With his fourth solo LP ‘Taser Revelations’ Adam Stafford has confirmed himself as one of Scotland’s most imaginative and inventive artists.
Every bit a worthy successor to his previous album, the SAY nominated ‘Imaginary Walls Collapse’, his first record for Song, By Toad Records, ‘Taser Revelations’ satisfies both his experimental urges on the lengthy ‘Railway Trespassers’ whilst simultaneously retaining an accessible element to his songs on songs like single ‘Phantom Billions’ and ‘Let A Little Love Inside’.
Whilst ‘Taser Revelations’ was finally released in March the record had an unusually long gestation released as Adam explains.
“It’s just taken so long to get out for various reasons. The songs were actually written around the same time as ‘Imaginary Walls Collapse’. So they’re old.
“I think we tracked the album in about four days so it was definitely a quicker recording process, but it was actually tracked nearly two years ago.
“Then I had a kid, Robbie (Lesiuk – producer/musical collaborator) had three different projects after it and it took a long time to mix.”
As ever Adam has mixed up a huge range of influences on ‘Taser Revelations’ and he’s happy to acknowledge the key factors that influenced the record.
“There’s so many that I could name but I think, in the main, that there’s probably a big 80s dominance. It’s not just because of the synths but some of the elements such as the steel drums which remind me of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ by Black.
“There’s a lot of other stuff – ‘Railway Trespassers’ is definitely directly influenced by a Steve Reich composition, ‘Electric Counterpoint’ and there’s also some gospel elements on ‘The Penumbra’.
“And the first song ‘Let A Little Love Inside’ starts off with the same drumbeat as Arab Strap’s ‘I Would’ve Liked Me A Lot Last Night’ from ‘Philophobia’.”
A key reason that Adam is able to incorporate such disparate influences into his music is in part explained by his use of loops. The method has a definite and positive impact on his songwriting.
“I usually find that the restrictions are quite liberating because for the bed loop, I can only loop 24 seconds. So that initial bed determines what the rest of the song is going to be. From then on I find it easier to build on top of that.
“I definitely find that really freeing rather than when you’ve got an acoustic guitar and trying to write songs with verses and choruses.”
A|s well as unifying seemingly conflicting elements the technique also adds depth and variety to his live performances.
“I like the visual spectacle of building up the loops and some people think it’s magical, which is nice.”
“But it’s also terrifying. It’s fallen apart so many times, it’s horrible!
“It’s usually a timing issue. If it’s not in time I can’t do a syncopated rhythm over the top or I can’t beat box the rhythm over the top of it. Or if I’m playing with Robbie, he just loses it. So (laughs) it really can fall apart very quickly!”
Adam has been working with loops at least since his previous band Y’All Is Fantasy Island but is anxious that it isn’t seen to define him as a musician.
“There are a lot of people doing it at the moment. And you kind of get lumped in with those people.
“And some of them are probably great but some of them are playing improv experimental wig-outs on a loop pedal. Although I like a bit of that as well.
“But I’m thinking of going back, not for the next album but the one after that, to doing acoustic songs which I’ve been writing in increments over the years. That’ll be something like YiFI’s ‘Rescue Weekend’ album where there’s a lot of different changes and proper verses and choruses with middle eights and bridges and stuff.”
Adam previously described last album ‘Imaginary Walls Collapse’ as pop music – or at least what he likes to think pop should be. But it’s clear that, whilst the concept of pop might appeal, he isn’t a fan of modern pop music.
“I don’t know if it’s just my generation looking back on the Top of the Pops era with rose-tinted spectacles but I remember Top of the Pops being quite exciting. But I also remember there being a load of shit – novelty dance records like ‘Tetris’ or boy bands like Take That.
“But I don’t recognise pop music these days. I don’t recognise the shrillness and loudness. If you were to put a Rhianna song into a sound graph it would just be like a block of noise. There’s no dynamic noise there, it’s just not interesting.
“Anything that I hear is just this maximalism – that’s how I’d describe it – the maximalism of pop.
“Maximalism can be great but with maximalised pop, I just think it’s something that just doesn’t sit right.”
Whilst now an established part of the Scottish music scene, Adam finds it harder to get shows further afield despite the critical acclaim for his solo records.
“It’s really difficult to get shows down south, unless you’ve got a booker who’s paid to book these gigs and take a commission. And then they’ve got their politics, they’ll only put some bands together. Yet, without that help, it’s a bit of a nightmare.”
Adam, of course, is not just a musician but also a filmmaker of some repute. It’s something he would like to do again.
“Probably one day. I’ve not given up making films but I’ve had to put it onto hiatus because of raising a child for the last year and a half, so it’s been difficult.
“I’m kind of working on a feature film but it’s only at a basic treatment stage at the moment but hopefully I’ll make it … in the next 10 years!”
‘Taser Revelations’ is out now on Song, By Toad Records. To support the new record Adam has the following dates lined up in coming months:
May 21st – Beat Generator Live, Dundee (co-headline w/Book Group)
June 6th – Brew at The Bog Festival, Inverness
June 18th – Inverness, Mad Hatters
June 24th – Summerhall, Edinburgh (Paws LP launch)
June 25th – Stereo, Glasgow (Paws LP launch)
August 20th – Summerhall, Edinburgh (supporting w/Broken Records)
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RT @isthismusic: Interview: Adam Stafford – https://t.co/w5t292EoHx
RT @isthismusic: Interview: Adam Stafford – https://t.co/w5t292EoHx
RT @isthismusic: Interview: Adam Stafford – https://t.co/w5t292EoHx
RT @isthismusic: Interview: Adam Stafford – https://t.co/w5t292EoHx