Interview: St. Paul & The Broken Bones

St. Paul & The Broken Bones are a somewhat unlikely soul sextet from Birmingham, Alabama. Fronted by former preacher Paul Janeway they caused quite a buzz as one of the must see bands at SXSW recently, with Rolling Stone hailing them as ‘Best Soul Revivalists’. We caught up with Paul before they head over here for a string of live dates next month.

You’ve been described as ‘the band to pick up where soul music left off’ and have been gathering a lot of attention the past couple of years. Why do you think people are starting to get excited about soul music again? 

I think there is a desire for people to hear something with raw emotion and authenticity. There is no better music for that than soul music. Personally, I only know one way to sing and that is put everything you got into it.

It’s easy to hear some classic soul and gospel influences in your music, but are there any current acts that you take inspiration from too?

There are a few folks. Prince is a big time inspiration.  I saw him live once and it changed my life. I love Tom Waits. Everything he does musically is so great and he is a hell of a performer as well. Someone I always listen to is D’Angelo. His album “Voodoo” inspires me all the time. I just geek out when I listen to it.

Your debut album ‘Half the City’ was produced with Alabama Shakes’ Ben Tanner. How did that collaboration come about?

Our guitar player Browan and Tanner are both from the Muscle Shoals area. They have been buddies for awhile. When Tanner told us about this new label, Single Lock Records, he was involved with we were all in. Ben is a good friend and did a great job producing this record. He is an in demand fella and we were so fortunate that he wanted to work with us.

What was the experience of making your first album like?

It was pretty crazy. We had to write 75% of the record in a month. We were still writing horn lines while in the studio. We recorded it all to analog tape and cut it live in the studio. We took the best of three takes and moved on to the next song. There are very little overdubs on the album but I really dig that. I think Ben did a great job of capturing the energy of a band that was only 5 months old.

If you could work with any musician dead or alive, who would it be?

Well Prince is definitely on that list. I would also love to just sing a song while Booker T. Jones was playing organ.

You’ve been touring the states pretty solidly for the past year. What have been the highlights of being on the road?

Playing a sold-out show at Bowery Ballroom in New York City was pretty special recently. Anytime we get to play in our hometown of Birmingham, Alabama is special for me. Really getting to play shows in places we have never been is always great. You only of one first show in a city.

The live shows are building quite a reputation. How much preparation goes into your onstage performance?

Well I have a routine nowadays. I don’t eat much within 2.5 hours of the show. I drink a lot of water before and during the show. I also take shots of honey before and during the show.  The two most important things though are I get plenty of sleep and do my vocal warm ups/warm downs. It is a bit of a process nowadays.

And you’re coming to play in the UK this May, have you visited before?

I have never been out of the United States. I can’t wait to get over there and just see what the UK is all about. I am just so excited to come over and do our thing. We do what we do and that won’t change no matter what part of the world we are in.

You trained to be a preacher until you were 18. How did you end up becoming a singer instead?

When I fell out of love with the idea of being a preacher, I started doing open mic nights at bars and coffee shops in Birmingham. I was a terrible guitar player but really fell in love with singing in front of an audience. I sang in church since I was 4 but didn’t love it like I did those nights in a bar. Plus singing is my main outlet for releasing tension and expressing what is inside of me.

Do you think your religious upbringing has had much effect on your music?

Absolutely. When we do shows I fell like that the audience out there is our congregation.  That raw emotion and giving every ounce of your being definitely comes from the church

St. Paul & The Broken Bones release their debut album ‘Half The City’ in the UK on 12th May on Single Lock Records/Thirty Tigers. Be sure to catch them at the following shows:

 

21st May                               Oslo Bar, London

22nd May                             Electric Ballroom (with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit), London

23rd May                              Dot to Dot, Manchester

24th May                              Dot to Dot, Bristol

25th May                              Dot to Dot, Nottingham

Ami Lord