Didn’t you go to sailing school?
Colin, Slough
Yes, I’ve gotten into sailing school a few times. In my teens, my dad and I took a course on sailing theory, how to navigate and so on. That summer we tried out our skills, but it’s not a great sailing spot here in Louisville, as the river wind is unpredictable. Then I tried again in my twenties… I went to this other school, learned new things, and, once again, lost most all of it. Then, five years ago, I tried again. And again, I forgot everything! What’s remained is that I have a concept of what there is to learn. The weird thing is that I don’t even have a boat!

I know you love Merle Haggard – his supreme interpretation of song reminds me of your own; following melody that is deeply internal and perfectly executed. How much of Merle’s much fabled early life do you hear in his voice?
Jonathan Wilson
Oh, Merle’s music is wonderful. He had a wretched early life – he was orphaned, committed petty crimes, was sent to prison before he turned his life around. I hear a lot of Merle’s life in his voice. Over the course of his vast canon, he seemed to be pretty open about where he came from, how he looks at his past, his present, at music. And I hear that in his voice. I don’t think it’s possible for someone to have a dull past and create great art. However, you don’t have to have a past like Merle’s – it might be an internally interesting past, something wild going on inside. Otherwise it’s unlikely your work will have magnetic qualities.

I would love to know about the recording of “I See A Darkness” with Johnny Cash.
Simon Stephenson, Belfast
My friend and colleague Matt Sweeney had heard that Rick Rubin had loads of Bonnie “Prince” Billy records at his house. And Matt saw Rick Rubin at an event a bit later, and Rick said, ‘We’re looking on cutting a version of “I See A Darkness” with Cash.’ So Matt called me right away with the news. The middle climax was flying out on my own to California, getting there to the studio and participating in the recordings of the actual song, witnessing Johnny singing it perfectly, watching him record another track, him being a wonderful gentleman. And then I received the CD-R of the finished album. They were all part of a line of surreal moments. It still feels like I’ve woken up and said, ‘Man, I just dreamt I even heard Johnny Cash singing “I See A Darkness”’!

What’s the last book you read?
Lorna McCallum, Stirling
I’ve been profoundly affected by Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. It’s helped me to come to terms with my introversion. There are times when my social anxiety just feels wrong. It’s heartening to read these anecdotal accounts of introversion, and how this anxiety shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as flawed. Like a lot of introverts, I realise I’ve spent my life figuring out what attributes of an extrovert I could develop to function in society. And music is good for that, as so much of it I can do internally and/or alone, but community and collaboration are crucial. And that’s how I make a living – I have to develop extrovert tendencies, which is exhausting!