Lust For Gold
A Conversation with Jason Martin of Starflyer 59
Every time Starflyer 59 releases a new album, I reach out to Jeff Cloud at Velvet Blue Music and see if Jason is willing to do a podcast interview and each time the answer is no. But this time around Jeff suggested doing a print interview and I liked the idea of doing something different! So I got to sit down with the new Starflyer 59 record, Lust For Gold, and compile some questions for Jason to answer.
BP - In the Easy Come Easy Go boxeset, J Edward Keyes wrote that the theme on The Fashion Focus was “man, I’m getting old.” In that spirit, there’s been a noticeable looking back and feeling of nostalgia in the lyrics of the last few records. And with this record you’ve really leaned into a more classic sound to go with this sense of looking back on the past. Obviously getting older has so many of reflecting on the past and not being as young as we once were but what else has been the biggest contributor to your lyrical direction over the last decade?
JM - That’s true…I guess for me looking back is the best way for me to move on to the future.
BP - While we’re on the topic of lyrics, you’ve not had a lot of songs that focus and center on faith or Christianity. But you do dive into feelings of perplexity or estrangement with Christians/Christianity on Everyone Seems Strange. I have my thoughts on what might have inspired that but what led you tackle that subject on this record?
JM - My faith in Christ is important to me, my relationship with family and friends who share that faith is also very important to me..Family and friends who once did, but who no longer share that faith for a variety of reasons, it just makes me sad.
That’s pretty much the sum of it.
BP - Since Talking Voice vs Singing Voice, it seems like you found a level of comfort with your voice and vocals took a more forward approach from that album on. On the new record you seem to strike a balance between what you’ve been doing vocally for the last 19 years while also tapping in to the classic back in the mix, drenched in reverb sound. This is really a two part question. Was there something about the recording process of Talking Voice that helped unlock your voice going forward and was there anything difficult about trying to capture a classic sound while trying to maintain what has been a big part of Starflyer’s sound for so long?
JM - Singing has never been something that I have really loved, it was a necessity when the band started because there was no one else to do it.
Through the years I found more what I was able to do, still not my first choice, but after this long it just is what it is.
BP - Has working with Charlie as a member of the band been a boost to the project? I know he has his own project but is he a catalyst for new material these days?
JM - Working with Charlie has been great. He’s a fantastic drummer, and has become someone to bounce ideas off of because he writes songs now too.
I feel very blessed that I have this connection with my son to be able to do music together.
BP - What was the catalyst for wanting to revisit a more classic Starflyer 59 sound?
JM - It just felt like the right thing to do for this record. Couple years ago Charlie was showing me some old SF tunes I hadn’t heard in ages and it inspired me to go back a bit and do the kind of music I started out doing in the first place..How close we got to that I don’t know, but we tried.
BP - While there’s been a lot of attention paid to the “shoegaze” or Gold and Silver elements woven into this album, it feels like a complete encapsulation of Starflyer’s discography in eight songs. Like if you decided this was to be your swan song, it would be the perfect ending for Starflyer 59. Have you ever approached an album with the thought “this is the last one” and had that be the guiding principle for the direction of the songs?
JM - That makes sense. I always approach a record like it will be my last at this point. So much work goes into them you always wonder if you are gonna have the songs or energy to do it again…or at my age do you just start playing cover songs at a bar playing blues licks in front of like 12 people? Who knows
BP - Because the music industry has shifted so heavily online and you’ve survived as a non touring artist for over 15 years, do you see any reason to ever end Starflyer 59?
JM - We have very blessed to still have a loyal base after all these years that support the music..When I don’t / can’t put together a tune anymore that’s when I’ll stop..When that is I don’t know.
Lust For Gold is out August 16th on Velvet Blue music and you pre-order it on vinyl, cd, or cassette here. Check out the short film for the first single, 909, below.