Talking With Phil Thornalley

Your new solo album ‘ Now That I Have Your Attention’ is out now. How did you want to approach the record?

I released a song called 22nd Century during the pandemic that was stylistically very different from my Astral Drive project.  Less interstellar, Polychordal navel-gazing and more ‘four easy chords, put on your shades, kickback and laugh’ – and then I added an over-the-top symphony orchestra like Jeff Lynne’s ELO and a Westfield’s worth of backing vocals. 

My record company A&R man suggested I mine the seam of  ‘22nd Century’ musical idea and dig for more pop confection. It was a good idea. 

 The first single is ‘Fast Car’ and in my notes, I’ve written: “An upbeat pop track that puts a smile on your face with an ELO-Esque joy surrounding it”. Does that sound like a fair assessment?

 Yeah, that’s great. The fans have all responded by saying they feel this album has a recognizable sense of fun. . They ‘get’ the tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Maybe I’m tired from turning on the radio and hearing a downbeat procession of dark minor chords and angst?  And this was my unconscious antidote. The title is ironic too since no one is paying attention ….yet. Haha. 

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

I’m from the wild west of Suffolk on the border of ‘the fens’, an eerie part of England that few people know. Very flat, rural, dykes, quiet to the point of death. Low-lying land reclaimed from a vast swamp. Like The Netherlands. But Suffolk is also home to the biggest US Air Force base in Europe. So a lot of my musical inspiration came from American neighbours in the 60s and 70s. Todd, Hall and Oates and so on. 

Five words? 

Tractors – Cricket – Laughter – Brexit – Airbase

Could you please tell me about the recording process for ‘High On Your Supply’?

That’s a song I wrote with my friend Jimmy Hogarth, esteemed producer of all the James’ ( Bay, Morrison, Blunt) . 

I was getting to the end of the album recording and needed some ‘outside’ inspiration and Jimmy, who’s very relaxed and, like me, a multi-instrumentalist, thankfully agreed to step in. Whilst strumming while watching TV the title and the verse came to me. 

I showed that half-baked idea to Jimmy and he said let’s do this on the chorus  – or words to that effect. In the sort of classic Lennon and McCartney songwriting mode. 

Then he asked me to sketch out the music – some guide guitars and bass and a guide vocal at his studio down the road from mine inlay West Hampstead. Next thing I knew, a day or two later,  he’d added the drums and extra guitars, used all my guide playing  ( I keep it simple ), and the song went from being a sketch to being a record. 

We both have some old gear but Jimmy’s out-nerds me by a million miles with his vintage compressors and whatnot. But it’s about his ears and his sensitivity really. He makes good musical choices regardless of the year the valve was made. 

I re-sang some of the lead vocals at my place, usually for lyric changes. I wrote ten verses and we only needed four. I’d like to think there are some Dylan’ish jokes in the words so honed in on the funniest couplets. 

Incidentally – There’s a strange sound halfway through the instrumental tag where during the recording of the piano bass notes the mic stand arm dipped and rested the mic head on the B string. It made a weird BOING sound every time I played that B. Total mistake. But it made my head turn and go ‘What the hell was that?’. It’s my favourite sound on the record. Ultimately Isn’t that what we all want from a record?

Did you have any specific instruments/music equipment that you used for the album that you particularly enjoyed using?

I’m lucky to have an overstocked studio from years of collecting odd percussion, glockenspiels, bits of old desks and so on. A lot of it is trash. But musical trash! 

I don’t have that many guitars and basses but they all have a very specific role. They’re my tools. I’m not being falsely modest. It’s a fact. 

The main acoustic guitar is a vintage Epiphone Texan that my pal Dave Brewis sold me ( Dealer to the stars ).  

The electric guitar would mainly be my go-to Jazzmaster and the lead parts on a cheap Les Paul copy made by Luna, nicknamed ‘The Sparkler’. My daughter decorated it with sequins. 

The bass, I play whatever’s handy. Usually a slightly modified Gibson EBO or my P-Bass ( The ’Torn’ bass. sunburst with missing paintwork. I have a sweet Ludwig Black Beauty snare that rescues any of my shitty drummings by just sounding amazing at whatever tuning I choose. 

For the nerds I use Neumann mics, API preamp. also a vintage Blue Face UREI 1176 limiter. 

Do you have any plans to tour this album? Or perhaps a retrospective ‘Evening With…’ setup covering your career?

I love the idea of “An Evening with…”! That’s a format that might actually get a small crowd of fans. Unfortunately, until Ken Bruce or another radio programmer or cool playlist curator realizes my genius (!) I’m unlikely to get the ‘Attention’ necessary to afford touring. To have my band and an orchestra on the road would not be cheap. Maybe Jeff Lynne’s agent could give me a call as support act. Too ‘on the nose’ I fear. I can dream. 

As is the modern way I perform solo on piano or guitar via Instagram LIVE to share my music. Usually random Friday evenings.  I think it allows people to enjoy a gig atmosphere, they dip in and if they’re interested they stay and if not they virtually go to the bar and ignore me.

As a songwriter, producer, mixer and musician what are your thoughts on the music industry in 2022? Is there anything that you are concerned about or feel needs support/reform etc?

Streaming has allowed music to flourish and continually be refreshed. If the royalties could be more about the artist and writers, the creators, of course, I would wholeheartedly support that. In my delusional mind, I believe I have a ‘third act’ just around the corner…, probably a song of mine being covered by a cool artist and becoming an international life-changing SMASH. Kanye, I’m available. 

In doing my research, I discovered that you produced Robbie Neil’s ‘C’est La Vie’. What are your memories of working on that track?

That was the last album I made with one of my mentors the late, great producer, Alex Sadkin. We’d had a slew of hit albums working together ( Duran, Thompson Twins) and on Robbie’s album decided that we’d take it easier after working 14-hour days for a few years ( We were young then). So we were pretty relaxed. Unfortunately, that meant the album took about eight months to complete instead of the usual three. I made a lifelong friend of Robbie’s pal, the session keyboard player and singer, Tommy Faragher, who was off-the-scale talented.  A year or two later, after Alex produced the biggest hit of his career Foreigner’s “I Wanna Know What Love Is” he sadly died in a car crash. Alex was always encouraging me to be more outrageous in my sonic choices, encouraged me to share my musical ideas and was booked to produce my first solo album. When I was with him work seemed so easy. He was cool and yet incredibly driven. Heart of gold; Will of steel. So when I think of ‘C’est La Vie’ the first thing that comes to mind is Alex. I recall the layering of the track, the endless backing vocal sessions, the piecemeal production but mainly goofing around with Alex and Tommy honing synth bass lines in the control room of RAK studio one. 

‘Heaven In A Hashpipe’ is quite a Psychedelic experience that fits perfectly on the record. I wondered if you are a fan of Jimi Hendrix, Kula Shaker or both.

Haha. Glad to know you’re supporting my psychedelia. My Astral Drive albums are definitely trippier but “Hash Pipe” is in essence a sort of a modified 12-bar blues. Of course, I’m a Hendrix fan. He defined the art of electric guitar playing. Thrillingly adventurous. A massive appetite for sensual expression. I have a print of a wonderful Gered Mankowitz portrait of Mr Hendrix in my studio lounge. In the Hussar’s military jacket. The portrait screams ‘rock and Roll’ , experimentation and danger but also deeper melancholia and soulfulness. A great reminder of the roots of music IMH Onions. 

What makes Phil Thornalley happy and what makes you unhappy?

Happy? Hearing my songs on the radio. Yes. I’m that shallow.

Unhappy? 

Well, I guess, reading ’The Guardian’ online every morning gives me pause for thought. War, famine, Climate change. 

Reading ’The Daily Mail’ etc makes me unhappier. Fear of the other. Private Eye calls it ’The Voice of Insanity’. Cue no reviews in their glossy weekend supplement. Oops.