Music Editor Emma Gardner sat down with Paul Askew to discuss his favourite show, his first memories of music and his desire to collaborate with Clairo
How would you sum up your music in three words?
This type of question is so difficult! Catchy guitar pop. My USP is that all my songs are upbeat; I love playing a song where you know people are going to listen to it over and over. It’s catchy but I still try to get some depth with the lyrics.
What’s the reaction been to some of your recent releases like ‘Connie’ and ‘When the Sun Came Up’?
People have said my music keeps getting better. It’s hard to promote your music nowadays, you need labels or agents, but for me, I’ve got a decent amount of streams and the most important thing for me is feedback from listeners, people who come up to me and say they really loved my song. All my mates say they love it but at the same time, because I write so much, it’s frustrating knowing that you’ve got something better to show each time you release a song.
What’s the best show you’ve played so far?
We did a show in Liverpool in April at the Jacaranda. It was the first show with my backing band, I’m usually a solo artist but I’ve got a group now to bring the songs to life a bit more. It was brilliant, such a good turnout and a really great audience. It had a freshness to it as the first gig we did together. It was great fun and there was good engagement from the crowd. We played Manchester next, at a festival, the sound was really cool and the crowd there is always really receptive. It’s good to be in different cities, but Liverpool was the best.
It’s hard to promote your music nowadays, you need labels or agents, but for me, I’ve got a decent amount of streams and the most important thing for me is feedback from listeners, people who come up to me and say they really loved my song
Where would you most like to tour? Do you think your music would have a big appeal abroad?
I like to play cities but I’m trying to get stuff wherever: Leeds or Birmingham for example. I’m happy to move away from that and just go anywhere that has a vibrant scene. I’ve heard Wigan is good, there are lots of cool artists there. Obviously London, but it’s a difficult situation with getting promoted. Anywhere with a bustling music scene really! Outside of the country, I think it would be good to have an American audience. In European countries too, people love The Beatles around the world, they appreciate great, simple music, which is what I make. For example, I’ve seen videos of gigs in Argentina, of the crowds singing words back to the performers. The energy looks great. You would be really confident going on stage there.
What would you say is the most challenging aspect of being in the music industry at the moment?
A lot of it stems from the internet. It’s a positive thing, for sure, but it can also hinder you. There are so many artists out there, it’s oversaturated. It exposes you to loads, but because there are so many, it’s easy to slip under the radar and if you don’t have a good promotion, even if you’re a great artist, it’s hard. When you constantly see what other bands and artists are up to, it’s easy to compare yourself and wonder why you haven’t had as many gigs. Location is also a tricky one. I have a friend who lives near Suffolk and he’s a great performer. If he lived in Liverpool, he’d probably generate more interest. Where he is there’s no real venues or music scene, so I think that can really have an impact.
What is your earliest memory of music? What was your journey to becoming a musician?
My first memory was being in the garden at my Dad’s house. I must’ve been about five or six, and I heard that Oasis song ‘The Importance of Being Idle’. There’s a falsetto part in it, I remember hearing it and having it lodged in my brain. I heard that song a lot as a child and it was the first memory I have. In terms of pursuing music, I wasn’t really that interested in music, I just listened to stuff in the car as something to accompany a journey. Things like The Smiths, The Beatles, Metallica, and David Bowie. One day I started making YouTube playlists of Beatles songs, and that led to me discovering other 60s artists like The Byrds. It was after discovering Oasis and the La’s, I decided to start writing my own stuff because I was so inspired by what I was hearing. It was so amazing discovering all these different artists. I guess it was a wave of inspiration for me. They were all northern lads like me so I definitely felt like I had a chance at it. I was about 17 when that started.
What’s the song you’re the most proud of?
It would have to be ‘Hide from the World.’ I wrote it during summer last year, it was a nice little concise song, very poppy with some folk in there too. I really like the lyrics, the melody, and the meaning behind it. It sounds great with the band but also acoustically. I rehearsed it with my band and I got chills playing it with them. It’s a difficult question because I’m always writing!
It was after discovering Oasis and the La’s, I decided to start writing my own stuff because I was so inspired by what I was hearing
Which musician do you most admire?
Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys. I really love artists who can do everything on their own, he’s remarkable. Doing all that independently is the mark of a genius. He did Pet Sounds and albums before which shows that he can produce, arrange, sing, write and make good songs. It’s unbelievable. I don’t think there’s anyone like him in my mind. I also love Noel Gallagher, he consistently writes good songs that are simple but brilliant. There are two sides – the complexity of Brian’s work and the simplicity of Noel’s songwriting.
If you could collaborate with anyone currently on the music scene, who would it be?
Clairo! I think she’s great. I have some songs that are inspired by her, I think it would be good to write something with her or play with her. Maybe it’ll happen one day! Stylistically we are quite similar. It would be interesting working with such a different artist.
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