Gilbert O’Sullivan On His New Album, The Art Of Songwriting And More

Even when you do not know the work of iconic Irish singer/songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan I promise you your favourite artist does. Paul Weller, Squeeze’s Chris Difford and Kim Wilde are only a few of the celebrated artists who’ve sung O’Sullivan’s praises.

Much more spectacular is the checklist of artists who’ve lined O’Sullivan’s largest hit, the 1972 chart topper “Alone Once more (Naturally),” which hit Quantity One within the U.S., Canada, Brazil and France. The checklist is a who’s who of superstars — Neil Diamond, Shirley Bassey, Nina Simone, Diana Krall that includes Michael Buble, Herb Alpert, Johnny Mathis and extra.

They acknowledge O’Sullivan as a songwriter’s songwriter, an artist devoted to the craft. That has been the mark of O’Sullivan’s total profession, from his early Seventies success to his new album, the masterful Pushed.

I spoke with the celebrated troubadour through Zoom concerning the artwork of songwriting, the making of Pushed, filming his first video in 30 years and far more.

Steve Baltin: Did you do many of the writing of Pushed there at your property within the Channel Islands?

Gilbert O’Sullivan: Yeah, all of the writing is finished in my music room in the home. I am truly in my studio now. I’ve a purposeful studio, recording studio, with a giant reside room, which is the place the final album was recorded. So this one was recorded in London, however all my writing is finished in the primary home. I lock myself away upstairs.

Baltin: I am a giant believer in how surroundings impacts writing. And also you’re saying it is a very pretty place to reside, so is that why that is such a cheerful upbeat report?

O’Sullivan: Nicely, I have a tendency not to consider the personal aspect of my life exterior of music as being something that is influencing me, however let’s simply say that the surroundings once I write, I lock myself away, it is that solitude that I would like. However the surroundings I reside in, 9:00 to five:00, I am going to sit and write lyrics after which I am going to exit and go for a stroll. The weekend will probably be good. It is a good place to reside. So it may need some affect with out me truly realizing. The important thing for me once I’m writing is simply the quietness to be alone, significantly with lyrics and stuff, I would like that solitude to try this.

Baltin: Did you do plenty of the writing throughout COVID?

O’Sullivan: Nicely, the attention-grabbing factor was that pre-COVID, on the final album, once I met the producer of the final album, he solely heard melodies. So he got here to my residence right here and I performed him the melodies, picked the 12 melodies he appreciated, then he would go off to arrange for the studio within the coming months, after which I spent the subsequent two months writing the lyrics. This time, due to COVID, the hole was there, virtually two years. So I wasn’t that involved with COVID within the sense that the solitude that having to stay at residence, ‘trigger that is what I might do anyway, to jot down songs, significantly to jot down lyrics. So the surroundings did not damage me as a lot because it’s, after all, successfully damage so many thousands and thousands of different individuals. So it meant that the lyrics for this album had been all written throughout that interval.

Baltin: Take me by your writing course of.

O’Sullivan: The method for me hasn’t modified in 50 years. However what do I do? Fifty years in the past, I used to be within the backyard shed with a piano out of tune, and I used to be beginning to make up little songs and stuff. I did not also have a tape recorder to place these down. As a result of if I had a melody 50 years in the past, I might write the notes down on a bit of paper with an arrow going up if the melody went up, and an arrow happening if the melody went down. And once I listened to it the subsequent day, I did not have a clue what I performed. So finally, I bought a tape recorder. And so the method for me hasn’t modified. The surroundings we’re in, no matter’s happening on this planet, in Ukraine or with the pandemic with COVID and stuff, the writing course of will not be affected by that. ‘Trigger I am not attempting to jot down something to do with that. I am writing songs that I am very comfy with, the lyrics that I am writing for the songs, of the melodies that I’ve give you. I am having fun with each facet of the lyric of every track for causes that don’t have anything to do with the surroundings that I am in, as a result of the surroundings is a room upstairs with a piano and a desk for me to spend time doing the lyrics. I am very disciplined in that sense. In order that’s how the method works for me.

Baltin: Was there one track early on that jump-started this report and set the tone for what this report was going to be, each musically and lyrically?

O’Sullivan: The final producer did not come to my residence to listen to the melodies, to begin with. I went to see him in London. However as a result of I would written all of the lyrics this time, he was in a position to hear 14, 15 songs accomplished. After which he would select the 12 or 13 that he wished to go along with. So I am proud of each track. For me, as a songwriter, success for me is once I’ve spent the time it is taken to jot down a track, and often lyrics take a very long time. After I end that, I am actually proud of that. No one else is listening to. My household aren’t listening to. I am not saying, “Come and hearken to this.” It is simply me. I am actually proud of that. After which I transfer on the subsequent one. However I am having fun with, for instance, “Love Casualty.” I appreciated enjoying that as a result of it has a type of Stones guitar riff. I had plenty of enjoyable spending the day doing that riff earlier than I bought spherical to jot down the lyric for it, once more, not figuring out what it was gonna be about. So issues like which might be what encourage me or spur me on. I at all times like “If Solely Love Had Ears” as a result of it has that good musical intro. So all the pieces was constructed across the pleasure and the enjoyment I used to be getting out of developing with every track earlier than they completed.

Baltin: Speak about working with Merely Pink’s Mick Hucknall and what it’s you had been searching for within the individuals you labored with on this report, since you work with each Mick and KT Tunstall.

O’Sullivan: We’re in an period the place duets are large information now, so all people’s into duets of some type or one other. And the factor once we completed “Take Love,” it has that “All people Wants Someone” type of a Blues Brothers factor. So had plenty of enjoyable developing with that. After which once we completed it and we thought this is perhaps good for a duet, I stated to Andy, my producer, that KT Tunstall may very well be good. ‘Trigger KT had a track some years again referred to as “Instantly I See,” large hit for her. We felt it had an analogous really feel, so we despatched it to her. She actually appreciated it. And he or she put her vocal on. We advised her no restrictions, report it how she needs and sing it how she needs. And he or she lives in California. So she put her vocal on, and it rocks. It is a pleasure to do. And we met up ‘trigger we did a video collectively. I hadn’t achieved a video in 30 years, so we had a enjoyable time on the day doing that. With Mick, Andy Wright produced Merely Pink, and Mick was a fan of my songs. I had met him at a charity present. So we had slightly chat. So he stated to Andy, “If there’s any track on there that he would possibly assume for a duet, please let me know.” So we truly despatched him “Love Casualty” and “Bygones,” and his choice was “Let Bygones Be Bygones.” It is a very English phrase.

Baltin: You stated this was the primary video in 30 years. So was it like using a motorbike?

O’Sullivan: Yeah. but it surely did not take a lot observe to do it. And so we had nice enjoyable doing it ‘trigger as , on movies, you are doing it about 100 occasions. We had enjoyable ‘trigger that is the primary time I met KT, so right here we’re collectively, singing collectively, and yeah, it was nice. Good enjoyable. We’re doing extra. I believe that there will probably be one other one. I believe the track “Let Me Know” is being launched. I believe that is type of pop single. I believe that might be on the subsequent video that we’ll do, so yeah.

Baltin: Such as you say, you have not achieved a video for 30 years. It could actually change into thrilling once more to do this stuff. Was that the case for you?

O’Sullivan: Due to the self-discipline I’ve and due to the love I’ve for the craft of the writing, that is all the pieces to me. Take the writing away, and I would be doing a thousand movies, it would not imply something to me. So this stuff are enjoyable to do. However I do not get entangled on the enterprise aspect. I am very pc illiterate. So I am not considered one of these individuals who go on social media. My daughter does that for me and stuff. I am actually proud of the way in which it really works out, the promotion facet. Streaming is all the pieces. My daughters now wish to hear a report, it’s going to be streamed. However for me, if I would like to listen to a observe, I do not wish to hearken to it on a pc. I get my daughter or I get whoever it’s to offer it to me on a CD. That is how I prefer to pay attention, which in a manner, can also be dying out, as a result of all the pieces is finished streamed and you’ve got Alexa saying, “Play Alexa,” and Alexa will play no matter observe you wish to hear. So the know-how is type of attention-grabbing, however I simply drift. [chuckle]

Baltin: I simply was with Rod Stewart final week. And he has a venture he is doing with Jools Holland, which is taking plenty of older songs and doing them with a present tune sort vibe. And plenty of these songs, I really feel like you’ve gotten that very same kind of timeless previous present tune melody.

O’Sulivan: I am very influenced by that. I’m going proper again to early twentieth century to Stephen Foster. Stephen Foster, for me, was one of many first pop songwriters. “I dream of Jeanie with the sunshine brown hair,” it was a fantastic melody. He would have most likely been an affect on Irving Berlin. ‘Trigger if it’s a must to assume who would Irving Berlin have been influenced by, I am unable to consider anyone earlier than him, however Stephen Foster does emerge, incredible songwriter. And so albums, movies, musicals from the early a part of the 20 th century are a giant affect on me. So I believe a few of that comes out since you’re at all times trying to find melody. The factor is, for my contemporaries and stuff, there is a danger that as you become old, you lose the melodic contact, you would possibly preserve the lyrical contact. I might argue that Randy Newman is a incredible lyricist on all the pieces he does, however musically, he is getting extra bluesy and stuff. And Paul Simon, I like Paul Simon, however you possibly can argue that his newest album, his present album, musically sounds nice. The band are incredible, his lyrics are top-notch, however I believe melodically, possibly not so. So I’ve labored actually arduous to keep away from falling into the pit the place the melody will not be maybe ok to sit down with the lyric. And so I actually work arduous, ‘trigger I believe it is extra essential to have melody earlier than you begin evaluating it with a lyric. Nevertheless good lyric is, it wants a powerful melody to work, in my view.

Baltin: As a songwriter, is there a biggest melody for you that anyone’s written?

O’Sullivan: Yeah, there’s a number of. “Of us Who Stay on the Hill,” Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, incredible track. That is considered one of my all time basic songs. Yeah, so it is nice. I am going to play soundtracks for musicals as a result of I am trying to find melody, as a result of how can we do melodies, what makes us in a position to write them, previous ’60s writers, songwriters. We’re in a position to do it by a love of music. It is simply what comes out once we hear good melodies, is that if we’re in a position to write it will get into our system, and it comes out, hopefully, with one thing unique. So we’d like the inspiration to have the ability to do it. And I believe that the chance is that as one will get older, you might lose curiosity in listening to what it’s that can affect you. However I work actually arduous. I am on the market trying to find previous soundtracks. Jerome Kern is presently considered one of my favourite individuals. I’ve a compilation album of a few of the better of Jerome Kern. And he is a incredible melody author. So I am studying from that. It would not must be modern sounding as a result of good melodies will penetrate regardless of how old style they might sound. So that is the thrilling factor about transferring ahead and developing with extra melodies to have the ability to put a lyric to it.

Baltin: Wanting on the press supplies that had been despatched out, there’s quotes from so many artists who’re followers of yours, from Paul Weller, Timothy Burgess, Kim Wilder and Chris Difford of Squeeze, who’s a fantastic songwriter. Can you tune that out and simply give attention to the writing?

O’Sullivan: After I’m in a writing mode, that would not be taking place. However after the writing is finished and the report is made, after all, the compliments I get from individuals, like Neil Diamond, who did a model of “Alone Once more,” despatched me a pleasant letter hoping that I would like his track. Diana Krall and Michael Buble recording it, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone. The quantity of people that recorded, I assumed it is a fantastic praise to you as a songwriter when individuals try this. However I’ve at all times stated if the postman does a model of your track, that is ok, as a result of it is a praise to whoever data it. So I am very conscious of that. I might by no means criticize or dismiss compliments I obtain, I am blissful to obtain them. However they’re to be appreciated and you then transfer on. To be appreciated, however you then get again to the job that’s in hand that you simply’re doing.

Baltin Are you going to tour this report?

O’Sullivan: Yeah, we simply completed eight UK dates. We did two reveals in Tokyo and we did 10 reveals within the States simply two months in the past. And that is good after 30 years, to have the ability to come again to America. That is actually good. And sure, the remainder of this yr will probably be taken up with extra touring in Europe, and we’re again in America, I believe within the early a part of 2023. So yeah, it is good. It’s a must to try this, that is the essential factor. As soon as the report is there, you possibly can’t simply launch it and do nothing. It is essential to get it on the market. And also you meet individuals who will inform you what they consider it. And they’re going to inform you in the event that they prefer it and inform you if they do not. In order that’s good, it is good things. I am enthusiastic about that.

Baltin: What do you are taking from this as an entire album whenever you hear it?

O’Sullivan: Simply that I am very proud of it. Proud of Andy Wright’s manufacturing, I am actually blissful together with his engineer, Gavin, the sound, the musicians. It was a very nice expertise and that is the way it needs to be. And it has nothing to do with what you would possibly promote, what you will not promote, what you’ll promote. It is all the pieces to do with the satisfaction, having written the track, recorded them, combined, manufactured and mastered. And there you go. The work is accomplished and I am actually proud of it.