Australian singer-songwriter Josef Salvat has been gracing our ears with two blogosphere hit singles this year despite being unsigned and only having played a handful of live shows.
Ahead of the release of his second single The Hustler (out today), Josef Salvat sat down for a cup of coffee and to chat about his sound, which he’s been developing since the age of 13.
Described as “a cross between Morrissey and Lana Del Rey”, Josef talks about the pressure of media hype, what he enjoys most about being a musician and accepts that with fame comes the loss of anonymity.
Check out the first ever interview with the recent law-graduate below and see you down the front at Josef’s Sebright Arms gig tonight.
Over a cup of coffee with the GABRIELLA CILMI got us talking about her forthcoming album number three, SWEETER IN HISTORY, working with Tricky (and wot happened during his Glastonbury performance with Beyonce), parting was with Island Records, music industry, plus more.
Ahead of the release of the MISS KITTIN’s forthcoming album CALLING FORM THE STARS, I met up with the French electronic producer for a cup of coffee and to chat about her new album, the first one she’s completely worked on her own.
Check out my interview with the KITTIN, aka Caroline Hervé, where she reveals that writing music is more rewarding than the performing side as she believes that it’s very hard in the electronic world to be respected as a songwriter.
There’s talk about being labeled as one of the creators of ‘electroclash’, illegal downloads, fans, karma, plus much more.
Was such a delight chatting with the MISS KITTIN, walked away with over 30 minutes of footage which made editing it such a challenge.
Canadian born, London based DJ and record producer the B.TRAITS (aka Brianna Price) and I chat about her upbringing, Twitter feuds, music piracy, the follow up to her debut charting single FEVER, plus more.
Backstage at London’s Electrowerkz last week I had a cup of coffee with Robert Alfons, aka the one-man-electro-goth-band that is the TRUST.
Not one to reveal his age but happy to talk about his upbringing and musical inspirations, Mr Alfons would collaborate with the CALVIN HARRIS as he’d think “it would be really fun. I would be so interested to see how something like that would work and how they would write a song.” Saying that, chart dominance is not on his mind.
Mr Alfons also spills some deets on his forthcoming album number two, reveals his thoughts on on music piracy and “how ridiculous it would be to try to keep tabs on it” and tells me why he does not read his own press.
LIAM from the COURTEENERS got a new weave and as a result has jumped to the head of the queue of faces I’d like to sit on.
Ahead of the release of their third album, the COURTEENERS‘ frontman has a cup of coffee with me to chat about ANNA, who she is and the evolution of their new sound.
LIAM would not turn down a collaboration with the CALVIN HARRIS as he does occasionally think about chart-dominance.
“Life feels good, it’s too short for negativity.”
Although there is something that still gets him angry and it ain’t music piracy even though he’s never downloaded music illegally.
Ahead of their London show at the Old Blue Last, Matt and Michael from the VAN SHE have a cup of coffee with me to chat about the difference between UK and OZ audiences, club shows and festivals, music piracy, the tag ‘nu-rave’, media-sensation, why it took four years for album number two to surface and ..
“It’s a little bit The xx, a little bit Florence and a little bit heavy metal” – NME.
Taking a break from rehearsals, Liverpudlian singer the JETTA had a cup of coffee with me to give her first ever video interview, to chat about her debut single, START A RIOT, music piracy, the live show, the press she’s received, plus more.
Brooklyn’s latest finest indie-dark-wave-popping duo the MS MR caught up with me for a cup of coffee and for their first ever video interview.
Watch as we chat about their story so far, the recording of their debut long_one, signing with a major label, music piracy, covering the PATRICK WOLF, media sensation, the success of their delish single HURRICANE, plus more.
This is why you should never interview bands you’re rather healthily obsessed with.
Check out my rather not so pleasant interview – due to my own superfan reasons – with the GRIZZLY BEAR where we chat about their new LP, how their previous album leaked three days after it was recorded, and why one of them doesn’t read their band’s press.
“I’d rather not have anyone’s words roll around my head. You don’t know who it is that’s writing some garbage online. I don’t even want to entertain that being a legitimate form of criticism. The internet is flooded with crap reports.”
Ahead of her East London intimate gig at Rough Trade East last week, I got the chance to have a cup of coffee with the CHARLOTTE CHURCH.
Watch as we chat about her new self-released EP, the state of the music industry, artistic control and being controlled by big corporations “where you end up with ten A&R men who all have something to say about it”.
We also talk about her back catalogue, which material she’s most proud of (and not) and there’s some advice in there for younger girls who are trying to break the music industry.
“In order to break through in any way that is credible, that is going to make you feel good about yourself, you’ve got to make sure that the foundation is strong, not that you’ve just got a pretty face, you can half-hold a tune, because unfortunately there’s a lot of people out there who are simply that.”
“Fame for fame’s sake is a tough tough path!”
Asked if the CALVIN HARRIS or the DAVID GUETTA offered her a sure-fire hit would she take it, she claims she’d turn it down !
“I can’t listen to anything mainstream, I can’t listen to the radio. It just makes me sad that the music that moves the majority of people isn’t moving or isn’t at all emotional. I find that really sad.”
There’s more and more and more including talk of a new web series she’s working on, her musical inspiration, music piracy, wot the future holds for her, plus more.
So grab yourself a cup of coffee and get watching ..
She counts the likes of the DAVID BOWIE and the MASSIVE ATTACK amongst her fans and she wouldn’t form a supergroup with the BEYONCE and the ADELE, sit your eyes down and watch this lovely interview with Swedish she-popper, the KARIN PARK, where she talks about the above alongside the difficulties a woman faces in the music industry, illegal downloads, her live show, plus more.
The VIOLENS are a dreamy, atmospheric, pop-rocking, five-year-old Brooklyn based trio who are two albums in and on a hot hot muggy London summer’s eve were happy to have a cup of coffee with me ahead of their gig at Hoxton Bar & Grill.
Check out the interview with Violens as we chat about their current tour, playing Japan, their American shows and the difference between playing the east and the west coast, their post-tour plans, self-producing, the 90s revival, plus more.
The JOSEPHINE‘s new single, WHAT A DAY, was released this week so I caught up with the Mancunian bred singer to have a cup of coffee and talk about her forthcoming debut album, PORTRAIT, released on 8th October 2012 via ARK Recordings.
The soulful-singer, bigged up from all types including the ELBOW’s GUY GARVEY, spoke to me about her music inspirations (from Oasis and Nirvana to Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Bob Marley), why she never went down the X-Factor route, the state of the music industry, plus more.
Ahead of their debut album release (out Sept 10), I caught up with two members of the TOY for a cup of coffee and an interview.
Having sold-out a four-week residency at London’s Shacklewell Arms and heralded from everyone including the HORRORS, NME and The Guardian, 40% of the psychedelic rockers talk to me about their debut album, being in a buzz band twice (once upon a time with the JOE LEAN & THE JING JANG JONG), why they chose to sign with Heavenly Recordings, the state of the music industry, music piracy, plus more.
On the eve of their Ministry Of Sound headlining show, I caught up with the HADOUKEN ! for a cup of coffee.
The grindie, new rave, dance-punkers spoke to me about their forthcoming untitled album number three, forefronting the nu-rave movement back in 2007, media sensation and wot happened once that bubble burst, the music industry, illegal downloads, their live shows, being bottled, plus more.
Sun. Shades. Thames boat. And a cup of coffee with the AIDEN GRIMSHAW.
Ahead of the release of his debut LP (out Aug 20th), I caught up with the seventh placed 2010 X-Factor contestant to chat about the recording of his album.
Check out my interview with the GRIMSHAW where he reveals why he chose to include a cover of the SIA’s BREATHE ME mp3 on his debut LP alongside his thoughts about potentially alienating some of his initial fanbase, his live show, which album he listens to from his fellow X-Factor 2010 peers, if he reads his own press, wot character he’d play in a film, plus more.
Hailing from the same pre-ARCADE FIRE universe as the FEIST, STARS and BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, the METRIC‘s lead singer, EMILY HAINES, took some time out of her hectic schedule to have a cup of coffee with me, backstage, before she took to London’s Shepherd Bush Empire to rock out to a sold-out crowd.
Watch as we chat about the band’s decade-plus career, the music industry, illegal downloads, soundtracks, plus a lil more ..
Whilst visiting London town, the ZEBRA KATZ took some time out for a chat with me.
The American rapper spoke about hanging in East London’s finest run-down pub with Rihanna, Solange, Florence & The Machine where Azealia Banks did an impromptu gig last week. The ZEBRA reveals that he’s going on tour with Ms Banks in a few weeks, and is happy to accept that his music isn’t for everyone.
There’s also chatter about how your soon-to-be fave-he-rapper’s beatz became Paris Fashion Week’s hot soundtrack thanks to Rick Owens using the ZEBRA‘s five-year-old single, IMA READ, and there’s talk about the rise of ‘queer rap’ and what the KATZ makes of such a label.
One of the most honest interviews I’ve done to date is courteous of a cup of coffee I had with the LITTLE BOOTS.
Watch as the she-popper chats about album number two, the pressures of winning the BBC Sound Of 2009 poll, not being able to please everyone including her record label who aren’t trying to influence her sound but with the new direction she’s taken “they cant figure out how to sell it to Tescos and that’s a real problem for them” and her thoughts on music piracy.
Above all that does she consider herself a popstar ? Find out ..
