Whalebone Polly, I suppose, which is actually a very old project. It has just been re-ignited because there were three members originally - me, Kate Stables (of This Is The Kit) and Verpi (a Finish violinist). Then Kate went to Paris and Verpi went to Canada, and, later me to Japan. Basically, we all did our own solo projects, travelling about. Then, Kate and I toured Japan together last year and started playing together again; we then worked on some new songs and decided to record them for fun. That ended up being an EP which is now being released on Dreamboat (a Bristol Label).

Did you record with Whalebone Polly before?

Yes, we've got an album called 'Recording With The Window Open'. New copies are on their way from Japan.

Ah, Japan, whilst we're on the subject, how did the connection come about?

That again is through Kate. It's like a chain of musicians starting with The Moonflowers, a pysch-folk band who were around early nineties, Jesse Morningstar was a member. Naoki E-jima, the guy who runs Angel’s Egg Records found out about this stuff coming out of Bristol and got really excited and has an affinity for the area. The label specializes in Bristol releases. So, Jesse introduced Kate, and in turn I was introduced.

Is there an established circuit for Bristol people who make it over there?

Not specifically for Bristol music. The music that I play is really different. Rob Smith, who is a dubstep musician and DJ from the area, he's obviously on a completely different circuit to me playing my unplugged banjo in galleries and so on. The only link is the label really.

So the footage of you in Japan on a wooden stage, on Myspace, is that a gallery?

No, that was a really exciting gig. That was Yoshitomo Nara, who's quite a famous artist, he liked my music and asked me to come and play in his cafe. The wooden hut, behind me in the footage, is an installation of his studio transported into the middle of the cafe with all his artwork.

Do you ever sing in Japanese?

Yes there's one song. When I first arrived in Japan I thought it would be good, as an introduction, if I could muster up some words in Japanese. I couldn't speak anything and the guy I was touring with translated a very simple little idea, with his own twist, and I wrote it down in English. I sing that. It's on The Hand album (another of Rachael's projects), 'Little Feet Running'.

Is that daunting singing that over there?

No, the times I feel daunted and are when I perform to family and friends. The further from home I am the less nervous I am. And the Japanese people are amazing, so welcoming, really lovely so I didn't feel uneasy.

I suppose, whilst we're talking about all your various projects, can you just explain The Hand?

That's me and Will.

And the latest album is 'Berries From The Rubble? Did you record this since your latest solo album?

The same summer actually. I'm usually doing two projects simultaneously and I think one can bounce off the other, it's quite a healthy way to work. We recorded that in the self-build project, our friend's house. A lovely wooden room. We had to contend with the neighbours hammering in the daytime, but we did alright. We recorded most of it into the evening, a really nice experience.

When you write, do you specifically write for a project?

The Hand was the first time I'd written from scratch with somebody. Will and I write all the material. That only occurs when we are together. The songs I write on my own they usually become my stuff, I'm doing quite a lot on the piano at the moment for an EP in January. Whereas me and Kate, as Whalebone Polly, agree it's more of like a coming together of our solo material. Like a collaboration of our songs and performances. The songs just have a different feel to them.

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