Boy & Bear are performing at the Columbia City Theater in Seattle this evening. Back from Australia and ready to entertain you with new tunes from their third album “Limit of Love”. Tim Hart took some time out to speak with Equality365 about the new album, tour and recording with Ethan Johns in Peter Gabriel’s studio. You might still be able to snag a ticket if you click here.
How is the tour going so far?
It is going really well. We toured Europe and that was really great. We arrived in New York a couple days ago. It is really great to be back in the states.
How are fans responding to the new album?
I think the response has been great in general. It was a totally different way of doing things for us. Recording everything live has really changed it up a bit. I think it really captures the energy of our music.
How would you describe your music?
We have been influenced by a lot of classic albums like; Van Morrison, Neil Young, and Fleetwood Mac. It is very much a dynamic event on stage. We don’t have a lot track or electronic drums while we play. It is a live show and changes every night really. I think our stage show is a great representation of the newest album.
How did the free show in Sidney?
It was amazing. We wanted to do something to give back to the people that have stood by us all these years. We didn’t know if anyone would show up with twenty four hours notice. It was nice to use social media to invite people to our release party instead of just trying to push sales.
Boy & Bear: Photo Credit Luke Kellet
What was it like to record at Peter Gabriel’s studio?
It is a converted old mill. He built an adjoining building and soundproofed it with lead. It has some amazing glass windows looking out on a pond and the property. It has an adjoining manor house which is where we slept and had our meals. It is amazing. It had everything we could ever want as a musician. There was natural light, amazing studio space, incredible instruments, someone cooking for you, and just a great open space to record in. I am massive Peter Gabriel fan so it was an incredible pilgrimage for me. It is just such a well thought out space. It is definitely a place that we would like to return to again.
Was this your first album with Ethan Johns?
Yes it was. We have been a big fan of his work for a long time. He is a musical genius. I am convinced of that. He can play anything. He is a real storyteller as well. He is just so encouraging and confidence building.
Who do you dream of collaborating with?
I think we work as a band is that we write songs and the process is almost dictated by the songs not the other way around. I don’t know that we have specific plans or dreams to collaborate with anyone. We sat down in a hotel room in Scotland last year to decide what we wanted to accomplish with the next record. The consensus was that we had slightly missed out on translating what we can do live to the actual recorded versions of the songs. Our goal was to translate these new songs into a record that sounded like we do live and be proud of it. Ethan Johns best fit the mold of someone that would push us to go further and record them live.
What is your favorite song to perform live in the current show?
There is a song on the record called “Just Dumb”. I think that is my favorite right now. It is a little bit darker. It is a little bit more of a meandering moment on the record. It has been something that is very nice to play live. We play it quite late in the set. We feel it really fits there. It draws people in. The live performance is the sum of all of the parts in the show, which is us, the crowd, the room and the sound. It just seems to draw all those things together in a nice way. It is a song that I really enjoyed recording as well.
In closing what would you like to say to your fans?
I think I would like to thank anyone that has been interested in our music. After the first record and into the second there just wasn’t a lot of coverage of our music. People really had to go out and find us. We played a really great show in Seattle last time and are excited to be back. It is very humbling to come halfway across the world and have people know your songs and want to be part of our journey. We very much appreciate it.
