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Starflyer 59 - Jason Martin interview

Jason Martin has been making extraordinary music for the better part of the last 15 year. Dial M is his latest SF59 album and is in our opinion his best work yet. We talked about it with the man himself.

Dial M has been out for quite some time now. How do you feel about it from a distance? Is it an album you are proud of?
Ya, I am pretty happy with the way it turned out, it is definately my favorite album we have put out in a while.

Personally, I think it's probably your best work so far. The thing I particularly like about Starflyer 59 is the evolution of sound throughout the years. Times where someone could label SF59 as shoegaze are long gone and you definitely found your unique way forward. So how does that evolution happen? Is it a natural process that happens over time or a conscious decision on your part?
Thanks, glad you like it..As far as sound changes I always try and go in a little bit different direction than the previous record...All that to say I am not the same person as I was 10 or 15 years ago, so to try and make the same kind of records time after time would be impossible, and probably not that good even if I could.
[ Starflyer 59 ]

Starflyer 59

Having listened to Ghosts of the Future I've noticed that some songs have changed rather dramatically. Mostly they've become more developed. For example Easy is quite different. Were new versions just products of the studio environment and how do you compare them to stripped down versions?
The ghosts series was for the fans to see the writing process between what happens on the demos and where they go on the record...some songs were changed, some not so much. Hopefully the changes were for the better, but you never know, maybe I should have left some of them alone:)

The thing I've noticed about the new album is how the lyrics more than ever seem to be of personal nature. Was it hard sharing your thoughts so openly?
Ya, a little bit...I would never expect that if a song means something to me that it will have the same impact on someone else...but all I can say Is the songs on the new album had meaning to me, and if they have meaning for someone else Im glad the album will maybe have some lasting value to someone.

Are there plans for releasing Ghosts of The Future on CD someday? I'm wondering because the 7" set is quite pricey and quite a few people I know would love a physical copy someday.
Ya, actually we have been talking to out label about releasing some of our b sides and the ghosts stuff on cd / itunes...We'll see what happens.
[ Starflyer 59 ]

Starflyer 59

It is over 15 years since you've started releasing music as Starflyer 59. Is it still as exciting and fulfilling as it was at the start and what changed?
I don't know how exciting it is, it is just something I am so used to doing it would be hard for me not to do...I love writing and recording music.

Minor Keys mention Johnny Marr and you've covered Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want for Ghosts. So what is there between you and the Smiths?
Oh, just a little jelousy...I wish I were half as good as them...The catalog they have with very few songs to skip over is something any band should strive for.

You seem to be very active through Myspace so what is your opinion on services like that? Is Is it easier making it today than back in the day?
I think it is cool, it just gives everybody access to news and more importantly the music, which is why you start doing a band in the first place...to have people hear your music.

Also, what is your opinion on all the release schemes going around these days? Do you think the future of music is online or that these are just clever marketing plots that work in a certain moment?
I don't pay much attention to that...I just write songs, I have no idea how to sell them.

Finally, what do you read and listen to lately?
I read the Bible, and usually only listen to bands I am working ...not enough time for anything else.

Thanks you for answering these! Good luck!
Thanks for the interview.

kris // 06/04/2009

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