G.H. Francis Talks New EP, Its Artwork And More

For some people, music isn’t a career choice: it’s a way to experience the world, to find your place and communicate with the rest of mankind. For Gregory Hoepffner, writing and producing music is as vital as water and air. His G.H. Francis project bloomed from a life journey of releasing records and touring all over the world. His new single ‘Without You’ is out now and his forthcoming EP “Why Does Anyone?” is released on 14th June 2024. Read our interview with him now:

When did you begin songwriting?

Such a long time ago that it would make me look painfully old. Let’s just say CDs were still a thing.

 What is your earliest musical memory?

Listening experience, probably Elton John or Phil Collins.

And playing piano lessons at 5. I was ok, but hated the theory/reading of the parts. Learned absolutely nothing from it, and I’m still pretty bad at playing keyboards to this day.

 Your new EP ‘Why Does Anyone?’ will be released on 14th June 2024. How did you want to approach making the EP?

It was more of a « curation » process than anything, as I had a lot of songs finished already. « How do you want to start » was the question that decided on these 4 tracks in particular. « The Only Queer In The Van » felt like a good place to start as it’s a nod to my past bands, a way to close this chapter and open a new one. 

Where did you record the EP and who produced it?

It was both recorded at my shared studio in Svenska Grammofon and my home studio in Gothenburg, Sweden. Everything is self-produced, except « Without You » which was co-produced with Christoffer Berg, and wow did he do an amazing job… I’m usually in the producer chair for other bands/acts, so I’m used to this kind of schizophrenic bounce between roles. His ideas blew me away by how far they went compared to the demo, it was inspiring to see how free his mind was from the material.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

Just made people dance and feel good, that’s what matters in the end.

One of the tracks is the single ‘Without You’ which is out now. What is the story/inspiration behind the track?

It’s a very personal song, that deals with the hunger for life following the death of a close relative. You want to honor their memory by living life to the fullest, but no matter what you do, everything is « without » this person, and that fact plays in the back of your mind like a mantra. The track is frantic and intense, like these big joyful moments, when it suddenly dawns on you that something is wrong, because one person is missing. It’s like a big dancefloor with tears rolling on every cheek. 

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I’m keeping it very minimal on stage on my part to be fully dedicated to the vocals. But when we’re performing with Gary on guitar, we’re using my beloved Electro Harmonix Pitchfork. It’s a tiny but powerful harmonizer, that I use pretty much on anything : guitars, synths, vocals…

 Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

It is so small the word « town » doesn’t apply.

3 words will be enough : fields, isolated, nothing.

How do you look after your voice?

Nothing fancy, just a couple of classic warm-ups. And mostly by choosing the right song to start off a set.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

« The Stranger » Albert Camus. The mood of this book would be hard to translate into words. There’s a specific vibe that deeply speaks to me, a sense of detachment and ultra realism that work so well together.

Who created/designed the EP artwork?

Being a graphic designer and video editor as a « day job », I couldn’t escape from doing it. It was a struggle though, to try capturing something both modern and nostalgic that matches the songs. I often work with archive videos from the 60’s and 70’s because I love the grain of 8/16mm film. It carries so much emotion to me, which a smartphone camera doesn’t have for exemple. I often try to recreate this « analog emotion » with modern equipment. It takes a lot of physical and digital tweaking, but it’s possible to find your own tricks.

 Who are some of your musical influences/recommendations?

I’m usually drawn to artists/bands who manage to blur genres, while still making catchy songs. Blood Orange, The Flaming Lips, MGMT, LCD Soundsystem, Ryuichi Sakamoto, The 1975 to name a few.
Current recommendations : the new LA Priest EP « La Fusion » is crazy good, and if you’re into dreampop / shoegaze check out my mates Prune 99 and their EP « Sand Reflection ».

Do you have any further music releases planned for 2024?

Yes ! Can I already talk about it ? I’m afraid not hahaha

 Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024?

Yes ! So far only in France, next one will be July 5 in Paris – Supersonic.

 Was it a difficult EP to write?

I haven’t had this much fun writing music for a very long time. It feels great to be able to write according to my « real » persona and taste, without trying to be something else.

What makes G.H. Francis happy and what makes you unhappy?

 Happy : discovering new music/art that blows me away

Unhappy : the inability to stretch time, very disappointing.