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In a world of vacuous trends, suspicious consumers and splinter genres, singer songwriters who capture the collective soul of the people – in simple words of hopes, dreams and everyday experiences – hold the key to international success. Consider anyone from Terry Callier to Prince, from Badu to Winehouse. In the spirit of this time-honoured tradition Chaser has picked three of the brightest artists out there, and posed the questions that matter. First up is British talent Leon King (no, not Simon Cowell’s crooner but a proper talent), championed by Tyler Askew and soon to release an EP on Tyler’s My Favourite Things imprint. If you’re pining for an original UK artist to further the soul sound after Lewis Taylor then Leon could well be your man.
1. Please can you give a little background into your upbringing and how that led to your chosen musical path?
Well, my dad is a musician and has a huge record collection – anything from Stevie to Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell, while my mum is a Prince fan and exposed me to D’Angelo. So music was always around my family and I. Guitars would be lying around and I would find myself picking it up without the need for any encouragement. I noticed the positive effect music had on the people I loved, and in general, so I valued music from an early age (three years old) even playing simple nursery rhymes on the piano. Since then there has been no turning back. I am addicted!
2. Who were some of your greatest influences in reaching this point today – they could be famous artists or friends/family, books, events...
Besides being grateful for my family inspiring me, I would also mention early Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone and George Benson as major influences.
3. How do you see yourself as a vocalist and artist? What do you bring to the game that's different to, say, the Bilals, D'Angelos and Eric Robersons of the game, especially from a listeners' point of view?
I see myself as a very soulful vocalist with a strong sense of honesty that comes through. I consider myself to be fresh and surprising: the more I do, the more I will evolve, and so the closer I will get to my destination. Bilal, D’Angelo, and Eric Roberson are in my opinion real artists and so am I, so I would say as a listener that there is something different to offer from every true artist whether it be the general sound, texture or tones in the voice that are sweet to the ear. Even though the artists you’ve mentioned and myself have very similar artist influences there should be something you bring to the game that’s unique to your own artistry.
4. What motivates you to be an artist?
The satisfaction or ‘soul therapy’ in creating music, I have great passion to create and to be creative – to experiment. I love music as a whole, not just soul or real r’n’b. I connect with a wide range of music from rock and jazz right down to the blues. Good music is good music, right! That said, there is a massive playground of sound. It’s very addictive. The more ability or access you have to create, the more carried away you can get and It’s only just beginning for me to be honest.
5. What instruments do you play? Are you classically trained or self-taught? Are you more a person who goes on instinct in a true jazz tradition? And can the average iTunes album downloader get with that?
I’ve played guitar since I was five years old, and professionally from 15 years old for artists. I then started getting into keys combined with programming and producing, then playing bass guitar. I love playing drums but would not call myself a drummer quite yet. I’m self-taught with everything I play, I’ve enjoyed it more that way because it’s been a journey of progress and it will never end. I am strict and self-disciplined, which has served me well. There’s something new to learn every hour! You could easily say I go on instinct in a true jazz tradition. Yes, but what is great is in my opinion an average iTunes downloader could get with my music.
6. What do you think of the music industry, and soul artists in particular, in 2008? IS the quality there? IS the opportunity there to be heard?
The music industry can be good and bad depending on a lot of things but obviously it’s at its lowest with the Internet downloading and [prevalence of] music technology that enables you to do a lot yourself, to a high quality. But I prefer discovering an amazing local talent that is unsigned, who has their own thing going on rather than the usual watered down music that has no real soul. If you’ve done a real piece of work that stays true to you as an artist, and your deservedly happy then a major label steps in and signs you then great, you can get that large awareness and exposure, but how often does that happen? The opportunity is there to be heard but you really do have to be pro-active and make that happen, put yourself about!!
7. How ambitious are you? Do you see yourself as working the underground forever and retaining absolute control or are you willing to compromise your ideals in order to achieve widespread acclaim?
I’m very happy as I’m finally getting the right people around me and I’ve filtered out the d*cks in the game. I am willing to compromise and yet still be credible as I have different blades to my knife and have finished my EP that you’ll be able to get your hands on through select outlets and on download so I’m open-minded about different projects.
STOP PRESS!
Get the EP here: http://arision.ithinkmusic.com/my-store/detail.php?page=LR&r=8280
8. Imagine I'm Rick Rubin or some other influential record boss. What three new artists should I be signing right now?
You should be signing Rox, Cherri V, & Tawiah! ☺ ☺ ☺
9. What's the last album and concert ticket you paid for?
Rahsaan Patterson’s ‘Wines & Spirits’ was the last album I bought! He’s sick! The last concert tickets I bought were for Prince’s O2 tour and aftershow party.
10. Do you have a plan for the next few years? How do you plan to evolve as an artist and what things do you hope to avoid?
Over the next few years I plan to continue recording new material, gigging different countries, promoting myself/my EP/my album, and continuing to work with known and unknown artists I admire. And to reach out to more people. I’ve already started two totally different EPs, which will naturally lead to me evolving as an artist. I am not just a one-genre artist; I am allowed to express myself. That’s what artists do, right? That goes for everyone. Don’t listen to anyone saying you can only do this or that specific shit for the rest of your career. I want to experience more music, more emotions. I want to have an even stronger connection to my music. I want to avoid… two consecutive nights of no sleep (no more!) and takeaway meals, convenient though they may be!
11. Can you please write a chart of your current top artists based on what your hearing through radio, friends or whatever, please?
UK
1. Ben Jones (www.myspace.com/benjonesmusik)
2. Rox (www.myspace.com/roxmusik)
3. Tawiah (www.myspace.com/tawiah)
4. Cherri V (www.myspace.com/cherriv)
5. Szjerdene (www.myspace.com/szjerdene)
6. Radiohead (www.radiohead.com)
US
1. J Dilla (RIP)
2. Robert Glasper
3. Jeff Buckley (RIP)
4. J Davey
5. Bilal
6. Erykah Badu
7. India Arie
8. Viktor Duplaix
9. Queens of the Stone Age
Check www.myspace.com/leonkingleonking regularly for future projects.
Coming soon: the word from YAW.
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Words: AMAR PATEL
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