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Neil Gaiman is famous for his smooth and ethereal voice, which has been utilized in various forms such as narrating audiobooks and providing the voice for Snowball on The Simpsons. However, did you know that he also sings? When he would occasionally perform alongside his ex-wife, musician Amanda Palmer, the New York Times described his singing as “a novelist’s take on vocals”.
In the upcoming month, Gaiman will be showcasing his voice at the Sydney Opera House alongside the Australian string quartet FourPlay. How does he feel about performing on such a renowned stage?
“I am filled with fear. Completely terrified,” Gaiman admits. “I have had to develop trust in FourPlay. I find solace in knowing that Lara possesses genuine singing ability.”
“I’ve had a 30-year career as a singer and I share the same fear as you, Neil!” exclaimed Lara Goodridge, who is part of the musical group FourPlay with Shenzo Gregorio and siblings Tim and Peter Hollo. “We all feel exposed when performing on stage. However, I believe that’s a beautiful aspect of it – we are there to support each other. It’s exhilarating to feel so alive.”
How a goth English novelist and an Australian string quartet that does Metallica and Radiohead covers became a match made in heaven seems beyond words even for Gaiman, who recalls it as “like going on a blind date where you really hit it off”.
In 2010, the writer and musical group first crossed paths when FourPlay was asked by the Sydney Opera House to provide music for a live performance of Gaiman’s book, “The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains.”
According to Goodridge, writing a story with Neil is both fulfilling and exciting. However, having Neil present during the process was initially scary. Gaiman chuckles at this, but Goodridge quickly clarifies that it was only for a brief period as they soon discovered how amazing and delightful Neil is. This is one of the many reasons why Neil’s presence brings a special kind of magic – his positive and cooperative attitude.
The performance in Sydney resulted in Gaiman and FourPlay embarking on tours in the US and UK, including shows at Carnegie Hall and London’s Barbican. “During one show in Hobart, we were joined by David Byrne and Brian Ritchie, making strange sounds,” Gaiman recalls. “Lara suggested that we should record some of it so it wouldn’t be forgotten.”
The eerie outcome of their record, Signs of Life, is a themed collection of songs centered on a fresh zodiac created by Gaiman. It also includes some unexpected elements, such as a chilling poem written and recited by Gaiman about Australia Day in 2011, and a collaboration with Ben Folds on a song titled The Problem with Saints, inspired by Joan of Arc.
At times, FourPlay’s spidery plucking and mournful bass recalls Bruno Coulais’ score for Coraline, the animated adaptation of Gaiman’s book of the same name: it seems there is something in his writing that can inspire a certain ethereal, grave eeriness.
“It’s reminiscent of a dark, moody yoghurt culture,” Gaiman ponders. “The one that seeps through. You were about to say something much more logical than that, Lara.”
“I wasn’t,” Goodridge chuckles.
Gaiman and Goodridge collaborate on Bloody Sunrise, a doo-wop song with a dark tone that focuses on vampires. Gaiman expresses his admiration for Goodridge’s ability to understand his ideas, saying, “I can tell Lara, ‘This is like a forgotten Petula Clark song, imagine if the sequel to Downtown was about a moody vampire struggling to connect with others,’ and she immediately knows what I mean.” Gaiman is impressed with the outcome of their collaboration, stating, “It’s truly incredible.”
The album Signs of Life made its debut at the top spot on Billboard’s classical crossover chart and has remained on the chart since then. Author Neil Gaiman expresses his surprise and joy at its success, stating that he expected it to primarily appeal to fans of his band FourPlay and musician Neil. However, it has gained its own following and continues to sell to a diverse audience. Gaiman humorously compares its chart presence to the iconic album The Dark Side of the Moon in the classical crossover genre.
While Gaiman is famous for his novels, TV shows, and comics, he has also collaborated with musicians in the past. In 2011, he joined forces with Palmer, Folds, and Kulash to create the supergroup 8in8 with the goal of writing and recording eight songs in eight hours (they only managed six in 12). When writing for FourPlay, Gaiman occasionally provides lyrics or written pieces for them to compose to. Other times, he will be writing while the band jams, using their music as inspiration. Goodridge explains, “Neil is in the corner, our music serving as his background.”
“Sometimes Peter will ask Shenzo, ‘Remember when you used to imitate a car crash? Can you do that but incorporate some seagull sounds?’ And amazingly, Shenzo is able to create a noise resembling a car crashing into a seagull,” Gaiman shares. “I am grateful for being included in this creative process.”
Gaiman’s most recent visit to Australia was in March 2020, during which he was adding the finishing touches to Signs of Life as the world was entering a lockdown. He reflects, “That was a pivotal moment for me.” Being able to return to Sydney and Melbourne and collaborate with these individuals is a strong statement against Covid.
At the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne’s Hamer Hall, they will perform Signs of Life along with “exquisitely peculiar elements that have yet to be heard”, as described by Gaiman.
He claims that there is a segment in our work that is inspired by impolite terms found in a Victorian dictionary, which he believes is one of the most fascinating things we have ever created.
Goodridge explains that the length of the text is due to the high amount of offensive language used.
Gaiman notes that the Victorians had a penchant for using euphemisms when discussing sex.
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The latest release from Neil Gaiman and FourPlay, Signs of Life, is now available. Catch their performances at the Sydney Opera House on January 15 and at Hamer Hall in Melbourne on January 18.
Source: theguardian.com
