Aesthetica Magazine: Robin Guthrie

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Aesthetica Magazine: Innovative Music From Robin Guthrie

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The innovative music from ROBIN GUTHRIE

Robin Guthrie is one of the most distinctive guitarists of his generation. As a founding member of The Cocteau Twins, his innovative music - coupled with Liz Frazer’s unique vocals - made them one of the most acclaimed cult bands of recent years. James Christopher met him to discuss his diverse artistic approach.

For such a celebrated figure, Robin Guthrie has a remarkably humble opinion of his musical ability. “I don’t consider myself to be a musician. I can’t really play, can’t read music. I can’t play with any guitar unless it’s plugged into loads of shit. I’ve got fingers made of stone! I’m not talented like that. I’m not that type of artist.”

It’s certainly a modest perception, and Guthrie’s character is equally understated. His soft Scottish diction reveals an approachable, personable nature but it’s not to say that he doesn’t know where his talents lie. “I make the sounds I want to make with my guitar. I know nothing about music, I just try to do something different with my instrument. When I was growing up, my friends would copy riffs by their favourite bands, and I couldn’t do it. I’d think, well I can’t play the tunes, but hey! I can make my guitar sound like a train!”

This enthusiasm for creating something new has stayed with Guthrie throughout his career. His layered sound of ambient textures and guitar melodies has earned him great esteem. “It’s taken me 25 years to be able to sit comfortably with the word ‘artist’. I always called myself a musician, but I’ve never felt like one. I’m an artist! I’m expressing something, and using the tools I have at hand to do that.”

Guthrie is certainly diverse in expressing his talents. He’s just re-mastered key albums from The Cocteau Twins back catalogue; “Listening to my old music is like reading my diaries, it takes me back to the times and places when I made the music.” He’s also recently made a film, which he’s taken to Picturehouse cinemas across the country, providing a live, semi-improvised soundtrack at each performance. This is despite having just released his third studio album, ‘Continental’.

“Everything I do is fairly random, I don’t have a big music industry plan. If I had a big record company, they’d probably insist I tour my new album. But it’s not ready to tour yet, I need to get some other musicians involved... Continental is a less downbeat record than some of my recent stuff. I felt like, it’s time to make some noise again! Some of the recent stuff I‘ve done has been a bit slower...”

And then there’s ‘Indigo Violet’, an ongoing collaboration with vocalist Siobhan De Mare. It provides an unlikely contrast in style to the group that made his name.

“Liz Frazer used her voice as an instrument, but Siobhan was into Shirley Bassey and stuff like that, she’d never heard of The Cocteau Twins, she wanted songs! And I thought, this is the best person I could work with because it’s taking me somewhere new. It’s far more structured, there’s far more chords. I limit the amount of ‘atmosphere’.“

Guthrie talks about his music with real freedom and enthusiasm. He’s involved at all levels with his work, even providing the artwork for his CD releases. Despite his modesty, you get a real sense of his self-belief. “I work really quickly in the studio. I’m good! I know what I’m doing now, I know how to get what I want. But I’m not experimental. It’s expression. I know what sound I want.”

James Christopher

[frarn]

my friends would copy riffs by their favourite bands, and I couldn’t do it. I’d think, well I can’t play the tunes, but hey! I can make my guitar sound like a train!”

great quote!

[frarn]

And then there’s ‘Indigo Violet’, an ongoing collaboration with vocalist Siobhan De Mare.

not such a great quote!!!!

[Fritter]

Love the 'train' quote, the 'fingers made of stone' - gives hope to all of us.

[andylama]

Love the 'train' quote, the 'fingers made of stone' - gives hope to all of us.

Absolutely.

...

Indigo Violet?! WTF?