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X-clusive: Aqualung Open Up On New Album

added 09 October 2003 at 11.53

Following the success of his self titled debut album, which was recorded in Hales’ bedroom on a four track, Aqualung were (partly due to the massive success of the single ‘Strange And Beautiful’) in a far more privileged  position when it came to making ‘Still Life’.

“Music is a product of what’s happening in your life so the first album was a product of circumstance.” Hales explained, “Kind of penniless and not having any access to any gear and it came out quite nice. Second time round I obviously had access to whatever I liked but at the same time I didn’t want to lose the home made-ness that worked really well with the first one.

“It’s like the first album was made on the dark side of the moon and we kind of travelled away from that and suddenly discovered the sun’s out and there’s greenery and extraordinary creatures and crazy friendly aliens that talk to you about stuff. It’s a bit like that.”

The new album also sees Hales (strangley for someone known as a sensitive singer/songwriter type) teaming up with acclaimed remixer Jacknife Lee,

“I was interested in working with someone who wasn’t like me and we would end up with something a bit different than what I would do on my own." he continued, "I just thought Jack Murphy was ideal because I’d really enjoyed the remixes he’d done for me and I was obviously aware of some of his other work which is all pretty crazy.

“He clearly has a great musicality as well as being a beatmeister and when we chatted it was clear that we actually had quite a lot in common in terms of what we loved and what our aspirations were and what type of music we wanted to make, more in terms of the spirit of the thing rather than the end result."

Aqualung will also be playing two low key dates later this month at the unusual venue of the Villers Theatre in London.

“Partly because no one’s really played there, which is kind of a contrary streak on my part.” He explained, “It’s quite grand, but it’s quite small. A couple of shows there will be really intimate as a kind of nice way to introduce people to the new songs and it just seemed kind of right somehow. I hope whoever comes along agrees.”

 

Aqualung’s new single ‘Brighter Than Sunshine’ is released October 13 (the same day they appearing on the Zoë Ball show) followed by the album ‘Still Life’ follows on October 27.

The two Aqualung gigs are:

• Villiers Theatre, London (October 14)
• Villiers Theatre, London (28)

 

 

Tagged as Aqualung, archive

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