Joel Harkin [Interview].

July 24, 2018

Joel Harkin [Interview].

Joel Harkin is from Donegal and wants to 'sing everybody sad songs'. The resulting music with loose shapes is anchored by his pellucid, articulate voice and plucked guitar lines. He released "Charlie and Deirdre" in September and Harkin's delicate songwriting is laid bare in this track. As with Bright Eyes, a huge influence for Harkin, he shows signs of a visceral intensity. The poignant, ambient songs are fuelled with love and anguish. Reverb guitars and contrasts with light and shade are also prominent in his music. Once you hear it, echoing in a room, bouncing off the walls and ringing in your ears you are left mesmerised. He's really making music, making poetry. He sits down with me to discuss his early memories of connecting with music and lyrics, the artists that have shaped him, and the meanings behind his songs.

How would you describe your sound?
Joel: Ninety-five percent alternative ambient folk music and five percent alternative ambient country music.

What do you want to say through music?

Depends on the song, it's a way to express the emotion you're feeling when you're writing that song, I guess.

Who or what made you want to start writing songs?

I suppose after I started to learn guitar and I didn't want to just play guitar and I didn't think I'd ever be good enough to just play guitar. I started listening to a lot of folk and indie bands and lyrics became more so why I became listening to music rather than, at the time I was just really into metal and loud guitars and heavy drums, and "aw that sounds class" rather than a song or a story. But then I got really interested in that and that made me want to write. That and all the artists I was listening to then after that kind of revelation where they were like songwriters more than guitar players, bass players or whatever and that was what I was into.

What's your first memory of hearing a song/band/album and being blown away by it?

I suppose in my household... my ma loves Elvis and that's very much what we listened to growing up, Elvis records flat out. Sometimes the radio but mostly Elvis. You listen to it and you enjoy it. But you're listening to it so much that it becomes familiar and then the familiarity of it is what makes you like it in one sense. But then after I started playing and getting into music in more of a 'not just in a listening' context - in a playing context as well, and listening to those Elvis records again with new musician goggles on, I suppose that would've blown me away. It's not just 'this is the stuff my ma likes', it's 'this is actually good stuff'.

What songs do you remember most from your childhood?

Return to Sender probably! Or American Trilogy. Class.

What lyric of yours are you most proud of?

"I realise it wad fiction, my minds jurisdiction. Darling I hate your absence and I could not be more sincere" [from Charlie and Deirdre]. That's my favourite one. I'm very proud of that.

Does it feel weird when you're singing, that you're sharing personal details with everyone who is listening?

Not really? Maybe... Does it feel weird sharing my personal details? I'm going to say no. Because some of my songs are just me talking and getting what I'm feeling out and onto paper but some of my songs are stories that are just made up. And maybe it's because of that, that some of them are very personal to me and some of them are stories, that when I'm singing them, the ones that are personal, there's a thought in my mind that maybe nobody is realising that this is part of what has happened to me and part of my experience. That potentially this is one of the story songs.

What song do you wish you had written?
There's so many! 'Skate Shoes' by Hand Models. As well, 'I will be grateful for this day' by Bright Eyes. It's so good.

What local band would you join if you had a choice?

Hand Models or Bui. I got to sing back up on one of their songs in their record 'Eugine'. And they're all my mates so definitely. Either Hand Models or Bui. I'd be happy with that.

Did writing the song about your dad moving to Spain [Charlie and Deirdre] help you come to terms with it?

Yeah. It's kind of just a way of organising thoughts, the process of writing that song... before I wrote it I didn't know how to feel about it. I was happy that he was going to get to do something he's always wanted to do but also sad that I wasn't going to be able to see my dad whenever I wanted. And so through writing that and organising it in my head and onto paper it made me think more kind of objectively about it all. The whole thing of the song is that I can't be selfish with it, this is what he wants to do so I'm not going to get in the way of it and he's really happy so I'm really happy. I went out to visit him a month and a half ago now. It was great. Some life, it's lovely weather and a beautiful wee town. The wifi isn't good and the connection isn't good but I was still able to listen to the Across The Line episode where Brand New Friend were in session and sit by the sea and watch the sun go down and listen to it. It's class, it's a great place.

What's one thing you want people to know about you?That I'm from Donegal and that I want to sing everybody sad songs.

Any cool things happening this summer?

We're finishing the EP. It's pretty much finished, it's just in the mixing stage now so we've done that so that's good. So I suppose for the rest of the summer, a couple of gigs coming up... I'm supporting Wynona Bleach in the Foundry on the 3rd of August. I'm going to a couple of weddings that I'm really excited about. I feel like an adult now I'm getting invited to weddings! It's cool. And just making plans for the EP launch in the Autumn. September or October.