Katy J Pearson: "I knew the soundtrack before I knew the film"

The Wicker Man, originally released in 1973, is a film like no other that continues to freak out, perturb, terrify and delight anyone who watches it, rightfully earning it the title ‘The Citizen Kane of Horror Movies.’

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, StudioCanal are releasing a five-disc set that includes three cuts of the cult film restored in 4k, plus an exclusive EP from Heavenly Records, covering classic tracks from the original soundtrack, helmed by the ridiculously talented Katy J Pearson.

Katy’s acclaimed 2022 album Sound Of The Morning included a cover of ‘Willow’s Song’, the Paul Giovanni-penned ballad and best-known song from the film. It was, shall we say, assisted in that endeavour by the iconic scene of Britt Ekland dancing naked whilst singing it. StudioCanal heard Pearson’s Krautrock-doused version of ‘Willow’s Song’ and came knocking.

”Yes,” Katy confirms, “StudioCanal got in touch with my label, Heavenly, asking whether I wanted to do something. I proposed reworking the soundtrack and they asked me do an EP.”

Katy J Pearsons The Wicker Man EP

The Wicker Man attracts die-hard fans. Anthony Shaffer, who wrote the screenplay, described Wicker Man fanatics as being lovely and charming people, but absolutely mad.

”I knew the soundtrack before I knew the film”, Katy confesses. “My dad played me ‘Willow’s Song’, he really liked it. But it wasn’t until three years ago that I actually watched the film, and it’s so good. And Christopher Lee, we love Christopher Lee. Folk horror is really up my street. I think it’s amazing that Paul Giovanni wrote the soundtrack before he seen any of the footage, the fact that it fits so well is so impressive.

”There wasn’t much of a budget, so he enlisted recent graduates from the London School of Music, who would work for cheaper rates, and that’s how Magnet formed. He was an American, but he took stuff from Robert Burns for ‘Corn Rigs’. The procession song sounds a bit like another folk song called ‘Willie o Winsbury’. So, he’s obviously done his research and stuck to the essence of what The Wicker Man was.”

I wonder did Katy grow up immersed in English folk?

”My mam was really into folk music, she would always sing ‘All Around My Hat’ by Steeleye Span at Christmas,” she reflects. “I would get really embarrassed, but she did it so well. When I was a teenager, I was into Taylor Swift and Paramore, but when I got older, I got into James Taylor and Joni Mitchell and later British folk - Bridget St John, Ann Briggs and Shirley Collins. Then I was part of the folk collective Broadside Hacks for a while. So I learned lot more about British folk music, these songs that have been around for so long, and I just love that, I think it’s so cool.”

James Taylor. Credit: Columbia

I congratulate Katy on making ‘Fire Leap’ even more terrifying than the original, something I never would have thought possible.

She laughs loudly.

”I really wanted to get some of my friends in music, especially women, to come together,” she explains. “I thought it would be really special. I brought in Sarah Meth and Sarah Downey from Drug Store Romeos.

Rhian and Hester from Wet Leg had just got back from tour, and they were nearby and were really up for it.

”That’s actually Rhian doing that crazy opera thing at the end. I met Rhian when I was 17, we did our first gigs together in Bristol and she used to do this crazy opera thing then. So I asked her to do it and everyone in the studio was like, ‘What the hell?!’ I was perfect, it was exactly what it needed.

”That’s my favourite song on the EP, it came out exactly how it sounded in my head. It was great being in the studio with all these women, including my friend Evie who is such a talented violin player.”

Other collaborators on the EP include the aforementioned The Broadside Hacks, H Hawkline, Bert Ussher and Orbury Common with remixes by Richard Norris and Stone Club. Is this ridiculously talented motley crew hitting the road together?

”At Glastonbury, we performed a summer solstice-themed show,” says Pearson. “We had these Wicker Man-style outfits and we played ‘Maypole’ and ‘Willow Song’. I remember someone shouting – ‘bloody pagans!’ At Green Man, we performed quite a lot of the soundtrack at the Cinema Tent. We are doing the whole thing on December 5th at The Moth Club, with everyone who played on the album with the exception of H Hawkline, who’s on tour.”

The Wickerman 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is out now.