KT Tunstall, Scottish singer-songwriter and live-act sensation, has released her fifth studio album. It’s called KIN and is inspired by Tunstall’s new life in California. On April 6, she’s rocking The Alex. Frontview had a companionable chat with her, a few hours before the gig.
I am beginning to think there’s a link between Zermatt & Scotland.
Oh really?
In 2016 Simple Minds performed here. Now you, also scottish, are here & performing with them in a few days in Essen.
O cool! And I was here last year to play in Luzern.
How was it to work with them for the acoustic song Promised You a Miracle? I know Charlie & Jim are fans. And how did met them?
I met them during an Award Ceremony. (where they give awards to people who did amazing things with their community) Simple Minds were playing their acoustic set and we met. Jim Kerr & Charlie Burchill are lovely guys and so funny, so scottish. They were telling me about their acoustic projects and saying they didn’t feel very sure that people want to hear that. Such an important part of their sound has been the size, impressive nature of it. They were nervous embarking on this project. But every fan wants to hear a ‘living room version’ of a song that they love, of a band that they love. Then we had some photographs done and we were looking to each other. They asked: “why don’t you come and sing one?” I thought “ it makes my year, oh God!”. I’ve been listening to them, they are an incredible band with great songs. They shared their feelings of making this record with me. They brought me in as a collaborator on that song. They said that my envolvment had made it a more exciting prospect for them to play acoustically. When we recorded the song, we had so much fun. I had a strong vision of how we could do it. Always Bossie in the studio! (laughs) I’m a solo artist, I used to be in charge.
Jim & Charlie: “ we are not quite sure about.....euh.....” And I said: “this is what we gonna do!” I play the bass, and I play the guitar (laughs) and Charlie replied: “O Kate, it is amazing, what are you doing!” Jim said: “I’m going to the shop to get some M & M’s” It was a really fun-day.
And when they said, they will go on tour, I said I love to be a part of it.
Where did you already played in Europe?
Early on, there were great shows in Belgium, I loved to play in the AB Club (Bruseels). Switzerland, Luxembourg, France. A lot of Northern Europe was great, but I never got down to the Southern part .
So we are doing some great shows in Spain, Italy and definitely we come to Belgium in May. It has always been a great crowd in Belgium and really good food backstage.
Was it difficult to choose the setlist for Zermatt Unplugged?
Technical this is much easier than the big electric show. When you are using an electric guitar, you have to decide about your pedals, your effects that you are using. With an acoustic guitar, you plug in and you play it. It’s very much my roots as a musician to play acoustically and so I jumped in the chance in doing this things.
Tom Freund is also playing here on the festival, we are friends from LA and met with music projects there. He will joining us on a few songs, he plays ukelele , harmonica and slide guitar. It’s a whole new level, new layer of sound.
What does it mean for you, playing “acoustic”?
It’s about craft. You are not relying on an effect, a plug in or an app to give you power. Now you are having to provide all the power and all the energy.
As a rythm guitar player , for me it is a kind of essential oil. Of my music, it is my right hand, playing the rythm on the guitar. It’s a very intrinsic part of my identity as a musician. I think my guitar is very happy tonight, it’s all about the guitar.
Writing music is also visually, can this place (Zermatt) be an inspiration?
Absolutely. Inspirations are solitude, travel and landscape. I have no solitude at this time. When you have a magnificent landscape , it can just break down your human experience. Comparing yourself to other people all the time, feeling that you are too important, invincible, and it’s great to be a kind of swiped across the head by an amazing landscape, because you don’t mean anything.
So it’s inspiring, it is quiet to your soul, it can makes you ‘shut up’.
Your last album was 2016, planning a new one?
We are actually recording some new music this summer. I decided to work with a really good friend of mine from London, Jimmy Hogarth. I just wanna do something very raw, maybe more electric guitar.
I’m playing festivals in the weekends this summer, on the weekdays between, I’m gonna be in the studio.
Did you already wrote a Christmas song or a song that sounds like Christmas?
I have a song on the new album, from which I think we should do a Christmas remix because it is called ‘ Everything has its shape”, which is so good when you are looking to all the presents and you can tell what everything is . It’s a very celebratery song, whith bells on it, it sounds like a Christmas song.
Is there a possibility we hear tonight covers , you played already some in the past. I think about ‘Ain’t nobody’ of Chaka Khan.
Were are not doing that one but , but we will play 2 cover songs, that are matched up with my song.
How was it to grew up in St Andrews in Scotland, as a child?
It’s a beautiful place to grew up, safe. You can just leave the house as a kid and come back at dinner time. Windy, raining, five beaches and one tiny town. Rocks, sky and trees, just everything you want as a kid. It was very difficult to get anywhere. So I didn’t really see any shows or have any music inspiration. I saw my first live band , when I was 15. I wonder how differently I would have been when I had been exposed to bands live earlier, but I’m happy where I am now.
Do you often return to St Andrews?
I get back to Scotland a lot, but I rarely get back to St Andrews, because it is another hour and a half from Edinburgh to get. I’d love to go back, I think it ‘s changed quiet a lot, I want to see some old friends. The guy I worked for , in an ice cream shop, Tony, he’s Italian. I always go back to see Tony and drink a coffee together.
On April 8, you are supporting Simple Minds in Essen. From now on a few rehearsals to go before that gig?
I don’t think there is time to rehearse. Jim is very funny, I know when he’s looking at me on stage, we’ve done a performance of the song already before. We don’t know what we are just doing. It’s cool, we are good enough that we could wing it. They ‘ve been touring these record for a while now. I have the recordings of their show, so it’s now karaoke, singing along with my hair brush in my hotel-room.
Did you rehearse before with Simple Minds?
We practiced a little when we did a radioshow, when they released the record. We get to a point that you don’t worry too much. You realize that the great thing about live-concerts is watching people enjoying themselves. The important thing is that you are up there and having fun and hopefully you deliver a great version of the song.
Thanx for your time! See you at the start of the concert tonight at 11 PM.
10:45 pm, don’t miss the beginning!!!
