So hi Fin, nice to touch base dude. New album ‘Sort of Revolution’ coming out on May 25th – your third release through Ninja Tunes – quite simply a breathtaking journey of music – talk us through an amazing album that touches every emotion with sincerity, beautiful harmonies, broodiness and even some Blues part of the package…tell us about the tracks.
“Thanks for the love man – broodiness – love that – we get that a lot. We wanted to do something different from the last record but with three musicians in a room we will always end up sounding like themselves anyway – y’know, so – we kinda do “well if you liked the last two you’ll love the new one. I guess after all the gigs and festivals we’ve done since the release of ‘Distance And Time’, we’ve all got more confident and simply got better at playing our instruments. As a singer, I reckon I’m finding my sweet spot. The title track ‘Sort of Revolution’ is about change and doing new things and I wanted to try this kinda “indy acoustic” guitar style that I’m trying to get into together too – plus the band were gagging to do some Dub (our side project Sideshow released an album of Dub in Feb) – so we thought – yeah man – lets Dub it out….there’s Soul on there, healthy doses of Blues to keep the Soul in check, some like acoustica, beats basslines and harmonies man….”
Your first two releases for Ninja ‘Biscuits For Breakfast’ and ‘Distance and Time’ and now your self produced new album, which are you most proudest of?
“I think Distance – because we recorded it in three weeks – and it really opened a lot of doors for us. It’s a pleasure to play because the record is like us three playing so live, it kinda plays itself. I mean, I’m equally proud of the first one y’know, but personally I think I had a better idea of who I was when we recorded the second.”
How important is your stage performance to you, you seem to be one of the artists out there who really thinks about/enjoys getting up on stage.?
“Yeah, love it. After years of DJ’ing the kinda stagefright thing is kinda something I learnt to deal with – now we get like excited rather than nervous. It’s weird actually coz you never know which gigs are gonna get you nervous. It’s often the smaller ones, live music is exciting and it totally should be for the performer too . Every set is different, we build moments all over them where we can like expieriment or something to keep every gig fresh – we write every set before we go on kinda traditional style – so literally – every gig is different….”
Perfomances at such seminal venues as London’s Royal Albert Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall and even Milan’s San Siro Stadium with the likes of Zero 7, Massive Attack and The Frattllis – which gigs have been the best?
“Carnegie Hall was awesome – I mean, New York just pumps you with ambition. Just being there man, it’s like so epic and I smacked it too I don’t mind saying – really gave probably the best 4 minutes I’v ever given on stage. London’s Albert Hall is special because I must be one of the few acoustic songwriters to play the Proms – which feels great every time.
What music did you listen to growing up as a kid?
“A lot of Folk and Soul… until I could get my own – then it was everything pretty much John Peel would play – Acid, Rap, early dance, Electronica, Thrash, Indy – then later kinda Funk and Soul wth the Rare Groove revival in Bristol – Bristol kinda gave me Soul, Portishead, Massive Attack, Roni Size – so many great people to look up to….”
Aside from the performing part of your life, you are an in demand songwriter, one of your tunes will remain on my i-pod for ever – ‘Greenlight’ featuring Andre 3000, what’s the best tune you’ve ever written?
“That’s impossible to answer man – my next one”
Best festival you’ve ever played at?
“Actually – Electric Picnic in Ireland. I really really liked it, it’s like a big proper festy, but everyone is soooo nice/ Complete strangers gave me beer and weed and everything while I was chilling, a good line up. However, my fave in the UK that I’ve played would probably be Bestival coz it’s so much fun. But Rob Da Bank hates my stuff so I have to kinda sneak on the bill in a tent somewhere in a kinda undercover vibe !!”
Best album ever made?
“Axis” – Hendrix
So what’s the music scene like down in Brighton, anyone coming through band wise we should watch out for?
“Yeah – this soul singer Andreya Triana’s is gonna be pretty hot I reckon, Heals Catch Fire are kinda bubblin under all angular hair and riffs – but to be honest, the finest band brighton has EVER produced are The Macabees. Their new album is absolutely awesome.”
Coming back to your house after a party, what would be the soundtrack to a Back To Mine party at Fin’s place?
“Anything but my stuff – I do a radio show down in Brighton, The Future Rock N Roll Show on Juice FM, so – probably just loads of hyper trendy not-out-yet nonsense that half the party thinks is crap, and half think is genius.”
You’ve played all across Europe and North America… best city/country you’ve appeared at?
“Paris…..Paris – they love our stuff out there.”
Appearing at a huge stadium in front of 80,000 people or an intimate vibe at places like London’s Jazz Cafe – which do you prefer?
“Well – The Jazz Café is a bad example – coz I’v played there many times and the sound for the artist always really sucks…. San Siro is is like playing with in a giant delay unit…. on our London shows, and Paris shows, we are doing multiple gigs in small venues instead of big ones – they’re more intimate. Last year we did a three night stand at the Barfly that I really enjoyed. This year we’re doing three nigts at the Roundhouse, it’s wicked – sometimes smaller gigs are better for us and for them, but often the small venues don’t have good rigs”.
Who are your musical inspirations?
“Too many to mention man…. anything good, apart from Trance, which is never good.”
Your tour with Gomez, pretty exciting huh?
“Yeah – it’s craaaaazy, we did Shepherds Bush last night… Bristol tonight. Big crowds and big stages, we couldn’t be touring with a nicer bunch of guys. Gomez and crew are all thoroughly lovely. A new experience, on most other support runs I’v done of this size, normally the band and crew totally hate your guts….”
Best club you’ve ever DJ’d at?
“Best gig I did – Paris Rex in 2000, but the best club I ever regularly played at was the old Blue Note in Hoxton in London – we did Stealth there with Ninja for years, and the night before that I was resident at ‘New Beats’ – the kinda first Breaks ever night, so it became like my home – til all the trendy wankers moved in and closed it down because of the noise – and the mullets….”
What’s next for Fink in 2009?
“Bristol, Oxford, Reading, Liverpool, Belfast, Dublin, possibly the USA for a week writing, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussells, Paris, Brighton, London – that’s the next 3 weeks anyway – my diary doesn’t really get filled in for me to look at any further than 3 weeks or else I get freaked out….”
