Recently, we had the pleasure of writing about Ellery Twining‘s latest single, a nuanced and vibrant jewel that’s lusciously retro, yet very modern and relevant. As we declared: “Dipped in post-rock, new wave and shoegaze stylings, the track bathes in retro references and spoken word stamina, resulting in a cathartic and meaningful jewel that boasts as much lyrical intensity as its sonic counterpart”.
We then continued: “Penned by Ellery Twining, ‘S. B. Butler’ sees the American creative perform all parts in it except bass, a sign of strong musical prowess and artistic integrity. Citing Cocteau Twins as one of his stronger influences, especially on this occasion, Twining reveals a close affinity for blissful and dreamy tones, perhaps quite gloomy and hypnotising at times.”
Intrigued by the record, we caught up with the American creative to learn more about his artistry and future goals… Interview below!
Hey Ellery, how is it going? some of our readers might not be familiar with your project, how would you describe yourself, in a few words?
I’m a drummer by trade, but when I began spontaneously writing songs in 2021, none of my musician friends wanted to work on them. So, I decided to play all of the instruments myself. I also had a curiosity about how Prince actually pulled it off.
Your current work is the result of a long journey; What first drew you to making music?
The very first moment I knew I wanted to be a drummer in a rock band was coming home from the school playground near my house one afternoon in 1976. On the way home, an honest-to-goodness real garage band was kicking out the jams, and I was mesmerized. the second moment was getting to see The Police in 1983 at the height of their powers. My mother was so frightened about how the show would shape me that she took the tickets away a month before the show because I went out on the Mystic River in a boat with some friends. I was 14 years old at the time. Perhaps, in hindsight, she was intuitive to be scared!
If you had the opportunity to pick any artists in the world for a collaboration, who would be your first choice? (and second choice, perhaps?)
I would love to work with my friend Charlie Hall, but he is a very busy man. My second choice, Samantha Urbani.
You recently released a wonderful single, ‘S B Butler’. There’s a strong retro/new wave component in it (you mention Cocteau Twins, which we love), and perhaps a hint of shoegaze too, especially in the lyricism. What does the record mean to you?
I was in the studio at Dirt Floor one day working on overdubs with Eric for my first record REVENGE. I was using this funky instrument called a Marxophone, where you hit tiny levers to strike thin metal strips. I have a similar instrument in my home studio that uses mallets. While we were locking into the vibe, he asked me if I had ever heard of the Omnichord, to which I replied no.
Intrigued, I began to look for my own Omnichord, but they were far too expensive to simply do overdubs with. At that point, I stumbled upon the Stylophone, an analog synth from the 70’s. The loud static sound on SB BUTLER is the Stylophone. What I wanted to write was a song where I could use the Stylophone as an intruder, giving the song the duality I felt the lyrics deserved. In the end, the song meant to me that I could do it.
We also appreciate the way you have approached the track with spoken words. Was that a conscious choice?
Yes. I don’t have a strong enough singing voice to carry an album, so I dipped into my poetry background and found that I could utilize the syntax of spoken word. I could wrap the lyrics ideas around the song structures instead of singing them.
Is it true that you have performed all instruments except the bass? How did you learn to play them all?
Yes, I play all of the instruments except bass on RESULTS. On REVENGE Eric played a piano part that he wrote (on the spot), and two friends of mine added some guitar leads to two of the songs, and of course, Dave Bentley played the Bass. I started playing drums when I was 11 years old, got my first drum set at 12, and played my first paying gig by the time I was 16.
My band at the time, 17 Relics, were really gaining momentum, but just playing the drums started to bore me. One day at our practice space (my parents’ basement) I picked up one of the guitars and wrote a song on it.
My good friend Mat Tarbox and I, with the Relics singer Michael Fitzgerald playing bass, crafted a nifty 4-track cassette version of that little tune, and I was hooked. Mat and I would start our own band, Delta of Venus, out of that experience, and I simultaneously played live gigs on drums and guitar for about three years.
After the Relics broke up, Delta played for two more years and split up. I would not pick up the guitar with any serious intention until 2021. The other instruments I use as overdubs I can’t really play. I wrote a simple but effective vibraphone part in the studio but I wouldn’t call myself a vibraphone player. I don’t even consider myself a guitarist.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
I feel just as confident in either setting, but working solo means there are few inherent deadlines. Working with other people means you had better be prepared for the next session, which is a deadline.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
I am currently working on two projects. The first is that my electro-rock band from the 1990s Delta of Venus are working on brand-new music for the first time in 27 years. We have recorded two songs, all of the basic tracks and overdubs with Eric at Dirt Floor, and we simply need to record the vocals, mix, and hopefully, it will be released in early June 2024. The next ELLERY TWINING album is called “SECRET ASPECTS OF THE NEW WORLD” and I hope to be able to begin recording that full-length follow-up to RESULTS by mid-September.
