Ever since he first emerged, singer-songwriter Patrick Staniforth has always looked to add a broader and more emotive presence than many of his peers. And with the release of his recent ‘PIECES, Pt.1’ EP still ringing in our ears, the frontman continues the support for his new collection with the inviting focus single ‘Green House’.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what else he has planned for the months ahead as well.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
Sure, I started playing piano when I was 11. After three years of playing I quit because the teacher just wanted me to play classical music. Something I wasn’t interested in at the time. I was probably about 18 when I picked up a guitar and sang. In between those years I just wrote lyrics for songs. I also bought myself a sampler and from there on I would play guitar to sampled drumloops.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
I would say the earliest influences are The Clash, The Smiths and then the Stone Roses. I listened to their music all day and all night. After that I would just listen to anything that sounded interesting. I like the energy and diversity of the Clash and Smiths for their melodies and guitar. The Stone Roses I also liked for the guitars and their melodies. While these bands have set the path it was probably a bit more of Radiohead, the Verve and even U2 that I followed soundwise. I also like some more of the folkier things like The Fleet Foxes or the first Bon Iver album. That side is slowly evolving.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
I cannot say there was a single moment. It’s just what I am and what I do. It´s something I need to do no matter what. It makes me feel alive and at one point it was the only thing I had.
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
It just changes all the time really. Sometimes it’s a chord progression, sometimes a melodic or a lyrical idea that kicks things off. Sometimes I get inspired by a noise. Whatever it is, it´s got to make me feel something. I then build things around it. When it’s not a concrete theme I start with, I need to find out what this song wants to be about and where it wants to go.
For the songs on the PIECES EP there were some stories that I had to get off my chest. So at that point I had a theme for the songs and tried to get the right feeling for it. I would sit down with some lyrical ideas and play around with the guitar to find a feeling that would fit the story I wanted to tell. Once I got some chords together I recorded them in a loop and then tried out some melodic ideas. The song just builds from there.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
There are a lot of things that inspire me. I like telling stories about life, about people and things that happened. Being outside, sitting in coffee bars, riding trains or just walking around watching the scenery can be inspiring. The city and life within a city brings a lot of stories. Depending on my mood I might be going out into nature. I will try and listen to what the universe is talking about at that time, sometimes it brings melodies and thoughts that I get interested in. Of course I get inspired in the studio just by making music, playing around with beats and synths, noises or just playing guitar.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
They can take whatever they want from it. It would be nice if they can take anything from it. The music has probably done a great job when it triggers a thought in any way. I would rather have people forget about their lives for the moment they are listening than taking a message. But I mean if they find something that’s wonderful.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
Well being an independent artist, time is a big issue. There are a lot of things to do and I am always short on time. Around where I live it seems difficult to get gigs playing original music. A lot of the venues shut down and the ones that are there like to book cover bands.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
I like everything about being an artist. I like writing songs and playing them live to people. To have an idea and feel it and slowly see how the song evolves while writing and then even more when producing is fantastic. I am in the writing process now and after finishing PIECES Pt. 1 I wasn’t sure where it’s gonna go and how the songs would sound. After a while some songs turned up that I really love right now and I can’t wait to finish them and get them produced. So that’s a very rewarding thing for me. But also playing the songs from the first EP now is great. They are well received right now and it feels like I am on the right path creating something exciting.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
I just don’t care at all about what’s going on. Couldn’t care less to be honest. All I want is to write great music that I can feel. I´ve always done things my way and made decisions for my life that I thought were right. I am who I am, you like it or you don’t.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
More songs! I figured out that the first EP is a part of Trilogy so there will be PIECES pt. 2 and pt. 3 coming out. There will be one or two singles released in between, which won´t go on those EPs. The next single will be called PHOENIX and I think it’s an outstanding song that I am very excited about. We just recorded the drums for it. It´s Chris Hill playing again if they sound absolutely amazing. Getting more and more songs together I will be playing more live gigs hoping to tour not just Germany but other countries in Europe. That´s the plan for the next 1 – 3 years. We will see where we are then.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
As I just said I will do some more writing and play some more live gigs. I don’t really think about where this will take me career wise, I keep working and see where I end up.
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Listen to Patrick Staniforth’s new single ‘Green House’ below.
