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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Zero 7
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 25 September 2009
Musical duo Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker began working together as sound engineers in legendary British producer Mickie Most’s RAK recording studio in the 1990s. Their first commercial release as Zero 7 was a remix of Radiohead’s ‘Climbing Up The Walls’, which appeared as a b-side on the ‘Karma Police’ single. They released their acclaimed debut album, ‘Simple Things’, in 2001, which went on to be nominated for the Mercury Prize. On 28 Sep, they release their fourth album, ‘Yeah Ghost’, and embark on a UK tour. We spoke to Henry Binns to ask our Same Six Questions.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I started making music in my bedroom with a cheap, shitty little synth my dad bought me, and some headphones. I did a cover of a tune called ‘Slipping Into Darkness’ by a band called War. My friends loved it and wanted it on a cassette but I was too embarrassed.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
We haven’t sat down and tried to write a ‘single’ for this album, so it’s designed to be coherent as a whole thing. In fact, I think any singled out song on any of our albums sounds weird out of context. But almost always a hangover inspires a song…
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
To me, making a track starts on the piano, and the chords come with however I feel that day. Usually I’ll find a chord progression and then go into the studio to embellish. Then Sam comes and totally changes it (usually for the better) and we wrestle with it until we are sufficiently sick to death of it.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Too many to mention, but I watched a documentary on Neil Young the other day and admired (amongst many things) his passion for music. Not ‘image’, not radio, not what others think, just good old music!
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Absolutely nothing.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
At this point I’m hoping everyone gets to hear this record. The future is live music.
MORE>> www.zero7.co.uk/
