Interviews

A friend of mine when I was 13 called Wesley Brothwell was learning guitar at the time and showed me some really cool stuff that he could play, most notably the snooker theme – ‘Drag Racer’ He taught me one little tune (the theme to Heartbeat – Buddy Holly I think) and I gave it a go but then kind of gave it up for 3 years until I began my A levels… I suddenly had a real desire to learn as many songs as I could get my hands on. I wrote tons of little guitar tunes and penned some very rudimentary lyrics. I started putting some recordings together which you can hear here, be warned though that they are pretty terrible.

http://www.ryaninglis.com/2010/12/first-ever-recordings

I started a music technology course at Weston College in 2004 and I really got into songwriting and performing. With the help of my friend Lorna Thomas I managed to finish some songs I had started and she gave me the confidence I needed to perform them. By that time I was making a living from teaching guitar and hosting a weekly open mic night. I couldn’t imagine my life without my guitar now. I guess it’s really the only thing I’ve ever known I wanted to pursue 100%

What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?

Surprises? Well… I am genuinely surprised that people have been enjoying my songs as much as they have. I have been very lucky, I think, with the amount of positive feedback I receive. Having come top of the pile on various music websites, most notably Slicethepie and of course Talentwatch, I really appreciate the support I get from my fans. I am now at a stage where I am being contacted for gigs, interviews and even advice from other musicians in my local area. It feels great to know I chose the right path and that my life has some meaning. I am constantly reminded of how grateful I am to be in the position I am in.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

I am currently going through my biggest challenge; I am unsigned and self managed which is both great in respects to having complete control of my career and the wealth of knowledge I am attaining yet very stressful at times. I am aiming possibly higher than I should but I am currently looking to enter the top 40 by selling as many downloads (over 2,500) of my forthcoming single ‘Secret’ due for release on 15th August. A music video is in the editing stage and the track itself took many man hours to write/arrange/record/mix/master and promote. Keeping on top of all the work that needs to be done along with gigging 4/5 times a week and just sorting through the day to day stuff can get on top of me but where I used to hide from my ‘to do’ lists I now embrace them, work through them and make fresh ones regularly. I get a real sense of self worth by regularly achieving small goals. If I have a day of achieving nothing at all I get depressed but you have to allow yourself some ‘me’ time once in a while

Tell us about your band

My band are the best group of people I could hope to work with right now; Adam Chetland (Lead Guitar) has been with me for about 5 years and he is a grade 8 player and teacher so I know he can play anything I throw at him. He comes out with some lovely hooks and ripping solos when required too. Steve Hatton (Bass Guitar) has been playing live for years and has real ‘in the pocket’ groove as well as a play for the song attitude. He actually requested to be in the band as he was already a fan of the music and knowing someone you work with has that passion makes everything so much more fun and easy to do. Sam Evans (Drums) has been working with Steve for years so they work together incredibly well. Sam is a drum teacher and has the dynamic abilities that are so sorely needed to achieve what I want in the recordings and when played live; he’s just as happy shaking an egg as he is knocking out some gospel inspired rhythms. They are both very attentive to the needs of the song and are a great rhythm section to have behind it all. Hannah Johns (Violin) is the latest member to join. Once I was awarded the fan funding from Slicethepie I knew I had to get the band I really wanted; violin was something I always knew I wanted in the mix and Hannah is professional through and through. I can sing a melody line I have in my head and she can play it right back to me without hesitation. She also works with other singer/songwriters in the Bristol area as well. It’s very rare to have a band that can realise what you hear in your head and agree with you at the same time. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done so far and how much belief they have in my, well, our music. Karl G (Samples) is a dance/trance producer from Weston who remixed a couple of my tracks (How Things Change and then Secret which you can find on YouTube with these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhtiDCneNRA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMs3X8pa1C0

He’s an amazing talent and I wanted his input on the tracks at the assistant production stage. I wanted more than just ‘some band’ so with the inclusion of Karl’s samples things moved from beyond the standard.

What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?

These days, writing lyrics tend to follow the same pattern each time. It usually starts with a line or two that I really like then I think what I want the song to ‘say’ what the message will be and then I do my homework on the topic; I read up about it and learn things I might not have known before to end up with a song that contains all the pertinent information I think it requires as well as my own thoughts and experiences on the matter of course. I like my songs to be complete little packages that contain both sides of an argument maybe and that ends up with a conclusion. I could go into much more detail but each song is usually put together in a multitude of different ways.

When I first started it used to be guitar first, then melody, then fit the lyrics to it but I have also worked with lyrics first. The last song I wrote is called ‘Real’ it’s a song about friendship – I love performing ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ – James Taylor/Carole King and wanted to write something with the same sensibilities. It started with chords and melodies but I sometime write 2 or more songs at the same time to keep interest up; if I get a bit stuck with one I can change over to another that has a differing feel, message. I have also written lyrics in the past using a random word generator online; I work a way to join the words together to make sense which in turn can lead to a spark of a complete idea. My acoustic album, 7 Blank Tiles – which you can buy from iTunes with link below… I deliberately wrote each song in a different key from the others and used varying guitar techniques to achieve different sounds. I like to think all my songs are very different from each other and I try very hard not to fall into clichés or make something I think I have heard before. I could write an essay on how I write songs but there is no formula as such… you just have to stick at it until you are happy with what you have done.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/7-blank-tiles/id311819350

Tell us about your most memorable performances.

One of the most memorable was supporting The Automatic in Cardiff (Hard Rock Café) in 2007 – there were a lot of people there supporting me and my music and I could hear the room singing my words back at me. I just remember experienceing an overwhelming joyous feeling rise inside me. I play around 170 gigs a year mostly in small pubs to small crowds. Every now and then a large crowd get behind you and things feel amazing but I get the same feeling knowing just one person is enjoying what I am doing. I have been lucky enough to support some real idols of mine; Erik Mongrain played at a venue in Taunton (Perfect 5th) and the owners arranged for me to support after I sent an email highlighting my desire to share a stage with him. I remember him coming out of the green room to listen to me play an instrumental piece that he had actually inspired which I later found out from his manager was very rare – It felt good to know I had stirred an interest in him and he said some very kind things to me at the end of the gig. Watching him play was just spellbinding and blew my mind with what he is capable of.

Have you shared the stage with anyone we would know?

To date I have supported Stringer/Bessant (Ex Reef) Colin Macintyre, Erik Mongrain, Chesney Hawkes and The Automatic. I would love to support Newton Faulkner despite feeling massively inadequate compared to him and John Mayer above all just because I am constantly in awe of his songwriting and acoustic technique. I would literally play before any act that performs acoustically due to feeling comepletely at home as a solo act.

Anything else you want to share?

To whoever is reading this, thankyou so much for taking an interest. I couldn’t achieve anything without the support of people like you and I hope I can keep writing and performing until I take my last breath. If you are a musician who is struggling to find their way just keep going, as long as you give it everything you’ve got you will succeed.

Interview With Emily Grist

1) How would you describe yourself as a musician? How long have you been writing music? What does your writing mean to you?

I would describe myself as a musician who is lucky enough to play almost every day and to call it my profession. I enjoy songwriting more than anything else and plays guitar well enough to join in with other musicians quite well. I started writing my own material when I was about 18 but had no confidence in any of it. Until friends encouraged me to complete my songs I had bits and pieces all over the place. I have just written 2 new songs after almost 2 years of struggling which feels amazing. I’m not very prolific as I spend hours over lyrics and their intentions as well as the melodies being produced by the guitar and vocals. I like to use different tricks in every song and my acoustic album tracks were almost all in different keys. One of latest songs is the first to utilize diminished chords and I dabble in altered tunings a lot too

2) What currently inspires you to do this style of music? How would you describe your music? Have you got a target audience for your music?

I am inspired by the way I feel about the world; I can only write with passion if I have a strong feeling to convey in the song. I actually wrote this the other day about what my music is like now I am working with a full band and producing the upcoming album myself:

“Ryan Inglis’ music is an acoustic guitar base, matured for over 10 years infused with gospel inspired rhythm & melodic bass-lines then garnished with haunting strings & grade A lead guitar hooks and finally seasoned with chopped dance/trance samples. Connoisseurs will appreciate the thoughtful lyrics and the vocal tone (a particular delicacy) Low in fat, Ryan Inglis is also suitable for vegetarians and with a calorie count of 0 you can listen to as much as you like guilt free

I got the idea form an article on CD Baby… I thought it was a bit ‘different’ As far as a target audience is concerned I can see by looking at my SOUNDOUT REPORTS (from Slicethepie.com) that my music mostly appeals to the 16 – 24 age range (male & female equally) It also scores highly in the 25 – 34 and 35 – 44 ranges too. You can see what I mean HERE with the report from my upcoming single ‘Secret’

3) What inspired you to start songwriting? Who or what first got you involved with songwriting?

I don’t really know. I was just spending a lot of time learning covers and I thought I would start putting lyrics to the guitar ideas that any guitarists start putting together at some stage of their learning. It was a self motivated decision and one that, with encouragement grew into something I HAVE to do. There is no better feeling for me than finishing a new song, performing it live and later to hear people singing the lyrics along with you J You don’t really get that with anything else

4) Do you think of yourself more as a songwriter or a singer? If neither of these apply, how would you describe yourself and why?

Well, I only ever used to see myself as a guitarist. Then a guitarist who sang and now I think I am a singer/songwriter with a voice that could stand alone if need be… I’m not a great vocalist but people tell me they like the tone of my voice which is more important than technique I think. As far as songwriting goes I think I do a good job… If I didn’t think that nothing would ever be finished, I wouldn’t have spent so much money recording them and I would still be playing in my room rather than on stage. You have to allow yourself a bit of self praise to keep you moving forward. Whether other people like my music is up to them to decide.

5) Has your music got any messages or meanings to it? Do you write for yourself or for others?

My songs are completely about delivering a message and I try to be thorough with each song. I write about both sides of an argument or idea and end up with a conclusion. I write to get something off my chest but aim to make it available to others who can take it how they want. ‘If I Fall’ is a song about not meeting up to your own high expectations which I think most people can relate to. Also ‘Secret’ is about keeping your mouth shut when you know the business of other people and not being a gossip. The main topics of my songwriting seem to be about my own personality (My Weakness, Panic, Feel Any Feeling) Past relationships (Lost, Forgive Me, Little Sun) or making the most of your life (Footprint, Look FWD>>, Focused, One Step At A Time) Of course there are some wild cards in there too. Wonderkid is about a friend of mine who died and Sea Of Tranquility is a song about writer’s block which I find deliciously ironic.

6) Who are your favourite singer/songwriters and why?

John Mayer has to be first mention; listening to his work opened my eyes up to chords I hadn’t thought of using before as well as some of his acoustic techniques. I love the acoustic percussion stuff too like Newton Faulkner, Andy McKee & Erik Mongrain. I tend to be into the song rather than a certain artist; I learn from many different sources and combine in my own way subconsciously drawing from a massive repertoire of covers that I have learnt over the years.

7) What would you call a good singer/songwriter? What would you call a bad singer/songwriter?

Mmm. Well there is no good or bad as such. All music is valid as long as the writer means what he/she is putting across. There are no rules to writing but I guess avoiding clichés is always a good start. I think helps to be in tune too but other than that I think everyone has the ability to write an amazing song, just takes the dedication to spend hour’s fine tuning the material.

How would you describe your musical image? How did you go about determining what image to portray? How do you decide on artwork ie. for EPs, websites etc? Do you design it yourself or get external sources, if so who or what? How important do you think image is to musicians in general and to yourself personally?

My ‘image’ is basically just what I look like from day to day. I’m not a trend-setter and would never force myself unnaturally to become one. It works for some people but I am what I am and my music is what it is. I would hate to think I was trying to be something else just to fit in to something. If enough people like you as you are you are the one who gets emulated… which is always nice to see; that you are inspiring others in some way. Artwork is always conceived in my mind and then put to practice by my friends that have the artistic skills… My acoustic album (7 blank tiles) was a scrabble tile holder with blank tiles on it. The idea was to portray that the album was open to interpretation and I wanted desperately to avoid the ‘portrait holding the guitar looking melancholy’ thing that is everywhere. Also the back of the CD had a stack of books with the song titles along the spines – again this was to make things more interesting than a photo with the track listing in some generic font. Here is the artwork to show you what I mean:

I am currently working on artwork for my single ‘Secret’ and have something quite conceptual for it. It would take too long to explain my ideas but I think if you are going to present yourself or your work to the public it has to have appeal. Presentation is very important.

9) Once you have created and recorded a piece of music, how do you go about distributing it? How do you use the Internet to facilitate this? Do you rely on a fan base / mailing list? Do you do the distribution and marketing yourself or use external sources? If so, who or what?

I have learned so much from the lead up to my single with regards to every step of the process. After rehearsing rigorously you can go to the studio fully prepared which is essential. Next you get the track mixed/produced/arranged etc… and then to mastering. I have my own Tunecore account which puts my work on iTunes & Spotify. In between you have to drum up interest in the music itself either by playing it live a lot, making live videos and also showing a strong online presence. I use Facebook a lot as well as Twitter, YouTube, SoundCloud, Slicethepie, Reverbnation, TalentWatch, Last FM and of course my own website (www.ryaninglis.com) to get the music out there. You can’t sell anything if no one knows you exist. I have been growing a fan base over the past 4 years – I’m hoping it has got to the point now where I have enough support to make some real waves. I do all the work myself from beginning to end – I have no manager or record label pulling the strings which is important to me. It’s harder and takes longer but the rewards are mine and mine alone at the end of the day.

10) How important is the Internet to your development as a singer/songwriter? What sites do you use regularly for distribution/advertisement? If the Internet was not available to you, do you feel this would affect your capabilities in getting your music heard?

The internet is ESSENTIAL for any unsigned artist and the information available to you is invaluable. Unless you travelled massively and had a huge reputation I doubt 99% of songwriters would achieve anything beyond their own local area without the internet. To write down all the sites I use would take too long – there is so much there

11) How important is it to you that you perform live music events/gigs? How often do you perform at such events yourself? How do you decide what performances to play or not to play? How do you use these events to market yourself / increase your audience? How often do you attend live music events (by both signed and unsigned artists) as a consumer not a performer?

Playing live is my bread and butter. I perform around 170 gigs a year as well as numerous open mics to get ‘seen’ in new places. It’s important to get yourself out and about and for people to hear your name regularly – you then begin to become familiar and people like familiarity. Even if you are not the greatest songwriter in the world if enough people have heard of you things start to happen. For the past year I have been using ‘beer mats’ to promote myself at gigs; people pick them up and read the info and either take them away or leave them for the next people to sit down. Business cards are essential and professional looking posters make a lot of difference. These are the ones I currently use:

12) How would you define ‘success’ regarding a singer/songwriter? Would you define yourself as successful and why? If not, what do you feel you would have to achieve to call yourself successful?

Success is mostly a personal set of goals that have been achieved. For some just writing and recording is enough. Others may strive for world domination. For me this is a ‘see how far it can go’ situation. I already call performing my living and have recorded an acoustic album that has sold well over 1000 copies… I have goals to follow up on which I will continue to work towards until complete. If nothing comes of it I am more than happy with how well I have done so far. I would say I am not as ‘successful’ as I would like to be but still consider myself to have achieved a lot already for which I am very grateful for.

For me success is having a body of work to look back on that you are proud of. I am now lucky enough to be recording at Abbey Road studios and aiming to get into to charts with support from fans of my music. I do not put out material that has not been painstakingly put together; someone once said that doing things half arsed will leave you unsatisfied in the future… I would like to think that someone will hear my music long after I am dead and still see the hard work and passion that was put into it. Your music is your legacy and should be treated as such. Another ambition of mine is to play a show that people have paid to see especially; I mostly play pubs where the audience are punters. It would be great to play to a room full of people who have consciously made the effort to listen to my music and paid a ticket price.

13) Please leave one tip you think is invaluable for aspiring/beginner singer/songwriters to know.

You can do anything you put your mind to. You can’t wait for someone else to spot you and do everything on your behalf. Learn as much as you can about every aspect of the industry and play live as often as you possibly can, with as many other musicians as you can find. Being truly independent puts you in a strong position to reap the rewards you have worked so hard for. There are a lot of people who want to make money off your talents… don’t let them. Believe in yourself and don’t settle for anything less than your best.

Online Interview with BandEngine

http://www.bandengine.co.uk/ryaninglisinterview.html

Q. Hi Ryan. So, please tell us what it was that first inspired you to start making music?

A. Well it’s hard to pinpoint exactly. I think it all started when I moved back home with my Mum at 20 and had a lot of free time. I spent most of my time practising and it naturally turned to composition, although I wasn’t writing anything particularly good at the time but it was the start of something at least. It wasn’t until my friend Lorna Thomas had a listen to what I had done and told me she thought it was good that I had any confidence in any of it. Thanks to her I kept going.

Q. And who are your major influences?

A. I listened to a lot of Radiohead, Eminem, Pantera, Foo Fighters and practically anything with a cool bit of guitar to learn. I’m not sure how many songs I know on the guitar but it has to be in the thousands… I got into Satriani, Vai and Eric Johnson before leaning more towards the acoustic side of playing. Now I love anything and everything acoustic. The artists I have looked at and borrowed a few of their techniques are John Mayer & Andy Mckee. They are the only ones who have really shown me the boundaries of where the acoustic can go without disappearing up its own bottom which is VERY important in songwriting I think; not to put too much technique into it

Q. Is there any particularly memorable event throughout your career as a musician that you will never forget?

A. Well when I supported The Automatic in Cardiff in May 2007 with my band. There were definitely more people there who wanted to see me than them. It was amazing to have so many people singing along to songs I had written in my bedroom just a year or so previous. Also when I got to the National Finals of Live & Unsigned last year… it really gave me a bit more belief in myself, my abilities and my songwriting. I came top ten out of 10,000 acts

Q. We can reveal that you only just made to 10th place in BandEngine’s 1st ever set of BETRA awards, mainly as a result of your campaigning just before the end of the first A&R room. The support you received at the very last minute was overwhelming, how do you feel about that?

A. I feel fantastic, bombastic, ecstatically astounded I have a good fanbase and I am eternally grateful for the support that comes my way.

Q. You appear to have built yourself quite a strong following and also have a lot of people online that are willing to support you. What’s the best bit of advice you can give to striving musicians such as yourself?

A. The best advice is to practice a lot, gig as often as possible and be nice to everyone you meet. Sometimes it is hard but just remembering someone’s name that you have only met once can make a lot of difference. You never know how they will talk about you to other people and what it could lead to

Q. You have also sold over 800 copies of your ’7 Blank Tiles’ acoustic album. That’s quite a remarkable achievement for any unsigned musician. Are there any channels or methods out there you would recommend that helped you to achieve this?

A. I sold most of them at gigs… I’ve booked over 150 gigs this year and each time i sell between 3 and 10 albums. also iTunes is going well… anyone can put their work on iTunes and it costs next to nothing too. Just go to http://tunecore.com/ and follow the instructions. I know of a lot of artists who spend a lot of money in the studio but forget that they then have to promote it and get it out there.

Q. Can we look forward to any new material from Ryan Inglis in the near future?

A. You certainly can. I already have a large chunk of the next acoustic album done. I probably will not release anything new until next year as I am working on another project at the moment. It’s a bit hush-hush but the band is called VTKTM and we will have an album finished by November this year. I intend to bridge the gap of every acoustic album with another venture in between. I can’t stop myself from trying something new. I generally feel depressed if I don’t feel like I am achieving small targets everyday. My new years resolution was to have a body of work to look back on by Christmas that I could be proud of.

Q. In three words how would you describe your music?

A. Music you see

Q. How do you think the independent music industry is changing and where do you see it in ten years time?

A. I think the power is in the individual, there is nothing that can’t be done as long as you are willing to work hard and take risks. Building a reputation takes time but you must be patient. If you can gain a fanbase of 1000 people who will definitely buy your material you are already taking massive strides of your own in the industry. Start your own label, write your own stuff, record it yourself… it’s all possible nowadays.

Q. We’re now in the digital age and in an era where more and more unsigned and independent artists are turning the tables and showing the major record companies that they can be more successful taking the DIY route. If the opportunity were to arise would you still consider signing a recording contract with a major label?

A. Only under certain conditions. I think a major label has more chance of smashing your hopes and dreams than granting a life of celebrity and wealth. I have no intentions of being used or manipulated like all the stories I hear would suggest. I just want to write honest music and hope that someone somewhere wants to listen to it… there really isn’t much more satisfying than that. everything else is just fake. But to be fair, when something like that is offered to you who would really be able to turn it down?… I can’t say I could

Q. And where do you see yourself as a musician in ten years time?

A. I would hope to be able to play all over the world and have audiences willing to come see me, enough money in the bank to pay for rent/bills and to be living the life of a creative soul

Q. And finally, who is the best guitarist alive today?

A. Mmm that’s a tricky one simply because I have not seen every guitarist out there. For me, a great guitarist doesn’t need to be playing 100 notes per second or playing 100 chords per song. I like guitarists who write a song and put guitar to it not those who write a technical piece and squeeze lyrics in it… if that make sense. The guitar itself is so versatile it is hard to pick up on one guitarist… But if you want a name I’d have to say *drum roll* Andy Mckee

Thanks for your time. Are there any extra words you’d like to add?

A. Thankyou for your time. I’m just happy someone is interested enough to want to read this interview. Now go and buy my album

Interview with Caroline Barby

1. when did you decide that you wanted to be a musician?

As soon as I saw my friend Wesley Brothwell play the snooker theme on his electric guitar at the age of 13 got my first guitar and learned one riff then picked it up again at 16. The rest is history

2. what is it that you love about performing?

When the audience are enjoying the song you are playing and you can feel it. This can give a sense of emotional freedom/liberation that I don’t get in day to day life.

3. what are you doing in order to pursue you dreams?

I play regularly at various venues to improve my skills.
I have entered regional and national competitions and either won or got to the finals.
I have recorded an album of original material which I now sell.
I have contacted record labels and sent my album to get reviewed.
I am working on getting a good agent who can help me with radio appearances and possibly TV
I have entered tracks to advertising companies to be used on adverts (nothing accepted yet)
I did a BTEC in Music Technology to widen my understanding of the music industry as well as learning the skills to record my own demos and how to promote myself

4. who do you look up to and respect the most in your line of work?

Radiohead have literally got the music industry round there little fingers. They have the freedom to play wherever they like, sell their album however they like and generally release music that most other bands/acts would be too afraid of doing.

5. how many years have you been working towards your goals?

I have been playing professionally since I was 23

6. what is your highest achievement to date?

Getting to the national finals of Live & Unsigned (A national competition for songwriters/performers) Also I have supported a signed band (The Automatic) at Hard Rock Cafe in May of 2007

7. where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Hopefully playing to large crowds of adoring fans around the UK and maybe even around the world. But if it doesn’t work out I am happy with what I have got and am grateful for what I have managed to achieve so far.

8. what, in your opinion, is the difference between an amateur musician and a professional musician?

I think the main difference is whether your main income is from music or not. All my income is from music which I guess would make me a professional but in my own mind i still feel amateur compared to some of the amazing talent I have seen on TV and on the internet.

9. Who is your biggest influence?

John Mayer has been a big influence on my guitar playing and before him I used to listen to lots of Radiohead so I guess I have a mainstream sound with a hint of the experimental. There’s nothing worse than copying another artist too much. I have always tried to be true to myself and never put on a fake singing voice that tries to match another artist (which I hate hearing!)

Interviews

Promoting ‘Secret’ Interviews

Radio Interviews

TalentWatch Interview

Interview With Emily Grist

Online Interview with BandEngine

Interview with Caroline Barby

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