- Mon, 2010-08-09 16:06
Born to parents who ran a folk club, the world of Seth Lakeman was musical from day one. His public career began in 1994 when he and his two brothers, Sam and Sean, released a very well received debut, though it wasn’t until 2002 that he struck out on his own with The Punch Bowl. Follow up Kitty Jay received a Mercury Prize nomination, and Lakeman’s profile has continued to grow ever since. With the recent release of his most commercially accessible album to date, Hearts and Minds, his assault on the common consciousness has been stepped up yet another gear.
Seth took a break from painting the walls of his house to chat to I Like Music about the increasing mainstream popularity of folk, balancing tradition with innovation, shaking up his style for the new record and how life on the dole spurred him on to make music his career.
“I Like Music because…it makes me feel better about everything else I do in life.” Seth Lakeman
ILM: Folk has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years, why do you think that is?
Seth: It is indeed a very exciting time for folk and acoustic music. There’s an important divide to recognise though; I see a lot of it just as acoustic singer-songwriter music. I definitely see that as quite different from folk. It is still important for the genre to have that described as folk music though, whether you’re looking at it from the traditionalist point of view, or whether you're moving social commentary forward and writing contemporary songs. It can only really be good for all hand-made music.
ILM: Hand-made music, that’s a good term!
Seth: Yeah, someone used that term the other day and I really liked it! It really encompasses everyone and everything that they’re doing. Folk music is really for the people, by the people. That is originally what it was; oral communication. I see that as something that all of these artists are doing, albeit in a slightly more subjective way, like Mumford & Sons or Laura Marling. It’s still important and they’ve still got an acoustic sound that’s breaking down boundaries. They’re getting into the Radio 1 consciousness and onto mainstream TV, which is only great for acoustic music generally.
ILM: Why do you think we've seen such a surge in popularity for hand-made music?
Seth: I would probably say that the reason behind the proliferation is something to do with the internet, and how that’s allowed control to go back into the listener’s hands. People have been able to sell themselves as singer-songwriters, helped by open mics like those Communion are doing. People now have the control to pick the kind of music that they want to enjoy, rather than just the music the record company lets them hear.
ILM: Folk music has very traditional roots. How do you work with those traditions and push the music forward at the same time?
Seth: I’ve always been interested in the story behind a song, and a journey within a song. Narrative always plays a big part in my music, certainly with the earlier stuff, though not so much with Hearts And Minds. I’ve stepped away from that towards being slightly more subjective and a bit subtler. But the earlier records of mine were definitely directly influenced by local people around this area and researching stories and events that had happened in the past around the West Country. So it was a really conscious effort to remain historically correct, but also to try and make it interesting for people to listen to. I built up the verses, but tried to have a chorus that people could identify with and find interesting. It is a fine balance trying to write contemporary folk songs, there’s no doubt.
ILM: You say your lyrical approach changed on Hearts and Minds, did that affect your song writing process and method of making the album as a whole?
Seth: Yeah, I guess that did change. I consciously made a step to write in a different way. When I started writing it about 18 months ago my friends had just been really hit by the recession. I started writing about social commentary regarding hard-working women and men, and about taking a stand against the people up in London who seemed to be incredibly greedy. All sorts of people down here all along the South were suffering, and that was something that I was conscious of. I wrote about twenty or twenty-five songs for this record, and I have to say that the folkier songs haven’t necessarily made the cut. It’s a more universal, contemporary sound. In a way I tried to move things forward. I was making this record for Virgin Records, and that was a consideration of mine.
ILM: How would you describe your studio process?
Seth: It was pretty much all written before we went to the studio, and we’d been touring it. Then we came back off the tour and went into the studio for about three weeks and recorded it all. It was done very, very quickly. We were very spontaneous with a lot of the ideas. Most of it had been worked out in the live formula, so it felt natural. Hopefully it flows well, and each song seems to be a good example of how we work together as musicians. It’s sonically a bit more edgy than before.
ILM: What do you look forward to the most about playing live?
Seth: It’s great fun playing live! That’s probably the most exciting part of music. The ability to play in front of a whole new audience and create a completely different atmosphere every night when you’re on the road is a very special thing. I feel very privileged to be able to play a part in that, and sing songs that seem to make people happy of an evening.
ILM: Did you always know that music was what you wanted to do?
Seth: I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to work within music. I was never really sure that I was going to be a songwriter. I always knew I was going to be a violinist, whether that was playing jazz, swing or traditional tunes. As I grew up, in my twenties, I began to write more lyrics and experiment with songs. I think that’s how I grew as an artist, and then I guess I found a niche that seemed to work and be something unique for the sound of wooden, handmade instruments. A big part of that was being tucked away on Dartmoor and just being intent on finding a career in what I was doing. I was definitely on the dole when I wrote Kitty Jay! I think that whole situation had a massive part in finding that unique sound.
ILM: Having been through that, what advice would you give to someone who’s now in that position, trying to find a place for themselves in the music industry?
Seth: I think more than ever you need to be able to stand out from the crowd. There are so many talented singers and writers out there that you really need to have something that’s unique. Just generally, these days people are more impatient when it comes to entertainment. Be it film, theatre or art, you need to press them quicker. Of course, songs are the most important part, but having a story behind that is important too, and preferably one that you can sell to the press or public. They want to be able to identify something in three words. That’s a big part of how people sell things these days.
ILM: I suppose that’s something one should consider from the start, before somebody decides for you...
Seth: Absolutely. If you can mould that yourself, and hand it to them as a seed of an idea, you’re in a very strong position. As long as you can also sit or stand up there and do something that the people find enjoyable to watch!
ILM: What have you been listening to recently?
Seth: I’ve been painting walls today and listening to the Eagles! I’ve been listening to Jack Browne as well, and I was listening to Midlake’s The Courage Of Others last night. That’s great. I bought Ed Harcourt’s new record, Lustre, which I think is fantastic. There’s a local singer-songwriter called Ben Howard, who’s got a record that I love. So lots of different stuff really!
ILM: What have you got planned for the future?
Seth: I’ll probably start writing another record in September. I’ve got quite a lot of that together already. We’ll be going out on the Hearts and Minds tour in October and throughout the autumn. That’ll be theatres and academies and stuff. We’re really excited about that. I reckon that by this time next year I’ll have another album ready to come out. That’s the idea!
ILM: Are you always coming up with new musical ideas?
Seth: Yeah. To be honest, I don’t have many hobbies! Music’s my only real hobby; I’m probably a bit obsessive! But I get a buzz out of crafting a song and seeing it come together, so I’m always doing it!
