Starman

Each week witnesses an ever-growing slew of new releases, from the good to the bad to the downright ugly. Sometimes it can amount to both too much and too little. October spawned a perfectly crafted EP endearingly entitled Moonlight Songs For Beginners, featuring three gorgeously realised tracks written by Mr. Asteroid himself a man who answers to the name Andrew Lyster.

Lyster is humble and understated when talking about his remarkable accomplishment. "It s as good as it could have been under the circumstances it was made," states Andrew. "It's the kind of thing I will look back upon with fondness, because the intentions are right so it doesn't matter if the delivery is a bit wonky. You can hear what is intended, so that's probably what most people connect with."
Reputedly, the Moonlight EP took over two years to produce in Andrew's own self-styled mini-studio.
"I guess it just depends what sort of musician you are," opines Andrew. "I wouldn't say that I was accomplished in terms of being able to play in the way a proper musician can play, but the studio is a good place for me because I'm able to make as many mistakes as I need to. The songs were all initially written on an acoustic. I have had a few situations when after a few weeks down the road working on something, you go - 'hang on! This song is a heap of shit, and no amount of production is going to fix this!' So I would advocate starting with a proper structure at least, and maybe finish it off lyrically when the structure is there. The EP was recorded on an eight-track recorder that broke several times. I've upgraded that recently. I don't really want to be in a proper studio, but try to upgrade the stuff that I've got. What's a home studio and what's a real studio? I'm sure Prince's studio is a home studio but I'm sure its as good as anybody else's."
While The Asteroids is a plural moniker for what is essentially a one man project, many other guest Asteroids came on board to help with everything from backing vocals to the exquisite design and packaging.
"There are two additional people on the recording," explains Andrew. "John's vocal was a vocal line that I wanted sung as a baritone but I didn't have a baritone voice to do it myself. His baritone voice is famous, and it resonates throughout our house. So, it was ideal for him to sing it. I think it s wonderful because in ten years time I'll remember living in that house just by listening to it. Alan is a friend who offered his services and it is a great honour for me for him to contribute to anything I do. The artwork and packaging were amazingly easy to do. The 10" was Joss from the record company's input he wanted a 10" because he had been waiting so long for the record. He wanted something to celebrate it coming out.
And the design of it was very easily done. Another girl who lives in the house is an artist and has paintings on our walls. I had been looking at them all year, and eventually I plucked up the courage to ask her if I could stick them on my record. So, I didn't even have to think about it. With the moonlight theme that runs through the title and the music, they were ideal. Niall McCormack offered to do the art, he put together the sleeve very quickly. Another person who lives at the house is making a video for one of the songs. Out of the five people who live there, you have me doing it, John singing on it, Niamh doing the artwork and Karen doing the video. So it's a commune of sorts but it was a really nice way of working."
At the time of our conversation, the mid November full moon was just beginning to wane. Does Andrew believe in a correlation between human behaviour and moon cycles?
"Yes absolutely. I think it depends on the individual, but I know someone who worked in a psychiatric ward and every full moon the whole place went absolutely nuts. I tend to feel a lot more during a full moon if you want to put it that way. But it s not about full moons, it s about finding yourself in daylight and whisking yourself off into a moonlight situation. You'll feel completely different, and for me it s more comfortable, I guess..."

Moonlight Songs for Beginners EP is available now on Scientific Laboratories.