A Christmassy Chat With James Morrison...
When we think of the traditional olde worlde Christmas, with a log burning in the fireplace, and stockings hung with care, and a big real wooden tree next to it, covered in tinsel and glass baubles and nothing made of plastic (except the tinsel) and maybe oranges spiked with cloves and hung from ribbons on there too...well it's a long way from the life of your average pop star, isn't it? I bet Lady GaGa has a Christmas tree made of something pretty startling - like the King of Belgium - with griffin-skin ornaments and an actual real angel at the top.
So thank goodness for dear old James Morrison, a man who knows the value of the old ways, and always keeps a lucky sixpence in his Christmas pud.
I caught up with him a couple of weeks back, to find out how the modern world of 2009 has treated him, and, if I'm honest, also to remind him that he lives in 2009 in the first place.
Here's what happened.
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ChartBlog: So how's your year been, James?
James: This year for me has been probably one of the best years for my musical endeavour, just cos my band are better than they've ever been, and we've done some really good gigs, and the shows keep getting bigger, it's been amazing. It's been pretty scary though, a bit of testing year, to see what I can do, what I can pull off and stuff... but it's been really good.
ChartBlog: Is that cos it's easier to make something than it is to maintain it once it's made?
James: Well, no it's more like the shows keep getting bigger and I'm now having to find more ways to change it up and make it better than what it is. Making it bigger without it being like a weird ROCK SHOW or something. Cos I don't want to do that either. I don't want to be all acoustic and singer-songwriter, I want it to be proper, y'know...
ChartBlog: So you've booked a crane to fly you over the audience?
James: No not at all. I'm pretty old-school when it comes to gigs. As long as the band are tight and I'm singing good and delivering the songs, the rest is like an extra. For me, I just concentrate on making sure I deliver the songs with conviction and passion. I've got some big screens that come up and a massive light thing and effects in the background and stuff, so I have made a bit of an effort to make it more of a show, y'know, but I'm just really conscious of not changing it too much, because then I won't be who I am.
ChartBlog: Has there been anyone you've seen recently who is doing it the way you want to do it?
James: Yeah definitely. I saw Bruce Springsteen play in LA and it just left me gobsmacked. Obviously he's got so many songs anyway and he's a really, really good vocalist and stuff, but as a show, it was just amazing. It was one of the best shows I've ever seen. And it made me look at what I'm doing and think "whoah! I need to try and get a bit of that into it..."
ChartBlog: It would certainly save a lot of money on props. He doesn't do much more than walk up and down the stage, does he?
James: There was a couple of moments where he was like "LET'S BUILD A HOUSE OF LOVE, MAAAN!", and it was getting a bit showy, but it was good. But watching him I've definitely learned a couple of things that have helped me with the bigger gigs. Before, I wouldn't move away from my microphone. I felt really uneasy being away from my mic or my guitar, but now I'm a lot more comfortable moving around the stage and I don't feel conscious of what I'm doing.
ChartBlog: So we can expect a new showbiz direction for the new album then?
James: [laughs] I dunno, I have no idea what the new album is going to be like. I did think about writing a couple of electronic songs, just for a laugh, but...I dunno...
ChartBlog: Are there pop songs, like that, that you listen to?
James: I like the Black Eyed Peas, I like those two songs they've had out this year, 'Boom Boom Pow' and 'I Gotta Feeling'. They're not the deep and meaningful songs that I would put on at home, but I do put them on in the car and enjoy dancing along and singing along. I think you have to have punter's ears every now and again and listen to what's going on. I can appreciate all the stuff that's going on the radio, but at the same time hate it. It's important to listen to a lot of different stuff. Whether it's your favourite type of music or not.
ChartBlog: What're your plans for Christmas?
James: I'm going down to Cornwall. My mum lives near Porth so I'm gonna go down there and spend some time with my mates, and take my little babba down there. I'm really excited to go down. I haven't been to Cornwall for a long time.
ChartBlog: If anyone's getting your album for Christmas this year, is there a position they need to be in, or a place in the house, to really get the most out of it?
James: [laughs] Erm...I always prefer listening to music when it's got dark, I dunno why. But I dunno, anytime! It's not too earnest and singer-songwritery to put on in the morning, there's still some oomph to the tunes, so, I dunno, anytime.
ChartBlog: It's mellow enough to soundtrack the opening of presents without jarring everyone's nerves...
James: Yeah! I'm kind of biased because it's my music. It's hard to be an outsider if you're the one doing it.
ChartBlog: Be honest, have you 'bought' your album for anyone for Christmas?
James: [horrified] I have not at all! NO! Would I ever do that? I did think about giving some deluxe versions away as joke presents, and say "what's the problem? I signed it!"...no, y'know, I might do that as a little joke and get some nice presents, but I think that's what everyone expects you to do.
ChartBlog: What you need to do when you sign it is make sure you put "love from James Morrison" including your surname, and then "(Brit Awards Winner)"...
James: [laughing] Yeah! Exactly!
THE END
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