Where are you from?
London, England, Earth, Solar System, The Universe.
So let's start with how the lot of you started making music together. Could you talk about that please?
Well I was writing all these songs and I thought if I am gonna put myself through the torture and embarrassment of playing them live, then I may as well be in good company while I'm doing it. I think I started writing the songs to reassure myself about certain things and almost to just make myself feel better.
What had you deciding on the name "Noah and the Whale"?
It’s to do with a movie.
You have a very particular sound as well—you've been described as "folk-punk" a lot. How did you go about developing your sound?
I think has a lot to do with how everyone in the band plays. I mean I had an initial vision for how I wanted the songs to sound and I guess I wanted to try and make something that could sound sort of ragged and delicate at the same time.
What are your major musical influences?
Thanksgiving, Adrian Orange, Daniel Johnston, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Jeffrey Lewis, Dylan, Waits, Beach Boys, Buddy Holly, Diane Cluck and Jonathan Richman.
Do you have other influences—such as influences in art or literature or film?
Definitely I think a lot of our music is very filmic and I am huge movie fan, in fact hopefully we're making a short film this year. Also a lot of our songs are influenced by the poetry of John Donne particularly 'Death Be Not Proud'.
Your video for your single 'Five Years Time' is very enjoyable as well. Was that video intentionally influenced at all by Wes Anderson?
Definitely but I think that’s largely because we thought that style would lend itself to the song.
I also wanted to know more about that song particularly.
I think the only way to really describe that song is to say that it's written from the dark looking out into the light. I mean it's a love song but it's a fantasy. I think you should always live your life by the philosophy that in 5 years time everything is gonna be even better no matter how happy you are. I wrote it after listening to a lot of Jonathan Richman and Herman Dune.
Could you talk also about your song 'The Shape of my Heart'?
Again that song is written for the lonely people, a party for the invited. A celebration of loneliness rather than a lament. I think the influences on that song are probably Neutral Milk Hotel and maybe Daniel Johnston.
Your videos in general are very particular. How do you going about deciding what sort of video you would like to make for each song?
I think it's important that visually the video represents the song, I don't think it has to be literal but as I said I think the songs are very filmic, they have a mood that can be transferred between the mediums.
I've also heard Emmy the Great is the one who sings the backing tracks. And is the "Laura" in the video Laura Marling?
She used to but Laura has been a member of the band now for about a year but she's obviously busy with her own project as well and yes she is in the videos.
Let's talk about Laura Marling first then. I know she is one of your frequent collaborators. How did she first become involved with the band?
I met her on tour and she really liked what I was doing and started singing with us and then asked me to produce her My Manic and I EP and arrange some songs for her band which I did and that went well so I got asked to produce the album. However I feel that it'll be a while before we work together again. I feel that we've now represented what we're capable of together on both our albums but need to have our independence artistically.
I wanted to go back and discuss Emmy the Great as well. How did you get involved collaborating with her?
She was one of the first people I met when I came to London and she gave me a place to stay and we started playing in each others band and stuff. London is a very insular place to make music.
Are there any plans for Noah and the Whale to come Stateside any time soon?
Yeah we're doing Lollapalooza in August and should be playing in New York and L.A on that trip.
So, what are your plans for the future?
The album is out in America on the 28th of July and so I guess we'll be touring that for a while. Then I'm already writing the next record so hopefully record that at the beginning of next year. Also make a short film!
London, England, Earth, Solar System, The Universe.
So let's start with how the lot of you started making music together. Could you talk about that please?
Well I was writing all these songs and I thought if I am gonna put myself through the torture and embarrassment of playing them live, then I may as well be in good company while I'm doing it. I think I started writing the songs to reassure myself about certain things and almost to just make myself feel better.
What had you deciding on the name "Noah and the Whale"?
It’s to do with a movie.
You have a very particular sound as well—you've been described as "folk-punk" a lot. How did you go about developing your sound?
I think has a lot to do with how everyone in the band plays. I mean I had an initial vision for how I wanted the songs to sound and I guess I wanted to try and make something that could sound sort of ragged and delicate at the same time.
What are your major musical influences?
Thanksgiving, Adrian Orange, Daniel Johnston, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Jeffrey Lewis, Dylan, Waits, Beach Boys, Buddy Holly, Diane Cluck and Jonathan Richman.
Do you have other influences—such as influences in art or literature or film?
Definitely I think a lot of our music is very filmic and I am huge movie fan, in fact hopefully we're making a short film this year. Also a lot of our songs are influenced by the poetry of John Donne particularly 'Death Be Not Proud'.
Your video for your single 'Five Years Time' is very enjoyable as well. Was that video intentionally influenced at all by Wes Anderson?
Definitely but I think that’s largely because we thought that style would lend itself to the song.
I also wanted to know more about that song particularly.
I think the only way to really describe that song is to say that it's written from the dark looking out into the light. I mean it's a love song but it's a fantasy. I think you should always live your life by the philosophy that in 5 years time everything is gonna be even better no matter how happy you are. I wrote it after listening to a lot of Jonathan Richman and Herman Dune.
Could you talk also about your song 'The Shape of my Heart'?
Again that song is written for the lonely people, a party for the invited. A celebration of loneliness rather than a lament. I think the influences on that song are probably Neutral Milk Hotel and maybe Daniel Johnston.
Your videos in general are very particular. How do you going about deciding what sort of video you would like to make for each song?
I think it's important that visually the video represents the song, I don't think it has to be literal but as I said I think the songs are very filmic, they have a mood that can be transferred between the mediums.
I've also heard Emmy the Great is the one who sings the backing tracks. And is the "Laura" in the video Laura Marling?
She used to but Laura has been a member of the band now for about a year but she's obviously busy with her own project as well and yes she is in the videos.
Let's talk about Laura Marling first then. I know she is one of your frequent collaborators. How did she first become involved with the band?
I met her on tour and she really liked what I was doing and started singing with us and then asked me to produce her My Manic and I EP and arrange some songs for her band which I did and that went well so I got asked to produce the album. However I feel that it'll be a while before we work together again. I feel that we've now represented what we're capable of together on both our albums but need to have our independence artistically.
I wanted to go back and discuss Emmy the Great as well. How did you get involved collaborating with her?
She was one of the first people I met when I came to London and she gave me a place to stay and we started playing in each others band and stuff. London is a very insular place to make music.
Are there any plans for Noah and the Whale to come Stateside any time soon?
Yeah we're doing Lollapalooza in August and should be playing in New York and L.A on that trip.
So, what are your plans for the future?
The album is out in America on the 28th of July and so I guess we'll be touring that for a while. Then I'm already writing the next record so hopefully record that at the beginning of next year. Also make a short film!
For more about Noah and the Whale, visit the band's MySpace.
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