Along the way, Tench never stopped writing songs.
And the world finally gets to hear them on his new solo album,The Melancholy Season.
But theres also joyful tunes that reflect the happiness hes found with his wife and daughter.
Josh Giroux*
How was the Carlyle run?I think it was really good.
He said, Just work on getting your voice stronger.
That makes the adjustment to being the one whose record it is easy.
The people there were really encouraging.
I would sit in and play a few songs with Jon Brion or Sean and Sara Watkins.
Over the period of time, they said to me, You got any songs?
And I sang them and slowly shed a lot of my stage fright.
When I made theYou Should Be So Luckyrecord, I had been singing for a while.
I found a deeper voice on this record because the gravity of the songs is greater.
All of this made me more confident in my decision to sing a bit low.
But as soon asYou Should Be So Luckywas done, songs started to show up.
The Melancholy Season came later.
But I wrote all these songs a few years ago.
And we made the record, but then Covid hit.
Then I had some health issues that delayed me even more.
But the songs onYou Should Be So Luckywere written over the course of my life.
On this one, nearly all the songs were written between 2014 and 2018.
But we couldnt work it out logistically between Covid and travels from England.
I also had a brand new child.
I prefer the sound and the limitations of tape.
Thats what drew me to Jonathan.
For a while, I was going to attempt to start with something faster, but why?
It does create a mood, but I also really believe in the song.
I started it by writing kind of free-verse one day.
And I had a melody that I really, really liked and I figured it out.
I called my wife in and said, Hey, listen to this.
And she went, Its great, but the lyric is so good.
They have such a mood.
I think you want to rewrite the music to convey the mood of the lyric better.
I was a little resentful at first, but she was right.
If She Knew is a great romantic ballad.Thanks.
I wrote that on a plane because planes are great for writing.
Youve got nothing else to do and nobodys going to bother you.
Dallas is very moving.
The first line was maybe related to the city of Dallas.
Tell me about putting your live show together.
One is that it breaks up the tone of just having one writers voice.
Its also because the new record doesnt have a lot of snappy numbers on it.
The mood isnt, Hey, everybody, lets dance.
And a song like Lou Reeds Rock and Roll is saying exactly what rock and roll does.
Its a great, fast song.
Theyre also just writers I love.
When I was in New York, I did How Deep Is the Ocean?
You played shows at arenas and stadiums for decades.
It was also the first time I sang in public in a year and a half or so.
Thats where the intimidation comes from.
But a small room like that is where I learned to play live.
Not in terms of touring small clubs like Mudcrutch and the Heartbreakers did, but at Largo.
The greatest number of people that can fit in Largo is 108, if you sell it out.
And sometimes there are 50 people there.
I am very comfortable playing to a small number of people.
The nature of my songs comes across well in a venue that isnt giant.
I havent tried them in a giant venue.
If someone wants to invite me to try, sure.
And thats one of the reasons to play solo piano.
You were on the road with Stevie Nicks a couple of years ago.
And the quality of songs that Stevie has written and the way shes singing them is just remarkable.
Why did you stop doing it?A couple of reasons.
One, I was substituting for her piano player, who was booked.
I wasnt supposed to rejoin the group.
And the tour was going great and it was staying out a bit longer.
How was the Band tribute tour you did with Mike Campbell last fall?Well, great songs.
And it was great to be on stage with Mike again after seven years.
I played a couple of things on a couple of records of his.
He and I played together on a benefit here and there, one or two songs.
But to do a whole tour, to be on the bus with Mike, was joyous.
And Im with Mike playing Bob Dylan songs.
It was just three songs.
There was no announcement.
You guys were just suddenly there.Yeah.
And for us too, we were suddenly just there.
It wasnt like we spent months or even weeks getting ready.
What if I do it this way?
If a great deal of rehearsal is involved, its not as much fun.
I prefer to work without a net.
Did you read Mike Campbells book?I havent read it yet, but I have read excerpts.
I just havent had time.
Ive been trying to make myself ready to sing these songs.
Do you ever think about writing your own memoir?No.
Why?I dont think my memorys that good.
Did you see the Bob Dylan biopic?I havent yet.
I hear wonderful things, and that people have seen it two or three times.
But I havent seen it.
Thats obviously a song youve played live many, many times over the years.
Its a wonderful song, and as any great song does, its open to lot of different interpretations.
I thought it was fitting to close with.
Next year is the 50th anniversary of the Heartbreakers.
Is there any scenario where the band members do a tribute show with guest singers?
Is that something you want to do?I guess anything could happen.
Im focused right now on this.
