Holly Henderson speaks to Jason Barnard about her forthcoming album ‘The Walls’ which shows a more introspective side to this hugely talented singer songwriter.
Hi Holly – I was hugely impressed with your last single ‘The Planes’ – what inspired you to write it?
I wrote The Planes while I was at home. I’d been staring out of the window, watching the planes go by, probably from Gatwick Airport, taking people to a new, exciting place. And there I was, still, in the place I’d always been.
That feeling, met the one I’d always had since growing up. Intrusive thoughts creeping in at the most inappropriate times. Like when I’d sit on a plane, and imagine myself falling out of the sky, wishing I’d stayed home. But it isn’t a bleak song, it’s a reminder that the fears holding me in my place, were not real. And I can open the door and leave them behind at any time.
The track has an analogue feel – what was the recording process for it and your forthcoming album ‘The Walls’?
I’m so glad it comes across! Due to the intimacy of the songs, I wanted to preserve the organic nature of the words, and the arrangements. The heart of every song was recorded live, from the front room of a farm house in Sevenoaks – everyone facing each other, hearing each other, and working together.
The sounds you hear are preserved in the moment that they happened. Tentative and selective moments were ever changed in post. The other-worldly elements, synths, sounds, etc, were still captured live. 3 to 4 of us, tinkering with analogue synths (also with my boyfriend, Producer/Synth twiddler Andy Gladwell), plus percussion, voices, ipads, etc, while the songs played.
How does ‘The Walls’ compare with your debut LP ‘Monday Green’? Are there any particular themes that thread through the lyrics – what should we expect from it?
Monday Green is funny to look back on now, I was 18/19 when I wrote those songs. I knew I wasn’t destined to be the songwriter that stayed in one lane, genre wise. I get too bored for it, more than anything.
But the two are truly opposite sides of some kind of spectrum. That’s not to say The Walls doesn’t have guitars, it’s still guitar driven. But emotionally speaking, I’m a different musician, writer, everything. I think on a shorter scale, and less profound way, probably, the two albums have a similar relationship to Joni Mitchell’s original Both Sides Now (1969), and when she reimagined it in 2000, so many years later. It’s darker, more delicate, but far more melodic and explorative. I look at Monday Green fondly from a distance, but The Walls is where that person went, with some years after being buffeted by time and all the things that come with it, it’s a snapshot of a more thoughtful songwriter and musician (I hope) and also the intricacies that come with a more emotionally mature human being.
Who did you collaborate with?
I wrote and arranged everything alone, I then took it to the people in the band, who I trust, and always will, to bring it to life as a band. We’ve all known each other and grown up in Maidstone, it just so happens, that each of them are ridiculously, uniquely talented, with the ability to take music to extraordinary places, you really don’t just find that anywhere – I’ve checked!
The credits are:
- Holly Henderson: Songwriting, vocals, guitar, keys/piano, synths, production
- Jamie Chellar: Bass, vocals
- Katy Chellar: Backing vocals
- Luke Phillips: Drums, vocals, sound wizardry/production/synths
- Harry Morley: Keys/piano, vocals, synths
- Poggy: Flute (a truly incredible artist that you should also check out immediately)
- Pierre Flasse: Trombone
- Andy Gladwell: Synths
A special mention to Rowan who engineered/produced – Rowan’s sensitivity as an engineer and producer, preserved every magical moment in his safe hands, while every person in the band shines throughout. It was then mastered by the lovely Mark Marler.
And visually, the album artwork, and the upcoming video for Wendy, is the work of another incredible talent I was lucky enough to discover through this, Joe Inns. He took my ideas for the visuals of this album and has given it the most beautiful home. I’m very lucky.
Where are you based and what is the musical scene like there?
Still based in Kent, Maidstone. Everyone here is so talented. We have virtuosos, unreal singers, some of the best writers, session musicians, producers, I’ve seen. I’ve been around for enough to really see how lucky we actually are, and how criminally underrated the people from that scene are. Not for long though, I hope! We already have some fellow Maidstonians doing amazing things, Pete Wheeler, Josh Roots, Jack Collier, recently played with The Wild Things at Madison Square Gardens. Another, our own Ben Jones, has supported Brian Wilson, the list goes on. You stick around in the industry for a bit, look around, and go back to a pub in Maidstone and see people that wipe the floor with anyone I’ve seen in Nashville, LA, London, etc. It’s mental.
What inspired you to first play music?
My family love music, but I have no history in the family of actual musicians, it came out of nowhere. My Mum gave me a keyboard, and that’s where it started. Then I got bored and wanted a guitar, got bored again and wanted a violin, it’s never really stopped. Just learnt by ear and always got a real kick out of writing songs, it’s a compulsion, but I’m grateful to have what feels like a purpose that can only be a force for creation, or some form of good.
Who are your musical influences?
I will try and keep it short. I have my staples, Sparklehorse, Wilco, PJ Harvey, The Beatles, Fairport Convention, Daniel Rossen, Gabor Szabo, etc. But I’m also a bit of a musical magpie. I’ll listen to anything and pick out things that I find interesting, inspirational, whatever, and stuff it in my brain for later. I get a lot of inspiration from films and film music too, in fact that’s where I’d like to take my music one day. I’ve always loved the idea that music isn’t just delicious for the ears, but a way of reinforcing imagery, or a story, film, etc, in a powerful way. We’ve all cried at a powerful scene in a film, I guarantee the music was a huge part in causing that reaction, to have that creative power, what could be cooler?
You’ve recorded some fantastic covers on YouTube like ‘Solsbury Hill’ – which are your highlights?
Thank you! I never wanted to do a plain cover, they’re all songs I love, and I don’t think I’m improving them in any way, really just paying my respects in the only way I know how. So God Only Knows, and Wuthering Heights were probably my favourites. Just because deconstructing them was very interesting, and I learnt the most from those two.
What are your future plans (live dates?) and how can people find out more about you?
Release the album! Of course. I’m hoping to ride whatever wave/puddle is created from that, really. I am tentatively looking into booking some gigs around the country, to promote the album, and also just experience the songs with people face to face.
I have one gig in particular booked now, Frome, The Hydeaway March 2nd, which is a 30 person intimate gig. Which will be brilliant. Get your tickets!
Then vinyl, I hope. The record label Ivy Records that I’m a part of, and also releasing the album through, has also had the pleasure of hosting Freddie Cowan (The Vaccines) new solo album, Answer Machine which is dropping March 23, along with a summer tour, on which I’ll be featuring in some capacity. So follow me on the social stuff, @hollyhendersonofficial, Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, whatever works! And I will bring all of the exciting news as and when.
Holly’s next single, Wendy is available on 27 January and is available to pre save now: linktr.ee/hollyhenderson/
