The Baker's Dozen #22 The Marriage
The Marriage (Kirsten Adamson and Dave Burn) released their debut album ‘Imagining Sunsets’ on October 2nd, 2020. Kirsten and Dave both come from musical backgrounds with Dave first picking up a guitar at the age of 7 and being signed by a major label at 15 while Kirsten spent her summers in Nashville with her father Stuart Adamson, the late Skids and Big Country singer and guitarist. Both have been playing in touring bands since their teens. ‘Imagining Sunsets’ is a generally sparse and gentle affair built on the duo’s lovely harmonies but they are more than capable of kicking up a storm as evidenced by album closer and latest single ‘Box and Burn It’. ‘Imagining Sunsets’ is well worth fans of all things Americana and country tracking down. One listen to ‘Floating In Space’ and first single ‘Dreamers’ should have you hooked. We caught up with Kirsten and Dave for a chat about their earliest musical memories, a really varied list of influences and their thoughts on the music industry in a pandemic.
1. What is your earliest musical memory?
ZZ Top playing on The Tube or Top of the Pops, probably 1984 - D
I was a highland dancer so my first musical memory would be traditional bagpipes. My first gig memory was my Dad’s band Big Country playing at the Barrowlands in Glasgow must have been around 1990 and I remember being carried around and falling asleep (I was only little). K
2. Do you remember the name of your first band?
Oblivious - D
The Gillyflowers - K
3. Which current artist do you hear and just go Wow?
Big Thief - D
Vampire Weekend - K
4. Do you sit down to write songs or do you wait until your mojo comes to get you?
Both, mojo first then sit down to iron it out - D
It usually comes from the mojo but if it’s a co-write then it will often be a sit down session. - K
5. Big venue or small venue - what's your favourite to play?
Small for sure and empty, (maybe it’s what I’m used to :))
Though even if I had the freedom to choose I’d go small and empty, I get more nervous the less people I play to and I enjoy that feeling. - D
I love small intimate venues. The audience can come on a journey with you. - K
6. Who is the one artist you wish you could share a stage with (past or present)?
Kurt Cobain, I’d be playing rhythm guitar and singing backing vocals - D
Kate Bush. - K
7. Bowie, Prince, Sinatra, Elvis which departed great means the most to you
Song for song I think Prince is my favourite artist of the four but Bowie means the most to me because of his performance in Labyrinth, which I watched about 400 times when I was a child - D
I would also say Bowie as I too watched Labyrinth a zillion times as a kid. – K
8. The musical landscape could change markedly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. How has the situation affected you and what do you feel will be its impact on the music business/live performance going forward?
I’ve had to learn about lighting, video and communicating with people without seeing them, certain aspects of online performance suit some artists more and it’s good to see artists emerging through this pandemic but the connection you make with someone when you play live stands much more chance of staying in their heart. - D
I think a lot of venues are really going to struggle to remain open and I think a lot of musicians will end up seeking other employment. Hopefully, this will just be temporary but it really is a dire situation currently. K
9. Should music be free?
Music is already free and easier to access as well as release.
It is good in the way that an artist now has the chance to take charge of their own path but bad in the fact that a lot of great artists who would have benefited from the investment and nurturing of the old music model are slipping through the net and unfortunately not being heard.
It worries me that making music will become an art form that only some people can afford to pursue - D
10. Can you remember the first record you bought and what have you bought recently?
In Utero by Nirvana, I went out to buy a Duff Mckagan solo album but the cd shop didn’t have it - D
The first two Cd’s I bought were 69 Boyz - 199Quad and Salt N Pepa - Very Necessary. I lived in Florida at the time and they were all the rage. I bought Courtney Marie Andrews’ new album ‘Old Flowers’ recently. - K
11. What was the last song that made you cry actual tears?
Gimme all your lovin’ - ZZ Top came on the radio and it made me cry. It’s joyous and ridiculous, I love it! :) - D
Moments of Pleasure - Kate Bush cry every time. - K
12. Do you binge watch Netflix / Amazon / DVD box sets (any recommendations)? Do you have a guilty pleasure in Film or TV you’ll admit to watching and loving?
Sopranos start to finish at least once a year I find it to be a type of therapy - D
Last binge watched series was Ozark. The best films recently watched were Mid90’s and The Green Book. - K
13. What is the most important thing to you that you can see from where you are right now?
Typical answer but it is my guitar – D
My little boy Sid who I can see sleeping on the baby monitor. - K
To learn more about The Marriage:
These days, with a seemingly inexhaustible amount of music available at the click of a mouse, it is easy to miss things in our search for instant gratification. The art of getting to know an album over repeated listens, allowing it to slowly reveal itself, is in danger of being lost. A case in point is the aptly titled ‘Modern Nostalgia’, the latest release from The Last Hurrah (!!), a project helmed by Norwegian musician/producer HP Gundersen. ‘Modern Nostalgia’ blends a distinctly European (Serge Gainsbourg/Marianne Faithfull) approach with the California sound of Gram Parsons and The Byrds, utilising a variety of singers and instrumentation along the way to reveal its charms. With this in mind, we caught up with HP Gundersen to learn more about HP and his collaborators in The Last Hurrah (!!).