In Conversation With “Manyfingers”

A little background:

To say this interview has taken a while in coming together would be a 

Understatement.

I first met Chris Cole who is Manyfingers perform at a Matt Elliott

(Ex Third Eye Foundation) gig last year. I can honestly remember

Being spell blown by Manyfingers as well as Matt’s set (of which

Chris supported Matt during the set). Here was a guy

Who played a variety of instruments during his solo set, often?

Playing a song with a single instrument and then looping himself

Before then bringing another instrument into the mixture. 

To say it was incredible would be an understatement. I can

Remember talking to Matt during and after the gig and he told

Me at the time Chris had a demo tape out, but no record contract

As of yet. 

I got in contact with Chris through a different source, and

Discovered him to be a very nice guy indeed. 

It took a while of discussing things to get the interview

Sorted out, which got delayed by Chris travelling to Japan

And parts of Europe with Movietone and also Matt Elliott,

During which point a self-titled album came out on Moteer 

Records, but which was worth it as it explored the almost

Neo-classical style of the set, but seemed to take

It further, in places sounding incredibly simple but

Complex in the same breathe. 

But anyway, Chris doesn’t have a website at

The moment (I will suggest it to him) but he can be 

Contacted on manyfingers@caramail.com

(He’s a nice guy).

Cheers for everything, Chris. We got there

Eventually didn’t we?????

Andy N xxx

Setting Sun: How are things and what’s happening at the 

Moment?

Manyfingers: 

Pretty Good! This is probably been the first moment in the last year 

That I have had the chance to sit down and do this interview! Even 

Now I’m thinking about the deadlines I’ve got for other mixes that 

Have got to be done by yesterday! 

It’s good to be home though.. I’ve been away for about 6 months 

Over the last year touring around Europe with Manyfingers, Matt Elliott 

(Playing cello and drums), Movietone (cello, piano and melodica) and 

Drumming for Crescent (just standing in as the original drummer, Jasper 

Larsen has moved abroad). Also, just recently got back from a short tour 

Around Japan with Movietone, which was amazing! We were touring with a 

Band called Maher Shalal Hash Baz.. One of the best live bands I’ve ever 

Seen! 

All these experiences have been unforgettable and I’ve had the chance to 

Meet some really kind and supportive people.. But I’m savouring being in 

One place for more than a couple of weeks at the moment.. Nothing more 

Planned as of yet until January next year when Matt’s new album is due to be 

Released; apart from the occasional gig over the summer I really want to 

Concentrate on recording my new album.

Setting Sun: Now I have read a little about the creation of Manyfingers myself, 

But as I always say, clearly there are people in the world who will have never 

Heard off you, so the benefit of those – do you want to introduce yourself, 

Explain to us who fired the starting pistol etc…

Manyfingers:

To be honest I never expected the album to even be released.  Got Matt 

Elliott to thank for that.. Whilst visiting Bristol a while back I played him 

Some ideas that I’d been toying around with but never got round to finishing. 

He liked the tracks and convinced me to get them done.  

They would have ended up in the bin along with about a hundred other 

Songs I got bored with if he hadn’t intervened.

Although I play in quite a few bands such as Movietone, Crescent, 

Matt Elliott and Soeza my solo recordings started off long before that.. 

I started playing drums about 10 years ago and very quickly got fed 

Up with just being asked to put beats over other people’s music…… 

Since then I’ve picked up a few instruments which I play on a trial and 

Error basis and have worked on putting together my own music.  

I started off using a cassette 4-track, which I finally parted company with 

A couple of years ago.. for better or worse I can’t play any of the hundreds 

Of cassettes I’ve got in a box under my bed!  

I then upgraded to an Atari with a sampler and am now trying to get my 

Head around using a Mac...up until now only one other of my tracks has 

Been released.. “Just want someone to know this is me” (Chris Cole) 

Which came out on a daintydeathy records compilation and also a 

Peteri’mflying (French label) compilation...

Setting Sun:  What are your influences and what are you listening

To at the moment?

Manyfingers: 

I really love a lot of repetitive/layered pieces by Phillip Glass and the 

Album “music for 18 musicians” by Steve Reich, but I think the most 

Inspiring record I’ve heard has been “Das Buche Der Klange” by Hans 

Otte.. Solo piano compositions that it’s impossible not to weep along to...

As to what I’m listening to at the moment.. All of the Herman dune 

Albums, the new Directorsound album, Blues Du Jour by Maher Shalal 

Hash Baz, Prefuse 73, Encre, Remote Viewer, Hymie’s Basement...I’m 

Trying hard to resist buying anymore until I’ve listened through to all 

The records I already have... there’s some things I’ve got that I can’t 

Even remember buying..

Setting Sun: Now I know you are a busy man, with I know your musical 

CV alone showing (to my knowledge) current stints with both 

Movietone, Crescent and also work with Matt Elliott 

(Ex Third Eye Foundation). How does your approach to work 

Differ from working from all of these different bands / projects 

To your work in Manyfingers.

Manyfingers: 

For Manyfingers I’m my own worst enemy...working by yourself can 

Be both a blessing and a curse! I miss feedback and the sharing of ideas 

That comes with being a part of a group..  Left to my own devices I very 

Often get extremely frustrated having poured hours, days, and weeks into 

Ideas that just end up beings pulled apart and inevitably discarded.   But, 

On the flipside, it’s extremely heart-warming to hear when people like the 

Tracks because, unlike in a band where every member puts a part of themselves 

In the music, everything on a Manyfingers record is my own and is extremely 

Personal.

Setting Sun: How do you feel your live work compares to your

More studio based work? Is their one you prefer the

Over?

Manyfingers:

With regards to the album, which has just been released, I don’t know if 

There is much comparison to be honest. As I said previously, I wasn’t even 

Expecting the record to come out let alone having to prepare a live set.

The recordings on the album were basically me trying to come to grips 

With the equipment I had available to me.  I could have bought a laptop, 

Sat on stage and pressed play to give the audience the tracks as they sound 

On the album but I’m sick to death of seeing people do that.  I find it not 

Only irritating but also insulting to the people who have paid money to go 

And see a gig.  There is the argument that all the sounds are manipulated live...

But it’s still fucking boring to watch someone sat behind a computer for an 

Hour...

The new material I have written comes very much from the live shows 

Where everything (piano, guitar, philacorda, drums, cello..Etc) is 

Constructed on stage with various looping pedals, and I aim to keep 

The recording of these pieces to as live a feel as possible.  For this reason 

I’m reluctant to go to a professional studio and would prefer to record in 

Different places around Bristol.

Setting Sun: What’s the origin of the name “Many Fingers”? When

I saw you support Matt Elliott last year in Manchester, 

My interpretation of your name of “Manyfingers” came from 

Your sound itself, where you used Manyfingers to keep looping 

Yourself, which itself was amazing.

Manyfingers: 

A friend gave me the idea for the name when she was talking of a Native 

American Indian family she knew who had a son called manyfingers.. I 

Really loved the name and as I play all the instruments on the album (apart 

From some trumpet parts by my friend Vic Le Billon) it seemed quite apt...

Setting Sun: I know you are busy with Movietone and Crescent,

And I seem to recall hearing you have worked on new material / 

Have been touring with Matt Elliott, but among this busy schedule 

Do you have any more plans for Manyfingers?

Manyfingers:

Now that touring is out of the way I’m looking to concentrate on 

Putting together a new album over the summer.. A lot of the material 

Will be tracks from the live set and I hope to record them in a similar 

Manner.. But we’ll see! 

I want to leave things as open as possible in case I want to do a 

Laptop set!  I’d also like to do a few shows around the UK.. But I’m 

Really trying to convince Craig and Andrew from Remote Viewer 

(Who have put out my album on their label “Moteer”) to tour with me..

Setting Sun: Probably my favourite track off the current album

Is “In a dead man’s shoes” probably through the use of

Spanish Guitar which merges beautifully with the

Accordion. What’s the story behind that track?

Manyfingers:

No real story behind any of the tracks on the album, except for Elise, 

Which is about a friend who died not long ago.  Apart from this one piece 

None of the tracks have a preconceived idea or feelings I’m deliberately 

Trying to portray.. Each song was developed on a trial and error basis as 

To what worked and what didn’t.. Although I’d be lying if I said that 

My personal feelings at the time had nothing to do with it...

I think I prefer to leave people to make up their own minds as to what 

Feelings, if any, the songs evoke..

Setting Sun: A couple of slightly lighter questions to finish off with… 

Firstly, if you were not a Rock and Roll star, what would be your 

Dream job?

Manyfingers:

I’m a rock and roll star????!!!!!

Setting Sun: Lastly, something light to finish off with…

(Nicked from a pal’s Zine almost) “Imagine you were ship wrecked 

On a desert Island and could have (Clearly have second sight here – lol) 

The choice of having 5 records or Cds with you with a stereo of

Course – what would be your desert Island Discs?

Manyfingers:

1.      Pavement - crooked rain crooked rain

2.      John Fahey - death chants, breakdowns and military waltzes

3.      Pixies - Surfer Rosa

4.      Phillip glass – glassworks

5.      Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher