Iron & Wine's Sam Beam, In His Own Words

Singer-songwriter Sam Beam, who’s better known by his musical persona Iron & Wine, spoke about his influences, making art and his new album, “ Ghost On Ghost,” after a performance at the Boston Public Library.

The performance was a part of WBUR’s new music series “ Off the Record.” Produced by John Perotti, a technical director at the station, and multimedia producer Jesse Costa, “Off the Record” invites artists to perform in unusual venues around Boston.

The thing that I haven’t done yet is always much more exciting than regurgitating some lightning in a bottle.–Sam Beam, Iron & Wine

Perotti says the idea stemmed from the constraints of working in a studio.

“Look at the small box we’re in.” Perotti told Here & Now. “I mean, it’s tight. It’s hard to fit bands in.”

So Perotti decided to invite bands to beautiful, open spaces around Boston.

He invited Beam to play in different parts of the Boston Public Library. Beam played in the iconic courtyard and hidden-away places in the building.

“We were in this awesome room in the back … that was the most interesting, reverberant, strange room,” said Perotti. “And [Sam Beam] really interacted with it.”

Perotti also conducts interviews with the artists. He spoke with Beam about his creative process.

“You can make things that sound like other popular things, but then you’re making Big Macs … and that’s not art,” Beam told Perotti. “The thing that I haven’t done yet is always much more exciting than regurgitating some lightning in a bottle.”

In the future, “Off the Record” will bring musicians to the top of a building in Boston’s financial district, and to Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

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• WBUR: Iron And Wine Tests New ‘Sonic Palette’ At The Boston Public Library

Guests

• John Perotti,a technical director at WBUR and co-producer of  “Off the Record.” He tweets @johnperotti. “Off the Record” tweets @OTRwbur.
• Sam Beam, singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Iron & Wine. He tweets @IronAndWine.

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