Before setting off to Lithuania to take part in the Tai-aš Festival Mano did this interview with the festival organizers – it’s been published on about a half dozen Lithuanian music websites… this is the first time it has been published in English…
You grew up in a musical family. What was the brightest and most important memory of your childhood?
Thinking back I’m lucky enough to have a past peppered with brightness, maybe it was watching my dad bouncing across the room on his knees belting out ‘whisky in the jar’. Or watching my big cousin Ben’s punk band perform at a custard pie fight gig.
Tell me about your career before Distilled Records noticed you.
I’ve written and played music all my life with many bands. Early on I had a publishing deal with BMG in a band called ‘Robinson’, which kept us busy touring, recording, learning how to cope with radio and television. We practically lived on an old tour bus, had lots of adventures, good times, but you can only eat so many jam butties. I’ve since had other recording contracts with other bands, always on the wrong side of notoriety. Wrote a few songs for television. I still play with a five piece band called ‘Meadow’.
Can you describe the concept of your album? Is there a theme, which connects all your songs?
The album is called ‘Peach got Bones’, music can be soft and beautiful but good music also holds the hard, nasty bones of reality. I just made that up afterwards though, really I had no idea where I was going when I wrote it, I find my songs are better when I just let them be themselves.
What motives dominate in your creation work?
I’m not sure what motivates me to create, definitely not money or fame, I’ve seen little enough of those. I’ve tried to pack it in a few times, but I just feel empty. When I write a song or make something I feel good and whole, then it wears off and I start to get itchy again.
Are you excited about visiting Lithuania? Are you familiar with Lithuanian musical culture?
I know little of Lithuania and its musical culture but I’m excited to have the chance to discover it. I’ve heard lovely things about the country and its people.
Which music bands, literature and poetry inspires you? Maybe you have other forms of inspiration?
Dylan Thomas has a way of joining words that carries me off despite myself, Woody Guthrie too. I love the raw emotion of flamenco, the cool swagger of hip hop, the romance of folk music and the shamelessness of pop music. I’ll give it all a go.
What do you expect from participating in international singers-songwriters festival “Tai as” (This is me) ?
I don’t know what to expect to be honest, I watched some video of the previous festivals and was very impressed by the superb musicianship on stage. I feel like a bit of an imposter, hope I don’t get found out. I am honoured to be invited. This is the first time I’ve recorded and toured as a solo artist, so for me ‘Tai as’ made perfect sense – this is me….
What was your biggest victory on the stage?
I’ve played with some big bands over the years, but the gigs I’ve played with Elbow have been the most memorable, they have such an open, friendly following. To have thousands of strangers quietly listening to every word was a far cry from the noisy bars I usually play.
Some artists have a fear of stage. Are you one of them?
I feel drawn to the stage and terrified of it at the same time. I’ve found myself in front of thousands of people relaxed and happy then jittering my way through a song in a small room.
Do you relate all your life with music or do you have other activities/hobbies that are very important for you?
Music is pretty much what eats me up when I’m not spending time with my family or walking the dog.