During the creation of my final music magazine I had to cut down my article in order to fit it on a single page. I also made changes to the language and corrected spelling and grammatical errors.
Graham Kierkegaard has made a splash in recent years as the frontman and lead guitarist of the critically acclaimed ‘Incognito.’ But after the group’s critically and commercially successful third album ‘Idiot-syncrasy,’ Graham decided to ditch his guitar for a Macbook and pursue a solo career, producing electronic music in the vein of Autechre or Aphex Twin. Critics reacted to this first solo album with lukewarm reviews, describing it as ‘pretentious,’ ‘muddled’ and ‘idiotic.’ But Graham is here to set the record straight as he sits down with Maestro to discuss the album in depth.
Maestro: Your solo album obviously sounds very different from any of your past albums. How has working away from your group affected your songwriting style?
Graham Kierkegaard: Working alone has really allowed me to flex my creative muscles, you know. To delve into the big wide world of electronic music and experiment with different computer programs and algorithms. I’ve got into sampling too, in fact one of the songs is 100% sample. Before we’d just sit in the studio with our electric guitars, fidgeting with the fret boards for hours on end like monkeys with parkinsons, and for what? Derivative sounding bullshit! And I’m above that. When I was with the group I was never allowed to experiment. The others just wanted to play it safe, and we just started churning out derivative shit after derivative shit. It was just too much, so I ditched. Now, with my solo work the music has layers and the lyrics, meaning.
Maestro: Some critics have been calling it ‘a political protest album 10 years out of date.’ What do you have to say about that?
Graham Kierkegaard: You’re wrong, basically. I agree I’m a little late to the party, but in my eyes the Iraq war is just as relevant now as it was 10 years ago, maybe even more relevant. The idea for a political protest album came to me when I caught this Channel 4 documentary about the aftermath of the war in Iraq, in a hotel room while I was touring the UK about two years ago. I was fuming. I hadn’t even heard about any war. Then I read into it and I just got madder and madder and decided to turn this new found energy into my new solo project.
Maestro: Do you miss your old group and how does it feel to know they have gone on without you to garner massive critical acclaim, while your solo work has, to put it lightly, been met with mixed reviews?
Graham Kierkegaard: I don’t think the initial reception is reflective of how future generations will view my work. This album was made to last throughout the generations and I think in a couple of years’ time this album will, and I don’t want to sound arrogant here, make many critics best of the decade lists. It’ll probably be played at a lot of people’s funerals as well in a few decade’s time, because this sort of music sticks with you, whether you like it or not. As for the others, they can have their Grammys. Nobody will remember them in twenty years’ time when they’re shooting heroin from dirty needles, wondering what the hell happened. I genuinely think they’ll split up some time in the next five years. One of them will probably kill themselves and you know what, I don’t think that would bother me too much. So to answer your question, do I miss them? No.
Maestro: The album is very long, twenty tracks clocking in at about five hours. Obviously you had a lot of ideas brewing when you were making it. What other influences were there in making this album?
Graham Kierkegaard: A few years ago I would have said LSD, but I’ve recently turned to Buddhism and that’s really helped me concentrate on my art. I’m no longer distracted by material possessions and I feel like a more enlightened individual. As for the album clocking in at five hours, I feel that’s the ideal length for such a monumental record.
Maestro: The title of the album has caused quite a stir, ‘Backstreet Abortion.’ It doesn’t really have any relevance to the actual content of the record. What pushed you to choose this title?
Graham Kierkegaard: Actually I think you’re wrong. The title does have some relevance to the album. And here’s why. I knew in the production that because the music was so ahead of its time and radically different from the Mumford and bollocks you’re used to hearing on the radio nowadays, people would cast me out after the release. Sort of like how a human foetus is cast out and torn from the womb. They once embraced me but soon cast me out,
into a jar.
Then, in a few years’ time they regret writing me off and revisit my music. They soon realize they were wrong and kill themselves.
That’s why I chose the title ‘Backstreet Abortion’ that and the fact it sounded funny and would annoy pro-lifers; giving youngsters the illusion the album is edgy and uncompromising without having to adjust the content.
Maestro: Some of the song titles have also sparked controversy, with some critics suggesting this was intentional to boost sales. How do you respond to this?
Graham Kierkegaard: I would never try to generate controversy just for the sake of publicity. Trying to create controversy is the most boring thing you can do as an artist. As a normal person it can be quite amusing for a while, but in my eyes you’re off the artist’s role call if you only produce work for the sake of controversy. I came up with the song titles after I’d finished the album and showed it to the producers. They said they liked the album but told me to change some of the song titles so that they fit the album better. They didn’t order me to change the titles and generate as much controversy as possible, ‘your album is shit’ or ‘we need to shift 40,000 copies’. No, these were artistic decisions. And I don’t see what the deal is with the titles in the first place, just as long as the music is good. In my opinion ‘Savile’s playpen’ is a beautiful song and ‘Hitler did nothing wrong’ is a startling commentary on the importance of political protest against preemptive war.
Maestro: Let’s talk about what many people describe as highlight of the album. The Electric Triangle. Explain to me how you came up with that.
Graham Kierkegaard: The Electric Triangle was something I had wanted to do for a while, but the guys would just take the piss every time I brought it up in the studio. But I eventually sat down with a team of sound engineers and asked them if it could be done. They said yes and within a matter of days we had a prototype. Then, after a few tweaks we’d finally cracked it and created an instrument as dynamic as any guitar or keyboard. What amazed me was the range of sounds the sound guys managed to get out of it. I tried to include it in some way on all of the songs throughout the album, with it sometimes replacing the drum machines all together, which some people said was distracting. And I’m the only musician doing this. I’m leading the way and hopefully artists will follow. I like to think of myself as a pioneer. See, there. There’s a quote for your magazine. Graham Kierkegaard: Pioneer of the Electric Triangle.
Graham Kierkegaard’s ‘Backstreet Abortion’ is Available on Vinyl and for Digital Download from Monday
