Benjamin Francis Leftwich has just released his new E.P. ‘Pictures’ and has also been named as support for Noah and The Whale at their sold out Dublin show in April. Ben flies into Dublin on March 14th for his first Irish headliner in the Academy 2. Nessy caught with Ben as he was about to soundcheck in Glasgow.
So, how have the gigs been going ?
It’s the third night of the tour, I’ve played Leeds and Manchester and they’ve been really good so far, going amazingly well.
What set up do you have for your tour? You’re a singer songwriter so do you bring a band with you or do some some solo acoustic stuff?
A band called The Sorry Kisses is supporting me on tour and we’re all in Sam’s car driving round together.
You used your full name for your music, it’s quite swanky. Do you use it all the time ?
It’s just something I wanted to do for music, I wanted to use my full name. I was in a project called ‘Lights’ for a little while and then well, its my name so I went with it.
You worked with Ian Grimble (Mumford & Sons, Manic Street Preachers) on your debut ‘A Million Miles Out’ and the follow up ‘Pictures’ is out now. How different is ‘Pictures’ from your debut?
I think, again, it’s acoustic guitar based but I think it’s a progression both sonically and also lyrically. We’ve a bit more arrangement on the songs, more persussion, a bit of keys and we’ve used some ethereal sounds again which I always like doing with Ian. He’s really good at that as well. It’s in the same vein but just a progression. That’s how I’d describe it.
You mentioned you were involved in another project, how long have you been working as a solo act as you are?
Since I was about 17, I’ve been playing shows by myself. A couple of years really, I’m 21 now, the past couple of years I’ve just been chipping away at it.
21 is pretty young. You must be chuffed with yourself to be doing a headline UK & Ireland tour.
Yeah, it’s great. I really didn’t expect it. People have responded to the record just so well. I really didn’t expect it. It’s great that it has had such a positive response. I’m looking forward to the rest of this tour and I’m looking forward to playing shows in the summer and next year as well.
I’m doing some of the festivals over the summer, nothing has been 100% confirmed yet but I’m definitely going to be doing quite a few.
You’re coming to Dublin for a gig in The Academy 2 on March 14th, have you been to Ireland before?
No, I’ve never been to Ireland, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be great.
What type of gig do you put on? Do you put on a gig where you don’t ming people talking? Some singer songwriters don’t like talking at all at their gigs.
I think if you go into a gig with that attitude that I don’t want people to talk, then that’s a really negative attitude to go in with. I think if you play your set and people feel like talking then they feel like talking. If you play your set and people are quite then that’s great and obviously it’s a huge compliment. I’m not one of these people who are going to tell people to shut up if they’re talking, you know? If people are talking then they are considering what they are talking about to be more important that the music, which is their opinion and that’s cool.
I guess too, even though it’s your art form, they’ve still paid in.
Yeah exactly, I always found awkward it if I’m watching someone play and they have a go and someone for talking. It’s a free world.
I really like your website and videos. You seem to be quite a visual person as well as musical. Do you have much input into these are do you hand it over to some one else ?
Obviously, I have a director for the videos but I always come talk to them. Telling them if I wasnt to do something or if I don’t want to do something. It’s usually a collaborative process between me, the label and whoever we’re working with on a video.
‘Pictures’ is your second EP, what are your plans for an album?
Well, we’ve pretty much finished recording the first full length and. that’s going to come out in early Summer.
The music industry is a tough slog. You’re in a car with your mates, everyday driving from gig to gig. You’re only starting really but what are the down points that you’ve found so far? Is there anything you wished was different?
I’m a positive person and usually have a lot of fun when we’re touring and stuff, I guess you miss home when you’re away for quite a long time. I can’t think of too many downsides to be honest. I guess just missing home and missing friends. I’m quite committed to the music so sometimes I’ve got to miss things that are hard to miss but it’s got to be done.
You said you’re quite a funny lovely person but singer songwriters tend to get pigeon holed with the fact that they are serious and broody. How do you let your personality out on stage?
(Laughing) I’m not like that, I like to party and I like to have fun. When I’m singing my songs I just try to sing them the way I wrote them, without putting on any act or anything. Me singing them and it’s fun. I’m not a particularly sad person or I’m not particularly moody or anything but I understand why that’s expected.
So what can people expect from your Academy 2 show?
Just me and my acoustic guitar, singing some new songs, singing some old songs. Maybe doing a cover, pretty chilled but hopefully really nice.
Check out www.benjaminfrancisleftwich.com Tickets for The Academy 2 in Dublin on Mar 14th are available from Ticketmaster.ie