4. Juni 2010, 09:44 Music Interview

Welcome back to Switzerland.
Thanks. It's amazing here. I like it a lot here. You have great food. I know, everyone says that but I love your chocolate and the cheese. And your country is beautiful. Last time, we went to see Geneva. I think it's my first time here in Zürich.

What can we expect from your show tonight?
Hard rock'n'roll stuff. No, I'm just kidding obviously. I always try to do a connected presentation of the songs. I want to get into the music and go through emotions.

Muse played a huge show last night in Bern. Do you think you can do a big show and still show emotions?
Yes, I definitely do but it's not easy. There's Bruce Springsteen who puts up large stadium shows but still you see that he's totally into the music.

How can we imagine you writing songs?
I always write at home, usually early in the morning. I don't like to write while I'm touring. The songs that I write on tour are meaningless. And I always write the music first, otherwise the lyrics get to poetic. Back home, I'm recording some new songs for a new album. And I think the melancholy has gone. There's less sadness in the new songs. That's partly because I have moved on and music healed me and all the things I've gone through.

Some people say that your music is perfect for falling asleep and for cuddling.
Well, that's exactly what my music is supposed to be. It's kind of a goodnight record, some lullabies for grown-ups. When you're in bed, you have the time to listen to the music and I like it when people say that.

What's the most beautiful thing someone ever said about your music?
There's this friend of mine, she's also a musician. She once said that my songs are so simple and that she hasn't ever heard prettier confessional music. She thought that there's a perfect balance between beauty and honesty in the songs.

Do you think you would have a different approach to music if your parents weren't blind?
That's an interesting question. I don't know. I think I wouldn't be doing music. My parents taught me how to appreciate music. But yeah, I don't really know. The music they listened was very important for me. There were The Beatles, Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell and funnily enough, I was very much into Led Zeppelin.

What do you think about TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy" where your music was featured?
I think it's great as long as you can stand behind it. Some people say it's the new radio. I don't know but it's definitely a great platform. I found beautiful music myself in commercials on TV, for example Nick Drake. There was this 30 second commercial that featured "Pink Moon".

What does success mean to you?
That's another hard question. Well, I came into music pretty weird. I was a psycho-therapist and for me success then was to be able to help people. I know it sounds corny but I still think that is my goal. I'm trying to help people with music.

What are your plans for this year?
After the European dates we'll be going back to the US and do some shows over there during the summer and then I can hopefully take the rest of the year off so that I can finish the new record. Making music feels much better than it has ever before.

Aktuelle CD: Derivates (EP)
Konzertbericht Rote Fabrik, 03.06.2010
William Fitzsimmons Online