Interview: James Lavelle of UNKLE
Conducted by Tsega Dinka & Mark Walat
With its third full-length release,
War Stories, British outfit UNKLE is sure to surprise and delight its many fans. Unique among UNKLE’s albums,
War Stories relies primarily on live instrumentation to create its multi-textured, genre-busting sound. The group called on friends such as Marilyn Manson’s Twiggy Ramirez (bass), Psychonauts’ Pablo Clements (synths), Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws (guitar) and others to help flesh out the songs. The result is UNKLE’s most organic and intimate release to date. We recently caught up with UNKLE mastermind James Lavelle to discuss the new album, the group’s current tour, and Lavelle’s new label Surrender All, among other topics.
The new album sounds great. I wanted to talk to you about the first single, “Burn My Shadow.” It was recorded a couple of years back. It was the first track that was done for the album. What was it like recording the track and what, if any, personal significance does the song have for you? It was the first track that started the relationship with Chris Goss. Ian (Brown) introduced me to Chris and we thought it would be a good idea for us to record a track together. That was recorded about a year before the album was then recorded. It was kind of the seed for what we wanted to do with the record. And the process was really enjoyable. In that respect, it was pretty significant in that it was the track that started everything off.
Concerning the track’s subject matter, it seems to be about casting out one’s devils, and it really seems to be an introspective song. Did the subject matter have a lot of significance to you at the time? Yeah, definitely. Me and Ian were going through changes and relationship things. There is a lot of personal stuff in that song. But I think more from Ian really.
It definitely comes through in the song and in the video. Great video by the way. Thanks.
So after that, you went into the desert sessions in Joshua Tree and did all of these recordings. Did the location have any influence on the sound of the record? Yeah, definitely. You know, not all of the songs were recorded in the desert, but some of them were. It was a great writing period and a great place to let go and throw yourself into the recording process. In that way, it was a huge influence because it really opened us up. It was very pivotal to me. That’s where I started singing. It was where a lot of my and Rich File’s best moments in our own songs came from. A lot of the other tracks were done in different places and weren’t done in the desert. Some were done in L.A., some were done in London.
It’s interesting that you brought up the desert was a good place to let go, because you seem to keep going back to that theme of letting go. Your label is Surrender All, for instance. Does that seem to be a running theme in your life at this time? Yeah, I think so for me. And I think for a lot of people around me. Maybe it’s just my age, I don’t know. It’s just what I’ve been through in my life. The only way I move forward is by letting go of things.
Let’s talk a bit about your record label. What are your plans for it? Do you have anyone in mind currently that you would like to work with? To be honest, at the moment it’s just for me to put out my own records. I really don’t want to have another Mo' Wax situation. So I’m doing this record right now. We did the music for a documentary (
Odyssey in Rome). It’s about Abel Ferrara, the New York film director. That’s closing the New York Film and Video Festival. So we may put that soundtrack out. But at the moment I’m just working on the record really. It’s enough work as it is, doing live shows, you know. We’re only two weeks into it.
I saw you had a show lineup for your European tour. Do you have a lineup for the U.S.? There’s been some talk about an L.A. show. There’s talk. We’re just trying to work it all out at the moment.
Can you talk a bit about what you have in store for the current tour? How does it differ from your past tours? Well, it’s live. So it’s a band. It’s drums, bass, guitar, keyboards. Me, Gavin (Clark) and Rich (File) on vocals. And then, depending on where we are, the guests may be able to do some shows. We’re going to do some shows, I think, with Leila (Moss) from the Duke Spirit. And maybe some shows later in the year with Ian Astbury, hopefully. It’s sort of a mixture of visuals, vocals from existing tracks and a band playing, and tracks that we’re singing ourselves. So it’s kind of a mixture of different things as a show. But that’s kind of the nature of where the records come from. It has an element of electronic music in that respect, so it’s kind of an electronic show, but it’s also a more traditional rock show.
Speaking of rock, I’ve noticed there was one track where you worked with the L.A. band Autolux. How did that come about? My manager released their record in the U.K., in Europe. And I heard them and really liked it. When I was in L.A., we hooked up and it came from that.
It would be cool to see them join you for the tour in the U.S. Yeah, hopefully something like that will happen.
Can you talk a bit more about what’s influencing the themes and content of the new album? Are you still pulling from sci-fi themes? This record is about very organic things. Love, life, sex, drugs, feelings. It’s a feelings record. It’s not very conceptual in that way at all.
There’s been a special edition of the album that was released in England. It comes with a CD with the instrumental tracks, another CD with the proper album, and a booklet of artwork and other material. Can you talk about your unique approach to packaging and your collaborations with artists for your albums? We worked with 3D from Massive Attack on the artwork for this album. And Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones—a design and photography duo. Will Bankhead has always done photos for UNKLE and myself. And [Ben] Drury, who designed the other UNKLE records. In the limited edition, there’s a 50-page booklet with photos and images we’ve collected for the record basically. I’ve worked on the record for a few years, so I think it’s important to present it in the most beautiful way possible. With the current scheme of things, MP3s seem to rule the record-buying public’s lives. I just hope that something that has a bit more effort put into it will be appreciated by fans.
Speaking of MP3s, where do you stand with the illegal sharing of music files? Besides releasing work with great packaging, are there any other things you’re doing to fight off the illegal sharing of your work? No, I appreciate what goes on. I think it’s a part of what it’s about. But I think there’s a degree where it’s positive and a degree where it’s negative. If I didn’t make any money on this record, then there won’t be another record. So there is a reality and an economic issue that one has to address. I also find that if a record comes out the day after mastering, and it’s been on the internet for six months because that’s how long it takes to manufacture and produce the packaging and the artwork…people can get bored quickly. So people have to be patient sometimes. I don’t know what effects it’s going to have on this record. If I’m going to be able to sell enough records to make another one or not.
Let’s veer off from the music for a little bit and talk about life in general. I know you have a daughter. How does she feel about your music? Does she listen to it? She likes part of it. Some parts she finds funny. She’s a young girl, you know. She came to one of my shows last week, and she had a great time. We have a great relationship. It think she’s excited by it. But I think she’s still trying to understand it.
Are you DJing out there these days? No, not at the moment. We’re just doing live shows right now.
Who are your current influences? When you look around at the playing field right now, who’s doing the most exciting work to you? I’m so not focused on things like that right now. I’m just in my little bubble just trying to get this off the ground. I’m looking forward to hearing the new Radiohead record. I’m really intrigued to hear what that’s going to be like. As far as new bands, I’m not really up on things right now. I’m not in the headspace right now.
To get back to the album, it starts off with the words “Please forgive me” and the last tracks ends with “All is forgiven.” Is this you specifically asking for forgiveness or a more general theme? Does it have a deeper meaning for you? I have my own personal things which I’m not going to relinquish to anybody. It can mean whatever you want it to mean. But for me, it has a certain meaning, but that stuff’s just for me.
