Ten years after releasing his solo debut People Gonna Talk, British musician James Hunter continues to hone his stellar soul sound. His latest album Hold On! sees him fronting the James Hunter Six while working with acclaimed Daptone Producer Gabriel “Bosco Mann” Roth. The lauded soul man took some time to chat with Myspace about the new album, his procrastination regarding writing and working with Van Morrison.

What might have been the hardest part creatively in making the record?

I’m quite a lazy writer. I only write stuff when it’s almost too late to meet the deadline. So I panic and get as much stuff down [as I can]. Me and the fellas know each other well enough now [that] the rehearsal process gets easier and easier. I’ll come up with a skeleton of a horn part, the harmony section, and then the guys will just make little improvements to it. Gabe was a big help with the arrangements actually.

Was there a moment where you felt it was heading in the right direction?

As soon as you hear back what you’ve put in through the speakers, you feel vindicated about how good you thought the song was in the first place. I will say it wasn’t just hyperbole—Gabe does get the stuff sounding like you had it in your head when you wrote it. He really does. He knows what you’re driving at. No other producer is good enough for me since we got him so we ain’t letting him go.

I also read you guys used 8-track tape to record. Did that help catch the feel or vibe?

Gabe always says it doesn’t matter if it’s tape or digital. You can do the same, it’s just what sort of mics you use and where you put them. He just likes the process. It’s an interesting observation because a lot of people think analog is automatically better because it’s a different quality.

What might have been the inspiration for “Light My Life”? 

I think part of the sentiment of that I was thinking about my late wife Jackie. I just remembered when I was going out with her really early on I always said, “Well if this doesn’t go anywhere I will still be glad in the first place.” I ended up marrying her, but I think that’s what I was thinking about when I wrote that. I was going back to that.

Has the songwriting process gotten easier with each album?

I think it has. It still takes me ages to get my backside in gear to do it. But once I get the ball rolling, and I think it’s coming a little bit easier because you develop those little disciplines. You get a little bit more systematic about it and I keep my notebook with me with my instant rhyming dictionary.

Do you think you have go through those experiences in order to sing the songs you sing?

No, if you’re talking about the stuff you write about you can use other people’s experiences as well. It’s just vicarious writing. No, I always say you don’t have to fall off a cliff to know it hurts. There are a lot of people who are more creative than me who have never done anything. I suppose it helps; it doesn’t do any harm to have horrible experiences behind you.

Does it take a lot of work to make it sounds as easy as it does?

It takes a lot of experience, I guess. The groove you get when you play it can often become second nature. Then there are some times when you do have to chip away at it until it works. Sometimes it’s simplifying stuff to make it sound more accessible and make the groove breathe a bit easier. But sometimes there is more discipline than you think in getting it done. The longer you play together the more natural it comes to you.

I know you worked with Van Morrison. What might have been the best bit of advice or the biggest lesson you took from working with him?

What I did learn was about mic technique. Watching him in the studio was an eye opener because he had a very consistent volume. He would do dynamic stuff singing quietly, but he knew when to move in and come out and keep everything really consistent. He’s a sound engineer’s dream in that respect.

I didn’t realize it until the engineer pointed it out. He said the bloke’s got a built-in compressor. So when we were singing together the bloke had to keep riding my vocal up and down, up and down. He didn’t touch Morrison’s, he didn’t need to. That’s experience for you, isn’t it