Hey Will, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Thank you for having me! I’ve been surrounded by music pretty much from birth. My dad would be there playing for or with me. My brothers were the same. It was a pretty musical household, so I’d always join in however I could.
Then, once I was old enough, I started taking lessons. Piano first and then a bunch of other things. Singing, drums, even trombone for a very brief period.
I have no doubt that growing up in a family of musicians was what first got me into it. And then I just think I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by others that have inspired me constantly. I’ve always had people to look up to and learn from, which has always been incredibly helpful.
What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
This is a tough one because I still feel like I have so much to learn. That said, I think I’ve recently gotten better at communicating complex ideas through the lyrics I write. Lyrics used be somewhat of an afterthought for me. Perhaps because I was scared, or just because I didn’t really know what I was writing for.
I’m still working on this but now feel like I’m able to be more self-critical without just throwing in the towel and moving onto the next thing. This skill may not be super unique, but I think it’s an important one for songwriters to have a hold on.
What was the best phase in your life?
Looking back? The school days were always good. Spending every day laughing with your best mates and having little else to worry about, that was pretty bliss. The grass is always greener though, so I try not to look back too much.
Your latest track is ‘If I Should Fall’. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
I was going through a bit of a rocky time when I wrote this one. I felt stagnant and uninspired, and I definitely used this song as a vessel to express that.
Having said that, this song is positive to me. It’s more about chasing dreams, valuing relationships and not losing sight of what’s important. I realise this now because I’m in a better place than I was when it was written, and I feel like that’s what the song is all about. Picking yourself up and throwing everything you’ve got at the things and people you care about.
I guess the most unusual thing that happened during its creation is that I ended up producing it myself. This was a first for me and is something I hadn’t planned to do at this point. Being in between jobs gave me more time to learn some new tricks, though, and really apply myself to the process. What was meant to be a demo turned out to be the real thing!
Where do you see your musical career in 10 years?
My general aim is to continue to write, release and gig as much as I can, always. With this, I’d hope that the shows get bigger, as well as the releases. EPs, albums, festivals. These are all things I’d love to tick off the list in time. But they’re all just dreams at the moment. The current plan is to keep pushing myself and make things happen.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
It’s hard to comprehend if I’m honest. I have my job, obviously, but I’m definitely the type that would always need something to be going on aside from that too.
Other than music, I box and I did a bit of comedy in my early twenties. Do I love either of those things as much as music? I don’t think so, but I guess I’d have to work out if there was a market for boxing comics. There probably isn’t.
How do you structure your week?
It varies depending on what I have going on, but I’ll try to pick up the guitar every day. Whether it’s for 5 minutes or an hour or two. I find that a song can fall out at any moment, so this is always time well spent. If it’s not guitar, maybe I’ll work on a track I’m recording or sift through my Voice Memos to see if there’s anything good that I’ve forgotten about. I’ve also been focussing a little more on my drumming lately.
When I have a show approaching, I’ll spend more time thinking about arrangements and my overall setlist. I like switching it up as much as a I can, bringing older tunes back to life or throwing something extremely new in, even when it’s not quite ready to go – that pressure can be really helpful sometimes.
What do you think is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen or experienced?
My girlfriend and I recently went away to California and stopped in Yosemite for a night. That’s got to be up there. I’m yet to go anywhere as beautiful as that. It’s hard to believe it’s actually on this planet.
Musically, though, Glastonbury Festival has to top it. I have very fond memories of watching George Ezra play the Pyramid back in 2019 as the sun was setting. Everyone there was just so incredibly happy and you feel so fortunate to be there.
What do you think of your generation?
I think we’re a progressive bunch and it’s nice to know that we’re behind some of the positive social changes we’re seeing today’s society. This could all be relative over time but I feel like everyone’s got the right attitude just now.
What is the most surprising fact you’ve learned about yourself?
I feel like everyone has gone through something in the past few years. Entering and exiting the pandemic was tough for everyone and I guess I surprised myself with how I dealt with all of that. It took a lot of resilience and patience from everyone, and I don’t think that should be underplayed. It was a pretty rough time for a lot of people!