We caught up with London based artist Longsman for an interview, following the release of his excellent single, ‘Missing You’.
Tell us about yourself?
I am a London based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. I have always been fascinated by music and its ability to alter moods as well as reflect human emotion. I write music as a way to express my own feelings and, to put it simply, enjoy myself.
What is your songwriting process?
I usually write songs as a reaction to an event in my life or how certain things/people make me feel. I will usually write the music first as the base of the song, and the lyrics then flow from this.
My songs are written in my bedroom and recorded on Garageband. I then mix these myself using digital tools.
Tell us about your latest release?
‘Missing You’ is written about losing someone special in your life and struggling to come to terms with the loss. Essentially it is a song about grief and the effects of losing someone in your life and those around you.
What message do you think your music conveys to your fans?
The message my music conveys boils down to an expression of human emotion, how we conduct human relationships and how we all meet the challenges of life.
Who are your musical influences?
My musical influences vary across a wide range of artists and genres. I am a huge fan of a number of Britpop bands including Blur and Pulp.
I am also a big fan of early 2000s indie rock and roll bands, including The Strokes and The White Stripes. It is impossible to narrow down. I enjoy any artist that has an attitude to their sound and conveys a powerful message through their lyrics.
What’s the best gig that you have ever played?
The best gig I played was at Concorde 2 in Brighton. We supported Greenish Day (world’s biggest Green Day cover act). Foo Fighters played that venue the night before.
What is your funniest gig moment?
Funniest gig moment was probably falling up a stage before even playing after drinking too much beforehand and then not being able to play a single note and ending the gig after 1 minute.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands/artists today?
One of the biggest obstacles at the moment for musicians is an obvious one. The current pandemic has decimated the music industry, and we may never be able to experience gigs the way we used to before. I am sure it will recover, but at the moment, it is a case of being patient as there will be a lot of pent up demand to experience the energy of live music when venues return.
I also think it is a great time for artists for exposure through social media and the technology available. However, it makes the market crowded and even more important to have a sound or style that makes you stand out.
What advice would you give to other bands/artists starting out?
I am starting out really as a solo artist for the first time having been in bands beforehand. My best piece of advice is to constantly look to improve your songwriting by listening to as many as varieties of music as possible. And if you believe in yourself use that to ignore the rejection and accept constructive criticism.
What are your hopes for the next two years?
In the next two years, I want to have built a bigger audience and played at local and national festivals as well as more venues in the UK. Of course, I want to keep writing better songs.
FV Music Blog August 2020
https://www.instagram.com/thelongsman87/?hl=en
Twitter: @whiteadam01
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