutterfly:

Pandora’s Box is a perfect example of where
EyeButterfly has been going lyrically.

First, let us begin with a brief
description of the Greek
mythological story "Pandora's Box"

Basic Story: Zeus, upset with
the brothers Prometheus and
Epimetheus for having successfully
brought fire to humankind,
decides to even things up by introducing
disease, death, and sorrow.

Zeus orders Pandora to be created
and gives her as a gift to Epimetheus.
In the original tale these dark gifts are
held in a jar, not a box. She is told to
never open the jar, but the gods and
goddesses have also made her
urious. (The jar was kept locked
up by Epimetheus, who did not
want humankind to suffer.)

Pandora finally opens the vessel,
realizing what she has done, but
cannot slam the lid back on fast
enough. Plagues etc are then
released, with the remains of
hope.

There are different more
in-depth versions of the tale,
which can be found at the link
provided above.

In Valerie’s version, she sees
Pandora as the woman that
entices you, the lure the temptress.
Could Pandora be the jar/box? Giving
her captor the key o her heart and
sexual desires, she entices him quickly
to fall in love. After time, all temptations
die and love becomes a disaster
rather than a celebration. He
finds out she is dark and unhappy.

Pandora doesn’t let him go to
easily and tries to trap him. She takes
back the key! In the end there
is one last bit of hope…

Basically the lesson here is to get to
know your partner before jumping and
getting tattoos of each other’s names
on your fingers! hehe

Setting Sun:

What’s the inspiration out of interest
behind your name ‘Eye Butterfly’
which I think is lovely I must admit.

Eyebutterfly:

Thanks! Here’s the name break down.

Eye (1 beginnings) The Perception
and evolution through each trial

Eye - (1 beginnings) The perception
and evolution through each trial
we endure. (Love, fear, illusion,
obsession etc).

The window of the soul tells all!
Butterfly - (10 endings or outcomes)
Defines how we bloom through our love
and life experiences, no matter what the
outcome. Hopefully you can see your
outcome as a positive even if negative,
as we must all learn from our mistakes.
The Butterfly will always call for her
lesson, eventually we should all bloom.........
do you have the time?

A lyric taken from the latest
EB single "Broken Wings"

"I wish I, could unleash the
Butterfly in me." "I'd send her out to
find the one who's right for me,
define the one who's right?"

Put the two together and you are
embracing adventure "EyeButterfly"

Setting Sun:

What’s next for ‘Eye Butterfly’? Do you have any
more recordings / gigs planned etc?

EyeButterfly:

Once the previous song mentioned is ready I will go in
and record with Ivor.

Setting Sun:

Anyway, a few more light hearted questions to
finish off with – firstly, where are you from?
What’s the music scene like where you are from?

EyeButterfly:

I’m a Vancouver native and now live in Toronto.
The Toronto scene has been very welcoming of
EyeButterfly I am very thankful for that. EyeButterfly
has been getting airplay at the local clubs here
in town and has definitely made a name for it self.
The people here are great, when they find something
they like they really embrace it!

Setting Sun:

What would you be your dream job if you
were not ‘EyeButterfly’?

EyeButterfly:

That is a very tough question, in which I
have no answer for. All I can say is that I would
do well in whatever it is that I chose!

Setting Sun:

What will you be doing when you are 60?

EyeButterfly:

When I am 60, I will be an old wise woman staring
at the stars and thinking of how I created them!

Monday 8 June 2009

in Conversation with 'Kylyra'

In Conversation

with
Kylyra

















February 2008


(Up-dated slightly 8th June 2009)

A little background:

Some interviews I do with acts are acts I find and
interested by their music, I contact them quite quickly.
oher acts like alternative dance act, Kylyra
I do in a completely different way.

Some of you may or may not know but besides being
a interview master at ‘Setting Sun’ – I also run my own
poetry page on myspace.com and I like to try and network
on here to encourage people to read and offer feedback
on my poetry.

What has happened on this page is I had made a number
of friends on here who I talk to on a whole host of
topics some certainly more poetry based than others.

Ireland based Kylyra is one of them. When I invited
her to be a friend off mine she sent me back a very sweet
note and I started writing to her enjoying her
correspondence.

I only actually started listening to her alternative dance
solo music and her rock music with her brother
‘Deemed Psychotic’ a good month or two after I first
started writing to her and really enjoyed it to such a
degree, I thought to myself she in some ways is very similar
to me in the sense she is involved in a couple of bands,
writes poetry, is writing a novel and is also involved
in several other creative projects, I must interview
her for ‘Setting Sun’.

Of course Kylyra agreed straight away to the interview
and the rest is history as I like to say!

Her solo music myspace.com page is
http://www.myspace.com/kylyramusic

Deemed Psychotic – her other music project
can be sampled here

http://www.myspace.com/deemedpsychotic

Thanks to Kylyra for the interview! I certainly
hope to see your novel in the lights someday!

Since the original interview, as of round
about 9th June 2009, Kylyra has lived
as busy a lifestyle as I have with two
new projects appearing Technoky (
who allows Ky to explore her techno roots)
and Kypoetry (which allows Ky to explore
her poetry with futuristic beats).

Pop over to http://www.darkworld.com
to explore tons off free downloads.

Cheers

Andy N


Setting Sun:

How are things and what’s happening at
the moment?

Kylyra:

Well, I think I've cursed myself with that old
Chinese saying 'may you live in interesting
times'! I've never been busier in my life. My
latest solo release, VOX, is getting lots of
attention; my videos out at Planet Mythos Video
on YouTube are getting viewed on a steady
basis; my band, Deemed Psychotic has a
growing number of fans; and my first novel
(The Demon of Petty Disturbances: Doh-da)
is with my new literary agent in New York.

Setting Sun:

Next, can you tell us a little bit about your
music – who fired the starting pistol as I
like to say sometimes etc?

Kylyra:


I've always been musical, much to the despair of
my parents. They didn't approve of a musician's lifestyle
and actively discouraged me from taking it up seriously.
Luckily for me, they didn't quite succeed. My brother,
Tor, has always been my biggest fan. When he returned
home after a long absence in 1994 and found that I'd
given up music he just couldn't stand for it. He kept
encouraging me and did everything he could to get me
to do something - anything - with music. I dragged
my feet and resisted; he could get me to tinker
on a keyboard but only if there was no one
around to hear me.

Then Tor played Sven Vaeth's CD 'Accident in
Paradise' for me. I know it might sound cliché to say
that one CD changed everything, but it did. I fell in
love with Vaeth's sound; with the brilliant way on
that CD that he melded grooving techno with classical
pieces and environments. I knew immediately that I
wanted to do something similar.

I had several snippets of melody that I'd written and
sequenced ..s. My first attempt at my own recordings
was to combine these sequences with rhythm tracks
from a Roland MC-303 Groovebox (which I still
work with, by the way). I have to credit my
producer J.A. Bohr here; I probably would
have tinkered with the mixes forever and
never recorded anything without his prompting.

He helped me get my first release, 'first steps' out,
which included some great recordings I'd done
with him.

Since then it's been hard to hold me back. Not that
anyone at Dark World International has tried; just
the opposite, in fact. The entire staff keeps encouraging
me to go for exactly what I want on every song and
not worry about melding it into an album, or
keeping it within a certain time frame. It's very
freeing as an artist!

Setting Sun:

Music-wise, what are your influences and who are
you listening to at the moment?

Kylyra:

I find I'm very influenced by what I happen to be
listening to while writing and recording music.

Probably a lot of these will seem strange, because
I doubt you'd ever hear them in my own stuff,
but here goes: Sven Vaeth (obviously), Descendents,
Heart, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Jane's Addiction,
Led Zeppelin, The Police, Janis Joplin, Nina Simone,
Ella Fitzgerald, Meat Beat Manifesto, Bjork,
Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, The Cure, Judas Priest,
Rush, Supertramp, INXS, Peter Murphy, New Order,
Echo & the Bunnymen, Tool, Temple of the Dog, and
everything in the Dark World libraries - Infinisynth,
Deemed Psychotic, Milwaukee's Black Orchid, Stygian Tars,
Future Dialogue, Tor's Angst, Doctor When, Johnny M,
Dream Quest, and my solo stuff.

I've also been listening a lot to killed by
9V batteries and Boozed right now since
I've got video projects with both bands going.

Setting Sun:

Do you play concerts? If so, how does your
approach change to playing in your studio work?

Kylyra:

I haven't played a concert as a solo artist for a long
time. It's been something that's been nagging at
my mind, to be honest. I do have plans to
start gigging out with my next release
(called 'darkwold.com'), which I wrote while
I was recording 'VOX'. I'm scheduled to
be recording it this year. I've returned
to my techno roots with 'darkworld.com';
it's heavy on groove and has no vocals. So I'm
anxious to get out and have some fun.

When I do gig out, I think most people
(who have seen me in the studio) are
surprised at how relaxed and kicked
back I am. I'm a perfectionist to the
point of madness in the studio; when I
go live I know my limitations and
capabilities, and work a show that I'm
comfortable with.

Of all the ways music can be presented to an
audience, live concerts put the most stress on
showmanship rather than musicianship. I've
seen audiences go nuts over highly energetic
but crappy sounding performances and vice versa.

So it's very important to me to be extremely
comfortable with my set and my show; I want
plenty of time to interact with the audience.


Setting Sun:

Probably my favourite song of yours is
‘The Urban Garden ‘ – can you tell us a little
bit more about that song?

Kylyra:

Thank you for mentioning 'The Urban Garden'.
It's an older piece of mine and originally from
the release 'first steps'. I wrote the melody
while living in Minneapolis. I found the city
nice for some aspects of living, but the views
out of the apartment were all concrete jungle,
so I created a huge indoor garden in the apartment
with over 100 plants ranging from tiny potted
flowers to a huge tree (over 6 feet tall) that I'd
found abandoned near the bins. My keyboard
was set up in a corner near the front room window and
I was surrounded by all these plants. Musically
'The Urban Garden' is a reflection of that room in
Minneapolis; a time capsule of standing amidst a
ton of plants while gazing down at dazzling concrete.
So basically you've got a simple, repeating melody
that floats over some rather bombastic rhythm tracks.

The song breaks into a short refrain section (echoed
three times to a greater or lesser extent) that, for me,
somehow completely expresses the bursts joy I felt
standing there. I did a number of different remixes
of that melody but none quite captured the feel that
'The Urban Garden' got. I can't listen to it without
remembering that room, and smiling.

Setting Sun:


Also good to see you have a band going with your
brother ‘ Deemed Psychotic‘ – can you tell us a little
bit more about that also? How does it compare to
your own solo stuff?

Kylyra:

Well, let me start by saying that fans of my early techno
material will probably get a shock when they hear
Deemed Psychotic! My solo material is based in dance
grooves, for the most part, but Deemed Psychotic is 100%
hard rock with a punk tinge to it.

I didn't actually think to myself that it was time for me
to go out and be a hard rock singer. It happened a bit by
accident; my brother and I were just jamming in the studio,
getting some energy out and I was feeling particularly...well,
cocky, for lack of a better word. I grabbed a mic (which I
usually don't do when jamming) and just opened up my
mouth and let loose. When the music stopped the room got
really quite and my brother just said 'I didn't know
you were a hard rock screamer'. We kept going, the record
button was hit, and things just took off. When the President
at Dark World International heard the roughs he loved
them and asked us to mould the sound into something
a bit more mainstream for the company.

We went back into the studio, this time officially as
Deemed Psychotic, and really began writing together
for the first time. The music just flowed out of us. My
brother would pick up his guitar and start strumming,
then I'd start to hum while gazing through some lyrical
snippets, and before you could say 'hit the record button'
we were off and running with something. We played to
our strengths in Deemed Psychotic; my brother played
all the guitars and bass while I did the keys and wrote
most of the lyrics.

We didn't stop writing music until we had enough
material to begin our third release; by then
we were pretty burnt out and Kris (the President) made us
stop even though we didn't want to.

Setting Sun:

What’s next for you? Do you have any recordings
planned etc?

Kylyra:

Yes, I'm scheduled to head back into the studio this spring to
finish recording Deemed Psychotic's second release.
I want to get some better vocal tracks done, and fiddle
a bit with some keys on a couple of songs. Then I'll be
working on my next solo release, darkworld.com, over
the summer and autumn. I've got several video projects
queuing up already, and I know I'll have work to do
on my novel soon.

Most of all I've got to stay loose over the next few months
and be ready to jump in whatever direction the wind blows.

I'm really lucky to have the support of everyone at Dark World
for all my projects, and that includes my writing.

Setting Sun:

I normally ask people next where they are from and
what’s the local scene is where you are, but I already
know where you are from in Ireland so I can guess the
local scene is pretty quiet, so I’ll just ask you have you
being to any good gigs recently etc?

Kylyra:

You've really got me smiling on this one; you must
be familiar with the Irish countryside! Yes, the
local scene is small and quiet, but as a
matter of fact I recently attended Eurosonic
in Groningen, Netherlands. It was a
mind blowing display of talent from around
the EU and included just about any genre
you could name: rock, goth, metal,
industrial, pop, r&b, folk, avant-garde,
techno, jazz, etc.

I had the go ahead from Dark World to take my
video camera and shoot for Planet Mythos Video on
YouTube. I've already posted a special video on an
Austrian band, killed by 9V batteries. I did a lot of
filming for them and hoped to get an interview but that
just didn't work out. They put on a really good show
and combined some noise/ambience pieces in between
their songs that really flowed well on stage. I can
highly recommend them if you're into
indie/shoegaze/punk bands; go see them live and get
their debut CD which is just great!

I also am putting a video together for Boozed from Germany.
These guys are into acid/blues/rock and really have a
well choreographed show put together! They tour
almost non-stop (it shows) and have a huge push behind
them right now, with a great management team at
Heart-Rawk and a number of corporate sponsors; I'd say
this is a band you're going to hear a lot more from
very soon.

Another band to watch for is Von Hertzen Brothers
from Finland. They took the stage at a large venue called
Vera and reminded me sharply of seeing Pink Floyd
years ago. They're big out on MySpace and
with good reason; just listen to their music!

I wish I'd kept better notes; I saw so many acts that I've
lost track of all of them. I can tell you this, having seen
Eurosonic last year: overall, the sound and the music
was 100% better this year. They really got some
great stuff in, and although they tend to be a bit
heavy in choosing Dutch bands and artists it's still
a fantastic event to check out what's hot all
over Europe.

Setting Sun:

What would be your dream job if you were not a
musician?

Kylyra:

Producing new artists. I've learned over the years
how much a producer can do on a recording, and
if I wasn't actively making music myself I'd be
behind the boards mixing. I'm slowly learning some
of the ins and outs of it while I record; that's actually
encouraged at Dark World so artists have a better
working relationship with the engineers
and producers.

Setting Sun:

What would you like to be doing when you are 60?

Kylyra:

Dating men young enough to be my grandson. ;)

Setting Sun:

Lastly, what will you be doing when you
are 60?

Kylyra:

Producing and pushing new artists in
between writing my 12th best selling novel.

In Conversation with 'Ragz'


In Conversation

with 'Ragz'












April 2008

(updated slightly 8th June 2009)

A little background:

Quoting Ragz on her own myspace.com – she
is listed as a singer songwriter ‘born and
raised in a land coloured by northern lights
and fairytale creatures.

Her music is of spellbinding, acoustic tones and
weaves intricately with her soul tingling voice.
‘ before adding the following quotes:
“A crowd hushing voice & enchanting songs"
Richard Twine, L*A*W*M

“The epitome of beatitude of appearance and voice”
Alicia Rose
“Siren with star quality” –
Jade Wright, Liverpool Echo

“The songstress is breathing new life into her craft with
the rest of us looking on in amazement. A great girl
and a fine composer ladies and gentlemen”
International Online Music Magazine

I myself discovered her at a recent festival called the
Not Part of Festival when she played after me
and I was spellbound..

This was truly beautiful and haunting stuff and made
me want to contact her for an interview.

The interview itself took a bit of time to arrange,
and Ragz t give her credit got back to her quite
quickly, but owning to personal problems has
being delayed in getting put up online until now.

A huge sorry to Ragz for this, but here is the
interview in all of it’s glory!

For more information on her – please go to
http://www.myspace.com/ragzmusic

Since then as a little update on 8th June 2009,
I know Ragz is still gigging and is also
now now working on a new EP, which I look
forward to hearing also in due course.

Thanks to Ragz again for all of her patience here.

Regards

Andy N

Setting Sun:

How are things and what’s happening
at the moment?

Ragz:

Things are really good and quite all over the
placeJ I’m on tour promoting my EP at
the moment and I feel like a
backpacker – it’s great J


Setting Sun:

Next, can you tell us a little bit about your music
– who fired the starting pistol as I like to say
sometimes etc?

Ragz:

My voice and words are what drives my songs and
it’s safe to say that my music is acoustic. I write
to let my emotions out. I think my upbringing fired
the first gun, so to speak. My songwriting was a bit of
a hidden factor, so when I finally started letting it
out at the age of 20 it was so bottled up it
took a very emotional turn. I’m still
recovering

Setting Sun:

Music-wise, what are your influences and
who are you listening to at the moment?

Ragz:

Through my childhood I would raid my
dads’ vinyl collection, not sure if he knows.
But with that came an instant love for
anything from Simon and Garfunkel
and Janis Joplin to Jackson 5. Later
came names like Jeff Buckley,
Tom Waits, Ray LaMontagne and
Kate Bush. Right now it’s Beirut
and Amy Winehouse.

Setting Sun:

I know from speaking to you previously
you play concerts on a regular-ish
basis? How does your approach
change to playing in your studio work?

Ragz:

For me, the approach is very similar. It’s
the song and the emotions it holds that
control the moment. On stage and
in the studio it comes alive and
I like to let it lead. Off course,
in the studio you get to stay
with each song for longer. It’s the
same journey, but it’s lived out on a
different timescale.

Setting Sun:

Probably my favourite song of yours
is ‘Breathe‘ – can you tell us a little bit
more about that song?

Ragz:

“Breathe” was written very, very early one
morning after a week of no sleeping.
Sometimes your mind and body tightens
up so much, you loose perspective and
the ability to relax.

The song was written to remind myself
and anyone else that you need to let
go to move on.

Setting Sun:

What’s next for you? Do you have any
recordings planned etc?

Ragz:

After the Tour, I hope to go back into the
studio and record new songs.

They’re all stored up and ready to
be captured on tapeJ

Setting Sun:

I normally ask people next where they
are from but I know you are currently
living in Liverpool, and I know what a
hot bed for gigs and local talent it is
over there, so I won’t ask what is
the local scene is like over there so
instead I’ll ask you have you seen
any good concerts recently over
there?

Ragz:

I’ve been missing out a little lately
because of the tour, but it’s normally
the local acts that inspire me.
Great bands and talented artists
who haven’t, and might never,
make it to TV or to the main
stream marke, can do much more
for me than most polished big sellers

Setting Sun:

What would be your dream job if you
were not a musician?

Ragz:

I don’t dream of other jobs, to be honest.

I have nightmares though… it normally
involves being trapped and falling, so
hopefully I’ll never have to work as
an elevator bell boy(girl)

Setting Sun:

What would you like to be doing
when you are 60?

Ragz:

I hope I’m in love and still playing...
Maybe I have finally taught myself to
play the accordion properly.

Setting Sun:

Lastly, what will you be doing when
you are 60?

Ragz:

I think I’d like to leave this question
open. “Hoping” is one thing, but actually
trying to set the scene is scary!

Besides, I’m a sucker for surprisesJ

In Conversation with Alan Sparrowhawk (Low)

In Conversation with Alan Sparrowhawk

(Low)











June 2006


A little background:

A special thank you to Brian from Silbermedia
For his help getting this interview, I still honestly
Cannot believe typing this background up, I
Actually got this interview. For a webzine like
‘Setting Sun’ to get a interview with Alan
Sparrowhawk from ‘Low’ would normally
Be a bit of major news for ‘Setting Sun’ indeed
But I wanted to speak to Alan primary about his
New solo record ‘Solo Guitar’ which has recently
Being released on the excellent Silbermedia label.

As can be seen on ‘Setting Sun’, Silbermedia
Is rapidly turning into one of my favourite labels
With interviews surfacing recently by Remora,
Vlor, Tara Van Flower and now Alan Sparrowhawk
With other artists / acts hopefully following shortly.

In contrast to Alan’s work in Low, ‘Solo Guitar’ is
A raging, solo piece of sometimes improvised
Guitar work which is brutal to listen in places
And sometimes in the same breathe incredibly
Soothing but never less than spell-binding.

It is completely different from ‘Low’ and Alan’s
Sometimes other part time band ‘Retribution
Gospel Choir’ but for people who like to be
Challenged – this is an album which will surprise
And delight you sometimes in the same
heartbeat.

For distribution and direct ordering please go

To:

silberspy@silbermedia.com

Thanks to Alan for the interview… I still
Can’t believe I got this interview – A big
Thank you and also a special thank you to
Brian from Silbermedia for his help with
This interview.

Updated 8th June 2009

Since the interview was done,
Alan sadly hasn't followed
it up with a follow up project
although a Low album 'Drums
and Guns' followed in 2007.

2008 aside from touring
looks like it was a bit quieter
although they bought out
a EP 'Santa's coming over'.

Cheers to all

Andy N


Setting Sun:

How are tricks and what’s happening at
the moment?

Alan:

Low has been busy for the first part of the year,
but we're off the road now for most of the rest
of the year. At home we run errands
And raise the kids. This week I need to learn
"earth angel" to sing at a dear friends' wedding.

Setting Sun:

Can you next tell us a little bit about the
sessions for this album? ‘Solo Guitar’
where did the original idea came from etc?

Alan:

I did the solo guitar record at sacred heart
studio here in Duluth.

It’s an Old Catholic church. You can hear the
way-large reverb, etc. - it's all just the room. I guess
I have had the solo/loop guitar idea for a while -
I’m a fan of people who can pull that off (Alan Licht,
Mark Ribot, Mick Turner...) it sort of takes a
guitar -ego that I never thought I had, but once I had the
time and space to sort out a few ideas, it came
together pretty quickly.

Setting Sun:

What has proved your influences in relation
to this album and what music are you
listening to at the moment?

Alan:

I mentioned a few names above. In the
eighties, I heard Robert fripp, His record(s)
with Brian Eno stuck with me. Lamonte Young
and Arvo Paart are influences on the way I
approach the guitar,

Even though it's more of a compositional
influence. We had been touring a lot when
I went in to record this, so just fighting
with the Guitar every night probably had the
most bearing on that I ended up with. We
usually listen to a variety of stuff here at the
House but Scott Walker and TV On The
Radio are what I’ve been listening to in
the car, and I really like their new
records.

Setting Sun:

Probably my favourite track off the album is
‘Sagrado Corazón de Jesús’ What is the story
behind the 1st and 2nd attempt on the
track (Both are cool though!)

Alan:

To record this, I basically just set up a bunch
of amps in different places in the big room,
connected in various ways.

For two evenings, we just let the machine
record as I fumbled away. That song started
out good then fell down, so I started again.
When we went to edit, I still liked the
beginning of the botched one, so we
kept it there.

It’s obvious that most of the record is
improvised - why go out of my way to cover
that up. The title refers to the name
of the studio/church.

Setting Sun:

How does it compare to your other
bands / projects such as Low
Or Retribution Gospel Choir?

Alan:

Well, playing solo leaves everything
in your own hands, which is not
necessarily always the best.

I still ended up relying heavily on
Eric Swanson, who engineered and
edited the recordings. He helped
me narrow down the material and
Get it put into a Tolerable sequence.

Low is much more structured –
we have songs that we do a certain
way each time with not as
much improvising.

I enjoy a lot of creative freedom, mostly
due to the fact that I can rely on those
I work with to help refine and edit what I
come up with.

‘Retribution' is about half-way in-
between - we have songs, but they are mostly
just structures to work around. ‘Retribution’
can be very loose and "free" but having
something to lean against is important
if you're going to let it go that far.

Freedom without purpose usually
creates nothing.

Setting Sun:
Is it an album you could imagine yourself
performing in a live arena?

Alan:

I would maybe try it a few times. I don't like
performing solo, and since it's mostly improvised,
it's usually not so good - keep in mind
this record was 4 or 5 hours of playing edited
down to less than one hour.

Setting Sun:

Is it a project you could see you repeating or
developing again in the future?

Alan:

Maybe playing and then having someone
else edit it worked out great.

I could see pushing that idea.


Setting Sun:

A few light hearted questions to finish off with..
Firstly, what would you be your dream job if you
were not a rock and roll star?

Alan:

I'm pretty inspired by a few friends of
mine, who are schoolteachers,
but I’m not sure I would be as good.
no matter what I would do, I
would probably wish I had
more time to play music.

Setting Sun:

What would you like to be doing when
you are 60?

Alan:

Maintaining control of my bodily
functions, shaking my head
about what my kids are up to,
maybe play once week
down at the Red Lion.

Setting Sun:

What will you be doing when you are 60?

Alan:

Probably looking for food.

Setting Sun:

Lastly, to finish off with (Borrowed from a pal's
zine almost) "Imagine you were ship wrecked on a
desert Island and could have (clearly have second
sight here - lol) the choice of having 5 records or
cds with you with a stereo of course - what
would be your desert Island Discs?

Alan:
Talk Talk - laughing stock

Gillian Welch - Time, the revelator

T-rex - electric warrior

Dub Massive 2 - (Trojan records)

James Brown - jungle groove

In Conversation with Sandra & the Memory Machine


In Conversation with

Sandra and the Memory Machine













December 2008


A little background

Frequently when interviewing bands at
‘Setting Sun’ – when I listen to acts and
decide ‘Setting Sun’ wants to interview them,
I will next look at their influences and often
Try and draw a pattern often for introductions
Like this, when I can compare them to other
Acts.


The fun often starts when you look at
A band’s influences and they don’t really
Sound like what they say their influences
Are.

Often that is where the real fun of course.
Take for example ‘Sandra and the Memory
Machine’ whose central member Sandra
Who I interviewed here. She lists her influences
As wide ranging as ‘Talking Heads, Philip Glass
Karen Carpenter, David Bowie, Magnetic Fields,
Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole and Gnarls Barkley’
To name but a few which by any stretch of thought
Is wide ranging, and doesn’t really sound like any
Of them.

From a Setting Sun perspective, I would rather
refer you over to their own description of their
music which has being described as ‘folktronica’
with 70’s space synths and some kiss rhythm,
which gives it a sort of out of this world music
in places, which I think sums up Sandra and
the Memory Machine.

I discovered them by chance at Manchester’s
Own ‘In the City’ festival this year and was
Struck by this out of world-ness in the sense
It sounded just that little bit un-usual and
Just perfect for being interviewed by
‘Setting Sun’.

So I dropped them a email and Sandra
Got back to me a little back and the interview
Followed in due course.


Update - 6th June 2009

Certainly looking at the band
six months later or so, it certainly
looks like the band are still
touring hard, and I know they
have being making the press over
here so clearly are doing something
right.

Check them out on their myspace page

http://www.myspace.com/sandrathememorymachine

Cheers

Andy N


Setting Sun:

How are things and what’s happening at the moment?


Sandra and the Memory Machine:


Things are tops! I've just confirmed my last week of
recording to finish the album (whoooo!).


Setting Sun:

Next can you tell us a little bit about the history of
Sandra and the memory machine etc?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

5 years ago - I came to London from Sydney,
Australia to try my luck. I had split up
a band (prol-tung) that I was in to do
so...the pressure was on. I couldn't play
anything so I bought a ukelele.

About 4 years ago I moved into a very very musical
share-house and this kicked me into action
to write songs. Everyone was so good that I
stupidly kept my songs to myself.

3 years ago I formed a three piece. We were
pretty shit hot but drugs, booze and relationship
dramas got in the way so we parted after a year and
around this time I lost my voice.

1 year ago I formed a duo with my man
Chopper and the new four piece has been kicking
about since June this year... It's synth-tastic!


Setting Sun:

Next can you tell us what are your influences
music wise and what are you listening to at
the moment?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

No-one in my family were musical; we had
a lot of traditional Croatian music blaring
in the house and a bit of Johnny Cash.

My influences aren't very outrageous -
David Bowie, Karen Carpenter, Bjork,
The Beatles, Talking Heads...

Listening to Annie Lennox, Mariah Carey,
Olivia Newton John and ABBA taught
me how to sing. I owe the magic vox box
to them.

I'm loving M.I.A - KALA should have been
nominated for a Mercury this year. Loads
of Marylin Monroe, Bob Dylan, Patsy Cline
and BOWIE!

Setting Sun:

I can see from your myspace page that
you play concerts on a regular basis –
how do these compare to your
recordings? Is their one you prefer
over the other?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

The concerts are wilder than the recordings
(at the mo). Saying that I'm proud of the
recordings and how they have captured
S&TMM. The future is darn exciting if
you ask me - I would like
to be master of both!!

Setting Sun:

I am currently really enjoying your songs on
your myspace page – I think my favourite
is ‘Hour’ – can you tell us a little bit more
about this song?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

Weeell this song is about not going
with your instincts and missing out
on the experience. There is no time
for hesitation.

The person that she loved died before
she even told them she loved them.
What's worse, her love for them,
could have saved them.

It's a mourning song... a
rain dance mourning song.

Setting Sun:

What is the inspiration behind your
name ‘Sandra and the memory
machine?’

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

The name includes my name because I
joked in my yearbook that I'd have my
name in lights someday. The Memory
Machine is the best way to describe
the band. They help me present
the ideas, the emotions, the memories
that I've collected (and they're not
just my own). I want the option
to play the songs in any style
with any line-up.

Setting Sun:

A few little questions to finish off, I
know you are from London, UK.
What is the music scene like
down there nowadays? Have you
being to see any good
concerts recently?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

I suck at this kinda thing. London
bands keep to themselves
from my experience and to be
honest I avoid the scene to stay sane!

Saying that I saw David Soul at
the Boogaloo in Oct and the
support band totally rocked but I've
forgotten their name. D'oh!

Setting Sun:

What would be your dream job if you
were not doing music?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

I have no other dream job...it sounds lame
but it's true.

Setting Sun:

What would you like to be doing
when you are 60?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

I'd like to be singing and touring with
Chopper... singing dirty gritty jazz
like music or doing a little bit of
Emmylou country style stuff or
being Grace Jones! Oh and
painting crazy shit on
massive canvases.

Setting Sun:

Lastly, what will you be doing when
you are 60?

Sandra and the Memory Machine:

I'd like the above please...realistically
I may be stuck in an office
in space somewhere, all zombie
like and counting down the days
until my baked beans on toast
retirement. There will be cats,
geese and dogs involved.
How exciting...

Sunday 7 June 2009

In Conversation with Inaya Day..














In Conversation with Inaya Day


June 2009:

A little background:


This is a first for 'Setting Sun' without doubt.

Always with Setting Sun interviews
since they were first done back in 1999,
they have always being done by Andy N, often
alone but sometimes with other people.
This however is a first as I got approached by a
young lady to put this interview
up by a young lady called 'Jo Conchie' to put
up this interview of a singer /
songwriter called Inaya Day.

Must admit off the top off the top of my head
I hadn't heard off her, but a little investigation
revealed the following:

American singer / songwriter Inaya Day
became an overnight success when she teamed
up with Mousse T in 1998 on the track Horny,
and has since had chart success with her 2005
version of Nasty Girl. She’s appeared on
Broadway, written for Randy Crawford and
Bootsy Collins, and has even worked
with Michael Jackson.

This interview in relation ahead of
her release of 'Heaven' a track
she has been working on with
Matthias Heilbronn who was recently
voted in the Top 100 DJs in the world.

Thanks to Jo for the interview.

More details are at the bottom
of the interview.

Cheers

Andy N


Jo Conchie:

Is Inaya Day your real name?
Inaya Day:

Well, Inaya is my middle name.

Jo Conchie:

When was the first time you heard
house music?

Inaya Day:

I was in school and a friend of mine put her
headphones on my head. She said “You gotta hear this
new music! It’s called ‘House Music’. Fierce!” I fell in
love with it right away.

Jo Conchie:

You’ve recorded for Michael Jackson.
What was he like to work with?

Inaya Day:

I was living in Germany when I recorded ‘Ghost’ for
Michael Jackson and he was in California.
Modern technology can really take the wind out o
f your sail when it comes to actually working
“together”. But, even though I didn’t meet him
face to face, he sent me a nice message
saying how much he loved my vocals and
accepted everything that I submitted.

Jo Conchie:

Who else have you worked with?

Inaya Day:

I’ve worked with Ashford and Simpson, MC Lyte,
Stephanie Mills, Queen Latifah, Al Green,
Bootsie Collins, and Tichina Arnold –
to name a few.

Jo Conchie:

Nasty Girl was released in 2005 –
what have you been up to since then?

Inaya Day:

I’ve been making records consistently since
the release of ‘Nasty Girl’ and have been
blessed to have a few more #1 and top
5 billboard and ARIA Hits under my belt.

Jo Conchie:

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve been to
while on tour / recording?

Inaya Day:

I’d say, a small town in China whose name escapes
me, but there were people pulling rickshaws on the
highway, running next to the cars.
During the show, the people all stood and stared
while I sang, then burst into thunderous applause
when each song ended - strange for a night club.

Jo Conchie:

You did a track called Glamorous Life – what’s a
typical day like in your glamorous life?

Inaya Day:

Well, my life may seem glamorous to others
from the outside because of the shows, travelling and
parties, but it takes a lot of work from the interior.
I don’t see my life as glamorous but I’m glad others
do – makes me know I’m doing things right by making
it seem fun and easy.

My typical day consists of doing contracts and
agreements for the artists I manage and myself, writing
songs for myself and other artists, approving flight
schedules, and rehearsing then performing with
the band on Thursdays.

That’s just a typical day. Goodness knows, it
can get even more tedious than that.

Jo Conchie:

What’s the most extravagant thing that
you’ve bought?

Inaya Day:

A custom made necklace with blue and yellow
diamonds what ran me thousands of dollars.
Something I didn’t need but merely “wanted”.
I’m not really materialistic – I prefer to travel.
Jo Conchie:

You’ve had 2 recent hits ‘U’ and ‘Natural High’
– what are they about?

Inaya Day:

Natural High is a song of encouragement. The
first verse sings you out of depression and the
second verse advocates sobriety and being drug-free.

U is a song I wrote to God and acknowledges that
he is my provider, friend and life.
Jo Conchie:

What are your thoughts on people
downloading music from the internet?

Inaya Day:

I think it sucks! Recording artists have to
make a living too. If music is pirated, we don’t eat.

Jo Conchie:

Who do you look up to musically?

Inaya Day:

Ella Fitzgerald, Karen Clark-Sheard,
and Jocelyn Brown.

Jo Conchie:

How did you get involved with
Matthias Heilbronn?

Inaya Day:

Matty and I met while recording for the
same label in Germany more than 10 years
ago, and have been stuck together ever since.

Jo Conchie:

Where did the inspiration for Heaven
come from?

Inaya Day:

I wrote Heaven in dedication to someone
I really care for and used “Heaven” to describe
the euphoric feeling.
Jo Conchie:

What is next for you?

Inaya Day:

Next for me? Lots.
My new single “Reap” was just release
two days ago on Deep Sugar Music, I have
one more song to record for my album with
Mike Cruz, I’m working on an Australian-based
album with Antoine Dessante (producer of U),
and I’m 4 songs into my soulful / deep
house project with a well-known producer
whom shall remain nameless .

Busy, busy, busy.

**

Heaven by Matthias Heilbronn
featuring Inaya Day is released on 7th June,
with a pre-release available at www.traxsource.com
from 24th May. Go to www.seamlessrecordings.com
for more information.

In Conversation with July Skies...













In Conversation with

July Skies

December 03


(up-dated 6th June 2009)


A little background:


A lot of my love for July Skies actually comes from one mad two
and a bit minute burst. A few years ago (Cannot remember when)
I was getting a lift home from some local concert up where I live
in Manchester, when I heard this incredible little track come on
the radio. I heard the guitar gently strums behind some beautiful
reflectful vocals. The song in question was “The Games
we played” was by July Skies.

It had this sort of effect which looking back now a few years
later is rare with music. It made me want to rush out
and buy the single the track came from. I managed to
get hold off it a few weeks later and I was hooked.

There were four tracks on the single, each a little
beauty in it’s own right. Two instrumental and two with
slight vocals. All contained this rare sort of ambience and beauty
that is all too rare in music nowadays.

Fast-forward in time, and an album followed a few years
later (Beginning of 2002, I think) called “Dreaming… “
which contained a similar amount of heartbreak and hushed
silences that could have only come from a deeply British band.
Much to my surprise then, I discovered
it was only one man, Anthony Harding who had created this music.

The interview in question simply came from contacting
Anthony in person after looking at his website, and discovering
he was recording a second album “The English Cold” which
is hopefully due for release sometime next year and then
e-mailing him to ask was he interested in doing the interview.

The interview has taken a while coming, but from the depth
Anthony has put into the interview – it was certainly worth the
wait.

Update 06/06/09

Since then - Ant released 'The English Cold' which remains one of
my favourite albums. He has also released 'Where the days go' in 2006
and last year another album 'The Weather Clock' album and a ep off
the same name.

I've seen Ant in concert twice since and both times were amazing nights
and he was also a incredibally nice guy ontop off it.

More info can be found here:

http://www.julyskies.com/

Cheers, Ant.

Andy N


Setting Sun:

How's things and what's happening at the moment?

July Skies:

Things are fine thanks! It has been quiet on the July Skies
release front since ‘Dreaming of Spires’ came out, but that
doesn’t mean things have been quiet in terms of recording.

The second album ‘The English Cold’ is fully completed and
just needs some kind soul to master and release it.

Lots of other tracks have been recorded that should see the
light of day over the coming year, hopefully along with a split CD
with epic45. The third album is also about 60% complete and
I am trying to progress this as quickly as possible. There will
also be two July Skies tracks on the forthcoming
Make Mine Music CD compilation which also features Portal,
Yellow 6, epic45, Avrocar, Innerise, Schengen and Wayland.

The Skies tracks will be ‘The Days We Played’ and the
new track ‘Royal Observer Corps Amongst the Norfolk Dunes’
which came about after finding an abandoned nuclear
observation bunker in the Norfolk dunes!

There are literally thousands of these underground bunkers
across the country and you are probably within a few miles
of one right now!

The Royal Observer Corps that manned these
stations were disbanded in 1991 but the
majority of these structures still remain in situ and
act as decaying reminders of the Cold War.

Some were recently auctioned on ebay and
went for a fair few thousand pounds!

Would make a superb recording studio out in
the middle of a field though…… I am sure I read
somewhere that Boards of Canada have a bunker
in the countryside where they record, I wonder
if it is one of these????

Setting Sun:

I've been aware off July Skies for quite some
time now, but clearly they are people who wouldn't
have heard off you,so could you introduce
yourself to us, tell us who fired the starting pistol
etc., etc.?

July Skies:

I guess the best way of describing the music is
pretty dreamy, lots of echoes, reverb and space.
Its mostly just guitar with differing effects to
add textures with the occasional vocal.

Setting Sun:

I love the image of July Skies as a name. What's
the idea behind that as a name? Is it reflected
in all of the beautiful images that crop up on
your debut album "Dreaming of Spires”?

July Skies:

I have always had a fascination with the
English countryside and skies especially
during the summer months when you
get massive beautiful ‘stretched horizontal
skies’ late in the evening.

If you have seen most of the Hood album artwork
you will know exactly what I am trying to explain.

For me, the best skies are across East Anglia
as the Region has such a flat landscape and shifting
weather pattern, you really do get awesome skies
there! I like to think the name might also
gives an idea as to how the music might sound.

The album is essentially all about the summer
months and on certain tracks, exploring the
hidden bits of England that have survived
from the past. I hope there is enough texture
and space for people to explore these places
in their own mind.

A few people have frighteningly picked up on the
fact that the music isn’t just about now but
maybe how things may have been 20 or even 50
years ago.

It is really hard to describe, but there is definitely
some sort of nostalgia running through the whole album.

There are so many good bits of this country that get overlooked
or are not fully appreciated, follies, old-field systems,abandoned
places and buildings that just don’t get visited and I love finding
things that have survived from past decades that really
shouldn’t have…..like old country road signs or
advertisements……I recently spotted a faded advert
fixed to a Norfolk village shop wall that had the old 70/80’s
‘Walls Ice Cream’ kids on it…….they were very faded but it
was wonderful to see the familiar retro faces, clothes and
bowl haircuts once more.

I hope this kind of thing comes across in the music
and I guess the clearest historical reference
on the album is the track ‘The Ruined and Disused
Churches of Norfolk’.

That one came about after exploring the subject of
the title for a couple of summers.

There are literally hundreds of these ruined and
disused churches all across Norfolk in varying
degrees of decay. Many were abandoned when
whole villages were wiped out by the plague and some
were lost to the sea.

The amazing thing with many of these ruins is that
they are in the middle of nowhere with loads of overgrown
forgotten gravestones and artefacts……just left
abandoned waiting for travellers to stumble upon
them once more or to disappear completely.

You can tell some of these places have not been visited
for a long, long time and some of the ruins and graveyards
had really weird odd atmospheres where it feels like it is
best not to hang around.

I also have this 1960’s children’s book, which I grew up
with in the 1980’s called ‘The Open Road’ by
H J Deverson.

It captures the images of the album perfectly through the
most amazing artwork of a journey through the English
countryside and towns in the 1960’s. The illustrator was
Ronald Lampitt who also created artwork for ladybird
books in the 1960’s.

The book definitely reflects the sound of the album
and I would love to know whether either the
author or illustrator are still alive today.

Setting Sun:

What stuff (tunes wise) have you been listening to
recently and what are your influences for July Skies?
I originally thought among the lines of The Durutti Column
in places, as I think you use silence in your songs in a
very similar way in places, but listening to your
vocal songs, it goes in a completely different way.

July Skies:

I have recently been listening to a tape copy of
the Slowdive Pygmalion demos and their soundtrack
to the film ‘I Am The Elephant, You Are The Mouse’.
Both are superb and it is criminal that they
have not been officially released.

I think Slowdive are still vastly underrated but it
good to see them some recognition from
certain quarters of late.

I do hope someone has the initiative to put
out a box set of their ep’s, soundtrack
and unreleased songs soon.

I believe Neil Halstead has recently hinted at
this on a webzine interview, fingers crossed!

I have also recently picked up an album
called ‘From Gardens Where We Feel Secure’
by Virginia Astley which is a reissue from 1983.

The album i s split into two parts, morning and
afternoon and charts a day in the Oxfordshire
countryside in the early 1980’s. The music conjures
up a long lost innocent summer, early
morning mists across apple orchards,
morning shadows moving across cottage
gardens, country lanes with distant churchbells
peeling, there is a creaky gate (possible a
church?) that has been sampled which
provides the rhythm to one track, the sound
of oars on the Thames provide a backdrop
for a pretty track called ‘Summer of
Their Dreams……but there is a really
uneasy element that underpins the innocence
of the album, a few reverse bass notes during ‘
a Summer Long Since Passed’ hint at something
lurking, maybe watching you play in the
fields from afar……

the track ‘When the Fields Were On Fire’ also
adds a further strange atmosphere to the proceedings
with reversed sounds and what sounds like very
odd children’s voices underneath…..this track
paves the way for Boards of Canada to
follow over a decade later.

Actually, do you remember when farmers set
light to their fields to remove the stubble? The
countryside appeared to be burning through
September, amazing sights now consigned
to memory.

I have also been listening to The Tornados
2*CD Anthology. Lovely dreamy instrumentals
and of course, their big hit ‘Telstar’ which is
such a sad delicate piece of music. It just
reminds me of wet Autumn Saturday
afternoons in northern towns in the 60’s.

There are so many great tracks on this CD set,
favourites are ‘Globetrotter’, ‘Dreaming on
a Cloud’ and ‘The Ice Cream Man’.

I must also mention an album by The Caretaker
called ‘A Stairway to the Stars’
which uses old 78rpm dancehall records
to form new music by treating a effecting the sounds.
At times this really is beautiful music that has
a real sad haunting quality.

Other recent music worth a mention:

Mojave 3 - Spoon & Rafter

Interpol - Turn on The Bright Lights

Bent – The Everlasting Blink

Portal - Promise

British Sea Power - The Decline of British Sea Power

Different - Come on and Bring Back the Broken Sound
of Yore!

Prefab Sprout - Jordan The Comeback

The inspiration behind July Skies was not the
Durutti Column as I only became aware of
Vini Reilly’s music at a gig in late 1999 after
the first 7” and many other tracks had
been recorded. The sound engineer at the gig
was playing the Durutti Column album
‘Vini Reilly’ and I was mesmerised by the gorgeous
sounds, the music was so melancholy and
ached with sadness

……luckily the sound guy told me who the music
was by and I guess I have been a fan since!

I was definitely listening to loads of bands
like Quigley, Hydroplane, Flying Saucer Attack,
AMP, Red House Painters, Sweet Trip, Blueboy,
Secret Shine, Hood, Orange Cake Mix, Aphex Twin,
Piano Magic, Aberdeen around the time though.

The big influence for the inception of July Skies was
finding the music of Slowdive in 1995 and
realising that such beautiful sounds could be made
using guitars.

I think it was towards the end of 1997 I decided
to buy a second hand electric guitar and delay
effects pedal and learn a few chords.

After recording tracks at home in 1999, I saw a
review of a Portal 7” on Roisin Recordings in
Record Collector magazine and thought it would be
worth sending a CDR off to the label address.

I guess I was lucky that Stuart Newman
wanted to do a July Skies 7” ep.

Getting the first box of 7”s back from
Stuart was pure magic and a dream come true!!

The same goes for Vinita at Rocket Girl
for putting out the album on her label, which I
really admired prior to getting the 7”
released. It is all down to luck and timing!

The really great things that has occurred over the
past few years has been all of the connections
and relationships formed with other likeminded
bands such as Portal, Innerise, Yellow6, epic45,
Schengan etc…… a friendly voice or
musical help is only a phone call away!

Setting Sun:

I normally ask what releases / tours do you
have planned for the future, but I know
already that you are currently working
on a new album " The English Cold".

How does this compare to "Dreaming of Spires"?
What developments do you think you have
made from the previous album and
how does it feel working with additional
people on this album, e.g. some of
the guys from epic 45 when on
"Dreaming.." it was just you really?

July Skies:

Yes indeed, The English Cold
is finished. The overall dreamy feel
remains on the album but I think
it is less carefree than Dreaming
of Spires.

The inspiration behind
The English Cold came from finding an
old WWII airfield and its abandoned
buildings out in the countryside
in 2002 at Chedworth. I hope the
album manages to capture the
feelings of the people and
communities that were involved
and lived around these enigmatic places
during WWII …….the endless grey
British skies, the persistent heavy
rainfall and mud, the welcoming
village people……the feeling of
getting up night after night with fear
in your stomach knowing that tonight’s flight
might well be your last, just like
the guy that used to sleep in the
next bed to you …….the sub zero
temperatures for hours on end up in the
sky with the deafening sound of the engines
and the nauseous smell of cordite and
in some cases blood …… waiting in the watch
office for the first radio signals of returning planes
across the countryside…….counting the planes
home in the night sky…… the surrounding
countryside which lay beside all this
upheaval……..the harvest fields at dusk
on the other side of the hedgerow to
the airfields which would offer respite.

I have since been to many of these old
abandoned airfields……. they are amazing
places that are falling by the wayside due to
neglect, demolition and redevelopment……. all
of these deserted old buildings that were
once used by todays fading generation.
Some even still have the old murals and
artwork that pilots and crew during WWII
painted on the walls! Some are seriously
spooky places as well!!

The artwork for the album features photos
taken around Thorpe Abbots airfield in
Norfolk during WWII….you can see trees,
Nissen huts above a hedge, a road and crew
standing about in the distance . I visited the
same site in the summer to see if I could
find the exact place of the artwork to see
how things have changed. A volunteer at
the local airfield museum took me across
the decaying runways amongst the wheat
fields to the access road which features on
the artwork and found the remains of
old huts and pathways on the photo
amongst woodland.

The really amazing thing was finding lumps
of coke all over the floor which was left over
from the stoves in the huts, which was
used to keep the crews, warm.

Ben and Rob from epic45 have played
on parts of the album and when we were
recording together we spent time up on
the old deserted airfield at Wheaton
Aston in the evenings, watching nightfall
across the freezing cold fields as we explored
the old structures.

We found the old Watch Office, Hangers,
underground ‘Battle HQ’ bunker and also
this massive firing wall that still stands
sixty years on.

Working with Ben and Rob from epic45
was a real pleasure as they have so
many ideas, songs and sounds and
are both really into capturing the countryside
in sound. In return for their efforts I recorded some
clarinet on their forthcoming album ‘Against
the Pull of Autumn’ which should be out in 2004.

Setting Sun:

How do your live shows compare to your
more studio-based stuff? Considering I think Dreaming...
is generally such a private, almost naked album to
listen to in places, I could imagine it being
very difficult in places?

July Skies:

There have only been two July Skies live gigs both
of which were in London, I would love to do more
but it is all about finding time. I like to think that our
last gig offered a contrast between the quieter songs
such as ‘Swallows and Swifts’ and
‘The Countryside of 1939’ with
‘Coastal Stations’ and ‘The English Cold’
which sound much larger than the recordings
as we applied massive washes of reverb.
Someone mentioned that it was sounding pretty
glacial at times. I wish there was more time to hook
up with Ben and Rob, who knows, maybe next year
there will be a few more gigs.

Setting Sun:

What's the story behind "Coastlines and Laughter”,
track 5 from Dreaming... That is probably my favourite
track from the album, in the way the loop comes in and
then after you have finished singing, you then finish
off with some beautiful strummed guitar work.

July Skies:

Glad you like it! There is a sort of loop on that track
through the distorted guitar in the background,
but it is all hand stitched together as I don’t have
a looping facility……I remember that well
as it took ages!

The actual song is about a moment on Hunstanton
Beach in Norfolk on a cold June afternoon a few
years ago looking out to sea underneath the
lighthouse as storms raged overhead.

Setting Sun:

In a lot of ways, what I love about the first
album like I mentioned before is the way
you use silence to make quite some beautiful points.
Take for example, your first track on “Dreaming.. “
– Coastal Stations,where we hear a radio
announcement announcing the weather report.
I found that incredibly touching when I first
heard it. What was the inspiration behind
that etc, etc?

July Skies:

Yes silence can sometimes make as stronger
point than actual noise, think about the music
by Low and The Red House Painters, both
masters of silence.

Like many of the songs the inspiration
for Coastal Stations came from a geographical
location. In this instance the starting point was a visit
at dusk to Beachy Head and Birling Gap on the
Sussex coast….I remember lying in the grass
watching the car headlights pass by on the coast
road into the night.

The use of the Shipping Forecast just seemed to
fit the dusky nature of the track.

There is just something so enigmatic
about the Shipping Forecast,

I love listening to it late at night and wondering
who else at sea might also be listening in to
it for serious shipping reasons.


Setting Sun:

What's the local live scene like you where
you live? Have you seen any good gigs lately?

July Skies:

The last gig I saw was British Sea Power in
Birmingham and Warwick, they were amazing
and I love their 1940’s/50’s ethos….

They are a refreshing change, the support band
The Killers were also great!

I also saw epic45 at the Flapper and Firkin
In Birmingham…… an awesome set of
new material. They finished on this really
dark version of ‘When the Cold Weather Comes’
which was immense. Catch them live if
they play near you.

Setting Sun:

When you are not in July Skies, what do
you do?

July Skies:

As you have probably guessed exploring the landscape,
ancient monuments, abandoned places etc. I also love
taking photos with really cheap cameras. I picked up an
old Polaroid Landcam 103 (early 70’s) from a car boot for
£8 last year. This is the most magical camera which I
have ever come across as with a bit of experimentation
with the focusing you can take really dreamy
landscape shots! The lens for such a cheap
camera is magnificent!!