An Interview With Edward Sylvan
Music is a powerful tool for carrying messages, evoking emotion, sharing experiences. It’s also a gift and I want to put that gift to good use.
As a part of our series about stars who are making an important social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Beth Porter of Spell Songs.
Commissioned by Folk by the Oak Festival in 2019, the original, highly successful Spell Songs album (released in 2019) was inspired by, and became the musical companion piece to, the bestselling, prize-winning, and much-loved book The Lost Words co-authored by writer Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris. Those already familiar with The Lost Words will know it as a work full of wildness, beauty, loss, and hope.
This award-winning book has become ‘a cultural phenomenon’ (The Guardian), beginning ‘a revolution’ (Chris Packham) and moving people across the UK to work with charities, book shops and local communities to raise money to get the book into schools, hospices, and care homes, whilst simultaneously inspiring a whole cultural sphere passionate about conservation from opera, dance, film and theatre through to the Spell Songs band and so much more.
With the release of their ‘little sister’ follow up book The Lost Spells in October 2020 the authors gave voice and presence to even more wildlife which presented the Spell Songs musicians with a glorious wealth of new artwork and poetry to explore for their second album Spell Songs II: Let The Light In.
The ‘Lost’ books phenomenon began as a response to nature words being dropped from the standard Children’s English Dictionary and grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us. With the aim of reawakening our love of the wild, the authors created a dazzlingly original concept where poems became spells or incantations, and where art conjures nature. They are called ‘spells’ rather than poems as they are designed to be spoken (or sung!) out loud in order to summon back these words and creatures into our hearts. Robert explains: “We’ve got more than 50% of species in decline. And names, good names, well used can help us see and they help us care. We find it hard to love what we cannot give a name to. And what we do not love we will not save.”
Spell Songs II: Let The Light In is born out of the same heartfelt concerns that informed the artwork and poetry within these two books, namely, the loss of our natural world, the need for a more compassionate view of the wild and a determination that there is still hope. Reunited in April 2021, after multiple pandemic postponements, the Spell Singers eagerly joined Jackie and Robert at Greta Hall (once home to Samuel Taylor Coleridge) in the heart of the Lake District to begin their second collaborative residency. Each song may have originated within the hearts of one or two of the musicians, but through communal creative respect and generous musicianship, these acorns of ideas were soon turned into truly collaborative works resulting in a stunning and unique album.
Andy Bell, the album’s producer, was there to witness the creation of each song during the residential which gave him a unique understanding of their origins. When it came to the recording process at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in May 2020, he was therefore ideally placed to express the true beauty of each song. The finished album is timeless and accomplished and has a deep presence that will soar straight to your heart and stay there.
Here are 15 eclectic songs with folk, world, experimental, rock, alt-country, classical and traditional elements that capture the essence of the ‘Lost’ books. Spoken voice, whispers, accents, dialects, native languages, birdsong, the bark of foxes, the soft sound of a moth’s wing, the sound of a children’s climate strike; all increase the intimacy and power of the musical world conjured by Spell Songs II.
Thank you so much for joining us on this interview series. Can you share with us the backstory that led you to this career path?
I was brought up by a piano teacher and a Blues harmonica player so music was always round the house. While studying music and dance in Bath, I came across the folk scene and started taking my cello to folk sessions. Soon after, I started writing songs and was playing with lots of songwriters. I love improvising and playing with others. That’s where the joy is for me.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career? What was the lesson or takeaway you took out of that story?
Desperate for money after university and busking on the streets of Bath, I got offered a job at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios cleaning toilets, washing Kylie Minogue’s clothes and serving New Order their dinner (as well as watching the World Cup with them). Occasionally I would get to see in the studio and meet some of the producers and engineers. Many years later, I have recorded some albums in the Big Room and Wood Room studios including Spell Songs II Let The Light In and the soundtrack to Aardman Animation’s Christmas Special, Robin Robin. It was worth cleaning those toilets after all!
What would you advise a young person who wants to emulate your success?
Play and learn from others, follow your intuition, don’t let people tell you ‘It’s not a proper job’ or ‘it’s not realistic’. It is! It’s about as real as you can get!
Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life? Can you share a story? How are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting causes you’re working on right now?
I try to respond to what’s around me in my songwriting. That could be my child, the pandemic, nature, climate crisis, day to day living. I try to teach my child to go forth with love and care for the world. I’d also like to bring more music into the community where I live in South West Scotland as so much gets taken out of the school curriculum.
Can you share with us a story behind why you chose to take up this particular cause?
Sharing music within the community is something that feels really important to me. I feel very fortunate that I had so much music surrounding me as a child and I’d love to share that experience with my children, my children’s friends and the wider community. I also have the privilege of playing with some brilliant musicians who inspire me and others in the journey. Music is a powerful tool for carrying messages, evoking emotion, sharing experiences. It’s also a gift and I want to put that gift to good use.
Can you share with us a story about a person who was impacted by your cause?
This is from a friend and musician who came across Spell Songs:
‘The main reason I wanted to get in touch though was that I’ve been learning The Lost Words Blessing with my partner at home. It’s an especially poignant time of year for me and our family as the end of the month marks 3 years since my brother Nick died (he was also a musician). And this year even more so, as I’m about to have my first baby, any day now. It feels incredibly special that our baby will be joining us at the same time of year that Nick left us.
Nick was a man of nature, and this May has been full of the signs of spring that make me remember him, and the things he loved. Being outdoors, being with birds and green spaces and rivers and people he loved. Playing music, creating stories, sharing thoughts and spreading his gifts of words.
The Lost Words Blessing in particular has struck me as the perfect song to encapsulate this time of bringing together birth and death and nature.
Are there three things or are there things that individuals, society, or the government can do to support you in this effort?
Music with a message can be such a powerful thing but can also be very personal. Spreading the love by sharing music with a friend — word of mouth — is one of the best ways to get people to listen. That’s not to say we shouldn’t shout about it to everyone!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started”
Being anxious or nervous is good. I always viewed this as a negative thing but now I try to turn it into a positive on stage.
It’s ok to fail (you don’t have to be perfect!)
Trust your gut
Ask questions
Listen
You’re a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
If we could inspire a Lost Words/Lost Spells movement (I think there is a growing one!) where everyone stopped to name the natural world around them, we would be in a better place.
Can you please give us your favorite life lesson quote? And can you explain how that was relevant in your life?
Charles Mackesy provides so many great quotes in The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’ Here are a few of my favourites:
‘’What do you think is the biggest waste of time?” “Comparing yourself to others” Said the Mole.
“What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said? asked the boy.
‘Help,’ said the horse.
‘Asking for help isn’t giving up,’ said the horse. ‘It’s refusing to give up.”
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“Kind”, said the boy.”
“Is your glass half empty or half full?” asked the mole. “I think I’m grateful to have a glass,” said the boy.” “Do you have any other advice?” asked the boy. “Don’t measure how valuable you are by the way you are treated,” said the horse.”
We are blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
I’d love to get an insight into Laurie Anderson’s brain. Perhaps she and Meredith Monk together. I studied dance and music at university and was introduced to these amazingly creative, brave, forward-thinking women. They opened my mind as to what was possible with music and the arts, even though I wasn’t writing much music at that time.
Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was so inspiring, and we wish you continued success!
Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Beth Porter of Spell Songs Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.