Shrubbery Terror blends William Blake’s poetry with psychedelic rock, absurd humor, and genre-defying sounds. We spoke to the one-person mastermind behind the project about chaos, craft, and creativity.
1.
Shrubbery Terror is a wonderfully unusual name. What does it represent to you,
and how did it come about?
After
recording my songs – some based on Blake’s poems, some with my own lyrics – I
felt like I needed a name that reflected the weird mix I’d put together: indie,
experimental, kind of all over the place, and sometimes a bit funny too.
“Shrubbery” popped into my head thanks to Monty Python and the Holy
Grail. It just fit. Shrubbery Terror might sound like a
metal band, but to me, it’s the terror of genres – and of genre-bending
surprises.
2. Your
debut album is built on the poetry of William Blake. What drew you to Songs
of Innocence and of Experience, and how did you go about translating those
texts into music?
The idea of
setting Blake’s poems to music came to me around thirteen years ago. Back then,
he just kept showing up in everything I was into – he appeared in the
film Red Dragon, The Doors took their name from his famous
quote, “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would
appear to man as it is, infinite,” and one of his paintings was
featured on the cover of a book by Aldous Huxley. I was reading a lot of Blake
back then, and I realized that Songs of Innocence and of Experience had
a lyrical and rhythmic quality that could work beautifully as songs. So I
started composing music around those poems and using his words as lyrics. Some
of the lyrics have been subtly altered and modernized, though – just enough to
make them flow more naturally in a musical context, while keeping their
original spirit. At the time, it was just me, an acoustic guitar, and my voice.
Now, the sound has evolved into something much more complex.
3. The
album spans psychedelic rock, ambient, folk, metal — and even a “mystery
genre.” Can you tell us more about this mysterious element and how genre
fluidity serves your artistic vision?
I like
music that has surprises – when it suddenly turns into something else,
something unexpected. I’d be bored out of my mind if I had to stay in one genre
the whole time.
Sting once said, “When I listen to a piece of music, if I'm not
surprised within the first eight bars, I stop listening, I switch off.” It
might seem like I’m out here trying to impress Sting… but I’m not. I need to
surprise myself first. So I guess that mysterious element is… hedgehog’s rock.
And let’s be honest – the hedgehog is probably the real shrubbery terrorist.
4.
You're a one-person creative powerhouse, handling everything from composition
to promotion. What have been the biggest challenges — and freedoms — in working
solo?
The best
part was not having to wait for anyone — I could just dive in and grind away at
the material for days. It was a fully independent process from start to finish.
The hardest part was making my voice carry enough emotion and energy, without
really having the technical skills. I had to accept my limitations at times —
and that’s why I brought in a few people who actually can sing.
5. You
collaborated remotely with guest vocalists and even a choir. How did you find
and connect with these collaborators, and what did they bring to the project?
My first
guest was a drummer from Serbia — Nikola — who recorded his part for the
song “Infant Joy.” I needed something punchy and specific for
that metal-ish vibe, and he totally delivered. Then I hired a choir from
Nigeria — Samsam. I wanted the song “I've Got as Much or Even More Than
Kurt Cobain,” which has absurd lyrics, to be performed by
professionals with full vocal commitment. And finally, I sang “On
Another Sorrow” with my wife, who sings beautifully. She gave
me the confidence to make the whole album happen — and was there for me every
step of the way.
And last
but not least, I didn’t make the cover art. That was done by Fahad, a graphic
designer from Pakistan, who gave the album a whole extra dimension visually.
The artwork is based on William Blake’s “The Ancient of Days.”
6. The
animated video for one of your early songs is visually and sonically surreal.
How important is absurdity or psychedelia in your work, and what role does
visual storytelling play in your music?
It mostly
comes from my obsession with ‘60s culture. I’m always happy when I stumble on a
great old band from that era. I love going back to stuff like The Electric
Prunes or Atomic Rooster. Blues, rock, psychedelia — that’s been in my blood
from the start.
I made the
animated video for the song about Cobain because I found it to be the most
entertaining track I’ve done so far. It’s a kind of consolation song about not
having regrets and feeling proud of what you’ve done. Kurt was my first musical
idol, so I thought I could allow myself to give him a little nudge — with
affection, of course.
7. What
does your creative process typically look like? Do you begin with a poem, a
riff, an atmosphere — or something else entirely?
It usually
starts with guitar — I mean, that’s my main instrument. My only instrumental
track so far, “The Chimney Sweeper,” was actually written on
bass. I’d always wanted to make a song where the bass tells the main story. It
probably sounds like a bit of a masturbation guitar solo, but to me it’s a
track that I wrote on bass just before going on a trip.
I’ve also been trying to bring more keyboards into my process — you can hear
that especially in “Nurse’s Song.”
More to
come.
8. Your
music doesn’t shy away from unconventional structures or sounds. Do you ever
feel pressure to make your music more “accessible,” or is complete creative
freedom your guiding principle?
Sometimes,
when you’re deep in the creative process, certain chord progressions
practically scream to resolve in a cliché way. I avoid those familiar phrases —
I hate them. I honestly don’t care if what I do isn’t accessible.
I’m fully
aware that my music isn’t very accessible, but I still think it’s the most
accessible version of me. You can expect me to dive even deeper
into unknown atmospheres.
The only thing that might become more “mainstream” is the production — I’m
aiming to move away from that “garage” sound and head toward more clarity in
the mix — but not in the structure.
9.
With the debut album now released, what are your plans moving forward? More
Blake? More experiments? Any live performance ambitions?
I’ve got
two more Blake songs sitting in a drawer, waiting to be taken care of. I’m not
sure when — or even if — I’ll ever get around to them. And if I do, it
definitely won’t be part of another album based on Blake’s lyrics. What I am planning
next is a set of instrumental tracks. More ambience, more atmospheric stuff…
maybe even a bit of hedgehog’s rock.
I just hope I won’t suddenly feel the urge to sing over it. Honestly, I don’t
know exactly where it’ll go — but I’m excited to start recording new material.
10.
Finally, what would you like listeners to take away from Shrubbery
Terror — emotionally, intellectually, or even spiritually?
I just want
to reach people who crave something independent, atmospheric, and emotionally
real. — grab their attention, hold it, outrage them, surprise them… but
never bore them. I think the most valuable thing in Shrubbery Terror’s music is
emotion. I expose myself — and when I sing or play, I sometimes feel like a bit
of an exhibitionist.
That’s how I express myself, and I’m happy doing it. Whatever comes out, it’ll
probably surprise me first. Maybe one day, even Sting will switch it on — and
be able to stand it for sixteen bars?
Mateusz Nowakowski (@shrubberyterror) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Post a Comment