What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.
As a kid I was classically trained on the clarinet and piano doing all the grades but by the age of 14 I started to teach myself the drums inspired by Keith Moon.
I spent many years playing the drums in various bands but I always wanted to write and sing my own songs.
As a teenager, I also taught myself the guitar and that led me to write my own songs.
It has taken many years though to feel more confident writing and singing.
My older brother was a big fan of The Who so I grew up listening to all their albums, especially Quadrophenia and Who’s Next. The Who’s music got me hooked.
My parents had a small record collection but there were some real gems in it including albums by Leonard Cohen, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Cat Stevens as well as classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven.
Provide us with some info about your latest release…
Take It or Leave It is the first single from my new album and it is about the challenge of keeping a long relationship going over the years.
The song is about trying to find common ground and love to push on through, even when the road gets very rough.
The song is highly personal but I am hoping it has a universal appeal.
Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?
Main musical influences would be Bowie, Neil Young, The Who and Leonard Cohen. This shows my age though I was not around when they were big in the 60s!
I am an avid reader of novels so books would be my main non-music-wise influence.
In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?
I would describe my sound as uplifting melancholic folk / rock / electronic music. It’s hard for me to say how my sound differs from the rest of the genre but I would say it lies in my vocal style and song writing.
Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…
Albums –
Hunky Dory – David Bowie, Who’s Next – The Who, Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Movies
The Elephant Man, School of Rock, The Lives of Others
The End of the Affair – Graham Greene, William Boyd – Any Human Heart Karl Ove Knausgård – My Struggle (six volumes)
Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?
I prefer the studio as I don’t see myself as some kind of natural performer / showman. However, I am now playing live more so maybe that will come about!
Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?
At the beginning of the year my Tonight song got added to the Loudermilk official Spotify playlist by which saw a spike in streams on Spotify and especially on YouTube (it has since been removed from the playlist!).
I am currently watching the TV show, which is of course great, to see if it was ever featured. Unlikely though as the show’s Producers would need to get clearance etc. I do now though get people commenting on my YouTube channel about hearing the song on Loudermilk which is cool!
Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?
I think it would be Tonight with its mixture of rock and electronic sounds as well as its subject matter – sleeping pills!
Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?
Releasing more singles and then the album by the end of the year.
And of course playing out live.
Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…
What is the meaning of life?
Two Whippets
Photo credits: El Saxton
Curated by: Christos Doukakis
Recommended listening:
Connect with Matt Saxton:
https://www.instagram.com/mattsaxtonmusic/?hl=en-gb
https://www.youtube.com/user/mattsaxton