INTERVIEW: James Blunt
- Posted on March 28, 2008 3:25 PM
- 3 comments
Interview by Zarina Raja
James Blunt. You either love him or hate him. No matter what your stance, you can't deny the man respect for the number of units he shifts. But, with musical success, comes attention. It's a tough life. Sure, some songwriters evade the spotlight with ease, others (yes James) are followed by society's prying eye. Do we really care who Mr Blunt is banging? Do we need to know what he eats for breakfast and how he's spends his evenings? Not really. It's pretty obvious he doesn't think so either.
We caught up with James ahead of the release of his new single ‘Carry You Home’ and in an attempt to bring some new questions to the floor, asked you (the fans) to send in your suggestions. We did the asking and a very articulate musician fired out the answers - with you guessed it, military precision. A word of warning - James has a backlog of bog-standard answers stored in his shaggy-haired head that'd rival your Grandma's china collection. If you want to bond with this artist, skip the celebrity bulls*** and cut straight to the musical chase.
I just recently read an interview with where you stated that sometimes you find interview questions a little tedious. What is the one question that you would like a journalist to ask you?
Would you like a plate? I guess that would be a nice question.
What would your answer be?
Yes.
I guess, along the way, I speak a lot about of things and not much has to do with music. I struggle through a lot of the interviews because they are more interested in the celebrity world than music. As a musician, I have a massive passion and a massive enthusiasm for it. Also, I think it is really important to talk about in the first place because, as humans, it is a really amazing form of communication that we have. People that don’t necessarily speak my language still feel the songs. For me, that is really important to talk about. I have also made an album that I’m over the moon with. It really captures the great musicianship of my band.
I have some fan questions for you. Purple62 wants to know if you fear your fan status. I think they want to know how you feel about the interest in your private life?
I’m not a celebrity – I am a musician. I really like getting up on stage every day and playing live while everyone is singing the words back to us. As a group of musicians, we test each other every day, and for that, we are having a good old time.
I know that you don’t like to talk about your military past too much but I am intrigued about your jump from the army and into music.
I set out to be a musician when I was fourteen-years-old. I had a day job but I was always going to focus on music.
You have had major musical success. Is it not hard to find significance in something like this when you have worked in war-torn countries and, I imagine, seen some very sad things?
Music is really important. It takes us away from just being animals – it is art. I think that it is a real asset to being a human on the first place. I played in Kosovo about eighteen months ago to some Serbs and Albanians – all in one room. Previously, their families had just been murdering each other. But, for an hour and a half, they sat in a room and were united; it didn’t matter what sex, race or religion they were. I think music is an amazing connecter because it brings people together.
Did the army prepare you for the brutality of the music industry?
I guess the army involves itself in real things but the music industry, although supposedly dealing with something that is very pure, often loses itself in the notion of what people look like or what clothes they are wearing. So no, the army doesn’t prepare you for those human constructs that the music industry creates.
Chris Todd wants to know what you thought about Noel Gallagher selling his house in Ibiza because he didn’t want to be near you writing songs.
I don’t think he actually said that. It was a story in The Sun which said ‘A source said…’ I think basically that the Editor in the office said…Also, would you really sell your house because someone else was on the same island?
Do these story fabrications happen a lot to you?
I’m sure you have seen it before where 95% of things are made up. They are glorified story tellers.
Salah says: I enjoyed your performance in Lille on March 15th. At the end of the show, you took a picture of the crowd with your own camera. Can you share this picture with us?
I can, yes! I put it up on the screen when we finish our show so that we can see all the different audiences we have had in the different places.
You new single, Carry You Home, is out on the 24th. Talk to me a bit about that.
It’s a really sad song about a girl at her lowest moments – her darkest time I guess – who has hit rock bottom. It is about the isolation that you feel and the loneliness. The song is trying to share the burden I suppose.
Imad Zouein wants to know if you will make it to Lebanon, despite the political tension over there.
I’d really like to go and visits. I hear it’s an amazing place.
Another fan, Pedro, gave me his number so you could play in his club over there!
How funny. Well, I will have to make sure that I do at some stage.
You’re very environmentally aware. Do you have any projects running along side your music at the moment?
During the UK tour we took Friends of the Earth. They came along to teach us and the audience so they could learn about it if they wanted too. At the same time, we are trying to put pressure on the government to push the global warming and climate change problem.
Back to Bedlam is the biggest selling album of the 21st century. What does that leave for you to achieve in your career?
Well, it depends on how you define success. I am really lucky to have had commercial success but for me, as a musician, success is about making subsequent albums and to grow and develop. I am really excited by All the Lost Souls because you can see that journey as a song-writer.
Julie wants to know if you have already started writing new songs for the next album.
I am focusing on All the Lost Souls at the moment because we are touring it for the next year. I am really enjoying playing the songs live and finding out where we can take them from the studio. Along the way though, I get musical ideas and new lyrical expressions. When I get a chance to stop, I will collect them all and begin on the new album.
Which city or country are you most looking forward to performing in?
Well, really, I am looking forward to September when I get to stop! We have some pretty amazing places coming up though; we are off to South East Asia soon and then Australia. I think Sydney will be one that I look forward to.
What is a James Blunt live experience like?
A lot of people are surprised about how alive it is and how up tempo it is. My band play like a 70s Rock band. It’s really fun!
Are you a festival goer?
I haven’t had a chance to recently. Glastonbury is a firm favourite – it was one of the highlights of my career.
Stay tuned for more insight into James Blunt.
James’ new single ‘Carry You Home’ out Monday 24th March.
Take a look at the video here.
Related links:
James Blunt's official site.
James Blunt on MySpace.
James Blunt concert tickets.
Comments (3)
purple62
hi Zarina
thank you for this excellent interview and post some questions of the members of our forum. Anita
Posted on March 29, 2008 6:16 AM
Chris Todd
Cool piece, however....
*Quote* -
"I guess, along the way, I speak a lot about things and not much has to do with music".
Well, if I was creating something so brain meltingly bland as Blunt then i'd be keeping quiet about it too
Posted on March 31, 2008 5:14 PM
Mrs Jayne Telling
It is my sons 18th birthday on the day of the Sheffield Arena concert and would to be able to get him backstage as a surprise for him and 3 friends. Is this possible in any way
Posted on September 2, 2008 4:48 PM
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