“If something works in the first place, you have to figure that it probably works, to some extent because of its freshness. So if freshness is an element, or if novelty or exploration or experimentation is an element, then you have to continue to inject that into making the music. The same song is not the same song tomorrow because it’s a day older. And so how do you combat that? And it’s by approaching it in a way that keeps introducing itself to you.” – Will Oldham AKA Bonnie “Prince” Billy on reworking songs for live performances
unsure if he got to it for the late show, but last night’s version of “the glory goes” was like being introduced to a stranger who you’ve known forever. thanks for this, jac…
Nice post Jac, a really interesting conversational spark here,
he’s the greatest, can you feel it
BPB is really badass. I remember listening to I See A Darkness (and also The Letting Go) and acutely feeling how much of an innovator he is in the realm of American song writing.
His notion of the song/text as non-self-identical is extremely useful.