Brian Crosby has reunited with Bell X1 frontman Paul Noonan for new song, My Bones a Scaffold. We asked Brian the BIG questions . . .
The track, Brian's first collaboration with Paul since Brian left Bell X1 16 years ago, is accompanied by a music video which marks the directorial debut of photographer Rich Gilligan.
Photo credit: Johnny Mallin
Originally an instrumental piano piece on Brian’s debut solo piano record, Imbrium, Paul heard the track and felt drawn to respond to it lyrically.
"Having shared a lot of formative music making experiences with Brian from our schooldays through the birth and first 10 years of Bell X1, it’s been a sweetness to make something together again," Paul says.
"I loved Imbrium from a couple of years back and kept hearing singing (in me head!) on a few songs. I found the music so visually evocative, and the track A Strong Tide of Liberty had me escaping underwater, to dream it all up again."
Crosby and Noonan first met in school, where they formed first the band Juniper (with Damien Rice) and subsequently BellX1. Paul continued with Bell X1 as well solo projects Printer Clips and HousePlants (with the electronic musician Daithí), and Crosby now collaborates on film and TV scores as well as his own solo piano work.
Speaking about coming full circle to work on a musical project with his old band mare again, Crosby says:
"For me, the story of how this song came into being is one of the importance of human connection and collaboration.
"Imbrium was a collection of piano tunes I wrote in response to the stillness and isolation of the first pandemic lockdown in 2020. It was, then, such an unexpected and touching surprise when Paul sent me a voice note with a recording of lyrics to one of the Imbrium tracks.
"To know that he had connected with the music and was inspired to respond to it was a really beautiful moment for me."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I like building stuff. I’m fascinated with Transpersonal Psychology and am training to become a Holotropic Breathwork facilitator. I can’t read music that well, but I seem to have got away with it so far.
How would you describe your music?
Minimal. Organic. Elements of classical and electronic. Often featuring a felted upright piano within a world of organic textures.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Arvo Pärt, Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins, Thom Yorke, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Dustin O’Halloran, Hania Rani, Nils Frahm, Max Richter . . . so many more.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Lir in the Rock Garden, and from that moment I knew I wanted to be in a band.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Make It Big by Wham. I was 10 years old.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Free In The Knowledge by The Smile. A close family member died unexpectedly quite recently and I was having a really challenging time processing what had happened. The lyrics and video for this song really connected to where I was at and helped me shift some energy to reveal a more expansive perspective which was really healing. "Free in the knowledge that one day this will end, Free in the knowledge that everything is change".
Favourite lyric of all time?
"There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
One song! I’d go mad. It would have to be a long piece of ambient music like Max Richter’s Sleep.
Where can people find your music/more information?
My website.
Alan Corr
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