Various Artists – Music of the Troubadours

The Music Of The Troubadours influenced Brendan [Perry] and I very much, on the Aion album. Because we were living in Spain at the time, working on a movie, doing the score for it. Years, and years, ago. We were in this place in Catalonia, where they burned the witches, it’s such a dark, weird place. I never want to go back there! But anyway, the thing is we were working there, and Brendan was playing me all of these Troubadour pieces, which were really not intimidating from the context that you felt like you were entitled to create music, because the pieces were so simple. I remember someone saying, ‘Lisa Gerrard’s music? Oh that’s just a drone and a drum.’ But with just a drone and a drum, everyone can make music, you know. Not that I would describe my music like that! I love that though, because if it’s a drone and a drum, then it means that everyone suddenly realises that they can write music, because all you really have to do is play a drone with a couple of drum hits and a bell, and then you’re in. You can grow from there, which is fabulous.