Guestlist

Issue 41 / 2012

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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Issue 41 / 2012 INDIE / ROCK 47 www.guestlist.net 7 With a new single about to drop 'Love Like Stars' this talented singer/songwriter and all round ladies man is back to smash it this summer. BEN MONTAGUE Gary Rampling | Gary@guestlist.net So, it's been about two years since you released your debut single journey been like from then up until then? 'Haunted', what's your When I released 'Haunted' I did that on my own, you know, off my own back, I didn't have a re- cord label behind me then, and I kinda thought, well I got heard at a gig and then from there I got a phonecall saying that I got re- cord of the week. It was all a bit weird, I had to suddenly record an album which I did in my mate's bedroom with a duvet over my head, you know, balancing on one leg trying not to make the floorboards creak too much. And as a listener, listeners are very clever I think, they can tell when something's genuine and when it's not You have your new track 'Love Like Stars' Could you tell us a bit more about it and how it came about? It's basically the first happy love song I've ever written and it's kind of about the moment when two people are at the beginning of a relationship and they're just about to say those three words, you know, the moment before you say I love you. And I kind of thought, production wise, it was inspired by bands like Snow Patrol and Coldplay and I just wanted to get across that big kind of anthemic stream flooding chorus. And your new album it's pro- duced by Dave Owenger who produced for The Manic Street Preachers, Kylie Minogue … from quite a pop background. Yeah, and he's quite rocky right? Yeah, but we sat down and I sort of told him the inspirations I wanted to kind of go with, and the direction of sound I wanted to go with. I was references things like Fleetwood Mac and 'Greatest Day' by Take That and Coldplay and loads of other bands and he really got it. I'd finished a song one day and I'd record it in my flat you know, just me and the So, what can we expect from this album release? Well it's going to come out, I think, at the beginning of next year, around January. And you can expect a bit of a roller-coast- er really. An up-tempo track that some people have said reminds them a little bit of Kings of Leon and there's been a track that's very Ballad-driven and it's just me and a piano and strings, influ- enced by Snow Patrol and Cold- play, but it's really just a good, uplifting, heartfelt album. And road and stuff I try to be well behaved because your voice gets a bit croaky and you don't deliver a good show and it's not very professional. But in my free time, yeah, I love going out with my mates and having a few late nights. Not too many though. So if you were to take us on a night out, where would you like to take us? Well I live in Ladbrook Grove and there's a wicked bar/pub called Paradise, which is one of those I've had a couple of strange presents, but I can't say what they are mate. I'll leave it to your imagination… how did that come about? collaborations Erm, I got a phone call from my manager to have a meeting cos I'd written a whole bunch of songs and I'd never been able to have just one producer, I'd never worked with a producer before, it had always been just doing it on logic and doing it in my mate's bedroom and stuff so it was quite a cool moment to be in a room with someone who had worked with that many people, and art- ists. I didn't actually know if he'd like my songs because I come key guitar and he'd listen to it and tell me if he thought it was good enough or not and it became re- ally organic. So you guys formed a good working relationship, in the way you had a vibe together I suppose? Yeah mate, that's exactly it. Once you get over that boundary of being intimidated by somebody, you're just two mates really try- ing to make a good record, you know? my manager the other day he said that what I put in emotion- ally, somehow comes out com- mercially. That's an excellent hook for you, mate. I know! When he said that to me I was like, I've got to use that. Are you actually much of a par- ty animal yourself? Do you like going out? I used to like going out, yeah, and when I'm working or on the places that's got it all. You can have a couple of quiet cocktails in there and then upstairs it turns into a nightclub. It's one of those places where you don't really have to go very far and it's al- ways a great laugh and I've got loads of mates that hang out there anywhere, yeah, so that's what I'd do. Maybe have a few beforehand somewhere. So, we've just been looking at your Twitter and it seems that you get a lot of presents from your fans. Do they ever actually give you more than chocolates? I've had a couple of strange pres- ents, but I can't say what they are mate. I'll leave it to your imagina- tion… How do you react when you get these massive gestures from fe- male fans? Between you and me, this is all very new to me. I'm a new art- ist and I still can't get over that I get to go to a city and play to over 200 or 300 people that are coming to listen to my music and it blows my mind. The fact that I've got so many amazing, loyal fans, who want to go out and buy me chocolate…it just blows my mind. I love it, I feel very lucky. Although my waistline doesn't like it, I have to go out the next morning and go for a bloody run! If you could change any law or introduce any law to this land, what would it be? Okay, well firstly, I would love for all gym memberships for everybody across the country to be free… and I would like for everybody to be able to come to concerts for free. Although I don't think my manager would like that! 'Love Like Stars' is out now! For more information check out : www.benmontague.co.uk

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