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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Lamb
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 14 April 2011
Mancunian trip hop duo Lamb formed in 1996, born of the close musical kinship between singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes and producer Andy Barlow. Their eponymous debut spawned a major hit in ‘Górecki’, and was followed by a trio of successive LPs culminating in a ‘Best Of’ compilation in 2004.
With the recording process of their 2003 album ‘Between Darkness And Wonder’ proving a difficult one, the pair parted ways to pursue solo projects, which manifested themselves in several acclaimed solo albums for Lou, and, after five years in the making, a well-received full-length venture from Andy.
Their decision to reform back in 2009 for a run of festival dates means that this year will see a long-awaited release from the rejuvenated Lamb when new album ‘5’ comes out on 5 May. With an appearance booked at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on 30 Apr, vocalist Lou consented to tackle our Same Six line of questioning.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
My mum was a folk singer so I grew up around her rehearsing with her band and singing around the house all the time. I think I was singing as soon as I could speak. I first sang in public when I was about 12 years old in the local folk club and after that went on to form a series of bands. Songwriting came much later though. It was as if I needed a whole lot more life experience before I could begin to write anything of any depth.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
‘5’ was the first album Lamb had made after a hiatus of over five years, so I guess much of the inspiration came from the freshness we felt in working together again. For much of the writing process, though, I was troubled by a kind of writer’s block which tied in with an existential crossroads I seemed to have reached. In many ways this actually inspired much of the lyrical content; the songs became an enquiry into the process of writing them, if that makes any sense at all!
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
When we write songs as Lamb there’s no definitive process. In fact we try to refrain from any kind of formula at all. The initial idea for a track can come from Andy or from me, but we usually make a point of sharing ideas from an early stage before they’re even properly developed, so that the song can take shape in a collaborative way. We’ve never really pinpointed what makes a Lamb track but there’s something about the way an initial idea takes on a life of its own as we bat it between us. It’s a case of letting the process be as free as possible without any attachment to the outcome.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
When I’m at home I listen to a lot of acoustic music. I was going to say Sufjan Stevens, but then his new material is pretty far from acoustic these days! While we were writing ‘5’ we got really into Bath’s ‘Cerulean’ album and Benga. Andy also got me into Mount Kimbie, who are really cool. After a long fallow period it feels like electronic music is undergoing a kind of renaissance. There’s a lot of fresh stuff out there.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Just to listen without preconception.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
I’d like it to be heard by as many people as possible, I guess that goes without saying. Obviously we’ll be playing shows featuring the new material around the globe and I’m looking forward to that. I’d particularly like to get to play in places we haven’t played before, especially Japan, and I’m dying to tour the US again after what seems like far too long away.
MORE>> www.lambofficial.com
