Exclusive Interview with GIDEON FOSTER

Prophecy is his debut album which will be released on the 24th March 2023, it’s been 53 years in the making as he didn’t start writing songs until slightly later in life than most. However, the album is inspired by personal change, life in general and the winds that bring those events over the years. He has also written a short story book called Walking with Mae which is the backstory behind the songs, which will be published to coincide with the music release. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

GIDEON FOSTER: Yeah sure, it’s been quite a long process for me I’m 53 now and when I was growing up I was really into music although it was more classical as I played cello but always had a guitar and a yearning to be involved in something a bit more musically exciting. Then life took me away from music and it wasn’t really until 8 years ago that I was fortunate enough to pick up the guitar again and started writing some songs. I live in Yorkshire near a place called Hebden Bridge which is great if you’re creative as there’s quite a thriving local scene around here.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

GIDEON FOSTER: Aside from the early years of classical training I am self-taught, although I would add that I have had an incredibly supportive producer who has imparted his many years of musical experience to me whilst we have been making songs.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘GIDEON FOSTER’

GIDEON FOSTER: The name is just my own it’s Hebrew, my mothers family were from Europe, although I call myself Gid as I find people don’t ask how to spell that ! My first influences were really back to the classical side again which I think still influences my music now in a subtle way, but along the way I’ve had many influences, back to Queen when I was younger, I think a lot of the synth driven sounds of the 80’s played a part too, but latterly since I’ve been making music two albums really stick out ‘Passing Stranger’ by Scott Matthews and ‘Folklore’ by Taylor Swift they’ve both had a big effect on my writing.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

GIDEON FOSTER: This is probably oversimplified but I think music should really make you feel something, either uplifted or sad, for me its really about trying to convey the emotion of the songs. I think my sound is my own and lyrically I think there’s a philosophical edge to the songs, which leaves them open to interpretation.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?

GIDEON FOSTER: When I first started writing I think I was too focused on having a fixed idea of what the end result would be and wanting every song to be high octane, and really I’m not like that, at least all the time anyway, I appreciate the softer more emotional side of music as well. I think the development really goes hand in hand with having a real honest look at yourself and being brave enough to be that, and convey it in your music.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

GIDEON FOSTER: I think music is a Spiritual thing, it certainly is for me it came about as a result of a Spiritual event in my life, but I don’t wear that as a badge, music is really about personal experience for me, for some music does play a part in shaping culture and in political expression but personally I’d like to produce things which are the antidote to all of that.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

GIDEON FOSTER: Definitely , I’ve always made my goal to be happy, if you get that sorted out the rest of the stuff sorts itself out. The challenge for me is and always has been with myself to produce something that I feel I could not have done better, if it resonates with other people then that’s a bonus.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

GIDEON FOSTER: The songs really start with an acoustic guitar for me, and ideas have come in different ways, I may have a guitar idea and write the lyrics from that, but there have been other times, for instance ‘Hedonsim’ on the album which was really just some words I wrote down one day, almost like a poem and eventually we just recorded an a capella vocal and the music was fitted around it. I collaborate with a producer and we try and take the tracks in a different direction from the original singer / songwriter idea but however they end up you always have the nucleus of the original idea which you can stand up and perform with a guitar and your voice.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

GIDEON FOSTER: Musically I take the rough with the smooth as in life and we all get difficult things to deal with from time to time and really the hardest thing to do is to see the benefits to those difficulties, but they are what shapes us, and there is always someone going through a worse difficulty.

10. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

GIDEON FOSTER: I think it should be personal interpretation, that’s really one of the messages in the songs, life is subjective, human experience is subjective, I would openly encourage people to interpret the songs in whatever way they see fit. None of us really have all the answers tied down, plenty of people will tell you that they have, but really what do any of us know, we live on a spinning ball of rock in a vast expanse of space, and we can’t see the beginning or the end.