Bethany managed to bag an incredible opportunity in the form of interviewing Beans on Toast. Ahead of his headline gig at Rescue Rooms later next month, Bethany got the lowdown on his seventh release and how he ended up DJing alongside local lads D.I.D.
Just ahead of your seventh album release, we were wondering what inspired you to begin the tradition of releasing a new album on your birthday each year?
It all came about quite naturally, my first album was set to come out around that time and i thought i’d be fun to release on my Birthday, it also meant I could have a birthday party / album release double whammy. Then a year later I had another album ready to go and we just repeated the process and then it just became a bit of a thing. It makes sense now as a new decord each year means I’m constantly touring or playing festivals, buy keeping on releasing stuff it keeps the wheel turning.
What themes can we expect from the new album – have any recent issues in the world inspired your material for this next release?
There’s a range of song subjects as per usual, from Charlie Hebdo to Robin Hood. Modern Art to Shitty Jobs, Traffic jams to globe trotting-tales, songs about my youth and thoughts of my age. And of course some love songs
If you could collaborate with any artist for live performances or recordings, who would it be and why?
Well this whole new album is something of a collaboration. It was recorded with a country duo called Truckstop Honeymoon whom I met at Larmer Tree Festival. I travelled over to Kansas and recoded the album with them, bringing double bass and some finger picking guitar into the mix. Truckstop are coming over to the UK for the upcoming tour. Where they’ll be opening the show and also playing as a backing band for my set. I can’t wait.
I’m also on tour at the moment in the USA, opening for Frank Turner. The other band on the bill are Skinny Lister and I’ve been travelling with them for the past 7 weeks. We have a collaboration coming…. watch this space.
Do you find that your audiences differ at festivals compared to gig venues? Which performances do you enjoy the most?
I wouldn’t say I prefer one to the other, I love them both for different reasons, I like touring ‘cos you generally get to play every night, whereas festivals are only weekends. I treat every show pretty much the same… get up and see what happens kind of vibes.
If you could pick one performance that stands out above the rest for you, which would it be and why is it so memorable?
Well my last show in Nottingham at the Rescue Rooms was pretty special. It was the first time I’d sold out a venue of that size, we did a cover of ‘Everything I Do I Do It For You’ while I was sat on a stingers shoulders in the crowd and was an all round fun show and brilliant crowd. They also let me DJ the club night afterwards (with my buddies Dog is Dead) and I rocked the fucking house.
You can catch Beans on Toast at Rescue Rooms on November 21st. Grab tickets here now before it’s too late.
By Bethany Munley
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