"It felt like the right time": Scroobius Pip talks to Skiddle about flying solo

Bearded Brit Scroobius Pip boasts a titular that is more often associated with his spoken word hip-hop collaborator Dan Le Sac.

With latest work Distraction Pieces he stands solo, creating a debut that brings Danny Lohner’s (Nine Inch Nails) production skills on board. With darker beats and a more guitar-based edge, Scroobius Pip embraces his personal project and tells Jasmine Phull why he’d prefer to hear your words aloud.

You’re a visual artist as well as an aural one. How important is the correlation between the visual and the written word? Is one more powerful than the other?

Well, primarily, I am focused on audio. I have always enjoyed HEARING a poet perform their work far more than reading it. A lot can be put across in the way it is delivered that, sometimes, doesn’t come across on paper.

Can visuals sometimes be detrimental to the written word?

I think it really depends on the piece and/or the visual.

In 2010, you released a graphic novel filled with your words and other people’s scrawlings. How was its reception?

It was the third best selling graphic novel on Amazon! It was amazing to get so many great artists submitting work and, when the finished item was in my hand, it was all the more overwhelming.

How different is reading to yourself as opposed to hearing the author read aloud? Why?

I think it’s very different, even more so if you are a writer yourself. I will naturally impose my particular style of delivery or flow when reading a piece, so I always prefer to hear it the way the author intended.

Is there anything defining from your youth that shaped where you’re at today? When was the moment you knew this was the life you would lead?

I have no “burning bush” moment, no. I very much stumbled into all of this. I have been very lucky that the things I was passionate about working on, seemed to click with others and became my day job.

The one piece of advice you’d give the you starting out?

I’m happy with how it has all gone so I don’t know if I would give any advice. It’s far better to learn lessons than be told them. Any mistakes that have been made have helped me understand it all that bit better.

Is there another genre of music that influences your own productions?

It depends which genre you are speaking of in the first place really! I am heavily influenced by hip hop and punk but also, along the way, jazz, indie, pop… all sorts really!

Distraction Piece is quite a diversion from your collaborative work with Dan Le Sac. How emotionally inspired were you when writing this record? Did you ever try to delve into deeper emotions in order to create the tracks?

No deeper than usual, no. The first two records with Dan have covered suicide, domestic abuse and numerous other very deep and dark subjects. I think, in places, this record appears to be darker due to the production on some of the beats. It is heavier and more guitar based, which instantly makes it a little more edgy.

Did Danny Lohner help you tap into your deeper, darker side?

The track I wrote with Danny was something I already had half written already, so I wouldn’t say he helped me tap into anything deeper or darker, but he certainly brought the best out of the vocal and lead it on brilliantly.

The video for Introdiction is amazingly intense. How did the idea for that come into fruition?

The idea pretty much came from having very little budget (£100) and wanting to grab as much attention as possible to the first piece of work from my solo record. I was very aware that it may not get as much attention as the Le Sac Vs Pip stuff, as it was very much a smaller side project kind of affair. So the concept was pretty straightforward and would, hopefully, get everyone to give it a look (whether they enjoy it or not, that was up to them!).

How confronting was it working solo after having worked in a duo for so long?

Well I started off as a solo artist and, from a writing point of view Dan and I have always wrote quite separately, so it wasn’t too intimidating. It felt like it was the right time to do it as well, so it just flowed quite naturally.

There are lots of important writers pre-noughties, but do any of today’s lyricists stand out for you?

Yeah there are loads. Kate Tempest (of the band Sound of Rum) is an amazing voice on the UK scene. As is Polarbear. In the USA there are people like P.O.S. and B Dolan writing some of the most inspiring stuff I’ve ever heard.

Last song you listened to?

Haha. I’ve been in tour practice mode so the last song I listened to was “The Struggle” (from my own album…).

First album you bought?

My answer always changes on this one, as I can never remember! It was either the soundtrack to “Last Action Hero” (feat AC/DC and Cypress Hill!) or an Aerosmith greatest hits! Neither of them get much play these days…

Interview by: Jasmine Phull

Scroobius Pip appears at The Masque in Liverpool on Thursday 27th October. 

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