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Fink: Q&A
Indie | Monday 4th November 2013 | annalisemarguerita
So after an evening sitting and watching Fink Meets the Royal Concertgebouw, with Fink in the audience with us, what better way to top off a surreal evening than with a quick Q&A? Don't mind if I do.
Watching yourselves do you now feel critical or narcissistic in any way?
Fin: Well my girl is right – I need to trim my ears. It wasn't anticipated to be released so it was really f***ing weird to watch. My favourite part was Timmy dropping the drumstick.
What was your inspiration for doing this?
Fin: Well most people aren't approached by or asked by an orchestra to accompany them. Although it is even more rare to ask an orchestra, you can't just ask them round. In Amsterdam there is a night once a year, for Queen's Day, and I think they were trying to introduce classical music to a younger audience. They also offered an app the night we performed, so we were involved in the world's first concert app! You'd buy the app and then watch the gig live - it would appeal to the young demographic. You did wonder if the orchestra were bored... the orchestra were probably like “Yeah that's a C, that's a G...congrats. Tomorrow I'm playing Beethoven!"
The symphony orchestra were inspirational, did they ever turn their noses up?
Fin: Well there was a guy at the back that looked so bored the entire time but apparently he was being paid the most!
Guy: There was one time when Fin said to the orchestra members "Don't worry dude we'll cover any mistakes you make" - that was pretty funny.
Fin: In the classical world you don't applaud after every track and this night there was applause after each track – you could tell the orchestra loved that.
Have you formed any real links with Holland now?
Guy: They're very switched on with music and Holland really has the best of everything.
Fin: What's good is you can fill the tank once and then travel around Holland! We are always blown away by venue size in Amsterdam and we did actually demo a load of the new album there.
What was important after the night, and what's important with your efforts when mixing sound?
Tim: Well the orchestrator sent us midi string parts to approve, that was weird to hear.
Fin: We would have loved to have used the big hammer dude again!
Guy: The classical set up was interesting – as the bassist I was placed opposite the bass orchestral parts, opposed to being next to them. It's all about the physics and the physically different set up of music arrangement.
Will your future song-writing have orchestral influence?
Fin: Well strings were added into the subsequent tour. Maybe the album will have moments to emulate elements of this immersed in it. It's really weird to have your sound beefed up and classical music really is quite clever! It makes me think I should try a bit harder. Maybe we should have more chords...
Will peoples perceptions of you as a band change after this do you think?
It's got the word out, but artistically not altered our music. We are appealing to an older generation perhaps – our Mum's want to hear our music now - even though there's been like 7 years of constant touring - thanks Mum!
What are your thoughts on sharing music on different platforms like Spotify etc?
Fin: Spotify rocks, it's all give.They will promote as well as have the music there. At the moment in music it seems to be the pop chart- and then everyone else. If anything it is just bad for pop music...and I'm okay with that!
What would be the top venue that you haven't played at yet, that you'd like to play at?
Hmm...Glastonbury! Perhaps Brixton Academy or the Albert Hall.
After the Q&A I managed to pull Fin aside and have a chat. Despite being an absolute hero of mine I remained calm and professional (until I was outside!) and I asked him what Fink's next plans were to release a new album and new ticket dates.
Fin: On Sunday we fly to L.A to record the album, and by Christmas we will have new music out, and we hope to have dates for festivals next year.
Well, you heard it here first!
Pictured: Annalise Watson, Fin Greenall, Vincent Wood
Annalise Marguerita Watson
@annalise_watson
