Force Fields Newsletter Interview

Thanks to Paul for answering these questions:

What will Force Fields’ next release be?

Our next release will be an EP tentatively called INVERSIONS. We’ve recorded the beds and now just need to bang out the guitar overdubs and vocals and it’ll be done. We’ve also written a bunch of new songs since we recorded those beds so perhaps we’ll have to release two EPs in the coming months. Or perhaps we’ll just combine them into one full-length.

How do you come up with your lyrics?

I try to shape my lyrics into little narratives. I love getting into the seam of the song and having a little universe contained within it. Of course, that’s not always possible, that’s just the goal really. Generally my lyrics will start out as a description of something that happened to me, but then I’ll add and elaborate until it’s somewhat fictionalized. I guess I might call my lyrics truthful fictions. Of course, sometimes I’ll look at the words I’ve just written and realize that I have no idea where they came from.

How do you describe Force Fields’ music?

I would describe Force Fields’ music as sonic pop-rock. I love quick, punchy songs using pop structures and melodies — and I also love those rock epics that extend out and fold back upon themselves, like Built to Spill’s 20-minute live cover of Neil Young’s Cortez the Killer. That track is incredible! In our new batch of songs, we have a couple quick and punchy tracks, as well as a 10-minute epic.

What is your favourite NZ venue?

I love the Mighty Mighty in Wellington. They always treat us so well there. Lovely people. And I’ve played some of my favorite gigs there too. Saturday night shows there are always crazy and fun.

What is the best part of being a musician?

The best part of being a musician is being able to play music on a regular basis. When I first moved to NZ, I was without a band for about 4 years and I really missed it. Now I have weekly rehearsals, and I find them very cathartic. It’s great to be able to make a racket and sing at the top of my lungs and just get everything out of my system. Playing gigs is also a highlight of being a musician. There really is nothing finer than having a room full of people dancing along to my music. I also like it when I see people raise their arms and punch the air. I like a good air-punch.

What is in your CD collection at home?

My record collection is a bit all over the place! Listening to these with some frequency these days: Laura Marling, A Creature I Don’t Know — Miles Davis, In a Silent Way — Air, Talkie Walkie — Rifles, Sketches EP — Mastodon, The Hunter — Elzhi, Elmatic — Arcade Fire, Suburbs — Tribe Called Quest, Beats Rhymes Life — Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna Are You the Destroyer? — and I recently did a couple web-videos for Lawrence Arabia The Sparrow, so I’ve heard a couple tracks from that, and they are excellent!

What is your favourite place in NZ to be?

Being Canadian, pretty much all of NZ is my favorite place! I love this country — next year I’ll be a citizen, so I’ll be a Canadian and a Kiwi. Very exciting. But I love Welly — I’ve lived here for seven years now — there really is a good spirit in this city. For holiday, I really do love Onetangi Beach on Waiheke Island. Swimming there makes me very happy.