A Chat with Paul McCann (24.03.23)
Described by press as “an extremely talented musician” (Hot Press) and “truly magnificent…” (Bayview Sounds), Irish singer-songwriter Paul McCann is a natural musical talent holding audiences in the palm of his hand. We speak with McCann about his new album, Alter Ego, inspiration, future plans and more!
OSR: What drew you to music?
McCann: I’m not sure exactly when music became sure a big part of my life, but it always has been. Music was always playing in my house growing up. My sister often tells the story about how our father tried to bring us away on holiday one summer’s day and I was in tears because I didn’t want to miss my favourite music television show. The first music I became any way familiar with was Michael Jackson and Prince. The rest is history.
OSR: What or who inspires you to make music?
McCann: Wow…that’s a really big question. Life inspires me, love, loss, family, friends, nature. My kids are incredibly inspiring. Watching them learn absolutely everything and grow into these wonderful little people, asking and questioning everything. Music has inspired me my entire life. Music can take you away to a different world, a different universe, and escape everything. Certain music fills my heart with joy, certain music breaks my heart. Whatever the situation in life, there is a song or songs right there to act as a soundtrack.
OSR: What can you tell us about your album Alter Ego?
McCann: Alter Ego was an incredible undertaking. Each of the songs on the album developed completely differently. I played almost everything on my first record, so going into album number two, I wanted to try a different approach. I was amazingly lucky to have several of my favourite musicians involved, like Jason Falkner (St. Vincent, Beck, Paul McCartney); Roger Joseph Manning Jr (Beck, Jellyfish, Air); Sylvie Lewis; Charlotte Hatherley (Ash, Bat for Lashes); Gary Lucas (Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart) and many others. It’s an absolute dream come true if I’m honest.
OSR: If you had to choose a favourite track from Alter Ego, which would it be?
McCann: Aghhh..that’s like asking which is your favourite child!! Gun to my head, probably ‘Red River Run’. I really like the combination of odd guitar chord shapes and changes. They really helped enhance the uneasy, or psychedelic sound I was hoping for. The lyrics are probably the best indication of where my head was at during that time too. I was trying my best to understand where I was and what was happening to me after my father passed away, and that song probably has the most concise account of that period.
OSR: What about a least favourite?
McCann: Wow, again, “which is my least favourite child”, 😄. The one song I nearly pulled from the final version of the album was ‘Call off the Dogs’, as I didn’t think it sonically fit with the rest of the album. I was completely conflicted. I wrote and play some of the trumpet on that song too, so I really wanted it on there. Bang, the album released and Hot Press Magazine and loads of reviewers are referencing it as the album’s stand-out song. Sometimes I think when you’re so close to something, maybe it’s harder to stand back and see it from afar, as a whole body of work.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
McCann: I just want people to get from my music what I got, or continue getting from all the music I listen to. It’s all about that emotional connection I mentioned earlier. This album was written during a very hard time for me, and the emotions in the songs reflect that. Some are angry, some are reflective, and some are made to dance your ass off. I just want the songs to be heard and enjoyed for what they are.
OSR: What is your creative process?
McCann: Most of what I do starts from a thing on the guitar or piano that I’m tricking around with. I will usually spend time running that and hammering it into place until it’s as tight as it needs to be. This can happen immediately or take years. ‘Lost In This Moment’ has been in circulation in various forms for about 6 years until I rested on its current arrangement. On the other hand, I think ‘Lost In This Moment’ was written in one day, and I started recording it the very next day. Process-wise, it’s usually music first followed by lyrics, followed by seeing where I can start building vocal harmonies.
OSR: If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do with the money?
McCann: Buy more guitars. Old guitars. Lots and lots of old guitars. I would like to travel some more. See some more of the world. I spent some time in Nashville and Memphis last year and absolutely loved it there. I might just move there if I win the lottery.
OSR: What do you do in your spare time?
McCann: I don’t get spare time. I work, I play, I write. I have 3 amazing children, so any time I’m not in some sort of music-creative head space, I’m usually trying to absorb as much family time as possible. The COVID lockdown really hammered home for me how important that was. Life had started passing me by and I was really blessed to be able to re-evaluate where a lot of my time was being spent. As well as music and family, I also love movies. Anything by Hitchcock, Nicholson, the Mad Max movies, Tarantino (I met him once), Scorsese, Back to the Future, Jaws… all the classics.
OSR: Do you have future plans as a musician?
McCann: At the moment, my main focus is the new album, and trying to get it heard in as many ways possible, by as many people as possible. I’m going to try to tour as much as possible in order to do this. Apart from that, I have more music I still need to release. I have a track I’m putting out later this year that I recorded at Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, which was Johnny Cash’s private studio where much of the American Recordings was tracked. There are lots and lots of other songs in development too. Whether that will be album number three, or lots of singles, I’m not too sure yet.
Many thanks to Paul McCann for speaking with us. For more from Paul McCann, check out his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
