Gigslutz Interview with JOHN LENNON McCULLAGH

At 15, my Rock n Roll ambitions extended to wanting to be Kate Hudson in Almost Famous, mainly because I wanted a nice coat. Others, however, take music for the far more serious business it is a lot earlier. Spotted on the road by Alan McGee of Creation fame and one of the first acts to be signed to his new label, 369 Music, John Lennon McCullah (yep, real name) looks and sounds a lot older than his 15 years. His debut single North South Divide sees him articulating the frustration of growing up in recession-torn Doncaster, while strutting around looking like a mod-era David Bailey. Achingly cool and socially aware, who knew that still even worked?! Well it does, and he’s getting some serious compliments and Bob Dylan comparisons. So we thought we’d send Katherine Tittley along try to get to know him a little better…

First of all, you’re 15! Your music has a maturity of those much older than you, it’s seriously smart! Where are you getting all this deep stuff from?

Thanks man, well i got into music cos of my dad, and listened to his influences from there, and after a while wanted to write my own songs, and with months and months of practising, it starts to work.

It’s refreshing to hear modern music with such a social conscience. North South Divide makes some seriously bold statements. Class and politics have almost gone out of fashion as subjects for popular music. Is it important to you that your music says something poignant about the state of things?

Yeah for me, at the minute theres no bands or artists saying anything, theres a lot of great bands don’t get me wrong, but England as a country is in a bad way where i live, and things need to be said.

Are you worried that because of you’re age you might not get taken so seriously? Or do you think it’s going to help?

Age is just a number, its about the music at the end of the day, if people just wanna talk about my age then let them, it doesn’t bother me, its about the music.

I’m detecting hints of Billy Bragg, The Jam, The Pogues in your sound, please correct me if you think I’m wrong 🙂 Are you more influenced by the 80’s angsty sound then recent trends?

Yeh I like all of them, but my influences are more Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison, that sort of thing, but there all great.

Do you think young people need more guys like you to save them from the wrath of the Cyrus’ and the Beibers?

Haha thats not really up to me to decide, people like Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber isn’t my thing, but it is for other people, and if it makes them happy then great. As long as I can write songs and play thats good enough for me.

Tell us how you wound up getting signed to Alan McGee’s label?

I was doing a gig in Rotherham and he was in the pub, at the time I just did Dylan covers, and he really liked it, so he invited me to a show a few weeks in Liverpool and told me to write my own songs if I wanted to get anywhere, which I did, and its all gone from there.

From what I’ve read you recorded your album in one day – how did you feel ready to get it down that quick?

Well it’s only me guitar and harmonica, and a bit of violin, so I didn’t have to get sounds right or anything, it’s very straight forward, so most songs were one take and I was happy with it. I think sometimes people can over produce or add to many things to songs, most of my songs are about the lyrics which is what i try to get through.

What can we expect from the live shows? Are you a stripped back guy or a stage dancer?

Very stripped back, its just me guitar and harmonica. Theres not many Angus Young moves. Yet anyway haha.

Ha! You’re receiving accolades such as ‘doing Dylan better than Dylan’, a great compliment but that would freak me out! How do you respond to comments like that?

Well its amazing, never in my wildest dreams did i ever think anyone would say that! It’s really nice to get great compliments like that, but you cant let it go to your head, cos lets be honest theres only one Dylan and no one will ever do it better than him, but if people wanna say that then amazing.

I think your pretty awesome if l do say so, and I’m excited to see how this album does and what you do next. For now, what do you think the future holds for you?

Thank you very much man! At the minute i’m just waiting to get out on the road and play, i’m writing all the time, so hopefully get in a studio soon and start recording some new songs..

Cheers mate!

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Kate Tittley

When not making cocktails for Manchester's finest, Le Titts is most likely to be found the other side of the bar in a cloud of smoke and wine musing loudly over her fantasy band line up, love of the album format and why nothing is better than The Stone Roses. And then spilling the wine...Loving the ride with GigSlutz.