When The Speedways emerged (seemingly out of nowhere) eight summers ago with Just Another Regular Summer, I instantly knew I had stumbled about a songwriter who was going to be a huge favorite of mine. And while I surmised that The Speedways might have been destined to go down in history as a one-off solo project, I knew this was not the last we'd hear from Matt Julian. Soon enough, The Speedways became not only a proper band but also one of the definitive power pop bands of this decade. And here we are just a few months out from the release of The Magic Comes & The Magic Goes, the fourth album by The Speedways. As the band continues work on the album and prepares to release two new singles next month, I had the chance to chat with Matt Julian and get his thoughts on the art of songwriting, his solo recording endeavors, and (of course) The Speedways.
Matt: 'Luna' is an interesting one. It ended up being one of the most unifying songs from the latest batch. For some reason, we all just really enjoyed jamming it in rehearsal. It's got a simplicity that felt so natural. Jez, our producer, loved it and really helped with the arrangement and encouraged us to make it the lead track on the single. There's a rehearsal room recording where you hear Kris say at the end of the song, "You really want this as just a B-side???!!"
I think it could split people, though. It might seem a bit throwaway to some, but it's hard to explain why it feels so perfect to us. It's very short, but it needed to be.
Lyrically it's verbatim the story of the day I met my ex-fiancé. It's probably the most honest love song I've ever written. I wrote it when we were still together, so the inspiration was optimistic and happy; now it feels bittersweet and sad. Maybe that's why it has this strong emotional pull within the band.
'I Shouldn't Have Tried To Leave Without You' is more standard Speedways. It's about having regrets in terms of choices and behaviour, but it's a totally fictional storyline.
It was one of the first songs we played with the new album in mind. It's changed quite a bit over the last two years. We have Mary Blount from Baby Shakes (& Disket) singing with us, which is so cool! There was this one line that never really suited any of our voices. I suggested it could work so much better as a female vocal part, and so I asked Mary. She recorded her parts over in the US and sent them over. It turned out great! I love the way we sing the outro together. They're both gonna be fun to play live!
Rutledge: You’ve been very prolific in terms of writing songs, even if they are not necessarily intended for The Speedways. What is your philosophy about the pace of your writing process? Do you think it’s important to write frequently and get those ideas in your head onto tape? Or do you prefer to wait for inspiration?
Matt: I need to have some kind of inspiration. I regularly have song title ideas or melodies pop into my head, and I'll either sing them into my phone or scribble something down in my book, but in terms of actually writing a full song, I do need to feel inspired.
I have that fairly common style of writing in blocks where I'll have a few ideas on the go at once - which is when things can sometimes get a bit samey. A lot of my songs are an emotional response to something or other - good or bad.
Rutledge: In what ways, if any, do you approach songwriting differently if you're writing for The Speedways as opposed to writing in general?
Matt: Nothing massively different, but I do tend to stay within a certain lyrical theme when I'm writing for a Speedways album. The Bandcamp demos are a lot more varied in subject matter and musical style.
I've recently co-written a song with Paul Collins (there's an exclusive for you!). He reached out to me with the idea of working on something together, so I sent him this 'verse/chorus' idea I had.
We had a few phone calls where we sang parts down the phone. I wrote the lyrics; he came up with the arrangement. It turned out great! It's a nice throwback to '60s British Invasion style pop. The Speedways have rehearsed it already, so watch this space! We plan to write some more stuff together, which is very cool. He's responsible for some of the greatest power pop 'n' roll stuff ever recorded, after all!
Rutledge: On your solo Bandcamp, you've been very generous about sharing songs that are very much works in progress. I think that shows a lot of trust that the people who will be listening to those songs will appreciate the spirit of what you're doing and not expect a polished product. What has been your experience with reactions from fans and followers to these demos?
Matt: Mixed! I mean, I tried to make it clear that they were only demos, ideas, first takes, songwriting challenges etc. like the EP 'Five' (maybe the best one), where I tried to write 5 songs that last 1 minute each.
But of course once somebody's listening, they perhaps forget all that & are disappointed in what they hear. I totally get that, though. Sometimes I wish I hadn't done it because I've probably got a reputation of being a scruffy songwriter now! I do know some people who like those songs more than Speedways however, so who knows? I'm disappointed in how few views they've had on YouTube. I think some of those ones are really nice.
I do have one of my Bandcamp songs getting an official release soon, though! The good people at Candyland Record Company have selected 'Mary Anne-Lowe' for a compilation LP. The guys at the label play in a band called Astrologer, who we met out in Phoenix, Arizona. They're a cool band. I'm really pleased to have one of those songs get a proper release. Billy Tibbals + Noah from Uni Boys have tracks on the album too.
'Mary Anne-Lowe' is a song about how everything I do is wrong, set against the backdrop of 'St. Elmo's Fire'! (kind of)
Rutledge: Is there a Matt Speedway solo album being considered, and if so, what progress have you made with it so far?
Matt: Yeah for sure, I've considered it for a while, but it's not easy to find the time or the money to do it, and I'm not quite sure how I'd market it or who'd be interested!?
The good thing, though, is there are at least 12 really great songs amongst those 70+ Bandcamp demos. Plus I could freshen things up with a couple of new ideas too. I wouldn't be short for material.
The solo album will be called 'Missing Persons' - I decided on that title ages ago!
Everything's ready to go. I just need a record company advance, Jeff Lynne & Nick Lowe co-producing, and a lift to the studio!
Rutledge: You've been releasing music under The Speedways brand for eight years now. In what ways do you think your songwriting has changed since then?
Matt: Not so much, I don't think. The Speedways only ever intended to be a one-off thing, but once it turned into something more, I wanted to keep the heart there. It always has to be sincere and from the heart. That's what the Speedways is to me. It's a way for me to tell people how I feel. I'm not interested in impressing the usual suspects or posers.
Rutledge: I don't get the chance to talk to a lot of people who've written a truly perfect song, so I have to ask you about "In A World Without Love It's Hard To Stay Young," which is such a glorious, magical tune. I can listen to it 100 times and still get chills from it. How did a song like that come to you? Is there a story about its origins or inspirations?
Matt: That's really kind, thanks! I had the jangly riff part for ages, and I think the verse melody too. It was written around the time of 'Just Another Regular Summer,' but I never finished it. I went back to it when I needed one last song for the 'Radio Sounds' album.
The lyrics are 99% fictional - the story about seeing a girl at the record swap and daydreaming about her at the coffee shop and then finally seeing her (with a guy) on the top deck of the 29 bus is all made up.
The reference to the 29 bus is important, though, because I know all my London mates can identify with that. I often try to use locations, weather and public transport in Speedways songs. Nothing's on my doorstep. I have to travel for music, love, romance, friendships etc..
The silver shoes line is the only factual lyric.
In a world without love, when nobody loves you, it's hard to stay positive. It's hard to have the optimism of your youth. It's hard to stay young. I'm proud of that song.
Rutledge: I know we're doing this interview one-to-one, but you sure do have some talented bandmates. In what respect have these guys shaped what The Speedways have become?
Matt: They've shaped it entirely, I couldn't have asked for better bandmates. Adrian & Kris are fundamental to who the Speedways are. They're fantastic players, of course (special mention to Adrian, who hadn't played for very long when the Speedways first started. He's become a fantastic bass player), but they're also extremely strong personalities. Very popular guys and my best friends. Kris is also an ace promoter now! Booking tours across Europe, and of course Adrian is an exceptional artist. They are the Speedways to me.
They really believe in my songs, which gives me all the confidence in the world.
Obviously things with Mauro didn't quite last the whole journey, but he was massively important too. His drive, attitude, and commitment was everything you would want in a lead guitarist and bandmate. He brought so much to the table - especially on stage.
Conor was our guitar player for just a year, but he made a big impact on me. I've been a fan of his for over ten years, and a mate of his for the same length of time. We've been out boozing together so often over those years and we always had that "we'll have to play in a band together one day" drunken chat! ..and now we finally have! You only have to listen to the Music City album to hear what a talent he is. It was a pleasure to have him play my songs for a year.
I have to mention Cunha too, who has stepped in behind the kit for a couple of tours and gigs. One of the nicest lads on the scene and one of those people who's good at everything! - singing, guitar, bass, drums! We always had the best time on tour together.
Now we have our new guitarist, Dan, who has already made a big impression on us. He learns the songs quickly, he's a cracking guitar player, can sing all the harmonies, more than knows his stuff (he knows far more than me!) + already you can tell he's gonna be a good lad to tour with. He likes a beer!
I've been really impressed by him. Very glad he joined us. A great guy.
Special mention for Jez, our producer/videographer ..he's played on every album since 'Radio Sounds' and has been a big part of arranging songs and getting the best out of us all. One of the loveliest blokes I know.
I repeat myself again, but I've been really lucky to meet all these people.
Rutledge: I kind of feel like your last album Talk Of The Town was a little bit underrated, perhaps because it broke away from the standard power pop formula. But it’s a brilliant record, and the songs really hold up. How do you view that album compared to your others?
Matt: I think it's very different for sure. It had a different vibe, & we tried a bunch of new ideas.
I understand why maybe it threw people a little. After 2 albums of pure guitar pop, there's suddenly this Kool & The Gang inspired title track with funky guitars grooving away!
The songs are excellent though, & we really stepped it up with the production & musicianship.
I absolutely love 'Monday Was The Start Of The Stars,' but I don't think I ever heard anyone mention it (haha). It's one of my favourite ever song titles too.
It was a very ambitious & creative album. I'm really proud of it.
Rutledge: You are working on the new Speedways album, The Magic Comes & The Magic Goes, right now. What sort of vibes are there in the room as you guys are cutting this record? Do you have a feel yet for what this album is going to be like?
Matt: Actually very different from 'Talk Of The Town', not because we're in any way rejecting that process or vibe, but because we just naturally feel in the mood to play some shorter songs, some punchier songs.
It really is 'back to basics' if you like. I mean, the title track is something a little different to standard power pop, and we have a really cool ballad that hasn't been recorded yet. We're still figuring out the best way to do it, but the main bulk of the album are 2 minute pop 'n' rollers with punchy, sing-a-long choruses.
I can totally imagine some people will be disappointed because they loved the progression of 'Talk Of The Town', but equally we have people who swear by the first album who will maybe enjoy this new one a lot. Who knows? One thing eternally true is that you write for yourselves. I've never seen the band happier & more excited about new songs. Adrian & Kris are constantly telling me how they've got this song or that song stuck in their head. Dan has slipped right into the vibe too.
We're gonna finish up recording over the summer, & hopefully it'll be on your turntables later this year!
Thanks a lot for the questions! Enjoyed it.
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