Rock Music 4 ALL

In only his second interview aside from his website since returning to the music industry early in 2007 Scots-born rock musician Bob Findlay spoke to me about his soon-to-be-released third album since his comeback, “Rough and Ready”, due for release on August, 15th.

Below is a transcript of our conversation about the album.

G.R: So how are you feeling about the release of the album, Bob?

B.F: Like everything else I guess. I’ll just have to wait and see. From the mail that I’ve been recieving things are looking pretty good.

G.R: A few months ago you announced that you were going to focus on releasing your songs individually in mp3 format. What made you change your mind?

B.F: Well, for starters, nothing’s permenant but I’ve recieved so many requests from people that have supported me since getting back into the music that I thought it was the very least that I could do to thank them.

G.R: How would you compare the the album to your most recent two albums.

B.F: It’s a bit of a departure in a way I suppose but it certainly wasn’t deliberate. The last two albums had a lot of older songs that I hadn’t recorded.

G.R: So how would you describe this album in its’ own right?

B.F: I’m not really sure. It’s not as ‘predictable’ as the first two. There’s a bit more variety but it’s still very much me. Someone called my style ’swagger-rock’ and it’s sort of caught on with people.

G.R: By ‘variety’, what do you mean?

B.F: Well there’s less standard rockers for a start. I’ve paid more attention to vocal phrasing as well. The songs are much more story-like. It’s not an album for the casual listener. It’s very much a song for the analyst.

G.R: In what way?

B.F: Well, as I said, the songs are more story-like which is why I paid more attention to the phrasing. The guitar work is more diverse too. There’s lots of ‘meshing’ and planned slightly off-beats that seem to work, which is harder to do than to play straight. I’ve had quite a few people say that I sound like The Rolling Stones fronted by Warren Zevon. I quite fancy that notion.

G.R: Where are the songs derived from, Bob?

B.F: Dreams, usually. I have very vivid dreams. Some are the result of an overheard comment or something that I may have heard on the telly. That sort of thing.

G.R: Are there any songs based on fact?

B.F: There are. Two to be precise. One of them is a dead giveaway to anyone who knows me personally.

G.R: What about the other one?

B.F: That was taken as a personal attack by people that I don’t even know and who don’t even know me.

G.R: So it is a personal attack, then?

B.F: It is but it stems back to the early 90s and I changed the gender of the person I was having a shot at. Quite a lot of strangers missed that. I’ve re-worked the guitars from what’s available in mp3 format but the lyrics haven’t been touched.

G.R: You’re producing, promoting and distributing the album yourrself, Bob. Why is that?

B.F: Well I haven’t been flooded by requests from anyone willing to do it for me and I refuse to promote it through companies that want cash upfront or monthly subscriptions.

G.R: Why is that?

B.F: Mainly on principle. Once they’ve got your cash they don’t have to promote you as hard. They’re not really putting much faith in themselves by working on that basis. You get a fancy label on your album and randomised advertising but the commercial market is so flooded by ‘rising stars’ that the odds are still pretty slim.

G.R: So you don’t consider yourself a rising star then?

B.F: That’s the last thing I’d want to be. I’m quite content just recording. The fact that some people dig it is a bonus.

G.R: The working title of the album was “Curved World”. Where did that come from?

B.F: I had to have a name for the music files that I have and that just sprung to mind.

G.R: What made you decide on “Rough and Ready”?

B.F: I guess it sums up the album and me to some extent. On initial presentation it may seem rough but closer analysis will show that it can’t get any more ready than it is, to my mind anyway.

G.R: Well thanks for your time Bob. I hope that the album does well.

B.F: If it does then it does. Time will tell me.