WAIM 162: Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields

Stephin Merrit is one of the most esteemed songwriters alive today. For three and half decades he has been the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist at the heart of the New York based band, The Magnetic Fields. The band was formed in 1991 by Merrit and his friend and musical collaborator Claudia Gonson. Over the next five years The Magnetic Fields would release a quintet of excellent albums built around Merrit’s genre-fluid songs, and unique arrangements that often featured cello, ukulele, hand percussion, noisemakers, and other unusual instrumentation.Things changed completely in 1999 with the release of the now infamous 69 Love Songs, a towering three record set of tunes that pushed and pulled at the seams of what makes up a love song. The triple album was an unexpected hit with critics and audiences alike, thrusting Merrit into a new spotlight with praise flowing from outlets like The New York Times, which just counted Merrit as one of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, as well as The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and NPR.While The Magnetic Fields continues to be an ongoing entity, Merrit has also branched out in his creative work with forays into composing for musical theater, scoring for films, and even writing a book of poetry. Merrrit also writes and records music with a pair of other bands, The Gothic Archies and Future Bible Heroes.During our conversation, Merrit and I discuss his itinerant upbringing with a single mother, and he shares some of his earliest musical memories. We also delve into Merrit’s unique writing style, and the way that he hangs on to his melodies after he writes them, all based around an important lesson that he gleaned from Swedish greats, ABBA.Let’s get into it.Cheers,Matty C-------------------------End CreditsThanks so much to Stephin for joining me. You can find his work in The Magnetic Fields wherever you get your music, and check out their website at http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/magneticfields for more info on the band and Stephin’s ongoing work.The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.Our theme music was written and recorded by David J. Baldwin.You can subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Please be sure to like, rate and review the show if you enjoy it.Our work is solely sponsored by listeners and readers like you. Please lend your support today with a paid subscription at whatamimaking.substack.com/. Now is a crucial time for new paid subscribers. Please step up and support the show.You can email the show anytime at [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail with your questions or concerns at speakpipe.com/whatamimaking Get full access to What Am I Making at whatamimaking.substack.com/subscribe