WeatheredMan is a new project from the man who brought you modern mariachi masters Roja but is basically a bloke who writes songs in his bedroom when he’s not being a primary school teacher. All the tracks are duets with people who are from the other musical side of the tracks. Proper pop stars. Proper rock stars.
WeatheredMan has performed in some of the most exciting music festivals such as South by Southwest (Austin, Texas) with Franz Ferdinand, The Great Escape (UK) with Graham Coxon, Liverpool International Music Festival (UK), UK/European tours includingsupporting Half Man Half Biscuit at London Shepherds Bush Empire.
Debut single features the unmistakable talents of pop legend Aaron Paul. Aaron Paul is a pop-dance solo artist who was previously a part of the teen boy pop group Worlds Apart who had a chart run ofover 5 top 30 UK singles, including "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", "Everlasting Love", "Wonderful World" and their biggest hit "Could it be I'm Falling in Love.”
We caught up with WeatheredMan to ask him some questions about his music, collaborations and inspirations and his life outside music.
Tell us Where are you from?
I’m from Liverpool, the spiritual home of blokes in bands.
How long have you been making music?
I remember being 11 and forming a band with my 2 cousins. I had a Casio keyboard I couldn't play with a bossa nova drum beat and a guitar (I also couldn't play) with one string on it. 6th string in case you’re wondering. I wrote a song called “Law of the Night” - worrying given my age - and it was essentially a rip off of “Runaround Sue”. If you can imagine Runaround Sue being played on a Casio keyboard, on one string on a guitar by a group of 11 year olds (who couldn’t play any instruments) then you’ve got the gist. Spectacular stuff. So that was 31 years ago. Christ on a bike.
How have you ended up in the music industry?
Pure spite towards against all of the people who thought I might be a doctor, dentist or solicitor when I was younger.
Who have you collaborated with so far?
Aaron Paul - a complete pop star, now based in NYC, who used to be in a Simon Cowell boy band back in the day. Danii Roundtree - Atlanta based jazz/rnb singer who will be bigger than Beyonce this time next year. LeeSun - Leeds based singer songwriter with the most distinctive and beautiful voice I’ve heard in years. Kim Jennett - lead singer of metal band Voodoo Blood and 100% rock star. Finally, Tricia McTeague - legendary dance music performer with a string of top 10 hits with Paul Van Dyke to her name.
What was the inspiration behind "WeatheredMan's Duets”?
Yeah you know I’m not sure how this happened really, I’ve always been fascinated by duets - particularly ones that feature artists from incredibly different backgrounds. Like Nick Cave/Kylie or Bing Crosby/David Bowie. So I sought out people who were largely working in different genres and asked them to take part in something that would be just that little bit different. Thankfully they all said yes, which is nice considering they’re all proper pop stars and I’m a primary school teacher who lives in Leeds.
Tell us about your new song "Hand in my Pocket", the background and inspirations behind it.
The song was inspired by a love of James Bond themes with over the top horns and guitar solos. When I knew Aaron was up for doing the track, I knew it had to be something you could dance to so I tried to channel my inner Prince. In the best way a 42 year old primary school teacher possibly can. That’s why the lyrical idea of an illicit liaison at a work’s party sprung to mind. One part teasing and naughty. The other part retail park office drudgery. A clear representation of mine and Aaron’s very different lives!
You were finalists in the BBC TV series UK’s Best Part-Time Band. Tell us about that project.
Well I have been in a band with those guys for many many years. Roja was our “modern mariachi” project and when it came up I didn’t imagine it was going to lead to hanging out with Peter Hook and Rhod Gilbert in my Mum’s bedroom. That’s quite the cheese dream. But we had a blast and going on TV and being involved with such a lovely project certainly made me want to write songs again and started the chain reaction towards this whole WeatheredMan fandango…
How is the life outside music?
Dad. Husband. Work. Work. Work. Dad. Dad. Husband. Work. Work. Work. Work. Dad. Work. Husband. Work. Dad. Husband. Work.
Do your students know that their teacher is a professional musician and do they comment on your music?
Absolutely not! Do you remember when you were little and you ran into one of your teachers somewhere other than in your school classroom? Maybe the supermarket? Or at the park? And do you remember how weird that felt? For children, teachers only exist inside those 4 walls of the classroom and any acknowledgement of a life outside of school is simply madness. So if you remember that shock of seeing Mr Brown buying some broccoli one Sunday afternoon, imagine what seeing Mr Bradshaw prancing about with Aaron Paul in a music video might do to the 7 year old you. Meltdown. Everything would be topsy turvy. Down is up. North is south. Snow is sun. I couldn’t possibly then go back to teaching them maths after that kind of shock…
What's next for WeatherMan
A christmas single. That’s right a christmas single. I am very excited. Now if only I could persuade Noddy Holder to sing on it with me…