Music > Interviews

Interview with Frank Hamilton

25/09/13

Let’s start at the beginning; back in 2012 you wrote, recorded and released one song a week for your 52-track #OneSongAWeek album. What inspired you to take on such a huge task? To be honest I didn't really think it through too much before I started (which is probably a good thing or it might never have happened). I knew I needed to do SOMETHING - it had been a quiet year or so and it was either time to fully immerse myself in music or grow up and get a proper job.

Did you learn anything from the year-long process and do you think it has improved your song writing? I've lost count of all the things I learned (and then forgot and then learned again). Without wanting to get all cliché, it wasn't just a musical journey - it's something that will stay with me forever.  I know myself 100 times better than I did at the start of 2012.  

The album hit #1 in the iTunes singer/songwriter section. How did it feel to overtake huge names including Ed Sheeran, Jake Bugg, Gabrielle Aplin and Ben Howard competing in that section? It felt pretty weird / awesome / unexpected.  Obviously, though, if it happens once you crave it again... so it's nice to be answering this question while I'm back outselling Ed, Gabs and Ben H (if only for a few days).

You will be releasing 'Summer', one of the songs from the album, on the 7th October. Why did you pick this song to release as a single? 'Summer' was actually part of #OneSongaWeek (week 36) and although it sounded very different back then it was always one of my favourites. The song itself is actually about three 'summers' - the weather (obviously), my life (#OneSongaWeek was FINALLY getting somewhere) and also a girl I used to know, so there were a few reasons why it felt like a good starting point for the next chapter.

Which songs from the #OneSongAWeek album have had the biggest reaction from your fans and the critics? 'Flaws & Ceilings', 'Wet Shoes' and 'Tiny Chemicals' I guess?  'Flaws & Ceilings' was chosen as the iTunes single of the week and has been downloaded over 100,000 times; 'Wet Shoes' was the Ed Sheeran co-write and 'Tiny Chemicals' is a break up song with 'kcuf' spelt backwards in the chorus. 

Which songs are your personal favourites from the album and is there any that you think didn't work so well? This is like having 52 children and being asked to pick a few favourites - I refuse!!  ‘Things I Do’, ‘If I Die Tomorrow’, ‘Flaws’, ‘Week 52’, ‘Just The Same’, ‘Holding On’... can I stop now? It changes all the time. As for the ones that didn't work so well, the only thing I'd change would be to release my version of Unstoppable in Week 7 instead of the Dubstep remix (because it was the only dance song on an album with 51 folky/indie/poppy songs so it stuck out like a sore thumb).  Other than that I stand by pretty much everything... although I've not actually listened in a while!   

You also recorded an EP aboard the London Eye in one singular rotation, (which is just 28 mins!), where did the idea to do that come from? Same place that #OneSongaWeek came from.  Same place that decided it'd be a good idea to wear a t-shirt saying 'Fuck Off' in my 6th form photo. You win some, you lose some! I almost got expelled for that - 2 weeks before my A levels. 

Do you think giving yourself a time constraint when writing and recording songs affects the music you make? Of course, but not necessarily in a bad way.  Like most things in life I think it's all down to how much you care about whatever it is you're doing.  Some people pretend to care and others stay up until 5am forsaking food and sleep in order to get the best possible results.  As long as you know yourself (and know the way you work) I think deadlines are a positive thing.  I actually kind of miss it...  

You’re set to embark on your first headline tour this September - with so many songs to choose from, how will you decide which ones to play live? Natural selection seems to bring around 15/20 or so to the fore, but it's not easy.  The consequence of releasing a 52-track album is that there always seems to be someone with a favourite song that isn't on the set-list and that really irks me.  These people have shelled out their hard earned cash to see little old me play some songs in a grotty room... the least I can do is play their favourite!?  

What are your plans for 2014, do you have any more crazy song writing projects coming up, or a well deserved rest? 2014 is all about releasing an album that I'm immensely proud of. If that happens then the rest will work itself out. Of course I'll never stop having silly ideas… but don't expect them to be central to the plan!

Frank Hamilton comes to The Waterfront Studio on October 1st. For tickets, go to www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk