John Blek Talks New Single, New Album And More

 

 

Listening to my father’s Willie Nelson cassettes in his old Toyota Hiace van when I was 3 or 4.

 

 

I started writing at 16. I began learning the guitar and learning other people’s songs but never felt like I could get them quite right so I just started creating my own songs that couldn’t be compared to anything other than themselves. It was freeing.

 

 

This is the most DIY record I’ve ever made in that I literally started by building the recording studio. At the back of our home is a big concrete block garage. In January 2024 my friend and I built a 50 square meter room within a room studio into it. It was a dream come true. By April 2024 the construction was finished but I took my time fitting out the inside with acoustic treatment and worked really hard on developing a great sounding room. I was writing all this time and those songs became The Midnight Ache. This record came as a bit of a surprise as I was recording the songs to get to know the room and fine tune the studio and then all of a sudden I realised I have 13 or 14 songs tracked. If only all albums just crept up on you like that.

 

 

I recorded it at my own studio Bigger River Recording Co. in North county Cork and I produced it myself with a little help from my good old friend Brian Casey at Wavefield Recording.

 

 

 

 

I’m struggling to think of anything newsworthy. So, no.

 

 

I used quite a bit of muted acoustic guitar on this album. Rubber Bridge guitar is quite popular now which gives a similar sound but I just used a cut up kitchen sponge. Acoustic guitars used were all Lakewood, a great German company. Electrics were partscasters I had put together myself over COVID. My recording setup at that time was quite rudimentary but fortunately simple works well!

 

 

 

 

 

Happiest is “Coming Down”, Reflective “With You” and to be honest I haven’t written an angry song since I was a kid. I keep that shit to myself.

 

 

 

 

 

Bass – Brian Hassett. Hassey and I used to play in a band together some years ago. He’s now my booking agent in Ireland but is a great bass player.

Drums – Davie Ryan. Davie has played drums on all but one of my albums. Mr Consistent and a really creative drummer.

Backing Vocals – Ciara O’Leary Fitzpatrick. My wife, she was pregnant at the time and so was around the house on maternity leave and dying for distraction so I convinced her to lend her voice to the record.

Piano – Brian Casey. Brian has co produced every one of my albums with me. I didn’t have a piano in the studio when i was making the midnight Ache so Brian recorded it at his studio, Wavefield Recording.

Viola – Filip Sommer. One half of the Broken Strings which is a string ensemble I often tour with. He’s from Dresden which is also where we met back in 2022.

Cello – Moritz Brümmer. The second half of the Broken Strings. A great cello player and thoughtful guy. He’s from Stuttgart. Strings were recorded over two days in the middle of an Irish tour I did with them in late 2024

Everything else – Me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 There was a lot changing in our home when the songs were being written, we had moved to a new town, we were rebuilding/renovating the house and of course the imminent arrival of our daughter. The Midnight Ache was the name I gave those sleepless hours during the night as I lay there completely overwhelmed by everything that was going on. The mind and heart would race and all I’d want is to be sound asleep.

 

 

 

 

Not at all.

 

 

I designed the album cover myself. My wife had pressed flowers from our garden in the Summer of 2024 so when it came to cover art design I put together that pressed flower arrangement. I love it. This album is a really strong capture of that time in my life, it’s got a strong sense of place for me and that place is home.

 

 

My hometown is Cork City but we don’t live there anymore. I couldn’t possibly express my love for the place in 5 words. We would need pages and days.

 

 

 

Only recently I’ve had to start really taking care of it. Up until about 18 months ago I was touring so much that my voice was very well exercised and could go at the drop of a hat but since the arrival of our daughter and the necessity for a temporarily more sedentary lifestyle I’ve really had to do pre gig warm ups. Usually the days before a gig or tour I’ll start practicing, a little more each day, just singing the songs. Then pre gig I just do a good soundcheck and try not to worry about it. The stress of fretting about your voice is often the worst thing for your voice.

 

 

 

Yes, lots. The Ireland and Europe dates are yet to be announced but the UK dates are;

January 29th – The Hug & Pint, Glasgow (Celtic Connections)

 

 

 

Performed well and shared a few laughs.

 

 

 

My Lakewood dreadnought guitar and my Neumann KMS105 vocal mic.

 

 

 

 

 The City of Bohane by Kevin Barry, it’s a gritty and descriptive piece of writing I think there would be great scope for some dirty electric guitar pieces in there.

 

 

 

 

 It’s really just a break up song. I haven’t done that in a while of course but it’s just something that always stays with you and haunts you a little bit. I wrote on an early morning flight to Amsterdam to start a tour a couple years ago. I’ve often found that time of day fruitful. You’re still half asleep

and the brain gets out of it’s own way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It sure is. Just a little retro clip of me performing in the studio with the lyrics over the top. I believe the kids call it a “lyric video”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Influences are Neil Young, Bert Jansch, Iron & Wine and Ron Sexsmith. I recommend you buy my new album. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy – a quiet pint and a good chat. Unhappy to the point of complete despair – the genocide in Palestine.