Spreading the Love

Lior is a bonafide Aussie star. His debut album Autumn Flow was released independently in 2005 and has gone gold. To top that, he's been nominated for 3 ARIAs, and sold out 2000 capacity venues. To add to its very own list of cornering antipodeans, uk-fusion’s man Ryan caught up with man himself on the night of his York gig

That’s good, let’s go.

You’ve got a fantastic voice, have you ever had any vocal training?

No I haven’t actually. I learnt from just singing a hell of a lot. A few years ago I saw this 75-year-old opera teacher and she gave me these useful tips – she was amazing. In terms of technique and phrasing, it’s all been self-taught.

What did you do before you were a musician?

It was more a case of always being a musician and doing really crap jobs in order to make it happen and wondering if I’d ever be able to make a living doing music. Now I’m doing that and learning, That in fact that is the dream.

Can you talk us through the process of how you approach writing a song?

I generally start with the music, start something on the guitar and sing and just hum away and go over that in cycles and expand until there’s a really solid musical idea. I pretty much just sit on it, until the right lyric comes to it. I’ll throw out some phrasing and wait til there’s a strong lyrical idea and sort of build it up like some sort of a puzzle.

Just working it through until it gets to where you need it to go?

Bit by bit, piece by piece. It’s like a puzzle. The trick is to actually make it sound like it was written in five minutes, but in fact very few great songs are.

Does it ever feel forced, trying to find the right line for a song?

Yeah yeah, absolutely. Song writing can be hard work. It’s not like it oozes out of you in a continual line; it’s bits and pieces you need to sew together.

Is this your second tour in the UK?

This is probably my first tour. The last time I came it was just a show in London and was more of a promo tour to coincide with the album coming out (Autumn Flow), so this is my first time out of London.

Are you seeing the sights?

Seeing the venues! (laughs)

Is there anywhere you really want to tour?

Within the UK?

In the world.

I’m really set on Europe. I’d really love to travel in France and you know, the Germans have a really good music scene as well. Just the diversity of Europe really interests me more than the States. You can cover so many cultures in such a short space of time.

What’s the most absurd question you’ve ever been asked?

 What did I have for breakfast? That was one, which I found quite boring. A funny one was (as I was getting more popular in Australia,) a newspaper really wanted to know my surname. They hounded me and wouldn’t release the article unless I gave them my surname.

Seems kind of childish.

Yeah, I just go by my first name ‘cos I like the sound of it. They were approaching it like they were the first to expose my surname and I’m like, “guys, no one actually gives a shit, chill out.” That sticks in my head.

Your first album was released independently and the success of it spread by word of mouth. What’s your next album going to be like?

It’s gonna be an extension of the first album in the sense that it’s gonna be very much about song writing, about lyric and melody. It’s not gonna be a concept album or anything like that, but there is scope for making it a little bit more grand and experimenting a little bit more. I wanna explore, keeping it earthy, but having grand touches, like a couple of orchestral recordings, and stuff like that.

Texture it a bit more?

Yeah, but still keeping it very much rootsy and about the song, and subtly quite lavish as well.

Do you think you’re more confident as a songwriter because of the recognition you’ve received?

Definitely. You still doubt yourself all the time, but obviously before the first album, I never knew if any song I would write could connect with people on a large scale, so at least I have the confidence. I do somewhere have the ability to do that and can tap into that.

It’s fantastic to hear the live version of this ‘This Old Love’ on your myspace page with everyone singing along.

That kinda just floored me in Australia actually; I was blown away. As that began to happen more and more, by my last tour, people were singing along with the eastern hymn like tracks on the album, that I thought noone would remember. It was quite strange.

Is it hard to sing with a big smile as you watch everyone singing along?

I did initially, but then I told myself to chill (laughs) and just sing the song. It wasn’t a smile, it was more like, “What’s going on?” I remember my first tour and people singing my words. I had to ask myself, “Am I singing Beatles songs??”

Who are your inspirations or icons?

Led Zeppelin was the first thing I ever listened to where I just went ‘Wow! There’s something different here.’ That was my first real deep musical experience. I was 14 and I just felt something but I didn’t understand it at the time. They’re still my favourite band. The Beatles’ song writing you just can’t go past.  There are others too:  James Taylor, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell – they hold a very special place for me. They’re songwriters who’ve just been so prolific and explored so many facets of their lives in song, that’s very much inspiring to me. 

Our slogan is ‘It’s only kinky the first time’. What have you done that was only kinky the first time?
Hmmm, well I could tell you (laughs) but I better not go there.

The bar’s been set quite high on this one. We’ve had knickers being torn off, people dropping acid and art school glitter.

I suppose when I lost my virginity – I was in the Ukraine of all places. The girl I lost my virginity with, broke her leg and ended up in hospital. I don’t know if you’d describe your kink as having your virginal experience associated with x-ray machines. Definitely something I don’t ever hope to do again.

That’s certainly different.

I didn’t break her leg, while we were, you know, doing anything.

Did you tell all your friends you did?
Yeah yeah, it was amazing, we got into these positions even the Karma Sutra doesn’t explore and her leg just snapped! Nahh! (laughs)

For more info, check out Lior’s website. No part of this exclusive interview can be reproduced without the permission of uk-fusion.