Coming up in November we've got a special show with touring folk artist John Smith - his name is pretty commonplace but his music and guitar style are far from it, and kicking off the evening we've got brilliant support from Martha Bailey and Will Stratton. We caught up with Will in the run up to the show... find out what he had to say below and grab tickets for the show here.
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| (c) Nika States |
1. First up, who is Will Stratton?! How long have you been making music?
I’ve been playing piano for 26 years and guitar for 18, and writing songs somewhere in between. I’m from California, originally, but I’ve lived in the Northeastern U.S. most of my life. I’ve made six records so far and I plan on keeping going as long as the songs keep coming.
2. Tell us your favourite artists and biggest musical influences!
It’s probably pretty obvious to anyone who listens to me that I love the music of Nick Drake and Bert Jansch. I’m also into a lot of North American guitarists like Leo Kottke and Nathan Salsburg, and songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Karen Dalton. I listen to a lot of classical music, though I don’t know how much of it has rubbed off on the way I play and perform. If any of it has, it’s probably been the piano music of people like Erik Satie and Bill Evans.
3. Your latest album ‘Rosewood Almanac’ was released back in May… how has the response to the record been so far, and how does it feel to have it out in the world?
It feels good. People seem to like it. This is my first record with Bella Union, a label that I’ve long admired, and so I’m proud to be working with them, and excited that I get to see so much of the British Isles in touring behind this album. I’m pretty unsentimental about my records once they’re finished, though, and I’m deep into working on the follow-up album, now, so I’m looking forward to gradually incorporating more newer material into my sets.
4. Who is your audience and how do you connect with fans - all the usual social media?! Any crazy, fun, exciting stories about your fans are very welcome!
I think people who listen to my music tend to know that they can reach out to me and expect some sort of response--hopefully things never get so crazy that this becomes too difficult. I prefer meeting people and talking to them in person, and corresponding on e-mail, but of course I’m on social media as well.
5. We’re excited to have you playing our John Smith show at St Barnabas Church, Oxford as John’s tour support - what should fans expect from your set?
My sets tend to just be guitar and vocals. I love playing in churches because they seem to have some of the best acoustics for my kind of music. There will be a lot of variation musically with the simplest of materials.
6. Have you played in or visited Oxford before? We hope you’re planning to squeeze in some sight-seeing… would definitely recommend the University Parks!
I’ve haven’t been to Oxford since I was 6 years old, but I have a great aunt who lives in Oxfordshire in the countryside and I’ve visited her as much as I can. I mostly know Oxford through the murder mystery TV shows I like to watch with my girlfriend. I hope I’ll get a chance to walk along some canals. I’ve fantasized about living in a boat on one of those canals.
7. Describe your dream gig to us! Any venues that you’re desperate to play in the US or further afield, or an artist that you’d particularly love to collaborate with?
I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with a lot of people that I admire, either directly or indirectly. Top of my list now would probably be Jim O’Rourke and Olivia Chaney, both brilliant artists in very different ways. I’d also like to collaborate with a film composer like Olafur Arnalds. Making film music has always appealed to me. As for venues, I haven’t given that much thought, but I guess I’d like to play at Town Hall in Manhattan, and at the Barbican in London. I think it’d be fun to do a one-off concert where I write some songs for chamber orchestra and guitar.
8. You’re touring with The Weather Station and John Smith through some of October and most of November, what else does the rest of the year hold for you?
I’m going to try and finish up the songs for my next record so that I can go into a recording studio again in early 2018, and get in lots of time with family and friends in between.
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