It’s been a crazy 18 months for Jake Bugg. He’s played at Glastonbury, secured a record deal with Mercury, supported the likes of the Stone Roses and Lana del Ray and landed his first number one album. We caught up with the 18-year-old singer/songwriter from Nottingham backstage on his recent tour with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds…
Jake Bugg! Where in the world are you?
We’re in Italy just now. It’s cool. It’s very hot today, so it’s a nice change!
How’s the tour been so far?
It’s been cool, we just did the one in Germany supporting Noel and I’m supporting him again tonight, so I’m really looking forward to it. We’re just driving from hotel to hotel, at the minute. It’s all right, you get into the rhythm of it!
You’ll be doing your own headline tour when you’re back in the UK, with a couple of Scottish dates lined up. Have you played up here before?
Yeah, I’ve played in Scotland loads of times, I played in Dundee and Dunfermline the other week. And T in the Park. Scottish crowds are really good – they definitely get behind you! They’re very supportive.
Do you get nervous before you go on stage?
Sometimes, but once I get up there, I feel right at home. It’s lovely to be doing these bigger shows with Noel, I’m getting used to the bigger crowds.
You’ve had an incredible year – what’s been the highlight?
Touring with Noel is great and supporting the Stone Roses was incredible. T in the Park was also great. It’s hard to decide – I’ve had a lot of highlights this year, it’s been really exciting.
What’s the best part about being a musician?
The best part for me is writing the songs. That’s my favourite part. Just sitting down with the guitar and being creative. Touring and doing live shows is amazing, but writing is the best bit for me.
What inspired you to start writing music?
I started getting into music when I was about 12, the likes of Buddy Holly and Don McLean, Donavan, Jimi Hendrix, all those people. They all wrote songs and I thought, well, I’ll give it a go. Instead of trying to be like them by playing their music, I thought, I’ll try and be like them by writing my own.
What can we expect to hear on the album?
The album has all the singles that have been released previously and a couple of older tracks – there’s one from when I was about 15, a couple from when I was 16, 17. There’s some faster, upbeat stuff and a few more melancholy, fingerpicking kind of stuff. There’s a nice mixture on it.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
That’s a tough one… Do they have to be alive? I’d love to have a jam with Jimi Hendrix.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
I just hope I’m still making records, and that more people will start picking up guitars and writing songs again.
Jake Bugg’s self-titled debut album is out now, or you can catch him on tour in February. Head to www.jakebugg.com for details.
Source Winter 2012
