Welcome the feature where we ask musicians or bands five really tough questions about music! Today we speak to James Moore, the vocalist and guitarist of the band Nightbird Casino. They have recently released the song Radio Anxiety which you should check out.

What is the hardest lyric you have ever had to write and why? 

Gosh, that’s kind of a difficult question. I have a pretty distinct way of writing lyrics … generally they’re tough for me to write. We usually write all the music, structure everything out, then I work on lyrics on my own time and try to work them into what we already have. I usually have writer’s block for a while until a single line or word will, for lack of a better term, jump out on me. Then it usually spirals from there. Maybe the chorus of Sunglasses After Sex? I wrote so many things and I hated them all.

Eventually, I went to sleep and these lyrics (and melody) “Winifred, win-afraid me” came to me in a dream. I woke up at 4am, went to my studio and recorded it half asleep then went back to bed. The next morning I listened to it and was like “this is ridiculous, what does that even mean?” But ultimately that was it, and I can’t imagine any other lyrics fitting there.  

What is the weirdest gift or compliment a fan has given you? 

I think it was meant as an insult, but I was told “Peter Murphy wants his style back”. As a big fan of Bauhaus, I took that as a compliment. 

Who is the best band or musician you have had the pleasure to share the stage with? 

We’ve been fortunate to share the stage with so many amazing artists – but if I have to pick one it would be Vertacyn Arc Materializer from San Francisco. Absolutely incredible. I don’t want to speak for them, but I’d describe them as a combination of Radiohead and The Flaming Lips. 

What one of your songs has been the most difficult to rehearse for a live audience? 

As far as songs we’ve actually performed live, there’s a song off of our first album, Gregorian Nap, “Real Quiet Hours” – every instrument is off in its own little world, very disjointed from each other, piano is in free time, and there’s a polyrhythm of six drum loops going in different time signatures.

Last time we performed it live the bassist was playing a synth and triggering the percussion loops with his foot. As you can imagine with how precise the timing is, if the first loop is triggered a millisecond too soon or too late the whole song gets thrown off. Oh, and there’s bagpipes at the end!

Dream Collaboration and why ? 

I think every member of the band would give a different answer. I have so many artists I’d love to work with … I think if I did some sort of side project it would be fun to work with someone who’s in an entirely different genre than what I’m comfortable operating within. Maybe Chino Moreno? Childish Gambino? Richard Patrick? Bjork? I’m game for whatever.