Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I’m an Anglo-American singer-songwriter/bandleader and scriptwriter. I grew up in London but lived in New York for many years where I formed the rock septet, Spottiswoode & His Enemies in the late nineties. The band will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year. Just over a decade ago I moved back to London where I’m raising my ten-year-old daughter. I play acoustic shows in Britain and Europe with various accompanists but I still return to the States at least once a year to play with my band. In the last few years a New York-based script of mine, Either Side Of Midnight, was made into a feature film by James Bond director, Roger Spottiswoode (remarkably, no relation!). Also, my musical Between The Angel And The Old Kent Road, just had a staged reading here in London funded and produced by the international theatre company, Breaking Borders.
My American mother was an opera singer and singing teacher. I didn’t share her musical taste but I did inherit the singing and performing bug. The turning point came when I was twelve. My best friend and I both fell in love with The Beatles at the same time. They were quite untrendy in those days so it took some courage to admit it to each other. We took guitar lessons together for a year. My goal had been to be able to play Beatles songs but very quickly I wanted to write my own songs instead.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Spottiswoode in three words?
A: No I can’t.
Okay I’ll try
Retro eclectic expressionist
Waits Cohen Kinks
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: A few years ago I started a Patreon page. I often ask advice and take advice from my Patreon community. Of course there’s social media, an email list and live concerts. I was also crowdsourcing before crowdsourcing was a thing. I still do it, now using Kickstarter. Having said all that, I don’t think my fans have a huge effect on my musical journey artistically. I think they’re happy for me to follow my muse. But they have played a huge part in funding my projects and giving me encouragement.
Q: You have just released your new album, ‘IT WASN’T IN THE SCRIPT’. Is there a story behind it?
A: I sensed I had a theme for an album when I wrote my first song for and about my daughter – WHEN I’M WITH YOU. She was two at the time. It’s a very tender lyrical song. I’d found my muse! Over the next couple of years I wrote two more songs for her, love songs really. She’s also referred to in a couple of other tunes. In the end all of the songs on the album concern either parenthood or family or at least the fact of getting older. But I promise it isn’t a geriatric record! It fizzes.
It’s also only half a coincidence that the album and title track is called IT WASN’T IN THE SCRIPT. When my daughter was four my namesake Roger Spottiswoode (no relation) directed my feature screenplay Either Side Of Midnight in New York. I was very distressed by some major changes he made to the script at the last minute. It was never a very edgy script in the first place but he cut out the little edge there was. He wanted all the protagonists to be as likeable as possible.
Q: What is your favorite track from the album and why?
A: I’m sure it will change, it always does, but at the moment my favourite track is the second song, Prayer #1. It’s a duet with my daughter, a simple song/prayer I wrote in an attempt to cultivate a sense of gratitude. It had a mysterious quality as soon as I wrote it. In the studio, keyboardist Kenny White and bassist Drew Hart came up with a sweet and mellow intro that sets the vibe up perfectly.
And then a wonderful thing happened in post-production. When mixing engineer extraordinaire Michael Scherchen sent me his first stab at a mix I didn’t like the way the drums sounded. No disrespect to Brian Geltner but they killed the tenderness of the song. I wondered if it had something to do with the compression Michael might have put on the kit – a common mixing technique. I asked Michael to send me a mix with the compression rolled off but I also asked for an alternate mix with the drums only joining the song towards the end. A few days later Michael sent me the new mixes. I listened first to the mix with just the compression rolled off the drums. It sounded fantastic. Had Michael sent me this mix in the first place I would never have asked for an alternate. Then I listened to the mix with the drums coming in later. It sounded even better! There’s just au unexpected magic to the song and to the recording that has very little to do with me.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the album, “IT WASN’T IN THE SCRIPT”?
A: I asked my friend and once-previous producer Peter Fox to produce the album at his Brooklyn Pearl Studio in DUMBO NYC. Although I knew the songs needed a band I decided, after seven records so far with them, that I shouldn’t make this particular album with my Enemies. I wanted a different sound. So I corralled Brian Geltner (drums), Drew Hart (bass) and my dear friend Kenny White (keyboards). I played Fender Strat. We laid down the basic tracks for the songs in three days. We later overdubbed (in NYC and London) percussion, trumpet (on two songs) and backing vocals. Backing vocalists include various guests including the amazing Martha Redbone blowing the roof off on a couple of songs, Walter Salas-Humara of The Silos on one song, and on more than half the tracks my daughter Sophie Lee. The sound of a child singing backing vocals is an important part of the sound of the whole album. It adds joy, humour and spookiness depending on the song.
The songs were then mixed in Poland! By Michael Scherchen. I wasn’t there but there was a ton of back and forth. He was incredibly impatient.
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Spottiswoode so far?
A: I have played so many memorable concerts over almost four decades. I’ll pick two:
October 2001 at Fez in New York City. Spottiswoode & His Enemies had just been on a 2-week tour to the Midwest. These were the first shows we’d played since 9/11. We had returned to New York for our residency at Fez. The city was still in a stunned state of mourning after the attacks. I wasn’t sure if it was even appropriate to play a gig. We started the concert off with an uplifting “gospel” song of mine called You Will Rise Again. The crowd went wild. It was like they needed to hear it. It was only then that I understood the power of music and its role in society.
October 2012 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Greenwich Village NYC. Spottiswoode & His Enemies had planned to play our 15th anniversary concert at an auditorium in Tribeca but it had to be cancelled at the last minute because of Hurricane Sandy. I had returned to New York especially for the show but there was no venue to play while I was there. Everything was booked up. We had shot some music videos a couple of years before at the Lutheran Church in Greenwich Village so we asked them if we could hire the space and bring our own sound. We sweetened the deal by telling them we’d encourage the audience to bring second-hand clothes for people who’d been displaced by the hurricane.
We had a packed house (and lots of clothes donations!). Once again a real sense of community. To make it even sweeter the illustrator Maria Eugenia was in the audience. She had come from Sao Paolo, Brazil. I’d never met her before but she had already made some beautiful music videos for several songs of mine. The band played a selection of “greatest hits” from the past decade and a half. It ended up being a much more special anniversary concert than I’d ever imagined.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: I think I’d have to say the song In The Pouring Rain. I’ve included versions on three albums of mine – Salvation, That’s What I Like and I Have So Many Friends. It’s a very gentle and evocative tune. It always goes down well at concerts no matter the venue or the audience. And it always calms me down. I wrote it very quickly one evening in the early 2000s. It almost wrote itself. Definitely shades of Nick Drake in it. I remember taking it to an acoustic trio rehearsal the very next day and not being sure if it was any good. I performed it that night and have played it hundreds of times since.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Spottiswoode’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: Although I have collaborated on a few songs over the years I have written the vast majority on my own. They almost always evolve organically, either at the guitar or on piano. There are four or five songs I’ve written completely in my head, two of which are my most requested songs: Beautiful Monday and Building A Road. The arrangements happen in different ways. I’ve made seven records with my Enemies. The songs usually come together very quickly in the rehearsal room with each bandmember bringing their own genius to their parts. Once in a while I might veto a particular idea or I might already have, say, a horn line or a bass line up my sleeve.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have for Spottiswoode, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: Good question! I always find that very difficult to answer, particular the “dreams” part. My expectation is that I will continue to write and record songs, play gigs and maybe get to see a musical or screenplay of mine produced in some form or other. My dream? I wish I knew. I can sometimes feel like a hamster in a wheel spinning in circles. It’s still a struggle after all these years to get the kind of audience attention I’d like. I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to have the journey I’ve had but I’d also like more people to be at my shows and to know my music. And I’d love my musical, Between The Angel And The Old Kent Road, to get development funding.
So the message to my fans who have accompanied me this far – or for any part of my musical journey – is a big thank you! Thanks for your support and encouragement. It makes a huge difference. I also ask a favour: Please bypass the Spotify algorithms and actively play my music, share it even! And make sure you listen to the new album several times at least. Even from an artist you like, new music takes a few listens. Thanks!
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