Moon Interview: “The Green Lilac Park is not just a place, it’s a state of mind”

Moon are an intriguing prospect.

They are a new Liverpool group made up of old heads on young shoulders and come with a hugely impressive pedigree. They have also released an album of perfect atmospheric summer pop, the alluringly titled Green Lilac Park, which was released earlier this week.

Moon consist of Dave ‘Yorkie’ Palmer and Mick Dolan, from Sun 13 favourites Moongoose and Windmill (amongst other qualifications), ably backed up by Andy Diagram, who can boast having Pale Fountains, James and Pere Ubu in his impressive CV, multi-instrumentalist Phil Melville, Joshua McCartney on drums and Emily Casey, whose backing vocals add perfect harmonies to an already swoonsome album.

Also included in the line-up is Jeff Young, who is credited with ‘sleeve notes’, in a nice post punk touch that puts me in mind of early 80s bands who would list lighting technicians or projectionists as part of the band. This is something that pleases me greatly. On reading the notes that come with the album’s press release, you can see why Young deserves his credit, as they entice and enthral, as they tell us, “The Green Lilac Park is not just a place, it’s a state of mind. It exists within us all: the place we return to in dreams, the quiet space we seek in moments of chaos, the haven we carry deep inside. This album is an invitation to remember that place, and maybe, for a little while, to rest there”.

Ahead of the album release, I spoke to Dave and Mick to see just what is going on and how we got to The Green Lilac Park.

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Sun 13: Tell us how Moon came together

Mick Dolan: “Moon came together in 2024. At the time, I was writing an album for Windmill, but these songs felt different – they had a vibe and direction that didn’t fit what Windmill was about. I realised I was writing something that needed its own space, and me and Dave have always been keen to explore different musical paths rather than keep everything under one banner. So starting Moon felt natural. It wasn’t a planned thing – it was more that the songs dictated what needed to happen, and me and Dave just followed where they were leading”.

Dave ‘Yorkie’ Palmer: “The idea was that we were to start on the third Windmill album. But after hearing the songs in their early demo stage I knew that they pointed towards something completely different to Windmill. They were more personal from Mick’s perspective.”  

S13: The Green Lilac Park puts me in mind of The Decemberists (not the Liverpool band) a bit, in that there is a wide variety of musical styles on the album, but that it still sounds like a coherent whole – where would you say this comes from?  

MD: “I think it’s down to the variety of music I’ve grown up with and always listened to. My taste has never been boxed into one genre – I’ve always loved everything from classic rock and indie to ambient and experimental stuff. Then you add the musical tastes and instincts of the other band members, and it naturally creates something new. We’re all coming from slightly different places musically, so what comes out is a combination none of us could achieve alone.”

DP: “Mick and I have been working together for so long that it seems we now work on a purely intuitive level. What I mean by that is that we seem to know what each other are thinking at any given moment. We both love soundtrack music and think in terms of visual and narrative ways when dealing with music.”

S13: Where did you take your influences from for this record?

DP: “We take influences from EVERYWHERE. The main thing is that both Mick and I have similar tastes in music, but also hate other things that are important to one another. This conflict creates creativity. Add the different tastes of Phil and Josh and Andy and Emily and you have a cauldron brimming with magic.”  

MD: “I wouldn’t say I consciously sat down thinking ‘I want to sound like this or that’. For me, it’s about the melodies that come into my head, which then evolve into stories and lyrics as the song develops. Of course, your influences are always in you, shaping your instincts without you even realising it. But with Moon, I’ve tried not to overthink where it fits or what it sounds like – just letting the songs take shape however they want to. As Dave rightly says, ‘create, not re-create’.”

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S13: Your press release says that, “This album isn’t just a collection of songs; it’s a deeply personal journey told through intimate stories, drawn from one life, but resonant with many”. Could you explain that a little?

MD: “Yeah, definitely. I think any album is personal to whoever writes it, because you’re pulling from your own experiences or thoughts, even if it’s not in an obvious autobiographical way. For me, it’s about capturing whatever you’re feeling at that moment in time. Songs become little timestamps of your life, and even if people don’t know the exact meaning behind them, they still connect with the honesty in there.”

S13: Would you describe your music as retro?

DP: “No. I think personally that it points to the future as much as it references the past. As a producer, I try and use as much of what is familiar and commonplace and mix it with things that are cutting edge. Modern technology allows for so much manipulation and treatment of sound that it helps to create environments that have previously only been imagined.”

MD:” I wouldn’t call our music retro, but there are definitely moments on The Green Lilac Park that nod to older textures – warm synths, swirling guitars, and melodies that feel timeless. At its core, it’s Alternative Indie Pop with a psychedelic edge, shaped by the present: clean production, dreamy atmospheres, and lyrics about escaping to that quiet, hidden place in your mind when the world feels overwhelming. We’re not trying to recreate a past era; we’re creating a space that feels nostalgic and new at the same time.”

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S13: There is very much a Liverpool flavour to The Green Lilac Park. Why do you think Liverpool has developed such a strong musical identity?

DP:  “I think it’s because we’re from Liverpool.”

MD: “I don’t think any band here sets out to ‘sound like a Liverpool band’. But there is definitely something about the city that comes through in the music people make. Liverpool has such a strong musical heritage, and it’s part of the culture here. People love music, they respect it, and they’re good at it. You grow up surrounded by that, so even without trying, you probably carry a bit of it in what you do. The city’s produced some brilliant bands, and that naturally inspires local musicians to keep pushing themselves. “

S13: Can we expect any live shows from Moon?

DP: “Most definitely.”

MD: “Yeah, absolutely. We’re planning live shows at the moment. Playing live is such an important part of what we do – it’s where the songs really come alive and you connect with people in a way you can’t replicate in the studio. We’re looking forward to getting out there soon.”

The thought of hearing Moon a live setting is something that I look forward to massively, hearing these songs shimmer into life and seeing Green Lilac Park come to life outside of our dreams and become real before our very eyes. And maybe, for a little while, to rest there.

The Green Lilac Park is out now. Purchase from Bandcamp.