Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and musician Gregory Alan Isakov has released his new album, Appaloosa Bones, and plays the National Stadium in Dublin on 22 November. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Produced by Isakov and Andrew Berlin (Descendents, Rise Against) and recorded at Isakov's farm outside of Boulder, Appaloosa Bones is his first new album in nearly five years.
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Reflecting on the album, he says, "I set out to make a folky, small lo-fi rock 'n’ roll record. And then the songs kind of told me, ‘No, this is what it’s going to be.’ And so, I said, ‘OK,’ and after a while, I was just holding onto the reins, waiting to see where it was going and how the material worked.
"What I found was a collection of songs that brought me back to when I was starting out playing with the band - traveling a lot in the van, playing throughout the Southwest and West.
"These wide-open landscapes had this quietness and expansive deepness that grounded me and evoked a lot of the curiosities I was drawn to when I started writing songs."
Tickets for Gregory Alan Isakov's Dublin gig are on sale here.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I'm Gregory. I get to play music for my actual job which is insane to me. I also run a small six-acre farm in Colorado, growing market vegetables, and some flowers for florists. That was my first job, and still is my job for half of the year.
How would you describe your music?
Sad songs about space. No, but seriously, they’re not strictly about space. Sometimes they’re about coyotes.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Miles Davis, Kelly Joe Phelps, Leonard Cohen, and Neutral Milk Hotel.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
My mom took me to see Kenny G when I was a little kid. I played saxophone at school. The show was badass.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits. My dad got it for me when CDs came out. That one and Sammy Davis Jr.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I've been listening to a ton of Townes Van Zandt these days. I'm loving None But the Rain.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"I lit a thin green candle, to make you jealous of me. But the room just filled up with mosquitos, they heard that my body was free. Then I took the dust of a long sleepless night and I put it in your little shoe. And then I confess that I tortured the dress that you wore for the world to look through." - One of Us Cannot Be Wrong by Leonard Cohen.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Main Theme from The Karate Kid, Part 1 - Original Score by Bill Conti.
Where can people find your music/more information?
First go to the World Wide Web, then type "gregoryalanisakov.com."
Alan Corr @CorrAlan2
