Q&A

Jim Ghedi and Toby Hay: “Travelling, meeting people, gathering stories” what do you have in common, and how does it all fit together when you play as a duo?

Toby: We both started out on this journey together, yet we approach making music in different ways. I think that’s a strength, and has really helped this record become what it is.

Jim: In respect to the music, I suppose we’re quite accustomed to the process as being quite solitary. This time it was a lot of fun having a shared experience. Given your music is so inspired by place, what does that sort of itinerant lifestyle do to the compositional process?

Toby: Travelling was the main inspiration for the music. When you are moving through new places every day for two months, it is going to have an effect on the music.

Jim: We were also listening to a lot of music on the road, meeting people and gathering stories along the way – all this somehow meshes together. How much was agreed before you sat down?

Toby: Just that we wanted it to be two guitars, six- and 12 string. Recorded live in a room, no overdubs, just trying to capture the performance.

Jim: The more we thought about stuff, the less it seemed to work. It was all very instinctive, all about just playing.