Interview blog for heat magazine, May 2010.

Visiting with Nibsā¦
Iāve learnt three things from Nibs van der Spuy:
⢠How to open those pesky plastic CD packets in less than two seconds using only your thumbnail
⢠That guys who connect closely with guitar strings often need reinforcements in the form of fake nails to get them through a gig
⢠That heās a better interviewer than me: I hadnāt known him for five minutes, and he already knew where I came from, that I have a cat and actually speak Afrikaans.
Nibs is such a laid-back, comfortable guy that you find yourself spilling details on your own life instead of digging for his deep, dark secrets. Not that heās closely guarded ā not at all. His particular brand of beautiful acoustic-guitar driven melodies asks that he put his emotions and experiences out there for all to hear. Such is the case with A House Across The River, his latest album, just released. As good a time as any to corner him for some lunchtime red wine and questionsā¦
A colleague of mine gets very sentimental about your music; he calls it āsnog songsā⦠Do you get that a lot?
Nibs: All across the world! I put my heart on the line when I write, and hopefully what Iām going through emotionally at the time helps people to connect with the music. The essence of songwriting is honesty ā you have to be honest, even when youāre putting your experiences into a fictional context. Thatās why I love musicians such as Tom Petty⦠And Bruce Springsteen. He paints vivid pictures. Iām thinking of Nebraska, The Ghost of Tom Joad, Devils & Dust⦠I sang The River just last night!
The storytellers⦠Would you say youāre a storyteller too?
Nibs: Yes! A House Across The River is basically about reliving the lost dreams you once had in your heart, perhaps as a child⦠When you believed you could do anything. People should go back to the basics. What you drive, what you wear doesnāt mean anything. Thereās no love and happiness in it. You need to go back to the simple things. Itās much like Tom and Bruceās songs ā they give you a story, but itās up to you to determine how it turns out for you, what you do with it.
Itās a metaphor for life⦠The mansion the boyās driving past in A House Across The River is symbolic. The risk factor is crossing the river to get to it, to the girl inside. The girlās not gonna come to you, you have to go and get her!
So in your case, did you go and get the metaphorical girl?
Nibs: Iām living my long-time dream⦠Iāve been playing music for many years, but for a while I also lectured at varsity, for 14 years. But before the release of Beautiful Feet, I never really DID it. I took a risk with the release of Beautiful Feet: to resign from my job when the CD got international recognition. That was the sign. Being on the road⦠I love it, I love playing with others, and I love playing solo and independent.
And you also got the actual girl!
Nibs: Sheās French and lives in France. Weāve been together for three years⦠I met her on MySpace! She commented that she liked my music, I posted her an album, we chatted, and I flew over to meet her⦠Itās not always easy, but weāre both independent, which helps with the distance thing!
Has living your dream changed you?
Nibs: Iāve come out of my shell, Iām less introspective⦠When you put music out there, youāre putting your soul on the line. Iām not scared anymore. I can tell the whole world what I feel.
Do you structure your gigs as well, to tell a story?
Nibs: I never work with a setlist. I just feel the vibrations from the audience, and it helps me decide what to play. My audience dictates, I think a setlist is rigid, it confines you.
You worked with Farryl Purkiss and Guy Buttery on this album again⦠Any other local acts you like?
Nibs: Iām a huge Valiant Swart fan, from his Dorpstraat Revisited days⦠Thatās a powerful album. And bass-guitarist Schalk Joubert. Dan Patlansky, Albert Frost ā Iāve known him since the age of 17! And I love 340ml!
You also worked with Piers Facini on this albumā¦
Nibs: I discovered Pierce when I went to watch a gig of Ben Harper years ago⦠He was touring with Ben, did a duet with him. Pierce is my favourite singer/songwriter. But I guess my biggest musical inspiration would be Tim Buckley ā Geoff Buckleyās dad⦠He died at the age of 28, but put nine albums out before then! Geoff never knew his dad. Cripples Cry on my album is a cover of a Tim Buckley song.
Nieu Bethesdaās quite an interesting song, also with Farryl on vocalsā¦
Nibs: Nieu Bethesda is quite a disturbing town; it doesnāt have the greatest energy⦠I didnāt really paint a pretty picture in the song; itās more a song of redemption⦠Get your faith together! Nieu Bethesda is very grey⦠a bad acid trip.
Whatās your process when recording an album?
Nibs: Iām a fan of albums. If I think of guys from the ā70s, ā80s, they were bringing out an album a year ā sometimes even twice a year! Why wait years? Every day is inspirational ā if you wait too long, the inspiration fades. I do albums very organically. Once I have a theme, I work within the parameters of whatās in my heart and dreams. While ideas are fresh, lay them down! Donāt wait!
A House Across The River was recorded and mixed in five days. You get three dudes together, living the music⦠Things get really organic. We decided we were going to keep the music real; nothing was recorded in more than three takes. Some takes felt good immediately, but weād do another for just in case⦠Obviously you have to rehearse, but the song still needs to be a bit foreign to you when you play it. It must not sound too rehearsed, because that just kills the soul.
Do you ever find the process of bringing out an album, of being so honest, painful?
Nibs: It is painful⦠Life stories can be painful!
What would you ultimately like your music to do?
Nibs: When I leave, Iād like to know that Iāve left snapshots of my life behind. I want my albums to be timeless, to sound timeless. Not overly produced!
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