Interview with Nick Murray from LAL


Q: Your album Warm Belly High Power is available in your homecountry Canada for quite some time now. How content are you with the reactions so far?

Nick Murray: We were able to tour Canada with this record also the CBC (Canadian National Government Owned Radio) has showed us a lot of love. We are content, but we recognize the need for growth.

Q: Warm Belly High Power is your second album. Where's the difference compared to your debut Corners and where do you see your development as artists?

Nick Murray: Corners, our first record, was all done on a Roland 880 (digital 8 track) with the new record we were able to incorporate more live players. Our new album that we are working on right now will be a combination of the minimal Hip Hop feel and the worldly elements from Warm Belly High Power.

Q: You've both met as employees at the same record shop and finally moved in with each other. Please tell me how you've discovered that you have the same musical vision and how you've finally started making music together.

Nick Murray: Rosina just bugged and bugged me to work with her. Until I eventually had to say yes. Our musical vision is similar in the fact that we want to do music that has never been done before. We are constantly challenging each other to be as creative as possible.

Q: How do you describe the music of LAL and what does LAL mean?

Nick Murray: We do Electronic music in all of its forms with a political edge. Lal means Red in Bengali and other South Asian dialects.

Q: Who keeps inspiring you musically?

Nick Murray: Right now I am really inspired by Terry Callier, July Driscol (1969 album ), Jay Dee, Madlib and of course the music of Mathew Herbert. I just recently listened to this record by Octave 1(Detroit Techno). It put a lot of things in perspective.

Q: You're both offsprings of immigrants, a fact that's reflected in your music. Why do you think it is important to address this issue in your lyrics?

Nick Murray: Music is a cultural resource that should reflect its creators. We try really hard not to fall victim to convention. Popular music tends to be very western in its content. The immigrant population should not always feel they have to conform to Western Ideas.

Q: How open minded (or narrow minded) does the Canadian society appear to you and where do you see the positive and negative differences to the countries your parents hail from?

Nick Murray: On the surface Canada seems very open minded. But if you look deeper you will see that there are very few immigrants with political power. It is only recently that Toronto, a major metropolitan city, was allowed a Black Radio Station.

Q: Do you feel at home in Canada or do you have a feeling of being torn between two worlds?

Nick Murray: I feel at home. I left Barbados when I was six years old this is the only home I know. There is a very big West Indian Population in Toronto. You can exist amongst your own.

Q: What strikes you as politically absolutely wrong in Canada and what would you change at once if you had the power to do so?

Nick Murray: A political system that reflects the growing immigrant population, outreach programs for black youth, better urban planning in poor neighborhoods, granting organizations that reach out to new immigrants, decriminalization of marijuana.

Q: There aren't many bands today who dare to voice a political opinion in their songs. What do you think, why does so many bands just act apolitically?

Nick Murray: The Entertainment industry is controlled by a handful of corporations. If you are looking to do big things in this industry you can not be to far outside of the box.

Q: What can we expect from LAL in the future?

Nick Murray: We are working on a new record right now called Deportation. We will be doing another European tour in the new Year.

For more infos visit lalforest.com, ptrmusic.com and read my review of Warm Belly High Power.