Afternoon Session with Jin-SALAD and Geordie Greep on his projection of The New Sound Album

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Geordie Greep’s album The New Sound marks his return to solo work after gaining recognition as the lead singer and guitarist of black midi. an experimental rock band that has shaken up the indie music scene in England.

coinciding with SALAD’s album release. 21st Century in a Nutshell. We invited Jin, the frontman of the band, to join us for a Q&A before Geordie released his first single and music video for ‘Holy Holy’ and The New Sound might be something everyone has had a chance to listen to since early October. In this conversation, we’ll delve into some details to enhance your listening experience!

We heard a lot of influences and genres from Soul, Salsa to Jazz-Funk, So what kind of music or cultures that you’re interested in and paying attention to right now?

GD: The whole thing is to try to be as honest as possible, It came from all the different types of music that I like, from years ago, from where I’m growing up, and even now. And still inspiring, I find it challenging. Try to corporate that into my own music. 

I have not these things of…like Oh that’s too tricky to pull off, I can’t do that. I know I can’t do this kind of music. So Instead just be like who cares? Let’s do it. Let’s have a go. You know and If you failed to make it probably, the failure is gonna be interesting. You know? A proper fusion.

During this record, What is the most difficult part of it?

GD: Just kinda like the planning and the stuff, A lot of working with session musicians. So it’s just about getting like When they’re free and available playing in the studio. ‘Cause you’re only getting one shot, you’re only getting one day. So it’s kinda like making sure that you got the right guy for it. Have a rehearsal before the day of recording and get it right Making sure that is all good basically.

Jin: The third track ‘Holy, Holy’ I really like it!, But It’s got some vibe like…I don’t know. ‘Cause I grew up with Japanese music. Also it reminds me of that sort of touch, that sort of tension like progression and something. I can feel the diversity of that tune. so I really, really wanna know what you’ve been thinking or what you were thinking with that track?

GD: I don’t know, I was just trying to make something that goes really groovy, you know? Because we did a lot back there in black midi, Where it’s a decent groove of chords but then It would be like a cool groove for a minute and then it would change to some other thing and it would be crazy stuff all the time. I just wanna make a song that has the same groove for the whole way through. Different stuff, different chords and It’s a nice chord progression and the lyrics are crazy and it’s interesting melodies and stuff going on. But the groove is just simple. it’s like ‘Billie Jean’ You know? Very simple.

Jin: Yeah I mean, It’s quite different from the whole. That’s another thing, Impression man!

GD: Thank you. that was the track where I wanted to make as clear as the distinction. Juxtaposition, Between the way it sounds super slick and crazy lyrics. Like silly, tragically a lot of stuff going on but it make the music sounds as slick as possible. I think I makes the joke better

Because lot of time, We [black midi] would always do stuff where is like you’re gonna pass these genres or take something, But then We kinda like “Ah…to make it sounds more unique and mess it up a bit and then do it crazy.” But I think It makes the jokes better If you try to musically keeps it super straight or as clean as possible. So then it was better than jokes, The thing between the true of being crazy and the normal, You know?

Let’s talk about the lyrics in the creative process, seem like you’re good at storytelling and create such wild fantasies scenarios. But in this record, I feel like it’s more about simple things, While staying imaginative. How come? How do you write those lyrics? 

GD: Most of these song is kinda monologues, trends and stuff. It’s not about you know, Nothing like from my personal experience. More just like, When you’re out, At Bar, At Club, and meet these random guys. And you’re like, “Whoa, this guy is weird, man.” (laugh) It kinda sinks in like I wonder what’s like the rest of this guy’s life and try to imagine that.

Like people get drunk and they tell you more than they didn’t mean to tell you. There’s a lot of songs where It starts so kinda normal and keeps going and it’s like “Woah man, that’s too much information.” That’s why I tryna do this stuff. Still playing in that strange music, At the same time you’re as its person you kinda repost by person but you feel sorry and you feel depression and it kinda emotional. Get into this man or this situation and everything.

Jin: Where are you hanging out normally man?

GD: Around Soho and Central London man, like The French House (Jin: Ah The French House!) You’ve been there? (Jin: Yeah, I used to live there) Oh Really? How about Trisha’s? (Jin: Not yet man) That’s a good one.

I saw you mentioned “The Museum of Human Suffering” in the description of The New Sound Album, So can you explain about it? 

GD: Yes, It’s in the song ‘Terra’ that the one where It’s like I wrote a song to be a Salsa [Hum] or these kinds of things. I really recorded it in Brazil, It may have a Samba thing which is completely different. [Hum] It’s kinda like always the friction of it between the Samba and the Salsa and I end it up with a weird hybrid fusion Brazilian with Salsa elements kinda thing.

But either way, the lyrics to this song like I want to make a song about the guy who hung up about his ex-girlfriend or something that he’s going to prove that he’s sad. He wants to make a museum which has all the horrible things that happen in the world and in the middle of the museum he’s gonna place himself. So it’s sure how sad he is about this stuff. Um…it’s just a silly song. More like heartache in terms of some of the others. 

In terms of having a “Freedom” or breaking away from the old patterns. What thing in life that let you become, what you want to do or what you want to be right now. As a Musician 

GD: I just want to keep it going, keep doing different albums, We try a lot of things for the first album. First of all, the huge thing is to work with the session musician exclusively and go to another country. Work with local countries and the local guys. Pays it off. So that’s 2 things I know It’s possible to do.

But now it’s like going on a tour, and in the middle of the tour get to the studio and get some local guys to do something. Why not? So I wanna keep doing stuff like this, keep trying to do an album in a year. And explore different types of music. Maybe the next one, choose one or two and hold it on that make different thing you know. And just keep going, you know? Keep try different things.

Jin: Any plan to visit Thailand soon?

GD: Yeah, I want to go to Thailand. We never played there, not once. (Jin: South Korea. You went there?) South Korea, Indonesia, Bali and Japan but never did to Thailand. My friends [Black Country, New Road] They played at Thailand, But they said they were in the cheeky town, so it wasn’t that good. It was very grim. (laugh) Where’s your band based? (Jin: Bangkok, It’s a cool town and It’s quite diverse also. But, I mean, on the other hand, it’s way too hot.)

SALAD just release their first album, literally today!

GD: Wow! Really? How’s it going then? (Jin: We’re doing well. I mean, my band is literally, like, new, fresh from the oven. Like, you know, the band just only one year old.) SALAD isn’t it? (Jin: Yeah, The album called 21st Century in a Nutshell) Okay, cool. I’ll listen to it later.

I, personally did not expect the soft side of you. Especially in the track  ‘If You Are But A Dream’. So How do you handle or balance your inner-world or your mental state through your music in a world full of chaos like this?

GD: It’s like a movie, You know. You’re gonna have like 10 action scenes in a roll. Even like, ‘Die Hard’ [film] They are gonna have a bit of fun. Your life is gonna have different things in it. Sometimes You have to set a challenge for yourself or you have to try these different things musically.

And now the whole album is like – Everything on The New Sound album is based on music I really really liked. And I’m saying “Yeah I really like this, Why do I like it? What’s good about it?” Let’s try to find it out. Try to get that into music. People tend to say I’m a Rock guy, But nah, All the music is kinda similar. You just have to find a few things to make it good and corporate and so. Yeah that’s the whole thing. 

Well, Your music is also inspiring us. So you have any messages to Thai fans that are super excited to hear your new music and stuff?

Enjoy it, Take it well, Not too seriously, It’s just music and It’s just fun at the end of the day. It meant to be good, It meant to be happy, And also just – It’s always positive. Stay positive always, you know. Everything is good, really. And um It’s gonna be great, basically. Thailand will be a good place to play. Let’s hope, Next Year, Definitely! 

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