PJ Harvey, a legendary songwriter, and John Parish talk about their collaborative journey, creative process, and influences. They discuss creating music inspired by war histories, recording in a church, and the emotional power of communal rituals. Their trip to Afghanistan also inspired a record, showcasing their unique creative partnership.
PJ Harvey and John Parish discuss their longstanding creative partnership, emphasizing the evolution of their work over the years.
The podcast explores the unique songwriting methods used by PJ Harvey for 'Let England Shake,' focusing on the rawness of initial demos and their impact on the final songs.
Deep dives
Evolution of Collaboration
PJ Harvey and John Parrish discuss their longstanding creative partnership, tracing back to the 1980s when they first collaborated. The podcast delves into their musical journey, highlighting the evolution of their work together over the years. They reflect on their ability to understand each other's artistic vision and creatively enhance each other's ideas during the recording process of their albums.
Let England Shake and the Demos
The podcast examines the creative process behind PJ Harvey's album 'Let England Shake,' focusing on the intricate songwriting methods used to portray the themes of war and historical events. It delves into the unique approach of using demos to craft the songs, expressing the authentic rawness and initial stages of song development captured in these recordings.
Song Evolution and Recording Space
PJ Harvey and John Parrish discuss the recording space of a church in Dorset for 'Let England Shake' and the impact it had on the album's sound. They explore the evolution of songs from initial demos to final recordings, sharing insights on how certain songs transform during the recording process. The podcast sheds light on the collaborative effort and creative decisions made to bring the songs to life.
Creative Freedom and Project Development
The podcast highlights PJ Harvey's decision to forego traditional demos for the album 'I Inside the Old You're Dying' and instead opt for a more free-flowing approach to song creation. It captures the essence of collaborative creativity among PJ Harvey, John Parrish, and other musicians in the recording process, allowing for a dynamic and innovative evolution of the music. The discussion emphasizes the importance of creative freedom and the collective effort in shaping the musical landscape of the album.
To kick off our month-long celebration of Women's History Month, today we're featuring an interview with Polly Jean Harvey, a.k.a. PJ Harvey, who is without question one of the most gifted songwriters of our time.
Her debut album, Dry, came out in 1992 and was what the LA Times called a near “instant classic.” The same with her sophomore release, Rid of Me—which became an inspiration for Nirvana’s last album: In Utero.
Ten albums later and Polly continues to be not only a remarkable songwriter on her new album “I Inside the Old Year Dying” but...maybe more impressively...continues to find new musical territory and new voices to write from. Keeping her songs and artistry as interesting as it was when she first put music out 30 years ago.
John Parish, who’s been a frequent collaborator of Polly’s since the 1980's produced the new album—along with Flood—and joins Justin Richmondin conversation with Polly to discuss their process of working together, the beauty of Polly’s last few albums and how they bonded long ago over Captain Beefheart.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite PJ Harvey & John Parish songs HERE.