Q&A with The Leaf Library: Part 2

The Leaf Library made one of our favourite albums of 2015 “Daylight Versions”. Part 1 of the interview, in which we grilled the band about the making of the album, can be found here. In Part 2, we move on to more general questions about music and, inevitably, breakfast preferences.

Why not listen to the album whilst reading this?

CG: What is your favourite key & why?

MA: C. C is life itself. See Terry Riley’s ‘In C’ (and its many iterations) for further proof. [TTW Ed: we liked this version from Africa Express]

CG: If you could magic yourself into any band, past or present, which would you choose?

MA: A really nerdy answer but I’d probably choose Radiohead or The Bad Seeds. They both have a lot of opportunity to do whatever the fuck they like and people listen to it. Although, I watched a great documentary on 10cc the other night and they looked like they were having a lot of fun.

CG: What have been your favourite music / books of 2015?

MA: Music:
Low – Ones and Sixes
Colin Stetson / Sarah Neufeld – Never Were the Way She Was
Noveller – Fantastic Planet
Rozi Plain – Friend
Floating Points – Elaenia
Domenique Dumont – Comme Ca
Rival Consoles – Howl

Books (not necessarily all out this year but I have enjoyed):
The View From The Train – Patrick Keiller
On Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times of Brian Eno – David Sheppard
Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern Germany – David Stubbs
Hack Attack – Nick Davies
How Music Works – David Byrne
Holloway – Robert Macfarlane

Lewis Young:
Colin Stetson / Sarah Neufeld – Never Were the Way She Was
Dawn of Midi – Dysnomia
Oneohtrix Point Never – Garden of Delete
Michael Price – Entanglement
HEALTH – DEATH MAGIC
Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation – Horse Dance
Algiers – Algiers
Holly Herndon – Platform
Protomartyr – The Agent Intellect
Nils Frahm – Solo
Nicolas Jaar – Nymphs I, II & III
Jeff Bridges – Sleeping Tapes

CG: What would be your fantasy supergroup lineup?

MA: Nerd out! Here goes:

Vocals: Rozi Plain
Backing vocals: Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk (Low)
Synths: Laurie Spiegel
Guitar: Alasdair Maclean (The Clientele)
Guitar: Sarah Lipstate (Noveller)
Cello: Katie English (Isnaj Dui)
Saxophone: Colin Stetson
Bass: Doug McCombs (Tortoise)
Drums: Brian Devendorf (The National)

CG: Would you like to play a parlour game we invented? It’s called “1 from each”. You make a playlist taking just 1 track from each of a chosen band’s albums.

MA: I’ll do one for Radiohead. Prove Yourself, Nice Dream, Let Down, Treefingers, Pyramid Song, Where I End and You Begin, House of Cards, Codex

[TTW Ed: House of Cards not on Spotify so replaced with a different version below]

[spotify spotify:user:trustthewizards:playlist:395fqTZLZ2NaT16OXRHRK0]
CG: If music is not your full-time job what else do you guys do to earn your keep?

MA: Lewis does design-y things, Gareth’s a librarian, Kate teaches and I look after social housing tenants. All very rock and roll.

CG: Can you choose a song that soundtracked your life when aged 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 etc

MA: 5: Nena – 99 Red Balloons
10: Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
15: Smashing Pumpkins – Cherub Rock
20: Stereolab – Wow & Flutter
25: The Notwist – Off The Rails
30: Burial – Raver
35: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – We No Who U R

CG: What bands/artists should’ve been massive but weren’t?

MA: Apart from us… The American Analog Set, Mahogany and The Naciente Quartet should all have got far more recognition than they did / do.

CG: What are your favourite songs with questions in the title?

MA: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Do You Love Me? (Yes)
The Smiths – How Soon Is Now? (Very)
Tribe Called Quest – Can I Kick It? (Yes, of course)
KLF – What Time Is Love? (All the time)

Yes you can

CG: Finally the 2 questions that we ask everyone we interview…
You’re in a caff ordering a breakfast. You can have toast and your choice of tea or coffee and then you’re allowed 4 more items. Go.

GJ: Only 4 items! Bacon, egg, black pudding, beans.

MA: Sausage, bacon, eggs, beans. Why anyone would dirty their plate with tomato or mushrooms is a mystery. If I could have one more I’d have black pudding. [TTW Ed: of course you can’t have one more, that would be ridiculous]

CG: Cricket, is it any good or is it just bollocks?

GJ: I expect I’ll enjoy it one day, purely in a quiet day out with a book and some ale, occasionally checking the score and applauding politely sort of way. Much like Indietracks.

MA: No room in my head for cricket at the moment but I think there might be one day. So I’ll say good until proven otherwise.

Huge thanks to the band for making such great music and for taking the time to answer our questions.

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