ILK
prog rock for beginners
Interview by Jorge Fernandez
(February 2006)
Man of few words. One of Richard Youngs’ favourite phrases, which he seldomly used during this e-mail interview, is that ‘music speaks for itself.’ And in the light of one of his most important latest releases, last year’s Canticle, it certainly does. Youngs and Andrew Payne have returned with Ilk after a seven-year gap from the highly overlooked album debut Zenith; and the resulting Canticle (VHF Records) marks another chapter in their bizarre collision of prog rock, folk and electronic meditations. For Youngs, the king of free folk whose career have flirted with every genre you could think of (electronica, post-punk, ambient, minimalism, folk songs), to attempt a prog album would seem the ultimate struggle. But he has a genuine love for prog and is always keen to stress that he is far from being ironic. In fact, Canticle seduces from the begging, with freak-out explosions à la Hawkwind and sparkles of synthesizer which follows an almost religious recitation by Youngs. Then, he enthuses a jolly good time on “Landsong (Walking)”, like Jon Anderson singing for a host of Hobbits while climbing a mountain. “The Weight Of Stars” mixes beautifully a spacey organ with free percussion, and even though there aren’t great songs this time, the sound is overall most balanced than in other records –as in “Tilling,” which features Youngs at his most hymnal interspersed with a fierce controlled guitar and dense keyboard work, recalling previous Youngs/Matthew Bower collaborations. The pleasure of the meeting is evident. Perhaps, both Youngs and Payne aren’t prog connoisseurs, but it is probably that what makes Canticle sounds so fresh.
PSF: Richard, what motivated you to get back with Ilk after almost a decade?
Richard Youngs: Well, actually, it happened that the lyrics to Canticle had been hanging around for a while –they date back to about 1998, from a day trip to a Scottish island. Andrew and I had been doing a lot of electronic music –the Mauve Trilogy– where we were mostly processing sounds. So we just wanted to get back to playing instruments, and it seemed like a fun way to do so.
PSF: Andrew, how did you change from being a co-lyricist to your full involvement with Ilk? And what can you tell about your compositional methods?
Andrew Payne: Basically, I learnt to play the guitar and felt confident trying with other instruments. Then, when we compose we usually go on a day trip somewhere nice and write some words. We then record one song at a time, usually making the tune up as we go along.
PSF: How long did it take the recordings of Canticle?
AP: Each song took one or two Sunday afternoons spread over a few months.
PSF: I found out that Canticle has by far a more dense atmosphere than Zenith. Has the making of River Through Hollow Sky did influence you in this direction?
RY: No, it's the technology really. Zenith was done on a 4 track reel-to-reel, which was more like a 3 track because one of the tracks didn’t work properly. Whereas Canticle was made using a computer and multi-track software.
PSF: Richard, while you’re viewed as an icon of the new folk rock scene, I guess a big part of your followers can't find the connection with Ilk, which is basically a prog rock group.
RY: The first music I heard outside of my parent’s tastes was Pink Floyd’s. It stayed with me. As a teenager I also really liked Yes. I still do. Ilk is absolutely serious, we're not doing it for a joke. We both love this music.
PSF: Is Ilk a project destined to champion prog rock, since it’s regarded as unfashionable in the media?
RY: No, we're playing it because we enjoy prog-rock music. We're not trying to champion anything, actually. If people like it, then that's fine, but our motivation is personal.
PSF: Some Canticle tracks like “Landsong (Walking)” perform over classically based Yes patterns, like baroque keyboard lines, or soaring guitar solos. In which way did Yes albums exert an influence on your work?
RY: That’s interesting you should say that. We both thought that “Landsong (Walking)” had a Canterbury edge.
PSF: Actually, I find the Canterbury edge more related to your singing, which remainds me of Richard Sinclair. Something that makes me think how much touched were you by Sinclair's charming voice...
RY: Well, I come from the south of England and there is a similar accent and timbre in our voices, I guess.
PSF: About the artwork, it seems more connected with the druid imagery than the average Roger Dean elaborate paintings. Has the druid element somehow influenced Ilk?
RY: Veronica Rennie is the Ilk inhouse designer. We give her a copy of the music and she takes it from there. Both sleeves so far have been influenced by the Scottish landscape.
PSF: Do you see some of this music as an extension of your more cosmically oriented solo work, like “Angel Petrina Bell” from Festival (1997)?
RY: I just make the music I want to make. There’s bound to be some connection. But there’s no concious effort for one album to be connected with another. I mean, music making is something that I do a lot of. I always have. I couldn’t imagine not doing it. So, in one way, making music just happens and I’m not too aware of what exactly is the inspiration.
PSF: Have you both been in touch with the so-called dinosaurs of prog rock?
AP: Actually not. Though sometimes we do go to prog concerts.
PSF: Which prog groups concerts do you use to attend to?
AP: Well, we’re both looking forward to seeing Van Der Graaf Generator next Saturday.
PSF: Has the group done any concerts? Is it difficult to replicate the recordings live?
AP: No, we’re a studio project. And, yes, it would be very difficult. Some of the tracks on Canticle had at least twenty overdubs.
PSF: Have you both the intention to make Ilk recordings more regularly?
AP: Yes. We’re doing something at the moment.
PSF: Richard, I reckon that “When Falling” is one of your best songs ever. I find amazing that, while containing some emotional elements inherent to your music, it still retains some prog essence. How do you work with acoustic numbers in order to obtain that singularity?
RY: I’m glad you like it so much. Thank you, it is very flattering. As I remember it, Andrew and I spoke about “When Falling” before I recorded it and we agreed it should be a ballad. Which meant it had to be acoustic. Then the words we’d written shaped how the tune went.
PSF: Have you find some Ilk fan unaware or disinterested in your own solo career?
RY: No, the other way round. People who are fans of my solo stuff can be unaware or disinterested in Ilk.
Richard and Andrew’s all time favourite prog rock albums
Andrew Payne:
Caravan Caravan
Jon Anderson Olias Of Sunhillow
Utopia Utopia
Rush Hemispheres
Van Der Graaf Generator Pawn Hearts
Richard Youngs:
Pink Floyd Meddle
Peter Hammill Fool’s Mate
Hawkwind In Search of Space
Steve Hillage Fish Rising
Yes Going For The One