thismorning06


Neil's interview was first on Tuesday 4th's show but looked like it was filmed a few days earlier. Presenters that day - Ruth Langsford and Phillip Schofield
The introduction began with excerpts from the Greatest Hits DVD .
Ruth began by congratulating Neil on the success of his new album which had been riding high in the UK charts for five weeks. She remarked on the fact it was called 12 Songs but actually had fourteen tracks. Neil replied that they "liked the title". They had actually started with 12 but had then put in another couple that they liked. They spoke about how the songs had all been written by Neil himself. Neil replied that he had done that on his last album as well but generally liked to have help as it was difficult to write a whole album by yourself. He said he had found this album hard and didn't know if he wanted to do it again completely by himself. He told how he had locked himself away in his recording studio for a almost a year - literally locking the door, pulling the clocks off the wall and setting up a bed in the studio as he was coming in so early in the morning and just wrote by himself.
Philip added that he had heard that after the 2002 tour Neil had performed all around the world to so many people that he was going to take a break - what happened to that? Neil replied that he didn't know - it just sort of disappeared. He had been out on the road for about two years and thought he would then take some time off and relax. However after about two days he started writing. He thought it was probably because he had been on the road so long and when he was on the road he doesn't write. So two years of not writing ended up with writing all the time. He agreed he just couldn't help himself. Voices in his head that just wouldn't go away. He said he had experienced that the day before. He had been whistling and humming and people were turning and looking at him. It was strange but he wasn't really aware of it until people started to give him strange looks.
Neil then gave an example of the humming and singing to himself he had been doing in an elevator with somebody! Philip said that would be OK because people would just recognise him and he could nod and say "Just writing" Neil replied that would be OK if people recognised him but most people had not recognised him - they thought he was nuts - just a little cuckoo guy singing and dancing. Philip said a lovely vision had been painted of Neil holed up with his guitar in some little cabin busily writing while a blizzard was going on outside. He asked surely it couldn't be as perfect as that? Neil replied that basically that is what happened. He has a little cabin in the Rocky Mountains and went there to relax after the tour. He began writing almost immediately - beautiful setting, it was snowing, in a little tiny cosy cabin and he started writing. You can't stop it when it comes and that's how the album started.
Philip went on to say "You are not the sort of person who needs in any way to reinvent themselves or necessarily to bring someone on board but you did start working with Rick Rubin, the producer who had reshaped Johnny Cash's career. So to bring him in, to trust someone to come in and to say - Look I have written this- is a bit different isn't it? Maybe not what you are used to and then to trust someone else with it.. that's a big step." Neil replied "It is a big step but once you take it it carries you. I trust you - now let's go and do some work. And the trust continues you know until it is broken for some reason and it never was with Rick and I. We worked together beautifully. I had a great deal of respect for him so it worked beautifully but it does start with trust."
Ruth asked "Is that the same with your fans though - that you are almost nervous of presenting them with new material because people love to hear your old stuff don't they - you know we expect to hear it when we come to your concerts? So is that the same are you always worried when you bring out new material - are people going to like this -are they going to buy it?" Neil replied "Well, I'll tell you what - the fans loved the fact that it was new material. They know what I have written over the years and they are very happy to get some new material and so was I."
Philip quoted from Newsweek that they thought it was Neil's best work in thirty years and remarked it was high praise across the world. Neil interrupted .."Considering that I am only thirty four!"
Philip went on to say that Neil hadn't played a guitar for thirty five years but Neil corrected him and said he hadn't played in recording sessions for that long but he did write with the guitar. He never was a guitar player - he was a song writer using the guitar as an instrument to establish a mood or rhythmic feel but he had been talked into playing the guitar on these songs. He was asked if he had enjoyed that. He looked dubious and said "I don't know. I still think there are a lot better guitar players than myself."
He was then asked if he was going to tour now with this album. Neil replied "No." He was asked why not and answered "We have just finished a tour this past year - we were in England, we were all over. Maybe next year, you know ........I don't know" When Phillip asked if he was a bit of a restless spirit however who had to keep working and could not sit down, Neil replied that he generally spent a year or two years writing and recording an album and after that a year or two years performing. It was like the yin and the yang -writing was very introspective whereas performing was the extroverted part of his psyche. It had worked very well - two years of internal thinking and feeling and then two years of very physical performing. He was asked if he ever lost the excitement of performing. Neil replied "No it's scary all the time because there are new people, it's a new situation, you want it to go beautifully. Once you get out there it's great, you're having a good time but, before, it's a little bit shaky."
Phillip went on to ask Neil if he would perform later for them today - do Delirious Love for us? Neil replied he would like to do that song as it was one of the bouncy things on the album. Philips laughed and agreed a bouncy number would be fine. He held up the new CD and turned to look at the back. He then noticed that his copy only had 12 songs and not the 14 they had talked about earlier. Neil explained that his particular version only had 12 but there was another version - deluxe, deluxe! Phillip then complained to the producers that he hadn't been given the deluxe version - where were the other two tracks!! While he was moaning on , Neil said "I'll do them for you if you really want!" Phillip thought that was great idea. They then thanked Neil for the interview.

Neil appeared at the end of the show again and sang Delirious Love Click to Listen (Real Player required)





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