WINSTON MARSHALL
Mumford & Sons guitarist Winston Marshall has been working on a new approach for his latest record. “I’ve been trying to find new ways to work, ways to keep things fresh.” Basic Rights caught up in his London home to dive into his projects, obsessive methods of discovering new ideas and how it all informs the clothes he wears.
At the front of his mind though is a collaboration he’s recently been in the studio working on. A project with multiple musicians from contrasting backgrounds. “It’s an EP with Johan from ‘The Very Best’ and Baaba Maal who I met out in Senegal a few years ago. Jack Garratt’s been on this one too. They’re seriously talented musicians. It’s a great group.”
How does it differ from other projects? “The way we’re doing it. Studio time is often hard work. There are these long stretches of boredom punctuated by moments of creative intensity. It’s hard to switch it on and off when you work like that. We wanted to get rid of the boredom and just have the intensity,” he says.
The idea is to bring together different musical perspectives and into one record but done without much structure or planning during the recording process. “There are a lot of ideas flying about for sure.”
BR: What do you like?
SJ: I think style is more personal than anything else. I like the idea that you take clothing and wear it your way, you make it your own. You could give a white t-shirt and jeans to 20 people and it’s going to look different on each person.
I mostly gravitate towards the shape of things though.
BR: What inspires you outside your work?
SJ: As a young kid growing up on the East Coast my life revolved around the culture of the West Coast. Skateboarding, BMX - all these things that were only accessible through magazines and videos. Even at a young age I had a different sensibility, had my brain trained on different stuff. That still holds.
Inspiration comes from so many different things. Being on the street, being around people who are doing stuff and creating things. I’ve always been influenced by that especially.
When it comes to music I love a broad range of stuff. Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Jesus and Mary Chain. 90’s hip hop. It’s all across the board.
The Stone Roses, ‘I Wanna Be Adored (original recording)’
The Jesus and Mary Chain, ‘Amputation’
BR: What does Basic Rights mean to you?
SJ: The name says it. Basic Rights are those staples you need. The pieces you should to have. You know, everyone should have a great pair of tailored trousers, everyone should have sturdy plain t-shirts, they should have an awesome button down shirt. You know what I’m saying?
Just like denim this stuff transcends.
BR: What pieces from the collection did you like the best?
SJ: The High Waisted trousers. Nailed it. The details in the design, the proportions that look right, it all makes such a huge difference. I pay so much attention to that stuff.
Shawn wears pieces from Basic Rights Core and Limited collections.