100 Musicians Answer the Same 10 Questions

Part Forty-Six: Gordon Macintyre of Ballboy / Money Can't Buy Music

instigated by dave heaton

The Edinburgh-based band Ballboy has released four excellent albums, all for SL Records, starting with the EP collection Club Anthems (2001). Their most recent two -- the acoustic, often somber The Sash My Father Wore and Other Stories (2002) and the full-band, more rocking The Royal Theatre (2005) -- sadly never made it to US release, but are worth every penny (pence) for the import version. Gordon Macintyre's literate, memorably melodic songs are both wry and sincerely moving, showcashing streaks of wit and imagination, whether it's with Ballboy or his solo laptop-and-guitar project Money Can't Buy Music. Check out the Ballboy website and Money Can't Buy Music website for songs and info.

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What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?

Layers and melodies. At the moment I am more excited about the music than the lyrics (but only marginally!).

What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?

I don't know if drum sound-checks count. If they don't then nothing about making music gets me discouraged. Dealing with the people whose job it is to get the music out, however...

What are you up to right now, music-wise? (Current or upcoming recordings, tours, extravaganzas, experiments, top-secret projects, etc).

ballboy - have been reworking a song for a film, have started to release podcasts and are getting ready to record our new album.

Money Can't Buy Music - album finished (bar a little tweaking) and just sorting out the release.

Gordon - writing a play (can't say much more about that at the moment).

What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a recording? How did the qualities of that place affect the show/recording?

The most unusual place I've recorded anything was underneath a water-tower in Vaxjo in Sweden. The tower has a dome and it gives sounds a natural delay which is astonishing. The recording wasn't too good as I only had a really crappy mic, but it was an interesting experiment.

In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music?

Hugely I think. Not always consciously, but where you live is where you have random adventures which lead to thoughts which lead to songs.

When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it?

The last time I wrote a song was yesterday. I can tell you that the first line is "She had a limp and a Cinquecento" and that it is either a very good song or a very bad song and I don't know which yet.

As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other people...and why do you think that is?

I get much less interested in bands on bigger labels and much more interested in small labels and people who are out there on the internet doing interesting things. I think that's because I am looking for something new, or charming, or amazing, or just interesting and most bands have that knocked out of them before they hit the wider public consciousness.

Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from yours?)

I'm not sure. I've been listening to a lot more classical music lately. I like to have it on my ipod when I am out and have the volume set so the music mixes in with the noises of the city. My other thing at the moment is just stuff I've blundered into on myspace or wherever.

Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?

I would say Galaxie 500, but I'm not sure I want to share them with everyone. But if I did I would say the album On Fire and the song "Snowstorm" are my all time favourites (and have been from the moment I heard them).

What's the saddest song you've ever heard?

"Good Feeling by" the Violent Femmes. "But now I have to find a bed/that can take this weight" is one of the simplest, saddest and best lines of all time in my humble opinion.

To check out the rest of the Q&As, click here.