Interview with Craig Armstrong / Winona.

• 15th Apr 2008

Prolific writer, composer and musician Craig Armstrong/Winona kindly took some time out from his seemingly never ending schedule to answer a few questions for the Glasswerk massive!

AS: Thanks for this Craig…

AS: When you take aim with your peashooter/pellet gun/sniper rifle, you’re aiming at?
CA: I am not a violent person and completely against the use of weapons of any kind.

AS: Where do you go when it all gets too much?
CA: Portugal, under my bed, my studio or to hang out with my daughter.

AS: Is bedtime more half nine with a half read paper or more half four with fully red eyes?
CA: 4.30am… usually still in the studio.

AS: What do you do in your recreational time?
CA: What’s that?

AS: What’s the last gig/concert you went to?
CA: It was actually the opening night of ‘5:15 Scottish Opera’, a fifteen minute Opera I wrote with Ian Rankin. I don’t get out much these days.

AS: What’s the best music video?
CA: AGF and Su C. – Mini Movies link

AS: Do you believe in love at first sight?
CA: Absolutely… of humans and things.

AS: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
CA: I try not to think about that.

AS: Any regrets, missed opportunities or things that might’ve been?
CA: I would like to visit the places I go to work around the world without the work.

AS: Were/are you aware of your escalating popularity?
CA: NO!

AS: Will your past come back to haunt you?
CA: We’re all a little haunted, I think it helps us to try and not make the same mistakes everyday.

AS: Where do you most enjoy playing live?
CA: In my studio on my Pleyell piano.

AS: Why? What's your biggest why question that’s mystified you the longest?
CA: Why do I still miss my pet dog that died when I was 16yrs old?

AS: Where do you sit in the grand scheme of things?
CA: I’m a working musician.

AS: Any choice epitaphs, famous last words or something you’d like to be remembered for?
CA: Just my music.

AS: What makes you better than everyone else?
CA: I’m not.

AS: When do you plan to take over the world?
CA: Thursday.

AS: What changes can we expect to notice with this outing?
CA: More trees everywhere, free entry into cinemas and more fun generally.

AS: Are you all agreed & in control of the formats for your releases?
CA: Yes.

AS: Wish you were doing anything else with your time other than music?
CA: Generally I enjoy composing.

AS: Did you have any heroes when you were a teenager?
CA: Bowie, Kraftwerk, Can, Mahler, Cardew, Beatles.

AS: What do you think of the paparazzi?
CA: I think they’re different in every country.

AS: What are you listening to right now?
CA: The score I am writing for the Hulk.

AS: Any message to any underachieving or odds facing musician out there?
CA: Try not to give up; it took a long time for me to get any work at all.

AS: Any career highs or lows you care to share?
CA: Highs – hopefully in the future. Lows – when nobody liked what I was writing.

AS: Do you enjoy playing live or are you more at home in a studio?
CA: Studio.

AS: Your career defining dream moment would be what?
CA: Hopefully the next project.

AS: Thanks for your time Craig; I look forward to hearing your Hulk score.

To read my review of Winonas brilliant LP click this link