Pigeon Spins Featuring an Interview with Ker

Ker - Wōndering on Giants

"Wōndering on Giants" is a song Ker wrote for a local folk club in Scotland that he attends as a means of introducing them to his own songs, and inspired by hill walking and visits to the Highland’s, as well as the rugged crags of NW Montana where his knowledge of music ignited. Ker wanted the not just draw on the majesty of nature, but try to avoid cliches and to be a bit more ‘existential’ without hopefully being in any way to ‘grandiose’.

Interview with Ker

Wōndering on Giants” began as a way of introducing your songs at a local Scottish folk club. How did writing for that intimate setting shape the song’s mood and honesty?

I joined the folk club to broaden my musical understanding and appreciation, and when there was an annual competition to write a ‘folk song’, I wrote Wōndering on Giants to be neither ‘political’ or purely ‘adjectival’. Having climbed over 30 ‘Munro’s’ being mountains over 914 meters, I am familiar with the scale, the grandeur, and the danger associated with this pursuit. I wanted to write a song that side-stepped any cliché in and around this portrayal.

The track draws inspiration from the Scottish Highlands and northwest Montana. What is it about landscapes that feeds your songwriting so deeply?

Having scaled even modest peaks, I felt that the ardour and physical challenge of the mountains, and felt that this aspect was not fully explored in the majority of ‘folk songs. I wanted to connect the physical appearance of the mountains with a corresponding melody and composition,

You’ve spoken about wanting to avoid clichés and grandiosity while still touching on big, existential ideas. How do you keep that balance as a writer?

I wanted to use my own familiar ‘writing style’ such as it is, and apply these to the task of treating this subject in a different way, to present these aspects in a different way.

There’s a strong sense of nature, humanity, and conflict in the song. What does that “three-cornered dynamic” of land, man, and tempest mean to you personally?

I wanted to introduce some ‘dramatic tension’ into the song, and an element of the passage of time introduced as a more prominent mystical rather than historic or political dynamic.

Your musical journey began relatively late, sparked by walking into a guitar shop in Montana. How did starting later in life change your relationship with music?

As a child, I apparently told an aged relative at the age of 8, when asked what I wanted to do was “to retire”! Like many, as an adult, I frequently pondered on what it was I wanted to do, and sought to do something ‘worthwhile’. I always loved music, but never had the space and time to learn to play an instrument, and was ‘intimidated’ by music theory. By chance, I seized the opportunity when I almost drove past a music store on a visit to Montana, where I pulled over, went in, and asked if they could teach me to play the guitar.

Coming from a background in marketing and international business, what skills or perspectives carried over into your creative life as a musician?

I tended to see corporate life as a ‘means to an end’, as the ‘pull’ of music was consistently present. My work had taught me to stive, to tackle new challenges, and do so in a methodical way. In short, I learned how to learn.

The ‘transferable skills’ included stamina, a sense of purpose, coupled with a sense of creative direction after years of reflecting on human behaviour, motivation and purpose.

You mention converting poems into songs. How does your process move from words on a page to melody and rhythm?

I start with an idea, and an ‘arresting’ or qualifying title. I then extend the idea within a ‘structure’, whilst intertwining words, chords, and melodies. This process itself often dictates the style, rhythm and feel of the song.

“Converging Paths” features twelve songs you feel proud of. What unites them thematically, and how does “Wōndering on Giants” set the tone for the album?

Wōndering on Giants being a gentle, but being juxtaposed with the subject, acts as a perfect ‘curtain raiser’ for an album of songs that tie in with various themes.

The themes are generally ‘relatable’ and so hopefully resonate with listeners, taking a tangential view of everyday life. The aim is to entertain.

Your sound leans into a semi-nostalgic style reminiscent of the mid ’60s to mid ’70s. Why do you think music from that era continues to resonate so strongly today?

The music of the mid ‘60’s to mid ‘70’s is deeply loved by those who either enjoyed it at the time or, and still today, and tinged with an element of nostalgia. I would like to think that there is a market for ‘new stuff like the old stuff’, and that there may be others less familiar with music of this era, but who might be interested and attracted to this music for the same reason as those who knew and loved it hitherto.

You’ve noticed younger audiences showing curiosity about that period of music. What do you think they are searching for that they may not find elsewhere?

Paradoxically, time possibly adds stature, gloss and appeal. The proliferation of tribute bands from this era, and the original line up’s who still tour, seem to focus on a repertoire of songs from past catalogues. The internet provides a global market access to footage of music, artists and bands from the mid 60’s to mid ‘70’s which showcase these performances in a curious time-shift given that many of these artists have retained a strong profile and relevance.

Collaboration seems central to this project. What did working with your band and producers bring out in the song that you couldn’t have achieved alone?

I owe so much to so many. It is not just restricted to ‘collaborators’ and studio work. It would not have been feasible for me to produce an album that I am pleased with, had a number of people helped me either directly or indirectly, wittingly or unwittingly.

You’ve described your music as aiming to be “timeless” rather than tied to a specific moment. What does timelessness mean to you as an artist?

Timelessness to me is simply the ability to endure, with appeal and merit being the prerequisite dynamics.

Finally, when listeners hear “Wōndering on Giants,” what kind of emotional retreat or reflection do you hope it offers them?

Given that the words are intended to be as important as the music, my aim is that the songs, in their entirety, resonate with listeners in a relevant and engaging way.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out  Ker on the Pigeon Spins Playlist or https://Kermusic.com