Hiya Steven, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat. Tell us a bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
Hiya! Thanks for having me in the lounge — brew’s definitely in hand. I’m based up in Lancaster, and I suppose music started for me as a way of making sense of things. I’ve always loved songs that feel honest, where you can tell the person writing it has actually lived a bit of what they’re singing about. I picked up a guitar, started writing bits down, and before long it became the way I got things out of my head. It still is, really.
What’s the live music scene like in Lancaster right now?
Lancaster’s got a really strong little scene going on. There are proper grassroots venues, pub gigs, theatre spaces, festivals, and a lot of people who genuinely care about live music. I’ve played in a local theatre venue earlier this year. It felt like one of those moments where you think, “Right, people are actually coming out to hear these songs.”
Anyone we should be looking out for, bar you of course?
Yeah, Jodie Lauren for sure who has got a really natural talent. There are loads of artists around the North West doing good stuff as well, especially in the alternative and acoustic corners. I also do some playlist curating, and I am amazed at the talents around the world.
What’s the biggest thing you hate having to do to showcase your music?
Probably having to be online all the time. That’s the bit that can do your head in. You finish writing a song and then suddenly you’re thinking about reels, graphics, captions, analytics, release plans, and whatever TikTok wants this week. I know it’s part of it, and I’m not against it, but sometimes you just want to sit in a room with a guitar and get lost in the song without turning every second of it into content.
What are your ambitions for the project?
I’d love the project to keep growing, but in a way that still feels like me. Bigger stages would be amazing, of course, and I want the songs to reach more people, but I don’t want to lose the reason I started doing it. I want to be known for the writing — for songs that people can actually take something from. I’d also really like to collaborate more, get in rooms with other musicians, and build something that feels like a proper community rather than just numbers on a screen.
What’s your view on the music industry today?
It’s a strange one, isn’t it? In some ways it feels harder than ever, because the traditional industry still has a lot of closed doors. But at the same time, independent artists have got tools now that artists years ago would have dreamed of. You can release music yourself, reach people all over the world, run your own campaigns without waiting for some executive to give you permission. The flip side is you end up doing everything yourself, which can be exhausting.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I’ve learned that music matters most when it’s actually doing something for someone. Streams and reviews are great, don’t get me wrong, but some of the most powerful moments I’ve had have been through charity work especially music sessions with young people and now starting to support music to people living with dementia. When you see a song bring someone back to a memory, or just give them a bit of peace for a few minutes, it puts everything else into perspective. That’s the stuff that stays with you.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
I like songs that feel a bit raw, where the guitars have some space and the lyrics actually hit. I’m not too bothered about things sounding spotless. I’d rather hear something that feels human. If a track has a bit of weight to it and you can tell there’s a real feeling behind it, I’ll probably keep going back to it
What was your worst experience on stage? Any funny stories to share?
For me it’s often when I try new things like loop pedals definitely not an ed Sheeran for sure or a new music software for live gig that was the latest, I feel they just don’t make equipment how you need it at the time. I do remember my band couldn’t make a gig and I was doing a few covers and I was young and full of nerves so I used some backing to play and sing to and missed my cue and totally made up a new melody to try to cover it up and went total wrong.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
Yes, Seasons (to be human) is my new single, I wrote this about using seasons as a metaphor for life, it be human we go though good and bad, love and hurt and not given a playbook of how to deal with these things. I hope it’s something people will relate to.
What was the recording process like?
I knew pretty early on what I wanted the song to be about. I had this picture that seemed to show every season, and I liked the idea of using that as a metaphor. So, on a Saturday morning, I sat down and wrote the words. The next day, in the session, I put some chords underneath it and sang it through about three times — and it honestly felt like the song almost sang itself. After that, we just started building it up layer by layer, from drums to cello, and it all came together quite naturally. I always wanted the cello to help it grow, starting off close and intimate before opening out into something bigger. I didn’t want it to feel overloaded or too polished; I still wanted the emotion to come through. The final mix was probably the hardest bit. They say mixing your own song is difficult, and they’re not wrong, but I spent time making sure everything worked together and brought out the personality of the track. I could have handed it over to someone else, but this time it felt right to see it through to the finish myself.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
No, I don’t think so. You can drive yourself mad in the studio tweaking little bits forever, but at some point you’ve got to let the song be what it is. Seasons (to be human) feels like a pretty honest snapshot of where I was when I wrote it, and I’d rather keep that than polish all the edges off. I’m proud of it as it is.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Just a massive thank you to anyone who’s listened, shared it, or even just given it a few minutes of their time. Seasons (to be human) is out everywhere now, If it finds people in whatever season they’re in at the moment, then that means the world.
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