INTERVIEW : 2000-XX-XX (by Clickmusic.com)
Joseph Arthur hails from the USA, your typical all painting, all playing, all songwriting wonder who wears shades and can't quite sit up straight.
However, his Album "Come to Where I am From" is possibly one of the best albums I have heard this year and his live shows are like nothing I have seen before. Here is what the man had to say for himself.
Which three records got you into music?
Miles Davis 'Bitches Brew, Jim Croche and Kiss 'Alive'.
Do you still own the first record that you were bought or got given and what was it?
Shock the Monkey and I don't own it anymore.
What dead person would you like to do a duet with?
Otis Reading, but I guess it should be a female, so Virginia Wolfe. It would be fun to see if she can sing!
If you could make a compilation tape right now, what would be the first three tracks?
Miles Davis 'Sketches of Spain', NWA 'Fuck the Police', Nick Drake 'Pink Moon'.
Have you heard any music recently that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end?
I like that Giant Sands record.
Who designed the artwork for the album?
Well I did the artwork and Zachary Larner designed it with me.
Did you have a specific image in mind when you started?
No I just paint and draw, then just use that. And I paint my guitars aswell.
Do you have a preference between art and music?
I don't know, that's like "Would you like to lose your left hand or your right hand"! Probably my right hand, but then I couldn't play guitar.
Is it hard to balance?
No, to me they help each other because if I get bored with one, then I move onto the other.
Do you also write music for films?
Not really, I have done a little bit.
Was that offered to you, or did you want to move into that area?
No I went into where they were making the film and I took a gun to his head and said "let me write the music for this film or I will blow your brains out", and then they let me.
Are you conscious of the difference between film music and say and album when you sit down to write?
Well, I really haven't done that much film music, but I would like to go that way.
When you play live, you sample yourself then sing over the top. How did that come about?
I had a dream, and there was a cat that was barking like a dog, playing this techno guitar and then that sound came out through the speakers, then she sang into the hole and that sound came out and then she smashed the guitar. When I woke up I wanted to know how to get the sound. And so I figured out a way to do that.
How do you do it?
I use under lays that loop
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