AXEL LOUGHREY
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 3rd July 2011.
Axel Loughrey was born and raised in Paris, but now lives in the UK. With two self released EP’s ("Small Town, Small People" and "Galloway Hill") already in the bag, Axel is now unleashing his third "Love Thing". It seemed a good time to catch up with the man, so we did just that...
Hi Axel, thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. Hope you are well?
Axel: My pleasure, I'm good thanks, a bit worn out but I'll live.
How did you originally get into the performance side of music? Did you realise you had a talent at a young age and push yourself, or did you kind of drift into the scene?
Axel: It's a bit weird, I always knew that I wanted to play music, but through my life I came across obstacles from a young age which discouraged me, when I was a kid I got my first harmonica and started to play that, when I got to high school, I started to learn piano but teachers and the education system drags your creative cycle if anything, and then I went through a really destructive side of things up though my late teens and didn't touch an instrument for a few years. I got back into when I put a band together with my brother later.
Do you come from a musically talented family?
Axel: My old man is a writer, and he loves music so I grew up to all his old records, my brother plays guitar but we don't work together and we don't speak to each other anymore.
Who were your early influences and inspirations?
Axel: Definitely all the great blues artists which I grew up to, there's also Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, John Lennon, Queens of the Stone Age, the Mars Volta, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Tonio K and so on.
Did you deliberately choose your musical style to fit in a certain genre, or did you let your style develop in a more organic fashion, altering your path as and when the mood took you?
Axel: It's a kind of a mix of both, I intentionally use the sound and feel of blues and rock N roll but give it a modern kind of twist, but I'd say at the same time as an artist, you develop over time and things change with the way you write and play.
Tell us about your latest EP “Love Thing” and how it compares to your earlier EP releases... Is this familiar Axel Loughrey or will it surprise people?
Axel: It's definitely a different sound, most people were used to a really delta blues acoustic kind of sound, but on this E.P I used a full band and went electric for most of it so people will hear the difference. The album will be the same but I'm going to mix in a bit of acoustic, jazz, rock n roll as well.
Did you approach the writing and recording of this release in a similar or different way to past efforts?
Axel: It was different, we went to Leeders Farm studios as opposed to the more grotty studios I'd been to, Leeders is a great studio and they've had some really great artists record there. Writing wise, I just write what I feel at the time the song is written which goes back to evolving and developing your sound over time so its still me but things have changed.
How do you go about writing your songs? Talk us through the construction of a typical track...
Axel: It's difficult to say, I've got track which I've been working on for a year or so which I just can't seem to finish so I leave them for a while. But then again, Love Thing which is the title track to the E.P. was written in about an hour just like that. Sometimes songs just come out the way they do, sometimes if your not feeling it and its not working you've just got to drop it for a while and come back to it later.
Where do you look for your lyrical and musical ideas?
Axel: Everywhere, people in the street living their lives inspire me, I read books, William Burroughs, Dylan and Lou Reed are inspiring when it comes to lyrics. I like to put time and passion into the words of my songs.
Do you do anything unusual or special in the studio to get your sound?
Axel: We recorded the drums with an extra microphone in the toilet next door, gave it a really great sound! I like to have a drink when I'm recording, red wine is always good. But I like to crack on and get as much done as possible, I'm always full of ideas and want to try everything!
Talk us through your existing touring/gigging plans...
Axel: We've been very busy gigging lately, played the Barfly in Camden, the O2 Academy in London, Playfest in Norfolk, The Cavern Club in liverpool and loads more, It's been pretty crazy lately and I hope it gets busier! We are supporting The Secret Sisters tomorrow night at the Norwich Arts Centre which should be good. and currently planning a tour for early next year after the album comes out.
What is one of your live shows like? What should fans expect from one of your performances?
Axel: Well, I'd say it's quite intense, my band are really great and passionate musicians and they get lost in the music as much as I do. They should expect me to ask them for a glass of wine once I finish the one I already have. Can't play a set without a good bottle of Red.
What have been the highlights of your musical life so far?
Axel: I'm not sure, I've been really lucky and have had some really great opportunities and highlights early on, Playing on Channel 4 was quite cool, also the venues we have played are great, I've got a great CV when it comes to that. I'd say the main highlight is doing what I love and meeting great people along the way, as long as I can afford to do that for the rest of my life I will be happy.
Are there plans on the table for a full length album?
Axel: Yes, we are going into the studio very soon and should be releasing something before christmas. I'm looking forward to it as I've got some great plans for it so watch this space!
Any question you love being asked that I’ve missed? If so, what’s the answer?
Axel: No not really...
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Axel: I'm going for some lunch, I'm starving!
Anything else you would like to mention?
Axel: Yes, buy the E.P now, stop illegal downloads because musicians need money to live just like everybody else, and stop sitting on your sofa watching XFactor, go out and watch some live music instead.
Thanks again to Axel for his time..
http://www.myspace.com/axelloughrey
