Project Description

Interview

with

JAMES KENNEDY

Interviewer: Maggie Sapet

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James Kennedy – singer/songwriter, producer and frontman of alt-rock band KYSHERA. It is fair to say that Kennedy is one busy man. In fact, he’s wrapped up his ‘Misfits’ Solo Acoustic Tour around the UK and still found time to have a chat with AMNplify recently. Kennedy has also written for a diverse range of artists in between releasing KYSHERA’s third studio album ‘CiRCLE’ and his latest solo effort ‘Home’ in March 2017.

Check out what James Kennedy shared with AMNplify below!

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Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

I don’t feel that I ever really pursued a career in music at the outset, more that it just seemed like my natural calling in life. I just pursued my own interest in music and one thing just led to another, bringing me to where I am now. I did make a conscious decision in 2010 though when I set up Konic Records, to start treating this as a career but by that point, I’d already been touring and making music for quite some time.

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Who are your main musical influences?

Wow, so many! Even though you may not be able to hear these artists in my music, I would say that the following have definitely had a tangible influence on me as a songwriter and independent artist.

Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Melt Banana, Soundgarden, Ravel, Stravinsky, Eric Satie, Allan Holdsworth, Steve Vai, Prince, Immortal Technique, Ice T, Kate Bush, White Noise, Squarepusher and many, many more!

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How does your sound as a solo artist differ to your role as the front man for KYSHERA?

Oh quite a lot, but I think it depends on which album, because my musical output in both roles started out very alternative and experimental. My first solo album ‘Nine i.P.’ is the most experimental and challenging music I have ever made. It came out around the same time as KYSHERA‘s most challenging and ambitious album ‘Made In China’ so there’s a parallel there.

However, my following two solo albums have both been much more song-oriented and mainstream, whereas KYSHERA’s releases continued to stay pretty alternative and heavy. I like having the freedom to release my ever-changing musical interests through these various channels, so that if something I write doesn’t really fit the band’s ‘sounds’, I can release it as a solo release and vice versa.

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What is the inspiration behind ‘Misfits’?

A sickening amount of genuine sloppiness.

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What are the themes explored on the ‘Home’ LP?

‘Home’ is an unintentional journal of a very difficult period in my life, so there are some dark themes as well as some very positive ones also. Some of the themes are struggling with depression, a disillusionment with my life as a mere ‘entertainer’, a search for deeper meaning and then the realisation that true happiness exists in appreciating how lucky we are to be alive, to have love in your life, to be good to yourself and enjoy the journey rather than chasing the end goal…oh and sex haha.

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What inspires your songwriting?

Absolutely anything. It used to be mostly issues that would inform my lyrics – inequality, politics, injustice, social issues etc. However, on the past few releases, it has been much more personal inquiry which has come out in my songs. I never write to an agenda, absolutely everything I have ever written has come from an honest expression of my musical and lyrical interests at that very moment; which is why some of my stuff is very ‘out there’ and some of it is very basic. I have no allegiance to any ‘scene’ or genre and as I grow and learn more about life, myself and the world; that journey gets expressed through the music I write along the way.

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What makes you different to similar sounding artists?

My independence. I don’t have to compromise with a record company, so my musical output is free to change direction whenever I want. My back catalogue is quite eclectic, I can’t think of any other artists who have songs like ‘Misfits’, ‘Terrorists’ and ‘New World Order’ in their discography!

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What has been your most memorable career highlight to date?

So many! Like touring internationally and all of the amazing (and daft!) memories that get made along the way. I was particularly touched when ‘Home’ became a Top 50 Best Seller on its day of release and just the level of support that my ‘fans’ (I hate that word!) continue to give me is off the scale. People, who have witnessed the interaction between us out and about, can’t believe the level of genuine connection we have. It’s a powerful and wonderful thing.

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What is something you would like to achieve career-wise that you haven’t done yet?

Hmm…I don’t know really! I don’t tend to think like that. I tend to just follow whatever my creative instinct is at that time and let it lead me where it does. I get to do what I love every day, so even though I’m not a mainstream artist, I consider myself to be living the dream already!

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If you could play any venue in the world, where would it be and why?

Hmm…tricky, there’s so many! Probably somewhere historic like the Coliseum in Rome, with cool lighting and the stars above. Somewhere unique like that (and there’s tons of others) rather than a traditional ‘venue’. Why? For the same and the only reason that I do anything because it would be awesome.

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CONNECT WITH JAMES KENNEDY

WEBSITE     FACEBOOK     TWITTER     INSTAGRAM     YOUTUBE

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