The Goo 1
MAR '25 When you were working in Wicklow, what we
re the things around you that you found moved you to write? Or the landscape? What were the things there that you think helped catalyze ‘This Is My Prayer’? One thing was being in a place where I was lucky enough to be still and not have to move around a lot. I move a lot as a musician, as in, I’m either going to Dublin or I’m going somewhere else, I’m like here and there and everywhere. The ground, the land really supported me. Also, moving into that new space. I had been living with my partner and then I moved to this space, a temporary kind of place for me to go inward and to be alone. Nature as well. Having just kind of this appreciation of the seasons.Knowing that at that time it was winter, and that I had the space to do these things. I had a fiddle with me. I had a guitar, I had a little synthesizer. And what was the writing process like? There were six songs that I had. As you know, as musicians, we often kind of gather ideas as we go. You know what I mean? So there were some little ideas that I had here, and there was half a song. I had the inspiration from that profound heartbreak, which transformed itself into something very beautiful,and very healing actually. There’s nothing as inspiring, and no bigger arena for one to grow as there is with being a part of a couple. So that was really my inspiration and not the whole record isn’t about that, but it has that sense of rawness and vulnerability. What about the recording process? Everything just lined up. It really was serendipitous. Earl Harvin (Tindersticks) has been a long-term collaborator. I said to him, “ Listen, I have these tunes. I feel there’s an urgency for me to record them and I want to get this record out as soon as possible, because it’s a complete catharsis. I don’t know why,but I have to do this”. His response was that I was a lucky man, because he had a job canceled, and was good to go. I called my friend who has a studio in France and he had the same situation happen! It all just lined up perfectly. When I put the songs together and go into the studio, a lot of the time they won’t be fully formed. I really rely on the magic of the studio, and the amazing musicians that for years I’ve been working with., we just have this telepathic symbiosis that somehow every time we go in it just works. At the same time, as Brian Eno said, “there are two things that make a bad record, unlimited budget and unlimited time. So we went in there in four days and we got six songs down. It was all pretty magical. I was in the depths of grief still, going through the breakup, and somehow it all just worked. It was such a flow. Where did you record? A lot of it was in the south of France, in this beautiful old town called Homme. I think. I don’t know the name of the town, but the studio is called La Brieche Audio. A friend of mine owns the studio. It’s incredible, you stay there in an old chateau on the land. There’s no distractions, the nearest town is a 15 minute drive. But my life seems to be one long album, so two songs are older recordings. One song is ‘The Pufferfish’ from 10 years ago. ‘The Pufferfish’ is a mad one. I’ve always loved that fact. 13 It’s good, isn’t it? It completely blows my mind. Dolphins are fascinating animals. If you go back to the Dogon tribe, the African tribe, they believe that dolphins are from Sirius, from the planet Sirius. They’re a really, really ancient, beautiful civilization. Shamanic culture from the central plateau of Mali. For how long are dolphins getting high and using psychedelics? Longer than humans are, I’d say. Being so deeply involved with the production, mixing and of course the composition, was it different to other recording experiences, especially with the material being that much more intimate? Yeah, everything about it feels a bit more intimate, you know? A little more personal. I was in quite a vulnerable state then. Everyone was well aware of that and they were very supportive. It’s actually a really beautiful thing that they did. They gave me their time, so I could make a record about what I was going through at that time. It’s been a beautiful way to deal with something difficult. Sean Mulrooney’s debut album This Is My Prayer is out now.