1. Greetings to England! I would like to welcome you on the pages of Mortem Zine and thank you for the interview, it is an honor for us. I would like to introduce 40 WATT SUN to the Czech readers and as a great fan of yours, I would like to mention Warning a bit too as, like it or not, you guys are a legend... ;-) So, how are you doing these days, in what mood do you find yourself? I guess there is quite some stuff going on because of your new album „The Inside Room“ being released...?
I'm good, I'm doing really well. I'm just so busy right now and just trying to prioritise everything in my head. And I've got so many shows coming up, some solo and some with the band, and now the interviews are starting to come in too... There's a lot going on.
2. When talking about the release - how has the cooperation with Cyclone Empire Records been going so far, are you satisfied? If I am right, the album was supposed to be out by July last year? What caused the delay?
Yes, the release date was pushed back a number of times. But I was writing new songs and doing away with old ideas. You know, I've been more prolific in the past eighteen months that I was in fifteen years of playing in my old band. I guess it's a reflection of the wonderful musicians I'm playing with and, well, I think I'm generally happier. So we weren't going to record till I had an album's-worth of music that I wanted to put out. I think I got there.
3. I would like to ask you about the very beginning of 40 WATT SUN which for most of us is a kind of successor of Warning. What do you think about such opinion? What was the reason behind disbanding Warning and starting 40 WATT SUN? From your point of view, what is that what sets difference between Warning and 40 WATT SUN?
It's a successor to Warning only in the sense that I am singing, playing guitar and writing the songs. It's a different band and I'm playing with different people. I've gone in to reasons for my disbanding of Warning dozens of times. I find it exhausting to talk about now! Warning just couldn't contain what I wanted to do and where I wanted to take the music and it had become suffocating. I'd become fed up with the whole genrefication of the music and I needed new space.
4. When listening to „The Inside Room“, I really feel (as bizzare as it might sound) the English late October rain watched through a dirty window with a melancholic Beatles tune playing in the background... How would you as the author describe your current art to somebody who has not heard it yet?
No, you're description is good enough; I'll stick with that!
5. Now, lets get a bit more concrete again. How does your composing process usually look like? Do you need any special environment or conditions when writing new material? How were the compositions for „The Inside Room“ born?
I usually get ideas while I'm out walking and thinking; very occasionally when I'm reading. At least two, I think three, songs from The Inside Room were written in a room overlooking the sea in Cornwall. That's a very inspiring place to me and usually where I am happiest.
6. What about the recording itself, how did it go? What about the final result, are you completely satisfied or is there anything that you think should have been done differently?
The recording was done in a flash in a couple of days and nights in a studio in North London. It was just the three of us – no engineer, nothing. We worked through the night and improvised a lot of the overdub parts in the studio, which for me are some of the best parts on the record. The recording process I wanted to reflect the fresh, spontaneous nature of the music, warts and all, which was largely written close to the time we recorded it. We hadn't ''lived with the songs'' for months and months or anything. This Alone was actually written and rehearsed literally a week before we recorded it.
7. When following your artistic trace, one can not miss the fact that the lyrical topics have been evolving since your first demo Revelation Looms, right? How is it with the lyrical topics of 40 WATT SUN? Does the band and/or the album have any main concept or message? Is this concept anyhow connected with the name of the band?
There's nothing conceptual about the band and I'm certainly not interested in messages. Lyrically I've only ever written about what's important to me at the time. As for the name of the band, that's from a lyric by Marillion who've been my favourite band since I was, like, eleven years old. It's just a little personal tribute to them, I guess. When it came out that my new band was called 40 Watt Sun, lots of people said 'it sounds like some fucking Indie rock band' and I thought, 'well how do you know that we're not an Indie rock band?' People have these assumptions that you're just going to do the same old stuff. We were being offered billings on these ''doom metal only'' festivals before anyone had even heard us. It irritated me a bit.
8. As I mentioned the evolution of your lyrics, it came hand in hand with the musical one. Have you also changed a lot as people through the many years? What does 40 WATT SUN and music in general mean to you? Is it a form of therapy, a kind of diary or "just" an artistic form?
Of course I've changed through the years. When I look back at myself as little as ten, even eight years ago, it's like looking at a different person. I have different interests and priorities now, different reasons for making music, different things move me or make me cry, I have a deeper understanding of myself. Of course, I can speak only for myself as I didn't play with the other guys in Warning, unless you count several shows Chris played with us for the last few months of our career. As for your last question, you know, I try not to analyse why I write/play music. There are just some things that make me want to create a song. Musically I just love songs – that's where it's at for me. I love songs, I don't care about the style. I like Irish music a lot and country music. If I hear a good song then that's inspiring.
9. This question is kind of connected with the previous...What are your main influences for creating music? And - what or who would you name as influences when it comes to lyrics? Are these inspired by your personal life, literature, poetry...? Can you please name a few of your favourite authors?
People and places are my main inspirations. All the songs are inspired by real life. Certainly I'm often influenced by something I read but to the extent that I'll gain a deeper insight in to something or understand myself a little better. What do I like reading? Everything; novels, poetry, plays. Recently I loved Damon Galgut's In A Strange Room. It had a strong evocation of people, time and place. It was very inspirational; very beautiful.
10. Patrick, from what I have read, you are an actor, right? Could you please tell us a bit about this? Do you think this in any way influences your musical art?
No, it's all old news and became a little blown out of proportion I guess. I did some work in theatre, and a bit of tv and film, some years ago but I wasn't willing to persue it. Music became my priority again. I still love the theatre though.
11. For the last time, back to the more touchable things. :-) What about live performances, how often do you play live? Do you enjoy playing gigs or are they just a a necessary, unavoidable evil? Are you planning any tour to support the album? What else can we expect from you in the future, do you have any plans already?
We're coming to Europe in March for several shows to coincide with the release date. We've some other shows coming up too. I used to detest playing live. Even now it's a very hit or miss experience for me. My biggest problem is that sometimes I don't feel like playing the songs. But these days I'm more willing to do it.
12. To somehow close the interview, I would like to ask you a question that we often ask as the answers tend to be really interesting. What do you know about our country, the Czech Republic? Have you ever been here? If so, what memories did you bring home with you? :-)
I've never been there though my neighbour is from the Czech Republic. He's a nice guy so he does you proud.
13. So, this is all from me. I hope the interview was not too boring for you. If you have anything to share that I shamefully forgot to ask about, go for it now. :-)
Nothing at all. Hope you enjoy the new music.
14. I would like to thank you for the interview once more, just as I thank you for the absolutely fabulous new album. Sincere regards and good luck with future creations! And, hopefully, see you live one day!
Thanks very much. I sincerely appreciate it.
