Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmins | Interview | “Grace, Decay, and the Sound of Truth”
Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is no stranger to chasing truth through sound, but ‘A Little Bit of Grace and Decay’ takes it further.
A collaboration with longtime friend John Murry, the album blends Timmins’ atmospheric instrumental work — originally composed for a documentary on Murry’s life — with Murry’s solo acoustic performances. The result is hauntingly intimate, like eavesdropping on a conversation that was never meant to be heard. It’s music that breathes with the weight of lived experience, unpolished and deeply human. This is the story of American singer-songwriter, who seemed destined for greatness after the critical success of ‘The Graceless Age’ (2013) — until it all unraveled. Strung out on heroin and creatively burned out, he drifted to the shores of Ireland, a shadow of himself. Now, Murry returns to Mississippi to confront the ghosts that shaped him — a fractured childhood, the scars of trauma, and the long, brutal grip of opioid addiction. It’s a reckoning with the dark heart of American life and his own place within it.
Cowboy Junkies carved out a space where quiet intensity speaks louder than bombast, their sound steeped in slow-burn melancholy and honesty. At the heart of it all is Michael Timmins, a songwriter and producer who knows how to make silence feel just as powerful as sound. In this interview, Timmins reflects on crafting soundscapes that don’t just frame a story but become part of it. From navigating film score elements to capturing Murry’s spirit, Timmins shows that sometimes the most powerful music happens when you let it lead the way.
“…isolation, preferably a large window that looks out onto a changing landscape”
You’ve mentioned that this project with John had no fixed plan at the beginning. How did that sense of spontaneity influence the sound and structure of the album?
Michael Timmins: The sound was really governed by John Murry’s performance. I set him up so that he could be as free and easy as possible and just play, rather than perform, which I think led to some excellent performances by him. Once I had those recordings, I realized that there was no reason to add anything to them, but I thought it would be interesting to bookend each song with remixes and outtakes from the score music that I had recorded. So I set about trying to figure out which pieces of music worked best when butted up against John’s songs.
How did you approach blending the elements of a film score with the more traditional aspects of songwriting for this album?
It was all trial and error… I just trusted my instinct. If it sounded good, I left it and moved on.
John’s story is deeply personal and, at times, painful. How do you balance respecting that vulnerability while also bringing your own creative vision to the production process?
It was an emotional film to re-watch as I created the score, but I’ve had lots of pretty personal conversations with John, so I wasn’t completely unaware of most of his story. I just tried to be honest with the music and hoped that it helped elevate the film.
What were some of the key moments during the recording sessions that made you feel this project was turning into something truly special?
There was no real moment. I think we got together for a few hours three days in a row, and John just played. After the second day, John started to really relax. A lot of the songs come from the third day, when I think John really forgot that he was in a studio and was just playing for himself.
As a member of Cowboy Junkies, you have a signature sound. How did you adapt your approach when working with John to ensure his story was told authentically?
I don’t really think in those terms. The Cowboy Junkies sound comes from the four of us playing together. When I do projects outside of the band, I approach each project with an eye to the project and what is needed. I’m not really thinking, “Is this or is this not Cowboy Junkies sounding?” It just is what it is, and if it works for the project, then that is all that is needed.
When creating music for a documentary, how do you ensure that the score complements the narrative without overpowering it?
That can be tricky, so I rely a lot on the director, the editor, and whoever else is involved in the creative decisions. It’s good to have an outside perspective.
In your opinion, how does the stripped-back style of this album serve the narrative of both John’s story and the documentary?
I think John’s songs tell a lot of his story. Stripping them back to just his voice and guitar helps to emphasize the lyrics and, therefore, his and the documentary’s story. I hope that my musical parts help to create some drama and tension between the songs so that the listener is ready for the next story when John re-enters.
The album includes pieces that were recorded in your studio in Toronto. What was it like to return to that space with John after several years?
It was fun to have him back in there. He is always a willing participant in the recording process, with lots of energy and enthusiasm for it.
How did your understanding of John’s story and struggles influence your approach to producing the music for this project?
That’s a tough one… I’m not really sure. When I was creating my parts for the film, I was just trying to underline the narrative and the emotion. When I was recording John, I just wanted to capture the rawness.
What role do you see the single ‘What Remains’ playing within the context of the album and the documentary?
Well, I wrote that song completely unattached to this project and not with John in mind at all. But I think the Rilke quote in the lyric, “Let everything happen to you…,” is pretty spot on as a theme for the movie.
You’ve worked with a variety of artists throughout your career. What is it about John Murry’s style that resonates with you as a collaborator?
He is just truly honest when it comes to his music and his performance of it. You can’t ask for anything more than that.
Do you find that working on a project like this one, with such a rich narrative backdrop, changes your approach to songwriting and production compared to other projects?
Definitely… the narrative and the emotion of a film drive the music.
How did the creative process for this album differ from your work with Cowboy Junkies?
Well, with a film score, all of the sonic landscape is mine to fill — or not fill — so it’s quite different than working with three other band members who are each bringing their own instruments and style to the party.
Your songwriting often captures deep emotional landscapes. Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process? Do you have specific rituals or environments that inspire your creativity?
In brief… isolation, preferably a large window that looks out onto a changing landscape, dedicating all of the hours, days, and weeks to just writing, lots of literature and unexplored poems laying about to read, get inspired by, and steal from, and some substances to keep me company.
How do you channel raw emotions into your songwriting on ‘Such Ferocious Beauty’? Can you share a specific moment during the writing process that felt particularly cathartic or revealing?
A lot of ‘Such Ferocious Beauty’ is about our dad, who at the time was suffering from increasing dementia and would be dead within a few months of the writing process. So there were a lot of moments. Margo was dropping by a lot as I was writing, so handing the lyrics over to her and having her sing them back to me was definitely revealing and, at times, cathartic.
This album grapples with heavy themes like grief and impermanence, reflecting a world that feels chaotic. How do you think the emotional depth in ‘Such Ferocious Beauty’ resonates with listeners today?
I think it’s about to get a whole lot more chaotic… especially on this side of the Atlantic. If those themes don’t resonate with you, then you are probably under 30 years old and maybe not paying attention to the world around you.
You’ve mentioned the influence of mythology and religious themes in your lyrics. How do you see these elements weaving into the fabric of ‘Such Ferocious Beauty,’ and what role do they play in the storytelling of the album?
Well, they are definitely there, most obviously in a song like ‘Circe and Penelope.’ And the idea of impermanence, which is woven throughout, is, of course, a large part of most, if not all, formal and informal religions.
The production of the album is notable for its emotional weight. Can you discuss the decision to bring in Joby Baker to finalize the sound? How does this collaboration shape the album’s identity?
Joby was the final element in us finding the “sound” for the album. I had mixed it two or three times with Alan and was not happy with what we’d done, so I realized that we needed another trusted ear. So we called Joby, and with some direction from us, he found the sound quickly — not too “studio” or “clean” sounding, but naturally heavy.
With all the challenges faced during the pandemic, many artists found new ways to connect with their creativity. How did renting a barn and working solo on acoustic guitar influence the feel of the album? Did this method evoke a sense of nostalgia or inspiration for you?
The pandemic just gave me more time to focus on writing. The process was generally very much the same as most past albums, but it had a more leisurely feel because we didn’t know when it would end.
What else currently occupies your life?
Back to doing a lot of touring with the band. Started to write songs for the next album and trying to get in as much fly-fishing as possible while the season lasts.
Klemen Breznikar
‘A Little Bit of Grace and Decay’, the Original Soundtrack Recording for The Graceless Age: The Ballad Of John Murry is out now on TV Records
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