NEW SINGLE 'MORNING BLACK' - THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG

Matt interviews Rich for the song's inspiration and insights to coincide with the release of the first video from 'O.A.R.S'

M: Rich, this is the first time I've interviewed you, because, well - it's a bit unusual to interview someone in your own band. But, we're getting ready to launch 'Morning Black' (our second single and debut video from the new album O.A.R.S.) and I have questions! And as you're the writer of this excellent piece of music, you're the man to answer them.

R: Fair enough. Shoot.

 M: I don't know about you, but visually, your 'ship steering wheel' painting was the image that really set the aesthetic for 'O.A.R.S.' in motion, and sonically, 'Morning Black' was the musical equivalent. It kind of became the - excuse the nautical pun - flagship track for the album. Do you agree?

R: Yes mate, it appears that way. I think something you learn from recording over time is that the ideas you think will work can sometimes fail you and vice versa - but there was something about this track that felt a little different from the get-go; I was confident it would be a strong piece.

Rich in the Studio

M: Is 'Morning Black' about a specific situation, or does it address a wider theme?

R: Well, it doesn't come from a good place that's for sure! I think like most creative things, darkness or periods of adversity can help shape themes or ideas, and this one came from a period of personal loss. Something good can always come from a bad situation though, and positive can always be drawn from them. Writing music is something that has always helped support me in this regard. 

Matt Recording Lead on 'Morning Black'

M: 'Morning Black' was a very unusual song for me, because you wrote the music, but tasked me with playing the instruments, which we haven't done before. And while it was an honour to take sole charge of the music for another person's song, was that weird for you? And were you happy with my twiddly bits at the end? 

R: I think traditionally we've always brought our ideas to the table, figured out what works and what doesn't, and then recorded our own parts. For this track however, I remember you telling me that you were playing it and demoing it a lot at home which again felt a little different from previous tracks we've created. Looking back, I wanted a little distance from the track too. It was/is a very personal piece of music and you're the only person I would trust passing it to. (Matt starts crying) The process of 'handing over the torch' felt very natural. And as for those twiddly bits, you blew my socks off mate. 

M: Phew. 'Morning Black' of course has an accompanying video, created by our ridiculously clever friend Tom Stabb. When your song has a video, is the pressure to 'achieve the vision' greater? What's hardest - getting the song right or getting the video right? I don't know about you, but I rarely achieve my vision for a piece of music - in a visual or production sense - usually because the people I'm working with go, 'How about this, this and that?' And I go: 'Oh yeah, your idea's much better.'

R: Good question. For me it's always about the song. If you get the song right then the visuals will naturally follow. You know instantly what works and what doesn't and I think the pair of us are very in-tune in this regard. As you've pointed out, our good friend Tom is the maestro behind the Chapters visuals, and we trust him totally to deliver the goods - which he does time and time again.

View 'Morning Black' above

M: 'Morning Black' is a great song, because it's hard I think for instrumental/ambient music to create emotion, I guess because so often, emotion comes from the human voice or a collective crescendo of a band. But when I listen to 'Morning Black,' I feel real hollowness and desolation, like I'm adrift on the ocean, or crawling through an endless melancholic maze. How do you feel when you listen to it?

R: It's great to have that bit of distance from it now and I mean that in the best possible sense. I can sit back and really enjoy the song. Desolation is definitely the theme here, and like you say, without vocals, the challenge was really to project this feeling through the tone and instrumentation. 

M: Your ship steering wheel painting (above) is awesome. If people want to see more of your art, where should they head?

R: Thanks bud. It's mainly on Instagram (here). I would really appreciate any follows, likes or comments. Keep it clean guys.

'Morning Black' is available to stream on April 1st.