MORPHEUS
MUSIC INTERVIEW - JON ANDERSON
15.06.09 - on release
of Survival and Other Stories
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Q:
First off can you tell us a bit about your
musical life just prior to beginning with Survival & Other
Stories?
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I had left working with Yes to
get my health back together, performing with young teens from
the school of Rock now and then, but just trying get well,
learning how to do 'solo shows'....standing on stage by yourself,
learning to entertain the audience, remembering songs, how
I wrote them originally, telling stories, keeping there attention,
things like that....all very new to me...
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Q:
How did you arrive at the decision to
post a 'musicians wanted' ad on your website? |
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I had tried to get the Yes guys
to write via the internet, but it just wasn't what they wanted
to do, so I thought, I will put an add on my website, there
must be lots of people out there that would like to work with
me, and I was right...weeeeeeee
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Q:
Did you have a vision for the new album
at this early point or any specific hopes?
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Not really, I just spent a lot
of time writing songs and lyrics with a lot of different musicians
over 4 years.
I had enough songs for 3 albums, so I spoke
with my wife Janee, and she helped , she has a great 'ear'
for music, and she was able to suggest changes in some of
the arrangements and the 'order' of the songs...Janee is
very talented, and loves music.....
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Q:
What responses did you get initially? Was there anything out
of the ordinary (good or bad)?
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Of course there were some
people I didn't connect with, music not really what I wanted...but
I found about 20 people that I work with .....they all sent
1 minute of music, so replied to the people that I thought
would work well, and asked them to send their musical ideas,
most of the time the music was fully realized, some of the
time, I sang ideas and sent back my thoughts on how to develop
the songs...
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Q:
How did these collaborative contacts
begin to turn into music?
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They would
send music and I would sing melodies and lyric if it 'hit
me'.
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Q:
To what degree did you physically meet
with those involved and how much was carried out via the internet? |
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All of it was via the Internet,
I have met most of them along the way, when I'm on tour etc...
it is more of a social moment, hugs, and thanks for helping
each other..and thoughts on new music .
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Q:
The album feels almost like a summary
of your musical career, many echoes of previous periods -
was this intentional on your part or on the part of others?
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Not really,
I just think the people who send me music, knew me, liked
my work, and we seem to have found a thread, and it feels
very natural to me....
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Q:
One website has you mentioning that previously
you reserved songs that fitted the Yes format for use with
the band, but that now you feel more free to explore Yes-like
recordings as part of your solo projects.
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The new Yes/style
music is coming now, I'm working on this music this summer...it's
a though Yes music is in my D&A....so now that I am free
from the band, I can create this style on my own....very natural...
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Q:
What aspects of this project to you feel
and sound the most new and adventurous?
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The fact that
I never know what is coming, from one idea to the next...the
music doesn't work all the time, but when it does wow!!!
It's a great feeling to hear a new idea, then to sing right
away is a blast.......
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Q:
Can you tell us a bit about your music
making methods for those interested in your current recording
'process'.
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I will get
a Mp3 of a track, drag it into my "logic' session, then
sing instant ideas, most of the time I don't listen to the
whole track that has been sent, just a minute is enough to
know if it 'hits me'.., then I know it's more like jazz, or
chance music, like I did with Vangelis... . |
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| Q:
Do you have any
interesting little anecdotes around the creation of Survival
that you'd like to share?
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Only that my wife Janee helped
me so much, she is a good critic to have around, she helped
in so many ways, from volume of instruments to lyrics, to
which song works after each song....really great to have someone
you love understand your work.
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Q:
The sleeve notes
hint at more to come - what can we look forward to?
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There will be at least 2
more albums to come from these sessions........have fun........
Q: Any news on the Olias of Sunhillow development - some
websites indicate a multi CD release in the wings?
I will continue writing songs for
this kind of release, but I do have 4 large projects in
the works, and a new way of getting the music out there
into the big world, but technology is not quite ready.
Q: Any possibility of future work with Yes?
I don't see me touring with YES at this time...
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Thanks
to Jon for allowing us that interview. |
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