||||Mediocre Music Blog

One of England’s most exciting up and coming singer songwriters is Yorkshire man Benjamin Francis Leftwich.   Having grown up by picturesque coast of Whitby Bay, Leftwich’s dreamy songs show this influence, exuding inspiration and beauty.  We use the phrase “up and coming” somewhat loosely in this instance, as Benjamin has been writing songs from the age of 10. Unfortunately none of these were on the set list for the evening!  His down to earth and humble manner infects all who cross his path. He is presently a favourite of Radio One, and has recently supported both the Fleet Foxes and Noah and the Whale.  We caught up with the singer songwriter to find out about his new album and the dreaded desert island!

MMB: Ok, so first day of your tour, how are you feeling, excited!?

BFL: Yea really excited to be in Liverpool, I’ve not played here before.

MMB: If you had to describe your music to someone who had never heard it, how would you describe it?

BFL: I’d say just sort of acoustic based singer-songwriter.

MMB: In regards to your album, is it about anything, does it have a theme?

BFL: Erm, there’s a couple different of lyrical themes in it I guess, but to be honest it’s a collection of songs over the past four years that I thought would work really well as a whole body of work.

MMB: Have you got many songs from the EP on the album?

BFL: “Atlas Hands” and “Pictures”.

MMB: And the EP was written in the south of France wasn’t it?

BFL: Yea that’s right.

MMB: Have you written this one anywhere?

BFL: All over the place really – like I said some of the songs are four years old some are only a couple months old.  All over really, wrote a bit in Sydney probably a tiny bit in France and a lot of it in York obviously because that’s where I’m from.

MMB: Do you have a favourite song on the album, do you have one that’s particularly close to your heart?

BFL: Do you know what, I go through different stages of having different favourite ones.  But I think at the moment is a song called “Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm” which is the title track, just because it’s one of the newer ones, but I enjoy playing them all live.

MMB: So, song writing. Is that something which you find easy, does it come naturally?

BFL: Yea, it does come naturally, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s easy all the time.  There are times when it’s just really frustrating but yea I guess it’s a natural thing.

MMB: How long have you been writing for?

BFL: I’ve been writing since I was about 10, got my first guitar when I was about 10 and listened to a lot of music when I was younger, so just tried to piece my own things together.

MMB: Will we be hearing any of these tonight!?

BFL: I don’t think so!!

MMB: You’ve been getting quite a lot of love from Radio One at the moment – how’s that?

BFL: It’s really good.  I didn’t expect to have that sort of support from the radio, it’s really cool, the more people that care about music the better as far as I’m concerned!

MMB: So you said you have songs from 4 years ago, you were singing under a different name then weren’t you, was it Lights? What made you change?

BFL: Yea that’s right. To be honest there was a Canadian girl called Lights who was doing kind of emo, pop music, for a while it looked like she was going to get really big, but it hasn’t really worked out!

MMB: Do you prefer the switch?!

BFL: Yea, I prefer the switch, you know it’s my name so I thought I might as well go with it!

MMB: Is Francis your middle name?

BFL: Yea middle name.

MMB: Ah, you’ve got a bit of competition with the 3 names name!

BFL: Ah yea I know, everyone seems to be copying me!

MMB: Well, that’s the best way! Ok, so if you could play with anyone alive or dead, who would you play with?

BFL: Bruce Springsteen.

MMB: What’s your favourite song of his?

BFL: A song called Atlantic City

MMB: Excellent choice! I think I would have to agree with you on that one! So festivals, do you have one you’re most looking forward to?

BFL: Erm, I’m looking forward to Glastonbury, because it’s Glastonbury, I’ve never been before so it’ll be fun to play.  The acoustic stage is meant to be pretty good, and I’m really looking forward to Leeds festival, because obviously that’s my home festival.

MMB: So do you have any plans to go to America in the coming year?

BFL: Yea definitely, going to try and get over there before Christmas.  Probably just touring and doing a couple support shows and a few of my own shows, so a bit of a mix. It’s still all getting discussed at the moment but it’ll hopefully be a couple of different cities.

MMB: Have you had much support from over there?

BFL: Yea, I had a bit of airplay in L.A and stuff and people were getting in touch which was really nice.

MMB: OK, so some final questions, if you were on a desert island and you could only take three things what would you take?

BFL: Can I take a phone?

MMB: Hmm yea…

BFL: I’d take a phone so I can call all my friends,

MMB: Hmm, I don’t think there’s much signal on desert islands!?…And it might run of battery?

BFL: Ok, well maybe I wouldn’t take a phone then! I’d take a CD player with a Springsteen record in,

MMB: Which one?

BFL: Nebraska. I’d take loads of snacks.

MMB: An unlimited supply!?

BFL: Yea pretty much! Loads of bread! And I’d take my guitar.

MMB: So, really you’ve got four things? CD player, Springsteen record, snacks AND your guitar!?

BFL: But the CD player and the CD come together, or does that not count?

MMB: You can have it!

BFL: Well if I had to get rid of one I’d get rid of…

MMB: Snacks? You could catch some fish?

BFL: No because, actually yea I’d get rid of snacks, that’s a good call. I’d just go fishing!

MMB: Well, that’s always fun! And finally, if you could invite anyone to dinner, one person, who would it be? Apart from Bruce Springsteen!

BFL: Erm, I don’t know.  Alan Shearer! I think he’d probably be quite cool, see what his vibe is!

MMB: Yea why not! Well thank you very much and good luck with rest of the tour!

The album Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm is out on the 4^th of July and available to pre-order now.