Alden and Patterson

C: …we met at a festival and have been playing music together ever since.
 
3. Do you have a favourite track on the album to play, if so, which one and why?
 
A: I like playing Land Corridors. Mainly because it’s new which makes it fun to play. When we were recording we tried to record the songs as we’d finished writing and arranging them to capture the energy and excitement in our playing.
 
C: I also really enjoy playing ‘Land Corridors’ partly because it’s one of the newer songs we wrote, but also because I love Alex’s fiddle in it and the way it dances around the melody and vocals. I think the message is really important too; re-wilding, looking after the world around us and understanding that you can’t just replace what has been taken away.
 
4. As a duo with a love of the natural world, how did you find it challenging during lockdown being city bound? 
 
A: Lockdown really feels like it’s helped everyone appreciate the things which we should have been appreciating before anyway; like outside green space.
 
C: We are really lucky in Norwich because we are so close to the countryside and there are some lovely walks by the river. I think lockdown was challenging in so many ways and making the adjustment from spending all our time travelling to being at home was quite a shock at first.
 
 
5. There are so many great animal characters dotted amongst the tracks; were they inspired by real life creatures in your life?
 
A: We’ve got a cat; she looks a bit like a Greenland shark.
 
C: I wish they were! Unfortunately, we are not acquainted with bears and wolves and sharks. We are always on the lookout for stories to inspire our song writing.
 
 
6. Which animal (not necessarily from the album just the whole animal kingdom are rach of you most like and why? 
 
A: I like anteaters, it was my favourite stuffed animal when I was smaller.
 
C: Something woodlandy that likes to make burrows and nests and stock up for the winter. Maybe a squirrel?
 
7. What is currently playing on shuffle in your headphones? 
 
A: Really enjoying Ye Vagabonds - The Hare’s Lament.It’s such a beautiful album. I love the string textures, space and how simple it feels.
 
C: Mari Joyce, Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith, Honey and The Bear, This Is The Kit, I’m With Her.
 
8. Do you have an all time musical hero? If so, who and why? 
 
A: I don’t have one.                                
 
C: No, I’m too indecisive for that. There are certainly artists who have inspired my song writing and playing such as Johnny Flynn, Gillian Welch, Sarah Watkins, Mari Joyce, Ye Vagabonds.
 
9. I think lockdown has made the world appreciate live music more so than ever but for musicians I imagine this feeling is 10 fold. What are you most excited about for getting back on stage? 
 
A: It’s kind of mixed tbh. Being a musician can sometimes feel very undervalued in this country - the amount of times we get asked if we have a ‘proper job’ it makes me crazy!! I do love being a musician and having it as my primary focus but this last year has definitely made me reassess my priorities. We were playing over a hundred of gigs a year earning just enough to keep us going, paying for a house we spent very little time in and with very little available time for friends and family. The pandemic has forced us to diversify how we make a living from music and we will be a lot more selective in taking bookings and place a higher value on what we do.
 
C: …we are incredibly lucky in the folk world to have such a supportive network of musicians and fans so I’m very exited to reconnect with that community. I can’t wait to see old friends we’ve made throughout our years of touring and have a jam with musicians we’ve not seen for over a year.

 
 
10. Do you have any pre-show rituals or routines? What helps with the nerves if you get them?
 
A: I find having quiet space before a show really helpful - if my head is busy before we go on stage it can make the performance more difficult.
 
C: Nerves are tricky things and often surprise you when you least expect it…it’s best to be kind to yourself and not worry about making mistakes.
 
11. We've just had Mental Health Awareness week in May- is there anything in particular that helps you with your mental and emotional wellbeing?
 
A: Being present and positive. When things are hard I notice myself focusing more on negative things and being aware of that has really helped.
 
C: Going for a walk is great to clear the head and allowing time to yourself is really important.
 
12. Which local pub are you most excited to visit now that we are allowed to go out out again in our fine city?
 
A: We love the Geldeston Locks. It’s just been saved by the local community from the inevitable development into ‘luxury flats’ (etc) and it’s such a unique place.
 
13. What's been your go-to entertainment during lockdown? Netflix? Puzzles? Baking banana bread? 
 
A: Making an album!! (Yeah we’ve been watching Netflix in our pjs too)
 
14. Are you playing any festivals this year?
 
C: We have a handful of festivals this year…it’s been hard for organisers to plan ahead with the current situation so a lot are re-bookings or not going ahead. We are very pleased to be heading to Folk East in Suffolk. We have been every year and it’s our favourite.
 
15. It seems like 2021 is going to be your year guys; the album is great, you've had some fantastic reviews and feedback both locally and nationally- do you feel optimistic about the future?
 
C: Yes! This last year has been a real adjustment and at times it has been hard too, so we feel grateful we’ve been able to play music together and make this record. It’s felt quite overwhelming how Hunterhas been received; hearing it played on 6 Music and Radio 2 and getting reviewed in The Guardian has been amazing!! We’re both really proud of this album and are looking forward to taking it out on tour. We have a busy year of concerts along with an Arts Council project with John Ward and a collaboration with our friends The Shackleton Trio.