Garage rock outfit Winchester 7 & the Runners are a trio that recently stopped by MoggBlog to chat about writing processes, dream collaboration, their latest release ‘When the World Stops Spinning’ and how the internet has impacted the music business.
To anyone new to your music, name 3 words that best describe your sound.
Jack Kane: Indie
Winchester 7: Ukulele
Phil Voorhees: Rock
What’s your writing process like? Do you write the music or lyrics first?
Winchester 7: It always seems best when it begins with the music. I’ve got some lyric ideas sitting around that I hope to come back to at some point, but without music they always seem to end up sounding more like limericks.
Phil: There once was a Win with a uke…
Jack: [laughs] So, usually, it happens when we’re jamming together or when Win bring something to us that he has in mind. We’ll flesh it out together and go as far as recording it, drums, and bass; before he goes off and comes back with some lyrics.
Winchester 7: They typically come to mind as a phrase or an idea that I build around and then we finish off as a group. Then, we add vocals, solos, and final touches before sending off for mix.
If you could collaborate with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Winchester 7: Paul McCartney!
Jack: Macca
Phil: Peter Hook
Tell MoggBlog viewers about your latest release! What’s the inspiration behind that?
Phil: When the World Stops Spinning
Jack: As it’s certainly seemed to for much of the past year.
Winchester 7: [laughs] That it has. Well, the song was inspired by the Beatles final press release. Their press officer, Derek Taylor, seemed to be inferring that as long as the band members were all alive and well, there remained hope that they would get back together and that we should only truly start to worry when the world stopped spinning.
Jack: So long as Leeds still plays Chelsea and their music still plays, I suspect things will still turn out fine.
Winchester 7: Yeah, well, the press release was more of a jumping off point. The balance of the song ended up more about seizing the day than the title would imply.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
Winchester 7: I see it as more of a shift in distribution method than anything else. Sure, those involved in consumer direct distribution have been decimated with neighborhood record stores few and far between…
Phil: I visited Concerto yesterday!
Jack: I would have liked to have gotten to North End Music…
Winchester 7: …but the big money is still there with others ready and waiting to fill in the gap.
Jack: Gap fillers!
Winchester 7: Unfortunately, those very same economics seem to further exploit artists, resulting in less opportunity to break through and still less of the revenue once they do.
Phil: Yeah…more opportunity for unfiltered chips and less for audience.
Winchester 7: As a result, artists really need to evolve their method and take a page from media conglomerates to wholly own and better capitalize on their creations. The Internet’s impact, therefore and communications aside, is truly more of an intellectual property revolution.
Phil: Thank you, Professor.
Jack: Can anyone spare some intellectual property, then? I’m ready for a pint.
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