Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam |
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I don't know whether the sun is going to be shining when you read this, but it's very sunny as I write it, so let's hope so. Not that sunshine is essential for enjoying Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam, though their new single 'Summer Solstice' is a perfect soundtrack to a lazy sunny evening, whether that evening be spent in the middle of a field, or in the heart of an urban sprawl like London.
The single, which comes complete with a cover of Elbow's 'One Day Like This' (which is apt because Elbow's Guy Garvey was bigging them up on 6Music recently), was released on 21 Jun, obviously, via Static Caravan.
We fired our Same Six Questions at Tim. |
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I started playing guitar when I was eight. My brother used to play guitar all the time and one day he taught me how to play the 'Pingu' theme tune, and I was instantly hooked. Ever since then I've been making my own music of some form, but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I started Tim and Sam.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
I started Tim and Sam to try and make beautiful music with lots of instruments, which was a side-step from the heavier rock music I was making before that. The album is a realisation of that; inspired by everything from the Welsh countryside where I grew up to the endless cups of tea we all drink. It is a celebration of life.
Q3 How do you go about creating a track?
Guitar is my main instrument, so most of the tracks start out with anywhere between two and twelve guitar layers. We usually start with a loop of some kind, and build up layers of music, filling it with little hooks and intricate details. Once most of the instrumentation is done we chop it and change it until we get the kind of structure we're after. Then when we work out how to play the tracks live (usually a very difficult task!), and they change further. Some of the older songs like 'Join The Dots' and 'Stepping Stones' have evolved almost beyond recognition as a result of playing them live so many times.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
I always try and listen to as much music as I can. At the moment I'm listening to a lot of old folk and blues music like Bert Jansch, as well as more modern records by the likes of James Yorkston and M Ward. The long standing influences include Radiohead, Board Of Canada, Four Tet, Sufjan Stevens and Adem.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Before people hear our music I usually refer them to my favourite press quote: "Tim and Sam make music for the entrance foyer of heaven". I think that gives a nice indication of what we do. I'd like to think it has a calming effect of people.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
We're really looking forward to getting the album out and touring it. It will be great to have an album to our name and to be able to move on from the older songs to try something new. There are a lot of things we'd like to do once that's all done. I've just built my own studio, and am adding to my equipment all the time. I'd like to add some electronic tinges to the next record, and maybe focus more on rhythm and beats. I'd also like to try my hand at producing other people's music and making music for film. I've just done my first remix, too. Maybe I'll do some more of that, we'll see.
published june 2009
