Hey Matt, can you tell us a bit about your background and upbringing?
Hi I was bought up by my mum and older sister. My sister taught me to read music and introduced me to The Clash and Blondie. My mum introduced me to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones so I owe everything to them. As a kid life was all about music and football so nothing’s really changed.
How did you first get started in the music industry?
I formed my first band on the first day of 6th form which is nearly 30 years ago now. Within a year we had recorded our first original songs, were on the bill at local and regional festivals and playing showcases in London and Bristol. I think everyone else from that band is still making music in some capacity too.
Can you share a favorite childhood memory related to music?
I played football for an age group up and the older lads were listening to some really cool music in the changing room. I had no idea what it was but years later discovered it was The Stone Roses and The Charlatans. I love a lot of guitar based music from a lot of different eras but that ‘Madchester’ thing really did it for me and informed a lot of my early musical efforts.
How do you balance your personal life with your music career?
I’m not very good at that! Music comes before almost everything and that has been hard for some of the people in my personal life.
Can you share a memorable experience from your musical journey?
A band that I was in went from playing bottom of the bill at one of the smallest venues in Bristol on a Tuesday night to headlining one of the biggest venues in that city in around 18 months. It was before social media etc so that was achieved by word of mouth, the city’s press, fly posting and lots of rehearsing and gigging. During the Saturday night at the bigger venue a huge percentage of the crowd were singing one of our songs in particular back at us as we played. I think that was one of my first ‘moments’ like that.
How do you stay motivated and inspired as a musician?
Without wishing to sound too cliched, it is just in me and has been for as long as I can remember.
How do you typically approach the songwriting process?
I try to record moments of inspiration as they happen. Be it a little phrase of melody, a lyric or a riff. I then have set times each week during which I sit down and work on those moments of inspiration and try to develop them further.
“Run Away With Me” is a captivating song. What was the inspiration behind it?
It’s about trying to maintain human relationships in a world increasingly obsessed with celebrity and social media.
What was the most challenging aspect of creating “Run Away With Me”?
I Co-wrote the first draft with a really good top line writer Aimee Proal some time back. When I went back to it some of the lyrics hadn’t aged very well.
Do you have any favorite lines or moments in the song that hold special meaning for you?
I think that the guitar in the instrumental passage is beautiful. My friend David Spivack played it. I asked him to try and think a bit like Steve Cropper, the guitarist who played on a load of the old Motown stuff. He actually did that in one take and it was an amazing moment.
Can you tell us about any upcoming music or projects that fans can look forward to?
My 3rd solo single ‘Lost’ is out on Valentine’s Day! And I have also been confirmed to play at The Godney Gathering (which is a really cool festival in my home county of Somerset) this summer.
