1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,199 Speaker 1: Oh what a great track. 2 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 2: That is Mountain Song from the Far North, and we 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,280 have the man behind the Far North, Lee Wilding, on 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:08,800 the line with us via WhatsApp. 5 00:00:08,839 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 3: Hello Lee, Hello, that you all right? 6 00:00:11,519 --> 00:00:14,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, welcome to the show. It's I love that so much. 7 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,519 Speaker 2: We've we played that recently and we played another one 8 00:00:17,559 --> 00:00:19,960 of your songs too, and that's that's just really really good. 9 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,000 I love that song. I love the vocals and everything 10 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,239 about it is just perfect. 11 00:00:25,199 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 3: Oh that's really kind of you. 12 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:30,079 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, absolutely absolutely so. I really curious 13 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:30,359 to know. 14 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,039 Speaker 2: So you you spent fifteen years as the lead guitarist 15 00:00:35,039 --> 00:00:36,799 and vocalist in The Fireflies. 16 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 3: Correct, that is correct. 17 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:40,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, so that's a long time. 18 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 2: So what what drove you to, you know, to kind 19 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,880 of start fresh, because that's you know, obviously you put 20 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,719 a lot of equity into that project and then you 21 00:00:50,799 --> 00:00:54,200 started you started The Far North in what was it 22 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:56,280 twenty twenty, Yeah. 23 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:57,079 Speaker 3: Around twenty twenty. 24 00:00:57,159 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 4: Yeah. It's funny you though, because I haven't considered it 25 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,920 really so being you know, in the Fireflies we did 26 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,599 like seven albums, and we did loads of tours and 27 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,680 we did show a lot of supports, lots and a 28 00:01:08,719 --> 00:01:11,040 lot of headline shows and it was a pretty full 29 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,000 time kind of gig. And towards the end of it, 30 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,000 we did one last tour with Radio one's Coffee House 31 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,480 Sessions in I think it was a summer of twenty nineteen, 32 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:22,239 and there were six of us in the band, and 33 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,319 I just thought, I don't want to do this anymore. 34 00:01:24,359 --> 00:01:25,799 Speaker 3: I just want to, you know, be acoustic. 35 00:01:25,799 --> 00:01:27,719 Speaker 4: I'm a huge fan of like City and Color and 36 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,519 Neil Young and Uncle Tupelo and all those bands, and 37 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,920 I thought, you know, I want to do some acoustic stuff. 38 00:01:33,359 --> 00:01:36,760 And it wasn't until halfway through recording the first album, 39 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,519 Songs and Dental Souls, we had someone come in and 40 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,400 do backing vocals for us, a wonderful friend of mine 41 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,840 called Susie Potts, and she said, why have you like 42 00:01:46,439 --> 00:01:49,200 kind of discredited the Fireflies after fifteen years you're starting 43 00:01:49,239 --> 00:01:52,280 a fresh like, you know, you might not take any 44 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:54,719 fans over with you. And it had never occurred to 45 00:01:54,719 --> 00:01:56,640 me until that moment. She said, I thought, it will 46 00:01:56,719 --> 00:01:59,560 be fine. All the Fireflies fans will still know it's me, 47 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,159 you know, And of course they didn't, and it's not. 48 00:02:02,519 --> 00:02:05,319 It was very, very much the long way round and 49 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,400 it had never occurred to me for like six months, 50 00:02:07,439 --> 00:02:09,960 and it was like February and February twenty one. I 51 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,360 think it might have been on twenty twenty, okay, and 52 00:02:12,439 --> 00:02:15,560 she was like, she just was like, this might not transfer, 53 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:17,479 and yeah, she was right. 54 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 3: But you know, I've worked it up against it all good. 55 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 2: So I'm curious too because so the Far North obviously 56 00:02:24,039 --> 00:02:25,520 you know, it sounds like the name of a band, 57 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,599 but it's really your solo project, right. 58 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, pretty much. 59 00:02:29,319 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, I got you know, I rope in friends to 60 00:02:32,159 --> 00:02:34,680 help me out, and you know, very talented musicians from 61 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:36,879 like the local area and stuff to play, you know, 62 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,400 piano and percussion and fiddle and guitar. 63 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 3: On my new album, a lot of it's me. 64 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 4: A lot of the guitar and the bass, and you know, 65 00:02:44,439 --> 00:02:46,400 the how monica and a lot of it it is me. 66 00:02:46,599 --> 00:02:49,280 You know, obviously vocals backing vocals, but sometimes you just 67 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,199 need a better help, you know. 68 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: I guess I'm curious too, because you know, your friend said. 69 00:02:54,039 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 2: To you, you know, and again I refer to it 70 00:02:56,719 --> 00:02:59,080 as the equity that you had in the fireflys. Yeah, 71 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,400 headed A heard to you at any point to just 72 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,639 because I think you probably would have had. I mean, 73 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,439 it doesn't matter now because you're obviously having a lot 74 00:03:06,439 --> 00:03:08,919 of success with this, so it all works out. But yeah, 75 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,280 if you had just used your name instead of calling 76 00:03:13,319 --> 00:03:15,039 it the Far North, you might have had a better 77 00:03:15,039 --> 00:03:17,680 shot at pulling those people over because obviously people who 78 00:03:17,719 --> 00:03:19,800 are big fans of the Far North, they probably knew 79 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,599 your name. So I mean, I'm sorry, big fans of 80 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,000 the Fireflies, rather, they probably knew their name. 81 00:03:24,159 --> 00:03:27,319 Speaker 3: So curious think of that. 82 00:03:27,719 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, to think of that with me being such a 83 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,680 Neil Young Springsteen and City and Color fan and no 84 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,240 Gallagher fan, I just thought that, like, obviously those those 85 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:41,039 bands all had you know, it was someone and Someone, 86 00:03:41,039 --> 00:03:42,400 so I didn't want it to be Lee Wilding in 87 00:03:42,439 --> 00:03:44,800 the Far North. But obviously with me being City in Color, 88 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,840 it's like his name's Dallas Green obviously, so City and Color. 89 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,360 So I just thought, what kind of evokes like, you know, 90 00:03:51,759 --> 00:03:54,680 a log cabin with a fire burning with acoustic tunes 91 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:55,639 in the middle of nowhere. 92 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:57,159 Speaker 3: And I thought, you know, the Far North is a 93 00:03:57,199 --> 00:04:01,039 great a great you know, a ban tire. But yeah, 94 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,560 I mean, looking back at it now. 95 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,199 Speaker 4: Maybe I should have done to me recently though, you know, 96 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,319 like new fans of the bands that I picked fans 97 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,680 up all around the UK and all around the world, 98 00:04:09,719 --> 00:04:11,520 and a lot of people say, why don't you just 99 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,719 say Lee wilder Man, because like people knew who you 100 00:04:13,759 --> 00:04:14,639 were in the Fireflies. 101 00:04:14,639 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 3: It's like, oh my goodness. So yeah, you know, that's 102 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:18,160 not the first time I've actually heard that. 103 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:21,959 Speaker 2: Well, but it did work out, you know, I mean, 104 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:24,519 your your instinct. Ultimately, I think it's proven correct and 105 00:04:24,759 --> 00:04:29,279 you're having success with this. So and this is the 106 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,680 third album correct, Songs. 107 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 3: For Wirtstorms, Yeah, that's right. Third album. 108 00:04:34,199 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, we did song for Healing Hearts about two years ago, 109 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,439 and then Songs for Gentle Souls just in the peak 110 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,879 of COVID. You know, we never obviously no one saw 111 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:44,920 that coming. And if you have the time again, maybe 112 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:46,759 we would have waited till it was kind of over 113 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:48,879 a bit. But you know, it is what it is, 114 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,040 and it did what it did, and I'm pretty happy 115 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:51,360 with it all. 116 00:04:51,399 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 3: Really. 117 00:04:51,879 --> 00:04:52,319 Speaker 1: Yeah. 118 00:04:52,399 --> 00:04:55,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, now, how is your approach different? So I will 119 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,319 confess I have not gone back and listened to the Fireflies, 120 00:04:58,319 --> 00:05:00,439 although I will now because I am very curious. I mean, 121 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,000 is your your approach in terms of songwriting, is it 122 00:05:03,199 --> 00:05:06,839 Is it different when it's just you or maybe you 123 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:08,759 were the chief songwriter in the Fireflies. 124 00:05:08,759 --> 00:05:10,319 Speaker 1: I don't know, but. 125 00:05:10,439 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was the only person that only ever wrote 126 00:05:12,519 --> 00:05:12,800 the song. 127 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,639 Speaker 4: So for me writing the songs in the Fireflies, they 128 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,360 all I mean, some of the songs I've taken out, 129 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,240 you know, I've taken with me and just kind of 130 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:20,839 like rehask them, put a bit of, you know, a 131 00:05:20,879 --> 00:05:23,680 new look, a paint on them. But really my songwriting 132 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,319 is so effortless. I don't know what it is, but 133 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,480 they all just appear almost fully formed out of the sky. 134 00:05:28,639 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 3: I put the guitar up and just I'll play G. 135 00:05:31,439 --> 00:05:34,079 Speaker 4: And I've played a million g's, but one time it's 136 00:05:34,199 --> 00:05:36,480 like different, and then the G to the E is like, 137 00:05:36,519 --> 00:05:38,399 oh my god, I've never played this before this way, 138 00:05:39,199 --> 00:05:42,000 and then you know, the vocals just come out. I'm 139 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,279 writing stuff for the new album now, for the next album, 140 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,759 and it's just all comeing to me really really quickly. 141 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,000 So I'm not sure whenever it will dry up. But 142 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,079 I'm quite lucky at the moment because a lot of 143 00:05:51,079 --> 00:05:53,360 people ask how you know, how do you write songs? 144 00:05:53,439 --> 00:05:56,120 Or you know, can I maybe coach some of my 145 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,879 friends to write songs or whatever? And it's like, the 146 00:05:58,959 --> 00:06:01,040 truth is, I don't really know I'm doing. I just 147 00:06:01,079 --> 00:06:02,680 write them and they and they happen. 148 00:06:02,879 --> 00:06:04,319 Speaker 3: You know. That's kind of where I'm at with it, 149 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:05,560 really a bit of a hack. 150 00:06:06,199 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 2: But has it always been like that? Like was it 151 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,399 like that throughout your tenure in the Fireflies or is 152 00:06:11,439 --> 00:06:14,600 this something that's come out more as you've done this 153 00:06:14,759 --> 00:06:16,800 on your own and have it, you know, having the freedom, 154 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:18,519 the liberation to be able to do it on your own. 155 00:06:19,439 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. 156 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,639 Speaker 4: No, it was always like that, really, So whenever I 157 00:06:21,639 --> 00:06:23,879 wrote stuff for the Fireflies, I'd write it on acoustic 158 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,079 guitar and take it into band practice and people would 159 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,720 just kind of start playing their own thing. So I mean, 160 00:06:29,759 --> 00:06:32,759 obviously with this though, the songs, I don't deviate from 161 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:34,600 the structure much because it's me, it's written it, and 162 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:35,879 it's me it's going to play it. But with the 163 00:06:35,879 --> 00:06:38,120 Fireflies it was a bit more of a democracy really. 164 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:38,439 Speaker 1: Yeah. 165 00:06:38,759 --> 00:06:41,439 Speaker 4: But but you know, the bare bones and the verse, 166 00:06:41,519 --> 00:06:44,120 chorus versa all be the same, and a lot of more, 167 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,519 you know, lots more people will kind of getting on it, really, 168 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,319 but now it's way more streamlined. 169 00:06:48,439 --> 00:06:50,199 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, good good. 170 00:06:51,319 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 2: Now did any of the material from the Fireflies make 171 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:55,600 it into the new project? 172 00:06:55,959 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 3: Yeah? 173 00:06:56,199 --> 00:06:57,199 Speaker 1: You still play some of those? 174 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah. 175 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 4: So on the first track, I think first album, Sorry 176 00:07:01,079 --> 00:07:03,279 that like this House is Ours and I think Grace 177 00:07:03,439 --> 00:07:06,920 and My Heart and When we Were Young. The second 178 00:07:06,959 --> 00:07:11,040 album I think unplayed Guitar and hollow and this album. Yeah, 179 00:07:11,079 --> 00:07:13,160 if you haven't made it, there was Hummingbird, there was 180 00:07:13,199 --> 00:07:16,480 Sailor in the Sea, all the things you did. So yeah, 181 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:18,639 there was maybe maybe two or three off each album 182 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,240 was a Firefly song that was like a complete rock 183 00:07:21,279 --> 00:07:23,600 out really, you know. They were just pure rock songs 184 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,560 or yah, you know, kind of big maybe psych songs, 185 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,879 you know psych, you know. So with this stuff, I 186 00:07:28,959 --> 00:07:31,360 just wanted it to be like, just give those older 187 00:07:31,399 --> 00:07:33,680 songs a new liquor paint. But I'm writing the new 188 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:35,639 album at the moment. I don't know when it could 189 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,160 be out. It could be a year, could be two years. 190 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:42,879 But I'm rescuing maybe three more Firefly songs. Wow, that's it. Then, yeah, okay, 191 00:07:43,079 --> 00:07:45,160 that'll be the Firefly songs done. Then I think the 192 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,439 bag is empty at last, did. 193 00:07:47,279 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 2: You uh was that when you started this project? Was 194 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,279 that your intention from the beginning, because you know a 195 00:07:52,319 --> 00:07:55,720 lot of people they you know, if they have a project, 196 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,079 you know, they're in a band, and then maybe they 197 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,759 do their own thing. They don't want to necessarily you know, 198 00:08:01,839 --> 00:08:04,120 some artists they like to have like a clear delineation 199 00:08:04,439 --> 00:08:08,040 and they just want to uh not look back at 200 00:08:08,079 --> 00:08:08,959 older material. 201 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,839 Speaker 1: And some artists do, but a lot of artists don't. 202 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: And and to me it's always been kind of like, wow, 203 00:08:14,519 --> 00:08:16,199 how do you just how do you just leave all 204 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,040 that behind? If you had some great songs in your 205 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,439 previous project, how do you just leave that behind? 206 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:22,319 Speaker 1: You know? But but some artists will do that. 207 00:08:22,639 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 2: Was that a hard decision for you whether or not 208 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:25,879 to revisit those songs? 209 00:08:27,319 --> 00:08:28,199 Speaker 3: It was not really. 210 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 4: I kind of like thought about it for a little bit, 211 00:08:30,079 --> 00:08:31,720 and I thought, is this going to be completely new? 212 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,759 Because we had Nigel Stonia produced the first album, and 213 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:37,000 we were like, you know, I don't know, I don't 214 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,600 really know what approach and the heat. So I sent 215 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,399 him a load of songs and he was like, some 216 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,679 of the Firefly songs were greatly like we should definitely 217 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,000 redo these. And I had a bit of reticence. At first, 218 00:08:46,039 --> 00:08:47,279 it was a bit quiet about it. I thought, I'm 219 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,279 not sure, and then I thought, well, I wrote them, 220 00:08:49,399 --> 00:08:52,600 so you know, why not. So as long as they're 221 00:08:52,799 --> 00:08:54,639 acoustic and as long as they've got a lot of 222 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:56,759 heart and soul, I kind of have no problem with it. 223 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:58,639 Speaker 3: And some of them are pretty. 224 00:08:58,399 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 4: Much verbatim, you know, hold Me Birds pretty much the same. 225 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,120 We just put a fiddle on it, and we've kind 226 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:06,279 of really restructured like the Sailor in the Sea and 227 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,279 all the things. You did, you know, they were completely 228 00:09:08,279 --> 00:09:09,679 different songs in the Fireflies. 229 00:09:09,879 --> 00:09:10,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, but I just thought, you. 230 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,919 Speaker 4: Know, I wrote them, and I never really have writer's block, 231 00:09:14,039 --> 00:09:16,519 you know, I'm always writing, you know, as Bob Dylan said, 232 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,639 you know, write ten songs a day and throw nine away. 233 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,039 So I'm always you know, I'm always writing. But yeah, 234 00:09:22,039 --> 00:09:23,679 I didn't think about it too much. But I'm kind 235 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,759 of glad I've carried you know, a lot of them over. 236 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 2: I think, okay, excellent, excellent. So the album the newest 237 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:31,559 one in our songs for weathering storms? What does that 238 00:09:31,639 --> 00:09:33,799 mean to you? And I assume, you know, in terms 239 00:09:33,799 --> 00:09:37,840 of weathering storms, And I assume and I did listen 240 00:09:37,919 --> 00:09:39,600 to the whole thing. I really like it, But is 241 00:09:39,639 --> 00:09:43,320 there a theme that you're presenting sort of a almost 242 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,720 like it feels like there might be a story, but 243 00:09:47,799 --> 00:09:48,440 I'm not sure. 244 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 3: Okay, it's I think it's a concept album. 245 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,159 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I wrote all the songs, you know, 246 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,320 I obviously carried about three or four over and wrote 247 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,200 the rest of the song kind of around the weathering 248 00:09:59,279 --> 00:10:02,759 storms kind of gam up really and it was like, 249 00:10:03,399 --> 00:10:06,440 I don't know, everyone's going through so much stuff right now, 250 00:10:06,519 --> 00:10:08,799 and I mean people always have, but I don't know 251 00:10:08,799 --> 00:10:10,120 if it's because of social media. 252 00:10:10,159 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 3: It always seems very prevalent. 253 00:10:11,519 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 4: It seems to be right at the surface right now 254 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,000 that everyone just seems to be going through potentially the 255 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,759 worst time of their lives. But yet life couldn't be 256 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,879 any easier in a way, right, So it was just, 257 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,840 you know, it was just about hold on, man, it'll 258 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,039 be all right, Like everything will be okay, you know, 259 00:10:27,159 --> 00:10:28,919 in the end, and if it's not the end, then 260 00:10:28,919 --> 00:10:29,799 it'll be all right, you know. 261 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 3: And it's like I just think you've just got to 262 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:32,960 keep going. 263 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 4: You've just got to have faith, you've just got to 264 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,879 have hope, and pretty much every song is like formed 265 00:10:37,919 --> 00:10:38,759 in a bit of heartbreak. 266 00:10:38,759 --> 00:10:40,159 Speaker 3: There's always about of heartbreak there. 267 00:10:40,159 --> 00:10:43,399 Speaker 4: There's always a bit of loss, but ultimately everything's going 268 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:44,639 to be all right. All you need to do is 269 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,840 make it into tomorrow, you know, just take things day 270 00:10:46,879 --> 00:10:47,159 by day. 271 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:47,799 Speaker 3: It'll be fine. 272 00:10:47,919 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 4: So it's kind of like my nine tracks of like 273 00:10:51,039 --> 00:10:52,840 It'll be okay. And I think there's a there's a 274 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,320 song called release Repeat, which is obviously about animal rights 275 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:57,559 and you know all that kind of thing as well, 276 00:10:57,919 --> 00:11:00,399 you know, But really the most of the song, the 277 00:11:00,399 --> 00:11:02,960 bulk of the songs on the album, like it is 278 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:04,879 gonna be all right. And I know it's been done, 279 00:11:04,919 --> 00:11:06,879 and I know it's been done to death, but I 280 00:11:06,919 --> 00:11:09,600 guess it's not been done with these songs in my voice, 281 00:11:09,879 --> 00:11:11,559 you know, right right Yeah. 282 00:11:11,639 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 1: Mountain song. 283 00:11:12,519 --> 00:11:15,399 Speaker 2: I was reading that that was written about a particularly 284 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:19,120 painful breakup, and it's it's pretty evident in the lyrics, 285 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,840 you know, because obviously when you're a listener, you hear 286 00:11:23,919 --> 00:11:27,399 lyrics and it's it's somewhat subjective. Everyone's going to interpret 287 00:11:27,399 --> 00:11:30,639 things a little bit differently, but there's there's really no 288 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,919 misinterpreting that one. To my mind, I'm listening to it 289 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:36,799 and it's like, okay, you know, you know what it's about, 290 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,919 and it does clearly describe a painful breakup. 291 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,159 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's a few really, there's a few on the 292 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:46,720 on the album that kind of deal with that, and 293 00:11:46,759 --> 00:11:50,759 it is quite it is quite clear. And I don't know, 294 00:11:51,039 --> 00:11:54,600 I think writing about breakup and that breakup and particularly 295 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:56,960 I always find the kind of catharticism with it. 296 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:57,159 Speaker 3: You know. 297 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,559 Speaker 4: It's always like it kind of gets the pain out 298 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:01,600 that's there. It kind of rinses it, you know, like 299 00:12:01,399 --> 00:12:03,039 a like a towel, like a wet towel. It just 300 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,240 rinses it all out and I can just kind of 301 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,080 deal with it and kind of move on, you know. 302 00:12:07,159 --> 00:12:09,840 But you know, everyone's going to go through three or 303 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,879 four heartbreaks in their life, you know, and this is 304 00:12:12,159 --> 00:12:15,919 basically my heartbreak opus, you know, and ultimately you know 305 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,879 that that you know, we split up like what three 306 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,279 years ago, and you know, everything was all right, but 307 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,480 at the time, I was like, oh my goodness, I've 308 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:24,559 never felt pain like this. 309 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 3: This is awful. 310 00:12:26,039 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 4: And you know, three three months down the line, you know, 311 00:12:28,759 --> 00:12:31,080 you kind of all right, six months you're like, hey, 312 00:12:31,159 --> 00:12:33,200 I'm healed. This is fine. So I was in a 313 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,080 place where I could actually write a song about it, 314 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,799 and it's very very real, Like the lyrics are lyrics 315 00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:39,679 that she would say, you know, things she said to 316 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,200 me and things had said back and how I felt. So, 317 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,000 I mean, I don't know if she's heard the song, really, 318 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,519 I assume, so I haven't been in touch, but you know, I. 319 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: Was going to ask you that if you know, if 320 00:12:49,759 --> 00:12:50,879 she's heard the song. 321 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,759 Speaker 4: I felt like texting me, you know, I just felt like, 322 00:12:54,759 --> 00:12:56,480 like when it came out on Halloween, you I was like, 323 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:57,519 should I text her? 324 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:57,879 Speaker 1: Yeah? 325 00:12:57,919 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 4: But I didn't obviously, and you know, knowing her though, 326 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:02,240 maybe she's heard it. 327 00:13:02,279 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 3: I don't know. He's not come at me though, So 328 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:04,960 that's cool. 329 00:13:04,799 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, good? 330 00:13:08,399 --> 00:13:11,039 Speaker 2: And what about So I'm really curious about the production 331 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,480 and I'm a bit of a recording nerd, so uh so, 332 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,559 so of course I am. But there's a so the 333 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,639 lack of the lack of drums is really interesting. It's 334 00:13:21,639 --> 00:13:24,600 a very it's a very sort of a strip, stripped 335 00:13:24,639 --> 00:13:27,519 down sound, which I really like because I think a 336 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,159 lot of things are are overproduced. Yeah, and I don't 337 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,720 even mean just you know, in these times that we 338 00:13:33,759 --> 00:13:35,840 live in. I mean, just going all the way back 339 00:13:35,879 --> 00:13:37,440 to the eighties, there's a lot of things that I 340 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,759 think are overproduced and sound sound you know, really a 341 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,039 little too slick and polished, and you know, I like 342 00:13:43,039 --> 00:13:46,039 a certain rawness and I think you've captured that with 343 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:46,639 this album. 344 00:13:47,639 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 3: Yeh. 345 00:13:47,919 --> 00:13:50,399 Speaker 2: But but I'm I'm curious about I mean, is that 346 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,919 something that you're very intentional about or does that just 347 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,360 sort of come naturally that approach or. 348 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,559 Speaker 4: I think, you know, being in the Five Flies, a 349 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,960 lot of our albums were quite underproduced, really quite raw, 350 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:04,679 and a lot of the reviews and a lot of 351 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:06,519 people listening were like, oh, no, obviously this has been 352 00:14:06,519 --> 00:14:08,720 made in a budget blah blah blah, but it wasn't 353 00:14:08,759 --> 00:14:10,759 and we aimed it to sound like that. So with 354 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,039 The Far North, I wanted a certain level of polish, 355 00:14:14,159 --> 00:14:18,120 but also that like the raw beauty of an acoustic. 356 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 3: Guitar, you know. So my co producer John. 357 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,679 Speaker 4: O'tringen, like we in June twenty twenty four, we were like, 358 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,679 sat in a local kind of place having breakfast and 359 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,120 we were like, how do we make this album? Because 360 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,639 like I did the second album with him, and it's 361 00:14:31,679 --> 00:14:33,399 a bit more rocky, a bit more college rot, a 362 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,120 bit third eye blind, bit match Brooks twenty Yeah. You know, 363 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,080 we kind of turned the guitars up on that album, 364 00:14:38,159 --> 00:14:41,039 and I found myself in like, you know, fireflies kind 365 00:14:41,039 --> 00:14:42,159 of territory again. 366 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 3: I thought, I need to get away from this. 367 00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 4: I keep just going back to that tried and tested 368 00:14:46,519 --> 00:14:48,840 my favorite sound, you know, just being in a. 369 00:14:48,799 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 3: Band, I guess, and we were like, how do we 370 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:51,399 do this? 371 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 4: So we just listened, like I say, to a lot 372 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:57,759 of you know, December Rists and Uncle Tupelo City and Color, 373 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,000 early early Neil Young like Harvest here and Young and 374 00:15:01,039 --> 00:15:05,320 then obviously Nebraska era Springsteen, and we're like, we need 375 00:15:05,399 --> 00:15:07,200 to we need to make you know. We it was 376 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,039 a conscious decisions and not of the drums, and there's 377 00:15:09,039 --> 00:15:11,360 only based on one track and all that, and it 378 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,279 was very it was very planned, but I think a 379 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,080 lot of it was came out like a happy accident. 380 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:18,279 Speaker 3: You know. 381 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,279 Speaker 4: It was like, Okay, this sound sounds because the production's massive. 382 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,919 It sounds like really well produced. It's hugely produced, yes, 383 00:15:25,919 --> 00:15:28,559 but the sounds are still quite sorry, the songs are 384 00:15:28,559 --> 00:15:32,080 still quite direct and quite you know, down that funnel 385 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,399 of like you know, heartbreak and loneliness. 386 00:15:34,399 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 3: They're not, you know. 387 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:37,559 Speaker 4: And it was funny because I had a review from 388 00:15:37,559 --> 00:15:41,080 someone and the reviewed Mountain Song, funnily enough, in a 389 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,360 local magazine, and the reviews are usually pretty good, like 390 00:15:44,399 --> 00:15:46,799 I've been lucky this last like twenty years with reviews. 391 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,440 And this guy was like, so, this guy who's from Newcastle, 392 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,360 and he just said, oh, the fanals back again with 393 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,440 another one of his massive anthems. And I was thinking, okay, 394 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,480 and he goes, he's desperately trying to be Fleet Foxes. 395 00:16:00,399 --> 00:16:02,720 Comes right, and the thing is, I've never listened to 396 00:16:02,759 --> 00:16:05,480 Fleet Foxes. I've never They've never like turned up on 397 00:16:05,559 --> 00:16:07,679 my you know, my thoughts for ever. 398 00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 3: Really, I mean, maybe I should. And he goes he 399 00:16:10,679 --> 00:16:13,200 sounds desperately wanting to be Fleet Foxes, but. 400 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,759 Speaker 4: Comes across as the drunk old man in the corner 401 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,679 hater walling a song on the karaoke. 402 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 3: Right, That's what he said. 403 00:16:20,039 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, wow, So I like so and he was like 404 00:16:23,279 --> 00:16:25,240 and then he sent me a message personally and said, 405 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,840 I'm really really sorry that that was like personal, but 406 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:29,279 that's how I feel. 407 00:16:29,039 --> 00:16:29,759 Speaker 3: About your music. 408 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:34,679 Speaker 4: And I was like, I was like that that's okay, 409 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,679 but I've never listened to Fleet Foxes in my life. 410 00:16:36,759 --> 00:16:39,120 It's just one of those bands that, like, I don't 411 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:39,759 even know who they are. 412 00:16:39,799 --> 00:16:41,519 Speaker 3: I was like, what it was like, you. 413 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 4: Know, so it's kind of funny really, but yeah, it's 414 00:16:44,519 --> 00:16:45,840 kind of it's annoying someone. 415 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,799 Speaker 2: I guess it's funny that he actually contacted you to 416 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:49,279 tell you. 417 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,039 Speaker 1: You know, I'm sorry. Sorry I was mean, but here's 418 00:16:52,039 --> 00:16:52,879 why I was mean. 419 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 3: Yea, literally, he thought I was like trying to The 420 00:16:56,279 --> 00:16:56,840 thing is as well. 421 00:16:56,879 --> 00:16:58,799 Speaker 4: A few of the reviews have said like, and I've 422 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,200 never listened to Month and some once right, I've never 423 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,399 ever listened to them because I've heard a few tracks 424 00:17:03,399 --> 00:17:05,640 on radio and I'm like, it's not really my jam 425 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,640 and everyone's like, oh my godly, like it's so muffing 426 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:10,799 and sons it's so good, it's so commercial, and I'm like, 427 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:12,720 h do you know what I mean? It's like I 428 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:15,559 didn't really write it to be commercial. I write I 429 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,079 wrote it for people to to just enjoy it. 430 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,519 Speaker 3: I guess just kind of you know, there's no plan here. 431 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:23,440 I just kind of do you know, I. 432 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 2: Can tell you so I've I've listened to Fleet Fleet Fox's. 433 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:28,519 Speaker 1: I don't know. 434 00:17:28,599 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 2: I I've definitely heard a lot of Mumford and Sons 435 00:17:31,279 --> 00:17:33,400 is huge here in America, so I've heard a lot 436 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:34,440 of Mumfort and Sons. 437 00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: I can tell you. 438 00:17:36,279 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 2: I kind of understand why someone would hear that, but 439 00:17:39,599 --> 00:17:42,079 I don't hear it in the sense that because I 440 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,880 really like the album, but I find Mumford and Sons 441 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:46,839 kind of unbearable. 442 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 3: So I did myself. 443 00:17:48,519 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I definitely uh so again, I can understand 444 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,319 why someone would make that connection, I guess, but but 445 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,640 I don't. I don't really hear it myself. I don't 446 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,240 perceive it that way. Honestly, till you mentioned Mumford and Sons, 447 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,799 it hadn't even occurred to me. Oh that's good then, 448 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:05,599 north Fleet Foxes. 449 00:18:05,839 --> 00:18:06,519 Speaker 1: To be honest with. 450 00:18:06,519 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 4: You, yeah, I listened to them like they've got a 451 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,160 few good songs, and you know Fleet Foxes, and they thought, oh, 452 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:12,799 this is a band that actually they're actually good. I 453 00:18:12,839 --> 00:18:14,799 quite like this, but I thought I never sat down 454 00:18:14,799 --> 00:18:16,359 and sort of thought, you know what, I really want 455 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:18,880 this to sound like a cross between Munford and Sons 456 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:19,640 and Fleet Foxes. 457 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:23,559 Speaker 3: That it never occurred, like what right right now? 458 00:18:23,759 --> 00:18:24,839 Speaker 1: What happens live. 459 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:27,759 Speaker 2: Is it do you have other musicians who perform with 460 00:18:27,799 --> 00:18:29,119 you live or is it just you? 461 00:18:29,319 --> 00:18:30,839 Speaker 3: Or yeah, it's just me. 462 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,640 Speaker 4: I did an album launch here in Runcorn for the 463 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:35,279 out of the day after the album came out, and 464 00:18:35,319 --> 00:18:37,359 it was just me on a stool and acoustic in 465 00:18:38,039 --> 00:18:39,920 this venue, and you know, there's a couple of hundred 466 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,000 people that turned up, and it's just me, really, you know, 467 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,680 And I don't know, it's like whenever I've seen City 468 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:48,480 and Color, I've seen him. I used to live in Vancouver, 469 00:18:48,559 --> 00:18:50,519 so I saw him a few times in Vancouver on 470 00:18:50,599 --> 00:18:53,200 his own and that was when they sometimes and Bring 471 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:57,279 Me a Love albums were out, and I never really thought, oh, 472 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,000 you know, I hope that there's a full band, or 473 00:18:59,079 --> 00:19:01,200 I hope there's you know, I've always just been happy 474 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,680 to hear that person in that voice. Really, so I 475 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,200 think I've never really said to anyone when they do 476 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:07,920 a gig, oh, it's just me. I don't know if 477 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,960 people are ever kind of expecting a band. 478 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:10,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know. 479 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 4: No one's ever mentioned it, which is which is funny. 480 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,759 Really well, it's it's just me with an acoustic guitar. 481 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:22,039 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, But It's cool that because you're you're performing 482 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:24,839 something that that can, you know, lend itself Like if 483 00:19:24,839 --> 00:19:27,000 you wanted to put a band together, obviously you could, 484 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:31,200 but this lends itself to any any configuration, right like 485 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,039 you could it can just be you. Or if you 486 00:19:33,039 --> 00:19:35,960 wanted to bring another just another acoustic guitarists on stage 487 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:37,519 with you, you could do that, or you could play 488 00:19:37,519 --> 00:19:39,000 with the band. You know, you could do whatever you 489 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,519 wanted with these songs. And I've always been a little 490 00:19:41,519 --> 00:19:45,000 bit fascinated by that because so I'm a musician. I 491 00:19:45,079 --> 00:19:46,839 used to play. I don't play currently, but I used 492 00:19:46,839 --> 00:19:48,200 to play in a lot of bands. But every band 493 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,319 I was ever in, it was like, Okay, it's me 494 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,079 and three other guys, and it has to always be 495 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:55,839 this configuration. It has to always be the four of us, 496 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,160 because if you take any anything out, it's you know, 497 00:19:59,319 --> 00:20:03,759 it collaps. But you know, so I've always been fascinated 498 00:20:03,799 --> 00:20:07,279 by the concept of just doing something where you can 499 00:20:07,319 --> 00:20:09,799 do it in any covenfiguration you want, Like like with 500 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,319 jam bands, you know you can you know, if the 501 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:14,799 saxophone player shows up, great, if not, it doesn't matter 502 00:20:14,839 --> 00:20:15,279 who cares. 503 00:20:15,319 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: You know, you can you can play. 504 00:20:16,799 --> 00:20:20,039 Speaker 2: Any way you want to, Yeah, exactly, and there's a 505 00:20:20,079 --> 00:20:21,960 it seems like there's a freedom that comes with that. 506 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:24,519 Speaker 3: Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. 507 00:20:24,519 --> 00:20:28,079 Speaker 1: What about is it ever or well, I'm sure it's 508 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,160 not by this point, but at any point was it 509 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,759 weird for you doing it that way after having played 510 00:20:33,799 --> 00:20:35,279 with a band for fifteen years? 511 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was. 512 00:20:36,759 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 4: It was really strange at first. So, like, my first 513 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,839 gig as the Far North was at Old Trafford Stadium 514 00:20:42,079 --> 00:20:46,119 where Manchester United play. So that was about eight days 515 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,839 before COVID hit funny enough, it was like early March 516 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,519 twenty twenty. So I got up there and they had 517 00:20:51,559 --> 00:20:54,680 this huge event with like a few of the bands 518 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,240 on big local bands from Manchester and it was a 519 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:00,759 batch day. So you know, there's me on the big 520 00:21:00,799 --> 00:21:03,319 screens and I'm just sat there with my wow acoustic 521 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,279 guitar playing to all these people, and it was I 522 00:21:06,319 --> 00:21:08,559 think that the thought of it was a bit strange 523 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,440 because it was just me was kind of et up 524 00:21:11,519 --> 00:21:13,880 by the fact that I was like, holy cow, like 525 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:16,440 what like there was so many people there. I was 526 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,839 like okay, So I kind of like set my stall 527 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,599 out super early with the Far North. I was like, okay, 528 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,880 have guitar, will travel, you know. And I think I 529 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,000 had a friend that sadly passed away on Christmas Day 530 00:21:27,279 --> 00:21:29,440 about eight years ago, called Paul Savage, and the first 531 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,319 album is dedicated to him. And he used to come 532 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,440 to all the Firefly shows and it's saying he used 533 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:37,440 to say to me, your songwriting is so leans itself, 534 00:21:37,519 --> 00:21:40,160 so much to a just acoustic guitar voice and harmonica, 535 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:42,720 you should really do that. And he sadly passed away 536 00:21:42,759 --> 00:21:45,240 before I got a chance to, you know, form the 537 00:21:45,279 --> 00:21:47,880 Far North. And he was right, you know, he was 538 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,799 absolutely right that it was. It was so much easier 539 00:21:50,839 --> 00:21:53,160 as well, just me, you know, get my guitar in 540 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:54,119 the car, away we go. 541 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,079 Speaker 3: It's just it's awesome. 542 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:56,279 Speaker 4: You know. 543 00:21:56,559 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 3: I wouldn't trade it in for anything at this point. 544 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, oh that's fantastic. Do you ever do you keep 545 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:02,960 in touch with any of the guys from the Far North? 546 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:04,920 I mean, I'm sorry, from the Fireflies. 547 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm going away with the basis. Tomorrow we're going 548 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,039 to Poland. In the morning we'll go into the Outfits. Yeah, 549 00:22:11,039 --> 00:22:13,680 we're going to do the tour of outfits to pay 550 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,720 our respect. Yeah, you know, because like my grandfather was 551 00:22:17,759 --> 00:22:20,440 a gunner in World War Two, and you know, everyone 552 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,880 everyone's got family that was in World War two, you know. 553 00:22:23,079 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. 554 00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:25,599 Speaker 4: So yeah, so me and Sam the basis. He was 555 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,400 the basis in the Fireflies for many, many years. And yeah, 556 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,880 so we're off to Poland in the morning. Yeah so 557 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,799 some of the other guys, Yeah, we speak every now 558 00:22:33,799 --> 00:22:36,359 and then, and that you know, a few people from 559 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,440 the band that haven't speaken spoken to since since the 560 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,440 band broke up. You know, there was never any bad blood. 561 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,279 I was just like, I can't really do this anymore, 562 00:22:45,319 --> 00:22:48,039 this thing, you know. And before that, I was in 563 00:22:48,079 --> 00:22:50,200 a band called Warped for like ten years and that 564 00:22:50,319 --> 00:22:51,960 was a full time as well, since when I was 565 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,079 like fifteen. So yeah, for like twenty twenty five years, 566 00:22:55,079 --> 00:22:57,279 I've just been doing the full band thought. 567 00:22:57,839 --> 00:23:00,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, so now it's just I actually I love 568 00:23:00,319 --> 00:23:00,599 it now. 569 00:23:00,599 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 4: But yeah, I keep in contact with a few of 570 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:03,640 the guys and it's you know, it's all good. 571 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,519 Speaker 3: They come to the shows and stuff. Oh good, good, 572 00:23:05,839 --> 00:23:07,039 it's nice. Yeah, it's nice. 573 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:08,839 Speaker 1: Yeah. That's what I was wondering about, if if there 574 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,279 was any acrimony there. But that's that's good. 575 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:12,880 Speaker 3: Old no, nothing now, nothing, that's all. 576 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,079 Speaker 1: No, that's good. That's that's very good. Now. 577 00:23:16,559 --> 00:23:21,279 Speaker 2: So what's kind of the forward trajectory for you? I mean, obviously, 578 00:23:22,279 --> 00:23:25,119 I'm sure you're focused mainly on promoting the current album, 579 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,119 but you strike me as someone too you're probably always writing, right, 580 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:29,960 you were kind of alluded to that earlier, that you 581 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,640 write a lot of songs. Uh, do you have a 582 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:36,160 future recording plans in the in the near future or 583 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:37,519 are you thinking about that yet? 584 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:38,799 Speaker 3: I think so. 585 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, I've got quite a few good shows coming up, 586 00:23:41,319 --> 00:23:45,400 you know, I got some really really good acoustic shows 587 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:47,599 and I'm really looking forward to those. So yeah, there's 588 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,079 one on the third third of January, and that's supporting 589 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:52,319 the guy that was in the Seahorses, the guy who 590 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:54,920 who formed a band with John Squire from the Stone Roses. 591 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:55,759 Speaker 3: That's quite nice. 592 00:23:55,799 --> 00:23:58,519 Speaker 4: There's some some nice ones coming up well, because I've 593 00:23:58,519 --> 00:24:01,440 been writing so much. Yeah, I actually thought what once 594 00:24:01,759 --> 00:24:04,960 songs were general so sorry, songs for weather and Weathering 595 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:06,200 Stones was finished. 596 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 3: So we finished it. 597 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 4: In like maybe maybe July, who was completely finished, and 598 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:13,240 then the single was out in October and we worked 599 00:24:13,279 --> 00:24:15,079 for like fifty you know, eighteen months on it was 600 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:16,640 like a year and a half and I thought, you 601 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:18,880 know what, I'm never going to the studio again because 602 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,960 it's just drained me completely. Like everything about this album 603 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,440 has been like it was difficult to record in a 604 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,799 not not a difficult logistically because like you know, me 605 00:24:27,839 --> 00:24:29,680 and John O produced it, and it was very easy 606 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:30,039 that way. 607 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, but like every every. 608 00:24:32,279 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 4: Fiber of who I am was put into it, do 609 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,039 you know what I mean. I was so just just 610 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:39,000 drained by the whole process because it was mainly me 611 00:24:39,079 --> 00:24:42,119 playing stuff over and over again. So and I thought 612 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:43,640 I would I wouldn't be going to the studio again. 613 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,480 But the way I feel at the moment, and I 614 00:24:45,519 --> 00:24:47,680 did say this to one of my friends, was before Christmas, 615 00:24:47,799 --> 00:24:50,359 I could probably see myself going back in to do 616 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,920 a more acoustic album in like April or May, so 617 00:24:54,079 --> 00:24:57,079 maybe spend like three or four months just doing just 618 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:02,720 fiddle and harmonica and acoustic. It's that is it. No piano, 619 00:25:02,799 --> 00:25:06,559 no percussion, nothing, just a very very low key album 620 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,680 and maybe have that out by October. That's kind of 621 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,240 the way I'm thinking, because I'm writing quite a lot 622 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,880 of the moment, so yeah, yeah, But having said that, 623 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,319 I'm a Gemini, So I might never release an album again. 624 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:15,839 Speaker 3: I don't know. 625 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:18,279 Speaker 1: No, I'm sure. 626 00:25:18,319 --> 00:25:20,799 Speaker 2: I'm sure you will. No, that's that's fantastic. No, I 627 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:23,440 can't wait to I can't wait to hear what comes 628 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:23,920 out next. 629 00:25:25,079 --> 00:25:26,559 Speaker 1: Thank you in a moment. 630 00:25:26,759 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 2: Well, we'll let you go in a moment and we're 631 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:32,519 gonna play Well, we'll end the segment with Sailor and 632 00:25:32,559 --> 00:25:32,880 the Sea. 633 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 1: What should we know about this song? 634 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,759 Speaker 4: I'm glad you picked that one. That's my second favorite 635 00:25:38,759 --> 00:25:39,480 after Mountain Song. 636 00:25:39,519 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: It's a good song. 637 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, like Sailor in the Sea is I think it's 638 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,960 like again, it's about the same girl. 639 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 3: It's not the same girl in Mountain Song. 640 00:25:50,079 --> 00:25:50,279 Speaker 4: Yeah. 641 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, but then so so Mounting Song. 642 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 4: Right, So you've got the first half of it where 643 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,960 it's a little bit kind of like, you know, melancholy, 644 00:25:59,039 --> 00:26:01,960 I guess, and then it goes that when it goes 645 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,240 into the jig da, that's the like me. That's me 646 00:26:05,319 --> 00:26:08,039 a few months later, realizing that the right decision had 647 00:26:08,079 --> 00:26:11,119 been made to break up. So that was me finding happiness. 648 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:13,960 So Sailor in the Sea is almost like two songs 649 00:26:14,079 --> 00:26:16,440 bolted together again. So the first half of Sailor in 650 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,480 the Sea is me feeling completely lost when she left. 651 00:26:19,519 --> 00:26:22,279 Speaker 3: It was like how how will I ever lived? And 652 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:22,920 do you know what I mean? 653 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 4: It's like as a as a forty year old man, 654 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:27,319 like you know what I mean, I'm like just feel 655 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,720 like I'm like sixteen again and just lost and just 656 00:26:29,759 --> 00:26:32,000 like how will I ever cope without this person? And 657 00:26:32,039 --> 00:26:35,079 it's the stupidest thing that you think of. It's so silly, 658 00:26:35,319 --> 00:26:36,920 you know at the time, and you look back now 659 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:37,599 and go, what will you. 660 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 3: Pull yourself together for? 661 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:39,319 Speaker 2: Right? 662 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,599 Speaker 4: So now, So Sailor in the Sea is pretty much 663 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,039 it's pretty much. The first half of it is that, 664 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:45,920 and the second half of it is kind of an 665 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,920 owed to the person I met, like you know recently, 666 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,839 so like you know, so it's like all the lyrics 667 00:26:53,839 --> 00:26:55,799 and you know, do you have the heart to make 668 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,319 it through you? And all that, and it's almost like 669 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,839 I was like not saying saved by this person, but 670 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,519 you know, when you find love again after a breakup, 671 00:27:02,559 --> 00:27:05,359 it's like almost everything's in color and it's wonderful and 672 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,920 springs in bloom. So the second half of Selling the 673 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,880 Sea is about the faith and hope that my girlfriend 674 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,240 now gave me, you know, so it's so it's kind 675 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,079 of yeah, so that that song, Yeah, it's nice. 676 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:18,799 Speaker 3: I bet really nice, hopeful chin. 677 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: I bet she likes it too. 678 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 3: Yeah. 679 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, she actually said to me, well, she came to 680 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,759 one of my shows in York last year and she 681 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,160 was like, you're going to have a song about me 682 00:27:29,279 --> 00:27:32,880 because these are all about your exits, like and then 683 00:27:33,839 --> 00:27:35,480 so there was the second half of that, and then 684 00:27:35,559 --> 00:27:37,440 a Ship of Bones, which is the last track on 685 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,880 the album, was exclusively about her, you know, which is 686 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:41,359 really nice. 687 00:27:41,559 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 3: You know, so she's made up about that and so 688 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:44,279 you know, so it's all good. 689 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: Oh, good, good, very good. Well, so we'll play that 690 00:27:47,039 --> 00:27:47,440 in a moment. 691 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 2: But before we let you goalie, what where should people 692 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,160 go online? Where's the best place to go to keep 693 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,480 up with everything that you're doing as the Far North? 694 00:27:54,519 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 1: Where should people go? 695 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 4: I'm more prevalent on Instagram than anything else. So I 696 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,519 think that Instagram is the Far North music, and the 697 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,279 likes of Twitter and Facebook and TikTok it's just the 698 00:28:04,279 --> 00:28:05,200 Far North music. 699 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:05,759 Speaker 3: And I'm on there. 700 00:28:05,799 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 4: I post most days, you know, I always reply to people. 701 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,279 There's been a massive kind of avalanche of people just 702 00:28:12,279 --> 00:28:14,480 getting in contact since the album came out, really, you 703 00:28:14,519 --> 00:28:17,200 know when obviously it hit like a couple of charts 704 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,000 and stuff, and obviously it's found its way all you know, 705 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,359 all the way over to the us of a your 706 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,599 good self, you know. Yeah, so it stuns me really, 707 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:27,720 I just kind of think, like, holy moldly, like what 708 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:31,440 is happening here? So it's just great that people getting 709 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,240 in contact. So anyone that want to wants to reach out, 710 00:28:34,319 --> 00:28:35,359 you know, they're more than welcome. 711 00:28:35,559 --> 00:28:37,759 Speaker 1: I always reply excellent, excellent. 712 00:28:38,039 --> 00:28:40,559 Speaker 2: Well we will let you go. We'll hit that track 713 00:28:40,599 --> 00:28:42,680 in a moment. But Lee Wilding of the Far North, 714 00:28:42,839 --> 00:28:44,559 thank you so much. We will definitely have to do 715 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,559 this again in the future and really appreciate you joining 716 00:28:47,599 --> 00:28:48,079 us today. 717 00:28:48,759 --> 00:28:50,559 Speaker 3: No, it's been my pleasure. Thank you very much for 718 00:28:50,599 --> 00:28:52,119 having me on. Mate. Thank you all. 719 00:28:52,079 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: Right, you got to Lee. We'll talk to you soon, 720 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:54,880 I'm sure, take care. 721 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,759 Speaker 3: Thanks mate, Bye bye, okay, bye bye. All right. 722 00:28:57,799 --> 00:29:01,319 Speaker 2: That is Lee Wilding Is project is The Far North. 723 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,240 And here's another great track from the new album. This 724 00:29:04,319 --> 00:29:06,000 is called Sailor and the Sea. 725 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:07,319 Speaker 1: The Far North