Interview: Daniel Pearson

Another interview on the way! We had a chance to talk to the British singer/songwriter Daniel Pearson. Guitar-driven, folkish sound, and lovely vocals - always a winning combo.

Check out for yourself what "the recession generation Bob Dylan" has to say!

Anna: Who are you?

Daniel: I write, play and sing indie folk rock songs and I’m from Yorkshire in the UK. If you imagine Ryan Adams playing Bruce Springsteen and REM songs I think that's a pretty good description of my sound. I've released two albums since late 2011, SATELLITES and MERCURY STATE, and I played in a bunch of rock and punk bands before going solo.

A: How did you form your music style?

D: Well I got into music as a teenager in the mid 90s, so I was really into stuff like Nirvana, REM, Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis, Pearl Jam…a lot of punk and indie stuff. As I got older I went back and got into more classic records by people like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Byrds and The Rolling Stones. I think what I do now is pretty much a halfway house between those two strands of music. I always try to write songs that are honest, authentic and without pretension.

A: Who would you like to have a tour with?

D: Springsteen is the best live act I've ever seen, so he'd be my first choice. He's up there with Elvis and The Beatles in my mind. But then he never has support acts! It would be great to have played with Elliott Smith before he sadly left us. I think he was an amazing talent. Failing that...She & Him? A duet with Zooey Deschanel would be great!

A: If you could talk to yourself 7 years ago, what would you say?

D; Keep going. Worry less. Believe in what you’re doing and you’ll be fine. And don't give the other guys in the band such a hard time in rehearsal!

A: What is your biggest motivation?

D: I just want to make records that will stand the test of time, and that takes a lot of work and commitment. It's easy to make disposable music, or to have other people make your choices for you, and I've never wanted to do that. You see some very successful acts chase an idea of a popular sound or have their songs shaped by co-writers or producers to become flavor of the month or whatever, and I'm looking for something a little more substantial and meaningful that people can relate to.

A: What's your guilty pleasure?

D: Oh man, I LOVE Bon Jovi! You can’t go wrong with Bon Jovi. They're cheesy and predictable and contrived, but they've also awesome and have been a guilty pleasure of mine for years.

A: Who should we keep an eye on in the music world in 2013?

D: I don't pay too much attention to bands who get hyped up a lot, as a lot of them disappear as quickly! But I love The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady. The National have a new record out this year and they’re a phenomenal band. And there's a couple of American singer-songwriters, Nathaniel Rateliff and William Elliott Whitmore, who I think are great and have a lot of fantastic songs in them.