A long-time regular of Brisbane's indie music-arts scene both as a drummer for a number of bands as well as a host of behind the scenes roles, last year's enforced shutdown allowed James Lees to focus on his own solo work as Ghostwoods.
With piano the lead instrument, the musician, composer and producer also adds synths and percussion with contributions from collaborators including Mark Angel (electric guitar), Karl O'Shea (bass), and Andrew Saragossi (flute/ clarinet/ sax).It's music that would fit right in any David Lynch or Coen Brothers soundtrack; instrumental, moody alt-country, bruised dark-pop bristling with character and an imposing attitude. 'Dark Moon' is the title of Ghostwoods debut EP.
The shift to focus on your solo endeavours; what prompted that?
I have always looked for the next challenge, for the next new thing. Funnily it came out of a drunken conversation some years ago with my close friend and SS.Sebastian/ The Good Ship bandmate Brett Harris who jokingly challenged me to make a 'solo album'.
Even though that was very much in jest (I think), I did start wondering what that would be like. I guess I also wanted to have a project not tethered to a collaborator or a singer-songwriter, so I could work and compose at my own pace.
The very next thought of course was that I would NOT be singing, which I am at great pains to point out that I am not doing.
It's not one of my musical strengths, and I have found as soon as you start using words like 'solo' people think I have turned into a guitar-strumming crooner, which is absolutely not the case, so the world can heave a sigh a relief there.
That's a sneaky cool band name; is there a story behind Ghostwoods?
For the trainspotters out there, it is a sly 'Twin Peaks' reference but also feels like it could be the fictional name of where I live and where all of the music has been composed and recorded – at Mt Nebo, on Jinibara Country.
My dream is to own an isolated cottage here on the mountain that can convert at the flick of a button, Transformers-style, into a small indoor/ outdoor venue and I would call it Ghostwoods Lodge. Everything would be dramatically yet dimly lit, and of course Ghostwoods would probably be the house band.
The isolation of Mt Nebo and the enforced lockdowns of the past year and a half; how much did that impact the stylistic direction of Ghostwoods?
It's pretty much the main reason it exists.
Even though I had made a few steps towards Ghostwoods in 2018/ 2019 by way of some piano recordings (which I thought at the time may have become Silver Sircus songs), it really was the lockdown of 2020 that galvanised me to work on the project in earnest, as well as to get a clearer vision in my mind of what it was to be.
The absence of the usual collaboration with a singer-songwriter was one of the more challenging aspects of making the music, and oddly the huge upheaval to my work/ music life brought clarity to this. In general, I think pretty much everyone I know reported going through a personal process of determining what the important things in their lives are.
I know I did – it was a deeply emotional process for me (as I lost a great deal of work and shows) and turning to my own music was both solace and some kind of path forward.
You use piano as the lead instrument; what influenced that decision?
I've played piano in one form or another since I was a teenager. It's always been my second instrument (behind drums/ percussion), and what I have predominantly used to compose with.
Over the last few years I have dramatically increased my piano playing due to writing a lot more with Lucinda Shaw in our band Silver Sircus, but also because I simply love playing it. I tend to play 'like a drummer', which means I favour playing rhythmically and with blocky chords.
However, working on Ghostwoods as well as now assuming piano duties in Silver Sircus means I have been unlearning and breaking apart a lot of that and slowly, very slowly, becoming more like an actual piano player.
I'm now working towards favouring playing as little as possible though as I love minimalism and repetition so perhaps in 20 years, I'll be making records that just feature one solitary piano chord or one note. . . my pipe dream!
The creative process; is it hours and hours of noodling away, throwing ideas at the wall till one sticks or can a song come together more easily, almost as if it was fully written once the idea landed in your head?
In a word YES, for me it is all of those things at once. I tend to take a long, long time to finish something confidently, and I often have various bits of music lying around that are lonely and haven't found a musical home.
I will be really honest and say I am frequently plagued by imposter syndrome (there's the drummer in me again) and self-doubt – I often get very excited by a new idea, and then the next day I feel like it's the worst thing there ever was. So it is a pretty bumpy and rattly ride for me when it comes to composing.
I know I am not alone in that experience as an artist though. But those rare occasions where something falls into place – both compositionally and conceptually – make all the hand-wringing and frowning worth it.
The track 'Spiral Up' on the new EP is an example of writing and conceiving something in just a few minutes, and I'm super happy with how it turned out.
The instrumental nature of Ghostwoods; is that a deliberate decree of yours not to add vocals? Can you see a point in the future where you would collaborate with a singer?
Absolutely yes – and I love your use of the word 'decree'! I do indeed decree that the nature of Ghostwoods is that it is set up to be my personal musical/ creative project and so I have the freedom to do whatever I want, and with whoever I want – is that the classic only child speaking? Probably (not sorry!).
But yes, there will be some collaborations with other writers/ composers and singers – in fact one of these has already begun and I'm hoping it will see the dark of night sometime next year.
Particularly the title track, but the songs of the 'Dark Moon' EP could easily be transferred to a Coen Brothers or David Lynch soundtrack; is that a happy coincidence or something more conscious on your part?
I would love to have Ghostwoods on any soundtrack by those amazing artists – David and Coens, CALL ME.
The Lynch reference is very apt as I am a very devoted 'Twin Peaks' fan, and Ghostwoods is unapologetically influenced by that aesthetic and the music – maybe it's a way that I can live in that world a little bit.
Over 2017-2019, I produced and performed a concert event based on the 'Twin Peaks' music called 'Fire Walk With Us', and so this was a big musical precursor to working up the Ghostwoods material and look/ feel. That was definitely an influence and several of the same musicians are in both projects.
Your partner, Karl, features on this collection of songs playing bass and acoustic guitar; did you have to twist his arm that much to play some spooky music?
I think it would be overstating it a bit to say 'twist his arm'!
One of the great things that Karl and I share is a great love of music that is dark, sinister, challenging or confronting – we both adore Swans, Diamanda Galas, the aforementioned music of Twin Peaks, Joy Division, The Sisters Of Mercy and the list goes on and on.
He recently introduced me to Lingua Ignota who is making sound and music that would shatter your brain (in a good way). Karl is also a brilliant bass player, so of course it would be a great missed opportunity to not be playing music together and Ghostwoods is a great fit for us both.
You had a number of other instrumentalist collaborators for the 'Dark Moon' EP; what did each player bring to the project?
Like a lot of my previous projects, it is all driven by musical and sound ideas.
For example, we need sax! Let's call Andrew Saragossi, and he comes in and plays like his life depends on it (which I specifically asked for!). I worked out we needed droning, looping guitars but also a bit of late-night twang and grit, so I called upon Mark Angel (who I also work with in Silver Sircus).
For the live version, I have invited Rohan Seekers to take on keys. It's all about asking the right people for the right job – it's all like 'casting' for me, and the choices are musical and based on personal connections. My hope is that these opportunities for artists to contribute are also enjoyable and rewarding for them too.
A special mention must also go to Jamie Trevaskis of Wild Mountain Sound recording studio in Mt Nebo – Jamie did not perform or play but his aesthetics, care and skill with recording, and beautiful mixes are a huge part of the collaborative process for me.
Take us behind the scenes of the epic music video for 'Dark Moon'? Who was involved, where was it filmed? It seems to was a labour of love – it's a captivating watch and adds another layer of sophistication to the music.
It is a bit of an epic isn’t it. The video started life as the simplest idea ever to have some kind of visuals to accompany the song 'Dark Moon'.
I approached my friend Tim Steward (of Screamfeeder) who has made some great videos (also with his bandmate Kellie Lloyd) – Tim suggested collaborating with filmmaker Jacob Schiotz who he has been making documentaries with for both Screamfeeder and We All Want To.
From that point, Jacob and Tim really ran with ideas and I pretty much handed total control over to them. We ended up doing a much more elaborate project, which included two days of shooting, multiple locations and of course the star of the clip, Leah Shelton who performed two separate (but mysteriously linked roles).
We shot all of it at Mt Nebo in the forest, on the roads and at the house of Jamie Trevaskis and Mia Goodwin where the music was recorded. Jamie and Mia also graciously let us use their very flash Mercedes Benz for the driving scenes.
Lucinda Shaw made beautiful insect artwork and helped with hair/ make-up, Karl assisted us too and I made food and call sheets. I knew my ancient film degree would come in handy one day!
One of the shoots was in the forest very, very late at night (between 11pm-1am) and I have never ventured in there at that time – I was surprised how oddly calm, and not at all unsafe it felt, even though I am sure many eyes were watching us silently (shudder!).
The reaction to the video has been amazing – as with everything that we all collectively put our heart and souls into, it is very gratifying to get something finished, out there and also noticed and enjoyed by others.
What's next for Ghostwoods? Can we expect any live dates?
The next adventure for Ghostwoods is indeed a live performance which is happening at The Junk Bar in January.
I remarked to Karl the other day that in all my years of being in bands, I have never actually started a band myself from scratch. I have always joined bands that already existed and I slotted into.
Having foolishly not realised this up until then, I had been scratching my head a little as to how to play the music live, and this is the reason – the live versions don't exist yet. I'm very confident and excited though, and I feel like it is going to be somewhat louder and a bit spikier than the recordings, which are very smooth and lush sounding.
I'm reverting back to drums (mostly) for the show, and along with the 'Dark Moon' EP tracks, we'll also play some of the music from the full album that is already recorded (but not mixed).
Also on the bill is one of my absolute favourite Brisbane artists – Sabrina Lawrie. I've had the pleasure of playing and working with Sabrina, and I'm a big fan of when she plays solo with electric guitar and all her pedals – she can make a whole world out of her guitar sounds, and I've asked her to perform like this for our show together.
Ghostwoods and Sabrina Lawrie play The Junk Bar (Brisbane) 14 January.
