Songwriters in Session

For our final songwriter in session, we talk to radio presenter and DJ Tom Ravenscroft about what makes a song successful and how you can get your songs heard on the radio. Tom is the son of famous British broadcaster John Peel and, following his father’s death in 2004, has become an established presenter and DJ in his own right, championing new and emerging music. He hosts a Friday night show on BBC 6 Music and previously had a regular music column in the New Statesman.

Technology is enabling more and more people to make music. In the past, only composers with access to an orchestra could fully realise the potential of their songs, but now many of us have access to creative digital music tools. This is resulting in new approaches to musical materials and musical composition. Paul Wolinski is a member of the instrumental electronic post/math rock band 65daysofstatic. In this video, he talks to us about some of the ways he uses technology to create music. 65daysofstatic were formed in 2001 and have released one live, one soundtrack and five studio albums. Famed for their energic live shows, innovative use of analogue and digital technologies and fusion of live instruments with sampled beats, 65daysofstatic have also performed across the world with bands such as Mogwai and The Cure, as well as on their own sold-out tours. Paul has also released a solo electronica album under the name Polinski. The band’s next release will be the soundtrack to the computer game No Man’s Sky.

In this video, singer-songwriter Nat Johnson talks to us about her approach to songwriting; from recording ideas using programmes like GarageBand to how just sitting in a different chair can influence her creative ideas. Nat has released two albums apiece with Sheffield bands Monkey Swallows the Universe and Nat Johnson and the Figureheads before releasing her first solo album in 2014. A veteran of the festival scene, Nat has also toured with Camera Obscurer, Richard Hawley and fellow #FLsong contributor Kate Jackson. An emotive acoustic musician, Nat has performed live sessions for BBC 6Music and Radio 4 and most recently orchestrated the Connie Converse event Roving Women.

As members of a band, Mat Welsh and Sean Long can provide a different insight into the songwriting process; that of writing collaboratively. In this video, they talk about songwriting as an organic process, with one person coming up with an idea and passing it on to the other to develop. While She Sleeps are a heavy metal band from Sheffield, who have released two studio albums and won Best British Newcomer at the Kerrang Awards 2012. They have toured extensively across the UK, Europe and America, and have supported Bring Me the Horizon and Architects. The band’s sound typically features heavily down-tuned guitars, thick bass tones, screamed vocals and fast-paced drumming; occasionally complimented by melodic guitar tones and piano interludes.

We visit with producer Chris Hague at Steelwork Studios, Sheffield, where he was recording with 60s inspired rock band, Bang Bang Romeo. In this video, singer-songwriter Anastasia Walker also plays us a song from her upcoming album and talks us through the development of this song, whilst Chris gives us a unique insight into writing songs for the commercial market.

Martin is a musician who has spent 15 years playing in heavy metal bands like Anathema, My Dying Bride and Cradle of Filth. Since leaving Cradle of Filth, Martin has studied for a degree in music at The University of Sheffield (for which he won The Phillip John Lord Composition Prize) and completed a PhD in music composition in 2013. In this video, Martin discusses his evolving approach to songwriting including some of the pros and cons of writing collaboratively.

Kate Jackson is a singer-songwriter, former frontwoman of the band The Long Blondes and a University of Sheffield alumna. She mostly writes lyrics to written music and in this video, she encourages you to get writing by reading some of her own teenage poetry. Kate was a fine art student in Sheffield when the Long Blondes were formed in the early 2000s as a five-piece indie rock band. In 2006 they were named the best-unsigned band in the UK by both the Guardian and Vogue, and they released 12 singles and two studio albums until they split in 2008 following the ill health of singer Dorian Cox. As a solo artist Kate has produced a double a-side with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, and has recently formed a new band called Kate Jackson and the Wrong Moves. She is also painter and printmaker.

In this video, Adam talks to Shahbaz Hussain, an accomplished tabla player, about how time is organised in the music of South Asia. The tabla are hand drums used in Hindustani classical and folk music and Shahbaz is one of the foremost players, having performed at prestigious venues around the world including Washington’s Smithsonian Institute and London’s Royal Albert and Queen Elizabeth Halls. In 2008 he was awarded the title “Son of Lahore” by the Pakistani government for his services to the art of Tabla.

In this interview, we will hear again from songwriter and musician Neil McSweeney, as he plays us some of the songs he is currently writing. He demonstrates how he has worked through possible solutions and evaluates the merits of different ideas, giving us a unique insight into his songwriting process.

Neil is a folk, blues and country inspired artist originally from Scotland but now living in Sheffield. Appreciated by BBC Radio 2, 6Music and XFM, the Guardian compared Neil’s voice to ‘a male Tracey Chapman’. He has released three studio albums and has supported Richard Hawley on tour across Europe. In this video, Neil will discuss his lyric writing, suggest good subjects for songs, explain the origins of one of his own songs and the tricks he uses to appeal to listeners.

As a DJ, record producer, remixer and composer, Toddla T writes most of his songs using technology. This enables him to approach songwriting in a different way. Hailing from Sheffield, Toddla began DJing at a young age and left school at 16 to pursue a career in music full time. He now lives in London and regularly DJs across the world as well as producing tracks and remixes for artists such as Roots Manuva, Tricky and Tinchy Stryder. He has released two studio albums and recently contributed to an audio documentary for BBC Radio 1Xtra about using local accents and dialogue in music - this was a collaboration with rap group Clubs & Spades.

As this week is all about words and rhythm we spoke to local rapper MC Matic Mouth. As a rapper, he’s particularly sensitive to the rhythm contained in words and uses this to generate ideas for songs. Matic is a member of Clubs & Spades, a hip hop outfit comprising of fellow MC, Shinobi, and producers Manakin and Andy Nicholson (former Arctic Monkeys bassist). Proudly rapping about their Sheffield hometown and in their native accents, Clubs and Spades have cultivated their own strong local identity whilst simultaneously opening stages for international artists such as Public Enemy, Pharoahe Monch and Mash Out Posse. Their two albums are available on Spotify.

Reverend and the Makers formed in 2005 and have released four studio and two live albums, supported Oasis and the Arctic Monkeys and have performed numerous sold-out tours. Fiercely proud of their Sheffield heritage, the band are known for their energetic and innovative live shows, as well as a revolving line-up of band members and differing recording styles. Jon and bassist Ed Cosens are the central songwriters of the band, and in this video Jon discusses how their relationship works.