‘I WOULD LIKE TO DO A GREAT HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL ABOUT VENUSIANS INVADING EARTH'
Pul ing power
Stephin Merritt’s musical ambitions know few boundaries, but what’s going on in the head of man from THE MAGNETIC FIELDS? David Pollock tries to find out.
n the world of singular musical talents. has there
eyer been one as yersalile. as playful. as downright
affecting as Slephin Merrill'.’ Not many. that’s for sure. In fact. you’d hayc to talk in terms of the Bowies of this world to find an artist as singularly committed to diycrsily and self-reinyenlion. in a musical sense at least.
Yet it all could haye been so much different for the New Yorker behind such wide-ranging projects as Future Bihlc lleroes. celehrily collaboration the (ilhs. the l.emony Snickel-soundlracking (iolhie Archies and
most heloycd of fans and the reason we‘re here ——— the Magnetic l5iclds. Had the multi-instrtimenlalisl. producer. programmer and \‘ttL‘ttlisl not decided to hone these diyerse talents r .- culminating in the release of the liields‘ debut album The ll'uyimn/ Bus in “)l m he might well haye decided to follow through the film career he began at college.
‘Yes. hut then I w as the world's worst filmmaker: Merrill ponders slo\\l_\. ‘Bul neither am I the world‘s best songwriter. . . although I‘m working on it.‘ But it‘s a credilahly modest comment from a man whose conyersalional technique is as inoffensiyely insidious as his music — all chhing pauses and flowing. eonslrucliye trains of thought.
01‘. when asked about his moyic soundtrack work (Merritt proyided music for James Bolton's lz'lmii and (barley and Peter lledgcs’ Katie llolmes-slarrcr l’iri'i's (ill-twill. Merrill riffs on the possibilities he sees. "l‘he first I did were requested in an 'indie-rock' style] he says. ‘Neyer again. What I would like to do is a great Hollywood musical ~-— I ltayc this idea I'm working on
about Ventisians inyading liarth. They create this record which makes eyeryone on the planet fall in line with the first person tltey see. and then they can gel on with iny'ading. but there are an odd number of people on liarlh. you see‘."
One thing that Merrill does seem nolahly disinterested in talking about is 1999's 3-(‘l) set 6‘) Low Songs. It‘s quite understandable. of course. because he probably said eycrylliing at the lime about the Magnetic liiclds‘ breakthrough alhum. one which was rightfully installed as among the Very best that year. Mclding ()9 amour- affilialcd songs encompassing a wide range of styles. the record is a rightly-reeognised modern masterpiece. earning Merrill comparisons with the likes of ('ole Porter. Morrisscy and eyen his heloycd ABBA. The thematic linkage is one he‘s happy to continue with this years i — setting himself the basic challenge to start eyery song with the letter ‘i‘. Merrill has once again created a genre-hopping and textured mini-maslerpiece.
‘(iiying the records a theme is not something I think about loo muchf he concludes. ‘lt itisl means I don't haye to think about a musical theme. so I can do whateyer I want with the sound. As for expressing myself through lyrics. I‘m not sure I hate a self to express'. He laughs. ‘I lake it all from films and hooks!.
Whether that makes him a pop star for the highbrow or \‘ice yersa. we‘re not quite sure . . .
The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Tue 26 Oct. i is out now on Nonesuch. Magnetic Fields’ earlier albums, including 69 Love Songs, are being reissued by Domino on 15 Nov.
2' Dizze Rascal It's Showtime! says Dizzee as his glam grime live circus rolls into town. This gig, pushing his quality second long player. is bound to win more converts to his cause. See surface noise for Dizzee giveaway. Carling Academy, Glasgow, Fri 22 Oct.
.> Scissor Sisters On the evidence of their festival gigs this summer, our cover stars from a few issues back (pictured) will prove why they're the smartest users of fake fur and disco records since 1977. SOLD OUT Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Sun 24 Oct; Barrow/and, Glasgow. Mon 25 Oct.
5 1 James Yorkston and Adem Now this is a proper double bill: two strident young men with fine nu-tolk songs and the vision to do them justice. Colt/er Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 27 Oct; Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Fri 29 Oct.
"11 Renaud Garcia Fons The Spanish bass player is one of the great masters of his instrument in current world jazz. and links up with his trio and a seven-strong Chamber Ensemble from the SCO fora world premiere of his composition ‘Rencontre'. Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 28 Oct; CCA, Glasgow, Fri 29 Oct. 1.: Spontaniacs The ever~ unpredictable Spontaniacs add another variation to their ongoing experiment as singer Lucy Kendra is joined in the vocal department by a special guest. rap artist Soom T, in an intriguing extension of the band’s ‘freesong' concept. Henry's Jazz Cellar, Edinburgh, Thu 4 Nov.
2: Big Big World BBW brings Gypsies from India's Thar desert. art-pop from Iceland, sublime French flute and the African Axe Man, plus scores of other exotic musicians to Glasgow. See preview. Various venues, Glasgow, Fri 22—Sun 31 Oct.
9' 0'34. in. 2'/'/-1THE LIST 71