Mumford and Sons’ Marcus Mumford reveals powerful advice he was given by Neil Young: “You’ve got it all wrong, man”
Mumford and Sons frontman Marcus Mumford has explained how advice from Neil Young transformed his perspective on being an artist.
After a seven-year absence, Mumford and Sons have today (March 28th) returned with their new album, Rushmere, which finds them returning to their folk roots. Now, in a new interview, Mumford has revealed how a conversation with Young led to him taking the craft of making albums seriously.
Mumford is quoted in the Daily Star as saying of the band’s initial trajectory that projected them to superstardom, “I guess the first few years of our life as a band, we were like, ‘We’re touring musicians who need to make adverts for our life shows’. That’s what the records are.”
However, in recent years, Mumford has put more emphasis on the recording process which he says is a direct result of advice from Young.
He recalled, “I remember I said that to Neil Young once, and he was like, ‘You’ve got it all wrong, man. Your live shows aren’t the things that are going to last. They’re moments in time and experiences that are beautiful and great, but your recordings are going to last. So you need to pay attention to how you record music’.”
Mumford and Sons have a busy year ahead as they plot to take Rushmere around the UK, Europe, and North America. Due to demand, they recently added new arena dates in Leeds and Newcastle to their UK tour, which will also visit Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, and Cardiff before concluding with two dates at the O2 Arena in London.
Additionally, Mumford and Sons will donate £1 to the new grassroots music charity Live Trust for every ticket sold on their upcoming tour. The foundation, which recently launched, is offering financial support to those working in the live music industry.
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