Crayola Lectern Talks New Single, Album And More

 Crayola Lectern release new single, ‘Stars Over Louth’ on Friday 28th March 2025, via Onomatopoeia Records. This is the first taste from Crayola Lectern’s new album ‘Disasternoon’, out in August 2025. We chatted to him about the new track, new album and more:

When did you begin songwriting?

I became aware that I could entertain my peers when I was about ten and wrote a very rude song about our teachers to the tune of Friggin’ in the Riggin’. The song was scribbled on a piece of paper (along with illustrations) under the pen name, Chris Piss (classy, I know) and it was passed around the class, causing much mirth. The teacher, Dr Foulkes entered the room, asking what all the merriment was about and of course it ended up in his possession. As he read it, I suffered my first panic attack – fortunately he wasn’t one of the subjects of the song. After the class, I tearfully begged for it back and he complimented me on my creativity and agreed to keep it to himself.

What is your earliest musical memory?

Mum sang to me as an infant and I have a vague memory of the sound of her voice as a young mum singing You are my Sunshine and Hello, Hello. There was a piano in the house and I remember my sister and mum playing. I had piano lessons from about 5 years old with a lovely teacher called Mrs Elliot who had grey, curly hair, a ruddy complexion and the air of a great composer. She liked that I could play by ear, so lessons (at that point) were very engaging.

You will release your new album ‘Disasternoon’ in August 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

I would have liked to approach it with a clear idea of what it was and how it would be done. That didn’t happen. I approached it chaotically. Being in the habit of writing and recording stuff, it was a case of seeing which ones I was liking enough to finish.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

Recorded mainly at home during lockdown. No money for engineers or producers, so I set the dial to ‘denial’ and dived into the world of engineering and producing, using some piano tracks I’d previously recorded in studios as well as ones done at home. So I just got on with it and Damo made some drum parts and Al came over to do some brass. I love the arrangement side of things, but my file-keeping is messy and my engineering methods childlike. I abandoned the whole thing at one point as it had gone too far for anyone else to come in and fix, as I discovered when friends attempted to help me in my sorrowful plight, but thanks to encouraging noises from Sadie, my wife, my resolve returned. I eventually came back to it after a few months off and was able to fix the rubbish bits and finish the damn thing.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the album recording sessions?

It was a solitary process apart from a few visits from Al and Damo, as and when lockdown restrictions permitted. I enjoy the solitude though when “working.” But no wild parties or entertaining studio shenanigans, I’m afraid. At least, not that I remember…

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

My recording set-up is rudimentary. Logic Pro X, a piano, casiotones, a tiny Korg, Casio CZ1000, some Logic mellotrons and other sounds, an alto sax, acoustic and electric guitars and a bass. No hardware.

One of the tracks is the single ‘Stars Over Louth’ which is released on Friday 28th March 2025. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

One of the things that kept the project alive over the period was a correspondence with Alfreda Benge, who was gracious enough to listen to and comment on the songs as they progressed. Her and her hubby are notable figures in my life and they live in Louth. Despite the challenges they were facing in lockdown themselves, these emails always offered redemption with their contagious wit, good politics, and sense of adventure.

The track is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

The video for Stars Over Louth is a still of a painting which Gary Goodman made for the song. The piece is so calm and it’s kind of a lullaby and Gary’s painting evokes that spirit perfectly. I got in a bit of a pickle making the edit (there really is hardly anything to edit) but Sadie rescued me and all was well.

Was it a difficult album to write?

The music wasn’t difficult, that’s just a compulsion and the thing I love. I can struggle a little with lyrics and I learned to like the songs as the pandemic started to ease as I became aware that this was everyone’s reality. For example, songs I was writing about individuals and personal circumstance became universal. We had all just gone through this thing and my usual themes seemed to take on a thankfully new identity.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

I mask anger in songs. It’s an energy, as Johnny Rotten said, and it can be a springboard for beautiful work, sometimes almost as a form of revenge. The first song, Sad Cornetto is ‘angriest’ although I’d say, more ‘disappointed,’ and the final song, Coscoroba returns to the musical theme almost daring itself to go away forever. Words no longer do it, they’re just noise and we’re left with a meaningful emptiness. Not sure if this is anger or something darker.

No ‘happy’ songs per se, as in upbeat, ‘let’s get on down, kidz’… but the album is called Disasternoon, after all. But a lot of the music itself (compositionally) does ‘happy’ things to me as it twists and turns, so paradoxically, it all makes me happy-ish.

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

Is that a euphemism? “Left the stage…”

OK, taking it literally, as I leave the stage after a gig I want to have made people fall in a kind of love with the music and b) they don’t want a refund.

Or taking it as a euphemism, after Crayola departs this place, he hopes to have sweetened the stain of having existed and b) not having made his loved ones suffer too much because of the downside of believing and following the dream.

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

A real piano every time and a basic stage mic SM58 with a touch of reverb. I like Ali’s pedal configuration but more what he achieves with them. Damo has managed to create sounds on his keyboard, I don’t know how he does it. On their own they can sound odd but stick them in with the piano and Ali and you get something greater than the sum of the parts.

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

Worthing – best move I ever made.

How do you look after your voice?

I’m not conscious of looking after it. I don’t think of myself as a singer really. I have tried vocal warmups, but I’m stuck with this voice. I find the adrenaline of performing usually gets it in the ballpark. I sing mainly in tune but I’m no Freddy Mercury. My ‘style’ is just natural and more about being an authentic representation of the song’s heart rather than a technically proficient thing. Freddy of course had both, but I don’t have the will to push my physiological limits.

Who designed the album artwork?

Alfreda Benge created the original art for the album. She has done Robert Wyatt’s LPs as well as art for various other musical heroes and luminaries. To be a part of that is an honour above most. Michael Chapman who does Cardiacs’ artwork, did the layout and set Alfie’s piece’s into the CD and LP formats.

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?

John Steinbeck – To a God Unknown

My wife, Sadie gave me this book when we first got together. Lots to play with here, I like oblique soundtracks, music that hints at the inner machinations and subcontext, rather than purely descriptive. Nuance and understatement with a heft undertow of something not quite right. I would probably think to myself, ‘now what would Ennio do here?’

Who is in your touring band and what do they play?

Alistair Strachan – cornet, trumpet, flugelhorn, various effects, GEM Caravan organ, another keyboard and some percussion

Damo Waters – synth/keyboard, backing vocals and percussion

Me – piano and voice

Is it difficult picking a setlist? Do you have specific song selection process?

I select the setlist by going off and quietly catastrophising to the point of mental inertia whilst Damo appears to effortlessly concoct a setlist which he brings to the rehearsal for us to use. I find this works extremely well.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Robert Wyatt, Sparklehorse, William D Drake, Can, Spratleys, Mercury Rev, Charles Mingus… today

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025/2026?

Yes, tbc

What makes Crayola Lectern happy and what makes you unhappy?

Happy – sunshine, silence, walking, health, kindness, fire, friends, planning good times

Not happy – wind, noise, rushing, stress, disproportionate use of force, complicity, propaganda, use of drones and AI in war, polarisation, Elon Musk