Folk Singer Teddy Thompson on His New Album ‘Bella’ (Interview)
Monday, 07 March 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
Ask Teddy Thompson for his opinion on present-day British music and you’ll find that he’s sure to give you nothing less than a straight answer. “The current state of mainstream chart music is truly awful.” It’s a fair point. Coming from a background such as his, it must be difficult to be optimistic about popular music when the entire industry appears to be led by money and fame rather than the music itself. Born in London to singer Linda Thompson and former Fairport Convention guitarist Richard Thompson, Teddy was brought up on a diet of ‘50s and ‘60s rock and roll, which gave him his first taste for a life of music. “The main influence my parents had was to expose me to The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. That music shaped me.” After gaining an initial interest at home, he continued on his musical journey upon reaching school. “I took guitar lessons at about 11 and then I went off to boarding school at 13. It was a very artistic school named Bedales. Music was a big part of life there.”
Looking back to the artists that his parents introduced him to from a young age, he explains how it seems so unreal when faced with the fame-obsessed music culture of today. “I can't imagine how wonderful it was to grow up in a time where the Top 10 was full of great stuff. We live in a time now where, for the most part, good music exists off the beaten track. I guess it makes me a little sad.” However, despite the music of some of his contemporaries being overlooked only too often, he tries to maintain a certain level of optimism and hopefulness for his choices of preferred artists, such as US folk singer Krystle Warren, who released her debut album ‘Circles’ in the UK last year. “She’s going to be huge this year. And if she's not, I'll cry.”
Teddy’s own latest offering has just been released last month. ‘Bella’, his fifth album and the follow-up to 2008’s Top 10 album ‘A Piece of What You Need’, has already been described by critics as his most personal-sounding to date. However, the singer attempts to downplay some of these early reactions. “I'm not sure it's anymore personal than previous records. I write mostly in the first person about my own life and that hasn't changed. I think that the way in which we recorded helped to make the songs as immediate as possible.” The album was produced by David Kahne, who has previously worked on albums by Paul McCartney, The Strokes and Sublime.
Teddy goes on to describe how ‘Bella’ took a lot longer to complete than on previous occasions. “It was, for me, a long process recording this record. It took about four months in total. Previously, I don't think I've spent more than a month on a record.” He confesses, however, that he left a lot of the more technical things to David. “I have to admit that I wasn't there for a lot of the boring stuff, when computers get involved. David did a great job of dealing with all the minutiae and letting me look at the record as a whole. We cut almost all of the vocals first, with a live band, then went back to build the track around the vocal.”
When it came to finding inspiration for the songs, Teddy looked back to some of his very early influences to help him find a suitable sound for the album. “I was listening to a lot of early ‘60s girl singer stuff like Brenda Lee and Jackie De Shannon while I was writing for this record. When the songs were done they seemed to demand certain things arrangement-wise like strings and a slightly retro sound on some tracks.” When describing the lyrical origin of his songs, he offers only a light-hearted idea of where he found inspiration. “US Magazine, Perez Hilton. The usual.”
Teddy has just completed a UK tour, upon which he took the opportunity to show his bandmates some of the magnificent sights that the UK has to offer. “We took the band to Stonehenge. They're all American and had never been. Certain members may have smoked a joint before they walked around and there is some very funny Flip footage of it.” It also proved to be the perfect opportunity for the singer to introduce ‘Bella’ to his host of British fans. “We started the tour before the record was released, so for the first couple of weeks there are some baffled looks when you play the new songs they haven't heard. Then after it's been released there's a bit more love for the new stuff, but it's still early days. No one has had time to live with the new record yet.”
For those people that have since given the album a proper listen and might be concerned that they have missed the opportunity to catch it in all its live glory, Teddy confirms that there will be more chances to come. “I imagine there will be a few dates in April and then a more sizable tour later in the year.” He makes no bones about what it is he enjoys most about his homecoming tours. “The audience, of course. It's all about them. Doesn't work so well without a crowd.”
Following the completion of the album and its christening on the road, Teddy considers how he feels about it, now that the long task is over. “I don't think I'll know for years. I can't listen to it objectively. All I know is we worked hard on it.” As he looks ahead to the future, we ask him what motivates him to keep writing music and making new albums. Once again, however, his response is somewhat tongue-in-cheek. “The money.”
The new album ’Bella’ is out now.
Tracklisting
1. Looking for a Girl
2. Delilah
3. I Feel
4. Over and Over
5. Take Me Back Again
6. Tell Me What You Want
7. Home
8. The Next One
9. Take Care of Yourself
10. The One I Can't Have
11. Gotta Have Someone
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Teddy’s own latest offering has just been released last month. ‘Bella’, his fifth album and the follow-up to 2008’s Top 10 album ‘A Piece of What You Need’, has already been described by critics as his most personal-sounding to date. However, the singer attempts to downplay some of these early reactions. “I'm not sure it's anymore personal than previous records. I write mostly in the first person about my own life and that hasn't changed. I think that the way in which we recorded helped to make the songs as immediate as possible.” The album was produced by David Kahne, who has previously worked on albums by Paul McCartney, The Strokes and Sublime. 
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