Simon:
But if making a living means having peace of mind, well, then yes we are.
So, you live in Malvern, a little middle age village of Worces... its a very complicated
name.
Simon: Worcestershire.
Can you talk to us a little bit about the place? I believe it's where you create, too.
Simon: Yes, well, it's not actually
Malvern, it's a very small village near Malvern. And there's a population of about 15. We've lived there all our
lives.
Where is it in England?
Simon: It's in the Midlands. It's not all that far from Stratford upon Avon.And, well life is very slow, and
I spend vast ammounts of time watching things happen slowly, like the seasons changing, and it sounds romantic,
but it's not that romantic. It's probably why we have this feel.
You seem to be someone who
likes to live alone, very much apart from people. Are you afraid of people?
Simon: No, not really. Yes...
well... there's a lot of solitude, but I don't necessarily want it. Maybe I just have it.
But you wouldn't be living in London, for instance?
Simon: No, not London. Maybe I'd try living in other cities first.
Is there a story
behind the name of the band, And Also the Trees?
Simon: No, not really. I can
make one up if you want.
Yes, please!
Simon: In our village we had this disease of trees called Elm disease, and all the trees in our village were elms, and
in 1972 all the trees died. That is true, but it's not why we call the group And Also the Trees, it's just something
I thought about later.
Do you follow what's going
on in the musical scene? Do you listen to music?
Simon: For a long time, I didn't.
It seemed to get very boring. But then I decided that I should take some interest. So, yeah, I do now listen to the
radio.
So, maybe, what kind of music do you hate?
Simon: What kind of music do I hate? Music that involves making money, only.
Do you speak French?
Simon: Not much, I can understand a bit.
What do you think of House music?
Simon: Funny enough, I think that House
music is pretty good fun. It's a million miles away from us, but I like the idea of people going to a club and
dancing to anything, rather than waiting around for their favorite groups to come on, and House music seems to be good
dance music. And if people are dancing, people are quite often happy, and that's a good thing.
Your music isn't joyful
at all, is it because your mind is like this, and is it the only thing your mind can express?
Simon: It's not joyful, it is difficult. I've thought about it a lot, and
I've
often thought I would like to write something that is very happy, but I can't seem to do it. I think it's something
to do with the influence of nature, because although nature can be uplifting, nature can't actually be happy.
I don't know, maybe that has something to do with it.
You speak of nature, but what about springtime? I mean, there's flower and birds and everthing.
Simon: Yes! Yes, that is something that we try and do as well, there are songs that we want, that we intend,
to be uplifting and not blithe.
Are you the one writing the words? How do you write? How do you get the subjects?
Simon: Yeah. I listen to the music
that the others have written.
And that inspires you?
Simon: Yes, well, I wait and it can be form of meditation. But I get
influenced
by books and films, and people and places, and everything.
Yes, your last album
is called "The Millpond Years." What is a millpond?
Simon: A millpond is a pool of
water by a mill. And that's all really. A millpond is calm, it's like a memory.
You're on tour in Switzerland right now, you played in Neufchatel yesterday, today in Geneva. You
will be playing in Lausanne and Martenique also?
Simon: Yes, Lausanne Sunday, Martenique Saturday. And Zurich tomorrow. And Bern in the middle.
Thank you very much.
