Download for free here and listen below. Also check out the '...We're Only Here For The Banter' sessions each artist did for the blog. And have a swatch at the excellent album art work. Thanks to Andrew Wilson for that.
The Lonely Boy is the stage name of Sean Gilles, who joined me on the Scottish Fiction show a few weeks ago. Sean was talking about his music and his influences and has been kind enough to also complete a Q&A session for the blog. Have a read below and also listen again to the show to a special live performance of Michael Jackson's 'Dirty Diana'.
Hello, how are you?
Hello, I'm good! How are you?
I'm very well thanks. Tell us a wee bit about yourself.
Well The Lonely Boy is a solo project I've been working on, I tend to do all the music myself. I have a band for live performances. And the music varies, it's kind of rock, pop, experimental. I like a good long number, and I love how under The Lonely Boy name I can experiment. I'm not sure if that explains my music that well!
How does performing under a stage name work for you?
Well I used to perform under my own name as Sean G, because no one can pronounce Gilles. But I didn't like that because it was very personal. With the name The Lonely Boy it could be a band, it could be a solo project, you can get experimental, you can do so much with it rather than stuck with just your name.
How do you about transferring the music you make onto a live stage?
Well the easiest option is to do acoustic myself or sometimes with a mate who also plays guitar. Or I have got a band, drums, bass, lead guitar and rhythm. I don't go too mad in the studio that we can recreate it on stage. We change the tracks slightly, bring something a bit different to the live experience. I love it when bands go out to create something a bit different from just listening to the CD.
You've been involved in music for a while, how are you with getting up on stage and performing?
To be honest, I don't really like being on stage! I love being in the studio, writing music, and when it comes to performing I'll get up on stage and give it my best. What I like about The Lonely Boy is that it doesn't need to be all live performances, it could be a studio project.
How do you find being a solo artist as opposed to being in a band?
I love it, it's so much better. That's one of the reasons I went towards the solo stuff. In the studio it can get too many opinions going about, but by myself I can get a track done in an hour, two hours. But with a band it's a whole other story.
Who would you describe as your influences?
Biggest influences I would have to say, and lots of people will say this, but it has to be The Beatles. Ever since I was seven, I heard Sgt. Pepper and that was me hooked. But also Ryan Adams, love him as a singer songwriter, love the fact he does what he wants. I also tend towards the 1960's / 1950's, people like Buddy Holly.
What is your songwriting process like?
First you need to start by not attempting to write a song 'cause it will never happen. Every time I go sit down and think I'm going to write a song it never happens. It's gotta be that spur of the moment, playing chords and working out something nice, then start singing over it. I always write the music first and lyrics are always last. Sometimes I don't even write down lyrics, I've just made them up in my head and sung them so much that they are in my head.
I always find the simplest songs are the hardest to write. The ones of mine that you think are complicated I've wrote them in like 15 minutes, the wee simple ones can take forever. I've also got bits of paper everwhere, post it notes and stuff like that.
What could we expect to see from your live shows?
Well it depends. Acoustically I can do whatever I want, I wrote most of the tracks as acoustic tracks. With the band it's full of energy, especially one track 'End Of The Line' which takes a lot of energy, lots of shouting. I like gigs where you can see peoples heads starting to bop, and get involved.
What does 2012 hold for you?
The plan is being in the studio a lot, trying to record an album. Actually I've stupidly decided to record two albums, one under The Lonely Boy alias, the other with my other project Lonely And Lola. So it's good to be able to go between these two projects. And I want to try and get these albums done, and then start gigging again, hopefully get some good supports.
What would you say is your biggest achievement so far?
I'd probably say two years ago I did a west coast of America tour, from LA to San Diego and then all the way back up ago. I played the Viper Room in Los Angeles as well. I loved it, there was such a good vibe, it was so different to playing in Scotland. I always feel like with gigs in Scotland, because you do such a lot of them, it's often a case of texting your mates 'are you coming to my gig?' But when we went to Los Angeles we told a few people about our gig in the Viper Rooms and just through word of mouth we managed to pack out the venue.
What Scottish artists would you recommend to the Scottish Fiction readers?
Some bands I've played with that I love would be Lou Hickey and Sonny Marvello. Also She's Hit, I went to see them a couple of months ago and loved them. Such a good atmosphere on stage, and they have that something, you should definitely go and see them.
Thanks very much for speaking to us!
Why not listen to the show again below? And also check out more from The Lonely Boy on his website and on Facebook?
"I never thought I'd be playing a gig in Neilston", muses Lou Hickey midway through her hometown gig. Neither did I expect to be attending a gig in Neilston, but such is life!
The night's show was part of a wider Neilston Live! initiative which runs each year in the village. Having toured as one half of the successful Codeine Velvet Club, and recently putting out her own EP, 'Minutes, Hours, Days', having Lou Hickey perform at a local bowling club is a pretty big coup.
The support was offered by another local artist Sean Gilles, a.k.a. The Lonely Boy. However due to my notorious tardiness, I missed most of his set. Rumour had it that it was a good performance, and I'm willing to go along with that on the basis of the last song 'End Of The Line' which culminated with frantic strumming his acoustic guitar.
Being a village bowling club, it would be wrong not to take advantage of the cheap drink on offer. 10 minutes and a fresh pint later Lou Hickey, backed by a full band, takes to the stage. The set kicks off with older track 'Realist Romeo' which has a soft pop backing track and showcases Hickey's vintage voice well. It's an intimate affair and Hickey shows her support to the local community, many of whom I'm sure would be unlikely to attend such a gig were it in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Hickey recognised this and is kind to the crowd to throw in some covers throughout the set, the first of which is a cover of John Lennon's '(Just Like) Starting Over'.
Hickey also pays tribute to the fact that many people know her from the Codiene Velvet Club, by treating us to a track that she penned for the band about the 'horrors' of the music industry with a funky bassline that James Brown would have been proud off. Having tipped her hat to the pub where she used to work, and recognising that an audience of Neilstoners is far more rowdy than an audience in Edinburgh, we all get coaxed into some hand claps for the next track. Taken from her latest EP of the same name, 'Minutes, Hours, Days' lifts the tempo and is one of the standout tracks of the evening.
The band were clearly comfortable as the banter onstage flowed towards the bar, with a request for a refill Morgan's & Coke coming from behind the piano. The next track, a smootchy number from the forthcoming album (hopefully 2012), hinted towards Hickey's love of blues, jazz and burleqsue. And whilst we are in this 'bluesy' mood, the band decide the time is right for some freestyle jazz indulgence. Their cover of 'Summertime' treats us to smokey vocals, sexy sax solo, and a kickass bass solo.
It's time for an onstage switch, which see's Hickey take place behind the piano, and our first trumpet track of the night. A more songs, infused with what the band define as 'Gay Jazz', and it's time for another cover, this time from 50's rocker Jerry Lee Lewis. 'Great Balls Of Fire' get's the crowd fired up for the home stretch. 'Waiting For The Night' and 'Are We In Love?' take us through to the theatrical part, where we 'pretend' the band leave the stage and return for their well deserved encore.
Again, tipping her hat to the success of CVC, Hickey plays a solo version of the track which still earns her money, 'Vanity Kills', and it's a lovely stripped back piano driven version, showcasing Hickey's undoubtedly strong vocals. It's now time for everyone in Neilston under the age of 40 who has had guitar lessons to show some appreciation for the legend that is Mr Hickey, a.k.a. Lou's dad, as he takes the stage for what I'm sure must be a lovely moment. The track is dedicated to her fiancee, and it ends with a suitably classic 60's outro. Next track is another EP track, and also one which Hickey performed live on my show 'Scottish Fiction' on Pulse Community Radio, *shameless plug alert* which you can download for FREE here. 'You!' is another of the set's highlights, and leads us to the last song of the evening which is a cover of a Zombies' song.
Or is it? Somewhat taken back, Hickey returns to the stage for a real encore, and squeezes in one last track, a number she wrote with Jonathan Carr called 'Perfect In Me'. A great end to a great night.
Also follow the hyperlinks to check out the Q&A she did for the blog a few weeks back, plus listen to the live session she did for the show on Pulse 98.4 FM, AND download the free 'Scottish Fiction' August EP which features a track from Lou Hickey. Phew!
You can also check out more about The Lonely Boy here. Enjoy!
