Busking on the streets of Dublin, releasing their debut album, touring with Jake Bugg and Kodaline before embarking on their own headline tour – life has been busy and exciting for the Dublin-born folk-pop duo. With brothers Alfie and Harry (Hudson-Taylor) back home in Dublin for the Irish release of debut album “Singing for Strangers”, TAG’s Léo Rahban caught up with younger brother Alfie to talk about the release, embarrassing moments and how much he loves Brighton …
Hi Alfie, thanks for spending time with me today – what have we interrupted this afternoon?
Hi! Well here in Ireland the album just came out – I was going to get a haircut!
Yes, your debut album! How do you feel now it’s out in your home country?
It feels so nice! We’ve been a band for six years and working on this album for three; some of the songs are four years old so for them to be out now, it’s an absolute dream, we can’t believe it! We walked past the shop today and to see the album on the shelves after waiting for so long… seeing that blew us away, it’s amazing.
On the album there are 12 tracks, plus 9 bonus tracks: that’s 21 songs in total! Not bad for a first album!
(Laughs) Yeah, we had our album with the 12 songs, and we thought we had kept a few people waiting a long time so, since we had all these songs, why not put them on as well? We wanted to give back a little more! Some of those tracks we recorded at home (self produced), some of them are demos. In Ireland there are 5 bonus tracks, and we put on three more for the people in the UK and everywhere else.
So how would you describe your album for those yet to hear it? Give us three words:
Live, as we recorded quite a lot of the stuff live, we enjoy playing live most. Folk – the genre. And then, harmony! Live, folk, harmony. Good words! (laughs).
Indeed! What can you tell us about the writing process …
Well, most of the songs have been written over the last three years – so there has been a lot of preparation. Maybe we’ll come into more difficulty with the second album – first as it’s often the case with the second album, and also because there will be a quicker turnaround, we wouldn’t want to wait another four years for the second album!
Your last UK festival appearances were at Reading and Leeds Festivals last year, how do you enjoy festival slots compared to live performances?
Well first about Reading and Leeds, Reading was my favourite performance in the UK – we did Glastonbury and all that, and every show was amazing, but with Reading, at that time, it felt like our first real performance in the UK. By real I mean that after three years being in the UK, doing a lot of festivals and live gigs, headline tours and support tours – this time it really felt like people came to see us. A lot of people were singing the words and there was a real energy in the room.
What did your busking days teach you, back in Dublin?
All sorts! How to perform, what people like – and we learned many popular songs, from the 50s through to the 90s. It gave us a bit of pocket money as well – that was always good. We still do a bit of busking, we’re off busking this weekend on a street in Dublin we used to busk on all the time!
You’ve come such a long way since you started busking in Ireland…
It’s unbelievable, we can’t put it into words. In Ireland the album’s out, and then we get to do it all over again when it comes out in the UK and in Europe. It’s a feeling neither Harry nor me can get over…
And how’s working with your brother?
I love it! I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I don’t think he would either! To be sharing this experience… I can’t imagine going on tour on my own, just with one person like your manager, it must get lonely. If anything happens when we’re on the road, we have each other to talk to, see what we’re going to do about it. And to questions like “do you have any fights like the Gallagher’s?” no we don’t, we’re best mates really, whatever difficulty comes our way we talk, and sort it out.
So have you got any funny stories to share with us?
Yes – when we used to go busking in Ireland, Harry had a trick: he jumped on a pole, stood up on one leg and played the guitar – always a really good way to catch people’s eye. One time we were out in Monaghan, in the middle of Ireland where Harry went to school. It must have been 2am and we had just left a bar, Harry stood on a bin, played guitar – everyone was looking at him and clapping and stuff. And then he fell off!
No! Did he hurt himself?
No – he just ripped his trousers, it was more embarrassing than painful! I’m sure he’ll get me back for saying that!.
You’ve been touring with Kodaline and Jake Bugg, favourite moments?
I got to play ping pong against Jake Bugg, a big moment for me! Of course supporting him on tour was pretty big too… the whole tour was brilliant! He’s a good player, songwriter and performer. And with the Kodaline boys, last time I saw them, me and my brother were backing up Gabrielle Aplin (Alfie’s girlfriend). She was playing at the “Streets of London” charity event in Shepherds Bush. In the end everybody got up to sing “Last Christmas” (Wham!). I don’t even know the words! I was there standing on stage with Steve from Kodaline, both reading the lyrics to “Last Christmas” which I thought was pretty funny! Dan Smith from Bastille was there as well. All of us like “oh no, what could be worse!”
Hudson Taylor are set to release debut album “Singing For Strangers” & new single “World Without You” March 30, and are currently out on their biggest headline tour to date.
hudsontaylormusic.com
facebook.com/HudsonTaylorMusic
LIVE DATES:
Sun 1st Feb 2015 Edinburgh The Caves
Tue 3rd Feb 2015 Newcastle Riverside
Wed 4th Feb 2015 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
Thu 5th Feb 2015 Sheffield Plug
Sat 7th Feb 2015 Manchester Academy 2
Sun 8th Feb 2015 Birmingham Library
Mon 9th Feb 2015 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Tue 10th Feb 2015 Cambridge Junction 2
Thu 12th Feb 2015 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Fri 13th Feb 2015 Brighton Concorde 2
Sun 15th Feb 2015 Oxford O2 Academy 2
Mon 16th Feb 2015 Falmouth Princess Pavilion
Wed 18th Feb 2015 Exeter Phoenix
Thu 19th Feb 2015 Bristol Trinity Centre
Fri 20th Feb 2015 Liverpool O2 Academy 2
Sat 21st Feb 2015 Belfast Mandela Hall
Mon 23rd Feb 2015 Galway Roisin Dubh
Tue 24th Feb 2015 Dundalk Spirit Store
Thu 26th Feb 2015 Dublin Olympia Theatre
Fri 27th Feb 2015 Kilkenny Set Theatre
Sat 28th Feb 2015 Limerick Dolan’s
Sun 1st Mar 2015 Cork Savoy
