In the first of a new series of interviews of artists connected with the Fruits de Mer record label, Jason Barnard speaks to songwriter Mark McDowell.
Hi Mark, how did you first get involved with the Fruits de Mer label? My first recollection was the lovely ‘Girls of Belvoir’ track on the Regal Crabomophone annual.
I came across Fruits de Mer in Shindig magazine after trawling the press for suitable labels for a fresh batch of recordings. I sent Keith an EP of songs of which he picked out Girls of Belvoir explaining that the label primarily dealt with interesting interpretations of lost sixties classics, but that he had an outlet for true to the spirit originals through their Regal Crabomophone imprint.
Can you tell me about your forthcoming FDMer Glastonbury gig? I hear this will tie in with a limited-run first-ever vinyl pressing of your ‘Dark Weave’ album.
Dark Weave had a somewhat limited release last year and on top of some very positive reviews we’re giving it a more substantial vinyl + download release. Mark McDowell and Friends has been a stable line-up for a couple of years now and we’ve got the Dark Weave set pretty tight. We’re really looking forward to presenting it live at the FDMer show in Glastonbury. Having enjoyed playing solo at last year’s 15th Dream of Dr Sardonicus festival in west Wales I feel truly part of the family.
Tracks like ‘Walking Back To You’ recall 60s/early 70s English folk – is this something you recognise?
Absolutely, some years back my brother in law gave me a substantial bootleg ‘Lammas Night Laments’ comprising eleven albums of late 60’s early 70’s Acid Folk. I played them every night to help me get to sleep, it’s seeped in, I feel inside this music.
Going back, what where your formative influences?
As a youngster playing guitar and writing songs in Billericay Essex I’d soak up all manner of stuff. I had a circle of friends, very open minded, we listened to John Peel and went out see gigs as soon as we were old enough. Hawkwind, The Damned, Human League, and then a bit later My Bloody Valentine, Happy Mondays and Acid House. At the same time playing acoustic, I developed a taste for Donavan, early T’rex, Pink Floyd and anything with that plaintive English Psychedelic feel.
How long have you been making music?
I’ve been making music for thirty years.
How do you come up with song ideas? Is there always a set idea or is it a natural process?
There is a sense of history, an attempt to investigate and bring back stories and ideas from the folklore and myths of Britain. I would say this is an important part of the song-writing process, which also involves putting something of myself, and the life I lead in there. As I produce myself studio techniques also play their part with some songs starting out as improvised or a processed sound collage.
Who have/do you collaborate with?
It is a solo project and I started it 18 years ago as an outlet for my acoustic work as well as way of doing something that is largely self-contained. That said if I’m performing as a band we’re billed as Mark McDowell and Friends. The current line-up Jim Dyke Bass, David Gould Bouzouki Dilruba Stick Dulcimer, Pete Westaway Synthesizer, Debbie Jones and Hannah Moriah vocals are the band on Dark Weave. It’s also worth mentioning my brother John Hymas a classical musician whose done a fantastic job contributing strings over the years as well as Ken Pustelnik of Groundhogs on drums at various times.
What music influences you now? What artists are you proud to be associated to when people compare you?
There’s some great stuff out there, I like a lot of the psychedelic rock acts like The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Spiritualized, Broadcast and more stripped down stuff like Psychic Ills and Holy Drug Couple. We get compared here and there to bands like this however I don’t really hear too much that sounds like us. I think I’ve arrived at the right instrumentation to make this music effective and original. One of the key things is using percussion instead of a drummer that we found unbalanced the sound. In this respect I would cite US acid folk band Espers as a contemporary influence.
Which tracks from ‘Dark Weave’ would you recommend new listeners seek out? The title track brings in a spacey feel to the acid folk sound.
That’s a tough one, in my mind the opening track Dark Weave sets the scene and on any given day I’d choose any of the tracks. But let’s say today ‘Service of Owls’ as it has all the hallmarks of the McDowell sound packed into a tight arrangement, and also Light of Love for its hypnotic improvisations.
What records have you previously brought out – which material from your previous EPs would you highlight?
- Rooks Wedding Album CD 2002
- The Gap in the Album CD 2009
- Community Heat Album CD/DL/Cassette 2011
- McDowell Chamber Union EP CD/DL 2012
- Mark McDowell EP CD/DL 2013
- Drifter EP CD/DL 2013
- Girls of Belvoir 7 inch Single 2013
- Modern Folk Group EP CD/DL 2015
- Time Machine Album CD/DL 2016
- Dark Weave 2017/18 LP/CD/DL
Looking at the discovery you can see releases have been sporadic over past 18 years and some of it now out of print. The Time Machine album collects together songs from the EP’s excluding the remixes. Along with Girls of Belvoir I would recommend She Fell Away, The Drifter and Died in Love. I have fond memories of recording these while building up my studio and finding my feet as a producer.
Are there any lyrical themes you return to?
The richness of folklore and study of lost beliefs are fascinating and evocative. Themes of paganism, witchcraft, the struggles of the underdog against the state, brutal and mysterious. Psychedelic folk music, the perfect vessel to translate these ideas from past to present and beyond.
After Glastonbury and the vinyl release of ‘Dark Weave’ what are your musical plans? Have you written any new material?
Well hopefully we’ll be out doing a few more concerts promoting Dark Weave over the summer and beyond. As I mentioned earlier the current line-up have been together for a few years and as such have no problem playing lengthy double sets if required. Recording is on going of course, with the band currently working on a soundtrack, before tackling a new set of songs.
Finally, how do people find out more about you?
The best way for people to listen and buy our music is through Bandcamp.
For all other news, announcements etc, it’s best to start with the Facebook page.
Please visit Bandcamp and Reverbnation for music, videos and reviews.
I can also be contacted by email and through Twitter.
Thanks for your time Mark. All the best for your forthcoming Glastonbury show and the re-release of Dark Weave.
