coffeeandregret.net
LUKE HATTON: PROFILE
It's 4:30 p.m. and I'm waiting at the coffee shop where I'm supposed to meet Luke Hatton. I'm nursing a half-empty latte and I'm on the verge of leaving when he walks in, half an hour late. He is junkie-thin, dressed in black with a pale complexion and long, unkempt, dirty blonde hair. He is open and forthright, and without being prompted by a question, he begins the conversation that will last over three hours. "I've always been out of step with my generation, not out of touch, but definitely out of step."
Indeed, his interests are not restricted by age or invention; throughout the interview he quotes the likes of Charles Baudelaire and Pablo Neruda, and even Bruce Springsteen and Tori Amos. From the prosaic to the cinematic to the unusual, Luke Hatton is a writer and lyricist of many different styles, unimpeded by convention and intervention. "My influences are not necessarily unique, but they are pretty extensive. It's whatever interests me that makes the most impact on my writing. After all, we are only products of the cultures in which we inhabit, and they make a significant impact on the way we perceive the world around us. And I'm not about to hide my influences, because they've helped define who I am."
The inspiration behind Luke's writing is just as extensive as his influences, from the mundane of everyday life to the rare and unsettling. "A lot of what I write about is what's around me, because what effects us the most are the things that we experience every day. Some people might describe this as prosaic, but there is room for beauty in every facet of existence, and in my writing I try to discover that beauty. Sometimes the most insignificant things can be the most meaningful."
"I'm just a poor boy from across the railroad tracks
For better or for worse, there is no going back"
- Poor Boy, 2004
"Poor Boy" is full of self-doubt and insecurity, but beneath the everyday details is a subdued confidence that can only be acquired through the knowledge that life is change. "In the refrain of "Poor Boy" it takes no stretch of the imagination to know I'm writing about myself, but there are other references that aren't so clear. The reference "trailer park junkie" doesn't necessarily refer to a drug addict, but it does refer to someone who is overcome by his or her addictions. But no matter how obscure or commonplace, I don't make references lightly, and it is up to the reader to understand and decipher the vocabulary and language I use."
Like most of the compositions featured in "Coffee And Regret" and his current work, "Dispatches", "Poor Boy" is based upon reflection. However, there is nothing more complicated than perception and the different standing points by which we see and perceive the world around us. If any poem or lyric makes it possible for us to look at a certain subject from a different perspective, then as a work it is successful. And although "The Bell In The Ocean" adopts the voice of an inanimate object, it doesn't mean it is any less worthwhile. "The poem expresses a sadness and longing because even though this object is lifeless, it can no longer fulfil its purpose. So it's a lament for the loss of one's voice, which I suppose can be seen as a metaphor for many things. There is definitely an influence of Pablo Neruda present there."
"I am a bell in the ocean, I no longer make a sound
I form a bed of coral with the lonely and the drowned
My voice has long been silent, it tolls no more for thee
And I must sleep in sorrow at the bottom of the sea"
- The Bell In The Ocean, 2005
But what defines Luke as a writer is his versatility and courage to tackle controversial topics, and it seems that no subject, regardless of how disturbing or unsettling, is beyond his talent. "Confrontation is very important to me as a writer. Art is about changing people's lives and challenging their perception. You can't do that with a bland, three-minute pop song because that is just escapism, a diversion to help you forget your life. There's no real conflict and resolution. So tackling harrowing subjects, such as, abortion, suicide or child abuse is important to provoke change."
"Magdalene", for example, is inspired by the harsh conditions of the Magdalene Laundries in 1960s Ireland, and is written from the perspective of four different women. "They used to send girls to the Magdalene Asylums if they became pregnant before they were married, or if they were overly flirtatious. These women were forced to atone their sins through forced labour, cleaning clothes for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that thousands of women suffered the harsh conditions of the Magdalene Asylums. Thankfully, they have all closed down now, but their effects are still being felt in a very tangible and real way."
"Well, I am just an honest girl, with no wrongdoing to confess
But I was sent away from my family for a crime that I did not commit"
- Magdalene, 2005
One aspect of Luke's philosophy is that he is adamant to remain honest to himself and to the work he produces. Indeed, for any writer to be successful, they have to learn to express themselves. This statement may seem redundant, but there are many people that have no concept of self-expression. "There is a world of language that surrounds and defines us, but many people see their own language as redundant because they have become so accustomed to it. They adopt the language of others in an attempt to express themselves, which becomes nothing more than cliché. But simply finding your own voice can be a long and arduous process. For a poem or lyric, or any creative work for that matter, to be worthwhile, it must be created with honesty and integrity, and the best way to do that is to write about what you know."
It seems that every artist must go through a rite of passage to define himself or herself as a writer. "Change is inevitable, and I think it's important to change as you mature. My style has progressed over the years, but it has been a natural progression. Throughout adolescence, for example, you will be more rebellious, but as you grow older there will come a time when you no longer feel the need to be rebellious, and your writing will change accordingly. You can see a clear difference between my early work, which is very much introspective, and what I am producing currently, which I think is my most mature to date. So I guess everything you do is influenced by who you are and how you see yourself."
"Comfort is a mystery, bound and tied down to a chair
For a brave, beautiful girl, with blood and vomit in her hair"
- Brave, 2004
It is an organic progression for any writer to extend their sense of perception beyond their own experiences, and without the need to be introspective, their outlook will naturally become more open and extrovert, and there are ways of channelling other voices. "It is important to be open to new experiences, because as a writer you are a conduit and you must surrender a part of yourself to the work. It is essential that part of your spirit should form the central core of the work, otherwise the work will be compromised, but you must lose your voice with that of the central character."
One example of this is "Brave", which was inspired by a documentary about the life of Genie, a 13-year-old feral child who was found in 1971. "The conditions that Genie suffered were truly horrific. For the first 13 years of her life, she was tied down to a wooden chair and was severely beaten for making any noise. As a result of this, she became extremely introverted, she couldn't walk properly, and she learned not to vocalise. She was unable to communicate though spoken language. It is clear that "Brave" is my own interpretation of this experience, but I did feel a responsibility to the person I was writing about."
As we leave the coffee shop, ushered out impatiently by the staff because it's long past closing time, Luke attempts to bring the conversation to a close, or at least to a point we can pick up again another time. "I have been writing all my life, and so far there has been no shortage of inspiration. I think as long as we continue to explore the nature of the human condition, there will always be things that need to be said and lessons that need to be learnt. The songs truly exist by themselves, and it's not until they're ready to be expressed that they present themselves to you. They kind of stalk you and chase you down and they won't rest until they're heard."
It is evident that the role of the poet and lyricist is to interpret and understand the world around them, and reviewing Luke's work as a whole gives a strong impression of an artist eager for new and enlightening experiences. But his work is far from complete. Indeed, it's still a work in progress, and it seems there is much we have yet to explore.
James Gillespie, October 2005