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‘i tenD to write songs by MyselF anD have to be alone with no Distractions. i usually builD theM arounD a Feeling or general iDea anD carve away until a song is there. it takes soMe patience, Flexibility anD harD thinking, anD can soMetiMes Feel like brushstrokes.’ t i M o t h y c u s h i n g What types of things do you sing about? I used to write songs exclusively about unrequited love, which is easy, but it got really old and maudlin. With “Hunting Songs” I tried to tackle some more obscure concepts like memories, moods, depression and excitement. I hear you just fnished recording a Christ- mas album! Can you tell us about it? The Christmas album was a lot of fun. My friend Donghee Lee joined us on upright bass. We gathered in a big living room and recorded for a few days. I wrote a few originals for the album, including “A Very Fancy Christmas” and “Christmas Card from Korea pt. 2” (the origi- nal “Christmas Card from Korea” is on my solo Christmas album). The album was a nice way for our families to have us around during Christ- mas, even if we aren’t there in person. What is the creative process behind your tracks? I tend to write songs by myself and have to be alone with no distrac- tions. I usually build them around a feeling or general idea and carve away until a song is there. It takes some patience, flexibility and hard thinking, and can sometimes feel like brushstrokes. Often I’ll be work- ing really hard on a song and then suddenly realize that it’s done and kind of step back. As far as mixing and producing goes, it depends on the project. The current album I’m working on is piecemeal — one in- strument at a time. I try to get everything recorded before I start mixing and adding effects, and it is all done in my home. I’ll also send files to friends in the States to add to. Other projects, such as “X-Mas Album,” are recorded all at once to give them a more live and unpolished sound. It all depends on intention, I suppose. ‘i personally have terrible stage Fright. usually, beFore a show i becoMe super antisocial anD probably look way too serious For soMeboDy who is about to play quirky Folk Music to a hanDFul oF people.’ t i M o t h y c u s h i n g MorE INfo j Cushing’s music and Fancy Man’s “X-Mas Album” are available on his website: www.timothycushing.com. Cushing’s solo album “Hunting Songs” can be heard at huntingsongs.timothycushing.com. What do you enjoy about living on Jeju Island, and how is the music scene there? In two words I would describe the music scene as “spread out.” There are tons of creative people living on Jeju, but for some reason it is hard to bring them all together. I think that this might have to do with the creative people on Jeju also tending to be hermetic. I’m hoping that Jeju can continue to grow its artistic community and not venture too heavily down the road of development and drive its artists away. Do you get nervous before performing? Do you do anything pri- or to going on stage? I personally have terrible stage fright. Usually, before a show I be- come super antisocial and probably look way too serious for somebody who is about to play quirky folk music to a handful of people. I used to have a few drinks before a show, but I realized that that doesn’t really help matters. It’s a skill like anything else, though, and the more I get on stage the more comfortable I feel. Do you have any particular hopes for fancy Man? I don’t have any particular hopes for Fancy Man at the moment, other than to keep working at it and see where it goes. We would like to start playing some shows in Seoul at some point, but for now my focus is on finishing up the album. We also plan on continuing to build our extensive wardrobes. Edited by Emilee Jennings (emilee@groovekorea.com) muSIC & ARTS www.groovekorea.com / January 2015 78