Musician Andrew Bird joins Marc Maron to discuss his unique sound, from his classical and jazz influences to his breakthrough in isolation. They also talk about his love of whistling and his new holiday album Hark!
Andrew Bird emphasizes the importance of finding a personal and distinctive sound by breaking away from traditional music structures and rhythms.
Scoring films requires collaboration with the director to capture the specific tone and atmosphere, and Andrew Bird prefers using his voice and lyrics to create a stronger emotional connection.
Andrew Bird highlights the importance of embracing one's unique creative path and finding inspiration from various sources, including different musical styles and personal experiences.
Deep dives
Andrew Bird's Evolution as a Musician
Andrew Bird discusses his journey as a musician, from his early days as a violin prodigy to his solo career. He talks about the process of composing and scoring music, sharing his approach of starting with a melody and then adding lyrics. Bird also touches on the importance of breaking away from traditional music structures and finding unique rhythms and patterns. He describes his experience of immersing himself in his music, including the challenges he faced and the creative breakthroughs he had. Overall, Bird emphasizes the importance of following one's artistic vision and finding a personal and distinctive sound.
The Intricacies of Scoring for Film
Andrew Bird delves into his experience scoring films and the unique challenges it presents. He explains that scoring requires collaboration with the director to capture the specific tone and atmosphere of the film. Bird talks about the process of watching the film without sound and how temporary music can sometimes hinder creativity. He also shares his preference for using his voice and lyrics when scoring, as it allows him to make a stronger emotional connection and convey the director's vision. Bird emphasizes the need to balance his artistic instincts with fulfilling the demands of the project.
Insights on Collaboration and Musical Inspiration
Andrew Bird reflects on his collaborations and the inspiration behind his musical compositions. He shares anecdotes about working with Lynn Shelton on scoring her film and how it unexpectedly led him to explore more of her work and appreciate her as an artist. Bird also discusses his creative process, relying on whistling, melodies, and improvisation to develop his songs. He talks about finding inspiration from a variety of sources, including different musical styles and even personal experiences like molting or going through emotional transitions. Bird highlights the importance of embracing one's unique creative path and finding meaning in the art they produce.
The Influence of Music on Children
The podcast episode discusses the idea that children have a natural talent for music and can become prodigies if given the opportunity. The hosts believe that young children have malleable brains and a small universe, which allows them to focus and excel in mastering certain skills, such as playing music. The hosts also share personal experiences with their own children's musical interests, highlighting the influence of household music preferences on their musical tastes.
Exploring Musical Growth and Diversification
The podcast delves into the journey of a musician's musical growth and evolution. The guest shares his experiences transitioning from classical violin to exploring various music genres, such as jazz, Irish music, and rock. He discusses the influence of different musical styles on his playing and how he rewired his brain to adapt to new rhythms and techniques. The guest reflects on the need for artistic exploration and the desire to create original music rather than simply replicating old styles. He also touches on the challenges of being associated with a trend and the importance of evolving as an artist.
Andrew Bird's music defies categorization, so much so that he's not even sure how to categorize it himself. Andrew walks Marc through the process by which he developed his sound, from youthful obsessions with classical music and jazz to his days on the road doing Old-Time music in bars to the period of isolation and deprivation he put himself through in order to experience a musical breakthrough. They also talk about his love of whistling, which he did in a recent Muppet movie. Also, Andrew plays a song from his new holiday album Hark!
