Interview with Mark Eitzel – Hey Mr Ferryman

By No More Workhorse on January 27, 2017 • ( 2 Comments )

No More Workhorse had an email exchange with Mark Eitzel in late 2016, reflecting on his career plus a look ahead to his forthcoming album. You can find the results below…

Irish Tour:

Feb 10 – Kilkenny – Cleeres
Feb 11 – Cork – Cyprus Ave
Feb 12 – Dublin – Whelans

New Album – Hey Mr Ferryman – Released today (27th January 2017) on Merge Records.

You’ve had a long career in music over the last 30 years. As you know only too well, critical acclaim doesn’t put food on the table! Yet it’s interesting that, at THIS point in your career, you have collaborated with Bernard Butler on the new album. Can you tell me how it was working with him?

Best creative decision was to keep out of his way. From the impossible demos he read my mind and made the album that I wanted.

Where do you think this album fits in with the others in your back catalogue, is there a prevailing mood to the album?

Working in theatre over the last few years (Marine Parade, Song from Far Away written with Simon Stephens) has made me more objective about songwriting. I’m just trying to cut out the shit. No sour grapes! Just make something beautiful is what I wanted. I think this is similar to the earliest AMC records.

You’re touring Europe in the early part of 2017, do you enjoy coming over to Ireland?

Absolutely! Love Ireland so much.

2016 was a year punctuated by the deaths of significant musical figures (Bowie, Cohen, Lemmy, Prince). Any personal thoughts about this?

It’s been a weird year. I’m mourning so many different things. But damn what a loss all those deaths are.

Can you tell me anything you particularly enjoyed listening to in 2016, both new discoveries and older stuff?

This year was Stereolab, Jason Molina, Amy Winehouse, Fionn Regan, Dr Dog, K-Flay, Glory Fires, Gorillaz, Ligeti, Judee Sill, Kath Bloom, Penderecki, Big Sir, and the Audiobulb label