Steel & Velvet Unveils Powerful Reimagining of "Orphan's Lament" and Connects with Us to Discuss the Story Behind the Song
- STAFF
- Oct 24
- 9 min read
By: Staff
“Orphan’s Lament” is a breathtaking masterpiece, rich in emotion and raw authenticity, Steel & Velvet’s finest work yet.
A hauntingly beautiful reinterpretation of a timeless classic, "Orphan's Lament" by Steel & Velvet is a cover that leaves an unforgettable mark. The song, originally by the legendary Robbie Basho, is transformed through the band's raw, emotional lens, blending rich textures and an intimate, stripped-back sound. With their unique take, Steel & Velvet captures a deep, resonating power that feels both personal and universal, a true testament to their artistry.
We spoke with the band to dive into the heart of this mesmerizing track, exploring what drew them to this particular song and how they’ve reimagined it. The journey from Robbie Basho’s version to Steel & Velvet’s captivating finger-picked guitar is as profound as it is striking. In our conversation, the band opens up about the subtleties in their version, including the intentional choice of key, the emotional connection to the lyrics, and how they managed to preserve the song's original intimacy while making it their own.
The video accompanying the release amplifies the song’s power, visually interpreting the complexity of human emotions, from fragility to strength, love to despair, in a way that lingers long after the final note. With such a deeply affecting piece, it’s clear that Steel & Velvet isn’t just covering a song; they’re telling a story that resonates with the very core of what it means to be human.
Curious about their process, influences, and how this song fits into the broader landscape of their musical journey? Dive into the full interview to discover the story behind "Orphan's Lament" and what's next for the band. You won't want to miss this.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Steel & Velvet, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
We want to preface this by saying that this song and the accompanying video are absolutely amazing. The lyrical delivery is as powerful and moving as a church sermon. The instrumentation adds such rich texture, and together, they create something as impactful as an opera, landing with incredible force. The music video was so compelling that we watched it multiple times in a row. The portrayal of how humans can go from homicidal to loving in the blink of an eye was brilliantly performed and directed, highlighting the strength and fragility inherent in us all. Incredible work, bravo for creating this masterpiece.
Q. We’d love to learn more about the band. Can you introduce us to the members of Steel & Velvet and share what unique strengths or creative roles each person brings to the group?
A. Hello,
I'm Johann, the band's singer. In addition to this musical role, I'm in charge of communication and promotion for the band.
Above all, Steel & Velvet is about friendship. The other two members of the band are very dear friends of mine. I have known Jean-Alain since childhood and Romuald for over 20 years.
When we were in high school, Jean-Alain was in a rock band. After taking classical guitar lessons for a year, he started playing the electric guitar. I attended several of their concerts, during which he really impressed me. Later, and unlike Romuald and me, he didn't want to make music his profession. But, many years later, he agreed to join Romuald and me in Steel & Velvet and share his talent with us. Jean-Alain knows rock in all its forms very well. He has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of rock music, which he loves to share with us. It's fascinating to talk with him. He has very eclectic tastes: he loves Frank Zappa, Emma Runth Rundle, Dead Can Dance, Killing Joke, Johnny Rotten and his band PIL…
Romuald is an exceptional musician. While his favorite instrument is the guitar, he also plays other plucked string instruments like the theorbo. Additionally, he plays the double bass. And he is preparing to conduct his first opera! He is very open-minded, very curious and interested in music in all its forms. He obviously plays the classical repertoire, but has already been part of a hard-rock group, as well as a traditional Breton music ensemble.
As for me, while my first love was rock music (I love Pixies, David Bowie, and Mark Lanegan, in particular), I started learning opera singing when I was 21. I earned my first professional fee as a soloist in 2000. Afterward, I sang, as a baritone or bass-baritone, for about ten years in opera productions and sacred music concerts. I still perform in this musical genre from time to time, but it hasn't been my main activity since 2011.
In 2021, Romuald agreed to co-found Steel & Velvet with me. Then we invited Jean-Alain to join us. Johnny Cash's American Recordings are our main source of inspiration. Like him, we wanted to perform songs we enjoy in stripped-down acoustic versions, with an authentic sound. We don't rule out offering our own compositions (we've already released one, Poppy Field), but we often lack the time for that. Not to mention that Romuald lives more than 700 km from Jean-Alain and me…
Q. What’s the story behind how you chose your band’s name?
A. It's quite simple: the steel of the folk guitar strings and the velvet of the voice. We liked this idea, but also the broader one behind this expression. It means that a man should combine these qualities: tender and generous on the one hand, strong and resolute on the other. It seems to me, moreover, that one of Abraham Lincoln's biographers presented him as a man of steel and velvet.
Q. What made you decide to cover "Orphan's Lament"? What drew you to this particular song?
A. In the book “Lanegan” by Greg Prato, Aldo Struyf mentions this anecdote: “We listened to music [after the rehearsal], because I’ve got lots of records. The last thing he made me listen to was Robbie Basho: Visions of the Country – a finger-picking guy. Mark told me a story about him, that lots of people were really jealous of him because he could play such difficult guitar-picking music and sing along with it…”.
After reading this passage, I listened to “Vision of the Country,” which is a remarkable album. And I was particularly touched by “Orphan’s Lament.” I immediately told myself that I would like to perform it one day.
Q. What about Robbie Basho’s original version resonated with you? Was there a specific moment or element in the original that made you want to reinterpret it?
A. The first thing is that his performance is, in my opinion, extremely moving. The fact that Robbie Basho himself was an orphan probably has something to do with it. Furthermore, I find the melody very beautiful, and I resonate with the voice of Robbie Basho whose way of singing is close to that of an opera singer.
Q. The song has a hauntingly emotional feel in its original form. What aspects of the song did you want to preserve, and where did you feel there was room to bring your own emotional stamp?
A. This song has a universal aura, I think. Robbie Basho dedicated it to all orphans. Of course, This song expresses a longing to be reunited with his parents, but also the need for love that each of us feels. Love in all its forms, including romantic love. When I recorded it, I was thinking very deeply about the woman I love...
Q. Robbie Basho’s playing style was very unique, with intricate, often subtle details. How did Romuald’s finger-picking technique allow you to maintain the essence of the original while adding your own layer?
A. Robbie Basho studied Indian classical music, which had a great influence on him. In "Orphan's Lament," if you listen only to the vocal part, you hear a very beautiful and simple melody with a familiar verse/chorus structure. But if you focus on the accompaniment, it's a different story. It's hard to detect a clear pattern in the arpeggios and the tempo is very fluctuating. Romuald had to listen to and carefully analyze the original recording before he could write his adaptation for guitar. I think he managed to "westernize" the piece while maintaining a "floating" aspect.
Q. The original "Orphan’s Lament" was recorded in a more intimate, almost fragile way. How does your interpretation honor that intimacy, or does it take the song in a new direction?
A. As I mentionned earlier, my thoughts and emotions differ markedly from those Robbie Basho likely intended to express. As you know, our EP is the soundtrack to a short film. When we entered the studio, we were familiar with the script and were therefore able to orient our interpretation based on the plot and its unfolding. Orphan's Lament introduces Joshua, a recluse living in a cabin who encounters a frightened woman in the forest. She's probably the one he's been waiting for all his life...
Q. The choice of a lower key in your version brings a different texture. Was that a conscious decision to add a deeper, more grounded emotion to the song, or did it evolve naturally during the arrangement process?
A. We actually lowered the pitch by two tones. Simply so I could sing it comfortably. The center of gravity of my voice is actually lower than Robbie Basho's. It is true that this makes the song more earthy, less ethereal...
I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I admire the singer. I know that a number of listeners were put off by his voice. Personally, I love his voice timbre, and I think he has incredible control over it. A true nightingale! He has a great vocal range and his voice is incredibly flexible. On these two points, I think it's even possible to compare him to Tim Buckley. Maybe it's his extremely fast vibrato that some people don't like...
Q. Is this particular musical genre style something the band has always embraced from the very beginning of your journey, or has it evolved over time from influences or other genres you experimented with earlier?
A. Musically, we're continuing our momentum: stripped-down acoustic versions with an authentic sound. On this new EP, some tracks remain close to the original versions, while others have been reworked, like "Orphan's Lament." The goal was to achieve a homogeneous result in terms of style and sound. From the beginning, this EP was conceived as the soundtrack to a dreamlike western.
The only real new thing is that my daughter, Jade, sings on two tracks.
Q. The song, in its original form, carries a haunting sadness, but there’s also a sense of beauty and acceptance. What emotions do you want your audience to feel when listening to your rendition?
A. I think that in our version, the feeling of loneliness and the need for love are, as in the original version, very present. But we wanted to add a touch of hope. Hope is also the name of the woman Joshua meets in the forest...
Q. Where does the band congregate to create music, at home, in a recording studio, or with a producer? How do you finalize the work, for example, do you self-mix and master or work with an external source?
A. The three of us live in different cities. Jean-Alain lives about 115 km from me. It's far from insurmountable, but his work is so demanding that we can't see each other regularly. As for Romuald, he lives more than 700 km away and runs from one project to another. In general, we work on the songs separately. For concerts (which are unfortunately rare), we try to get together two days before to rehearse. But for recordings, we meet directly in the studio. For example, I discovered the guitar adaptation of Orphan's Lament 10 minutes before we recorded the song.
Q. Outside of music, who or what has had the biggest influence on the bands personal growth or artistic perspective?
A. I'm going to repeat myself, but friendship is the glue that holds the group together. It's always a great pleasure for us to get together.
I also want to highlight the importance of Loïc Moyou in our artistic journey. He is the one who shaped our visual identity. He's a photographer and graphic designer. He created the band's logo and signed all our artist photos. He also became a videographer with us: before directing People Just Float, he created five music videos for us. He is a very talented artist and a valuable person. We appreciate him very much.
Q. What do you want people to remember most about you after hearing your music and reading this interview?
A. We are music lovers reaching out to other music lovers.
Q. We can't thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what’s next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We’d love the readers to hear the news directly from you!
A. I don't know when this interview will be published. We're looking forward to October 24th. It will be a very special day for us, with the release of the EP and the premiere of the short film at an arthouse cinema in my hometown.
This short film will then be released on our YouTube channel, divided into six episodes (one for each song).
I hope Joshua's story will resonate with its audience and inspire them.
Steel & Velvet, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
