Songs to get the whole family singing along

Singer/songwriter Nick Cope has been writing and performing songs for children and their families for well over a decade. By the time his success found a wider audience through the Nick Pope Popcast (Cbeebies), the former lead singer of early Britpop band the Candyskins had released six albums for a young audience.

His songs are gentle, touching, funny, and full of inspiration and curiosity – a rare combination that places Cope in the centre of a challenging Venn diagram: music that is genuinely meaningful to the whole family.

Now returning to touring, Cope will be playing four shows at The Wardrobe Theatre on February 5-6. He told Bristol 24/7 about his lifelong love of the guitar, his songwriting inspiration, and the thrill of coming back to live performance.

When did you first pick up a guitar? Can you put into words the ways the impact it had on you in those formative years?

“I first started playing when I was about 14. I think my sister was taking lessons and I was intrigued as to how all the notes worked, which is strange because I still have no idea about notation, or music theory. But I knew I wanted to learn to be able to play punk rock songs.

“Playing the guitar is a fantastic thing to focus on and it’s very therapeutic, though not so much for my parents in the early years! But it becomes a friend for life.”

You used to be a lead singer in a band. How did your evolution as a writer and singer of family songs take shape?  

“My career as a singer of a band came to an abrupt and painful end and I really didn’t want anything to do with music. But it left a big creative gap in my life, and by some happy accident I started making up little tunes for the children my partner was looking after in her Montessori nursery.

“This led to working at the Oxford Montessori schools and then putting on concerts in church halls and community centres as word got around. Once I had enough songs, I made an album, and it all grew from there.”

Nick Cope – photo: Amanda Knight

What has been the response of your own kids, and now your grandchildren, to your music? Did they inspire lots of the songs directly?  

Sadly by the time I started writing children’s music, my own children were a bit old for the songs, which is a shame. But they would still give me ideas of interesting subjects to explore which has been really helpful over years – both with the planet and also certain social issues.

I love singing with the grandchildren, especially since I have really missed playing to an audience over the last two years. I used to regularly perform at schools throughout the week so I would be always getting younger persons’ perspectives on things, which is very helpful when it comes to songwriting. So it’s wonderful to have little ones back in the family now.

Can you describe the unique experiences of touring to family crowds? Do you take requests?

“I do take requests, and it’s always fun to hear which songs people prefer. Since the TV show has been on air the audience has really grown which has been fantastic.

“So many people have mentioned how their families have sung along and danced to my songs throughout the lockdown periods, and it’s very touching the extent to which the songs have become part of their lives over this uncertain period.”

Has the reception to the Nick Cope Popcast taken you by surprise?

“I have performed thousands of shows over the years, and now the TV show has really opened things up to a wider audience which has been amazing, and has really made all the hard work worthwhile. I am really looking forward to travelling up and down the country with my guitar.”

Beyond this tour, what are your plans for the future?

“I had a dream the other night about putting on a spectacular stage show with dancing lizards and robots, like a Popcast meets Las Vegas extravaganza – so that’s what I want to do now! But in the meantime I especially want to perform up north again, and I would also love to get back up to Scotland and play the Edinburgh Fringe.

“Essentially, I just want to keep writing, recording and performing. I consider myself very lucky to be able to leave the house with my guitar and head off out to work.”

Nick Cope is at The Wardrobe Theatre on February 5-6 at 11am and 2pm, both days. Tickets are available from www.thewardrobetheatre.com. He will be back in Bristol for the Nick Cope Family Concert at The Redgrave Theatre on September 10; tickets are available from www.redgravetheatre.com.

Main photo: Amanda Knight

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