PART 1 - THE 'INTERVIEW'
1 - What was your first musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the record industry?
"I'm not sure of a specific musical memory, but I can remember being around music a lot as a child. My dad is very much into his music and so there was always music playing around the house. I also remember watching his music videos (on VHS) at quite an early age, specifically his "Sounds Of The Seventies" videos with live performances from "The Old Grey Whistle Test", also I remember seeing The Wall (Pink Floyd Movie) but not really understanding the film or the music at the time. I'm not sure what pushed me towards music. I just love creating music I guess. As I said, I was around music a lot as a child and I remember always liking the idea of performing music. I used to spend hours singing along to music in my bedroom as a kid. Then at around fourteen I started to learn to play the guitar and as soon as I learnt a few chords I started writing songs with them, I've been writing songs ever since."
2 - Had you been involved with any other bands prior to becoming a solo artist as Martin J. Sandom?
"Yeah, pretty much ever since I started playing the guitar I started trying to put bands together. My first proper band, that I played live with, was when I was seventeen. I played guitar in a band called Hidden Agenda. Since then I've played the bass, sang and played the drums in various different bands over the years, but I haven't played with a band now for a couple of years."
3 - Why did you choose to become a solo artist instead of forming a band?
"I started playing as a solo artist in about 2010, at the same time as being in a band, so it wasn't a conscious decision to become a solo artist. I just wanted to do something new as a songwriter and see what music I could create and perform on my own. Also, I had reached a point where I was confident enough to perform on my own. Before then, I don't think I was brave enough to get up on a stage with just me and my guitar, I was more comfortable being hidden slightly, within a band."
4 - How would you describe the sound of Martin J. Sandom?
"When I started writing my solo music I wanted it to be quite simple and stripped down. I wanted to try and express what I wanted in the most simple way I could, in terms of song structure and arrangement. At the time I was playing in a band called Know No Bounds and I was writing songs with odd time signatures and more complex song structures, so my solo project was a kind of counter to that. I tend to start with a basic blues or folk song structure or riff and then mess with it a little and try and put my own take on it."
5 - Who would be your dream collaboration?
"Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifier)."
6 - Any new songs in the pipeline?
"There's always a new song in the pipeline."
7 - When can fans be expecting a new single, EP or album?
"I've just released an EP called "Profound" and I am just finishing off another EP which I will release in a month or so. After that I plan to start writing some new songs for an album to be released sometime in 2014."
8 - Any live dates coming up?
"Nothing planned at the moment. I have been living in the Czech Republic for the last year but I will be moving back to London in a couple of weeks, so after that I will start looking at some new live dates."
9 - Who would be in your dream super group?
"Drums - John Bonham, guitar - Tom Morello, bass - Bootsy Collins and vocals - Chino Moreno. Not sure how well it would work in reality, though it would be interesting to see."
PART 2 - THE 'QUICKFIRE ROUND'
1 - Favourite Beatle?
"Ringo."
2 - Favourite band?
"Impossible to pick one, so here's the first five bands that come into my head: Tool, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, The Who and The Doors."
3 - Favourite new band?
"Not technically a band, but really liking a solo artist called Matt Corby at the moment."
4 - Favourite song?
"Again impossible to pick one, but the first song that comes to my head right now is Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should've Come Over."
5 - Favourite album?
"Hmmm, again hard to answer...The Who - Quadrophenia or maybe Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks or...I could easily list my top 100 "favourite" but I'll just stop there."
6 - Vinyl, CD or download?
"In an ideal world I would say vinyl, but in reality I have to go with download for convenience."
7 - Style icon?
"Don't have one."
8 - Favourite clothing brand?
"Don't care for brands, any good quality clothes at a reasonable price not made in sweat shops is ideal though."
9 - Favourite film?
"Momento."
10 - Favourite TV show?
"At the moment, Breaking Bad."
11 - Who would play you in a film of your life?
"I've been told that I look a bit like Jack Gyllenhaal, so I'll say him."
12 - Favourite food?
"Anything cooked for me by someone else."
13 - Football team?
"Whoever's losing, I'm a fan of the underdog."
Hope you enjoyed this feature on Martin J. Sandom! Check out our previous feature on Shannon Wardrop!
Buy Martin's latest EP here - https://itunes.apple.com/album/profound-single/id676315892
Listen to "Lover, You Should've Come Over" by Jeff Buckley here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXe1jpHPnUs
You can also like our Facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords
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