Stereoboard Speak To Benjamin Francis Leftwich About His Debut Album & Playing Live (Interview)
Monday, 10 October 2011
Written by James Ball
Benjamin Francis Leftwich had just kicked off his biggest UK Tour to date when Stereoboard caught up with him over the phone earlier this week just before his date in Lincoln. He had a lot to say about the live experience, his debut album, Lana Del Rey and the state of fruit distribution in cocktails.
About a year ago, you were a relative unknown in the music industry, however more recently you’ve had mentions in the NME amongst other, your songs, live shows and album have been widely reviewed and you’ve even headlined stages on some festivals. How does that rise in popularity and general awareness in yourself feel?
I feel pretty neutral to it. It’s nice that more and more people are writing about me, and that my music is being heard more and there’s more and more people coming to shows. I mean, I don’t know what to think of it. I don’t think anything’s changed for me. I’m still just writing my songs and playing them live and I’m happy and I’m in a good place about it, and I’m in a good headspace in terms of creativity. I’m just happy, you know?
That’s really important because there’s so many artists who get stressed and pull their hair out about certain things in the music business, so it’s nice to speak to someone who’s so chilled out.
Yeah, I mean, it’s not like I’m “trying” to be chilled out or anything like that. I just don’t’ consider that I’m that important. Obviously it’s nice that more people are coming to shows, and all that stuff, but you’ve asked how it’s changed me, and I’ve not changed myself at all.
Obviously a lot of this sudden interest has come down to you just being a great songwriter…
Aw. Thanks!
…That’s ok. It’s the opinion of myself as well as other critics, scribes and fans of yours. How would you, personally describe your own sound though?
It’s kinda hard to put that into a box and be objective about something you’re so involved in all the time. If I had to answer with something specific I’d say acoustic guitar-based singer-songwriter. And I think the whole singer-songwriter genre gets dissed a little bit because of a couple of cross-overs between pop and singer-songwriter. I have nothing to be ashamed of though, and I’m happy to be someone who just sings and writes songs than be pop, indie, folk, nu-folk or metal or rap or whatever.
Yeah. I’ve long been a believer that there’s only two types of music in this world: Songs you like and songs you don’t.
Yeah. I completely agree with you.
So. Who has been your inspiration(s) in getting up to this point and beyond?
For me, Ryan Adams has been a big inspiration. I think the way that he releases songs and writes songs on his own terms and the way he just does his own thing is something that I’m really respectful of. I think it’s really important, and that combined with the fact he’s one of the best living songwriters at the moment, and that’s the main reason he’s such a big inspiration to me. My top two are probably Ryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen then.
The album then, it’s called 'Last Smoke before the Snowstorm' Now. This is your first full-length release aside from a handful of EPs and singles. What was the process like for you?
Yeah, it was a really cool process. We worked with Ian Grimble on the album, and he’s a great creative influence. He’s really switched on and it was amazing working with him. He brought a lot to it. I got a few friends to come in and play a bit of guitar, or percussion, or strings and bits and pieces like that. It was a really nice process. I mean, there were a couple of times where things got really hard and I had to leave the studio for a bit to get my head back together before coming back, but it’s nice to have finished it, and I’m really proud of it.
Yeah. It must be nice to take something you’ve put your heart and soul into, the whole song writing process and get it out for people to listen to.
Yeah.
So aside from being the ninth track on the album, why have you called it 'Last Smoke before the Snowstorm'.
It’s a reference to that last moment of chilling out before everything else comes, a reference which is a bit like how the process was before writing and recording (the album).
And what’s your favourite song from it?
Personally? Butterfly Culture. It’s one of the older songs that I’ve reworked a few times, and I always get this nostalgic feel when I play it live. It’s a song that I’ve played for so long it’s just a really nice song to just play. It’s hard to describe the feeling I get from playing it properly, but I just enjoy it.
It’s important to have a personal link to the songs that you’re performing then.
Yeah. Of course.
With writing and recording then, is there anything new in the works? Any new songs to debut on this tour?
Yeah, I’m playing a couple of new songs on tour, and I have a few new songs recorded. Apart from that I’m just taking my time a bit. I’m not in any major rush to write another album, but I do want to go away after Christmas time and get some more bits of recording down.
Is there anybody you haven’t worked with yet that you’d like to record with, or collaborate with on another song perhaps?
Yeah. I’d like to work with Mike Skinner (from The Streets). He did a remix of 'Atlas Hands' and now I’d actually like to do a song with him. Oh, and a new singer called Lana Del Rey…
The 'Video Games' singer?
Yeah. I think she’s…she’s….I can’t really describe how much I like her music. It’s just so, so good. Yeah, that Video Games track is fucking amazing! It’s too good. Yeah, so I’d love to do a song with her. She’s got an amazing voice and she’s a really, really good songwriter.
Good. Well, you’ve just started the tour. What kind of vibe ticket holders come to expect from one of your shows?
I’m just playing totally solo. The vibe is chilled. I’m playing with my acoustic guitar so it’s just me and that’s it.
And what’s your favourite aspect of playing live?
I guess its just the whole adventure of it. It’s the whole adventure of being on tour, going to a different place and playing for a new crowd every night, and not knowing exactly what it’s going to be like.
This is quite an extensive tour. It runs until the first week of November, which is a month straight of touring in the UK. How do you prepare yourself for that?
I don’t really prepare myself man, I just do all the normal stuff and just try to chill out a lot. It difficult to “prepare” for, so while I’m out I just listen to a lot of music, try to keep focused on what I’m doing and get on with it. It’s not hard to prepare for something like this though since it’s something that I love. I love going out there and playing the songs. I played a load of them a lot over the summer so I know my around them. I’ll just go out and do it, and look after myself.
How important is it for not just yourself, but artists in general to take their music on the road?
I think it’s really important. I think people have a connection, a special connection with music, especially when live. Fans of a band, or singer, or whoever it is will want to come and see them. If you enjoy playing live and you want to go on tour, then you should go out and do it. When I started, I just found myself on a train and playing to 10 people a night, and in some ways that’s the funnest part, keeping the adventure going. Of course it’s still important to make sure you’re ready to go out before you do though. Make sure you’ve got enough songs and you’re ready to play them, and then just go out and do it.
I also understand that you just announced a new London date for next year, you biggest date yet. Can you tell us about that?
Yeah. It’s at the Shephards Bust Empire on February 22nd.
So. During the summer you were a very busy boy, playing nearly every festival under the sun. How does the vibe differ at a festival as opposed to the club venues you’re playing at the moment?
It’s a little different. There’s always a party atmosphere at a festival, and you can really pick that up from the stage. I had so much fun and some of the festivals were awesome. I met so many nice people and heard loads of good music. So yeah, the vibe is all about the party at festivals.
Which was your favourite this year?
There’s so many that I loved, but I’d have to say that Glastonbury was really, really good. Green man Festival in Wales was the best festival in the world though. It’s in the Brecon Beacons and it’s just so good.
It was a roaring success this year that one. One of not that many to totally sell out. What’s your take in the festivals that closed down, scaled themselves back, or went bust before or after taking place, and what went wrong for them?
I think a lot of it came down to bad line-up choices, bad planning. Obviously not everyone has loads of money to spend on a festival ticket at the moment, but some still managed to get hundreds of thousands of people there. You’ve just got to get it right you know.
So, what’s been the highest point of your career to date, in your opinion?
Erm….(long pause)…I think Glastonbury was pretty special. Just as I was playing at 12 on the acoustic stage. It’s quite a big stage, but I didn’t think there would be anyone there, but the tent ended up being really full. I looked out there and it was the first time I felt really like “Oh. Shit!” You know? Something’s happening here.
Yeah. With Glastonbury in particular, you were sharing a bill with U2, Coldplay, Radiohead & Pulp's secret sets amongst the others. You look on the poster and your name’s there too. How does that feel?
It feels good. It was nice to play the festival. But I wouldn’t play a festival and the person who was headlining was like a big band, and then get home and say “Oh, I played with U2 last night!”
Do you have any advice for anyone who’s just about to start on their musical journey?
Yeah. Just record as much as possible. Write loads, trust your own instinct on lots of things and be a little bit careful.
Ok. Now it’s time for the one question that I ask everyone I interview. I like to ask one question that people don’t generally ask…
…Ok.
Imagine there’s a cocktail, any kind of cocktail you like, and it’s called the Benjamin Francis Leftwich. What’s in it?
Hmm. Ok. There would be bits of coconut in it, orange juice, amaretto, cherries, maybe just a little bit of sweetened vodka. In fact there would be five cherries in it. It’s so annoying when you go to a bar and you get a cocktail, and the cherry’s the best bit and there’s only one of them!
Well. I’ll let you get ready for tonight.
Thanks man. Hopefully I’ll see some of your readers on tour! Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.
Thanks. Best of luck on the tour.
Cheers.
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This is quite an extensive tour. It runs until the first week of November, which is a month straight of touring in the UK. How do you prepare yourself for that?
