#jonathan barnbrook

★ - David Bowie (2016)

The Next Day (2013)

Source: Jonathan Barnbrook

“Today is David Bowie’s birthday and the ‘5 years’ anniversary of the release of the album ★. This image is from June 2015 when we were discussing ★ in New York (and I okayed it with the estate about showing this). Unfortunately, I don’t have many photos of us together, as I was always too shy to ask him, thinking he doesn’t want to be bothered in that way. Needless to say he was generous about it – as he was about everything when working with him.

“It was actually very unusual to meet to discuss his covers – usually it was done remotely, as I live in London and he lived in New York, but for this he specifically requested it. If you are curious about the working process – we didn’t suddenly come up with a design there and then. That’s not how it ever was working together  – I would never create a design in front of someone and he never wanted to directly explain the songs – always saying it was better for people to find their own meaning, so we kept away from literal discussions about exactly what the album meant and talked of more universal themes underlying it – and I was then free to interpret. Looking back I think the meeting was more just to understand music’s energy and have some personal contact.

“The day was a bit of a blur, you know… I was always a bit nervous in front of him, although he was always relaxed and charming. One moment does stands out though – he suggested listening to the album together as I hadn’t heard it. While I did David sat next to me trying hard not to look directly at my face but kept doing so. After the embarrassment of realising this passed, I was actually quite relieved by it – here was a man that despite all his years of success was now simply an artist putting out their work into the world – humble, and anxious about what anybody thought of it. This is how all truly great artists are, if they take a real risk in their work it always feels like they are releasing something for the first time and they worry that the element of ‘truth’ that they have worked so hard to share may not be understood.

Fragile Self - Hour of The Wolf (lyrics video) 2019

‘The hour between night and dawn ... when most people die, sleep is deepest, nightmares are most real. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their worst anguish, when ghosts and demons are most powerful. The hour of the wolf is also the hour when most babies are born.’   Ingmar Bergman in his notes for his 1968 film ‘Hour of the Wolf'. 

From the modular synthesiser compilation album 'Modularism 2: Noises Off’ released by Law & Auder records. Available on all major streaming platforms. All sounds were made on a modular synthesiser. Main modules used: Noise Engineering’s Basimilus Iteritas Alter, Hexinverter drum modules, and the Befaco BF22 filter. 

Background footage by Teri Varhol