Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Hey, well I’ve been in bands since I was a teenager. I grew up originally in the countryside in rural Yorkshire, we used to spend days jamming at mates houses and we had a lot of space to explore music freely and just enjoy it. At 16 I moved to Leeds with a friend/ drummer to study music and we lived with a load of Jazz musicians. It was quite intimidating as they were all older and really great musicians but in retrospect it was a wonderful experience and I was exposed to all kinds of music and influences. Some of those guys went on to do some really crazy stuff. I also heard a lot of classical music growing up too, maybe that’s why we have such a strong presence with Aninka and the violin in the band. Over time you can see more connections when you think back.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “T.R.Burge & The Temple “?
A: We spent 3 years making a beautiful album in Berlin. It was a labour of love. It’s honest and pure music, if people are drawn to it and connect with it that will be wonderful. It won’t be for everyone, in places it’s pretty emotional and dark. Equally it may be for others. And that’s fine.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I get inspiration from a mix of places. It’s not always music. I’m very inspired by the Berlin photographer Miron Zownir at the moment, he’s been visiting Manchester recently to take photos for an upcoming book on England and I’ve been showing him around Manchester. He is a fearless artist whose work spans 40 years photographing the underbelly of life and subcultures in Moscow, NewYork and Berlin. Incredible commitment.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Eagle Fly.”?
A: Eagle Fly has a simple message. In essence it’s about encouraging people to follow their intuition and pursue the things that call to them, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. We live in a world with a lot of noise. Follow your conscience.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Haunting
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Eagle Fly”?
A: Eagle Fly is the 1st song from our upcoming album. The album took 3 years to make. We are a Manchester band but this was done in Berlin. To make this happen we had to overcome so many setbacks and challenges along the way, I could bend your ear all day. At 1st for this song a member of my original band became very ill 2 days before the recording and we were due to fly out, there was no-one to play on it, at the same time I unexpectedly split up with my partner of the time and had nowhere to stay in Berlin. A wonderful mate of mine saved the day and found us some help.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I hope the message of my music relates to the power of creativity to transform the experience of your life and those around you in a positive way. I also think there is a message around the mysterious but beautiful nature of life. My goal is to present truthful music which those involved love. If other people connect to it, that would be great too.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Charlotte Gainsbourg “Cool as ****”
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Music is a wonderful vehicle for learning more about yourself and connecting to other like minded souls in authentic and meaningful ways. So my advice is take a look around when you’re involved in special moments and breathe it in. Some of these for me are thinking back to certain guitar lessons even, doesn’t have to be big gigs or anything that are gems of memories.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Sensitivity is a gift. Use it.
