Decibels! Tindersticks “The Waiting Room” film project
© Richard Dumas
Different, special, unique. These are the words that first spring to mind when we mention Tindersticks, a smart English group, which first saw the light of day at the beginning of the 1990s. Since then this extraordinary group has chosen a unique path, producing elegant timeless pop music, from soul and folk to new wave.
Topping the list in its abundant discography, it has featured John Barry on an album cover, released double albums, dedicated songs to Lee Hazelwood, recorded with orchestras, produced live records in limited editions, rerecorded its own songs (and also those by other artists), invited female guest singers and inspired its leader to go solo. During their journey, they have encountered not only friendship, loyalty, joy but also indecision and self-questioning. Because an odyssey like this can never stand still. In fact, in the mid-2000s it almost came to an end. For good. Certain members left the group and from the original six members, three continued the adventure: leader Stuart A. Staples, keyboard Dave Boulter and guitarist Neil Fraser, joined by bass Dan McKinna, drummer Earl Harvin and loyal supporters (Terry Edwards and others).
“You only live twice” claims the film and the song. Stuart Staples knows this better than most. An expatriate living in the Creuse (France) for the last eight years with his wife and children, he never misses out on an opportunity, collaboration or project however perilous it may sound. Recently the group used Ypres, the harsh original score of the permanent exhibition on the First World War in the Flanders Fields Museum in Belgium. It also played at the inauguration of the Paris Philharmonic. They aim to take on challenges, never resort to repetitions and never give in to routine. Routine? It’s a word these people have banished from their repertoire. Fortunately there is no shortage of plans or encounters. And the one that is of interest to us here dates back to the winter of 2012 when Stuart Staples was a member of the Labo Jury at the prestigious International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand, invited by one of the organizers, Calmin Borel. The two men got on well – music and film make a first-class combination. They talked, exchanged views, laughed, clinked glasses and made ambitious plans. But not only that…
Three years later, when for the first time Tindersticks finished its new album – the tenth – several months before it came out, their singer embraced the fulfilment of a cherished project: to accompany each song with a short film. An idea that perfectly fits the profile of the group, which has over the years shown its love for the seventh art, from its well-made clips (and from this its friendship with producer Martin Wallace) to the magnificent scores created by the French producer Claire Denis, since Nénette Et Boni in 1996. To help him in this crazy venture, Stuart of course teamed up with Calmin with a view to exchange ideas, names, addresses and find producers who would not be intimidated by the musical universe of Tindersticks, whose “cinematographic” virtues are often acclaimed. Captured by this ambitious project and Staple’s artistic intransigence, major artists in the cinema world, Joe King and Rosie Pedlow (British), Christoph Girardet (German), Gabraz (Brazilian) were among the first to give their approval. However in a venture such as this it was essential to call on the “family”: so, the great Richard Dumas (who has produced, among others, the portraits of Miles Davis, Jarvis Cocker, Alain Bashung and Keith Richards) and Claire Denis also gave their support. Immediately.
However, to be successful, a third person was needed, someone who would offer his expertise in production and distribution. Therefore, Calmin detailed the project in La Blogothèque , the site for enthusiasts that the whole world envies for having created, among other things, the famous “Concerts À Emporter”, very often copied but rarely equaled. Today the puzzle pieces are beginning to fit together. Other ideas have developed – for example a special Tindersticks concert will be held at the next Short Film Festival (during which all the films produced will be shown). Between now and then – February 2016, the official date for the release of the album -, all these people will no doubt exchange emails and smiles, share worries, nurture hopes and work extremely hard. For the moment there is one certainty: the record is finished. It is called The Waiting Room.
Waiting: the moment when everything is still possible.
Christophe Basterra
http://bit.ly/tindersticksclermontff16uk
© Richard Dumas
