Following on from the release of their music video for 'Don't Make 'em Like They Used To', we got the opportunity to have a quick chat with Shawn, one half of The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer to find out a little bit more about their music, future plans and dream collaborations.
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?
Primal and greasy pleas for connection. Put simply, blues that hits you in the crotch.
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
Our band name for starters doesn't lend itself to border crossings or kid's festivals all that well. Carving a living playing live in the second geographically biggest country in the world can be daunting.
How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?
I'd give it a solid 9.8.7 outta 10... But it sure beats the hell out of working a morning news show - my former job.
How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?
Extremely so. We're not popstars in our 20s singing for a major label. We're two men singing and playing blues/roots music in a genre that has been saturated with 12 bar boredom for the last 30 years, therefore our emotional and creative output has to come from a very personal and honest place to connect to people.
Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?
From the haunting tenor voicings of Skip James, to the ferocity of Freddy King's guitar playing. One drop soul of a Finley Quaye to the playfulness of Dr Dog and their approach to collaborative writing and in general, boundary pushers.
If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?
At one point it would have been Questlove hands down... Still is as his heart for music is bigger than most and we need a drummer who plays with his hands, not feet! (laughs)
Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know.
I once did a gig as PowerPoint operator for a conference on butt cancer, aka proctologists, showing slides in the beautiful town of Banff... I've never looked at an ass the same since.
Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?
I'd love to incorporate my kids more into my live road life as they are pretty separated, like oil and water.
Where do you hope to be this time next year?
I'd love to be writing power ballads for Mariah Carey and help get her back on the charts... If that fails, then I'm happy right where I am.
What should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
We're launching our first tour of Europe alongside Dr Dog and XIXA, and a new album is out in the fall that'll hopefully pull Little Richard out of retirement! (laughs)