Ethan Ash - Interview

There seems to be a movement to more honest music, with singer / songwriters like Mads Langer, Ed Sheeran and to some degree Seth Lakeman, all getting a bit more radio airplay, and it's fantastic that acts like this are getting more recognition. Those names we mentioned you may have heard of (hopefully! and if you haven't go check them out), but the name Ethan Ash may be more unfamiliar at the moment, and I say at the moment, because this talented Cambridge musician has the potential to do exceptionally well. Some people level the criticism at Sheeran that it's all a bit predictable, all perhaps formulaic, but with Ethan Ash, there's something a bit different that's compelling. So before he becomes a music super star, we thought we'd better quickly get in there and have a chat with him!

You've been touring quite a bit, recently with Ed Sheeran at Nottingham and Birmingham, how did those shows go for you?

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved doing those shows. They were incredible. Both were quite different gigs but were equally as good. It was an absolute privilege to be able to play them. I meet some very talented people and was very humbled by the reaction from the audience. I'm getting excited just writing about them.

You're getting some great audience reactions, and you seem to really enjoy engaging with your fans (and it's great to see your conversations with your fans on Facebook etc), is there a danger though it could all become a bit overwhelming?

I suppose there is the danger of being overwhelmed. At one point during the gigs with Ed I was getting a tweet nearly every ten seconds! It's really quite hard to reply to everyone, and it does tire you out trying to do so, but I feel it's important to reply to everyone. If people are taking the time to Tweet me or post on Facebook and listen to my music, and support me and say kind things, then the least I can do is thank them: even though it's taken me hours and hours to reply to everyone.

Loved the song "All I Need" and the video! What were your friends reactions when they first saw that?

My friends are very supportive of what I do. They help me out whenever they can, even down to just sharing my music on their Facebook pages. Not all of them like my music because we all have very diverse music tastes but they still support it. I think my guy friends thought the music video was a bit soppy but my girlfriends really liked it, not that I'm stereotyping. I'm very lucky with the friends I have.

When your friends and family learnt of your intentions to launch 100% into a music career, how sceptical or supportive were they?

My friends and family are always very supportive but I suppose everyone, even myself, was a little sceptical about it but over the last year I can't complain about the things that have happened. After playing Bestival, Cambridge Folk Festival, main stage at The Secret Garden Party, playing support gigs for Ed Sheeran and Seth Lakeman, and having an iTunes Single of the Week there's no way I can complain about how things have gone. It's been really nice lately because they have seen how it has now progressed and a lot of them have said how proud they are of me and happy it's going alright, which means masses to me. It may sound strange but making the people who support me proud of what I do is very important to me. However, they will give me a kick up the butt if they think I'm slacking and they are brutally honest. Brutally!

I read an interview where they asked what advice you would give to aspiring musicians, and it was absolutely spot on. As we know though, it's always easier to give advice to others rather then follow our own! Is there anything you would do differently if you had a chance to "start over"?

That's a really tough question because I can't say that if I had done things differently things would have turned out the same or better. I suppose I'm just very grateful and humbled at the moment and I have no regrets about what I've done so far and how I've done it. It's that whole sliding doors scenario.

And as a follow on to that question you say that people should be prepared for the highs and lows, so what were the best and worst gigs / moments you had, and were there any funny / bizarre moments you'd care to share (and not get yourself into trouble for telling us)?

Ha ha I always love these kinds of questions but I never really know what to say because some things I should just keep to myself. I mean every artist has had 'those gigs' where you just play to the barman; I had a gig like that quite recently. Then there is the complete opposite, like the gigs in Nottingham and Birmingham with Ed, where there were a few thousand people that I'll remember forever. The weirdest feeling for me is when I'm touring or doing big gigs and I have an amazing time but then it finishes and the next day I'm just wondering what to do, I kind of feel a bit lost. It's very weird. I love being busy, so it's very strange when I'm not playing, writing or recording.

What was the first song you learned to play on guitar, start to finish, and what made you want to learn it?

I played classical guitar from a really young age and one of the first pieces I learnt was 'Allegro Op.50 No.13' by Mauro Giuliani (I've actually just searched through all my music books to find the actual music). The reason I remember this is because it was given to me by my first classical guitar teacher, a great man named Chris Kilvington who died suddenly and at quite a young age. He was my inspiration for playing guitar and still is.

The first song I learnt on electric guitar was either Peter Green's 'Black Magic Woman' or Eagles 'Hotel California'.

And are you self taught on guitar or did you have lessons?

I think the previous answer ruins this question but yes I had lessons. I started with classical guitar with Chris Kilvington but did have electric guitar lessons at the same time with another teacher because I preferred the music…..a lot. But the good thing about learning classical guitar is I have been able to take the techniques I learnt and use them in the way I play guitar today.

I know that in another interview you said you liked to remain impartial about "The X-Factor", and I actually agree with you about people paying their musical dues, but were you ever tempted to try out for the show? And what are your thoughts on the "Orange Unsigned Act" show that Channel Four tried out (not sure if you ever saw it)?

I've never been tempted and will remain impartial. There are numerous different arguments about programs like that but as someone pointed out lately, it does generate album sales and money in the music business. It's an entertainment show and a lot of people watch it. The 'Orange Unsigned Act' I didn't see too much of it, although I have read about it and I suppose it's less about 'entertainment' and more about unsigned music. I'm always slightly sceptical about those programs just because they can be edited a certain way but I choose to remain impartial about them. They have their own place and there are varied opinions on them but I think people should pay their dues in music. The thing I always find strange is when people on entertainment programs say, for example,'this is my dream/I've always wanted it' etc etc but most of them seem to have never given up their day job, worked stupidly hard, played terrible gigs, driven round the country gigging and tried to achieve their 'dream'.

When you're not writing songs, what other interests / talents do you have? (We ask because we discovered that Papa Roach's guitarist is an excellent photographer, Mads Langer turned out to be a very good snowboarder, and Alter Bridge's bass player is really into technical drawing and has an Arts degree).

I like cooking. I don't know why…maybe it's the food! I get a bit like Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen but I really enjoy cooking for friends and family. I also like making videos and taking photos. I have a good digital SLR camera and a small video camera, and like documenting things. For example, I did a lot videoing at different festivals this summer, mainly the backstage areas so people can see what it's like. A friend's mum recently did a watercolour painting of a photo I took because she really liked it and she's selling it. Not only is that a compliment but it's also cool :-)

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A huge thank you to Ethan for answering our questions, and to Lauren for making this happen! If you'd like to find out more about Ethan, you can find his facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/ethanashmusic