Post by Sweetest Perfection on Jul 10, 2010 13:13:12 GMT -8
This is a recent interview with Martin in the watch magazine "Revolution" - due to the collaboration with Hublot for the TCT. All questions are related to the main topic "time".
A really interesting interview because of the unusual questions that bring up some quite surprising and new answers.
I adore the part where Martin describes his breakfast habits! It makes me want to sit with him in his garden eating muffins!
The answer about Home made me cry and I had to think a whole day about this song.
Source: Revolution, The Worlds Watch Lifestyle Magazine, Mexico 04
Thanks to Angelinda for transcripting this interview!
Concept of time
1. Definition of time?
I don't really have a strict definition of time, but I know that as I grow older I certainly feel more conscious of time passing. It's not that I feel less healthy or active than when I was younger. In fact in many ways I often feel my mindset and attitude remains just the same as when I was an 18 year old, first starting out with the band. Occasionally though when looking back on the history of the band and indeed my life in general, you do catch yourself thinking of all the high's & low's you have been through, and obviously just recalling all of those events can sometimes weigh upon you in terms of thinking how they have impacted on you to date and helped led to the point at which you find yourself in the here and now.
Composing process
5. How important is the presence of the concept of time in your songs?
I think that the concept of time is an important factor in my songs, not least in the way that each song is structured. We spend a lot of time in the studio trying to make sure that each song "flows" well; moving from the verse to chorus to bridge, etc. Each section needs to couple well with the next and it really becomes apparent if any section is too long or short. There is never a set formula though, and we would always try different ideas and methods for each song until we find something that we are happy with.
6. How do you define the perfect tempo for each song?
There isn't really a strict template in terms of tempo for my songs, though I did go through a period when everything I wrote seemed to come out at about 103bpm! Tempo is very important in the recording process though, and along with the musical key of the song, are the elements that we always focus on first when we get to the recording studio. Quite often the final key of the song will be lowered slightly from my original demo as Dave tends to sing in a lower register than I do. By contrast though the tempo will often increase as my demos are generally more downbeat than the final versions. Perhaps the best example of that is 'Enjoy the Silence' which started life as a 'slow ballad' but was then transformed in the studio into the up-tempo version that we still play today.
7. How much time do you take in the composition proccess of one song?
It really varies from song to song. Occasionally all the key elements of the song, the chords, lyrics and vocal melody can come together very quickly, literally in the time it takes to first play the song. Strangely the song 'A Question of Time' was one that seemed to come together in this very natural way. More often though the process is longer than that and on average each song would usually take a week or two to be fully written.
8. How much time does a song must last, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 20 minutes?
I would never sit down and say I am going to write a song that lasts 3 and half minutes exactly. The song itself will dictate its own length. Having said that, though I never plan my songs to be any kind of set length they still often end up lasting around the 4 or 5 minute mark. It's not that I think that amount of time is necessarily the perfect length of a song, as there are lots of songs that I love which are either much shorter or longer than that. I think it's just a particular trait of my song-writing that seems to have remained fairly consistent throughout my time as a songwriter.
9. When is the perfect time of the day to sit down and write a song?
I often prefer working on songs in the afternoon and I like to give myself a fixed amount of time, say from midday through to early evening and I try to stick to this routine as much as possible. Unlike when we are in the studio, where we often work late into the night, I much prefer to regulate the writing process into smaller chunks and spread it out over a longer period of time as I feel it is far more productive and beneficial to give myself that extra time to write, and to not try and force ideas too much
10. In the song Home, you say: “I’m drowning in time to a desperate beat”. In what moment of your life you wrote this lyrics, and why you were feeling this emotion?
To be honest that song was written at a pretty dark period in my life when I was recognising the amount that I was depending on alcohol to fill my daily existence. I saw that my whole lifestyle was being affected by that fact and I think the song was a way of recording my "resignation" at the situation.
Time in your life
11. If you had the possibility to go back in time, when and where would you go?
It would be great to go back to Ancient Egypt for many reasons, if not only to see how they actually built those Pyramids.
12. What do you do in your free time?
All the usual stuff really. I like spending time with my children, which is important as it's difficult to do that when you are touring for any length of time. I'm a big fan of football and will both watch and play whenever I get the chance, video games are good and I can happily lose hours on the internet. So, all very rock and roll as you can see.
13. What moment of a regular day is the most important for you?
When I'm at home my favourite time of day is definitely the morning. As I live in Santa Barbara it's great to have the time to enjoy a really long breakfast outside in the Sunshine. I make sure I have couple of nice muffins and the biggest bowl of coffee imaginable. By contrast, when we are on the road everything is geared to those two hours when we are on stage, so your whole body-clock naturally changes and I naturally become more of a night person, especially as it always takes me a few hours to unwind after performing on stage.
14. In how many different periods of time would you divide your musical life?
There are definitely different phases that I think of within the history of the band. The first period is when Vince was still in the band. He was definitely the leading figure in that early phase and was also the main songwriter so you can imagine that it was a big shock to us all when he left. I see the 2nd phase as the period covering the albums, "A Broken Frame", "Construction Time Again" and "Some Great Reward". Over those three years Alan joined the band and we began to get a sense of the direction that we wanted to take the band in.
"Black Celebration" and "Music for the Masses" were the next phase for me as that was when I felt I had begun to properly hone my song-writing in a way that I felt happy with. Moving on to "Violator" and "Songs of Faith and Devotion" was the period where I think the band stepped up another gear. Flood, our co-producer on those two albums, was a really important factor in the making of those records, and in hindsight I think that is where we felt that we had truly become a band that was recognised on the world stage.
Obviously after Alan left after the SOFAD tour it was a big change to the band but at the same time it gave us a new path to follow and "Ultra" and "Exciter" are definitely the period where we were adapting to being a three-piece again. The fact that Dave is now contributing to the song-writing means that "Playing the Angel" and "Sounds of the Universe" are yet another phase. It was certainly a bit strange at first having a new song-writer within the group but I think it's been really beneficial for me as it took a lot of pressure off me in terms of having to write all of the songs. Paradoxically, since Dave has started contributing to the song-writing I've found the process of song-writing far more enjoyable and productive.
16. If you were a song, which song would you be?
I'm not sure about being a song exactly, but one song that really stands out for me is "Alfie" by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. In particular I really love and relate to the idea contained in the line which goes "Without true love, we just exist". The song itself has been performed by many different artists, with the versions by Dionne Warwick and Cher probably being the most noted, but my particular favourite was the version recorded by Cilla Black, her vocal just seemed to capture something unique for me.
17. What’s your favorite song, composed by you?
I'm often asked this question, and the honest answer is that I don't really have one. I like performing different songs at different times and my own tastes are always changing.
18. If you had more time to do anything you haven’t done yet, what would it be?
Well I have really enjoyed being involved in this collaboration with Hublot for Teenage Cancer Trust and I certainly think it's something that we would consider doing again in the future. In the past all of us have done things privately for charity but this is the first occasion where we have been able to lend our name as a group to a particular cause and that's been very rewarding for us. It's not that we haven't wanted to help charitable causes in the past but quite often people have needed things from us on the spur of the moment and our usual band and touring set-up means that this hasn't been possible logistically. That's why Hublot's assistance and contribution on this project has been so important. Not only have they been extremely generous in designing and donating this great range of watches, but they have also helped to organise and oversee the auction itself which we are all hoping will prove to be very successful in raising funds for Teenage Cancer Trust .
19. Do you regret of something in your past?
Well as the saying goes "to err is human". I think everybody has regrets within their lives and yes there are things in my past that I regret. But at the same time I'm not sure it's that healthy to dwell on things from the past too much, and would rather concentrate on the positive and how that can be an influence going forward.
Watches
20. Do you wear watches?
Generally speaking I do wear a watch and I currently own a few different watches. I think it was actually because somebody somewhere knew that I already owned a Hublot watch that our Management were first approached about the possibility of collaborating with Hublot on this project. I wouldn't say that I was massive expert on the art of horology though. I'm far more attracted by the style and look of the watch and generally go for fairly simple designs in either black or silver chrome. All those other features, such as the ability to work under great depths of water don't really affect me that much, just as long as they work in the bath!
Fast questions, quick answers
From the following questions, pick the one you feel more identified:
22. Digital or mechanical?
Mechanical
23. Hand wound or self-wind?
Self-wind
24. Leather or rubber?
Rubber
25. Round or square?
Round
26. Steel or gold?
Steel
A really interesting interview because of the unusual questions that bring up some quite surprising and new answers.
I adore the part where Martin describes his breakfast habits! It makes me want to sit with him in his garden eating muffins!
The answer about Home made me cry and I had to think a whole day about this song.
Source: Revolution, The Worlds Watch Lifestyle Magazine, Mexico 04
Thanks to Angelinda for transcripting this interview!
Concept of time
1. Definition of time?
I don't really have a strict definition of time, but I know that as I grow older I certainly feel more conscious of time passing. It's not that I feel less healthy or active than when I was younger. In fact in many ways I often feel my mindset and attitude remains just the same as when I was an 18 year old, first starting out with the band. Occasionally though when looking back on the history of the band and indeed my life in general, you do catch yourself thinking of all the high's & low's you have been through, and obviously just recalling all of those events can sometimes weigh upon you in terms of thinking how they have impacted on you to date and helped led to the point at which you find yourself in the here and now.
Composing process
5. How important is the presence of the concept of time in your songs?
I think that the concept of time is an important factor in my songs, not least in the way that each song is structured. We spend a lot of time in the studio trying to make sure that each song "flows" well; moving from the verse to chorus to bridge, etc. Each section needs to couple well with the next and it really becomes apparent if any section is too long or short. There is never a set formula though, and we would always try different ideas and methods for each song until we find something that we are happy with.
6. How do you define the perfect tempo for each song?
There isn't really a strict template in terms of tempo for my songs, though I did go through a period when everything I wrote seemed to come out at about 103bpm! Tempo is very important in the recording process though, and along with the musical key of the song, are the elements that we always focus on first when we get to the recording studio. Quite often the final key of the song will be lowered slightly from my original demo as Dave tends to sing in a lower register than I do. By contrast though the tempo will often increase as my demos are generally more downbeat than the final versions. Perhaps the best example of that is 'Enjoy the Silence' which started life as a 'slow ballad' but was then transformed in the studio into the up-tempo version that we still play today.
7. How much time do you take in the composition proccess of one song?
It really varies from song to song. Occasionally all the key elements of the song, the chords, lyrics and vocal melody can come together very quickly, literally in the time it takes to first play the song. Strangely the song 'A Question of Time' was one that seemed to come together in this very natural way. More often though the process is longer than that and on average each song would usually take a week or two to be fully written.
8. How much time does a song must last, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 20 minutes?
I would never sit down and say I am going to write a song that lasts 3 and half minutes exactly. The song itself will dictate its own length. Having said that, though I never plan my songs to be any kind of set length they still often end up lasting around the 4 or 5 minute mark. It's not that I think that amount of time is necessarily the perfect length of a song, as there are lots of songs that I love which are either much shorter or longer than that. I think it's just a particular trait of my song-writing that seems to have remained fairly consistent throughout my time as a songwriter.
9. When is the perfect time of the day to sit down and write a song?
I often prefer working on songs in the afternoon and I like to give myself a fixed amount of time, say from midday through to early evening and I try to stick to this routine as much as possible. Unlike when we are in the studio, where we often work late into the night, I much prefer to regulate the writing process into smaller chunks and spread it out over a longer period of time as I feel it is far more productive and beneficial to give myself that extra time to write, and to not try and force ideas too much
10. In the song Home, you say: “I’m drowning in time to a desperate beat”. In what moment of your life you wrote this lyrics, and why you were feeling this emotion?
To be honest that song was written at a pretty dark period in my life when I was recognising the amount that I was depending on alcohol to fill my daily existence. I saw that my whole lifestyle was being affected by that fact and I think the song was a way of recording my "resignation" at the situation.
Time in your life
11. If you had the possibility to go back in time, when and where would you go?
It would be great to go back to Ancient Egypt for many reasons, if not only to see how they actually built those Pyramids.
12. What do you do in your free time?
All the usual stuff really. I like spending time with my children, which is important as it's difficult to do that when you are touring for any length of time. I'm a big fan of football and will both watch and play whenever I get the chance, video games are good and I can happily lose hours on the internet. So, all very rock and roll as you can see.
13. What moment of a regular day is the most important for you?
When I'm at home my favourite time of day is definitely the morning. As I live in Santa Barbara it's great to have the time to enjoy a really long breakfast outside in the Sunshine. I make sure I have couple of nice muffins and the biggest bowl of coffee imaginable. By contrast, when we are on the road everything is geared to those two hours when we are on stage, so your whole body-clock naturally changes and I naturally become more of a night person, especially as it always takes me a few hours to unwind after performing on stage.
14. In how many different periods of time would you divide your musical life?
There are definitely different phases that I think of within the history of the band. The first period is when Vince was still in the band. He was definitely the leading figure in that early phase and was also the main songwriter so you can imagine that it was a big shock to us all when he left. I see the 2nd phase as the period covering the albums, "A Broken Frame", "Construction Time Again" and "Some Great Reward". Over those three years Alan joined the band and we began to get a sense of the direction that we wanted to take the band in.
"Black Celebration" and "Music for the Masses" were the next phase for me as that was when I felt I had begun to properly hone my song-writing in a way that I felt happy with. Moving on to "Violator" and "Songs of Faith and Devotion" was the period where I think the band stepped up another gear. Flood, our co-producer on those two albums, was a really important factor in the making of those records, and in hindsight I think that is where we felt that we had truly become a band that was recognised on the world stage.
Obviously after Alan left after the SOFAD tour it was a big change to the band but at the same time it gave us a new path to follow and "Ultra" and "Exciter" are definitely the period where we were adapting to being a three-piece again. The fact that Dave is now contributing to the song-writing means that "Playing the Angel" and "Sounds of the Universe" are yet another phase. It was certainly a bit strange at first having a new song-writer within the group but I think it's been really beneficial for me as it took a lot of pressure off me in terms of having to write all of the songs. Paradoxically, since Dave has started contributing to the song-writing I've found the process of song-writing far more enjoyable and productive.
16. If you were a song, which song would you be?
I'm not sure about being a song exactly, but one song that really stands out for me is "Alfie" by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. In particular I really love and relate to the idea contained in the line which goes "Without true love, we just exist". The song itself has been performed by many different artists, with the versions by Dionne Warwick and Cher probably being the most noted, but my particular favourite was the version recorded by Cilla Black, her vocal just seemed to capture something unique for me.
17. What’s your favorite song, composed by you?
I'm often asked this question, and the honest answer is that I don't really have one. I like performing different songs at different times and my own tastes are always changing.
18. If you had more time to do anything you haven’t done yet, what would it be?
Well I have really enjoyed being involved in this collaboration with Hublot for Teenage Cancer Trust and I certainly think it's something that we would consider doing again in the future. In the past all of us have done things privately for charity but this is the first occasion where we have been able to lend our name as a group to a particular cause and that's been very rewarding for us. It's not that we haven't wanted to help charitable causes in the past but quite often people have needed things from us on the spur of the moment and our usual band and touring set-up means that this hasn't been possible logistically. That's why Hublot's assistance and contribution on this project has been so important. Not only have they been extremely generous in designing and donating this great range of watches, but they have also helped to organise and oversee the auction itself which we are all hoping will prove to be very successful in raising funds for Teenage Cancer Trust .
19. Do you regret of something in your past?
Well as the saying goes "to err is human". I think everybody has regrets within their lives and yes there are things in my past that I regret. But at the same time I'm not sure it's that healthy to dwell on things from the past too much, and would rather concentrate on the positive and how that can be an influence going forward.
Watches
20. Do you wear watches?
Generally speaking I do wear a watch and I currently own a few different watches. I think it was actually because somebody somewhere knew that I already owned a Hublot watch that our Management were first approached about the possibility of collaborating with Hublot on this project. I wouldn't say that I was massive expert on the art of horology though. I'm far more attracted by the style and look of the watch and generally go for fairly simple designs in either black or silver chrome. All those other features, such as the ability to work under great depths of water don't really affect me that much, just as long as they work in the bath!
Fast questions, quick answers
From the following questions, pick the one you feel more identified:
22. Digital or mechanical?
Mechanical
23. Hand wound or self-wind?
Self-wind
24. Leather or rubber?
Rubber
25. Round or square?
Round
26. Steel or gold?
Steel