Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Some of my earliest music memories are lying in bed as a kid, fighting sleep so I could soak up the atmosphere of my parents playing records loudly when they would have the neighbours over to have a drink, play cards, and have a laugh. My mum also found it hard to do any housework without the music being turned up loud. She had a lot of James Last records. She also loved early Beatles, Beach Boys, and country crooners like Jim Reeves.
Looking back, I think those times showed me that music isn’t just something you listen to—it’s part of an atmosphere.
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 “Kmoto”?
A: I’m concentrating on recording songs for the next EP and packaging up my latest releases into a cassette tape to put into physical stores. I see my songs as paintings that I hang in “streaming” galleries, and I suppose I’m still figuring out how to get the invitations out there. If you’ve just stumbled across Kmoto, welcome to my little world. I hope you find something you relate to.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I’m inspired by artists everywhere across genres. I also get a buzz from music happening in my own local area, like seeing LL Burns playing a packed Club Cheek, or walking home from the Ivy House feeling so good, because it’s only a 5 minute walk away, and because I’ve just seen Lael Neale and discovered Alice Costello or Bojockey. Those kinds of local gigs give me an extended buzz!
I also like making playlists when I’m working on different Film and TV projects in my day job, so I’m always exploring new music territory, and that keeps me excited about making music too. Whenever I start working with my co-producer Louis Takooree, I’ll bring in a playlist of references. There’s always a Ghostpoet track in there, and often a King Krule one too. They both lean into sonic darkness and it’s a reminder for me to give myself permission to lean into my own kind of darkness. I’ve realised over the years that those parts of me need somewhere to go, otherwise the energy just dwells. I genuinely see the world more clearly when I’m making music.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Save Your Slouch.”?
A: I think what was bursting inside of me at the time when I first wrote that song, was a frustration aimed at someone and the tension of feeling like I wasn’t any better.
By the time I decided to record it in it’s current form, I wanted to be loud and noisy about some bigger picture stuff that was going on around the world at the time, and the knife attack on the young kids at a dance class in Southport, really broke me, like a final straw. I think it was because of it’s proximity. As a parent, you get these feelings of shock and fear thinking about “what if my child…..” those feelings they need somewhere to go.
We are all part of this story. We all play some part in creating the world we live in and we all have some responsibility to care for the people that are hurt by it. Being distracted from that idea is often a source of frustration.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Atmospheric. My songs are usually grounded in some sense of space and I like to include the atmosphere of that space in the music. I think Mr Feathers is as atmospheric as Save Your Slouch. I think that when there is atmosphere, the listener has the time and space to have their own ideas about what they are hearing. I think that’s why I often swerve choruses, not necessarily intentionally though. Seems to me an atmosphere section with no lyrics can sometimes replace a chorus. I think that sometimes my writing is seen as being under developed, but I think it’s just cause I like space more than a busy vocal chorus…..LOL
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Save Your Slouch”?
A: Not really. When I played the song to Louis, it was as an acoustic guitar and vocal thing like I have played it out when playing a solo gig. Louis jumped on it, and I immediately thought I wanted to be louder and noisier than I possibly could be as a solo performer. I later demoed the whole thing in Logic, with badly programmed drums, bass, rhythm and noise guitar parts and a new vocal approach. Louis was 100% behind that direction and well, obviously he’s a very nice multi instrumentalist – cheers Louis! Louis Takooree is pretty magical to work with as a co-producer. He’s always searching, is masterful, easy to inspire and always creates a productive and open working space!
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I’m not sure my music has a specific message. When the songs first form, they are unconscious expressions. I find my music teaches me about myself. All the songs I’ve released to date have existed in other forms in other times, whether it’s demos, rehearsal room or live performance recordings, and each time a song takes a different form, it sheds a new light for me. Maybe the message of my music is to make your own music. It’s cathartic!
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Ghostpoet! I can’t say anymore, I’ll embarrass myself!
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: If you haven’t hit your sweet spot yet, then keep moving and do something different each time, but do it for yourself, cause you might be the only person that ends up hearing it! LOL
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: It’s a good thing that your music doesn’t easily sit in a genre, don’t worry about where it belongs, just keep making it.
