Good morning,
Niall and I recently decided that we’d run some Life & Times interviews with artists who’ve made our favourite albums of 2024.
Near the top of my list is Naima Bock, whose Below A Massive Dark Land is definitely the album I’ve listened to the most since it came out in September. Like a South London Nico with a firm grip upon Richard and Linda Thompson-like folk-pop, but set richly in the present, Bock’s melody-heavy second solo album advances her case as one of the most compelling contemporary British songwriters. It’s a beautiful, lyrical record about aging and relationship dynamics, quite distinct from the more spacey but also excellent debut, Giant Palm. You should give it a spin while you read.
Naima’s the daughter of a Greek mother and Brazilian father who grew up in Brazil and England, joining Goat Girl as bassist at 15 before leaving to strike out alone after their debut album in 2019. So lots of material to mine for a Life & Times. We caught Naima as she arrived in Manchester before her show there, and she’s a funny, pensive voice down the line as she wanders around her destination, eventually settling in a “lovely, cosy room”. Here’s her video for Kaley, one of the biggest bangers on the album, to get you in the mood:
See you on Wednesday,
Ted and Niall.
The Life & Times Of…Naima Bock
What was the first record you loved?
Ooh, yeah. The first one was actually Tomorrow Comes Today by Gorillaz.
Was that their first album or a song name? The album’s just self-titled? That record, I vividly remember getting that on CD when I was really little. That was the first album that was separate from what my parents played, even though my dad probably played it to me first. It was the first that I felt was mine.
And the last?
I’d say Radial Gate by a band called Sluice. It’s really good.
What is your earliest memory?
Crouching in my grandma’s garden looking at a tree frog in Brazil. I was, like, two.
What is your daily domestic routine?
When I’m at home, I wake up and then I fall out of bed. I have a shower, make myself some breakfast, and then me and my flat mate Eunice normally just chat for a couple of hours. We have a very slow, long, drawn-out morning. My flatmate doesn’t work until the evening, so that’s why we chat so much. The rest of my routine usually involves university, so I’ll do that work. I’m studying archaeology. I’ll go to the library, start writing, but I can only really stay still for a couple of hours so I’ll take a break before maybe doing another hour. In the evenings I sometimes play netball, sometimes I go for a run if I’m feeling good. If I don’t have to be up late, I really don’t like being up late so I will always choose to have a very chill evening in, drinking tea. That’s a very nice day, but it’s changeable.
Who or what is the love of your life?
I’m going to have to give a very cheesy answer and just say music. That’s the only thing that’s been constant. And my mum, to be fair.
What's your worst habit?
Well, it used to be smoking but I don’t smoke anymore, so I’m gonna say sugar. And just to be constantly drinking some kind of beverage. It’s nice to not say smoking, though.
When were you most creatively satisfied?
A few months ago, I had three straight days of doing cover versions on my own with a little tape machine. That was really creatively satisfying, though I also feel that after certain shows as well. I actually have a lot of songs recorded on tape, both my own and covers, but it’s such a humongously long process to release anything that they’re just kind of hanging around for now.
Has anyone you've met ever made you feel starstruck?
Yes, they have. I met Nile Rodgers once, which was pretty cool. It was when I was in Goat Girl and Chic also played. I’d say that, but I also met John Parish and I was really starstruck as well. He’s a bit more in my world and lots of people I know know him, but I was still a bit ‘Oh my god!’ with him. I’m star struck whenever I’m lucky enough to meet people I respect.
Who or what is the greatest influence on your work?
Bagels is good…sorry, not bagels. That’s an answer to someone else. ‘Who or what is the greatest influence on my work…’ Hmm. It really changes a lot. I’d say in the last two years it would be Mount Eerie. I’ve listened to the new album twice – it’s quite long. It’s good, obviously. I just accept everything he does. To be fair, I need to get my head around it further.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I’m allergic to penicillin? Surprise!
What do you wish the 18-year-old you knew?
Quite a lot of things. I think I was having quite a difficult time at 18. I think I would have liked to have believed that I was loved in the way that I was, by my family and friends. I didn’t really believe it. At the time, I didn’t really believe I was a decent person, but just edging towards that belief over time has helped.
What was the home you grew up in like?
Difficult to say as I moved about sixteen times before I was 16. We moved a lot, but just in England and Brazil. I don’t even really know why: we moved between my family’s houses a bit. Then my mum got accepted on the council list and we’d get flats through the council, but if there’s something wrong with the flat then you get moved again. Every place had its own unique good thing about it, though. It was never horrible.
I had a particular place that I felt most at home, which is when we lived in Arnold Circus in Shoreditch. We were always renting. This was a place that Ellie, the guitarist in Goat Girl, her mum let us live there for a year. That was a really beautiful old council flat and that was the place I felt most at home. But I would also say that my grandma’s house in South London has been a constant, even though I feel like it’s haunted. It’s been a place to always return to, though I haven’t lived there for a long time. That’s on the same road as Skehans (Irish pub in South-East London).
How do you spark creativity?
That’s a nice one. I’d say that being not tired is a really big part of it. I didn’t sleep very well last night so that might be more on my mind. My friend was saying – and this sounds dumb but it’s not – the main thing is to sit down with the guitar. I can be in any mood, if I actually just sit with the guitar, I’ve never not enjoyed playing my guitar. So, just do it.
Is there a God? If so, how does He manifest?
Yeah, I believe in God. From my experience, He manifests through love.
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
You can’t think your way out of it. That helped. That was a nice bit of soundbite advice I got from someone once. I don’t know if I actually live that out that well, but it helps if I’m spiralling to say to myself, ‘Ok, I’m not going to be able to theorise my way out of this situation.’
What's the secret to a happy relationship?
Haha…ah, yeah. I am not great with that. You know what? I have not sussed that at all. I’ve touched on it and when I have, I’d say it’s being open and honest. Which is a boring thing to say. I normally do that defence thing where I close down and run off.
What's your greatest regret?
Not acting on my intuition. Is that gaslighting yourself? Not trusting myself. Knowing what the right thing to do is but putting it off for ages. I’ve done that a couple of times, from work stuff to relationships. That’s the thing that’s caused the most regret for me.
What is your desert Island disc?
Hmm. Shit! It’s so funny, I remember talking to someone about this recently but can’t remember what I decided. You know, it might be The Natural Bridge by The Silver Jews.
When and where were you happiest?
This year I was happiest when I was on a dig, in Sussex.
Have you ever been arrested?
No. Well, almost. I was taken into a back room, embarrassingly not that long ago, because I accidentally stole a dress from Uniglo. OK, I didn’t accidentally steal it. I stole a dress from Uniglo. That was just me trying to cover my tracks still. Yes, they took me into a room and told me off – it was terrifying!
Can you cook - what's your signature dish?
I’d say I’m a good cook. I’m really good at doing this orzo, prawn thing, that’s really nice with feta, fennel, and stuff. It’s pretty fancy.
When and why did you last cry?
I actually cried last night. I was feeling overwhelmed by a couple of different things, one of which is just being on tour. I mean, I cry loads. I enjoy it, not at the time obviously, but it feels good afterwards. I’d say I cry on average at least four times a week. I’ll cry at things that I read, or a story someone tells me. I don’t just cry for myself.
Do you have a temper? How does it manifest?
That’s one of my main issues. I have a big temper. It manifests in crying! Sometimes. We have a temper that runs through the family through the Greek side. I’ve seen my Greek family really lose their shit. My mum, bless her, has been a therapist for the past twenty-five years so when I was a kid we’d have a section in most of the gardens where we’d do some plate smashing and some good, natural anger release. Now, if I don’t exercise quite strenuously then it’ll manifest in sadness. If I exercise like fuck, then I’m OK.
What is your pet peeve?
Something that irritates me? I was just talking about this yesterday: things falling over in the car when you’re driving. Things falling off the seat: I hate that.
Do you have any phobias?
Nothing serious. I’m a bit scared of spiders and I don’t like heights. The classics.
What depresses you?
Overworking and not doing demos. I feel so much less depressed when I do demos…or go into a church. There’s a couple of things that I forget to do, fall into a depression, then do one of those things and feel so much better.
Naima performing alongside Oliver Hamilton, at Rough Trade West in September: very good!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I won a prize for being the best mattock-er on an excavation this year. It’s this massive scythe-looking equipment thing, you use it for digging. It’s huge and quite difficult to wield. They gave out a few prizes, but when I got that one, I was so happy.
What is your favourite album of the year?
Quite a few. I was enjoying the MJ Lenderman album, but then I watched the Antony Fantano review and was put off.
I’m so fickle. I do think it’s a great record, though. Did A Savage’s record come out this year? I think it did. Oh, it was last year. Damn.
Bright Future was good, but it wasn’t my favourite.
Oh, I know. The Gillian Welch album, Woodland. I love most of that.