How did it feel to just record vocals?
Brilliant. All the pressure was off. This was the only record where I went into the recording knowing all the lyrics inside out from start to end. It was the first singing I’ve ever done in the studio without a piece of paper in front of me. Did it change your performance? Totally. I was really going for it. I didn’t use the pop shield. I recorded in the studio in front of speakers, singing live – like Metallica in Some Kind Of Monster…fucking ridiculous really. It was full on and hopefully a little bit of what it’s like live; pretty haphazard and all over the place. This is also the first record I’ve ever sung in my indigenous accent, which is really important to me. Everything I’ve ever recorded before has been some sort of weird hybrid Derry / American thing. I don’t know why, probably a lack of confidence, or trying to copy J Mascis or something. But this time I sound Northern Irish, even pure Derry in some bits. I’m really happy about that. It has a lot to do with the preparation;
