Army Of Bones: Martin Smith talks at length about the exciting new band

Thursday 9th March 2017

Tony Cummings spoke to Martin Smith about the mainstream rock team ARMY OF BONES



Continued from page 2

Tony: Do you think the audiences you're playing to are likely to pick up on the fact that there's something slightly different in terms of the lyrics they're hearing?

Martin: I don't know. If someone walks in off the street tonight and comes to see us play, they'll probably know something's a bit different because it'll be a really good show; and that's because there's a history. I'm not 19, I've spent my whole life on the stage. People will think, 'There's something behind this. This is a brand new band, but where's it come from?' I think that's what people will ask. I've got a great team, people I've known over the years, great sound guys, so everything will feel really good. Hopefully the songs will have that thing where they're emotional and not throwaway pop songs - break people's hearts open. That's what you want from music.

Tony: Presumably you recorded the album in your own studio.

Martin: Yeah. I worked with a great producer called Geth Pearson, a Welsh guy.

Tony: Had you worked with him before?

Martin: No, it's the first time. He produced an up and coming band called Jaws. He's on that whole indie band circuit; he brought a lot of energy to the project. A great engineer called Dan Austin, who's worked with loads of people, sonically brought a brilliant thing to it. It was a learning curve for me.

Tony: I understand your favourite song on the album is "Do You Love Me".

Martin: It's slightly autobiographical, but also about that thing of insecurity in a relationship, asking your partner after many years, 'Are we still good? Do you love me? Do I love you? Are we still doing OK?' It's a really beautiful song; people will love that, hopefully. It's very brooding. There's a big anthem on there called "Love Song For A City". It's a big rock power ballad, well produced. The opening line is, 'See the writing on the wall, the words they seem to glow. Should I run or bow the knee? This is my homeland, speak to me.' It's that sense of, 'I wonder what's going to happen next?' You watch the news, you read things - how do you love your city with all the things that are going on in it? I can't wait for people to hear it.

Tony: It is profoundly true that without the love, none of this makes any sense at all.

Martin: I think that's where music's great, because you're attacking people's senses at so many levels. I can do a whole show without saying anything and still someone can be touched by it - in the same way you go to the theatre or see a movie or look at a painting. I'm wanting to trust that more in me, and trust the one that gave me that gift. That's actually quite simple. I don't feel I need to complicate it that much. I'm so inspired by that passage in 1 Samuel chapter 16 when the little shepherd boy comes before the king. First of all it tells you how much of a music fan God is, that he wanted to use that medium to speak to someone. It doesn't say that they requested a preacher or a teacher or a prophet or a scholar, it was just some little kid that had a harp. That's what was so powerful in that story - he just played. It doesn't say there were any words: it wasn't a verse, verse, pre-chorus, hands in the air - all that stuff which I love. He just played, and that was the thing that broke the atmosphere in the room. I need to trust that more. I've got opinions about everything, but I don't need to, I can just play music and hope that that touches people, hope that it helps people. I'm excited that I'm on a journey. Will past fans find that confusing? Maybe. I'll never stop doing some of that stuff I love. I love the church that I'm in. My whole family are there, and we love it. But this is something that's in my heart and I've got to go and do it. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.
About Tony Cummings
Tony CummingsTony Cummings is the music editor for Cross Rhythms website and attends Grace Church in Stoke-on-Trent.


 
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Reader Comments

Posted by Paul Cooper in Wellingborough @ 14:50 on Jun 8 2017

I love the new Army of Bones album. It's fresh but with a distinctive Martin Smith feel to it, I'm convinced it will do well.
I once met Martin Smith at Spring Harvest when I was part of the worship team there and was struck by his humility, one of the biggest names in UK Christian music and he took time to speak to me and put the worship team first over his slot.
I'm now a pastor and still recount how his lack of rock star pride (which sadly ruins so many) impacted me.
I pray he is a blessing to his local church and they do great things to further the Kingdom of God in Brighton!



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