Interview With 'Max Lilleyman'

Firstly, introductions, can you let our readers know a little bit about yourself.

My name’s Max Lilleyman. I’m sitting here drinking a chai latte.

What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?

My original ambition was to be a writer-director and through university and post-uni life I hated how protracted and drawn-out the process was. Songwriting, recording and performing seemed the most to be the most gratifying combination of my background in writing, sound and acting.

Tell us about your latest EP and why our readers should check it out.

My EP from last year, 'I’ll Be A River', is a handful of songs written during a time of change in my life. They’d been dragging me down for a while and I wanted them out and so they were recording mostly live with a few overdubs, hence the ragged nature of the sound.

Where do you draw your inspiration lyrically and musically from?

My lyrics are usually narratives rather than a loose collection of pretty-sounding couplets. Musically it depends on whether I play the song on acoustic or electric guitar. If I play it acoustically I keep things very simple so myself and others can build on it as time goes by. If I play it on electric I usually build the song entirely around that.

As an artist what do you believe is your greatest achievement to date and why?

I don’t like to dwell on that sort of thing.

Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?

I’ve met some wonderful people in the music scene, especially this year, but those memories are just for me.

What do you enjoy most about touring?

I decided late last year that I wouldn’t perform in my hometown again and have focused mostly on Leeds but even then I get most satisfaction from performing in new places. I like playing in coastal cities; I’ve played in Liverpool, Scarborough and Edinburgh and they seem to have an identity entirely different from landlocked towns.

If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?

Heading into 2018 I’ll be performing in different formats; acoustic duo, solo electric and full band. Each of them is tailored to a different feeling and atmosphere so it’ll be a different experience depending on which kind of show it is. No matter what the lineup there’ll always be me, centre-stage, looking like I’m about to break down.

If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?

Daniel Norgren, because then I could watch him play for hours and hours.

You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?

I’m not much of a conversationalist so the thought of spending an hour with someone I admire is bone-chilling. Probably Van Dyke Parks, I imagine he’d have plenty to say and I’d be more than happy to listen. Or Jimmy Webb.

What is next for yourself?

I’ll start recording my album in January and once that’s done there’ll be a few full-band shows and festival appearances and then it’s straight onto album #2. I have all the songs written and rehearsed it’s just a matter of finding sympathetic (and patient) producers.

And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?

The quintessential Christmas movie.

We just want to say thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

Ta very much for the interview.

'I'll Be A River' EP available now.