Can you tell Ink Pantry the story behind Different Skies? How did you all meet? What is the meaning behind the band name?
The band came together as a result of recording the album Different Skies. That is a solo project on which I played all guitars and sang. I invited other people to take part and this formed the basis of the band. The band name is eponymous coming from the title track of the album. It is a very personal song about how two people can diverge and end up going their separate ways. It is also about coming to terms with that experience.
You like progressive music. Which band do you admire the most and why? What is it about the style of prog that appeals? Are lyrics important in prog, or does the music speak for itself?
Steve Hackett for the simple fact that he stuck to his guns after leaving Genesis and ploughed his own furrow. Good on him I say. Marillion because again they didn’t give up and created their own business model.
Prog as a movement incorporated a fusion of styles mainly rock with classical influences, but having said that, some artists drew upon other genres, such as folk and others were decidedly avant-garde. Some bands were and are more lyrically adventurous. Pink Floyd were always more politically savvy, whereas early Genesis were more whimsical and Yes were downright surreal. It was a genre the critics loved to hate. It depends on the band whether lyrics are as important as the music. With a band such as Marillion, the words were always very important right from the word go.
Have you written lyrics from a young age?
I started writing lyrics a later than most, probably in my early twenties. It was a long time ago.
Which songwriters have inspired you?
It’s very hard to pin it down to specific individuals. I have listened to everything from reggae to soul, punk to prog, hard rock to folk and pop. It all ends up in the melting pot of the mind. Greg Lake is one songwriter who was an early influence, but through playing covers I have been exposed to a lot of others.
What do you care about? What themes keep cropping up in your writing?
I care about people, and although I wouldn’t call myself a Buddhist, I am trying to live my life by those values. Sometimes it’s not that easy, but I find meditation helps get ease of mind!
Dreams and the weather seem to be recurring themes. There are also songs that reflect major life events like the break up of a relationship or the death of a friend. The best songs arise spontaneously. One that I wrote recently was about problems with anxiety that I encountered about a year or so ago. I was very proud to have played that at a charity fundraiser for MIND.
What is your creative space like?
Very, very, untidy although I have now had a mad “tidy up” and I can actually see the floor!
Do you like poetry? Is it similarly to songwriting?
There are similarities but also significant differences. With songwriting you also have the tune to consider. With songs you can create some interesting contrasts by pairing dark lyrics with a light melody and vice-versa. A good example of this “Every Breath You Take” by The Police, which often gets played at weddings, but is in fact about a stalker! I have to confess that my exposure to poetry is limited, but I am appreciative of the written and spoken word.
Which book influenced you the most and why?
Oh dear, I’ll satisfy every prog rock cliché now and say that in my early days it was Lord of the Rings; and that was because Professor Tolkien drew upon Anglo-Saxon mythology to create a credible world of his own. Sub-creation I believe he called it. I also found the early Terry Pratchett Discworld novels enjoyable for their subversion of the genre and as a vehicle for satire; and of course Fritz Leiber who provided a lot of the source material for Mr Pratchett. Last but not least Douglas Adams who gave us the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Nowadays I tend to read factual books rather than fiction. The last one I really enjoyed was Attention All Shipping by Charlie Connolly, where the author took a journey around the shipping forecast. This in fact was a vehicle for exploring both history and culture. It’s quite fascinating to find out what is on your doorstep.
Have you any other future projects?
I am currently working with a very good singer by the name of Jaqi Kidd. We are in the process of writing songs together and building up a set list. We recently played a gig at Ethical Artisans which went down extremely well and we plan to do more recording and performing. The adventure is in what comes out of that process.
Artwork by Wendy Jay Roberts