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Aqualung

Aqualung is the brainchild of British songwriter.

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Aqualung Biography

Aqualung’s Matt Hales thought he had it all figured out. In 2007, the British singer/songwriter told a London audience that he was retiring. “I’d had enough of it at that point and thought I might just be a teacher or do something else.”

However, the stellar batch of tunes that make up his new Verve album, “Magnetic North,” came calling and they wouldn’t take no for an answer. “The songs were like ‘Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, C’mon dad, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,’ Hales laughs. “I’m still ever so slightly reluctant, but I don’t have any choice. I’m like the guy in the park with 12 giant puppies being pulled along; I didn’t want to come out. Well, I made these puppies so I guess I must have secretly wanted to get out there.”

 “Magnetic North” is Hales’ first album of all new material since he relocated from England to sunny Los Angeles last fall. (In 2008, Verve released “Words and Music,” a set largely comprised of re-recordings of previously released songs.) A song snippet, “California,” foreshadowed his new home. “When that song was written, it still just represented somewhere else, something else better. It was New Year’s Eve 2008 when my wife Kim [Oliver] and I decided it was time for a change.”

Hales compares “Magnetic North” to a Robert Altman movie. “The common theme is mature relationships in various degrees of difficulty,” he says. “They’re not all the same relationship. It’s not all my relationship. Some of it is fiction, some of it isn’t. The thing that is common to all these relationships, whether they last or not, is there was a point when the other person was everything.” And, with luck, will be again. “The bottom line is ‘We’re all fucked up, but I love you, so there’s got to be some hope.’”

As cohesively as the album works as a whole, individual tunes stand entirely on their own.  “Each song in itself was totally convincing to me,” Hales says. “They all are completely different, but they actually are from the same parents.”

Or at least the same dad.  Hales wrote the 12 songs with his usual collaborators—

his wife and his brother, Ben, but also worked with a few special co-writers, including Scottish band Blue Nile’s legendary Paul Buchanan (on “36 Hours”). “If you want to know why I make the music I do, it has a lot to do with Blue Nile,” Hales says. “The fact that we’ve become friends is a magical thing.”

“Magnetic North” is a glorious celebration of smart pop music. Led by Hales’ exquisite keyboard-based melodies, the album’s 12 songs revel in impossibly upbeat joy, such as the Beck-like opening track “New Friend,” and the unabashedly, non-cynical “Fingertip,” as they just as surely drown in the bleak sorrow of “Sundowning” or layered, grand majesty of “Time Moves Slow.” The chugging, percussive “Hummingbird” exalts in the force majeure of Hales’ 2-year-old daughter. In their own way, each song sweeps the listener up in its arms and takes him or her on a musical journey.

 “Magnetic North” includes many guests including Sara Bareilles on the haunting “Remember Us” and “New Friend,” as well as A Fine Frenzy’s Alison Sudol on “Time Moves Slow,”  and Kelly Sweet on “Fingertip” and “Sundowning.”

“The thing that I noticed is that in so many of these songs, there are really two protagonists and it’s a couple. It doesn’t have to be a man and a woman, but it made an awful lot of sense for there to be two vocalists,” Hales says. “I didn’t realize how well it was going to work.”

Hales recorded “Magnetic North” over a five-day period at his home studio, The Box (named so because it’s as big as a cardboard box, he jokes) and at The Bank, a friend’s studio in Burbank. The core musicians were Hales, his brother and drummer/percussionist David Price.

“The Bank is fantastic because it’s just festooned with marvelous instruments,” he says. “I said, ‘Somewhere in the space of these days, we’re just going to go on this crazy musical mining mission to find it’ and we just went nuts. We worked really hard, we worked fast, we’d grab an instrument, find an arrangement and go, ‘that sounds fantastic, record that.’”

Unlike 2007’s “Memory Man,” which had a more aggressive rock slant, “Magnetic North” favors a lush, layered sound. “Brian Wilson is my lifelong musical hero, so [his influence] is probably just in there all the time,” Hales says. “In some ways, the album is orchestrally arranged, even though we don’t use orchestral arrangements, which is a kind of ‘Pet Sounds’ aesthetic in some ways. I wanted to make an enjoyable, accessible, instantly gratifying record.”

 “Magnetic North” is short on snare drums and electric guitars. “This is a back-from-the-brink kind of record, so there’s a sense that it should have a warmer exterior,” Hales explains. “That’s why it’s acoustic instruments.”

Hales further switched things up by tracking his vocals at the same time as he recorded his keyboards instead of the traditional ways of recording the vocals last. “I’d always be amazed that I played the piano completely differently on stage than I did in the studio and I sang completely differently,” he says. “I like a lot of how that was and I thought, how do I get that when we record?”

Despite his proclamation to quit touring, Hales will take to the road for short stints for “Magnetic North” if, for nothing else, to give his latest collection of kids their due. “These songs, quite apart from me as their guardian, really want to be out in the world,” he says. “They don’t want to be hidden away. These songs are demanding it. I feel like I’m being pushed along by these little spindly hands.” And, like any good parent, all he wants is what’s best for his children.

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FAQs
  • How do I book Aqualung to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Aqualung for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Aqualung, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Aqualung or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Aqualung

    Speaking fees for Aqualung, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Aqualung are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Aqualung, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Aqualung speak about?

    Aqualung is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Arts & Humanities, Music.
  • Where does Aqualung travel from?

    Aqualung generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Aqualung’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Aqualung for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Aqualung for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Aqualung or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Aqualung is the brainchild of British songwriter.

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Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Aqualung Biography

Aqualung’s Matt Hales thought he had it all figured out. In 2007, the British singer/songwriter told a London audience that he was retiring. “I’d had enough of it at that point and thought I might just be a teacher or do something else.”

However, the stellar batch of tunes that make up his new Verve album, “Magnetic North,” came calling and they wouldn’t take no for an answer. “The songs were like ‘Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, C’mon dad, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,’ Hales laughs. “I’m still ever so slightly reluctant, but I don’t have any choice. I’m like the guy in the park with 12 giant puppies being pulled along; I didn’t want to come out. Well, I made these puppies so I guess I must have secretly wanted to get out there.”

 “Magnetic North” is Hales’ first album of all new material since he relocated from England to sunny Los Angeles last fall. (In 2008, Verve released “Words and Music,” a set largely comprised of re-recordings of previously released songs.) A song snippet, “California,” foreshadowed his new home. “When that song was written, it still just represented somewhere else, something else better. It was New Year’s Eve 2008 when my wife Kim [Oliver] and I decided it was time for a change.”

Hales compares “Magnetic North” to a Robert Altman movie. “The common theme is mature relationships in various degrees of difficulty,” he says. “They’re not all the same relationship. It’s not all my relationship. Some of it is fiction, some of it isn’t. The thing that is common to all these relationships, whether they last or not, is there was a point when the other person was everything.” And, with luck, will be again. “The bottom line is ‘We’re all fucked up, but I love you, so there’s got to be some hope.’”

As cohesively as the album works as a whole, individual tunes stand entirely on their own.  “Each song in itself was totally convincing to me,” Hales says. “They all are completely different, but they actually are from the same parents.”

Or at least the same dad.  Hales wrote the 12 songs with his usual collaborators—

his wife and his brother, Ben, but also worked with a few special co-writers, including Scottish band Blue Nile’s legendary Paul Buchanan (on “36 Hours”). “If you want to know why I make the music I do, it has a lot to do with Blue Nile,” Hales says. “The fact that we’ve become friends is a magical thing.”

“Magnetic North” is a glorious celebration of smart pop music. Led by Hales’ exquisite keyboard-based melodies, the album’s 12 songs revel in impossibly upbeat joy, such as the Beck-like opening track “New Friend,” and the unabashedly, non-cynical “Fingertip,” as they just as surely drown in the bleak sorrow of “Sundowning” or layered, grand majesty of “Time Moves Slow.” The chugging, percussive “Hummingbird” exalts in the force majeure of Hales’ 2-year-old daughter. In their own way, each song sweeps the listener up in its arms and takes him or her on a musical journey.

 “Magnetic North” includes many guests including Sara Bareilles on the haunting “Remember Us” and “New Friend,” as well as A Fine Frenzy’s Alison Sudol on “Time Moves Slow,”  and Kelly Sweet on “Fingertip” and “Sundowning.”

“The thing that I noticed is that in so many of these songs, there are really two protagonists and it’s a couple. It doesn’t have to be a man and a woman, but it made an awful lot of sense for there to be two vocalists,” Hales says. “I didn’t realize how well it was going to work.”

Hales recorded “Magnetic North” over a five-day period at his home studio, The Box (named so because it’s as big as a cardboard box, he jokes) and at The Bank, a friend’s studio in Burbank. The core musicians were Hales, his brother and drummer/percussionist David Price.

“The Bank is fantastic because it’s just festooned with marvelous instruments,” he says. “I said, ‘Somewhere in the space of these days, we’re just going to go on this crazy musical mining mission to find it’ and we just went nuts. We worked really hard, we worked fast, we’d grab an instrument, find an arrangement and go, ‘that sounds fantastic, record that.’”

Unlike 2007’s “Memory Man,” which had a more aggressive rock slant, “Magnetic North” favors a lush, layered sound. “Brian Wilson is my lifelong musical hero, so [his influence] is probably just in there all the time,” Hales says. “In some ways, the album is orchestrally arranged, even though we don’t use orchestral arrangements, which is a kind of ‘Pet Sounds’ aesthetic in some ways. I wanted to make an enjoyable, accessible, instantly gratifying record.”

 “Magnetic North” is short on snare drums and electric guitars. “This is a back-from-the-brink kind of record, so there’s a sense that it should have a warmer exterior,” Hales explains. “That’s why it’s acoustic instruments.”

Hales further switched things up by tracking his vocals at the same time as he recorded his keyboards instead of the traditional ways of recording the vocals last. “I’d always be amazed that I played the piano completely differently on stage than I did in the studio and I sang completely differently,” he says. “I like a lot of how that was and I thought, how do I get that when we record?”

Despite his proclamation to quit touring, Hales will take to the road for short stints for “Magnetic North” if, for nothing else, to give his latest collection of kids their due. “These songs, quite apart from me as their guardian, really want to be out in the world,” he says. “They don’t want to be hidden away. These songs are demanding it. I feel like I’m being pushed along by these little spindly hands.” And, like any good parent, all he wants is what’s best for his children.

Aqualung Videos

  • BT feat. Matt Hales — Surrounded (Tony Awake Remix) - YouTube
  • Aqualung - Brighter Than Sunshine (Live at SXSW) - YouTube
  • Twilight Interview with Lucy Schwartz & Aqualung - YouTube

FAQs on booking Aqualung

  • How do I book Aqualung to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Aqualung for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Aqualung, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Aqualung or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Aqualung

    Speaking fees for Aqualung, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Aqualung are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Aqualung, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Aqualung speak about?

    Aqualung is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Arts & Humanities, Music.
  • Where does Aqualung travel from?

    Aqualung generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Aqualung’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Aqualung for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Aqualung for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Aqualung or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Aqualung is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Aqualung for your event is available upon request. Aqualung generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Neon Trees, Plain White T's, Cold War Kids, Lifehouse and Newsboys. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Aqualung for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Aqualung Speaker Videos

  • BT feat. Matt Hales — Surrounded (Tony Awake Remix) - YouTube
    Aqualung - Brighter Than Sunshine (Live at SXSW) - YouTube
  • Twilight Interview with Lucy Schwartz & Aqualung - YouTube
    Tiësto featuring Matt Hales from Aqualung - UR - YouTube

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Aqualung

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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