From: Butler, butler@comcen.com.au Subject: Fw: SK interview in Revolver(long) Date: 2/6/2002 2:11:42 AM To: seance, seance@lists.no-fi.com -----Original Message----- From: Butler To: seance Date: Tuesday, 5 February 2002 11:04 Subject: SK interview in Revolver(long) >The Art of Conversation by Neal Hunt >Whilst not in Church ,Steve Kilbey still has plenty to say in his >songwriting. >Steve Kilbey is on a bit of a high at the moment.The Church have released >another album,it's getting pretty good notes and the band themselves have >just toured acoustically in a series of concerts that I unfortunately >missed. And I say unfortunately because they were that good that the people >i know that saw them came away just about speechless. On top of that >Kilbey,now based in Delaware,has a solo album Dabblee just released. It's a >long,dreamy aand introspective album that doesn't unfold immediately. Give >it some time however and the listener is rewarded,and the mere fact that >Kilbey sings and wrote the material means that it isn't a million miles away >from his regular gig.How does he maintain such a prolific approach? Well, he >lives in Steve's world. >"I can always write a lyric when I want to." he explains.I'm not saying it's >a gift-that's too grandiose,but it's definitley an ability and I dont ask >too much of it. And you've got to kind of respect it.If I was to get >involved in all the other stuff then I wouldn't be able to write anything. I >have to remain in this sort of prolonged adolescence,as soon as you get >involved in the world...then you're not going to write lyrics for songs. >You're going to write...ummm mundane..." Kilbey says,stopping for >thought.The lyrics will be vastly different? "Yeah,Yeah.So I sort of have to >remain in this other world. And I'm hopeless aat making decisions in the >real world.I'm confused and I get lost I mean," he says,indicating the >downside." We went to Melbourne last week and I was driving a car and after >21 years of playing in Melbourne I still don't know how to get from the >airport to St.Kilda.And I just think what's wrong with me? >"It's a bit of bad timing,'Kilbey confesses."Having this album out when >everything else is happening." >How does Dabble come about? Is it a drug reference?A plaything for Kilbey to >amuse himself while he whiles away his time in the States,which may well be >very short."It's not really a drug reference,it essentially came about >because I have this friend who had a drummer friend and I met him one day >and I was bored..." Kilbey clarifies." So I said to him'why don't we do a >record?'And then he found a guy who had a basement studio and that guy said >'Well whatever you wnat to do I'll help you do it.' I don't like Delaware at >all," he declares."I don't like the States but I like Delaware even less." >The approach to Dabble was a first for Kilbey.Here the band literally made >it up as they went."We had nine days to make it," he enthuses,"so we just >went and made it up on the spot.We'd get the drummer in there and I'd start >playing bass and we'd run the computer and we'd play it and I'd say to the >guys"That's it." They'd say 'Aren't we going to rehearse it? So it took them >a little while to get used to it." >Lyrically though Kilbey adopted the same form he does for the Church." I >listen to a piece of music over and over and over," he explains. "I don't >really put any pressure on myself and then one day-usually the morning that >I have to go and sing it-I'll go and write the lyrics.With the last Church >album I did them in my brother's living room.The morning that I had to go >and record them I sat down aand wrote the lyrics.They all just simmer in >there. It never lets me down-I can always write a lyric when I want to.It's >like Lors Alfred Tennyson who used to sit down every morning at 10 o'clock >to write poetry-he just must have gotten himself in a space to do it. >It's all bollocks though isn't it? I was looking up at James Packer's place >(up the road from where we sit) and thinking'Jesus what's he ever done to >deserve that." >