Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Can you tell us about ‘Messages in Blood’? What inspired the music and themes behind it?  By the time of this new album I wanted to pull things back to where I’d started, just me and acoustic guitar and vocal, stripping back the excess. I’d experimented with a lot of different sounds before this, such as a band sound, electric guitars, drums etc. I’ve never been a producer, I’ve produced albums more out of practicality than choice, so with ‘Messages In Blood’ I just wanted to stick to what I was good at, simple sounding songs. I knew I wanted to get back to the songs rather than the sound or production, focusing on the lyrics, melody, and the story of the album.  How has your upbringing in North Yorkshire and the creative environment of the Steiner and Quaker schools shaped your approach to music?  I think early on, in those environments, it was a natural place, such as going to school surrounded by countryside. With the art as well, I learned a very natural honest approach, just relying on myself for self expression and a sincere, genuine exploration. Of course, as a child this was natural to me, I hadn’t lived in the world, but that was at the heart of my approach to creativity.  Your music draws from traditional balladry and social commentary. How do you balance personal storytelling with broader societal themes in your songs?  I’ve mostly always had an instinctual landscape in mind when writing and creating, such as myself, or a fictional version of myself walking through scenarios, worlds and places. To translate that, I guess a bit like Marvel’s ‘Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness!’ In a way, none of my songs or my music is me, as in me as a person, it’s all a fictional version of myself – it’s just imagination, ideas. I’ve used myself, my life, myself as an artist as a story; a lot through my songs are fictional landscapes, and as time and my albums have progressed I’ve explored these different things.  Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they impacted your recent work?  I had an early flourish of musical influences in my teens, which impacted my earlier albums, such as music from the 60s and 70s etc., vintage singers and bands. However, since then, as an adult and with the internet and streaming services like Spotify, I’ve just heard so many different influences these last years. It’s incalculable how much music is out there, apparently millions and millions of songs or something. I’ve mostly been listening to recommendations from friends, hearing different things, singers, artists, bands, there’s a lot of authentic people out there, amongst the noise and the technology, I find it mind blowing.  You’ve collaborated with various musicians throughout your career. Are there any new collaborations or partnerships featured on your recent projects?  My last really collaborative project was ‘The Basement Sessions’, from 2018-2019, this was a partnership with electric guitarist Chris Sutchie and drummer, guitarist and singer Phil Rhodes.  This was the last big collaborative project I did. We recorded each month, mostly late into the night for around two years. A critic could think it was all just an experimental mess, an ego driven failure, but there was some good stuff in there, there were some gems, and some of the best pieces I’ve made in a long while. It was a mini library of songs and performances, a shadow piece to my back catalogue ‘Chronology’, like a smaller ‘Chronology’, another portrait.    Read the full feature in our free digital magazine here: https://bit.ly/3WUe56j Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

Congratulations on ‘Change of Plan’! Could you share the inspiration behind the album and what the creative process was like?   Thank you! ‘Change of Plan’ was a celebration of a collaboration of people who I met along my journey and gave me a chance to explore other genres and stories in my life.   Your EP ‘The Now’ reached #1 on iTunes. What themes or emotions were you exploring in this project?   ‘The Now’ is an EP I am very proud of, I felt serious about myself as an artist at this point and being very present in the moment with my feelings. ‘When My Beating Heart’ reached no1 in the iTunes country charts I couldn’t believe it and ever since then I have felt recognised and loved for the music I was creating. I realised I needed to make my music more about my own feelings which resonated with others a lot more.   You’ve released several albums in a short span. How do you balance creativity and productivity while maintaining quality?   A lot of my fans think I have new single release syndrome ha ha! I just love working on new songs and keeping busy releasing new material means that I don’t over think each album and get it out there for the world to hear before I change my mind. I think it’s very important to get your feelings in a song to share rather than keep them as a recording on my phone.   What was it like performing at iconic venues like The Cavern Club and The Bluebird Cafe?   The most surreal and incredible moment and in that one song at The Bluebird Cafe, I was trying to stay so present but couldn’t help but soak up the atmosphere and was imagining all the icons that have stood and will stand on that very stage! Performing at The Cavern Club was confirmation to myself that my career is going in the right direction.   What can fans expect from your next release or upcoming projects?   I am re-releasing my most popular song ‘SUNFLOWER’ as an acoustic version as part of a ‘Sunflower Now’ EP in November for its three year anniversary! I will be including one song on the EP as a bonus track from my September Songwriting challenge where I have been writing a song a day every day in September and my online community will choose their favourite, like they did with ‘SUNFLOWER’ in August 2021.  How do your experiences performing in different countries influence your songwriting and sound?   I love performing all around the world and seeing what songs are popular elsewhere etc., I love being inspired by different cultures and values and would love to explore so much more of the world. My next mission is to perform in Japan. Performing in Nashville has been amazing for me as an artist the last two years and cannot wait to get back out there too!     Read the full feature in our free digital magazine here: https://bit.ly/3WUe56j Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

Can you tell us more about your latest musical project, ‘The Brig Lily’? How did this collaboration come together, and what inspired the lyrics?   ‘The Brig’ was written as a performance poem and provided me with one or two moments of real satisfaction before the two young men were born. In the verse I postulate that the explosion was to hide theft. It is more probable that it was to destroy evidence of slaving.   You mentioned working with younger musicians like Joe McGuigan and Owen Williams, though your connection is somewhat tenuous. How did these collaborations shape the sound of ‘The Brig Lily’, and what was it like bringing your lyrics to life through their music?  The collaboration, such as it is, was transactional. I had songs written to music, one in particular I wished to hear sung, which they agreed to sing for a very small cost. Joe asked to see a book of my work and the next thing The Brig song appeared. The stirring music is entirely their own. Your lyrics seem deeply influenced by rural life and history, especially with the connection to Manx heritage.   How do you balance personal experience with storytelling in your songwriting?   Balance is everything, it is either there or it is not. You do not have to think about it, if something gets out of kilter the project dies.   Having come from a background that was not centered on music, how do you find the inspiration to write songs? Do you approach writing as you do with your poetry, or does music bring out a different side of your creativity?   No difference in approach except that I may be encouraged to tackle a project which I would not otherwise consider. I am a word smith, a technician, by first intent a chronicler. Working to the precise, exacting discipline of music can be very satisfying. My main aim is to always say exactly what I mean in words that others will understand. The fact that some of my work is deemed poetic, whatever that means, is innate, purely come by chance.   Given that your collaborators aren’t primarily focused on folk music, and there’s a mention of genres like Hip-hop and House, do you see your work ever crossing into other genres or evolving beyond traditional folk?  I have discussed the possibility with Joe, so maybe. My problem is I only understand the simplest form of music, theirs might be too complex for me. But we will see. You’ve mentioned that you’ve written a book about your early life, similar in tone to James Herriot’s work.  How do you feel your experiences on the farm have influenced your music and lyrics?   My book is similar to Mr. Herriot’s in construction, describing separate incidents. The tone is much more sombre. There was a notable dearth of humour in my early life. I did tend to put that part of my life behind me. Some of my later experiences undoubtedly coloured my verse.   Reflecting on your years as a dairy farmer and now a lyricist with a portfolio of songs, what has been the most rewarding part of this journey?   I was by nature and inclination and force of circumstance a stockman and I was good at it. We lost a very fine dairy herd through ill health, theirs and mine. Advancing years caught up with me and BSE gutted our byre. I will ask Pat to send a photo, the cow is not in full profit but that to me is how a dairy cow should look. Solid, tangible satisfaction. Writing is more ethereal. Adjudicators awarding honours and distinctions is rewarding in a way. Hearing a song sung is a great fillip but then if it does not get a public airing it just leaves you wondering.   Do you have any upcoming musical projects or releases that we can look forward to? What direction do you see your music taking next?   The main project at the moment is to see if anybody out there likes the material we have. The rural life on the Isle of Man seems to have a strong influence on your storytelling.   How important is this setting to your identity as an artist, and how does it shape the narratives in your music?   Just to be clear none of the music is mine. Not only what you did in your life but the way you went about it shapes your soul.   What challenges do you face as a lyricist who doesn’t sing or play music yourself? How do you overcome those obstacles when bringing your songs to life?   The challenges faced were far greater than they should have been and I am banned from saying any more. To hear them performed to this standard sheer blind outhouse good luck.    Read the full feature in our free digital magazine here: https://bit.ly/3WUe56j Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]