Ask Jon Boden a question...

Posted by Christopher Friedenthal on 19 February 2009

Jon Boden is set to unleash his new new solo CD Songs from the Floodplain on March 2nd 2009 and tour for the very first time with a solo band. If this isn’t exciting enough Bright Young Folk will be in tow and we’re interviewing him.

We’d like you to tell us what we should ask him. So, if there’s something you’ve always wanted to know, post it in the comments below and we’ll be putting the best suggestions to the man himself when he plays London’s The Luminaire on 4th March 2009.

Photo by Alan Cole.

Artist quick links

Jon Boden

Comments

Great stuff! I’d like to know why Jon chose to make a concept album - was there a particular event that triggered it, or just a general wish to explore music around a theme?

Looking forward to seeing the Remnant Kings live in Oxford (and Farnham)!

Eleanor White
Bright young admin

What is your favorite track on the album and why?

Sarah Ladydetemps
Bright young user

Does he have to consciously work to cultivate such a brilliantly louche appearance, or does it just come naturally?

Jared
Bright young user

Did you enjoy working with the Tacet Ensemble and have you any plans to extend the project further?

Oxford Trunkles
Bright young user

I’d like to ask Jon this:

Has Polly started playing an instrument yet? As she grows up would you let her follow a similar musical path to the one you’ve taken?

Nick
Bright young user

How do you go about making your arrangments sound like they do? Do you take the original tune and work round that or plan out each instrument by instrument?

Stuart
Bright young user

Do you plan to work with Eliza Carthy again any time soon?

What is your opinion of the Pet Shop Boys?

Huw Davies
Bright young user

What era if you could choose any would you choose to live in and why?
If you weren’t a musician what would you be?
What’s your perfect Sunday?
Do you prefer performing solo or as duo or in a band?
In the Propaganda interview you mentioned about storytelling and the narrative would you ever consider writing a story book?

Sarah Ladydetemps
Bright young user

Hi Jon!

Considering your very theatrical style of singing and performing in Bellowhead, have you ever thought of treading the boards as an actor?

If not, would Bellowhead ever consider providing music for a play, like the Albion Band did with Lark Rise to Candleford at the National way back when?

Looking forward to the Oxford gig!

Ed
Bright young user

Have you ever considered selling your arrangements of some of the songs to people so they can try and replicate your sound? Or making them available for download? As in like the sibelius files.

Stuart
Bright young user

What are the distinctive features of English traditional music that make it different from other traditions? why did you feel particularly drawn to play and study it?

Pat
Bright young user

Do you ever suffer from nerves before a gig?

Nellie
Bright young user

Thank you all for your suggestions. We interviewed Jon last night at The Luminaire and asked him some of your questions.

Please bear with us as we edit and publish the results, it’ll appear on this here blog in due course.

Christopher Friedenthal
Bright young webmaster