Frequently asked questions

These are common questions I have been asked when playing out on the streets, during livestreams and in general conversation.

Why am I not playing in pubs?

I've always felt that pubs are not the right environment for my songs. I played briefly at open mic back in 2002 and although enjoyed it to some extent, I also realised the environment and scene was not my thing. A priority is to get my originals across to people and reach those who really love and understand what I'm about rather than playing to people who just want a drink and some background noise. The vibe created while busking was many times spoiled by those under the influence of alcohol which put me off playing pubs even more! I turned down a few opportunities to play in pubs and until the right environment shows up I'll continue focussing on putting records out with occasional live concerts online.

What genre does my Music fit into?

I've always found it incredibly difficult to fit my Music into the common categories, which can often confuse people. Listening to artists such as The Beatles, Bob Marley or Crowded House I have quite a diverse music taste which I think comes through in my Music. If I had to label my songs the most suitable genres would be indie rock, folk-rock, psychedelic folk, garagerock, rock'n’roll or pop. But these are only vague terms and to get an idea you have to hear it yourself.

Is my Music available on CD?

My debut album One Way Ticket was released on CD but it didn’t prove viable to continue releasing CDs which led me to put out my music digitally only after this. However, once I get the financial means I would like to release my Music on CDs, vinyls and even cassettes.

Why do I not go on talent shows like The Voice, X-Factor, etc?

I've had people mention this to me since the early 2000s when these shows started. These talent shows do not fit the way I approach Music at all and are gateways into the very areas of the industry which I detest. Nothing personal against those artists who choose that path but it's not for me. My love and passion is for Music, not the music industry.​

Why am I not in a band?

Good question! I wonder that myself often! I'm now pretty content being a solo artist focusing mainly on making records, which is how I started. Being in a band is what I would've liked from the start. The type of music I was making and the kinds of bands I was into were not fashionable in the late 90s/early 2000s amongst my friends and people I knew. I could never find anybody who shared my musical tastes and vision and struggled on like this for some time until I accepted and learned to enjoy the benefits of the solo artist life.

Why am I not doing more to promote myself and my Music?

There are essentially two main reasons for this. First of all, there is more involved in the daily life of an independent musician than meets the eye. Time is needed each day to prepare/set-up and record all the instruments for each song, to mix the songs, to practice, to learn new songs, film and edit videos, create artwork, play live shows, as well as all the 'admin' like updating web stuff. I try to give most attention to the actual music side of things, at the expense of an active social media presence, feeling if I take care of that the rest will fall into place. The second and bigger reason is that the music industry (and all marketing in general) is built on trying to persuade the public to buy something. Everybody is out to "sell themselves" one way or another. I have a more simplistic view of life. What is the need to push yourself upon people? If you connect with what I do, support it in some way directly here and now... that's my philosophy. Buy the songs, pay to watch live, donate, spread the word, communicate directly to me. If you don't like what I do, move on. I'm confident that if everybody did this everything would rise into its rightful place.

Why do I not play live at scheduled times?

Unfortunately due to my living situation it's not easy to plan shows in advance which leads me to announcing them spontaneously. Aside from that I also likes the idea of performing Music becoming more intuitive and not so rigid. Once a certain harmony and synchronicity is there between audience and artist the musician could spontaneously decide to play based on an inner urge and his audience would simultaneously pick that up and tune in. It might sound far-fetched but I've had glimpses of this in action!