Q: What inspired your choice of Long John Silver as a subject?
Moon Construction Kit: Long John Silver came to mind while I was writing the lyrics. The song is about duality, and he resurfaced from my childhood, that mix of fear and fascination he always stirred in me. He’s both charming and dangerous, and that tension felt like a perfect fit for what the song was trying to say.
Q: How does the name “Moon Construction Kit” relate to this work?
Moon Construction Kit: I’ve always been into retro-futurism: the art, the old sci-fi movies, that playful, colorful idea of the future. “Moon Construction Kit” started as a kind of joke. The moon’s such a simple shape, and the idea of needing a kit to build it made me laugh. I’m also pretty hopeless with tools, so the name just felt right, a mix of imagination and not taking myself too seriously.
Q: Which key themes from the Long John Silver narrative are you exploring here?
Moon Construction Kit: The song is really about duality. I’ve always been fascinated by characters who aren’t easy to define, and Long John Silver is one of those. In the song, the main character is chasing success, almost obsessively, but there’s something broken underneath, a kind of sadness or emptiness. He’s ambitious, but also lost, and maybe even a bit dangerous because of it. I wanted to capture that kind of conflict.
Q:Can you share a significant challenge or breakthrough in its creation?
Moon Construction Kit: There wasn’t a huge challenge with this one, but the real breakthrough came when I created the outro. It has this hypnotic feel with rising tension that just stuck in my mind. I was really happy with how that part turned out. Another big moment was hearing the final mix from Guy Britton, he gave the drums this deep, powerful, and cavernous sound that really adds a lot to the song’s flow.
Q: What emotional response do you hope viewers take away from it?
Moon Construction Kit: There’s a lot of emotion in the song, and I wanted it to feel like a dreamy road trip. If I can bring listeners into the visual world I imagined: this retro-futuristic 1950s Italian Riviera, with all its beauty and nostalgia, that would be amazing. I hope they feel both pulled in and a little unsettled, like they’re traveling through a place that’s familiar but also a bit mysterious.
Q: How does “Long John Silver” fit into your broader artistic practice?
Moon Construction Kit: Artistically, Long John Silver really captures the kind of psychedelic pop I love to listen to and create. That said, I’m also into straighter pop songs as well as more experimental sounds. When my first album comes out, I want to show all sides of what I do : the mix of dreamy, catchy, and adventurous.
Interviewed by Gwen Simon
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