A former boxer, does that help or influence your song writing?
Not really, but doing lots of monotonous training like skipping and jogging was perfect opportunity to daydream.
Does being an ex boxer, help with dealing with the ‘music business’ or has it been a pleasant experience so far?
It's all been good, but boxing and music aren't that different, they both require a certain amount of discipline, self belief, bottle and being able to adapt and not stay stuck in one mode for too long. Now I'm a musician I just don't get smacked in the head (as much).
Marvin Gaye has been quoted as a influence anyone else who perhaps you listened to during school days that still influence you today?
At school I was a big fan of Common, Mos Def, Lauren Hill, Finlay Quaye, Eryka Badu, but was opened up to all sorts of other music by my older brother like the blues albums from Chess, Arthur Lee and Love and lesser known 60's folk artists like Jim Ford and Terry Callier.
You have toured with Emeli Sandé. How was that experience and did you learn anything on that or other times being on the road, that have really stuck with you?
Touring with Emeli Sande was cool it was good to see how a market for your music is built and being on the road has taught me the same as what selling clothing has taught me, which is that the creative stuff happens at home, or in the studio, then that is your product and then you get in your car and try and put it in front of as many people as possible to see who's going to come with you.
You have played in a few bands. How does life compare to being in a band and being a solo artist? If you had a choice, what band would you really like to be the lead singer of?
Solo is a lonely prospect, it's also perfect for some gigs but for others, where the crowds are bigger, it can be difficult to get the negative thoughts out of your head that you might be boring the audience, just because it's you and a guitar. We put a lot of work into the set so it's always nice to show off what we've been doing.
I wouldn't want to be the lead singer of any other band. I would like to play Guitar for John Spencer Blues Explosion, or Organ for BrianJonestown Massacre.
You have released a solo single and recently, the 'Golden Friend' EP is there an album on the horizon?
I've got another couple of EP's that I plan to release later this year and the beginning of next and then an album maybe next summer, maybe sooner.
Your home city of Manchester has a rich music heritage, how's the music scene there today?
There are lots of cool bands from Manchester at the moment like Egyptian Hip Hop, Everything Everything, Bipolar Sunshine. I don't know about it being a scene but things are happening especially the more niche club nights.
How would you describe your music for people who have yet to hear your songs?
I would hate to describe it but I suppose it has its roots are in Soul and Folk and I have an obsession with reverbs & delays.
There is currently a youtube video online for the song ' Michigan'. Tell us about the song and how you came to write it and tell us about Eve Studios.
Michigan is about looking for someone you didn't have enough time with and like with all the other songs I struggle to remember how I wrote it, or when. I can remember I had the guitar part running round my head for a while but can't remember when the lyrics and structure came.
I wanted to do the recordings at Eve because of all the original and old gear they have like the plate reverbs and valve mics and because the recordings were simple, then you can really hear the warmth of the mics, the natural reverbs and the sound of the rooms. It's an old rectory that was made into a house, then a studio, so it's homely - always food and drink on the go and nice people.
What does the rest of the year hold for you and where would you like your musical career to be this time next year?
We are in the studio in Wales in August recording for a week and then just plenty more gigs before it all starts again with the 2nd EP. I just want my music heard and if there are more people that have heard my songs this month than there was last month, I'm happy and if we can keep moving forward like that, I'm double happy.
