Folk grunge artist MICHAEL WEBSTER has been actively doing music for sometime. Releasing a handful of EP's with another on the way and shows as well. Nothing but more music is what's focused upon right now, find out what Michael himself says about it below.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
I started doing music back in 2014, when I lived in Scotland and ended up realizing it was what i wanted to do for the rest of my life! Writing songs, performing, producing others’ work and that, it’s really fulfilling and to create something that really connects with people is an incredible feeling. I’ve got a load of releases out now, which i’m super proud of - and I’ve also worked on a bunch of great releases that I’m stoked to have been a part of. Usually it’s just me performing solo, however I’ve performed a few times with a full band and it’s always a great feeling.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
It’s just my name - pretty much the stick with most artists nowadays. I’ve had a few ideas for band names, but we’ll keep that on the lowdown for the time being, hoping to be able to get something together in the near future!
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I’m based in Manchester, I put on gigs and open mics across the city and it’s utterly sublime to see the quality and community within the music scene here. There’s a real lovely sense of respect and connection between all the artists and acts, everyone supports each other and I love being a part of it. There’s a plethora of incredible bands here, far too many to name, but just a few come to mind in the form of Nat Dempsey and the Near Strangers, The Sewer Cats, and The Distance.
4. How would you describe your style?
I usually describe myself as a folk-grunge artist haha. This mostly stems from my influence from heavier music, but staying within a singer-songwriter lane - my songs have a tendency to be relatively heavier but maintain that folky aspect to them through the songwriting, and I've got a whole load of influences ranging from hip-hop, to pop, to punk and alternative. I try to listen to lots of music and use the inspiration from it all to form my music!
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
So far, I’ve released six double singles, a live EP, a “demos” EP and a proper EP, back in 2019. My earlier work was a lot more heavier than the rest, so when I put out the “paper dreams” EP it gave me a bit more space to be a bit more chilled out with the tracks, so it’s got a real nice balance of more calmer ballads and heavier tunes. The singles I’ve put out since then were way more chill, I love the idea of having double singles - it allows for a nice balance and to group songs that work well together. Most of my songs can be easily described as “Northern” haha. I utilize a lot of my background in my music, with my accent, dictation and flow forming the vocal melodies. There’s also a fair bit of influence from the outside world - I'm not a stranger to writing about political themes, philosophy or just that which i see around me.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
I’m hoping to get another EP sorted by the end of the year! I’ve been working on it for a while, these are some of my favorite songs I’ve written and I’m real excited for people to hear them.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
I run a lot of open mics and that each week here in Manchester, but I’m hoping to get a little mini-tour sorted for the start of next year and I'm sure I’ll be getting an EP release show sorted as well.
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
I’ve got a lot in the works! I’ve now got plenty of songs under my belt - I’ve got ideas for an album, more EPs, it’s a lot of work but I'm properly looking forward to getting on with it. I’m also looking to work with new people as well, get them involved with my music and collaborate with them on projects!
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
I’m on all of the streaming sites like Spotify, Apple Music and that - plus, you can buy all of my music and merch on Bandcamp at www.michaelwebster.bandcamp.com/.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Very much the lyrical content. I’m a big fan of songwriting, and I focus most of my musical style on that - however, over the past few years I’ve been working on my guitar style, trying to make it more unique and accustomed to what I want it to sound like.
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