Behind the Scene with MURIEL
As part of our interview series featuring exciting artists either from, or with an affinity to Cardiff, we explore Behind the Scene with MURIEL, the recording project of songwriter Zak Thomas. Accompanying each article is a specially commissioned photo set by Ren Faulkner.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MURIEL
What was the first artist, album or song that made you fall in love with music?
The answer I think I have doesn’t actually answer any of these three, as I can’t remember, but I remember as a kid, a family friend took me and my brother to this acoustic guitar concert in St.Sonats. This guy played these emotive open-tuned instrumental pieces that really moved me and also inspired my outlook on guitar playing. I had his EP at the time and lost it at some point over the years. I’ve tried to find him online but never had a breakthrough.
Are there any unexpected sources of inspiration that influence your work?
Hmm, maybe nothing outside of the usual. Whenever I’m writing, it’s whatever is relative to that moment. Experiences I’m having or thoughts I’m trying to make sense of. I’m trying to be more conscious of words. I’ve often just approached it as first thought = best thought and been rather complacent. I read a lot of poetry. People who write with every word being intentional. At the moment I am reading Rabindranath Tagore, Galway Kinnel and Emily Hunt.
If you could choose any 3 artists in the world to perform at a future Cardiff Music City Festival, who would you pick?
Emily Sprague, Daniel Higgs, and Phil Elverum.
Is there a part of Cardiff that feels particularly tied to your music or personal journey as an artist?
Yes. When I moved to Cardiff 8 years ago, I just started another band and was trying to play our first show. It was hard to get an email back from anyone, and then we got asked to play a DIY show that was put on in the Cathays practice rooms. Then later, with Muriel, we got our first headline show playing at the capital shopping centre basement with the art collective SHIFT. I have the largest respect for people doing these kinds of things, as there’s often not much money or support, but they still do it out of their passion for doing something cool and good. And that has changed everything for me.
What is your most fond memory of a gig in Cardiff, either one you have attended or performed, and what made it so special?
Our second Cardiff headline we got to put on at Chapter was very special. I really loved the process of that show. I had this idea of making a short film with my friend and artist Jake Rowles and then scoring it with Tom Bromley, who has become a big part of Muriel. Collaborating closely with those two and then working on the performance with the band for the few months was a lot of work, but I have learnt I really love approaching shows this way and pushing our own boundaries as a band. Eternal thanks to the curator, Kit Edwards for giving us that opportunity.
Which Welsh artists do you think are doing exciting things right now, and deserve people’s attention?
My friends Pam, Xav, and Luke with the Randox Trio
My friend Luke with Cankicker
Our Rachel with Ivor Woods
That’s 3 of many I could choose.
If you could collaborate with any artist or producer, who would you choose?
I’ve been completely obsessed with the album Soon by Hana Stretton that was released last year. Mostly with the production. It was all recorded on tape on a farm. It’s so human and creates this whole world. I would love to hear her talk about the process and learn some things.
You recently performed in Llandaff Cathedral as part of the Cardiff Music City Festival; that’s not something you do every day – how was it performing your music in such a unique setting?
Definitely my favourite place we have played, and I’m not entirely sure if that will ever change. It was right off the back of doing our first tour, and we only had so much notice, so I was quite frazzled already and hadn’t fully processed the whole thing. I remember driving to the cathedral on the day as if it were any other day, just going to work, and then walking inside, and it then properly sinking in, and it was suddenly terrifying. But the sound was amazing thanks to Oli Miles on the desk. Alabaster Deplume we opened for was amazing and very kind, and so was the audience. I’m grateful for that experience.
Zak, you are the primary songwriter; can you talk us through your writing process?
Sure, so I am usually always in and out of waves of writing songs from home. I have a desk, a laptop, a 2-input interface, and logic. I will usually have a Nylon acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and bass guitar around. Then I program drums and record vocals through a mic, all from my living room. I do have a very common sequence of things that happen when starting a song, which I often try to break but don’t do very well at doing so. I normally just sit around playing my guitar, exploring different shapes or tunings, and when something sounds interesting, I record it on my phone. I later record that to my computer and start building layers around it, usually having just a section or two with the words and structure already developing in my mind before it naturally falls into place. Or doesn’t, and I abort. I’d say 70% of the time it’s the latter. I make a lot of crap. But what sticks I share with other people in the band and stuff gets jammed out a little in practice rooms before settling on what to have on the final recording. Even in the final stages there’s some changes and then again when performing. Nothing usually stays the same.
WHO ARE MURIEL?
Muriel began as the recording project of songwriter Zak Thomas based in Cardiff, Wales.
Over time Zak has been joined by a cast of friends and musicians who have helped him realise his bedroom recordings as fully-formed songs and perform them live, where they take a life on their own as lush, emotive soundscapes packed with pathos.
LISTEN TO MURIEL…
