When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.
What have been your musical epiphany moments?
You had some Top music in your house when you were young ahha! The first one would be hearing The Clash "Londons calling" album BLASTED through a record player in my house. When you're that age and you hear songs like train in vain, Rudie can't fail, London's calling and lost in the supermarket it BLEW MY MIND. The colourful melodies with the harsh reality lyrical content over some blistering guitars. Still stands tall today!
The Next would-be Dookie! That seemed like the next generation continuation of the sound I had heard from the clash. They were like the punk rock beetles to me, with their command on melody and those bass riffs that melted your soul with guitars that felt like they were going to smash your speakers into next week!
Lastly Hearing Oasis Defiantly maybe, I still to this day get goosebumps when I turn on that record. It embodies everything about having a dream, about wanting to achieve greatness. The humble begins of a northern lad wanting to go out their and write music that stands the test of time. I think we can all agree that is what art is meant to do , make you feel something and that is it for me.
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
Most of my songs are wrote differently, sometimes the lyrics come first and sometimes the music does! The best and biggest songs always come out in one go and just seem to drop out the sky into your head.
Who has influenced you the most?
I would say its a combination of oasis and greenday. It would be hard to pick from them. I feel that is shown in my music! Its a straight line between the two!
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
Inwards, around myself, all over really. My art is always a reflection of my reality and my surrounds. That is why I feel it's always as real as it gets.
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
My Hometown is a big part of who I am, it's a small tough community where there isn't many opportunities, But even though people may not have much, they are proud of who they are and where they are from. There is a drive to achieve that comes from growing up in a place like this! Hartlepool's a crazy little place but I love it!
Where'd the band name come from?
It's just my Nickname growing up!
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
Guardians of the galaxy - the films are insane and the soundtracks are mega!
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?).You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
I think it would have to be live forever, simply because I could go on forever about how it empowers a kid from a small left behind part of the country and gives them a feeling of security, knowing someone else feels the way he does, dreams the way he does and its okay if others don't understand because as long as you know who you are what you stand for that's all that matters.
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
Don't hate me for this, but I have never seen spinal tap haha!! my bad!! I once played a gig in Hartlepool, I noticed a bit of commotion as I launched into the last song, as I put down my guitar I was rugby tackled by 2 police officers and dragged outside, When I asked what it was for it turns out they had got the complete wrong person hahaha!! But hey how rock n roll did that look.
I train MMA, so I have this tendency to turn up to gigs with black eyes and a marked face haha! I really wanted to say that I had played the Cluny in Newcastle. I've always loved that venue so it was something I had wanted to do for a long time. The only way I could get onto that stage was to turn up to the only open event, a rap and grime open mic night! I walked in with my usual northern swagger and my jet-black eyes and asked to play, they looked at me like I was either going to steal the equipment or do something mental. Fair play to the lads they let me play and It went OFF!!! One of the best crowds I've ever had and at a rap gig!!!
Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?
For me gigs are not meant to be chilled events with a library atmosphere. I want to feel alive; I want everyone to feel that buzz in their chest from the first song till the last. Its a combination of chaos and complete unity which I'm in control of! We all escape our lives for however long the set is and we have it large until the last song comes to a close!
I hope my fans see it like that too!
Feeling, does it make you feel something! Songs for me don't have to be super complex pieces off music woven together with some mad profound lyrics. They have to be, pure be real. Every sound and song will mean something different to everyone who hears it.
I think what truly makes a great song is the fans, without them it's just another tune in the void. When the crowd takes it that's when it becomes great.
What one single album do you wish that you'd written or performed on, and why?
Highway to hell! That album is one of the greatest rock n roll pieces of all time, imagine contributing to If you got blood or highway to hell or shot down in flames?? I think bands like ACDC took the lessons from the greats like chuck burry and turned them into these power driven monster songs which will be here till the end of time. I mean it came out in 79 and its still known EVERYWHERE haha. I learnt a lot from those albums, I think to be on one and pay homage to that would be great!
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
To be honest all of them, because I know what I poured into them to get them where they are. However the biggest songs that really make me feel proud are songs called "Better Life", "Chase The Sun" and "In time". When I hear them, I still think it's crazy that I wrote them.
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
Today? hmm in the new era of music, I would have to say Andrew Cushin, that lad writes from his soul. Max Bianco is basically a modern day Dylan, we've been friends since we were kids and his songs always inspire me. Jamie Webster is another, as real as they come and his songs are honestly as good as it gets. The Reytons, Rolla and Pastel are three big rock n roller bands that I can't get enough off at the minute! One that's a bit left field would be Greta van Fleet - I just heard Tears of rain and that vocal knocked my socks clean off.
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
Vinyl all day long, I remember in college being told that when you bounce down to CD you loose 75% or something like that of the sound. You just get a full sound from a vinyl that makes you feel like the band is in the room.
Whiskey or beer?And defend your choice
Stella mate - its the best pint going. Whiskey is all well and good when you have 4 days to recover haha
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
My mate owns another record shop - best place to grab a record. The studio (Our most iconic venue for grass roots music) Has record fairs! Great ways to share music with others.
Bigger gigs, bigger stages and bigger songs. I have some great shows lined up with some massive promoters, keep an eye on the socials they will be announced very soon!
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
Thank you for giving me the time and I hope you all like the music, get in touch man and get involved, I hope to see you all at a gig at some point.