Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I was born in London to English/Irish parents so every summer holiday as a kid
was spent in the West of Ireland where there was music absolutely everywhere. As I
grew up and started learning to play the guitar, I ended up playing in Irish bars in
London myself. It felt like a natural fit. Then, I was working on a building site when I
was about 18, I had the radio on, I remember it was really early and it was just me
there. That’s when I heard John Prine for the first time, this song came on and
everything about it completely resonated with me, it changed everything, that’s when
I got really into Americana and Country music. I met other musicians locally, played
a lot of gigs, was lucky enough to find myself mentored by the folk legend that was
Bert Jansch, somehow ended up touring America and it all just went from there!
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: I’ve been listening to Imelda May recently but I’m never far away from early
Status Quo, Jethro Tull, The Faces, Chas and Dave, The Pogues, Squeeze and
Kate Bush.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: For me it was early Status Quo, I just loved their rocking shuffle and melodic
compositions. And I guess one band can lead you onto another, and then you get
taken across the pond to American artists from Bob Dylan to John Prine.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Nineteen Twenty-Four’. Is there a story behind it?
A: There is! I had the idea for the song about 20 years ago and this year decided to
record it for a Christmas release but when I looked in my notebook there was a verse
missing and I just couldn’t remember it. I was in touch with Martin Levan who
produced my 2008 album ‘On The Waiting List’ and I went down to Red Kite Studios
in Wales to demo some new songs. Martin pulled my archived files from the vault
and in them was the missing original demo for ‘Nineteen Twenty-Four’. When Martin
played the CD through the speakers, it revealed not one but two missing verses in all
their glory! So we started work to get it ready for Christmas: it was already mid-
August! There were a few trips back and forth to Wales in a very short space of time!
We have Steve Simpson on electric guitar and mandolin, Charlie Hart and Geraint
Watkins sharing piano duties, Tim Hutton on brass, Malcolm Hoskins and Jim
Kimberley on bass and drums respectively and Welsh songstress Lowri Evans on
harmony vocals. We’ve just released the video for the song which stars Alice Renouf
and is directed by Emma Pitt, and it’s just stunning.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Never say never but for the last 4 years we’ve been writing, promoting, recording
and gigging. My album ‘Last Drop Of Empty’ released in March this year is still
picking up a lot of airplay here, in Europe and in America and ‘Nineteen Twenty-
Four’ which is a stand-alone single, has just been released. I’ll also have a new
single out next year. I’ll enjoy a short rest although I am busy writing new material.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: When I first learned to play the guitar, I didn’t have a distinctive style until I
discovered open tuning when the guitar became a much more expansive sound –
more like a piano – which gave me more scope for composing songs and ideas more
melodically. A lot of my songs are story based with the occasional ones being a little
deeper: the listener can take their own meaning from them.
I had a difficult time a few years ago, I was struggling a bit and I got some help – I
wrote a song about that time of my life called ‘Damaged’. My producer of ‘Last Drop
Of Empty’ was keen to record it. I was hesitant as it’s so personal but he went one
step further and suggested releasing it as the first single. The response was
unbelievable, I was contacted by so many people saying how it resonated with them
and sharing stories of their own mental health with me, which was a very humbling
experience.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Yes. I think we all want more, we get to a point that we want to reach and then
look forward to see where else we can go but I’ve had an incredible year, absolutely
incredible and it’s taken me further than I could have imagined.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: It’s lovely when an idea just appears unexpectedly almost forcing you to develop
it pretty quickly, whilst it feels good. Often it can progress to a completed song
relatively quickly. If it doesn’t, it’s something that can grow. If I start noodling and
after half an hour nothing happens, I’ll just put the guitar down. Often songs come in
little groups and I’ll write two or three and other times I’ll write something that’s a
stand-alone piece, a slow burner that may eventually come to fruition. There’s a
song on ‘Last Drop Of Empty’ that I wrote in 20 minutes and my stand alone single,
‘Nineteen Twenty-Four’, I wrote 20 years ago but didn’t feel it was ready until now.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Difficult question! I think the two often cross over. A difficult time a few years ago
saw me taking a bit of a break from music then when I went back to it, I was much
happier playing in a band. Looking back, I think I’d lost my confidence a bit. It took
me a long time to start being comfortable doing solo shows again and to be honest
with you, I think it’s only been over the last year that I’ve really got there. I still have
my moments, but I’m happy with the place I’m at now.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: There are points I think, rather than one moment. Things you think could never
happen. Putting together and headlining my first 45 min set at The 12 Bar in London.
Playing at a big Bluegrass Festival in America that we were almost bumped from, but
my Manager pushed and we got to play and the crowd loved us. Flying to Los
Angeles to record at Jack Casady’s studio. Getting a phone call from Francis Rossi
saying he loved my album that I’d handed him in the street. And winning ‘UK Male
Country Singer of the Year’ at this year’s UK Country Music Awards which literally
left me speechless!
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