Will Oldham a.k.a. Bonnie ‘Prince Billy’, working also under monikers like ‘Palace Brothers’, is a character well known to all fans of raw, sometimes punky, often pessimistic and haunted Americana. As he himself admits in this interview, he doesn’t know where he is, when he’s playing music. This January he released his newest album – The Purple Bird – and he’ll be performing in Warsaw on 20 and 21 May [buy tickets here]. Listen to what he has to say about the act of creation, his music and misticism.
Category: English
Dead music. An interview with Nac/Hut Report
Nac/Hut Report is a self-contained being. Currently Kraków-based, Polish-Italian duo has some brushes with the familiar, taking influences from dream pop, industrial and even musique concrete, but always to bring the uncanny out of them. Nac/Hut Report forges their poetics album after album, relentlessly and reclusively, without any care for trends or scene connections. The latest emanation of this process, an album titled Blue Afternoon, has been released recently on enjoy life label, while Jadwiga and Luca agreed to answer a couple of my questions. Continue Reading “Dead music. An interview with Nac/Hut Report”
I don’t want to be a caricature of myself – an interview with Graham Sayle from High Vis
He’s a vocalist of one of most renown and liked bands in hardcore scene. Just recently he’s finished touring USA, in June he played at Mystic Festival in Gdańsk, and next year he’ll perform with his band at Primavera Festival. He’s also a really nice guy. I chatted with Graham Sayle, a vocalist of band called High Vis, and we talked about mental health, touring USA, their newest LP and much more.
Anger and self-loathing were unproductive. An interview with Uniform
All pics by AF Cortes
I had wanted to have a conversation with Michael Berdan for a long time. Uniform is one of the most significant bands to me, which is probably why I hesitated to request an interview. You know the saying: never meet your heroes! We spoke shortly after the assassination attempt on Trump (and before Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race), so I decided to start by asking about that. As he answered this one question for over 15 minutes, I kept glancing at the time, becoming more convinced that this would be one of the best interviews I would ever do.
Continue Reading “Anger and self-loathing were unproductive. An interview with Uniform”
Beauty and a sense of love. An interview with Robin Wattie (Big Brave)
I first discovered Big Brave through their live performances, where the overwhelming wall of sound and Robin Wattie’s piercing vocals did more than just assault the ears—they seemed to reach deep into the souls of the audience. After delivering several powerful albums, the band surprised us with a collaboration with The Body, where they explored folk music. That release marked the beginning of a subtle yet consistent shift in the band’s sound. Since then, they’ve released two more albums and have already recorded another. I caught up with Robin just after their recent European tour. If you missed their concert in May, don’t worry—the band will return this autumn to play in Wrocław and Warsaw at the Avant Art Festival.
[MOŻESZ PRZECZYTAĆ TEN WYWIAD PO POLSKU]
Continue Reading “Beauty and a sense of love. An interview with Robin Wattie (Big Brave)”
Jeder mensch ist ein Künstler. An interview with Dave Phillips
Tekst: Dawid Kowalski
If there in any satisfaction and fun left in anything for me, it must be music. I have an inner sense that as the timeline progresses, everything, the entire reality and consciousness itself become more intense, unpleasant and bring the need to entirely “detach” from the overarching external stimuli. Music feels like one of the final components holding it all together and maintains the illusory, subcutaneous connection with the world. I believe that is mainly due to the sense, or illusion, rather, of maintaining a mutual understanding with others.
Continue Reading “Jeder mensch ist ein Künstler. An interview with Dave Phillips”
It’s never really so much an effort. An interview with Daniel Kessler of Interpol
Like nearly every “alt” kid my age, I grew up with Interpol. That legendary bass line from “Evil” was one of the main reasons I took my first instrument and some other songs accompanied me in most important moments of my teenage and adolescent years. Well, it’s one of the few bands from that time that still means a lot to me. So, of course I couldn’t say “no” to a semi-spontaneous 15-minute chat with one of the brains behind that band – it’s guitarist and main composer – Daniel Kessler. A day before their awaited comeback to Poland, we’ve talked about being in a band for more than quarter of a century, evolution and teenage fans. Continue Reading “It’s never really so much an effort. An interview with Daniel Kessler of Interpol”
Soundtrack of My Life: Big Brave
Photo: Mathieu Ball
Big Brave is at the peak of its career. They released another brilliant album (considered by many critics to be their best), and fans and colleagues do not spare words of appreciation. In April, they will play at the legendary Roadburn Festival, meanwhile, Robin Wattie, guitarist/vocalist of the band answered a few quick questions.
Bad questions: Yard Act
Yard Act do seem like a band with many bold opinions and ability to talk and anyone who ever saw them live can confirm. And we do like people with bold opinions. And we love asking them some bad questions. As you’ll see, James Smith (vocalist) and Sam Shjipstone (guitarist) even have an opinion about having an opinion on other artist’s music. And that’s of course among the usual – bad food, being a musician, plans for next 5 years and… cosplay. Have fun! Continue Reading “Bad questions: Yard Act”