Interview With Nathan Evans and Saint PHNX

I couldn’t help but notice that y’all are playing Nashville tomorrow night. What excites you most about playing in Music City?

Before this trip, literally, the guys were telling me about every single stop of what we were eating and doing. When we got to Nashville the guys were like just wait and experience it.

Y’all have a cover of "Cotton Eye Joe" on this album, an old American folk song, believed to be set to an even older Irish folk melody. What is it about this kind of music that you find so inspiring?

For me, it was all part of my upbringing. When I was growing up, I would visit my gran and grandad who live at the top of Scotland. We would have a cassette tape of this Scottish folk band. During those trips I had my parents flip the cassette front and back all the way there. Growing up with Scottish folk music is embedded in me. All folk music in the world kinda relates; it's universal. That and "Cotton Eye Joe" there's just something in it that's close together.

What has been the most meaningful part of this album and tour cycle for y’all?

I think being together, it sounds cliché and cheesy, but there is a sort of magic that happens when doing this together. From the early days till now, it's been growing and growing; we’re in a room together sharing these experiences. Getting to take that across the world is something special. Being brothers and best friends, and that's the amazing part of making this album.

If you could choose three songs from the album to play for a new fan, what would they be, and in what ways do they represent you as a collaborative force?

I’m gonna steal the cop out answer and say “Angles’ Share,” it’s the title track of the album, and I think it sums up the album completely. When we wrote it, we knew there was something in that song people were gonna love. I’m gonna go for “Milarrochy Bay,” writing that song happened on the spur of the moment when a gentleman told us where to go in Scotland, and we wrote a song about it. I would say “Islay,” it’s a love story about a guy and a girl. The secret meaning behind it is that we went to the island of Islay, where they make single malt scotch whiskey. We fell in love with Islay and whiskey. It's a special place in our hearts.

Where did the tile Angles’ Share come from? Why does it represent the album?

So Angles’ Share is a term that comes from the whiskey process. When whiskey is being made and distilled then put in wooden barrels. Basically, the whiskey in the barrels is maturing for so long, years and years. Over that time, some of that whiskey evaporates into the air. That whiskey that you lose is called the Angels’ Share. That’s what creates the flavor and the certain types of whiskey. That kind of sums up the album as well. Us three coming together and creating something special. Just like a few of the songs on the album, we've all lost someone. Everyone has lost someone, but even though you lost them, they're not entirely gone because part of them still lives on in you. It’s all of that together combined.

How has collaborating with each other shaped the visual identity of the project (from press photos to live performances and music videos)?

The special thing about coming together was that we helped Nathan work on his 1994 album. When he created that world, it celebrated Scottish culture. We wanted to create that visually, so when we’re playing live, we have a traditional pub as the background. We wanted to celebrate that as if you had stumbled into a pub and came across this band playing. We wanted to create that visually; it’s light-hearted and nonchalant, playing in a pub.

For photographers capturing your live shows, which moments do you feel are essential to photograph in order to truly convey the energy, emotion, and essence of your performance?

There's lots of moments, Nathan's on top of the speakers, some where we come together, speeches and toasting the audience, Scottish poems, crowd interactions, and band moments. We think about every part of the process, how do we dress, look on stage, how do we have the best time and how to make this a full-blown thing.

Looking back at the songwriting and production of this album, was there a particular moment that stood out as a creative highlight for you, something that you felt truly captured the essence of this collaboration?

The very first song. We've been working with Nathan for a few years. We sat down and wrote “Heather On The Hill”. Everything changed after that. Since that moment, we've been telling stories of Scotland, brotherhood, and friendship. Doing it in our own way, too.

You (Nathan and Saint Phnx) have already released albums on your own. What has it been like collaborating and sharing the recording space with another artist? Did you find it easier or more difficult?

It's been smooth, everything we've done from the start to where we are at with the album. Then, turning the show into what it is live, touring the world. It's been the smoothest process. That's why it's been so successful. It's a testament to everyone loving what we are doing. It's been natural, not forced, and all the fans are enjoying it.

What's one of your favorite things about hometown shows?

The Scottish culture is crazy. My favorite thing is having all your friends and family are at the show. Seeing everyone enjoying the show that’s what makes this all worthwhile.

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