Sydney singer Patrick James has a brand new single that was recently recorded at the famed Alberts studio, under the keen eye of producer Wayne Connolly. Boasting of soft acoustics, stirring harmonies and one hell of a build Wait, the release has couldn’t be timed better with Patrick and his band about to hit the road on for a national tour and some festival slots.
We caught up with Patrick ahead to chat touring and busking amongst other things musical instrument related.
You’ve been applauded for your talent as both a songwriter and a multi-instrumentalist, does being able to play a number of instruments influence how you write your songs and come up with ideas? What’s the typical process you might take in writing?
I definitely love mixing up the song writing process and find it refreshing to change instruments every now and then. Most of my writing is developed on guitar and piano and then transformed into a bigger sound with band elements. Touring and performing constantly with the live band has shaped the way I am writing now and it’s great to have a tangible approach where I can focus sometimes entirely on a heavier more band orientated sound and then having the freedom to also strip it back and write with just a guitar and vocal in mind.
The instrument you’ve always wanted to play but never have and why you want to?
I would love to play the violin! I understand that it takes a long time to learn but I have for some reason always heard stringed instruments in my music and really want to explore that. Seeing The Whitlams at the Opera House with the Sydney Symphony not long ago totally inspired me with that kind of element and the different arrangements you can have to take a song in a different direction.
Some artists have never really found themselves busking before, would you say having that experience behind you places you in a different position to artists who may have avoided it in the past? And why do you still choose to busk?
For me, busking is an activity where I can work on the craft of performing and trial and error songs constantly. It also carries over directly into the live show with things like talking to the crowd and seeing which songs work and which songs don’t. I think without busking I wouldn’t have half the people who are listening to my music now and I don’t think I will stop busking any time soon purely for that reason. It gets people to shows, you make money to tour and record and you get a tan! It also has acted as a way to keep the momentum going. Sometimes it’s hard if you don’t get a great deal of radio play or YouTube hits or whatever it may be, so busking from an early stage was the way I got my music out there.
What would be the one lesson you’ve learnt from being so involved with busking that you think you would have missed if you had taken a different path?
Again maybe the importance of constantly practising your craft and having the freedom to busk all the time and learn that is very valuable for when you’re just starting out. Also, I would say from the people I have met busking, that the importance of a loyal fan base is crucial. It’s such an personal thing when you make a new fan from performing on the street and it’s really cool to know that they will jump on the net and find you and contact you.
What has the journey been like from growing up in coastal New South Wales and then being taken around the country by your music?
Well the ultimate dream is to travel and play music at the same time so it’s really great to be able to do that at the moment and is awesome to be able to go back to Port Macquarie and play a show, like we did at the start of the year.
Because it’s more fun to do things together, which living Australian artist would you most like to collaborate with?
I would say a band like Augie March would be amazing. I have always loved their music and really hope they make another album one day. Also, touring with Emma Louise was great and to collaborate with her on a track would be awesome. It is definitely better to do things together… so hopefully something like that can happen. Fingers crossed Augie March make another album.
You’ll be off traveling across the nation in November for your string of headline shows, The Spring Tour, what’s the one thing you cannot forget and how do you prepare for being a month or so on the road?
Josh Pyke taught me to always pack the night before…so that’s important! I guess to be in a good mind frame about it and make sure we are really rehearsed and prepared for the shows. I am just excited to share some new songs and see how people react to the new material. Should be a very fun tour.
Having toured as support for Tim Hart and The Paper Kites, what do you expect the biggest difference to be as now you’re the main act? And what can we expect when we see you this November?
New songs are being rehearsed and I can’t wait to show people. It’s been really great building a fan base from those kind of tours so this November run of dates is all about making the most of that and hopefully giving people something special as a headline act. I guess there is a bit more pressure as a headliner, but for me it’s always about taking each gig as it comes and making the most of it.
What’s up next for 2014?
More recording and touring! Can’t wait to do another release.
Patrick James Spring Tour Dates:
Thursday, November 7 @ Yours & Owls, Wollongong
with The Starry Field
Saturday, November 9 @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
with The Starry Field and Maples
Thursday, November 14 @ Ellington Jazz Club, Perth
with Warning Birds
Friday, November 15 @ The Fly Trap, Fremantle
with Warning Birds and Riley Pearce
Friday, November 22 @ Northcote Social Club, Melbourne SOLD OUT
with The Starry Field and Ariela Jacobs
Saturday, November 23 @ Gorgeous Festival
Saturday, November 24 @ Queenscliff Festival
Wednesday, November 27 @ Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
with The Starry Field and The Phoncurves
Watch the lyric video for ‘Wait’
