Space Oddities interview w/ Biggles

In 2008, the Swiss musician Biggles released his third album, “Oh My God, It’s Full of Stars” which featured Spacehog’s Royston Langdon on bass, Jonny Cragg on drums and Bryce Goggin producing.

This April 1st, Biggles will release his latest album, “Beauty Knows No Pain” on the Swiss label, Chop Records and internationally on iTunes.

Biggles, Grüezi! Please introduce yourself, and don’t be modest.

Grüetzi Captain, thanks for that nice welcome. It seems you’ve done some research there! I’m a Swiss singer and guitarist who is very much into 70s Glamrock, Krautrock and many other Rocks. Writing and performing my songs I try to keep a tradition alive – the tradition of making music for human beings. These days I think too much music is being made only for the charts. I always wanted to keep the listening experience not too easy and still have everything simple and full of melodies.

The charts have certainly become a very dreary place for music lovers. The music made for the masses has become very sterile, safe and disposable. The music industry has completely lost touch with its customers and is completely floundering right now. How does an artist such as yourself survive in today’s musical climate?

You have to be flexible and keep things simple and small. For example: Having a degree in photography and art I design a lot of the visual items myself. I enjoy taking care of covers and flyers and so on. At the moment I am even cutting the first video clip for my next album on my iMac. That’s a luxury people in the 80s simply didn’t have. For me it’s nice that I don’t have to do those things out of necessity but because it’s fun. For me it’s a way to complete the picture and it helps to keep check of the finances.

Does this philosophy apply to your music as well? Do you apply a do-it-yourself approach to writing, recording, performing and promoting?

Absolutely. I try to keep it down to the things I actually enjoy though. I’m into all the musical and creative bits of course. I usually shy back a little from promoting and organizing things.

Btw: My “grüetzi” was wrong, your “grüezi” was correct. And: Where did you learn about “grüezi”?

My instinct (coupled with two semesters of basic German) was to open with a “Grüß dich”, but I thought “Oh, no… I must think Swiss!” I consulted Google and learned all sorts of things about Swiss manners.

Well done, Sir!

Let’s discuss your musical history. What are your influences, when did you start singing/playing guitar/writing songs? What was the path that led to your first released album?

Oh I think it was not very different to most people’s paths out there: Somehow making music sucked me in but didn’t spit me out again.
I started playing the guitar at the age of about twelve. Then, when I felt at home a little I joined a band, left a band, joined a band, left a band… you name it. In the meantime I realized that I’m not that bad a singer and songwriter. So I gradually started singing backing vocals and wrote the main junk of the songs. After another band breakup I was sick of always having to start from square one. So I started my solo thing. I went into the studio to record an album of my best songs I had written so far. I did so with a friend who is a renowned musician in Switzerland and who felt like being producer for a while. The album went down very well with the press and the radio, it actually won the award for best newcomer album of the year. So that made it possible for me to continue. I took the risk of financing that first album myself. I thought if I’d fuck-up at least it’s my own money. It wasn’t that expensive however. Very much do-it-yourself and in the end it payed off.

With the success of your first album under your belt, did you find that that your second album, Colossus, was easier to create? How well was it received?

It was both easier and harder at the same time. It was easier because many things were set up to promote the album – we were able to play some new songs off the album on the award evening for example. On the other hand you feel pressure. You simply try not to fuck up. Colossus was received pretty well. Some people liked the first one better some preferred Colossus. It was different but not too different.

… and then you ended up in Trout Studios (Brooklyn, NY) in 2007 to record “Oh My God – It’s Full Of Stars” with Bryce Goggin and 50% of Spacehog. How did that come about?

Oh yes, that was great. I was always a big fan of Spacehog and wondering about with whom and where to record the next album I thought: How about Bryce Goggin! I wrote him a mail with some info and he immediately wrote back. So I sent him the demos and he liked them very much. When I eventually went to NY to have a look into the studios and to see whether Bryce and I get along, he mentioned that he’s thinking about having Royston and Jonny playing bass and drums on the album. Of course I was completely happy with that prospective. Then when we actually started recording on the first day – maybe half a year later – I told Royston how much of a fan I was. I think I embarrassed him a bit but still he liked it.

How much exposure did Spacehog get in Switzerland during their peak? How did you become familiar with their work?

Spacehog actually didn’t receive a lot of attention in Switzerland. The “In the Meantime” single got some airplay, but not much. I actually learned about Spacehog in a German issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. It was one of the first issues coming with a CD of featured tracks. Spacehog’s “In the Meantime” was track one. I was overwhelmed and bought the album – and every album ever since. When I talk about Spacehog to other Swiss musicians or music journalists, some know them, some don’t. Those who know them are always delighted.

That must have been an odd experience, having people you’re a fan of playing bass and drums on your songs. What was that experience like for you?

At first it felt odd indeed. Then after playing the first song everything began to feel alright. Royston and Jonny were very friendly and Bryce delivered an excellent vibe. “Good times!” he used to say, making fun of one of the assistants. Royston is a photo-enthusiast. After the first day he started bringing photo-books to the studio, we had great discussions there. He even brought a book by a Swiss artist called Karlheinz Weinberger.

This year you headed back into the studio to record your fourth album. How did it go, and how did this studio adventure differ from the others?

I had a bit of a turbulent time before going into the studio so my goal was to keep everything as simple and as friendly as possible. I asked a producer friend of mine if he’d like to co-produce the album with me. We recorded the whole album in his newly built studio at the outskirts of a town close to Zurich. That proved very good in a couple of ways: We had a lot of time on our hands because it was their first big production and they wanted to get used to their own studio and really get their studio going. Then the place they built it in was pretty perfect too: Still as close to the town so you could fetch some food and drinks and everything but yet a bit derelict, so you were able to focus. Then the view out of the huge Windows was just fantastic. There was even enough space for table tennis and stuff. Coming out of that turbulent time, it was one of the most relaxing recording-experiences ever. No pressure – be it self-imposed or put on by somebody else -, no responsibilities and no hurry.

Were the songs written before you headed into the studio? Which mood prevails on the new album, turbulent or relaxed?

I always have around 30 Songs ready when heading for the studio. That way we can pick the ones that feel best at the moment. The mood was pretty relaxed and so are the songs, but there’s some loud songs as well. I like albums that have a lot of different sounds and sights on them. I’ll never be able to narrow an album down to a single mood. I couldn’t even do that on purpose.

What happens the to the songs that aren’t recorded? Are they ever considered for subsequent albums, or are they retired in favor of newly written material?

The biggest part of the unrecorded songs I really just lay aside. You never know whether you will pick one up again later so I keep them stored safe. Once in a while a song that didn’t make it onto a record is really haunting me. In that case I take it out of the drawer and start working on it again until I’m satisfied. Sometimes that process works, sometimes it doesn’t. It did work in the case of “Apple Bite” and “Mary vs. Frankenstein” for example. Usually however I stick to new material, because that’s where the true excitement is.

Can you describe your songwriting process?

I more or less stick to the same method: I first hang around and come up with a melody, then I develop the music out of that melody and finally I write down the words. It’s not always that simple of course, sometimes I come up with the words a little bit earlier for example but usually the music is what speaks to me first. I must stress that don’t force myself to do it that way out of a strange sense of order (I don’t have any) but simply because it feels right that way. Over the years I have realized that my perfect working environment is not a place where I feel forced to be creative say a rehearsal room or a studio. I’m actually the most creative when hanging at my place, almost a bit bored. Sometimes watching the telly (car races work very well) while noodling on the guitar. Those are the moments my creativity starts humming.

Tell me about your guitar rig. What guitars, effects and amps do you use?

My tiny collection of guitar hardware came together bit by bit over the years. I don’t really have a vision of my rig, I simply buy what I’m attracted to or what is needed in order to deliver a certain sound. speaking of guitars, I play mainly Gibsons. A 70’s Les Paul is the one i used to play most of the time. An RD and an SG have joined her a couple of years ago. Often i buy stuff when i do something on borrowed equipment which turns out to work especially well. that was the case for my amp (actually my only amp), a Fender Princeton. When recording Colossus with a Princeton and the Les Paul (most parts of the album) i realized what a great combination that is. So i went on the lookout for a Princeton. took some time, but it’s my only amp now. it has such a great sound, reverb and vibrato…
When it comes to effects i try to keep everything manageable. Less is more, especially in terms of effects. It’s easy to lose yourself in a jungle of effects. Suddenly you realize that your music sounds like mud. That’s why i only have a Big Muff, the classic Whammy pedal, a small distortion pedal and an analogue Space Echo. When recording with Bryce was another moment when i made a mental note: Space Echo. it sounds great. all those effects sound great, but often, when simply playing through the amp, only the amp’s reverb and vibrato turned up, it’s the best sound you can get. I have to stress that i hate racks.

What do you see happening after the release of this album? From your current vantage point, what does the long-term future of your musical career look like?

I’m not the kind of guy who runs on big media plans. Essentially I want to play and write. I have good assistance in delivering everything to the media while I can focus on my music. I am aware that I work in a niche (especially in Switzerland, where niches tend do be even smaller than in the rest of the world) but I’m in that niche because I like it. It gives you creative freedom. You might have less fans but they do love you better.

Are you, in fact, the fictional pilot James Bigglesworth, star of the Biggles series adventure books written by W. E. Johns?

Actually that name came to me thanks to my famous airborne friend. He’s the blueprint to my strategy of survival: Gliding on a breeze over the turmoil of life, experiencing great adventures. That’s what I want from life and for my music.

Biggles, Thank you for granting Space Oddities the opportunity to interview you.

You’re very welcome. I enjoyed it very much!