Get To Know: Mark Mathews

Hey guys,
I'm happy to tell you that another really talented artists sat down to give you a proper introduction of him.
Mark Mathews, an indie-pop/folk singer/songwriter from Kent (UK) took time to tell us some interesting stuff about his life as a musician.

So, here we go:

Who are you?

I'm Mark Mathews, a singer/songwriter from the Queens own Garden of England (Kent). I write and play songs on guitar and I only bloody sing them as well!!

How would you describe your music?

My music is essentially Indie-Pop but with a kind of folk edge. I'm into a far reaching spectrum of music, but the stuff that I always go back to and I guess, therefore that heavily influences me are bands like The Beatles, The Kinks, The Small Faces, Oasis and lots of Sixties soul music, all of which have big choruses and are sing-a-long tunes about topics to do with love, going out, getting out of the town or situation you're in and your mates.

What does music mean to you? Is there a reason you started making music?

Music to me is the only magic that is left or that exists in my world. I have no idea where the songs I write come from. I could be playing the same 4 chords for months with no result and then one day out of nowhere those four chords sound fresh and new and turn into a song. That is incredible to me. Something literally comes from nothing. And how a song can change my mood or heighten an experience is other wordly. I don't know or understand why music is so integral to us as humans and I like it that way. it has mystery and makes me regard it with the respect it deserves.

When I was about 11 years old I dug out a copy of Sgt Peppers from my Mum's cupboard and was so intrigued by the cover art I decided to stick it on the record player. I site that moment as the time the door was officially open for me and music, but not for playing. From that experience I started to dig out other acts: The Stones, Elton John, The Small Faces, The Kinks, The Sex Pistols and I started taking serious notice to what was going on in the charts, back in the good old days of Top of The Pops. But it was when Oasis arrived on the scene that the light bulb lit up above my head and I decided to get a guitar and learn to play and write tunes. I saw Noel Gallagher and thought "I want to do that and I think I can". So, I kind of owe Noel Gallagher a debt of gratitude for getting me into this game, because I stand by it being the best decision I've ever made.

What have you released?

I've released three EP's which are all available to buy on Itunes. The first EP "Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride" is a very Pop soaked group of tunes, the second EP "A Flash in The Pan" has a Small Faces-esque full band sound and the latest one "Moments and Movements" is the EP I most enjoy as a whole body of work and has a kind of folky soul to it.

What have you coming up?

Well, I've recorded another 8 songs and am deciding what to do with most of them. However, I will be releasing one of them, titled "She's the World (And she spins for me)", as soon as it is mixed and mastered and it will be available as a free download. Kind of a Thank you to those that have bought the EP's, come to the gigs and generally supported me this year.

On the live side, well I've had a solid summer of gigs, so I am taking time out in September but it should all start up again in the Autumn, beginning with my shows for Oxjam in Clapham and Chiswick.