Interview of Bill Ryder-Jones on his new album "If on a winter's night a traveler"

Bill Ryder-Jones used to be guitarist in the excellent english band The Coral he left in 2008. His solo album coming out soon on the label Double Six (Domino records) is a musical adaptation of the novel "If on a winter's night a traveler" written by the famous Italian writer Italo Calvino. Bill has been very kind to answer to some questions on this subject:

 Hi Bill, how are you ? To start this interview can you tell what have been your musical activities since you left the Coral in 2008 ? it must be really different to work as a solo artist when you’re in a band for a long time isn’t it ?

Yeah you're right. It's very different but i enjoy it more. I'm suprised alot more now. i guess since i left i've just been working out what i want to do. I'd decided i didnt want to be around music at all for a while but this thing with domino came up and i thought i'd give it another go.


 Let’s talk about « If on a winter’s night a traveler » How the idea of making an album around the Italo Calvino’s novel came to your mind ? And can you explain the process of turning a novel into a musical piece ? 

Well i got a call from Laurence Bell one day, someone had told him that i wanted to write music for film and he was interested. I went for a meeting and he suggested we make a soundtrack to an imaginary film, i then told him about my music for novels idea and he loved it. I'd always thought winters night would be the first book i write for as it's just obvious really. I kind of wrapped myself up in the book for the year. When that happens you find your mind when it's bored will wander back to the project you're immersed in. I probably wrote most of it in my head when people were talking to me. 


 How many tunes are in the album ? In listening to some excerpts of the album on myspace it seems that there are more intrumental tunes than songs. Why this choice ?

There's ten pieces of music. One to go with each chapter. I think in all honesty im just not really a song writer. I don't see myself that way and it's hard to write something you don't believe in. I still write the occasional song but in the context of being a musician rather than a singer. Hopefully that makes sense.

 How long did it take to record the album ? How were the recording sessions, who were the musicians and where did you record it ? 

Christ ok. The album took about eight months to write and record. Some of it a recorded all the instruments, some was done with the liverpool philharmonic in everton, some in elevator studios in liverpool. Lot's of friends played on the record too. There's so much talent where i live. Actually it was lovely when i was writing the credits for the musicians, seeing who pitched in.

 In If on a winter’s night a traveller the reader is the main character of the book and he is Reading unfinished stories nested one each other. Is there the same kind of link between the tunes of the album ?

That's a hard question to answer. I guess the short answer is no but only because each song is quite different in approach. For instance the first track is split in two, the first section how i picture the chapter and then the second section is what i think happens next in the chapter. Then you have without fear of wind or vertigo which is less about the content of it's chapter and more about one tiny scene in that chapter that captured my imagination.


 Were you inspired by other musicians or by some landscapes (because you said in a previous interview that you always got a landscape in mind when you’re composing) to make If on a winter’s night a traveller ?

Well Italo Calvino is so great at putting images into your head that i didn't really need that. All the imagery is ready for you, thats what made it so much fun. I guess as i was making the record i became aware of new music and that would have affected me. People like Abel Korzeniowski and Anna Calvi, they really made me realize that i could make big music like the music i listen to at home.


 Which is your favorite Chapter of the book and why ?

That's tough, i think the first chapet if on a winters night a traveller just edges it. It's so rich, so easy to picture and in turn write for. 


 Do you have the project to go on tour after the release of the album ?

No

 Do you have an other project in mind yet ? 

Yeah i'm working on a couple of things at the minute. I'm producing a couple of tracks for my mates band 'by the sea'. I'm working on another bigger symphonic piece called 'blue' and i'm writing for an ep that we want to release after the albums out.










Now i recommend everyone to check out his beautiful music on:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bill-Ryder-Jones-Official/154135387976487  or


http://www.myspace.com/billryderjones




Here is a video clip of a tune that will be on the album:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfMg93D4o3Q

Pictures taken by Sophie Jarry: http://sophiejarry.daportfolio.com/