Duncan Moss Talks New Album, Favourite Instruments And More

Duncan Moss is a visionary pianist and composer, known for his instinct-driven and genre-defying approach to music. His latest album ‘HOPE’ is out now on Mossy Music. He chatted to us about the new album, his favourite instruments and more: 

When did you begin songwriting?

I started learning the piano at the age of six and I guess started writing my own music from about the age of ten.  Obviously, as I learnt more and became more proficient, the complexity of the music developed.  When I got to 16, it became very obvious to my piano teacher that I was spending a lot more time writing my own music than focusing on the classics; I never had another piano lesson.

What is your earliest musical memory?

I have several, but the ones that stick in my mind are singing a little song I wrote to my mother called “I don’t love my mummy anymore” (I was probably about 4) probably for being reprimanded for some transgression and which I am sure was well deserved.  Also  being delivered, for my first piano lesson, to the wonderfully named Miss Cecily Cornish.  I loved her.  I love my mum too!  She passed away a few years ago and the song, Goodbye Mum, is the first track on my first piano album Mnemonics Part I.

Your new album ‘HOPE’ is out now. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

The inspiration for the album HOPE came from an awareness of the constant stream of terrible news and great suffering from around our lovely planet.  This, together with suffering closer to home, be it bereavement, relationship issues, loneliness, physical or mental illness, cost of living crisis etc.   It seemed to me that the one thing that we all need is hope and, without hope, we don’t feel we are in a good place.  My musical interpretation of this was to write pieces that were emotive but, at the same time, comforting and, indeed, offering the feeling of hope.   My approach was, therefore, to err on the side of simplicity and accessibility.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

The album was recorded at Mossy Music, my studio in Central London.  Production and mixing was done by myself and my long time friend and producer, Zeb Jameson.

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

There were certainly plenty of humorous moments along the way but the most memorable moment was the inability to actually use the piano!  I have several pianos and keyboards, both in our apartment and in my studio.  A lot of the initial exploring of ideas takes place at all times of the day or night on my piano in the flat.  For this reason, I might not venture into the studio for a day or two.  What I neglected to remember, during the exceedingly cold snap we had, was to put the studio heating on, which knocked the tuning out on the Yamaha Grand in the studio.  Not only that, it completely mucked up the sound board which made it sound like a cross between a harpsichord and a sitar.  My piano tuner was aghast.  Having retuned it twice and put the background heating on, normal service was resumed and the album was underway again.

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

Being a piano album, this was actually very straightforward.  It was recorded on my Yamaha Grand and two Schoeps small diaphragm condenser pencil microphones together with an Apollo soundcard and Logic recording programme.  The recordings were as played, so there was no editing involved other than minor use of some of the software to achieve the right piano ambience.

One of the tracks is the new single ‘Little Maggie’. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

Little Maggie, Track 6 on the album, was inspired by the birth of our first granddaughter; I wrote this piece the very next day.  It is one of my favourite pieces because of its simplicity and the feeling of joy and innocence together with hope for the future that it conjours up.  Sorry about the pun but I know that this has struck a chord with people because the little clips I put out on social media have been viewed many thousands of times and I have received many many comments.

Was it a difficult album to write?

It certainly wasn’t difficult, I just needed to be disciplined and set apart a couple of months to write the music for the album.  I spent the majority of January and February this year, and, hermit like in my studio, wrote about 20 songs which I whittled down to 12 for the album.  This was refined as the year went on, so, for example, Little Maggie was written in May.  By July it was all recorded.

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

Given that this was a very reflective album for solo piano, pretty well all the tracks are emotive and reflect comfort, peace, joy and relaxation albeit the inspiration for the album was hope necessitated by the difficult world in which we live and I guess my anger at some of the injustice and difficulties that some people face; the music I wrote was hopeful and comforting and therefore the other side of that coin and the feeling of hopelessness associated with all that suffering.

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

Firstly that the audience had a great time and secondly that they felt joy and a sense of calm and peacefulness.

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

I always have a preference for an acoustic grand piano but am equally at home, and use a lot, my Korg Kronos work station with its myriad of sample instruments and sounds together with a Nord organ.

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

Central London.  Lively, Exciting, Interesting, Ever-changing and Inspiring

How do you look after your voice?

Whilst I don’t sing on this album, I did spend a lot of my earlier life singing both in church and cathedral choirs and then with the London Symphony Chorus.  I fear that the effluxion of time and far too many cigarettes will have blown it up.

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?

There are many but I would choose The Trees by the American writer Percival Everett which was published in 2022.  This is a murder mystery whodunnit thriller with an historical hark back to the lynching and murder of a young black boy, Emmett Till some 65 years before the current murders.  It is therefore a contrast of the racism in that part of the world, then and now.  It is based in Mississippi in the American deep South and is a very clever story with equal amounts of heartbreaking injustice, emotion and, sometimes, humour.

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

I love many different genres of music from classical, folk, rock, jazz; in fact I won’t list them because I am fond of it all and listen to huge amounts of music daily.  In terms of piano and contemporary, some of my favourites are people like Elton John, Billy Joel, Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones and John Legend.

Who created/designed the album artwork?

The amazing Dean Sherwood, who I have worked with for a number of years now and he does all my filmmaking, visualisers, photography and indeed, anything requiring visual artistry.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024/2025?

I have got another Sofar Sounds gig coming up in Central London and we are currently working on a plan to play in numerous towns and cities in the UK this year and next.  The best place to find this information as plans fall into place are my website www.duncanmossmusic.com and on my socials, particularly Facebook and Instagram.  Links for these can be found on the website.

What makes Duncan Moss happy and what makes you unhappy?

Without doubt my happiness derives from family, friends, composing and all things music, attending gigs and meeting new people.  What makes me unhappy are bad manners, rudeness, inconsiderate behaviour and intolerance; the world is hard enough, it doesn’t need to be made any harder.