The Making of I SEE A DARKNESS by Bonnie "Prince" Billy - featuring Will Oldham

For the 25th anniversary of the first Bonnie “Prince” Billy album, we take a detailed look at how it was made. Will Oldham grew up studying acting but decided to pursue music while he was attending Brown University. In 1992, he released his first single with Drag City under the name Palace Brothers. A series of albums followed under several variations of the Palace name, which reflected Oldham’s unique approach to treating the album, rather than the artist, as the primary entity. In 1998, he had an epiphany that he could inhabit a new character named Bonnie “Prince” Billy for his music moving forward and put his concerns about an artist identity to rest. He began living in his father’s farmhouse in Shelbyville, Kentucky along with his brother, Paul, who had been studying recording and set up a makeshift studio. In this isolated environment, Oldham worked on writing songs and had the freedom to record himself in a way that he never had before. Eventually, Oldham invited other musicians including Peter Townsend, Bob Arellano, Colin Gagon and David Pajo to flesh out the songs that would make up the I SEE A DARKNESS record.
In this episode, Will Oldham describes a newfound approach to making music at this time and how he viewed his former Palace work as his apprenticeship years. As Bonnie “Prince” Billy, he found that he could portray a larger than life character who had the power to sing songs across the emotional spectrum. The Bonnie character opened up his approach to songwriting as he began to incorporate some traditional elements like bridges and dramatic builds. From a growing confidence in his singing to a deteriorating relationship and the decision to form a sub label to a love of post-apocalyptic landscapes to adding humor as a release valve to taking inspiration from contemporaries like PJ Harvey to the unlikely events that led to Johnny Cash covering the title track, we’ll hear the stories of how the record came together.
Life of the Record podcast - Bonnie "Prince" Billy I SEE A DARKNESS documentary
Interview with Will Oldham
Episode 35
lifeoftherecor...
#willoldham #bonnieprincebilly #iseeadarkness #dragcity #palacebrothers #palacemusic #johnnycash #mattsweeney #rickrubin #documentary #interview #musicpodcast #lifeoftherecord

[@-elijahriggs-]

I just saw him in Jacksonville, Fl two days ago. What an amazing show! The crowd was fantastic. Maybe at most I saw three cell phones out at one time but usually it was one or zero. the ones I did see out recording were at their chest and very courteous about it. When he came out, everybody got really dead quiet and no one talked through anything, and no cell phones went off for the entire show. If you get a chance to see him, do not miss it. the new album is really good as well.

[@tommygrnrgtamafia197]

I was at this same show in the very front. Riveting show, and extremely intimate.

[@lucapedroni4637]

The vaccines/music relation is truly something...the whole conversation is so inspiring!

[@rm3266]

Shame most of his stuff isn’t on Spotify.

[@sharksenesac9997]

Oldham is truly inspiring, thank you for this.

[@cw32587]

Very valuable document here. Thank you.

[@bchobbs]

Thanks so much for this video!

[@ncf1]

this is fantastic

[@lichtfilme]

Hi! Love this series! Been soaking up the episodes on Perfect From Now On and Let Go.
Could you get Neil Hannon to talk about Regeneration? That would be so interesting

[@augustwestusa]

That was really great! Thank you so much. You said something different at a show once though, about Death to Everyone. Maybe there is more to the story. Some of your songs I would really really like to understand better....like one heart two lungs six...something I can't remember how it goes now...but anyway! Loved it!

[@prosegold]

First!!!!