Interview with Martin Orford

Ed Sander

So, why a solo album?

That's an easy one. Basically when you work with the same band or group of bands for a number of years, you start to realise that some of the material you write doesn't quite fit into a band format. It doesn't mean that the material isn't good enough, it just doesn't gel with a particular line-up. I've got quite a lot of music that falls into that category, and it seemed to me it was about time some of the best of it an airing.

How long have you been working on this album?

Rob Aubrey and I started recording some piano parts back in February this year, but we only really got going on the project in April, with another concerted effort in June. As for the writing, well some of the material is 25 years old, and some is very recent.

What is the material on the album like? Should people expect a keyboard extravaganza or is it different?

I'm not really that sort of keyboard player; I certainly wasn't cut out to be the new Keith Emerson. I like to think that my playing is tasteful and appropriate rather than flash. There are enough good keyboard solos on the album, as well as the two piano pieces to keep most keyboard fans happy, but then there are some great guitar solos too. I would be very sceptical about making an album that was too heavily biased in favour of keyboards, and I think that this album is much better balanced than that.

What kind of instruments have you played on the album?

Keyboards of course, but also there's quite a bit of flute, some mandolin and odd things like bagpipes. I also played nylon-string acoustic guitar as a solo instrument on one track which was quite a challenge for me.

What other musicians can be heard on the album?

Basically I used Jadis as the core musicians for this project, as I know exactly what they can do, and most of them live close to the studio. Once I had got Gary and Steve to play most of the basic backing tracks, I was able to fit other musicians into the framework. Paul Cook (IQ) also does some great playing on two songs, Mike Holmes (IQ) is there on one track, and John Jowitt (IQ) plays bass throughout. In the later stages of recording, I was able to get Peter Nicholls and John Wetton (ex-Asia, ex-UK, ex-King Crimson) to sing on one track each, and Dave Kilminster (John Wetton Band) contributed some of his trademark guitar pyrotechnics too. Tony Wright, the sax player who starred on Subterranea is also there on one song.

Why did you choose them?

Because they're all great musicians, I know how they work and what they sound like, and they were all willing and able to do it.

Are there any other people you would have liked to work with?

I did ask Andy Latimer from Camel to do some guitar, but the timing was all wrong for him, and he was busy putting the Camel world tour together at the time I was recording. Neal Morse from Spock's Beard also very kindly offered to sing on the album, but as time was tight and as I didn't really have anything that seemed particularly suited to his voice, I wasn't able to use him. However, I am a big fan of Neal's music, and I would hope to work with him at some point in the future.

What happened to the Russian Male Voice Choir that was supposed to sing on Tatras? 😉

They're still in the pub!

Is this all new material or have the compositions been written over a longer period of time?

As I said earlier, some of the tunes are 25 years old, some are recent, and others come from all points in between. It's a collection of material rather than an album with a common theme.

Can you tell us a bit more about the origins of the various tracks on the CD?

I can, but it would be easier to read the CD booklet, where I've written a short history of each track.

Which keyboard players have been your most important examples?

I don't really take much notice of other keyboard players; I do my thing, and they do theirs. I do remember seeing Eddie Jobson with UK in 1978, and thinking "I wouldn't mind doing his job", not realising that I would be playing the same material with John Wetton 20 years later! But I wouldn't say I'm particularly influenced by Eddie's music, or that of any other keyboard player.

Why the title Classical Music And Popular Songs? Most people seem to dislike that title.

Personally, I couldn't care less whether people like the title or not, because it's my album, and the title describes accurately where I come from musically. I spent the first ten years of my life listening to pop music like The Beatles, and The Byrds, and the next seven or eight years listening to or playing classical music. Everything I write is dependent on those influences, and all my material contains varying degrees of classical and pop influence. Most people seem to want to think that I am a product of the 1970's prog rock thing, but nothing could be further from the truth; all that had been swept away by punk rock long before I ever knew it existed. Some people have said that the "Classical Music and Popular Songs title" is pretentious and pompous. Considering that I generally like music that is described in those terms, I don't have a problem with it. My dictionary lists pretentious as "ostentatious - making an excessive claim to great merit or importance". Suits me fine.

What other people, places or occurrences have influenced the material on CMAPS?

I take a lot of inspiration from the area of Hampshire where I live, and a lot of the music could almost be a soundtrack to the beautiful scenery we have round here.

The CD booklet features a very old picture on which you play with another band. What's the story behind that picture?

That was my first band Triangular Heel, and it was taken during a performance on local TV. I was about 16 at the time and had all my own hair. We were absolutely dreadful, but we did have in the repertoire a track which became the prototype for "Fusion" which ended up on the new album.

You performed some of the material live at the Whitchurch festival, the evening prior to the IQ performance. Can you tell us something about that little gig?

All solo gigs are really scary, but I have to say that the audience that night were brilliant. I think I got away with it.

Will you tour with this album?

I've got no plans at all to forge a new career as a solo artist, however if the album proves to be a hit and sells 10,000 copies or more, I might have to re-consider.

Besides the title, how has the album been received so far?

I've had some great e-mails from lots of people saying how much they've enjoyed the album. Best of all though, it's been well receive at home; Chris is always playing it in her car, and some of my oldest friends have really taken to it as well.

Are you planning to release more solo albums in the future?

You bet I am!

Last but not least: Where does your nickname "Widge" come from?

Years ago I used to have an accent which was much broader than it is now. The Hampshire accent is basically similar to that in the West Country, though mine was never as broad as Robert Fripp's. Anyway, I used to take a fair bit of stick for the fact that I have never been able to say words like "cow" without it sounding like "ceeeoow". One day the Jadis boys were on a beach in Dorset, and sat next to them was a family whose accents were deemed to be even more amusing than mine. No sooner had one of the parent called to one of the kids "come over here you old Widger", than the die was cast. I was doomed to be called Widger, or Widge for all eternity. Luckily as nicknames go, it's generally used in quite an affectionate way, and yes, I am called Widge at home too!

Thank you Widge for taking the time to answer these questions!