Interview with VENTS Magazine

Steph had an interview with RJ Frometa from VENTS magazine. They had a talk about Last Train, the new single, the songwriting process and family. Here is the official transcript:

Hi Steph, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

Hi guys! The last weeks have been just great! I got some really positive feedback about my new single and I’m more than happy about the reactions.

Can you talk to us more about your latest single ‘’Last Train’’?

Last Train is one of the songs I’m the most proud of. It’s the first one I wrote for this project after a reflecting roadtrip to New Jersey and it is also the title track of my upcoming album. This one is an energetic rock tune with a little country twist, I hope you’ll like it!

Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?

I was in an uncertain relationship at the moment. Although I really loved the girl, there was something going wrong, so I had to leave. You know, it’s quite hard to go away when you love someone. In my head, I had this picture of a man jumping on a train and the line ‘’I got to catch the last train, are you gonna come my way?’’, then the rest came really quickly.

Any plans to release a video for the single?

Yes I do! We already captured a few shots, but there is still some work to do on it.

Why naming the album after this track in particular?

At the moment, I was struggling in an uncertain relationship and for the first time of my life, I had to deal with losing a family member, so there are a few songs on the album talking about departures, leaving, uncertain situations. I think it became natural to choose Last Train for the title track, the train became a symbol and it was the most appropriate title to choose.

How was the recording and writing process?

The songwriting process has been done really quick ‘cause the inspiration was there. Then, even if I’m a solo artist, it’s been a real team effort. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the best musicians in Montreal and my sound engineer made me feel really comfortable on the other side of the studio window. As a solo singer-songwriter, you have to make sure you’re surrounded with talented people. Thanks to my friend Martin Gauthier who introduced me to a great team which turned into great friends. They were really involved in the project and we had soooo much fun! Spending so much time locked in the studio can be difficult for some people, but it’s been the total opposite for us.

What was it like to work with Joe Laporta and how did that relationship develop?

Mastering is the final enhancing touch of a recording, so I wanted to get the best engineer to work on my songs and make the final product as perfect as possible. I called Sterling Sound in New York City and asked if Joe was available because I thought he did a great job on Bon Jovi’s This House Is Not For Sale and especially on Blackstar, the last Bowie record which led him to win a Grammy. He instantly understood my vision and the sound I wanted so it’s been a really easy process. Mark Glaser, Joe’s project manager helped a lot and I’ve had a great experience working with these guys.

How much did he influence the album?

I can’t really say he influenced the album mood because he joined in at the very last step, but he definitely influenced the sound with the knowledge and experience he acquired working with the best artists in the world.

What role did Montreal play in your writing?

Montreal has been the host of many moments pictured in my songs. It might be personal but I like the fact that I can refer to a particular place when I listen to one of my songs.

Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?

As mentioned earlier, I was in a weird relationship. You know, the really simple one, but complicated at the same time? I knew that girl for many years and we’ve had a cool story, but I was kind of the rebound guy. It’s been really tough because I believed in us, but i think the timing was just really bad. I also experimented the loss of a family member for the first time in my life.

Any plans to hit the road?

My focus is currently on the final steps to the album release, but I just cant wait to play these songs in front of you guys! I’ll be starting with a few acoustic performances here and there just to warm up a little bit, but we’ll certainly hit the road with the band in 2018.

What else is happening next in Steph Morin’s world?

Family is the most important thing in my life. I’m a proud uncle of 4 beautiful kids and I have to say that I love them as if they were mine. Watching these kids evolve and become such intelligent and loving little humans is the best thing about getting older myself.

Source: VENTS magazine, Nov 10 2017

Original interview link: http://ventsmagazine.com/2017/11/10/interview-steph-morin/#mBShXQff2bFhr2ZT.99