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Interview by Allan Jeff
AJ: You're going on stage in a couple of hours?
BJ: Yeah about 10pm, in a few hours time.
Any surprises in the set list?
Surprises? I think basically just trying to get a set list that feels good for the occasion. You know it's such a fantastic setting up here and it's kind of even more special this year because you've got the backdrop of the valley, Farndale, behind you, so I think it's important that we open up with something that's right. As far as surprises go, people will have heard the songs we play before, we can't play any new material at the minute but it'll be nice to open with "The Night Sky" tonight, I've got a good vibe... we've got Troy Donockley with us, I think that'll be nice and then just basically carry on...
So what's going through your mind before you go on, you've been here all day soaking it all up as usual?
Yeah, the things that mainly concern me before we go on... it's always the technical stuff, like let's just hope everything's working sound wise and it all works out and goes smoothly and we get enough time to line check things properly and basically we can get the sound together, the rest of it is just really looking forward to playing here, very, very excited.
What do you think of the festival crowd this year compared to last year?
It's fantastic isn't it, I mean it's in a different situation. This year and last year, in the evening, everyone seems to turn up, you get a good crowd during the day, this year's probably bigger than last year's crowd. It's great that it's on a hillside, it provokes people to get some chairs out and kinda sit and watch and you can get a great view from any point - and a great sound!
So what have you got planned following this? You were saying earlier that you were off to Spain.
Yeah we've got a festival in Spain, where we're headlining a concert in a bull ring of all places, it's somewhere near San Sebastian, yeah that should be a good do and then we're over to the Cropredy Festival, which has always been a dream of ours to play and we've managed to get it this year. Then we're generally working on the album really, which we'll be recording very soon and releasing, in what looks like early 2005.
Have you any ideas as to what direction that will be taking, in relation to your previous work?
Well it's hard for me to put a perspective on it at this stage really, it'll be a Mostly Autumn album definitely and it will sound like Mostly Autumn, like they all do, but they kind of all shift and change. It's kinda got a nice drama to it I think and that's what I'd like to maintain, it's a very reflective sound.
So, what's the song writing mix on the album, is it more of a band effort?
It's just the usual thing really, I've been working with Heather and Iain and they've got some ideas of their own and stuff, we haven't confirmed all of the songs that are going on there yet, so I couldn't say really, it kinda just happens, I'm quite singular minded about what goes through it and the vibe of it.
What have you got planned after you release the album, are you going to support it with a tour?
Yeah, well we're doing a handful of club gigs in September and October, then the "V" shows again at the end on November into December, then we're abroad until nearly Christmas, then we've got a couple of shows just before Christmas, then yeah there'll be a tour February / March. Then in April I think we're maybe going to America and basically filling the year up with concerts I would imagine.
How are you finding the reaction to the recent "V" shows and playing bigger venues, is that progressing the way you thought it would?
Absolutely, it's going really well actually, I never expected the turnouts, you never do really, you think who's going to turn up? But we did great, filling venues and stuff, it was a different sort of thing, it's the first step in what I would really like to convey properly, you know a much bigger theatrical show and just get the lights and get the atmosphere perfect, so you've got a marriage of light and sound and the "V" shows were the first step towards that really. I'd like to get more involved in designing the light show next time.
Are there any specific venues that you haven't played yet, that you are aiming towards playing?
Well obviously we've got the Shepherds Bush Empire in London, which is gonna be a great show, that's in December and there's some other stuff, like the academys we're doing and the Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh but yeah, there's talk of possibly having a crack at the Royal Albert Hall actually and focusing on that for a show, but it's all a bit too early to say really. I love the idea of taking it outside as well, you know this kind of thing, you know that's were it belongs really.
You've got Troy Donockley playing tonight, have you got any thoughts of other guest players as things move on?
Yeah, there's a Cellist, called Caroline Daley who plays cello for Dave Gilmore and a load of other people, a very high profile cellist and she's phenomenal, she has an electric cello and she is just a phenomenal player. She's really into the band and wants to come and do some stuff with us, so I would like to get her on with us at some point, maybe on the album and maybe live because with her electric cello, you wouldn't have to worry about the problems that come with acoustic instruments, it could be up in the mix then. I love the sound of the cello, I love the sound of the oboe as well, I would like to bring some into the recordings.
I know you've been kicking around today, line-up wise, have you managed to see many of the bands that have been on so far?
Umm, I didn't have a chance really because we had such a hideously mad session on the booze last night, we got up and then went and had a few pints of Old Peculiar at dinner time, then went for a sleep so I'm just trying to come and have a look. I saw The Mothers they sounded great. I'm looking forward to Four Day Hombre, they're a fantastic band I'm really, really inspired by them. I haven't seen The Yards before, I'm looking forward to seeing them as well I've known Chris (Helme) for years.
