Interview: Aaron Keylock

The Roadstars tour package is a bloody good idea, three stylistically linked bands touring together, co-headlining and at a value for money price. Federal Charm are fast rising blues rock outfit, fresh from touring their second LP Crossing the Divide; they’re joined by Simo, a power blues trio from over the pond and Aaron Keylock, a stunningly good player and singer fronting his own trio. Keylock has been ubiquitous across the tour circuit and festival scene this year and his debut Cut Against The Grain is scheduled for January 2016. The guys hit The Tunnels on Wednesday 23rd November and you can get full details here, but be aware, this will sell well so score tix sooner rather than later. Meanwhile Keylock answered a few questions for us before hitting the road.

So why pick up a guitar and play the blues rather than any other style of music?

Well I grew up listening to cool 70’s music and always loved that sound. I started playing guitar at 8 but hadn’t ever heard blues till I was 9 and my guitar teacher introduced me to Robert Johnson, and I always loved the emotion and honesty in blues so that’s all I played and listened to for the next few years!

There’s been decades of innovative guitar playing and dozens of seminal players, is there anything new left to say with six strings and a piece of wood?

Of course! Everyone has something new to say. It’s all about honesty so if you’re an honest player who wants to have a voice in music then you’ll develop your own sound rather than trying to sound like Stevie Ray Vaughan or whatever. Everyone has different personalities and characteristics which is your voice in music.

Lyrically the blues has always focused on the good stuff – cheatin’ women; cheatin’ men; murder; depression; booze; hard times…where do you see yourself going with lyrics as your career develops – fancy pushing the boundaries?

The songwriters that really inspired me wrote with honesty and emotion. It wasn’t so much the blues guys that made me want to write lyrics it was more listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Crowes, Dogs D’amour and the Stones. It took a while to find a voice as a songwriter but most of my inspiration comes from being the one kid in a small village who’s doing something so different and not following any fashions and just believing in music so much that you throw everything you’ve got into it.

Live or the studio, where are you happiest?

I love the studio and it’s creativity but nothing beats getting up on stage and just letting lose and having a great time playing music you love with great musicians.

Do you prefer small sweaty clubs, nice plush theatres or the wide open spaces of a festival, and what makes your preference you first choice?

They’re all great! I love being on any stage! The atmosphere of a packed sweaty club is probably the most fun you can have because of the connection with the crowd which you can lose on a bigger stage. I love supporting in bigger venues or playing to new people at festivals as it’s great to get up and try to turn more people onto your music.

You’ve played on some great bills, is there any artist you’d give you eye teeth to support?

I guess just the guys that turned me onto music really! I know everyone would chose the Stones and Bob Dylan but they’d be the guys that really got me into the idea of music. Also the Black Crowes I think would be pretty incredible. My first ever gig was watching them at Brixton Academy and that was really when I knew what I wanted to do.

And by a similar token, who would you like to jump up onstage with for a jam?

I guess some of the guys from the Grateful Dead would be pretty cool! They really got me into the thought of jamming and playing with rhythms. Also Rory Gallagher would have been a dream!

Are you fed up yet with the constant references to your age?

I don’t mind people saying I’m young or mentioning my age but I don’t want to be seen as a gimmick. I want to be a real genuine artist and not just around for a few minutes because I was good for my age.

How does social media help you in your career, and how does it hinder you (presuming it does either)?

It’s funny it’s a great way to get people to hear what you’re doing and tell them about shows or whatever. I think it can get a bit carried away these days when people know too much. Even though I’m from this generation I find it hard to keep up! I remember first time watching The Song Remains the Same and thinking how cool Robert Plant was and just thinking he lived a castle in a different world to me and I think you can lose that.

What’s been a highlight of your career so far?

There’s been so many! Making my debut album, touring with some great bands that I love, playing festivals that I always wanted to go to. But I guess it’s just being able to make the music that I want and making friends with so many of my heroes has been pretty cool.

Finally, where would you like to be in, say, five years’ time?

Just doing what I’m doing now! As long as I like the music and enjoy writing and playing then that’s all I want to do. I’d love to think I could be out on tour with another few albums behind me that’d be great.