Andy Tillison (The Tangent) Interview
I Recently Ihad the pleasure of having a good conversation with Andy regarding the latest Tangent album Was/Was Not. Here's what he had to say about it all.
The album is in 2 parts a vocal album of 3 songs and an Instrumental album which expands on musical themes used in the album.
Jws Good day Andy good to talk with you.
AT Hello John Haven't seen you for a while not since the Jolly Tar shows we did a few years ago (It was actually over 15 years ago before the Comm Album)
JWS I’m here to talk about you soon to be released album Was.
AT Have you had a chance to hear it yet?
JWS I've heard the Was album but not the Was Not one as yet, I especially enjoyed the gentler mid piece song about the river though
AT Well we live in the high up parts of North Yorkshire where the river Nid joins the river Wharfe before it joins the river Ouse near Cawood. We are over 1000 feet up with the nearest shop 4 miles away through steep and twisting roads of about 1 in 6 inclines, it can be challenging at times but we are usually 7 degrees cooler than at ground level so the recent heatwaves haven't affected us as much as it has some other folks.
JWS my Wife is from Yorkshire she lived in Baildon near Ilkley she used to play in the river in IIkley as a child, she has fond memories of the River there.
AT I grew up in Otley, we lived in a house full of music, my mother used to play classical music all the time, Which is possibly why I still enjoy classical music like Rachmaninoff and Debussy and the like, My love of prog came about, actually it was a friend who introduced me to Yes by bringing Close To The Edge to our house, Where I thought here is some music that has similar constructions to the classical music i grew up with. After that I discovered Van Der Graaf Generator and Peter Hammill who I'm still a fan of to this day, Whilst I loved yes upto Drama, I never really took to going for the one. Even though lots of folks rave about it for me their golden period are those earlly albums.
I've not really kept up with them much latterly, Although I'm told their latest albums are OK not especially classics but have some good moments to them, , i do like Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks, I cried when I heard them as the recapture the magic of early Yes and its great to hear him in such good form again.
JWS their new album Aurora is pretty good there is a longer length epic amongst several 7 plus minutes tracks, I know like me you are a fan of Tales From Topographic Oceans. Susan bought me the new multi first box set of that album its really wonderful. I do like the Steven Wilson remix and new mixes it adds a lot of clarity to the sound. And dignifies and honours the original music Yes created.
AT I'm glad you like the song about the river it works well as a separation between the two longer tracks sort of like a musical sorbet or a filling between the sandwich of the other two songs.
The album looks at Nostalgia and queries the portrayal of the past era's with its fondness to return to those days that we are of reminded by inaccurate ðepictions as we see in the media and tv with programmes like Last Of The Summer Wine, Dad's Army and Porridge etc, when in reality we had rationing till the 1950's and we had strikes and unrest in the 1970's and riots in the Thatcher era, However we tend to only look back on those times with Rose Tinted glasses and thus forget the Vietnam war and the Biafran food shortages and other events we conviently either edit out or fail to remember.
This albums questions the cosy warm view and asks us to remember that it not all was rosy all the time.
The *instrumental album allows me to explore themes used in the main album and use my influences of classical music, Drum and Bass, Samba etc, It is I feel some of my finest work. I think you might enjoy it John.
The album comes out on the 30th September via White Knight Records, who we signed to after our current deal with Inside Out expired, Inside out were very good to us and allowed us a lot of freedom but I was conscious that as an occasionally political band, That I didn't want to put them in a difficult position with anything I was saying, They are part of Sony Music after alll, I've known the folks behind White Knight Records ( Rob Reed and Will Mackie) for many years and so going with them was a no brainer. Its all going very well thus far.
JWS You are doing a show in Bewdley soon aren't you?
AT yes it on the 12th September we will be playing some of the new album amongst other things including possibly the last appearance of In Earnest for a while, I believe there us a streaming option for those who can't get there see Steve Gould for details here's the link to the streaming option.
Jws I think your singing is better on this album Andy why is that ?
AT - i think I'm more comfortable realising that im not a good singer I sing to convey the meaning of the song, Like the great narrators in music Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Neil Young and the like who all sing to convey the message the sing contains, I know that's my intent too, It is a marmite voice you either like it not but either way I get the point over see align myself to the role of the narrator of the songs really.
JWS - You've changed Bass Player from Jonas Reingold to Andy Edwards why is that?
AT Jonas has been with us for many years (since 2003) As he now lives in Vienna it made getting together a little more difficult than before, Plus with his continued presence in Steve Hackett's touring band and his own activities Jonas decided to it was time for him to leave the group, Obviously we wish him well in his future adventures and Part on a convivial basis and on good terms,
I've known John for many years and we'd both expressed a desire to work together properly, Now we have. Jonas is featured on the vocal album in the main whereas John features mainly on the Instrumental album.
We played with John at Winter End.
JWS That was when you played a solo rendition of Rubycon by Tangerine Dream was it?
AT Yes i fulfilled a lifetime ambition to performn that live, We recorded it for future release at something it may be a CD/DVD set.
Well Andy my ,time has gone so thank you for talking with me today I really do appreciate it.
The Tangent - Was 2CD (pre-order) https://share.google/gGuaeMuEstnModtc9
Author John Wenlock-Smith.