Mary Webb Gecko Fingers Interview

Listen: Love Like Planets

Captivating and unique, Mary Webb has today announced her new single Gecko Fingers, a stirring ode to the relationship shared between sisters, out January 26, accompanied by an eerie video, directed by Aaron Schuppan (West Thebarton, Nakatomi).  Gecko Fingers is the first taste of Mary's new album Love Like Planets, a spectacular body of work that explores the complexities of modern relationships and personal rediscovery, set for release on February 16.  Mary will be taking the new album on the road from mid January through to March, kicking off at the Exeter Hotel in Adelaide, then continuing through SA to Sydney, Melbourne and finishing up in Newcastle on May 4.

Gecko Fingers unfolds delicately, inching closer to the listener as each second passes.  The subtle guitar, languid percussion and Mary's sweet, assured vocal evoke influences such as Nick Cave and Julien Baker, yet the idyllic atmos is without comparision.  Gecko Fingers speaks of sisters, and the tenacious bond they share.  Reflecting on the theme of the song, Mary says, "Growing up with 7 years between my sister and I in age, we had a lot of love for each other but there was also a lot of anger and conflict.  As adults we are very close, and have come to a calm understanding of each other.  I have reflected a lot on how we managed to transform our relationship.  It is a fun song to play and sing, and it's also really satisfying because so many people relate to it.  It's also a positive reminder to me of the bond we have."

The clip is unsettling yet tranquil, as figures cloaked in fabric from head to toe stand and writhe in shopfronts and at the sea.  There's something nostalgic about it, but also somehow alien – it feels like a cut from Twin Peaks, as colours begin to saturate and distort yet the soundtrack remains constant and serene.  Speaking about the film clip, Mary enthuses, "We talked from the beginning about creating something that wasn't a traditional music video.  The discussion was to make something that could play silently on a wall and still be captivating.  Like a moving painting.  The idea of two figures covered in opposing colours reflected the song's themes.  They begin in contrasting environments - with one figure very still and calm and the other frenetic constantly moving - and they finally meet together and become a pair."

Recorded in the US, Mary's new album Love Like Planets is nothing short of a triumph.  Her quiet intensity is bound to entrance and inspire – and this is a record that is to be heard and understood from start to finish, as a body of work, in order to be properly absorbed.  After years of hard work writing and recording demos, Mary and her producer Mike Kirkham travelled to Montana, USA to record Love Like Planets, and the result is mesmerizing.  Mary reveals a little more about the process, 'One night Mike called me really excited and said, "We're going to Montana!"  From there everything just fell into place.  Mike and his hifi company Halcro invested in the project and I ran a crowdfunding campaign to raise extra funds... The album is made to be listened to as a whole piece of work, rather than a collection of singles on shuffle.
In this respect I was especially influenced by Radiohead's Kid A and Camille's Le Fil as well as some older records from the 60s and 70s.  Most of the songs on Love Like Planets I wrote during a personally turbulent time in my late 20s.  I had ended a long-term relationship and was going through a painful process of trying to rediscover who I was and what I wanted."

Gecko Fingers is out January 26.  Love Like Planets is out February 16.

Stream single: Gecko Fingers                              
Watch: Gecko Fingers           
Pre-order: Love Like Planets                  
Listen: Love Like Planets

Mary Webb Love Like Planets Launch Show

FRI 12 JAN | EXETER HOTEL, ADELAIDE SA | 18+

Free entry | Details at www.marywebbsings.com

SAT 13 JAN | SKELETON CLUB EP LAUNCH | JIVE, ADELAIDE SA | 18+

Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets

THU 18 JAN | WHEATSHEAF HOTEL, THEBARTON SA | 18+

Tickets $5 on the door for non-SCALA members

SAT 20 JAN | -GIRL ASLEEP' SUMMER FESTIVAL | WEST TORRENS MEMORIAL GARDENS, ADELAIDE SA | ALL AGES

Free Entry Details at www.marywebbsings.com

MON 22 JAN | MUSIC MONDAYS | ED CASTLE, ADELAIDE SA | 18+

Free Entry | Details at www.marywebbsings.com

SUN 28 JAN | WHEATSHEAF HOTEL, THEBARTON SA | 18+

Tickets $12 available on the door

SUN 4 FEB | CHATEAU APOLLO, ADELAIDE SA | 18+ (unless accompanied)

Tickets available from www.eventbrite.com | Online

SUN 25 FEB | SANCTUARY FESTIVAL 11AM - 4:30PM | NATIONAL WINE CENTRE | ALL AGES

Tickets available from www.adelaidefringe.com.au | 1300 621 255 | All Adelaide Fringe Outlets

FRI 2 MAR | GASOLINE PONY, MARRICKVILLE NSW | 18+

Donations at door

SAT 17 MAR | ALBUM LAUNCH | WESLEY ANNE HOTEL, THORNBURY VIC | 18+

Tickets available on the door $20

FRI 6 APR | WILLIE'S APPLE SHED, TAS 6:30-8:30PM | 18+ unless accompanied

Free entry | Book a table for dinner on (03) 6266 4345

SUN 22 APR | MILK FACTORY, BRISBANE 4-6PM | CHILD-FRIENDLY

Tickets TBA

SAT 28 APR | SMITHS ALTERNATIVE BOOKSHOP, CANBERRA 7PM | 18+

Tickets available from www.smithsalternative.com or at the door $20/$15

FRI 4 MAY | THE EDWARDS, NEWCASTLE NSW | ALL AGES

Free Entry | Make a dinner reservation at www.theedwards.com.au

SUN 27 MAY | CHEESE FACTORY STUDIO GALLERY, MEADOWS SA, 1-4PM | ALL AGES

Bookings recommended | (08) 8388 3725 info@cheesefactory.com.au

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Interview with Mary Webb

Question: How would you describe your music?

Mary Webb: It's alt-folk with hints of Jazz, country and classical. It's got a little bit Joni Mitchell, Jolie Holland, Ani Difranco and Laura Veirs in there, if you look.


Question: What was it like recording the album in Montana?

Mary Webb: It was like stepping into another world. It was mid-winter in the mountains, so we were surrounded by snow, and I'd never seen snow before, so it felt unreal! Being so far away from home, away from distractions and normal life, really helped me to focus. We had a tight timeline, with only a week to record everything with the band, so we all jumped in there and gave it everything for that time. There were some tough moments, but we found a real flow during that week. Day 1 was spent setting up and getting everything sounding right, then day 2 we got our first song down (Gecko Fingers) in the morning before pro-tools crashed! We switched to analogue after that, and recorded everything live to tape, including re-doing Gecko Fingers. It was stressful for everyone at the time, but in retrospect it was a real blessing. I learned a lot from the process too, and from working with the band.


Question: Was there a reason why you chose to record in Montana?

Mary Webb: For this album I had generous support from a local SA hifi manufacturer, Halcro, who had a connection with the owner/engineer at Snowghost, Brett Allen. My producer Mike Kirkham and I were really keen to record with Brett, who has worked with artists like Death Cab For Cutie, Swell Season, Matmos, Wayne Hotvitz and Justin Townes Earl. He also had musicians in mind from Portland, Oregon, who he believed would be the right fit for the project. Brett and Mike were in conversation for months beforehand about how to make this a record that would sound amazing but also have real soul. They both really cared about the project and wanted to collaborate to make it work.


Question: What was the main inspiration behind Gecko Fingers?

Mary Webb: I was reflecting on my relationship with my sister, and how it had transformed over the years. We are very close as adults, but growing up we fought hard and often. I think the conflict came from deeply wanting love but feeling misunderstood, and only when we acknowledged that could we start to turn things around. I'm so glad we did, because my sister is an amazing human. It was a huge lesson for me in how to work through difficulties in other relationships, and to realise everyone is struggling on some level, so you have to approach people with compassion instead of suspicion.


Question: Can you tell us about filming the video for Gecko Fingers?

Mary Webb: The clip was filmed in two locations – one in a doorway of an industrial area with a dancer, and the other down at Normanville on the south coast of SA with myself and my sister. Normanville is absolutely stunning, with big, jagged cliffs on the beachfront. We wrapped ourselves in red and blue sheets and Aaron Schuppan filmed us against the backdrop with the wind making waves with the material. Aaron and I had discussed in very general terms what we imagined and what we wanted from it, but I very much took his direction when it came to specifics. He had a strong vision for the clip but it was pretty hard to explain, so my sister and I went into filming without knowing exactly what it would look like. The raw footage was beautiful, but he really brought the song and clip to life through the editing. There are so many interesting visuals he has created, you keep finding them the more you watch it.


Question: Which is your favourite song to perform live and why?

Mary Webb: I love playing Broken Heart Strings live. The verses are punchy, the chorus is flowy, and it feels like I'm telling a story. Also, I get to scat at the end which is fun!


Question: What should we expect from the upcoming tour?

Mary Webb: Although I did this album with a band, I'll be touring solo. I've chosen seated or smaller, intimate venues, and most shows I'll have a great local artist supporting. You can expect songs from the new album as well as a couple of oldies, in their raw, acoustic form.


Question: If you could have anyone, in the world, attend your show, who would it be?

Mary Webb: Joni Mitchell. In my dream we'd hang out and have a drink afterwards, philosophise until the early hours then make an album together.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?

Mary Webb: That's a tough one.. there are great things about both! Live performing is wonderful because you are connecting with people in real time, and you can focus on feeling and communicating and taking your audience on a journey without feeling like every note has to be perfect. I loved recording this latest album though because it was a creative process at the same time. Everything sounded new and fresh with these different parts and instruments. And recording the songs -live' was great because I could bounce off the band and their energy.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Mary Webb: I'm often motivated to write lyrics when I'm trying to understand or process something. It helps me work through things in my head, and as a bonus I have a new topic for a song! I figure that if I find something interesting to think about, then other people might connect with it too, and will maybe find something useful in the song that helps them in some way in their own lives.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?

Mary Webb: I'm a little late to the party, but I've just discovered the brilliance of PJ Harvey. I've also had Jason Isbell -Southeastern' on high rotation on my record player lately. It's heartbreaking. And the new Alela Diane album is gorgeous. I always come back to artists like Elbow, Radiohead, Laura Marling, Fiona Apple, Jeff Buckley, Ainslie Wills, Björk.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Mary Webb: My parents were both classical musicians, so my three siblings and I grew up immersed in music. I never saw myself working in the classical scene, but singing has been my -thing' for as long as I've had a voicebox, so I just follow it wherever it leads me. I don't know that I ever had a sudden flash of inspiration to -join the industry', but music is the thing that makes the most sense to me in life and it pulls me out of dark places, so I'm sticking with it.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Mary Webb: I would love to collaborate with Imogen Heap. She is so inventive, and she uses technology in really creative ways. I'm really drawn to her processes and the way she creates and layers sounds to build feeling in her songs. I think we have some similarities, but we make music in very different ways. I'm curious about what would emerge if you put our creative brains together!


Interview by Brooke Hunter