Photo:
What with global warming promptly working its way around the world, non-stop bombs blasting all over the Middle East and our very own government currently attempting to get itself out of some sticky cash donations dealio, sometimes the best way to escape the pitfalls of the planet is through the oh so great art of Music. Maps, otherwise known as James Chapman, is the perfect remedy, equipped with the power to inspire and lift people when they’re down and out. Tony Blair needs to listen to Maps right now. Britney does too. Hell, even Johnny Borrell needs to. Actually Borrell probably needs too more than most. But the reality is that at some point, everybody, one and all, needs Maps.
Sitting across from Gigwise in a booth on one of the London Scala’s many floors, James is a couple of hours away from embarking on his first gig since what can only be described as a near death experience earlier this month. Travelling back on the motorway from a show in Nottingham, a lorry dashing at 80mph crashed into Maps’ van, leaving James and his band destined for A & E. Tour dates were cancelled but "We’re back and ready to play", an upbeat James declares.
After such an incident, his very own inspiring lines which carry through minutes of built-up pretty melodies creating an uplifting and anthemic result - in the most non-Embrace way possible - would have been the ideal refresher. "It is great to inspire people. I do spend a lot of time on the music and the lyrics kind of come later. When I just have one line it’s because I don’t have anything else to say. It’s more intense that way, when you really want something to come across."
Back in 2003 he wrote under the name ‘Shortbread Copywriter’, but a name change wasn’t just down to the first one being so damn dire. "I actually had an EP out with that name," explains James. "But when I started making different music I felt like I wanted to have a different name, with that theme of moving away and escapism. Plus Maps is short so people remember it!’" The not-so common blend of, Iceland, and his hometown, Northampton, were the basis for the making of Maps’ forthcoming debut album ‘We Can Create’. James reveals, "It was fun to make and I learnt a lot because it took quite a long time. But I’m pretty pleased with it now." Along with the helping hand of Bjork producer, Valgeir Sigurdsson, not a single computer was used in the process, but James’ very own and treasured 16-track recorder.
But with these one lines, "Don’t fear the sun, feel like some one, some how, some how" rides through last single ‘Don’t Fear’ with so much boost to distribute you’ll feel like Popeye gobbling down his spinach. "That line is kind of personal but it kind of became a bit more universal I guess, but when I wrote it I wasn’t sure people would pick up on it. I was really surprised when people did and that meant a lot to me." ‘Some Winter Song’ features the words "I’ve been so happy lately but it’s got nothing to do with you", above an array of sweet synths and strings, but James is unwilling to reveal whom he’s talking to exactly. "It was written when I was really down and I didn’t really know what I was doing. At the time I always knew I wanted to do music but I never thought I could do it like I am now."
With such grit to explore evolving and emotional sounds, it’s no surprise to discover bands like Postal Service, Sigur Ros and Four Tet feature heavily in his record collection. But James’ main affection lies somewhere else. "I love Low" he states passionately, "they’re probably my favourite band actually. They don’t really change their sound that much but they always do something slightly different."
Not that Noel Gallagher needs any more ego enlarging, but even James admits to finding Oasis before anything else. "I was going out and getting drunk in Northampton when Britpop was at its height, and I was into all of those bands, but after that I got into electronic stuff." But the difference between then and now is that with more avenues now open to find fresh and innovative music, one doesn’t necessarily have to stop by say, Kaiser Chiefs, before discovering, well, Maps. "Yeah, people are getting into more diverse things and I think with what I am doing, it’s basically pop songs, but I like to experiment quite a bit. I think people are kind of opening their minds a bit more to different sounds and stuff."
What with hip-hop and all that, music sampling has certainly become a thing of the times. But, despite James’ best efforts, that still means permission from the artist/band one is sampling must be obtained. "There’s a sample in one of my tracks, which I was gonna try and not tell anyone about", he tells laughingly, "It’s a Bright Eyes sample off ‘Fevers And Mirrors’ but played backwards so I thought no one would notice, but my label reckoned people would." But what Mr Bright Eyes, aka Connor Oberst, and James can share, is the assist of a band when playing live. "I always wanted to have a band when I was thinking about doing it live rather than just use a laptop. It is a real buzz, even practicing, it’s really cool to bounce ideas around."
Thus, with his biggest headline date yet coming up at London’s ICA in April, as well as the impending release of album ‘We Can Create’, the Bright Eyes-stealing, car crash-surviving and without a doubt potential Zach Braff movie-sound tracking miracle that is Maps has never been more geared up to inspire…
