13 November 2023
Every Monday I will be bringing you an interview with an independent band, duo or music artist. This week, I caught up with Belfast artist Ben Cutler to find out more…
Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am local to Belfast. Growing up I’ve always had guitars around the house. Gradually I began to teach myself the basics which allowed me to start my career in music as a busker. NI has a thriving music scene and it was at a local songwriters festival that I saw Foy Vance and Ken Haddock live where I found my passion for song writing was born.
I am currently performing as a solo act (Ben Cutler) with a group of very talented young session players around me. In 2021 I took part in the “21 Artists For The 21st Century Mentoral Programme” in which I was introduced to my current producer and drummer Darragh Tibbs. Myself and Darragh then called upon the skills of Adam Irvine on guitar and Peter McConville on bass to complete the live band we have today.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
In the early stages of my career I was mainly influenced by an array of local artists such as Foy Vance, Gareth Dunlop, Anthony Toner and Cormac Neeson to name a few. Some years later I found my passion for classic rock’n’roll guitar music and blues rock. My most current influences would be ‘The Black Keys’, ‘The Rolling Stones’, ‘BlackBerry Smoke’, “Oasis’ and ‘Kaleo’.
How would you describe your sound?
All my music primarily focuses on the guitars as a source for the melody and the vocals/lyrics are added at a later stage. It has a classic rock’n’roll sound that is simple, straight to the point, and most importantly big. There is definitely a blues edge to the majority of my tracks which would come from listening to the likes of ‘ZZ Top’ and ‘The Black Keys’.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My EP ‘Break The Ice’ which was released on the 21st of October was another step in the direction my music has been heading over the past couple years. It is jam packed with fuzz, multiple guitar hooks, punchy choruses and leans heavily into classic rock ‘n’ roll territory with a bluesy edge cutting across the record. Each track on the ‘Break The Ice’ EP, conveys a different message. Ranging from the challenges and struggles of finding yourself, to the pain and anger of rejection before concluding on a more hopeful and resilient note with a track called ‘Ain’t Going Down Easily’. The meaning behind the lyrics are open to interpretation but crucially, instantly relatable to everyone’s own daily struggles and experiences.
What’s your local music scene like?
The scene in Belfast is and has been thriving for sometime with numerous festivals and venues of all scales. I have met some incredible and hard working people in my short time in this industry and there is a lot of support between artists locally. There is still some work to do to ensure that everyone that deserves an opportunity to break through gets that. With the amount of talent we have in such a small city there is a need for more infrastructure in the arts and to support all avenues of the industry.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
I have had a busy summer playing some fantastic local festivals. The month of May began the recording process of the EP and since then it has been a long journey putting all the plans to action. The finishing line for this project was my headline show at the Deer’s Head in Belfast on the 20th October, a very special night sharing songs old and new. This is only the beginning of a longer journey for me, and I am already back into the creative mode, working on ideas for music to be released in 2024.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
I am a huge BlackBerry Smoke fan after attending one of their shows in Belfast this year. A dream of mine would be to write with frontman Charlie Starr and maybe one day open up for them.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
I am still traumatised from a gig as a child where I broke a string and my dad handed me my spare guitar and proceeded to accidentally kick the other one over in front of everyone.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
Whatever you hear on my Spotify, I aim to deliver that and more in my live performances.
You can find out more about Ben via Apple Music, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, X (Twitter)or YouTube.
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