INTERVIEW: Roxanne de Bastion — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Roxanne de Bastion

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SHE has just seen Paul McCartney…

play a rare gig - so Roxanne de Bastion was keen to discuss that! I ask the songwriter about her Tales from the Rails mini-tour and what it encompasses; she discusses her album, Heirlooms & Hearsay, and recommends some artists to look out for.

The songwriter talks about her musical influences and chooses three albums that mean the most to her; whether she gets time to unwind away from music; what she hopes to achieve before the end of this year – de Bastion talks about favourite memories from her career.

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Hi, Roxanne. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi! You’ve picked the best possible week to ask me that. I’ve loved The Beatles for longer than I can remember and this week I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Paul McCartney perform live in Studio 2 at Abbey Road. He played for two hours and it was pure magic. It may well have been the best day of my life so, yeah - I’ve had a pretty amazing week, thank you!

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

My name’s Roxanne de Bastion. I’m a singer-songwriter and don’t usually get invited to exclusive Paul McCartney gigs…! My songs tend to be acoustic guitar or piano-based and would probably be filed under ‘Alternative-Pop’ - if that’s a thing. Songwriting is my way of dealing with the world around me, so most of my lyrics are confessional and attempt to make sense of what I see and feel.

I’ve been very fortunate to have toured lots over the past years across the U.K., Europe and the U.S. and have just released my album Heirlooms & Hearsay. Right now, I’m working on new material and am about to play a couple of shows in the U.K. to promote my first book.

Tales from the Rails is your mini-tour. Can you explain the concept and what we might expect?

Sure! Tales from the Rails is the title of my book. It’s a collection of edited blog posts that I’ve written throughout the last years of D.I.Y. touring. I don’t have a driving license, so for a really long time touring consisted of travelling via train or megabits with a suitcase and a guitar. I’m playing most of these upcoming shows solo or as a duo with the amazing Matt Reynolds on lead guitar (who drives; so that’s me graduating from the rails on to the roads).

We’re playing in Liverpool on 3rd August, Leeds on 5th August and Coventry on 10th August. You can expect lots of stories, some visuals as well as new songs (if all my songs aren’t new to you!).

Is the stage somewhere you love to be? Is that buzz and connection with the audience what keeps you driving and moving forward?

That’s a definite yes. There’s nothing better than connecting with people over music. It’s all I know and what I do.

Are you working on new material at the moment? Might we see some music before the end of the year?

Yes. I’m working on the next album right now and will be releasing a single later on this year.

Looking back at your year; what have been the highs and lows? Do you think you have learned anything about yourself during that time?

Highs include touring in Canada for the first time, opening for Marillion here in the U.K. (in what to me were HUGE venues) and playing my biggest headline show to date at The Lexington this April. I got to meet so many lovely people along the way and have learnt that you can always count on humans to make the world seem a better place if you let them.

Lows include breaking my ankle (and having to tour/perform on crutches), as well as generally fearing for the state of the world. I’ve learnt not to take the rubbish out when angry and never to watch the 10 o’clock news.

Which artists did you grow up listening to? Do you recall when music first came into your life?

Music proceeded memory, that’s for sure. My dad’s a musician, so we always had instruments and recording gear around the house. Growing up, I’d always play and sing together with him in the kitchen (good reverb; almost as good as in showers). I don’t remember this, but the story goes that I really wanted to watch T.V. when I was four-years-old. My mum thought that showing me The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine would be harmless…I fell in love instantly and haven’t fallen out of it since.

Is it possible to express music’s power and how important it is to you?

Well. Seeing as you’ve asked, I’ll try. Songs teach us empathy. The more empathetic a society we are, the less time we will spend servicing few to the detriment of many. Whenever people come together for a positive experience, such as a shared love for music, you can feel how powerful that is (just think of your favourite concert - you’ll carry that memory for as long as your feet carry you). As for me, personally, I know I’ll be fine as long as I can sing and write and listen.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I hope to have finished my album, to have written many more songs; to have gone on a tour or two and to have a fully-functioning ankle again. I’d also like to eat lobster at least one more time before the year is up - had my first one in Canada during my tour last year and haven’t really stopped thinking about it since.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

SO MANY favourite moments! Playing Glastonbury was pretty special - one of those career milestones that will make your parents proud. My album launch shows at the Roundhouse in London and Leaf in Liverpool were pretty special too. I think, more than one particular show, it’s more a whirlwind of images, people and sparkly moments - sometimes the smallest living-room show can be the best thing ever. It’s all about the audience and the vibe in the room!

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Just three? Ok…

The Beatles – The Beatles Live At the BBC

This is the first body of music I consciously remember hearing. I know it off by heart, every tiny pause; every interlude and every breath and beat of every song. It’s where I discovered Blues-Rock, harmonies and that energy of live music.

Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor

I first discovered her when I had just moved from my home in Berlin to England to try and make music and be a grown up. I was knocked sideways by Us. She’s one of my main musical inspirations; firstly because she does whatever the hell she wants lyrically and structurally, but also because she has such an emotional delivery and is a brilliant musician and composer.

Heirlooms & Hearsay by me

You’ve asked which albums mean the most to me, so I’m going to have to pick the body of work I put into the world last year. The album is dedicated to my grandfather, whom I never really got to meet but have been thinking on often. He was a professional pianist, but his career and life were interrupted by war. My grandparents survived and landed in the U.K. in 1947. I can’t believe that all this horror in Europe is only two generations ago and here we are again with the stupidity and gall to think that refugees are the cause of our problems. It’s tragic.

I wanted to write songs that drew analogies to then and now, but from a personal point of view. I found an old recording of my grandfather’s where he plays one of his compositions and gives a little birthday message to my dad, who was to turn seven the following day. It’s featured on the album. I hope he wouldn’t have minded.

Honorary mentions go to The Beatles’ Revolver, The Who’s Tommy; Judee Sill’s self-titled debut, George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, The Streets’ Original Pirate Material and Alligator by The National (which I’m listening to right now). Tomorrow’s answers may be different…

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Probably Regina Spektor. My rider would be a bag to breathe into.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I am definitely still that. The advice I’d give myself and others (much easier to give it than to take it) would be to follow your intuition, always make the kind of music you want to make and try to avoid artistic compromise for the sake of a dangling carrot (i.e. is this radio-friendly etc.). I’d also advise (artists) to learn as much about all aspects of the industry as possible (join the FAC!); connect with other musicians for advice and mutual support - and just work as hard as you can without driving yourself crazy.

IN THIS PHOTO: ME and Deboe

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Yeah! There’s SO much fantastic music out there to discover! I’m going to go with a Liverpool theme today…

Check out the amazing ME and Deboe and the beautifully voiced Eleanor Nelly. I’m also going to throw in The Ragamuffins for good measure and fun.