For quite sometime now Matt Stevens has been heralded as an up and coming guitarist on the British prog scene and with new album Lucid we think it’s safe to say he has now upped and come. We’ve been big fans for a long time, both of his solo work and with The Fierce And The Dead, so we thought it was about time we sat him down & had a chat. Our Mr Prog, Chris McGarel, did the honours.
(((o))): When writing, how do you decide what is a solo piece and what is for The Fierce and the Dead?
Matt: They tend to come about the same way.
It just depends how the piece developed, I might just bring in a small idea for Fierce And The Dead and the other three develop the parts, sometimes the others bring riffs and stuff in. Fierce And The Dead is very much a democracy although I bring in the majority of the initial bits and Kev is very much the “arranger and producer” but Stu and Steve are essential to the process, they write their own parts, it’s not my band. They have their own distinct styles, I really love playing with those guys, top players. Actually the first riff of the first song on Spooky Action Steve wrote so it’s very much a collaboration, very democratic.
If it’s really odd timings like 13’s or 17’s or more acoustic type stuff I’ll normally squirrel away for a solo record, although I’ve brought in acoustic type ideas to Fierce And The Dead and they have become rock songs, 'Ark' was like that. For the solo stuff I develop the idea much further myself then I bring in the people later in the process, although I don’t really tell them what to do. I’d rather get good people in and let them crack on with it, just give them a general idea of what I want. There are two approaches really, you either really arrange it like Zappa or let them get on with it like Miles Davis. I prefer the latter approach, you get the best from people.
(((o))): Can you tell us about how you came to work with such a raft of talented guest musicians on Lucid?
Matt: They were friends or friends of friends. Chrissie, the violinist played on Relic, she’s a wonderful musician. Kev did a fantastic job on the production and programming and I’ve worked with him since we were kids. Stu and Charlie were mates and I imagined them playing together since I saw Knifeworld first play. Stuart is one of my favourite drummers and Charlie has a lovely distinctive melodic style. Emmett is a friend and I love his playing, his new solo stuff is incredible. Jem is a mate and we like a lot of the same music, in this case the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Cracking solo that.
Lorenzo is a great player and a friend and he was recording with Pat Mastelotto and asked him to play on it. I must admit I was really pleased Pat heard it and wanted to do it cause I’m a big fan of his playing, especially on the King Crimson Thrak album.
So it’s all really just friends. I’m very lucky, they’re great players but there was no grand plan to get these stellar players in. Nick from Trojan Horse we’ve played with a lot, I really like that band. Jon came from my friend Pete Chilvers.
(((o))): Your last solo album and the upcoming Lucid have seen you use more electric guitar and focus less on your trademark acoustic guitar looping techniques. Is this because you are now able to collaborate with guest musicians rather than being a Frippian ‘small, mobile, intelligent unit’?
Matt: It’s just a case of changing the approach to force me not to repeat myself. I think it’s all about progression and not making the same record, you go where the music takes you. I had been listening to Jesu and Celtic Frost and Miles Davis and Crimson so it felt a bit more band influenced. If people want the old approach they can listen to the old records or come and see the acoustic shows. You have to make the record you want to make, take risks.
(((o))): Recently you have hinted at the possibility of adding vocals to your compositions. 'The Bridge' from the new album includes a spoken word section. Do you think you will collaborate with vocalists in the near future? Are you hearing music as you compose that is heading in that direction?
Matt: Yeah, I sort of think vocals are the next thing, perhaps 6 instrumental records (solo and TFATD) since 2008 and various EP’s and stuff is enough for now. I’ve had a few approaches to play with vocal orientated bands but nothing that was quite right. I’ve talked to a few friends who are amazing singers so hopefully that’ll come together; Judy Dyble, Ross from Haken, Tim Bowness. Amazing people, so if that works out that would be cool. I’ll only do it if I like the people and the results are really good. Although I might have amazing idea for an instrumental record. soon. I just feel that Lucid and Spooky Action represent everything I wanted to do with instrumental music for the moment. Although I do fancy doing some music for a string quartet.
(((o))): Solo shows are you plus acoustic guitar and effects. As your solo output has become more band-orientated would you like to tour with a group or to introduce your solo compositions into TFATD’s repertoire? Do you see your output and the band’s as separate concerns?
Matt: I think for the moment they’ll be separate. I couldn’t see TFATD playing my solo stuff, I don’t think that would be appropriate, it’s not my band, I’m just a quarter of it, just one of the guitar players. I’m going to tour acoustic and play these tunes with a loop pedal for the start and then if things work out I’ll get a solo band, maybe a three piece. It’s so much more work and expense to gig with a band, I couldn’t pay for it at the moment to be honest.
(((o))): You have announced a project with Andy Tillison of The Tangent. How far along the road are we to hearing some music from those sessions? What other projects are in the queue?
Matt: I went up and recorded with Andy a few weeks back, he’s a top bloke and great musician. We recorded some lovely spacey stuff, I’m not sure when it will be out but it’s cool stuff, improvised. It was an inspiring session, I think we have a good chemistry as players. I’m also working on stuff with my friend Lorenzo Feliciati, he’s amazing. There are a few other potential things, I’m really into doing collaborations now cause I feel like I’ve said what I wanted to say as a solo person and it’s time to learn some new ideas. Try collaboration and teaching and playing on other people’s records, that's a great way to do that.
(((o))): Which musician would you most like to collaborate with?
Matt: Bob Mould. I love his songs, he’s been such an inspiration to me. I’d like to do something like Nels Cline has done in Wilco, like be the weird experimental guy in a vocal/song orientated band, if the right thing came up. I admire what Steven Wilson has been doing lately with his solo stuff, he seems like a smart chap.
I like playing with my mates so Simon Godfrey, Robin Armstrong, Kavus Torabi, Emmett Elvin, Kevin Feazey anyone like that really. I think it’s easy to put famous musicians on a pedestal but you may not have any chemistry with them. But if they want me for Iron Maiden, I’m available!
(((o))): Which guitarists active today, established or up-and-coming, do you see as doing something individual or with their own distinct style?
Matt: The stand-up comedian Stewart Lee has really inspired me, as an improviser, he’s fearless and he uses repetition in an interesting way, the way he phrases and rephrases things for effect. That’s really affected my playing.
For guitarists, Mike Bearpark is really good, he plays in Darkroom and Henry Fool. I’m a massive fan of RM Hubbert as a guitar player and a songwriter, he’s amazing. Nels Cline from Wilco is amazing, really melodic. Dave Gregory is really great. There are loads of people really but I think we need more people with individual voices, I tend to see people and think they can do “the tricks” but don’t have their own voice or phrasing.
I always think of Miles Davis, he got his style cause he couldn’t play like Dizzy. Sometimes your limitations define you and create your own individual style. I think it’s more important and harder to be a remarkable guitarist than it is to be a proficient one. I think you need Belew or Fripp or Holdsworth’s, not clones of them, people who do their own thing.
(((o))): Your influences are very esoteric, from Fripp to Mahavishnu, John McLaughlin to Piggy from Voivod to Thurston Moore. There’s a very melodic sense to your music though, and a definite ear for hooks. Where do you think this more poppy sensibility comes from?
Matt: I love pop music like Bob Mould or The Beatles, strong melodic stuff. The Sugar Copper Blue record is a huge influence and that really melodic thing. Miles Davis was melodic, Frame By Frame is a melodic. I love great pop tunes, Johnny Marr is another big influence, layered melodic playing, harmonised arpeggios.
(((o))): 'Coulrophobia' from Lucid is named after the fear of clowns. Are you in fact the Northampton Clown?
Matt: Yes I am. I loved all that, bloody brilliant but they messed it up, the mystery was solved by some rubbish tabloid. That’s the problem, people want to take the mystery out of bloody everything now. I am terrified of clowns though. Northamptonshire is a weird place. It’s produced Alan Moore who was a huge influence on me as there was nothing else. I’m from Rushden anyway, to me Northampton is an exotic city. Rushden was a great place to grow up cause all you had was music, nothing else to do pre internet. Well almost nothing….
