A Conversation with Paolo Nutini – HuffPost 10.8.10

Mike Ragogna: Paolo, “Iron Sky” is the centerpiece to your EP, plus it’s a video and a featured track on Caustic Love, the new album. To you, as the artist, why is the song so special?

Paolo Nutini: I never intentionally meant to place such importance on it, especially from all of our songs. For me, it was playing songs to a variety of different people and it was very much a song that resonated immediately to a lot of different people whether it be someone at the record label or my friend at home or a stranger. It was the one that seemed to immediately strike a chord. It gravitated towards being an important part as it has been, it did that naturally, which I was pleased with because lyrically, I wasn’t sure how it was going to be perceived. It’s not so much about telling anybody what to do or telling someone they’re wrong. It’s not so much telling anybody what to do or pointing fingers. The song was really being able to understand certain repetitions, certain patterns that we seem to, as human beings, find ourselves in and constantly seem to be worrying in. If I could be honest with you, the EP was something I suppose I was never a hundred percent sure of, really. Essentially for me it’s a song on the album and it’s a song that I have written. It really doesn’t have a priority as such, personally. It’s certainly, for me, overtly talking about social themes, it’s not my usual style. I suppose the older I get and the more in touch I’m becoming with common problems and rather than looking at something and saying I can’t believe that happened, its really more that there are people out that are very lost. Not so much professionally, but a lot of people see the way things are going and they don’t know what to make of it.

MR: Daniel Wolf’s interpretation of “Iron Sky” through the eight minute film brought a gravity to the song. I guess then, sometimes, a creator doesn’t have the intention of creating such a strong end result.

PN: I suppose that’s what I’m saying. I remember from the start of the song, I certainly didn’t have the inclination that it was going to be perceived the way it has. I guess I’m happy that people see it for what is was. I thought that Daniel Wolf, had that interpretation I was really really impressed with what he had done.

MR: Caustic Love is coming to the states finally, September 16th, but it’s already had huge success in the UK. What are your thoughts on the album? Give us a little tour.

PN: For me the subject matter, the title, it’s not meant to feel like a negative love. I’m not saying stay away from love. It’s more what it can be to you as a person. I mean that to be a positive. It can dissolve a lot of the misperceptions and safety blankets that you can put up around yourself. When you step into that feeling of love it’s not the most responsible thing, you know? You make yourself up so much and you’ve got preconceived rules or notions towards somebody, but I feel like when you meet a certain person it can surprise yourself just how much you give over and how vulnerable you are to what’s going on. I think that feeling can leave you vulnerable to one of the most life-changing experiences you’re ever going to have. It can be feel-good or it can also leave you looking for someone to take in what you’ve got and misuse it. It can lead to that ultimate pain that you go through. I think it’s the idea of being open to that so that you can appreciate to be vulnerable to someone else. Basically, take a chance. Open up.

MR: You’ve developed a very loyal and strong fanbase. What is it about Paolo Nutini that draws in your fans?

PN: I don’t know…I think people on the whole are commenting and coming to shows are there to see what me and the band are there to do live, rather than come and expect us to have done all sorts of things to force a show they might enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, even as a music fan I go to shows and the act don’t play the album with the songs you fell in love with them for. Maybe if they had it would have been an even better show, but on the whole we’re just playing around. We do a lot of the songs from the previous two records in a completely different arrangement and atmosphere and people seem to be open to that change and even wanting that. That kind of sums up what you said, I think. It’s a very open-minded set of ears that we tend to fall on. I’m lucky to have the fans that I have.

MR: What advice do you have for new artists?

PN: Take what you do seriously, but don’t listen to what other people have to say too seriously. I think that’s a key thing. Be in tune.

Transcribed by Galen Hawthorne