With their new release R O M A N C E recorded and soon to be released, Tubelord are back in the swing of performing their melodic alt. pop anthems. John Bell caught up singer Joseph to talk about poetry, totem poles and cloud atlases; and the new album of course.
The MIC: So –firstly- congratulations on the new album. What can we expect from it? Is there a story that the songs collectively tell?
J: The story behind the songs is a lyrical project, using found words from female poets; words were pieced together to form sentences to which then I continued to produce a complete song. The initial project was supposed to eradicate any of my own words but as time passed and certain phrases I had written fitted alongside the rhythms of the music, my own words kind of acted like mortar. Every word used by a poet has been footnoted for the reader to reference to.
The MIC: That’s fascinating; were the poems love poems then? I don’t want to over-generalise, I’m just interested behind the meaning of the album title…
J: The poems chosen were not specifically love poems. As the writing process went underway, it was an attempt for myself to disappear; I didn’t want there to be any part of me in these songs, yet inevitably, ‘I’ picked out certain words and in the process of choice, ‘I’ would unfortunately reappear; this is where the title stems from. If you or anyone is writing outside of a critical context, is it not for the pleasure of describing a romance you would feel towards a moment, a person or a place?
The MIC: Your debut album was released on the renowned Hassle records, what made you choose to release R O M A N C E on the new independent collective Pink Mist?
J: When Simon Morleone (Blood and Biscuits/Pink Mist general chief commissioner) expressed an interest in wanting to release ‘R O M A N C E’ through Pink Mist I just felt it would be the perfect home for the record and for those who would care to listen to it. It just felt like returning to the family after having been away for a few years.
The MIC: Your artwork has always been intriguing, in particular Luke Jinks’ Aztec-style designs on Tezcatlipoca. What’s the story behind the cubic design of R O M A N C E?
J: Inspired through combined conversations with a few friends of mine, we were discussing tessellated patterns and the hierarchical meanings behind totem poles, all this whilst the drums were being recorded. But really, I was just digging the illusion of whether you see the cubes coming out or going in.
The MIC: What other non-musical aspects influenced the album? You’ve expressed your literary interests, what’s really blown your mind recently, be it book, film, or experience?
J: The first story in Little Kingdoms by Steven Milhauser, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon, and reading Sam Riviere’s 81 Austerities has been entertaining. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives was a twisted and aesthetically clever film to watch, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)too… for someone who doesn’t enjoy watching films I watch a lot of films!
The MIC: Have you read Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell? I’ve just finished it and I can imagine you enjoying it.
J: I haven’t read any of David Mitchell’s writing; I’ll get onto it though.
The MIC: It’s made up of five stories expanding in time from the 19th century to a future dystopia, all connected somehow, and then it goes back in time to where it started. I thought it sounded like it could be the story behind a Tubelord release.
J: Yes I would definitely enjoy reading this. I’m sorry that link didn’t work out for you, would have been perfect.
The MIC: I had hoped! I mentioned the inter-album release Tezcatlipoca. Is it fair to say this acted as a bridge from the sound of the first album to that of the second, what with the full-band sound of ‘Bazel’ and the synth-heavy sound of ‘Ratchet’, for instance?
J: If you want to see it like that yeah that’d be fair to say I think, although it was a similar practice to any of the past EP releases. EPs act as more an extended song than a short album. It was a case of practicing dynamics and instrumentation. The first album was re-recorded acoustically and within this process a lot of the melodies and structures to the songs perhaps shone through and were more of an enjoyable listen than with the full-band-amplified setup of the album. With ‘Tezcatlipoca’ it was a case of working out where Tubelord would fit more comfortably, bathing in electronica, rock or acoustic; turned out to be none of the above.
The MIC: I was going to ask you if progression in sound is a conscious decision, but it seems like you let the magic happen au natural?
J: The progression of which sound?
The MIC: The difference from say, Square EP to R O M A N C E; essentially from the beginning to now.
J: Through conscious choices the sound progressed naturally.
The MIC: With that in mind, then, are there songs that you dislike? Old favourites like ‘Arm Watches Finger’ are rarely played these days…
J: When Tubelord started I think it was to experiment and pull apart the seams of the typical ‘rock’, heavier alt type band. Let me re-answer that: when Tubelord started I think it was to experiment with pulling apart the seams of what we thought would be the typical alt-rock-heavy band. Then it just wasn’t fun because we’re not those types of people. It felt like lying all the time.
The MIC: And of course you had bassist problems? Tubelord have been a four-piece for a while now- it must be- relieving to finally have some stability- but do you think the hindrances of the past have made you the band that you are today? Experience the best teacher and so on…
J: Yeah the bassist problems didn’t help matters. The hindrances have made us into what feels to be an entirely different band; it’s just completely new, tabula rasa and all.
John Bell
R O M A N C E will be released 10/10/11 on Pink Mist.
Tubelord will be touring the UK throughout September and October, and will be playing the Nottingham Chameleon Arts Centre 15th October.
