Rag’n’Bone Man: The corona pandemic made him feel guilty

Rag’n’Bone Man
The corona pandemic made him feel guilty

The real name of the Rag’n’Bone Man is Rory Graham and comes from the south of England.

© Columbia / Sony Music

After four years, Rag’n’Bone Man is releasing its second album. In an interview, he reveals why it was so long in coming.

The Rag’n’Bone Man has been successful in the international music business for almost five years. The star, whose real name is Rory Graham (36) and comes from the south of England, just released a single album with “Human” (2017). In an interview, he reveals why his second long player “Life by Misadventure” (released on May 7th) was so long in coming, what image of masculinity the singer wants to draw on it and what his three-year-old son might use to strain the nerves of his daycare supervisors with the news agency spot on news.

Her debut album “Human” was released four years ago. Why did it take so long until the follow-up “Life by Misadventure” was ready?

Rory Graham: I was on tour for two and a half years. Fortunately, the album was very successful worldwide, which is why we were able to perform in Australia and New Zealand, for example. So it took a long time and I had to take a little break afterwards. I think I just allowed myself six months, where I lived my life again and regained a bit of normalcy. I find it difficult to write new songs on tour. I also wanted to go back to my family and just be dad for a while.

Has the ongoing corona pandemic further delayed your album plans?

Graham: Maybe a little. It could possibly have appeared six months earlier, but it wasn’t the right time. Everything was so uncertain. I’m glad we waited a bit because it now seems like hope is on the horizon. The calendar is filling up again and there are festivals that may be happening.

How have you been personally so far in this difficult time?

Graham: We had planned around 30 festival gigs that had to be canceled. It was sad and everyone felt a little depressed. There was no work and it is still difficult for my crew and my band. I felt guilty because they were unemployed and had no income. The silver lining was that I could spend the summer at home with my son. I think I hadn’t been able to do that for years because I was mostly on the road to festivals. Summer is always the busiest time.

Speaking of your son Reuben, is he already musical?

Graham: He’s not even four, so it’s very early …

But maybe he’s already playing on a small drum kit or other mini-instruments?

Graham: He recently stole one of my harmonicas and took it to daycare. When I picked him up, the supervisor said: “By the way, he has a harmonica in his pocket and he played on it.” He’s probably annoying everyone there!

What is the story behind the album title “Life by Misadventure”?

Graham: I think I had a difficult youth. My childhood was good, but I didn’t behave well as a teenager. On the album I talk a lot to myself and to my son and tell him, “These are the things you should be doing. Don’t do what I did.” I wish for the best possible future for us as a family, that’s why I talk about topics like morals and how to deal with things emotionally. My son should know that he can be free in his thoughts and love whoever he wants – without limits. He should be able to show his feelings emotionally and not think: “You have to be a man.”

So the album also deals with masculinity.

Graham: Yeah. It’s a generation thing. It is our responsibility today to change things for the future of our children. This includes letting them know that it is okay to be open – and not conveying this (old) form of toxic masculinity to them.

Before you fully focused on your music career, you worked as a caregiver for people with autism. How did this experience influence you – personally and as an artist?

Graham: I’m not sure if it affects my music. The most important thing in this job is communication; how to talk to people who are restricted in different ways. You learn to communicate with everyone differently, and you learn empathy and that not everyone thinks alike. I think it made me a person who cares more and is more understanding.

You started your career as a rapper when you were 15. Is rap still influencing your music today?

Graham: It’s hard for me to name hip-hop and this album in the same breath. There are not many such influences on it. Perhaps you can still recognize it in the way I reproduce texts and in part by their rhythm, but I don’t think so. Today these are separate worlds.

SpotOnNews