Why a solo album and where did the the name 'Sand' come from for the album and yourself?
I was having some musical ideas that seemed to belong somewhere other than with NAO, and I also wanted to try mixing and producing an album on my own. A separate project into which I could put the ideas, and which I could work on at my own pace and without any expectations, seemed an ideal proving ground. As for the name, after many years operating under the unwieldy title of North Atlantic Oscillation I knew I wanted something short. There are references to sand and clay in the lyrics, so it was an appropriate choice.
What was the feeling when you were in the studio for the first time to make a solo record rather than with your band, North Atlantic Oscillation?
I recorded it all at home so there was no sense of having bitten off more than I could chew by hiring some big expensive studio to indulge a vanity project. It came together gradually and I recorded and mixed the pieces as I wrote them, so although I knew they were going to form an album at some point, it was a relatively relaxed procedure.
What is your song writing process? Do you need to be in a particular place or frame of mind?
When I'm asked that question I'm always reminded of Douglas Adams' instructions on how to fly in So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: you just need to fall, but miss the ground. The key is to get distracted at the very last moment so that you forget to hit the earth. Purposeful, intentional song writing never works, at least not for me. I need to be idly playing an instrument, usually piano or guitar, and to enter a kind of meditative state where I completely forget that a song needs to be written. Usually nothing happens, but every so often I end up floating a few inches above the ground with a brand new tune under my arm. The fewer stresses and everyday nuisances clogging up my mind, the more likely I am to come up with something new.
What was the last LP or CD you played and were you impressed?
Tomahawk's latest LP Oddfellows, and I'm sorry to report that I wasn't particularly impressed. I love the band's previous output, Anonymous in particular, and I'm generally interested in anything Mike Patton is involved in. But this album didn't grab me at all as much as their other stuff. It's crazy that a band containing Patton, Trevor Dunn and John Stanier (who also plays drums in Battles) could come up with anything other than solid gold, but alas it appears to be the case.
The song 'Clay' from the record is available as a free download. What are your views on free music in today's music marketplace?
Gradually, very gradually, a fragile homeostasis is developing between fans and creators of real music (i.e. outside of chart bullsh*t, Mumford bore-core and R&B gibberish), in which the loyalty and generosity of consumers who choose to buy music instead of stealing it barely, just barely, pay for the musicians to be able to keep making music. But it's a delicate balance and could easily be toppled by the next technological innovation. We need to get rid of leeches like Spotify or else force them to pay more than dust to the artists they stream. There is nothing at all wrong with artists choosing to give away their music. There is something desperately wrong with a corporation giving away their music for them, and making money for itself in the process.
How important is it for a musician or band to have a record label these days or is DIY the right approach?
It depends. It was crucial for NAO to have a label because we are utterly useless at the business/marketing/self-promotion side of things. For energetic, hungry bands with the savvy and will to do the non-musical chores themselves, it can be a great way of cutting out the middleman, saving money and making a direct connection to fans. For lazy poltroons like me, having a rear-guard who know their doing is pretty much essential.
Are there any live dates planned around the Sand Album?
Not yet, I'm going to wait and see how it's received and whether there's an appetite for a live incarnation. It's certainly a possibility, and I've reviewed the material and sketched out ways of translating it into live performance.
What are the rest of NAO up to as the band takes a break?
No rest for the wicked -- we're currently working on the third NAO album.
Who designed the artwork for the Sand album cover, where did the idea spring from?
It was done by long time NAO collaborator Bill Walsh, who not only designed the cover art for Grappling Hooks but also plays with us live from time to time and did several NAO remixes, including Steven Wilson's 'Postcard' and 'First Rate Pretender' by Yeti Lane. He's got mad skills. The Sand cover is a 3D model of a stylised orrery. Orreries are usually models of the solar system, but this one is supposed to represent the galaxy, compete with supermassive black hole in the centre. There are frequent references in the lyrics to astronomy and space, which we tried to reflect in the artwork.
Are there any albums you listened to at school or college that still hold the same grasp on you today?
Dozens. My seminal and enduring influences were/are Pixies, Husker Du, Sugar and the Cure for 'indie rock', Leftfield, Boards of Canada and Squarepusher for electronica, and Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and Steve Reich for jazz and contemporary classical. I still regularly listen to all of them. And I rate the new Pixies stuff too, even if Kim Deal's absence is conspicuous.