Leaone

Leaone, straight outta Beccles, lost his job and his girflfriend and got mugged all within a few days. That’s enough to send anyone home to spend a bit of time in your parent’s attic licking your wounds and writing some great melancholic pop songs which have started to be on picked up by national DJ’s and labels. A chorister as a boy, Leaone’s deep rich voice and heartfelt lyrics are sure to take him far. We spoke to him ahead of the launch at The Owl Sanctuary for his new EP, out on Fierce Panda later this month.

Is Leaone your real name?

Sometimes.

You first started writing music when you were pretty young – what were your first songs like? Can you remember any of the lines?

The first song I remember writing as a kid was called No One Saved The Dodo. I just picked up my guitar to see if I could remember it. In retrospect it seems pretty similar to Soundgarden’s Blow Up The Outside World.

You were a chorister, travelling around Europe when you were young. What did that teach you, or inspire you to do in your future?

It gave me that adrenaline buzz of preparing a show and performing to people. Often these concerts were to really large crowds, much bigger than any audience I sing to now! I think because there was a lot of travelling it opened my mind to what was out there. Growing up in a tiny village it is extremely enlightening when you realise there is so much more to see. It’s hard to know or remember how I felt at the time, when I was only a child. I think it probably did have some influence on my love for travel and how I feel more alive in a place that is unknown. I was really shy and almost mute as a kid so I imagine it did inspire me in some way, when I realised I could connect with people through song.

Who are the musicians and bands that have always been a part of your life?

I think the only mainstay throughout my life has been Chris Cornell and Soundgarden. Of course there has been so much great music introduced to me over the years but MTV got me hooked on Soundgarden early on and it’s always sort of been there, dipping into it every now and again. I listened to Chris Cornell’s recent solo record Higher Truth a lot and it helped me with some dark moments. So the loss of Chris has really saddened me.

You were in some trashy punk rock bands before going solo. How come you prefer being a solo artist than being in a band?

I’m not sure if I prefer it but it’s just the way it’s turned out. I still have a live band, and we get together to practice in a rehearsal room, so it’s not overly different. The main difference is in the timbre of the music I create on my own, which largely became quieter and mellower because of the surroundings in which it was made. I really didn’t want people to hear me so I stopped shouting and screaming and just sang much more quietly.

You lost his job and girlfriend and was mugged in the space of a few days, came home to your parents in Suffolk and retired to their attic to write songs, resulting in some brave new tracks. Was this a cathartic experience for you?

Yes. I think I totally write songs to deal with my emotions. It’s a totally selfish act. I’ve never tried to write a song that I think people want to hear. For some people it can be a drag when every song they hear is “you left me and I’m going to go on about it.” But it’s just easier to write a sad song than a happy one, and in a fucked up way its good when you have real life experiences to draw from.

Young Green Eyes’ video shows footage of you and your ex in Paris. This was obviously a very personal and emotional song and video for you to make. Do you find it difficult to perform it live?

Not really. No more than any of my other songs. They’re all emotional. The thing that is difficult is the actual scenario or feelings that triggered the song. But by now I’ve dealt with those feelings. I love that song and I think people should hear it.

You’ve had a lot of positive press, and also have been played by Huw Stephens recently. How much effort do you put into publicity and getting noticed by those who matter in the industry?

There’s so much noise out there, so I do make some effort to reach out to blogs and radio DJ’s. Mainly because I would like to do more shows, and those kind of things can really help to introduce new people to your music.

Stereophonics’ collaborator Jim Lowe mixed your EP Goldtooth last October. What was that experience like for you?

I met and hung out with Jim at Stereophonics’s studio in Shepherds Bush. It was really great to meet someone in the industry who is so grounded and true. No bullshit. In my experience that’s rare. We did go for a drink in some fancy industry members club where Sam Smith was getting papped, but it was literally only because it was somewhere we could go when everywhere else was shut.

Have you had any interest from record labels? Is that something you’d be interested in?

I’m working with Fierce Panda Records on the release of my debut EP. I’ve had a lot of interest from record companies and publishing companies, and been through lengthy negotiations that I’ve had to reject. It’s pretty laborious. But it just needs to be the right thing for both parties. I am looking for the right people to work with. I’m ready. There’s only so much you can do on your own, and I would rather my own time was focused on writing.

Your new EP is called Oh My Sweetest Sin. How do you feel it reflects your increasingly unique voice and the experience you’re gained?

Actually, I’ve been sitting on this EP for a while. Oh My Sweetest Sin is an extremely honest collection of songs which I’m really proud of. I definitely discovered my own voice through its creation.

Fly, My Swallow is the first single to be taken from it – you filmed the video at Wells-Next-The-Sea. Why did you pick that song to be the single?

That was more Fierce Panda’s decision. I’d already released videos I had made myself for Young Green Eyes, and Goldtooth. I think there was just the feeling that all the songs stood up on their own merit so why not let that song have its own time too.

You’re launching your new EP with a headline show at the Owl Sanctuary on June 15th. What can we expect at your show?

I’ll be playing all the songs from this first EP, plus some new ones that very few people have heard yet. I’ve got a great live band consisting of friends I’ve known for a long time and I’ve also picked some great support acts, Hydra Lerna and Finn Doherty.

What’s next for you?

My second EP Wild Horse Ride On will be following shortly. And for now I’m just pretty focused on writing and recording new material.

Leaone headlines The Owl Sanctuary on 15th June. Tickets at £3 available on the door.