Five minutes with Newton Faulkner

Newton Faulkner! You may know him from his trademark red dreads, his trademark guitar-hitting playing style or his trademark great songs. His new album Human Love is just about to be released, and with all of his previous four albums hitting the top 10, it's bound to be a stunner. I grabbed a five minute chat with Newton himself ahead of his gig at Open this month.

Can you remember the first time you really got into music when you were a child?

 It was Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Crosby, Stills and Nash. The whole 60’s Californian folk scene to begin with; a little bit later I got mum into Green Day and The Presidents (of the United States of America).

You started playing guitar at 13 and went to a couple of music schools. How did you come to discover your own unique playing style?

 I’m part of quite a large school of playing now, there’s load of us, banging away. There’s still not that many songwriters using it, it’s a very technically demanding style so it doesn’t lend itself to songwriting as easily as others. The thing that keeps it interesting is that it’s not a genre of music in itself, it’s a collection of techniques that can be used in any style of music.

What was the first band that you were in, and how come you ended up being a solo artist rather than in a band?

 I was in a handful of bands growing up, originally on bass, then snuck across to guitar. I think it mainly comes down to the playing style, it covers a lot of ground so it’s a bit of challenge to fit anything around it at times, even vocals. 

What would you say your breakthrough moment was?

 Are you saying I’ve broken through? I thought I was just getting started!

Which other musical acts have stuck with you over the years that you return to?

 I still listen to pretty much everything my parents listened to while I was growing up.

Are you constantly writing songs? Which of your songs are you most proud of?

 Yup, constantly whispering audio notes into my phone on the tube, looking like a crazy man! That’s like asking me to pick a favourite child, I won’t do it.

Your debut album went to number one and is a double platinum album. What was that level of fame like for you at that early point?

I can’t really remember any of it very clearly…it’s all a bit of a blur. I am smiling in the pictures though so I must have had a good time!

When your subsequent albums all went Top 10 as well, did you worry about becoming complacent or was there more pressure to do as well each time a new album came out?

No, I enjoy it too much. The challenge isn’t just to make an album, it’s to try and make a really good one.