You've recently re-released From the Shallows, your third studio album, in a deluxe
edition. What prompted that decision?
From The Shallows was initially released by a sketchy label. They released it and then buried it,
embezzled loads of money and stuff, really messy. It's a long story but the only way I could get
the rights back was to re-release the album. It was more about regaining ownership over the
album than anything else. So I recorded a load of live sessions, put them on as bonus tracks and
bobs your uncle.
Speaking of that bad experience with a record label: Is there any advice you can give to up
and coming musicians about how to avoid pitfalls in the music industry?
I'd say do what you love, don't change what you do to fit in with what's going on. You're just as
likely to fail trying to fit in as you are making something you love, so make something you love.
Sound advice. We should all follow it. Getting back to the albums, there seems to be a
story arc that spans from Skeletons to From the Shallows, or am I reading that wrong?
There is. Skeletons was about being in a lot of pain, and knowing I had to change everything and
start a fresh. I was in a bad way when I made Skeletons. From The Shallows is me on the other
side of that change.
My favorite song on From the Shallows is Trick of Light. You have a soulful quality to
your voice. It reminds me of the Mississippi Delta Blues with a hint of New Orleans jazz.
Who were your musical influences?
Yea that seems to be a lot of people's favorite. My influences are all over the shop. I love old
singer songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Neil young, Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen etc... I listen to
loads of 60s psychedelic stuff too. Hendrix was very important to me growing up. But, yea,
when I was making that record I was listening to a lot of old soul, jazz, gospel, Motown etc...
Smokey Robinson, Nina Simone, T.L Barrett, Miles Davies.