

INFLUENCES
I think of my style as lyrically-driven rock, mixing British glam rock, English new wave (or soft punk) and American country and bluegrass. My influences are Elvis Costello (my ‘Woody Guthrie’), Bob Dylan, and then a wide range of artists.
Where to start? The solo artists – Richard Thompson, Lou Reed, Roy Orbison, a whole crew from the Nashville fraternity: Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson (all timeless and hugely talented), Paul Heaton (England’s greatest working lyricist now that Elvis lives in North America), Kirsty MacColl, David Bowie, Paul Weller.
The bands – The Kinks (in a “quiet” understated way, possibly the best of the Big 4 British invasion – how very British that while others were conquering America they were sent back to England to write about village greens and steam trains), Squeeze (Chris Difford - the best story-telling lyricist England has produced; Glen Tilbrook - one of our very finest all round pop musical geniuses), The Clash, Mescaleros (anything Joe Strummer),
Dr. Feelgood, Cockney Rebel, Grateful Dead, Little Feat.