The Bevis Frond, the psychedelic band by singer songwriter Nick Saloman is back with seventy-five minutes of glorious psychedelic rock, ‘Focus On Nature,’ out February 1, 2024 via Fire Records.

Like its much-praised predecessor, ‘Little Eden’, the new record studies the world’s weariness but fills out a bigger canvas; fast food and global warming, broken hearts and long gone nights out, everyday immortality and being God’s gift all share space.

“I always put a lot of effort into recording an album”

It’s really great to have you again. I see that you keep things busy as you’re planning to release a new album in March 2024. How much time and effort went into ‘Focus On Nature’?

Nick Saloman: I guess I always put a lot of effort into recording an album because I want it to sound as good as possible. That kind of work mostly takes place before I book the studio. I’m deciding which songs are the best, polishing the lyrics, making sure that it all hangs together. The way I work doesn’t really take a lot of time because I’m writing material all the time, and when I have enough stuff that I think is good, then I will start thinking about a new record. I’ll send some home demos to the guys in the band, so that when we go into the studio they will be familiar with the tracks. Fortunately the band is really good and so it’s not too difficult. Doing the backing tracks, drums, bass, rhythm and guide guitars and guide vocals usually takes about two days. Then Paul Simmons and I will go in and do all the solos and overdubs which will take maybe a day or two. Vocals will take a day or two, and then mixing will take maybe three or four days. So altogether about 8-10 days in the studio.

According to the album’s title, it seems to be a concept album. Would you like to share some light upon the overall vision and ideas behind it?

No, it’s not a concept album. It’s just the best of the material I’ve written over the last couple of years. I suppose there is a kind of theme to the songs, but that’s more a reflection of the way I’m feeling when I write them.

Where was the album recorded and what was the recording and producing process like for you?

It was recorded at my friend Dave Palmer’s studio in Bexhill-On-Sea. It’s called Graffite Studios and I find it very relaxing and easy to work there with Dave. I really enjoy recording and getting the music to come out the way I hear it in my head. Dave is a great engineer, with really good ears! He hears things that I don’t hear till he mentions them.

<a href="https://bevisfrondmusic.bandcamp.com/album/focus-on-nature">Focus On Nature by The Bevis Frond</a>

There’s also a plan for a 2024 tour? You have a lot of dates in April, including the Roadburn Festival. Are you excited about it?

Yes, we’re really looking forward to touring in Europe again. It will be our first European tour since 2016. We used to come over much more frequently, but Covid and Brexit have made things very difficult for British bands. I think we’re sounding great at the moment, and we always get a lovely response from people in Europe, so hopefully it’ll be a really enjoyable tour for everyone.

What gear will you bring with you?

Really? What are you, the tax man? [Laughing] It will be the same gear we always bring I guess. Dave Pearce will bring his drumkit, Louis Wigett will bring his bass setup, which is one of those small Orange rigs with a small amp and two little speakers. It looks small, but it’s really powerful. Paul Simmons will have an Orange head going through an Orange 4×12. He’ll probably bring 3 guitars, a Strat, a Flying V & a Les Paul. I’ll have a couple of Carlsbro Stingrays going through a Marshall 4×12, plus a Burns Flyte guitar & an old Epiphone 227.

Speaking of your previous album ‘Little Eden,’ how would you compare it with the latest one?

Well, the main difference is that I did ‘Little Eden’ on my own, because it was recorded during lockdown, and ‘Focus On Nature’ was recorded with the band. Other than that, it’s another collection of new material written by me, so it’s not going to be radically different. I’m very pleased with it, and I guess if you liked ‘Little Eden,’ you’ll probably like this. Then again, who knows? It might go down very well, and it might not. Every time I put an album out, I’m always hoping people will like it, but that’s up to them isn’t it? I do my best to make an album that I think sounds good, but I’m never certain that the people who hear it will feel the same way.

You know I’m obsessed with underground psych et cetera, would you like to name a few less known records that you enjoy listening to lately?

We’ve played with some great Spanish bands recently; Mohama Saz, Peralta, Biscuit, all of them are definitely worth a listen. I recently picked up a nice album from 1970 by a Danish band called Moses. I’ve been enjoying Marsupilami’s first album from about 1970, and a single from 1968 by Gary Farr & Kevin Westlake called ‘Green’. But I’m listening to music all the time, and those are just a few that come to mind. I also just got an original UK version of ‘Apples & Oranges’ which I’m very pleased about.