How'd you get started in music?
I started in music as five year old when my father handed me a cornet, I've played brass instruments since then. From there I joined the local brass band in Turriff, Aberdeenshire. Progressing quickly I took up piano as my second instrument to gain qualifications in both to study music later in life.
Who are your inspirations or influences?
I'm inspired by an eclectic mix, Simple Minds, Nazareth, Glasvegas, ELO, Empire of the Sun, The Abalanches, Beastie Boys, Faith No More, Manic Street Preachers, The Bathers from the more modern side of things, being classically trained I'm inspired by Debussy, Purcell, Alban Berg, Hindemith, Bantock to name a few.
What advice would offer aspiring performers?
Being a full time musician / teacher I would obviously say practise but I would also say join choirs, brass bands, folk groups anything that can help in playing in public and assist in building a stage presence.
How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?
Being the songwriter / composer for The Delerium Trees means I get a free range of what we do. The first album, Paradise Will Be, showed a mainly alt rock flavour with the last song on it, Climbing Walls, showing an electronica side. Our next album, Swimming With The Ghost Angels, is much longer, 11 songs, 70 minutes in length. Six are normal Alt Rock songs whilst five are instrumentals written with a nod towards electronica and classical music.
Any new gigs or albums in the future?
There will definitely be more albums by The Delerium Trees possibly an E.P. this summer. Also Drew Jarvie has been co writing and providing keyboards / brass for several artists who intend to release new material soon.
Special thanks to them for this interview & lots of luck in their music so until then Stay awesome & rock n roll!
