As 2024 comes to an end and you are putting together a playlist with all of the best music of the year, make sure to include Hattie Webb‘s new album, Wild Medicine, which was released on Oct. 24 via Hearts Connect Records. The album features personal storytelling – about self-discovery, trauma, heartbreak, and more – that captures universal experiences, set to the sounds of Webb’s gorgeous harp.
Rebellious Magazine got a chance to catch up with the incredible English harpist to discuss the process of creating Wild Medicine, collaborating with an array of talented musicians, writing for the harp, and touring with Pink Floyd legend David Gilmour with her young children in tow.
Laurie Fanelli: Congratulations on the release of Wild Medicine. How do you feel now that it’s out in the world?
Hattie Webb: It is very exciting to know that these songs are in people’s hands and ears now. After 7 years work, it feels like coming full circle to send this body of work out to the universe!
It such a compelling listen musically and lyrically and you tackle complex topics like suicide and violence against women. I found it to be very empowering. Do you approach songwriting with the intention of offering hope and a sense of communion?
This is such a beautiful thought, thank you for sharing Laurie. I began writing as a way to find healing in my own life, a way to connect myself with how I deeply feel, to explore my own internal space and a sense of understanding with what is happening within. I believe as artists, to write what is authentic to oneself is really central.
To imagine others finding hope and communion is very inspiring and touching. Although I wouldn’t say I write to explore that for anyone else, I wouldn’t assume I could ever know how anyone else feels, it is a great honour to play any part in someone else’s creative world!
Please tell me a bit about the musicians who contributed to Wild Medicine. What was it like working with Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, and others?
It was extraordinary working with Mike, Benmont and the Heartbreakers band. They are master creators! I have learnt so much flying by their side for these chapters. We met when my sister Charley and I sang with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers on their 40th Anniversary tour in 2017. There were so many ‘pinch me’ moments for us because we have loved their music for all our lives. Then to have time to write and create after that has been one of the great joys of my life. Mike writes so fast and it is a thrill to be in the writing seat with him and also with the glorious Ron Blair. Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone brought so much with their incredible and rich creative sounds.
Roscoe Beck has been so central, being producer of this album. Roscoe has brought so much creativity, expertise and depth to the music. We have a huge history having worked with Leonard Cohen together. Roscoe had been working for Leonard for much of his life, Roscoe auditioned Charley and I and changed the course of both our lives. Roscoe and I have very similar musical instincts and we found ourselves bouncing off with ideas.
The band we worked with in Austin Texas were extraordinary. Roscoe brought in the very brilliant David Grissom, Joel Guzman and Tom Brechtlein. Roscoe and I had several days for tracking at the wonderful Blue Rock studios with the band, some of the most fulfilling and thrilling days I can remember. Stephen Barber wrote several string arrangements which enriched and elevated the songs so very much. Then we had our old Leonard Cohen band cohorts involved too – Mitch Watkins, Alex Bublitchi, and Javier Mas who brought so much to two of the songs.
Roscoe also brought in the amazing Eric Johnson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Michael Landau, Lenny Castro, David Rhodes, and Lloyd Maines, Stephen Barber bringing in The Tosca String quartet – Leigh Mahoney, Tracy Seeger, Ames Asbell and Sara Nelson who brought fabulous textures and sounds.
I wrote some of the songs on my own and some with a few others. It was really special to write with Nina Jo Baker, Ben Cullum, Patrick Leonard and Paul Kelly on some of the tracks and also musicians Chris Torres and Mike Stone were involved, who were an absolute delight to work with.
I love the harp. It’s such a beautiful, often delicate instrument. Many of your songs have a lot of heft – typically more associated with a guitar or other electric instrument – which I found to be a wonderful surprise. How do you approach composing for the harp specifically?
I believe all instruments can create their own world somehow and the player just follows! I dive in quite mindlessly when I play the harp. It’s as if I sometimes don’t know what is going to come out and my fingers and feeling show the way. Having loved so many singer songwriters like Sinéad O’Connor, Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor, I feel with these artists of gravitas, the song is Queen and the instrument is an expression of the feeling that is being communicated. I tend to keep an open mind, follow my heart and to trust that gut feeling when I’m going in the wrong direction programmed by my little human brain and relax my body to let the truth come out!
What is it like touring with David Gilmour? And I understand that your kids are along for the ride – How does it feel to share this experience with them?
It has been an incredible experience touring with David Gilmour. David and his collaborator and wife Polly Samson have created such an amazing creative cosmos and are very welcoming and kind. Most of all I have enjoyed the nuance of sound in David’s playing and the way his and Polly’s songs invite one into such a magical world. It is quite a whirlwind playing on those big stages, the lights are dramatic and the sounds epic. I felt very grateful to experience the tour with such a lovely band and crew.
I started rehearsals with a one week old baby and a 2 year old which was a whole new journey for me! Definitely some juggles and also so many happy elevated moments. I have loved adventuring with both my children and sharing in the beautiful community Polly and David have created. My children have very much enjoyed the music too, both with their kiddie protective ear defenders on as much as possible when I can negotiate with them to keep them on 🙂
Do you have anything else you would like to share with Rebellious Magazine readers?
Thank you so much Rebellious Magazine readers for listening to my music, do reach out any time. I am at Hattiewebbmusic.com and at ‘Hattie Webb music’ on Instagram and Facebook.
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Click here to pick-up a copy of Wild Medicine. More information can be found at Hattiewebbmusic.com.
