Bardaf! Fanzine, 1994

EPIC SOUNDTRACKS

Lionel Delamotte for Bardaf! (Belgian fanzine now on the web www.brdf.net )

In 1992, without much notice, out came Rise Above, the first album by Epic Soundtracks. This brilliant first try featured several stars (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Primal Scream, Hypnotics) who had come to lend a hand to this sleepy glam-rock dandy. On this record, like Robert Wyatt on Rock Bottom two decades earlier, a shy drummer left his instrument aside to reveal the existence of a delicate and gifted songwriter. This comparison is not as randomly as it seems since the real first Epic Soundtracks solo record is no other than a single recorded with Robert Wyatt in 1981.

Was it to him what made it click with the switch from drums/backing to piano/lead? Did this old kid need the blessing of the witty old man ?

Considering what these two drummers produced once they broke free, it leaves one wondering. How many other backing musicians (such as bass players) are still waiting for their time to come ? As far as bass players are concerned, Lou Barlow can be mentioned. His talent was undected when in Dinosaur. And in reverse, on hearing J. Mascis at the drums on Rise Above , we wish he would decide to stay behind backing whereas appearing as frontman on lumbering albums.

Epic gives the impression of definitely wanting to be considered as a solo artist now. The various collaborations he took part in across the years challenge the image of himself he is building today : the image of the honest, focused, almost academic artist In his place, few people would minimize the past the way he does : from the beginning with the Swell Maps (Punk-band venturing far beyond the limits inherent of the genre) to These Immortal Souls (group led by Rowland S. Howard, by far the best amongst those revolving around Nick Cave’s gang ) and Red Crayola (led by Mayo Thompson, whom I unfortunately forgot to ask him about ! Shame !), Epic Soundtracks took part in memorable projects.

On the night in May 94, I saw Epic, he had just played a set exclusively on the piano, both ill-at-ease and self-confident as he was opening for The Divine Comedy. Beautiful, bare song performances. He chose the songs he would perform from a little book containing his complete repertoire, more or less according to requests from the audience. We’ve had a little talk after the show.

Your name figures on many records. I’ve recently seen an old record by The Gist (Stuart Moxham’s band), Embrace the herd , with Love at first sight , which Etienne Daho( French pop star) covered and that was a hit here (Paris, le Flore on the Pop Satori LP).

Epic - ! ! ! (looking amused, surprised, but mostly embarassed)

Aren’t you happy with this participation?

E- Well. It was all done in one session, quite short, really. And I quickly forgot about it.

It had really surprised me, because Stuart Moxham’s and your music haven’t got much in common.

E - Oh, I often work with people with different interests as mine.

Are there any other collaborations of this kind ?

Er, er Robert Wyatt ! I’ve done a single with him. In fact, it was my first try in solo, a very long time ago, and he came to sing with me Just one single. There are others. I’ve worked with Kim and Thurston from Sonic Youth. We did a couple of songs for compilations a few years ago, and other stuff of course.

What have you been doing since Rise Above?

I recorded another album. I recorded it in February and it should be out in September in the US, but I’m still looking for a distributor for France.

Are there many famous guests again this time?

Not as many people. It’s mostly me playing, but without my american friends this time. There are a couple of other friends This guy, Will (Pepper), who already played on the last album. He’s in Thee Hypnotics. Have you heard about this band ?

Yes, but I didn’t know he was a member.

He is. And he was on the last album. And Henri (Olsen) who is in Primal Scream plays on it too. He did the string arrangements.

Do you like Primal Scream?

(teasing look)

They sound more and more like the Rolling Stones.

I like the Stones too.

In fact, they sound like a Stones caricature.

They do! But on the last album, there are a couple of really great songs. Many ballads Like Big Jet Plane. Do you know this song ?

No.

It’s a great song, and Cry Myself Blind is a good song too. You should try to listen to those two at least. But I also love this song, Damaged, off Screamadelica.

I mostly know the album that followed the split from the Jesus and Mary Chain. Candy apple grey or something like that.

You mean Sonic Flower Groove ?

Yeah, it must be that.

Yes, well they changed a lot anyway (smiling).

That’s right. Are you going to play again with These Immortal Souls ?

No. It’s over. Rowland S (Howard) has gone back to live in Australia. So he … Anyway, I quit (laughs).

What do you mean ?

Just that I wanted to eventually do my own thing and didn’t want to be in a band and play drums anymore. I wanted to be more myself, so I left.

How come you’re playing here tonight (Remparts du rock festival, St Lo, Normandy, France, 1994) ?

I’m the support act for the Divine Comedy tour, so I’m playing a few gigs.

What are your relations with Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy ?

I only met him a couple of weeks ago, so I can’t tell I really know him well.

But you know him a little ?

Oh ! Hardly.

Is this why you don’t want to talk about him ?

(laughs) I know him very little.

Can you tell me about your influences ? The major ones.

The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. Alex Chilton. And I like all these 60s pop and soul sounds There’s also Aretha Franklin, what she did in the 60s. In fact, what I’m trying to do is soul music, to sing with in an emotional way, with melodies, and on songs that are well-structured rhymtmically. I love lyricists like Carole King, Laura Nyro, Todd Rungren.

Todd Rungren ? It’s not really soul, it’s really a strange character.

Oh no ! His first songs are very soul and poppy, you know. And it’s everything I love The sixties.

Don’t you like anything from today ?

! ! ! ! (disconcerted)

Any bands ? Singers ?

Who are you thinking of ?

Divine Comedy (laughs), no, I’m joking. Maybe Daniel Johnston?

NO !

You don’t like him ?

No, not at all. I really can’t listen to that, it’s too ridiculous. I mean, I understand perfectly why people like that, nut it’s really not my thing. You know, I met him once, it was mad, ha ha ha.

You met him ?

Yes, briefly. Five or six years ago. You see, he tried to convert me to God, to christianity and all that (he chuckles), plus I don’t like this way of singing (he imitates him, accentuating on the nasal, plaintive tone).

The way he sings came to him from the Beatles, from Lennon and also the Beach Boys. And certainly influences that are close to yours.

Yes, but he takes them somewhere else and it’s not really what I’m into.

Have you heard his cover of The Supreme’s What the world needs now ?

Burt Bacharach !It’s a Burt Bacharach song! These songs are so wonderful (looking dreamy)

Do you prefer Sonic Youth, then ?

I like to play together with them, and I like to play with Jay (Mascis) because he’s a really good drummer. There are things I really like in recent music. I like Paul Westerberg from the Replacements. He’s a good songwriter. I like the Black Crowes (watching for my amused reaction) . It’s not really in the direct line of what I like or what I do, but I like a couple of things like that, very few things. You know, I love Marc Bolan so I’d like to do songs that are more ‘rock’n'roll’ maybe. I find it easy to write songs at the piano. Writing with the guitar is more difficult for me. It comes slowly. For a song on the guitar, I play twenty on the piano. It’s not easy to compose, but I’d also love to write very fast rock’n'roll songs.

You couldn’t tell that from listening to Rise above .

Yes you could ! There are a few more upbeat songs. This song, Wild situation, remember it ? With feedback, noisy because it deals with a different emotion. It’s about my anger, so the music is different.

Do you like feedback ?

Yes, it can be good if you use it well, and bad if you use it badly, but it’s a noise, just a sound.

It can be Phil Spector.

Yes ! I love Phil Spector.

It’s quite remote from what you played with the Swell Maps.

Yes ! But that was a very long time ago. You know, I already played songs on the piano in the Swell Maps. Those little piano instrumental tracks. So it’s a bit similar. But it’s also completely different. I was younger then, I was a weaker songwriter. In fact it was very different. I like some of those old records, and others I don’t.

What does your new album sounds like ?

Obviously it sounds a bit like the previous one, but also a bit different. I guess it’s more exciting, more motivating, happier (he starts laughing) but I’m sure people will once again say it’s sad. But to me, there are more optimistic songs. Besides, you know, it’s only my second album, there are still many things I would like to do. So these are only twelve new songs. I recorded material for both albums, though, but it’s this one that is coming out. It’s called Sleeping star , I think. I still haven’t made a definitive choice , I might change my mind. Undoubtedly, I guess it’s more infused with soul and early rock’n'roll music. You see, Doo-Wop, this kind of things.

It seems quite different from Rise Above .

You know, if you listen to this song, Everybody else is wrong, it’s like soul arrangements with saxophone and all that. It’s a soul song to me. But I guess the new album is more obvious. Meet me on the beach, it’s very Beach Boys with all those harmonies. This one has quite a surf sound.

Are you always alone on stage ?

From a long time. But it’s a simple money problem. It’s very expensive to come with the band, so I would have to be able to earn a lot for that and it’s not possible. Nevertheless, I’d like to have a band Bass, drums and play shows this way, but it’s something we can do for now.

What’s your opinion on the Jacobites reuniting ?

The new album is good.

Very stonesy.

It’s never been other. But it’ s OK (he smiles).

Do you like what the Stones sound like today ?

Today ? They’re OK even though of course no one can say they’re as good as they used to be. Keith Richards’ solo album is a really fine album.

Alright about Keith Richards, but as far as the Stones are concerned, I wonder their motivation must be, money ?

Mmm No ! These guys don’t need money, they probably just do it for kicks. The problem, come to think of it, is that it’s surprising It’s still some of the best music that could have been done anyway. I’ll always prefer this to post new-wave, punk music. There is more groove and good feeling in it for me.

Do you know Chris Knox or the Tall Dwarfs ?

No, not really. Not really.

Are you, like the Divine Comedy is, more popular

In France than in England ? Yes, sure !

How do you feel about it ? Do you think there is a connection between the feel of your music and a sort of french or continental temperament ?

I don’t know. Above all, things are very difficult for someone like me in England, because I’ve been there for a very long time. I’m not new, the press is very powerful, and I’ve been around for years so they don’t write about me. They prefer writing about a new band that will have disappeared in six months. In England, you’ve got the weeklies, it’s quite unlike everywhere else in the world I think, and to figure in it, you always have to have something new. Always : new ! New ! New !It’s so stupid ! They are terrified by the idea of not being able to carry on presenting a new band every week, every month. They must relentlessly find something, so of course it’s not very good. If I was beginning today, it would make it easier for me.

Are there any other countries you’re doing well in ?

The USA. I toured there, it was really nice. Solo. I really loved it. I love playing there.

Is there a question you’d like me to ask you ?

Oh ! I don’t know. I suppose that, as I’d like to - and hope to - have an influence on the music that surrounds me, I would like want more people to try to write good songs. Most current bands don’t even try writing good songs. It’s a good thing when people are aware of musical history because so many things have been created and deserve to be heard. It’s a shame they aren’t. I think that the difference between my music and that of many people is that I come back to roots to go further, if you see what I mean. So I’m not playing new-wave. You see, the (he mimes repetitive guitar riffs). These things I hate. These Joy Division, Cure.

In that same vein, there is The Fall.

The Fall ! That’s right, the Fall have some good stuff.

But it’s punk, new-wave, with very basic, simple things.

Yes, it’s true there are not so good things, but from time to time they also have rockabilly tendancies, this kind of things.

Reggae too Lee Scratch Perry.

Yes, but what I don’t like is bands like the Smashing Pumpkins.

It’s very different from The Fall.

Yes, but I don’t like this sort of things, Smashing Pumpkins. However, I can see why people like them, but it doesn’t do anything to me. My music is totally the opposite.

You don’t like experimentation at all ?

(amused) It’s another kind of experimentation, especially on the new album. I like certain things, but some are too rigid in my opinion. I think that on the first album, Big Apple Graveyard, the music that is very quiet at first and then becomes really powerful represents something fantastic to me.

I was thinking of experimentation more in the way of Can, Faust.

Oh ! I love Can.

It’s different from what you were saying.

Yes, but the Beach Boys are experimental. Listen to Good Vibrations, it’ s unique, there had never been anything like it before. The Beatles with Strawberry Fields Forever There isn’t anything there that you could have heard before On the new album, there are things that I think that experimental is a strange word. It often evocates a sound, an idea, but not songs Songs WITH experimentation. There is no reason to stick to one or the other. Can had a big influence on the Swell Maps. Can is really a surprising band, with something very funky.

Do you know the Silver Apples ? At the same period, they made equally surprising music, with complicated rhythms patterns.

I’ve heard the name, but I never listened to them. I only saw a record. Can borrowed multiple elements, but mostly from James Brown, Funk music The Velvet Underground and the Horror B Things. They found their musical roots.

And made their own psychedelic interpretation of them.

They were not psychedelic in the conventional way. Their thing was mostly hypnosis, there was a point. This band accepted its roots so it took them and made something else. Bands today have roots that aren’t older than five or ten years, so their point of departure is more limited. They should go back further in time. That said, to be experimental, I think you need a lot of studio time, and therefore a lot of money. When I go to the studio, I’ve got the songs in mind and I record them. If I had 6 months, the record would be completely different. But on the new album, there is a song that is called Baby, I love you, it’s my song not Phil Spector’s and it starts from the roots of music : a kind of paced down boogie woogie that becomes hypnotic and spins round and round. It meddles into I hear the whistle blow which I played tonight, that goes on more hypnotic … Like a train. And then the strings come in and do strange things. If you listen to it when it’s out, you’ll see …