1. Ian, congratulations on your album The Further Adventures Of. What inspired the overall theme and direction of this project?
I had some different ideas for songs. I try to write lyrics about things that interest me. For example the song called The Lady is about an Edwardian doll’s house that belongs to one of my friends. I was imagining what it would be like if the Edwardian dolls were real people. The song called I Hate Graffiti is about two things that really annoy me.
2. One of the defining elements of this album is the use of the Mellotron. What draws you to its sound, and how did it shape the atmosphere of these new songs?
The different Mellotron sounds have got so much character. For instance the Octave Cello sound really does sound like a real cello but it has also got something else that makes it sound better than a cello. I think that the different Mellotron sounds enhance the atmosphere of my songs.
3. You worked with Lord Zarquon of The Prophets of Zarquon for the mixing and mastering. How did that collaboration come about, and what did he bring to the final sound of the album?
I have known Lord Zarquon since 1982 and he was instrumental in me being able to get my first gig. We have been playing in bands in and around Torbay since then but it wasn’t until about 2012 that we really started to collaborate with recording some songs. Almost as soon as I started recording songs with him it really took my music to a new level. Without him my songs would sound less professional.
4. Let’s talk about “The Philatelist.” It’s a uniquely titled track—what’s the story behind it, and how did it come together musically?
Stamp collecting is one of my hobbies which started when my Dad gave me his old stamp album from the 1930’s. He showed me a couple of Bosnia Herzegovina stamps of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. I knew that his assassination had started the First World War and seeing those old stamps really fired my imagination. That was a really important and happy moment in my life and last year I decided to write a song about it.
Link: https://soundcloud.com/the-legendary-ten-seconds/the-philatelist
5. “Strange Reaction” stands out as an instrumental. What made you decide to include a track without vocals on the album, and what kind of imagery or emotion were you hoping to convey with it?
I’ve always enjoyed composing and recording instrumentals and I had the inspiration to try to record one that to me sounds like it was from 1967 rather than 2025.
Link: https://youtu.be/V7N9i8hKcS4
6. You’ve written a song about Morris Dancing—something not often explored in modern music. What inspired you to compose a track on this subject, and how did you approach blending traditional ideas with your sound?
The idea for this song came from my friend Martyn Hillstead. He had written some lyrics about Morris Dancing and he asked me if I would like to use the lyrics for a new song. There is a really nice Mellotron accordion sound on the song which I think works well with the song. Whenever I’ve seen some Morris dancing it is often to the accompaniment of someone playing an accordion.
Link: https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=14904135
7. “Wigmore Castle” beautifully captures a sense of history and place. Can you walk us through the writing process for that track? Was it inspired by a visit or historical research?
It was a song idea that came from my friend Ashley Mantle who is an historian. He had helped me write some songs for the album that I recorded for the 10th anniversary of the Mortimer History Society which was released in 2019. The album contains songs about the important medieval English Mortimer family. One of their main castles was Wigmore. Ashley wrote some lyrics about the castle but at the time they weren’t finished and we forgot about this song idea. Then last year Ashley reminded me about the lyrics and I was able to use them for a new song.
Link: https://hearthis.at/ian-churchward/wigmore-castle/
8. The album title suggests a continuation—The Further Adventures Of… Could you tell us who or what the adventures are following? Is there a concept or narrative linking the tracks?
For many years it has felt like I am on a musical adventure meeting interesting people through my songs and the songs are really my further musical adventures. I would like to put some new unreleased songs about various things onto an album called The Further Musical Adventures Of or something like that. Another musical adventure for me is a science fiction album of songs that I want to release.
9. Your music often blends historical themes with modern folk-rock elements. How do you strike that balance between storytelling and songwriting craft?
I try my best to write interesting lyrics and combine them with a memorable tune.
10. The new album was released on major platforms like Spotify and Apple Music on January 31, 2025. What can longtime fans—and new listeners—expect when they hit play?
I would describe most of my music as English folk rock however the first track is a 1960’s sounding instrumental.
11. For those wanting to support your work more directly, you’ve made the album available on Bandcamp. How important is that platform for independent artists like yourself?
It is really great for independent musicians as you can sell physical merchandise as well as digital music.
Link: https://thelegendarytenseconds.bandcamp.com/album/the-further-adventures-of
12. Looking ahead—do you see The Further Adventures Of as a standalone album, or is it part of a larger body of work you’re developing?
It is a stand alone album.
13. How can listeners stay in touch with you and follow your musical journey?
Here is the link to where you can find my latest album which is a Ricardian concept album which was inspired by Philippa Langley’s missing Princes project and book.