Page 4 - Black Velvet Issue 93

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A (Musical) Note From...

JodY Martin (even nine)

I’m Jody. I’m in a band called Even Nine Nothing lasts forever, good or bad. So, make seems to get along fine, leading happy, fulfilled
based in the South West of England. I sing, the most of what you have. Enjoy the moment. lives. It was meant to sound anthemic and tri-
play bass and write songs. The idea of a heart representing everything umphant in an almost sarcastic way.
I’m not sure whether these three things you have and all the individual pieces, experi- ‘Love, Loss And The Truth’ was like
are a blessing or a curse. Blessing because it ences, emotions making up the whole heart. ‘Snowblind’ and Rick had the title first. A song
can bring insurmountable joy. A feeling like no Musically, it has that punk energy and urgency. about summing up the feeling of exhaustion
other. A curse; because that addictive, joyous ‘Back To The Drawing Board’ is the realisa- from questioning everything. Am I doing the
‘high’ comes with all the other mundane stuff tion that something isn’t going to happen and right thing? Being a good person? Happy?
that comes with being in a band and was never you’re back to square one, questioning what it Rick liked the idea that it looked like a lyric
the reason to be a musician. was all for. ‘I Should’ve Moved The Earth’ about the relationship of two people, but is
That was where my head was at when continues that notion and the realisation that equally a late night conversation with oneself.
Rick (brother and E9 guitarist) and I talked someone is leaving you, about not seeing it It’s about being on your own and to make the
about writing some new songs for what would coming and questioning what you did wrong. most of it, this time, the good, the bad, the
be the third Even Nine album. We included elements and aspects of the everything – all the pieces of the empire.
Writing, for me, is possibly the best part of ‘Earth’ from the title within the song, like ‘fire’, Pretty much every song on the album
being in a band. Sitting down with a lyric, ‘sky’ and ‘ocean’. ‘Stardust’ was a set of lyrics started life with two acoustic guitars, two
melody, riff or sometimes nothing, but coming about becoming a parent with the new aware- voices, two hearts. Forming them into ‘band’
away with the seeds of song; a creation. That’s ness of mortality and how precious time is. songs with Brett, our drummer, also falls into
when that joyous moment can hit you! We’re Having more fears and worries in the world the blessing/curse category for me. Some-
pretty hard on ourselves when we write, and that weren’t there before. The no-frills guitar times songs just work. Like they were meant
scrap a lot of stuff. I’d like to share with you a and voice reflecting how important this now to be. The blessing. Sometimes if feels like you
brief track-by-track of how the songs on our feels compared to life before. ‘Hollow’ deals have to keep wrestling with them until they fit
new album ‘Empires' came together… with the hurt and anger of being left and feeling into the right mould or concede they don’t fit at
‘Prelude’ is the invitation to a journey or embarrassed about how much it meant to the all. The curse. In any line of work there’s noth-
relationship and the resulting fear of it all hang- ‘me’ character. The verses talk of feeling com- ing worse than feeling like you’ve failed or that
ing on one person. It was arranged to dynam- plete and happy, interspersed with the cho- your efforts just aren’t good enough. That first
ically build from the opening lines to the big ruses that turn to the feelings of it all shattering time of playing a song you’ve just written to
middle eight of the ‘Here we stand’ lyric. apart. ‘Oxygen’ is our attempt at writing a someone is also nerve-racking. Brett’s usually
‘Sweet Anarchy’ - that falling for someone straightforward pop song. Based on an 80s- very encouraging or tactful!
when nothing else matters and every day be- style chord sequence and rhythm for the cho- I’ve heard lots of artists say that as the
comes more exciting. “I might be alone at the rus, the verses say “I’m okay, no one’s getting songs develop in the studio or on the stage
moment but I can’t wait for that Sweet Anarchy in, I don’t need anybody”, then the chorus de- they’re not your own anymore and it’s true.
to return”. ‘Snowblind’ is the sparse, disorien- tails how someone has somehow become as They become something to the people that
tating, dream-like feeling that Rick had when important as oxygen. The song ‘Bulletproof’ hear them. To feel like a song you’ve created
his son was born with a rare, life-threatening started life as a slow-mid-paced song about means something to a stranger is where the
disease. Never expecting to have a poorly how something’s not meant to be but no matter magic really is, and the true blessing.
child, this best describes how it felt. Rick had how hard they try, sometimes two people can’t Jody Martin
the title and concept before anything else on help falling for each other. The riff is like a
the album but it was the last song to finish writ- modern take on Led Zeppelin, but speeded up! Photo By Katie Goff
ing. The simple repeating guitar line and elec- ‘The World’s Greatest’ – the greatest at being
tronic drums represented the monitors and concerned about things that you have no con- In a band? Want to write a one-off col-
feeling of neonatal hospital. trol over. Being an overthinker and feeling like umn for Black Velvet? Get in touch. Email
Even ‘Empires’ crumble and disappear. you care too much. All the while everyone else editor@blackvelvetmagazine.com.

EVEN NINE