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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Napoleon IIIrd
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 28 September 2010
Napoleon IIIrd, aka James Mabbett, released his debut album, ‘In Debt To’, in 2007 via Brainlove Records, two years after his debut EP for Dance To The Radio. It was a collection of songs that definitely proved Mabbett’s eccentric pop credentials, and the album quickly picked up a legion of fanatical followers.
The follow-up, ‘Christiania’, is due for release on 8 Nov, again via Brainlove, and he is currently on a UK tour with labelmates Stairs To Korea, Pagan Wanderer Lu and Mat Riviere, which hits London’s CAMP Basement tonight. We caught up with Mabbett to ask the Same Six.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
Ever since I can remember I wanted to make music. I was singing along to The Beach Boys in the back of my parents car before I could speak properly, so when I moved to a school who offered music lessons at the age of six, I jumped at the chance.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
Events in my life since the last record.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
I generally sit in front of my computer with a blank screen and try to fill it with sounds and textures until, eventually, I hear something creeping out from the noise. I then take away or add sounds and instruments as I hear them until I have something that sounds finished.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Everything that I have ever heard influences me. Be that Delia Derbyshire, Kelis or Animal Collective.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Good luck and have fun.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
I just want to get out and play my music to as many people as I can in as many different places on this planet as possible. I want people to hear this record, I really believe in it, more so than anything else I have done to date. Which, to be honest, is a good place to be.
MORE>> www.napoleoniiird.com
