September 2006

EvolutionOfMedia.com - posted September 29th 2006:

Title:
Shamus Dark: Man Of Mystery

Artist:
Shamus Dark

Interview By:
Jeff Brown

Intro:

Shamus Dark's album Songs For Suicidal Lovers is one of the best albums of 2006, and should be a fixture in everyone's home. He granted us a rare interview, for which Evolution Of Media's own Jeff Brown was up for the task of delving deeper into the man's world. Here are the results...

Interview:
Why have you chosen to mix jazz standards with a modern sound?

Well, we wanted to bring these fantastic songs into the 21st century. Look, most of songs that are now known as "jazz standards" weren't originally jazz at all. I mean, most of the stuff by Gershwin, Porter, Rogers and Hart, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen et al were originally show songs and were mostly sung in a different way, quite straight with an orchestral backing that sounds a bit bland by today's standards and regarded now as old fashioned. Even the great swing and jazz bands of the 1930's and 40's like Paul Whiteman, Tommy Dorsey, King Oliver etc are largely forgotten, except for the cognoscenti. I guess Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Nat Cole and a few other great singers, together with some wonderful musicians and arrangers like Neil Hefti, Count Basie, Nelson Riddle, Ben Webster, Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones and Billy Strayhorn, brought about a musical change of tack that booted all this material into the 'swing' and 'jazz' we know today. And this approach is still going on, with these classic songs being sung by 20 or 30 somethings using very similar, or even copying, arrangements and styles from the 40's and 50's.
So, Pete [Millward, producer] and I discussed all this stuff and agreed we didn't want to go down the same road. Pete suggested we take the swing out completely and approach these songs in a new way; from scratch, so to speak. We've concentrated on atmosphere and mood and tried to let the songs speak for themselves. The idea is to find a new, and probably younger, audience who have never heard such gems as “I Get Along Without You Very Well” and “Good Morning Heartache” etc.

Why do you connect with songs written in the 1930's and 40's?

I was brought up on them. My ma was a huge Sinatra fan and we'd listen to him, or maybe Ella Fitzgerald when I was a boy, while I was helping her in the kitchen. She was also a big film-goer, so when I was a bit older, she took me to see The Asphalt Jungle, Laura, The Killers, that sort of stuff. Although I didn't realize it at the time, that whole "noir" period had a very powerful effect on me later on.

Why do you think the two original tracks and the Joy Division cover
("Atmosphere") fit in so well with the standards?

Well, these tracks came later, when we'd, sort of, found a direction to go with the old songs. Pete wrote the two original songs and arranged “Atmosphere“, so I think he just kept to the same feel. It turned out really well, with no discernible change in mood at all.

On your website you have made comments on each track from Songs For Suicidal Lovers. Most artists don't take time for this. What made you want to give your thoughts?

I'm fascinated with the history of the material. Especially songs like “Angel Eyes“, which is associated with Sinatra and Ava Gardner. Actually, I'd like to go into more depth, but I'll wait and see whether anyone responds to the comments.

According to your website you have had a diverse and, at most times, hard life. How has this influenced your singing?

It's difficult to be objective about that. Someone wrote recently that they thought my voice sounded world-weary. If that's the case, I don't mind. The main thing is to believe what you're singing.

Given your interesting life story, have you considered writing your own vocal material?

I have written some stuff, although that was years ago. I'm trying out a couple of new songs which may appear on the next album. That'll be up to Pete!

Peter Millward (Celestial series) has been instrumental in the production of your album. Do you think this will limit you to his audience?

Not at all. Pete's work on Celestial is, in some ways, experimental. Now, experimental music is never going to have a huge audience. Radio stations don't give it much airtime, so it's always going to be, kind of niche. Songs For Suicidal Lovers, on the other hand, is a collection of classic love songs that will probably have a much wider appeal. I've been surprised at the positive comments we've had from people of all ages.

The musicians on your album were recorded all over the world. How do you think their performances added to Songs For Suicidal Lovers?

The contributions have been mostly stunning, I should say. I might add that Eugene Pao's guitar work is particularly brilliant. I didn't hear any of musicians until I'd finished the vocals. Pete then sent me the mixes with harmonica, sitar etc and I was just blown away.

Do you plan on a performance tour?

That's a very nice thought. If somebody comes up with an offer, I'll take it!

Are there any plans for a second Shamus Dark Album?

Definitely. There's a whole load of songs we didn't get round to recording that we're dying to do. Songs like “When Your Lover Has Gone” and “Laura” got left off this time round, mainly because there was so much material to choose from, but I hope they'll be on the follow up, together with more original material. We've also discussed doing a couple of Jacques Brel songs.