Get To Know: Martin Aelred Colgan
Martin Colgan's latest album "Last Boat To St. Helena" is a return to the artist's alternate rock roots, demonstrating his musicianship once more where he has produced, arranged & performed on all tracks. Let's talk to Martin himself, and hear about the inspiration and process behind his music...
What inspired you to name the album ‘The Last Boat to St. Helena’?
A poem by South African poet Ronny Anderson who is gifted lyrically and describes things from a much higher altitude than most other people I’ve ever met
You mentioned that this album was a return to your alternate rock roots, what pushed you to make this return?
After 10 years of performing classical operatic material to local communities all over the U.K. I felt it was time to get back to my writing and playing my guitar
This album is a really cohesive body of work and something you should be proud of. Can you just touch on where your inspirations came from for the album sonically?
I was inspired by the moods of nature like how it felt to walk along the beach with the sand on your feet and the basic elements of life
Sun water earth
I was brought up in Australia and lived next to the beach
Do you feel that writing, recording and producing all your material has given you an advantage you previously didn’t have or others don’t have?
I’ve worked with various producers over the years which has been great but having the freedom to play and sing what I felt was totally liberating and somehow much more true to myself
As per your credentials, you have performed in many different places and for various events. Which was your favourite and why?
I sang for the Dalai Lama on his last UK tour which was awesome but singing with the acclaimed hall of fame classical composer/ pianist Stuart Mitchell in the Swiss Alps has to be my to die for gig of all time. Stuart was so gifted and sadly gone from this earth
The album in my eyes acts as a beacon of light and hope during our periods of isolation and I believe this is one of the reasons it was created. Can you touch on briefly how lockdown has influenced the creation of this album?
As a musician and writer I’m used to working in isolation but I like everyone else was spooked by all this. Humanly speaking we have never experienced anything remotely like this I guess I instinctively reverted back to what I knew was core to me and that was music and lyrics and desperately attempted to create something that took me out of that space.
What is your favourite track on the album and why?
My personal favourite is “On The Beach“ and most likely because I’ve spent most of my life there so that’s something that represents freedom, peace and life
Essential elements for all of us
Are there any songs on the album which didn’t make the cut or is this something we can look forward to as a bonus track version?
Like most artists there are many things that didn’t make the cut
I keep everything created that I write and there’s lots of additional poems that Ronny sent over so maybe time permitting I might find a hidden gem somewhere in my archive ️