Singer and songwriter Ruarri Joseph has been on the music circuit for some time touring festivals as well as recording and EP it's hard to believe that it was only this year that he landed a solo contract with Atlantic Records.Wasting no time Ruarri, using some of the tracks from his EP, as well as new material released his debut album Tales of Grime and Grit.About to release his new single Infant Eyes I caught up with Ruarri to discuss his career so far and juggling music with being a parent.
You began in a couple of bands why did you decide to go solo?
Practical reason really, I was in a band years and years ago, putting a band together in Cornwall is pretty hard work but when you are on your own and you have a spare five minutes you can have a quick practice so going solo was just really practical.Why did you decide to pursue a career in music?
I don't really know I just always loved music and I knew that it was just something that I have always wanted to do. But then I went off the idea for a bit but when I finished college I started going out and playing on my own, just because it was a bit of extra money really, I wasn't really thinking yeah this is going to happen because I live in Cornwall where nothing happens. So it sort of happened by accident but then six months in I thought this is going really well I might actually be able to do something with this so it kind of happened in a weird way it's not like I woke up one morning and thought right this is what I'm going to do and this is how I'm going to do it it was a lot of weird intervention and bad fortune and good fortune.
How did you get into song writing and playing the guitar?
I got into playing the guitar because there was a guitar in my house, it must have been my dad's but I don't ever remember him playing it, I remember strumming it once and thinking that's interesting, when I was seven of something, but I didn't start playing the guitar until I was twelve.
Songwriting just became a hobby really it was more fun than drinking White Lightening in a bus shelter. When my parents were divorced it was just a nice thing to sort of recluse into you could write your thoughts down and stuff, it didn't matter if they were good or bad songs, it was just a nice place to go.
You recorded an EP All Substance and No Style did you record that yourself?
Yeah yeah I did that at home some of the songs from that EP are on the album as the demos, which is quite nice.
After some performances in London there was a frenzy of interest from labels how was that for you?
I don't know my better half keeps my feet very firmly on the ground, most of the time, so I was just kind of rolling with as opposed to thinking that something was going to happen, I had been in that situation before where someone was interested and I had got far too excited about it and been disappointed, so I wasn't going to make that mistake again I was just trying to act normal, as if this was just a normal situation to be in, like playing a gig in Oxford Street with fifteen labels there and I was like yeah yeah it's just another day. But in hindsight it was quite crazy really.
Why did you decide to sign with Atlantic?
They were the first label that I met and had a meeting with and it was just inevitable they just seemed exactly right I got on with everybody here and they were into the music and had ideas of where to take it and it just felt right, for me there was no question of where I was going to go.
Your debut album Tales of Grime and Grit was recorded at Airfield Studios in Cornwall what was that like compared to recording your EP at home?
Half of it was the other half was done at home. It was cool, basically Airfield studios is a studio that only one guy can use a really talented guy called Paul Reeve, so it wasn't that I needed to go into a big studio, because I didn't know what I was doing, it was more just to have that kind of space, there is only so much that you can do in your bedroom you can't quite squeeze a drum kit and a double bass in there at the same time, so I needed the but of space and the Airfield was the closet one to my house.
It was more a case of going in and doing what I had done at home just on a bigger scale, for certain songs, other ones I could get away with leaving as demos and for the bigger ones it was nice to have more space and proper equipment and someone else's opinion which is always good.
And what was it like working with Paul Reeve because he has worked with the likes of Muse?
yeah his did Muse's first album yeah. It was great, I sort of half knew Paul, not through music but through him doing some charity work with a company that my auntie worked for so I kind of knew him from that. We got chatting completely accidentally, because I played a few songs at my auntie's birthday, and he happened to be there, so it was a chance meeting.
But he is great just really chilled and laid back and lets you kind of do your thing then gives his opinion, he doesn't pressurise you and stick his foot in if it's not necessary, but it was great he is a really cool guy and we are still in touch.
Do you have total control over what goes on your album?
No no, don't be silly, this is a major record label I wish. They are very good, I mean my opinion counts, but there are lots of other people's opinions that you have to consider as well it's not like if I was recording them at home and releasing them myself then they would be different, but that's not necessarily to say that they would be better, it's just to say that they would be different.
Your new single is Infant Eyes what can we expect from it?
You know what? I think I'm going to have to be honest I think because it is on a 3 Mobile advert I think that's the reason that it is being release as a single, it was never talked about being a single ever, but then because it's gone on the advert it's sort of come out of nowhere and we sort of thought yeah maybe we could release it as a single.
It's kind of a song that I never thought would be out on its own, it's a very personal sentimental song about a drawing that my daughter did of me and my kids talk on the end of it as well, it was just a bit of silly fun thinking nothing of thinking it would just be a nice album track to break up the some of the intensity but I'm quite pleased that it's coming out, in my stepson's eyes I might be cool for about a week because he is on a single but it won't last.
You have just finished your first headlining tour how did that go?
That was great actually, I was quite nervous about it because I thought that it was a bit too soon, but it actually turned out to be really good. The first half i did on my own and then I did some as a duo with the drummer and then we did the full band towards the end to it so it was all different and a nice mix of different music I really enjoyed it, looking forward to doing it again.
You are also supporting David Gray how do those two kind of tours differ being a headlining act and a support?
I think this might be the biggest name that I have toured with but I like supporting people, especially when it's a big audience, because there is no pressure, people don't go to watch the support acts so they are not expecting anything, so if you suck it doesn't matter but if you are great then you have won over a new audience. it's quite nice and probably one of the things I prefer doing at the moment.
Do you not find it difficult to go out in front of a crowd say that isn't there to see you?
Oh no I have always been a show off. It's more nerve wracking playing in front of five people because you know that they are watching you but when it's a massive crown you can't see anyone so you just pretend that there's no one there or you are playing to a beach or something. But no I really enjoy it I get a buzz out of playing to a big crowd it's cool.
You have a young family how difficult is it to juggle being a parent and your career?
It's not that it's a difficult in a practical sense it's emotionally obviously being away from them is not ideal but time apart makes the heart grow fonder kind of thing everytime I go home we realise how much we love each other.
Finally what is success for you?
Being happy I think, oh that's terrible that's a very unrock and roll ending to it isn't it? I should say fast cars and women but that's not true. I think happiness to still be playing music and enjoying it in ten years time that would be successful, although I would never say that to the record label but selling millions and millions of record would not make me happy it would be very nice but ultimately it wouldn't make you happy.
Infant Eyes is released 19th November.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw