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An Interview With

  

Klive and Nigel Humberstone
Of
In The Nursery

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Nigel:   For many different reasons throughout our career we have incorporated the spoken word, be it through narration or vocal performances, and so there has always been a fascination with other languages. The multitude of different tongues, their development, history, dialects and the variety of phonetic sounds was a rich source of research from which we drew a lot of inspiration for this project. The original working title was 'The Living Tongue,' and we wanted to examine the interactive nature of languages and the way that they continue to evolve with each generation.

Last Sigh:  Given this concept, how does the instrumental piece "Profundus" fit in? Could you explain the quotation from D.H. Lawrence that accompanies the piece?

Nigel:  Music is a language. Sounds are a means of communication. This particular track developed in two stages -- we initially wrote it with no specific intentions, but then people started commenting that the synth sounds reminded them of whale and dolphin noises. So we decided to develop that theme in order to portray the unfathomable languages of the sea world. Research into the mysterious sounds of sea mammals was fascinating -- an intelligent means of communication that is beyond human comprehension. As for the quote -- we really don't feel it is necessary to explain phrases like this, because they are put there to make people think. And I feel that once you pick up on the theme of the track, the quote is self explanatory.

Last Sigh:  Most of the lyrics on Lingua derive from various literary texts from around the world. How did you select these texts? Did you settle on them before composing the music, or vice versa?

Nigel:  The texts came from a variety of sources -- some we had chosen to accompany particular tracks (like the Chilean poetry for "Poema"), others were discussed and suggested by our friends in Mexico city (for example the Yugoslavian and Mayan pieces), whilst others came to us by pure accident. The Friulian "Biello Dumlo" and Japanese "Shonen No Hi" were sent to us, in other forms, by fans -- the pieces fitted the concept of the work we were doing so we developed and adapted them over a period of months.

Nigel:  Basically the whole ethos of the Art Deco Movement was used as inspiration for the album Deco. The artwork, the design, the architecture, the people (artists, writers, designers) and the general effect that Art Deco has had on the shaping of modern art and design throughout the 20th century.

Last Sigh:  What fascinates you specifically about the Art Deco movement?

Nigel:  Essentially I think it was the stylised design and creative approach to producing something so vibrant and distinctive that it is still relevant today. I have always admired Art Deco artifacts, especially the stunning architecture of the period. So in many ways the music was arranged and orchestrated to accompany the imagery of that movement, and to reflect the geometric shapes, symmetry and use of fine materials.

Last Sigh:  Could you explain what the titles of the songs on Deco refer to, and what relation they have to the general concept of the CD?

Nigel:  Well the title track is self-evident. "Precedent" refers to the influence that the Art Deco Movement has had on subsequent design and architecture. The music for "Syracuse" needed something to reflect its Mediterranean feel and beauty. "Mallarme" of course pays homage to the French writer. "Cedione" -- a made up word. "Caprice," "Mandra," "Bassilica," "Harmonia" and "Moreau" -- all words that visually and phonetically matched the aesthetics of the album. Its a simple as that.

Last Sigh:  Anatomy Of A Poet is centered around the paradox that many writers create(d) some of their best work out of severe depression. Through your research and work on this album, did you arrive at any personal conclusions/convictions as to why this is so?

Nigel:  I don't think I drew any particular conclusions but realised that it was almost a natural phenomenon -- an inevitability. I am very interested in all the left- and right-brain theories, the idea that they work independently and are different for each individual. The occurrence of super-creativity is often matched with psychological instability and prevalence towards self-destruction. An interesting book on the subject is Touched With Fire (hence the track title) by Kay Redfield Jamison.

Last Sigh:  Does depression work as a catalyst in your own work?

Nigel:  I think that a sort of depressed mood helped to formulate the music and words of our early period, especially on the first release When Cherished Dreams Come True. But since then it has been less evident. For many years we have just been too busy to get depressed.

Last Sigh:  You released a 12" entitled "Trinity". Has, or will, this release bee included on any of your CD releases on ITN Corp.?

Nigel:  It has been available for a number of years as part of the Stormhorse re-issue (corp 006).

Last Sigh:  "Trinity" contained a track paying homage to the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. What role has the work and life of this writer played in your creative lives?

Nigel:  At the time we were just impressed by his work. Also memorable was the vivid film Mishima -- and especially the great score by Philip Glass.

Last Sigh: Regarding L'Esprit, it features a drawing by Jean Cocteau (I think) as part of the cover design, and the quote "L'esprit - like the breathless beat of angels' wings". Some of the song titles also seem to refer to the universe of Cocteau's imagination. Could you explain a little about the concept behind this release (and its possible relation to Cocteau)?

Nigel:  Although the multi-faceted Jean Cocteau has always been an influence in our work, there was never any direct parallel with the album L'esprit. Once again the album reflected our means of expression for that period and we did not attach any particular significance. The work of Cocteau obviously influenced our choice of titles, thoughts, lyrics and quotes -- as it has throughout our career.

Last Sigh:  As far as I understand it, Sense concerns the Judeo-Christian conflict between soul and flesh. Its cover also features a still from Powell and Pressburger's film Black Narcissus, which concerned this theme as well. Would you like to comment on the musical structure of this album, and how it explores its theme? Did Black Narcissus inspire the album in any way?

Nigel:  It's the first time I have heard that analysis of Sense, but I can imagine how people come to that conclusion, if indeed they need to come to a conclusion at all. For us the unifying factors on Sense were the Oscar Wilde quote "To cure the soul by means of the senses and the senses by means of the soul" along with the theme of sensual perceptions. Other topics were that of Autism, explored on "Boy behind the Curtain." Strangely enough the themes behind the Sense album and Pressburger film are totally unconnected. We decided to use a still from the film purely for its visual effect -- any other similarities are coincidental.

Last Sigh:  A great interest in Western culture and historical phenomena runs through your entire body of work. Where does this fascination come from? And, do you see your oeuvre as one large unified project that is still in progress?

Nigel:  We do not think too heavily about these kinds of connections. Through reading, certain topics spark the imagination, lead to further research and invite you to learn more. We are simply exploring our interests -- whether they be literary, historical or whatever. There is no grand theme to our works -- each is, for us at least, a natural progression and documentation of our expression.

Last Sigh:  Do you see your music as fitting into any specific tradition or artistic movement? Do you see yourselves as contributing to any kind of cultural/artistic spirit or movement of the present age? And, if so, how would you characterize this cultural/artistic spirit?

Klive:  Our music has been described as timeless and that 'quality' helps in negating the trappings of modern styles and fashions. We are aiming to produce music, which we feel expresses our ideas and emotions. I am aware that we are producing music within an age of elaborate technological advancements. The computer has become a very useful aid, and it is a challenge to create with this tool something that emulates the true expression of our feelings.

Last Sigh:  Your music and "concepts" have so far been rooted in the Western (classical) tradition. However, with Lingua you also explore Asia and South America in your choice of texts. Do you have any interest in exploring the music of other cultures in your own compositions in the future?

Nigel:  I don't think it is something that we would consciously set out to do -- but music influences us, so who knows what might be created. We are not musical theorists or trained musicians so everything that we create comes about through intuition, trial and error.

Last Sigh:  You have founded your own label -- ITN Corporation, through which all your releases are now available. What motivated the decision to establish ITN Corporation? What have you found to be the advantages/disadvantages of running your own label? And, will ITN Corporation continue to be an outlet exclusively for your own productions, or are you planning to release other people's music as well?

Nigel:  The ITN Corporation was initially set up in order to re-issue titles from our back catalogue which had reverted to our ownership. It was only when we parted company with Roadrunner Records/Third Mind in 1994 that we decided to work independently, and finance all our own recordings. There are no immediate plans to release material by any other artists but the framework is in place should we wish to explore that possibility.

Last Sigh:  How about Dolores Marguerite C.? Is there any possibility that she might release solo material  (on ITN Corporation or elsewhere)?

Klive:  I can only speak on behalf of Dolores and say that she enjoys working on In The Nursery and Les Jumeaux projects at the moment.

Last Sigh:  What is the extent of Dolores' and Q's influence upon In The Nursery's music? And, are they considered to be actual members of In The Nursery?

Nigel:  Q and Dolores are members in the sense that they join us for work both in the studio and at live concerts. However Q now lives away from Sheffield and Dolores has a full time career, so the great majority of work is, and always has been, done by my brother and I.

Last Sigh:  On your recent European tour, you performed a couple of great songs that -- to my knowledge -- are not available on any of your releases. Are you planning to make these available in the future? And, do you have any current plans of touring outside of Europe anytime soon?

Nigel:  As far as I can recall all the songs performed on the recent Lingua Tour have been released in some form or another. You are probably referring to the track "Haunted Dancehall" (our remix for the Sabres of Paradise) which we have re-worked for playing live. We have discussed plans for various live dates in 1998, but apart from the occasional one-off festival appearance and Optical Music performances in Germany (Freiburg Nov 28th - presenting Asphalt) later this year, we will be concentrating on preparing new material for the current project.

Last Sigh:  Aside from In The Nursery, you have also in the last couple of years released a couple of CDs under the names Les Jumeax and "Optical Music." Will these be ongoing projects, or are they one-offs? Also, your series of "Optical Music" releases have been commissioned pieces soundtracks for classic silent films. How do you personally feel about silent cinema? And, how do you see it benefiting silent films that you compose new scores for them?

Nigel:  It is very refreshing to rotate the various projects that we have established apart from In The Nursery. Amongst other things it allows us a sense of objectivity. The last ITN album and tour have been very enjoyable, but now we are starting proportional work for our third Optical Music release which will feature a live 'surround-sound' score. This commission is for the 1929 Russian film The Man with the Movie Camera. The silent film era produced some undeniable classics, containing groundbreaking cinematography which even now is fascinating to watch. I have never been a fan of the modern blockbuster mentality so the allure of the early cinema, and black & white imagery, has always remained a great source of inspiration. Our scores are meant as modern interpretations -- and in many ways we are attempting to introduce a whole new generation of film goers to films which we feel are just as relevant today.

Last Sigh:  What does the future hold for In The Nursery? Do you have any conceptual ideas already in mind that you intend to explore musically in the future?

Nigel:  Most of our concentration and efforts will be put into researching, preparing and developing ideas for the new Optical Music score. Luckily  we have time in which to create the new score, time which will be spent sourcing and designing new sounds.

Last Sigh:  After The Man With The Movie Camera, are there any silent films that you hope to one day have a chance to compose music for? (How about Greed and Sunrise?)

Nigel:  Since getting involved with accompaniments for silent films we have come across a great number of classic films which rarely get screened. I also believe that many more have been lost due to the volatile nitrate stock that they were printed on. Greed and Sunrise are two that I have noticed as being particularly interesting but we have not been able to view them. Choosing a film to work with entails many different considerations -- have existing scores already been done?, is a suitable print available?, do we feel musically inspired by the film? and many other variants. So it is not always a simple choice. In answer to your question , the 1924 French film L'Inhumaine (The Inhuman One), a science fiction thriller/love story, looks intriguing.

10.  Your music is usually very visual, even cinematic at times. What images/experiences stimulate you in the writing of your music? Do you find it liberating or constrictive to compose music for already existing images?

Nigel:  For me personally, images are created as we compose the music and it is from these visual stimuli and associations that we extend and develop our music. However, we find it equally challenging and rewarding to work with an already ordered set of images like with the new silent film project. Of course the images and the film have to inspire us, but it is very gratifying to bring to life and add a new, and extra, dimension to a silent movie.

Last Sigh:  Is there any release that you are particularly proud of? One that you would like above all else for people to hear?

Nigel:  Ultimately we are proud of each successive release. I am saying this because your question is in fact very hard for me to answer.  When you have over 215 published works it becomes extremely hard to choose any particular piece. Strangely enough I am proud of the ITN remix of the Sabres of Paradise track "Haunted Dancehall" -- it came together so effortlessly, but epitomised the ITN sound. But looking at more recent works the track "Poema" is a personal favourite -- someday, someone is going to make a movie around that track.