Van Morrison hopes to pen new music during lockdown

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Van Morrison is "trying to get back into writing" during lockdown.

The music legend has admitted he's been "getting a bit lazy" being at home during the coronavirus pandemic, but he hopes he will be able to put pen to paper soon to work on some new material.

 


He told Britain's The Independent newspaper: "I want to write, but I am kind of getting a bit lazy at the moment.

"I was supposed to be doing six gigs in London, so I went from touring to basically just being at home. I am trying to get back into writing."

The Belfast musician, 74, has released a book of his lyrics, 'Keep 'Er Lit: New Selected Lyrics', and he has explained how most of his back catalogue is poetry.

He explained: "Some of my works are just straight poetry, some could be a song or a poem and some are poetry with a music back-up, like 'On Hyndford Street', which was based on my early days, listening to my father's record collection and Radio Luxembourg.

"I have a book of Cole Porter's songs and his lyrics are just poetry. I don't think there is a lot of difference."

The 'Brown Eyed Girl' hitmaker admitted late last year that he was enjoying the most prolific songwriting period of his career.

Morrison released six albums over three years and said he had "momentum" at the time.



When asked if he feels like he's on a roll, he said: "I do, definitely. I mean, it's difficult to answer these kinds of questions, because one doesn't really know. It just is what it is, and it feels like there is momentum at this time.

"I don't really like to question what I do ... I don't have to, you know. It's not necessary for me to question it. It's probably just momentum."

The 'Days Like This' singer also admitted that he especially enjoyed making his last two LPs, 'The Prophet Speaks' and 'Three Chords & The Truth' with organist Joey DeFrancesco, as it helped him fall back in love with the recording process.

Morrison said: "I think I started to enjoy it again. I did two albums with Joey, working really fast, like the way we used to work in the old days. I haven't been used to working that way since the 60s and early 70s but getting back to working that way, I got on a roll and I'm enjoying it more now."

The Northern Irish singer also admitted that not working under pressure makes the creative process more enjoyable.

He explained: "There is a difference when you are doing it under duress. In the old days I was doing it under duress. The way things were worked out, I was doing it in between gigs, and it was very pressurised.

"Now it's not, because I manage it and produce it myself. I'm not going through a record company. I deliver the product to the record company. In the old days it was a very different thing."


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