Stereoboard Talk To Seth Lakeman Ahead Of The Release Of New Album ‘Tales From The Barrel 'House'
Friday, 30 March 2012
Written by Daniel Clark
Most famous for his Mercury nominated album 'Kitty Jay' and now set loose from the shackles of commercial record labels, folk’s coolest son and virtuoso fiddler Seth Lakeman took some time out to talk disused mine shafts and art deco caravans ahead of the release of his latest album ‘Tales from the Barrel House’ with Stereoboard's Dan Clark.
Hi Seth, you’re a really busy man at the moment, what with your UK tour coming to an end and the release of your new album, ‘Tales from the Barrel House’ coming out on April 2nd. What’s next?
Yeah its been hectic recently! I’m currently in London recording some music for BBC World Service Sessions which is going well, then I’m recording some podcasts, doing some promo work and then off to Australia next week for a week long tour, I can’t wait!
The release of your album, ‘Tales from the Barrel House’ comes hot on the heels of your UK tour, what have been the highlights or stand out moments for you?
This might surprise you but I would have to say Leamington Spa Ballroom, you might not expect it to be a hotbed for music enthusiasts but the crowd there are always really good and the venue is beautiful. It’s got an art deco vibe to it with this great little caravan at the back of the stage and the atmosphere there is always fantastic.
You’re off to Amsterdam and Germany next, being a Devonshire lad how is your music received in Europe? And what, if anything are you particularly looking forward to?
I am really looking forward to playing The Grote Zaal in Amsterdam,
it’s a really famous old venue and again a very beautiful place to play and of course touring Germany as well. I would say that there ‘s definitely a folk scene going on in Europe although it’s slightly different to the UK, they actually really like there Celtic music out there.
I went to see you play Bournemouth’s Old Firestation earlier in March and also saw you perform at the Bunkfest Festival in Wallingford a few years ago. Your live performances are certainly high energy and get the crowd dancing, do you think this might be somewhat removed from the stereotypical perception of folk music as Old men with bug bushy beards wearing knitted jumpers and smoking pipes?
Hah! Yeah I used to visit the Old Firestation about 10 years ago when it was just a club, I’d never played there before but it was a really good night! I think the perception of folk music is definitely changing although I’d say that it does have a very universal appeal and anything I can do to attract people to the genre can only be a good thing.
Would you say the image of folk music is also changing due to the emergence of talents such as yourself, Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling and Ben Howard?
Yeah of course although I would label those acts more as singer/ songwriters whereas I like to think I’m a bit more rootsy folk so I wouldn’t necessarily lump us all in together but anyone who can bring more people into that kind of music can only be a good thing.
Talking of changing the image of folk music, you recently played a show with the BBC Concert Orchestra in Plymouth, what was that all about!?
Yeah it was really cool evening, we played 6 of my songs, me and a 72 piece orchestral arrangement! Definitely very daunting and edgy but I think it’s good to put yourself out there, push yourself and try new things you know.
We mentioned earlier your latest album, ‘Tales from the Barrel House’ which is due out on Monday, I’ve heard you recorded parts of it in a disused mine shaft? Where exactly did you record the album?
Yeah, it was pretty out there really. We recoded it at a place called Morwellan Quay, an Old Barrel House, hence the name of the album. For the track ‘More than Money’ we actually went down an old cooper mine shaft to record it and to try and get a real acoustic, edgy sound. We were down there for about an hour so it was a very quick recording in comparison to the normal amount of time it takes to record a track. I just felt it would really add to that hands on workman like feel that I wanted to capture on this record.
A lot of singer/songwriters choose to write about their own life experiences but on ‘Tales from the Barrel House’ you seem to be telling the tales of other peoples lives, what was the concept behind the album?
Yeah I am telling all these old stories and tales that belong to other people and I’d like to think of myself as a mouthpiece for all those old tales and stories, the album is very much based around peoples jobs, people working with their hands and getting dirty, we even went as far as to sample noises such as the anvil and hammer on tracks like the ‘Blacksmiths Prayer’ to try and catch that feel and sound.
Your 2nd album, 'Kitty Jay' was nominated for a mercury music prize, how much is commercial recognition important to you or is it more about doing what you enjoy?
Obviously commercial recognition is great for record sales and getting your music out there to as many people as possible but for me it has to be doing what you enjoy and that’s what we did with this album. If you’re enjoying yourself when you play and record then hopefully that will come through in your music as a positive thing.
Do you think that splitting from your old record company, Virgin Records, has helped you be more yourself and helped loosen the shackles and let you record something as risqué as ‘Tales form the Barrel House’?
Yeah of course, I guess you could say that the chains were broken and I was set loose! I was able to go and do what I wanted which was great and without that freedom this album would never have been made. It’s been liberating to go out there and be able to do what I want without worrying too much. To have been given the freedom to create this really edgy record and do something a bit different is a really positive thing for me.
And lastly Seth, if you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?
Good question! I think I’d like to be a carpenter or at least something along those lines, something where you work with your hands like the people on my album!
Seth Lakeman will release his new album 'Tales From The Barrel House' on Monday 2nd April.
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I went to see you play Bournemouth’s Old Firestation earlier in March and also saw you perform at the Bunkfest Festival in Wallingford a few years ago. Your live performances are certainly high energy and get the crowd dancing, do you think this might be somewhat removed from the stereotypical perception of folk music as Old men with bug bushy beards wearing knitted jumpers and smoking pipes?
