‘Strange Kind Of Blue’ is the latest release from Justin Curran. The Northern Irish singer-songwriter drops his country-infused single in line with the promise he made to himself a few years back: to release new music every few months going forward. Hailing from Belfast, Curran grew up listening to the likes of Paul Weller, The Style Council and The Jam, and was in and out of various Britpop bands throughout the 90s and early 2000s in Ireland and the UK. On this track, he hones in very distinctly on his inimitable alternative country-rock sound – ‘Strange Kind Of Blue’ is carried by jangly guitar riffs and shaker-infused percussion, with a splattering of bluesy, Dylan-esque lyrics and delicate harmonica over top.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
I'm very adaptable, I've worked with many bands and musicians over the years which has guided my abilities. I think - or maybe I know - I am quite stubborn and therefore have a very strong work ethic, but the stubbornness helps guide me towards the end result.
Who inspired you to make music?
The Modfather - Paul Weller, an incredible musician, inspiration and he was the first musician I ever saw live on his LiveWood tour. I've been to countless Weller gigs since that tour. But my earliest memories is around the age of 7 or 8 I used to memorise lyrics from songs by The Jam, The Kinks, The Beatles and The HouseMartins and I used to write my favourite lyrics in a diary I carried with me everywhere. This book contained lyrics, poetry and lines from books. I guess that was the start of my creative journey but hearing Weller’s first solo album blew my mind!
Your latest track is 'Strange Kind of Blue'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
My folks have a house in Belfast, near the Cavehill which has an incredible view over the city of Belfast. There was a room upstairs that overlooked the city and I used love sitting in there with my headphones on listening to music and being inspired by the texture of colours. These colours helped shape the lyrics of "Strange Kind of Blue". I was 16 when I started writing the song, and I guess it speaks of a frosty, hazy, misty, blue morning of Spring. There's also a few musical references within the song as I had been listening to Miles Davis' Kind of Blue a lot at that time. I was in many bands since writing the song but I never put this song on the table. But decided about this time last year that it was time to record it. As The Moons album Pocket Melodies was constantly playing on my vinyl player last year, it made sense to include a reference to them 😄
After receiving the percussion files from Ben, I started re-recording using his percussion as a guide and I think the song gained in momentum. I was sitting in the studio one day having a good listen to the song and heard my kids and step-kids playing in the pool. I had the sudden idea to set up a circle of microphones around the pool for getting the kids to splash on the water in time with the beats. That completed the song for me!
What is your creative process like?
I have built a studio in the basement of my house. It's like a sanctuary to go in there to be productive. I have books upon books of lyrics spanning my lifetime till now. I still carry a lyric book with me everywhere I go, so I'm always writing. So I tend to pick up a guitar and see what comes out, as soon as there's a chord structure working I hit record on my Tascam and start recording. From there I listen to it on repeat until I have a melody going on, then I'll demo some hammond organ, bass and harmonicas. Then do a rough mix which I then send to Ben who's been commissioned to play on my most recent songs. He'll work his pure magic send his files back to me which is when I re-work on the instruments and vocal harmonies etc. I love the creative process.
What is the biggest decision you’ve had to make?
Biggest decision .... that's a tough one ..... I'd say it would be in 2018 as I was going through a tough personal time and to get myself through it I had to work on me. It was hard going because I had to find myself at a time when I was very lost. I relocated and moved to the Alps in France where I immersed myself in being creative, and finding my way through the emotional turmoil, I did what I think I do best I went into the recording studio, hit the play button and wrote my inner feelings and thoughts. A lot of those recordings really tell my story. But moving away from where I was, was essential for that decision.
What makes you different from others?
I think because I'm very laid back and introverted person people can be shocked how my switch turns on and I let out the locked in energy and feel free to express and feed off a crowd. I don't know if that's different from how other artists work, but in a normal day to day situation I hate being in crowds, and before I go on stage I feed off my inner energy and as soon as I'm on stage it explodes out of me. I enjoy the sensation of relief from that expression and how light I feel afterwards.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Believe in yourself. That's was always one of my worst trait, I never believed in me. Being a man from Ireland where mental health issues are quite prominent I believe self-belief, self-worth and being able to open up and reach out, is of the upmost importance
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
It's got its pros and cons I think. I'm a stickler for having a physical copy of my favourite artists music and I insist on the same for my kids haha, so I buy CDs and Vinyls all the time, but then I listen to Spotify as well. Obviously the con is that (we) get pittance per stream 0.004p which is appalling, hence why I buy a physical copy of artists work. But I recently played a gig at The Accidental Theatre in Belfast and they had the live stream option which we went for. After speaking to the owner of the theatre people can still buy a Watch On Demand ticket even now after we played the gig.... available on the Accidental Theatre website https://ac…tin-curran
So I think that's a definite plus as an independent artist as it keeps the sales coming in. It's a great idea for small theatres and independent artists alike.
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
Where the f%$ks my coffee! Haha umm I need 3 or 4 coffees before I can function, in the order of a nice filter coffee, an espresso, another espresso followed by another filter coffee. Then my day can start (around midday)!!
What are your plans for the future?
I'm touring this year in the UK and Ireland which is a self-funded tour. In May I'm playing the Hope Street Theatre in Liverpool - on 22 May, as well as my regular venues in the Haute-Savoie/French Alps. In June I'm playing in London at The Hub in Upper Norwood in Crystal Palace on 4 June and The Rondo Theatre in Bath on 16th June. In the autumn I'm doing a full Ireland Atlantic Coast tour, playing 16 venues in 16 days. There will be all kinds of merch and cds available at the gigs. Most importantly I can't wait to play these songs live with my 3 piece band!