Diane Birch Talks New Album, Her Voice And More

Jul 11, 2024 | Interviews

Words by Glenn Sargeant

Photo Credit: Margo Ducharme

American singer-songwriter Diane Birch is someone who JLTT has been aware of for several years. However, we had not been able to talk to her about her music until now. Her latest album ‘Flying On Abraham’ is out now, so it seemed like the perfect time to sit down for a chat:

When did you begin songwriting?

When I lived in LA back in like 2005/6 I started writing songs and exploring my voice though I didn’t really think I was a singer at the time, maybe more of a songwriter for other artists.

What is your earliest musical memory?

Church hymns and classical music were my earliest influences in the womb.

Your latest album ‘Flyin On Abraham’ is out now. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

At the time I’d been spending a lot of time in Ableton making beats and messing around with low fi demos and so I was longing to make a somewhat sophisticated studio album at the time, kind of like how albums used to be made back in the 70’s. I wanted a live band performing as opposed to tracking independently. I thought if I could get some great players in a room together we could create something magical and I do believe we did.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

The album was produced by Paul Stacey and we recorded it at several locations in England and Wales. We cut a lot of the early recordings at Bryan Ferry’s studio in London, then spent about a week in Wales and then finished up the overdubs back in north London and mixed the album in Somerset.

Who played with you on the album?

Most of the recordings are just live takes of me on keys, Paul Stacey on Bass, Jeremy Stacey on drums. Paul then tracked guitars and we added our overdubs. We had a few people do some arrangements on shade and add some additional things here and there but for the most part it was just me, Paul and Jeremy.

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

The most important thing for me is connection. If I can play to someone’s heart and truly move it in some way then I have achieved my goal.

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

I always hope for on a real piano or vintage Wurlitzer or fender rhodes or Yamaha CP70/80 . I really don’t enjoy playing a modern weighted keyboard. It’s an entirely different instrument to me so wherever I can get the real thing or a good vintage one, I’m grateful.

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

My home has always shifted ever since I was a child. I moved around the world constantly with my parents and so I had a transient association with ‘home’. I do feel very much like I’ve landed in my forever home now in my little village in Somerset. It’s where I hope to live forever!

I remember when I heard a duet with yourself and Alain Clark called ‘Too Soon To End’ which I think is an absolutely beautiful track. How did that duet come about?

The boring version of the story is that I think our managers at the time thought it would be a good idea for us to collaborate. They threw us in a room together and thankfully we got along great and really enjoyed writing that song together.

How do you look after your voice?

I am the least technically minded person ever so I don’t do anything at all or exercises or think about things like that. My only saving grace is that I’m very much into overall health and well being so I like to think that my vocal cords are empowered by all the tonics and supplements I take.

One of the tracks on your new album is ‘Used To Lovin You’. What is the story/inspiration behind the song?

I’d originally come up with the loose melody for this song whilst living in Berlin, absolutely ages ago. I kept trying over and over again to capture the right feeling of this song and could never get it right. Every time I ‘tried’ to sing it, it lost the magic. I spent ages in different studios with different people trying to get it and one day out of desperation I was sitting alone with my laptop one evening at a honky tonk piano in someone’s flat, slumped back in a chair and thought ‘who cares’ lemme just make a really bad demo to try and catch the vibe. 5-10 mins later I’d made a generic beat, plonked out 2 chords and looped them, sang everything once and moved on. Later when I played Paul the demo so we could record it properly, he said, I think that’s the track. It’s a total detour from the rest of the album because it’s so low fi, but I do think that’s why it’s special. Jeremy added real drums on top and Paul added bass and guitar over the original demo in the end and I think it worked really well.

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?

Well it’s already been made into a brilliant film by Polanski in the 1970’s but perhaps if they made a new ‘Tess of the Durbervilles’ by Thomas Hardy I’d love to be involved. There’s so much rich material to work with; Victorian England in the countryside, tragic romance, the beautiful cursed maiden, the pagan symbolism and Stonehenge all in one story! Yes!

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

I’m very influenced by classical music and church hymns first and foremost and then later developed my interests in classic rock, soul, blues, RnB etc,… I love Nina Simone and John Lennon and all the greats really. I’ve been through so many phases from bands like The Cure and Bauhaus to Serge Gainsbourg and Van Morrison. My tastes are always evolving but equally I don’t really listen to that much music. When I do these days it’s jazz or classical. I’m currently really into a classical countertenor called Iestyn Davis. When I first heard him sing I had full body chills. He’s got an incredible tone and really evokes something magical.

Do you have a band? If so, who is in the band and what do they play?

Yes I play with the original band that recorded the album with me. Paul Stacey on guitar, Jeremy Stacey on Drums and I’ve got a great bass player now called Nick Pini.

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

Hard to answer because I don’t really feel those extremes of emotion in any of them! Haha 🙂 I’d say most reflective would be Trampoline. It’s a very personal song I suppose and one I feel resonates still when I sing it.

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

Yes to all though currently TBD

What makes Diane Birch happy and what makes you unhappy?

What makes me happy! Many things but I am incredibly happy in nature, beautiful gardens, smelling roses and cuddling my dog.

What makes me unhappy is basically being in crowds, crazy modern city environments far from my dog! I’m a real country gal now so I suppose I’m happiest far from the mad world.