Exclusive Interview with 'LUKE FRASER'

Luke Fraser’s latest solo effort floats through time and genre while remaining rooted to the earth by honest, close-knit, and occasionally biting lyricism. Luke’s goal is to create a sound world that is connected to the past but not confined by it. He has written and recorded in attics in Kent, abandoned factories in London, and locations in between. His debut album, “Moth Eaten Romeo” (out October 28), and its four preceding singles showcase the full spectrum of his stylistic diversity.
In order to transport you from dimly lit bars to sun-drenched 1960s Laurel Canyon to swirling British seaside carousels, his songs of love, melancholy, and hope bend and warp genres, drawing on elements of chamber pop, doo wop, rock, and jazz. After years of involvement in numerous bands and musical endeavors, Luke’s debut solo album is his most private and intimate to date.

The songwriting trope of a phone call to an ex-lover many years later served as the inspiration for “Hardly Think of You at all.” which was written. His personal favorite of these is “Martha” by Tom Waits. He wanted to take a more sarcastic tone instead of the idealized form that these songs frequently take. He arranged the song in order to convey the idea of a narrator who is so over the top in his joy that something is obviously very very wrong. He put together a marching band out of every brass player he knew, drawing inspiration from The Beach Boys and The Turtles of the 1960s for the song’s flamboyant climax. Check out the song and the exclusive interview below:

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

LUKE FRASER: I’m Luke Fraser and I’m a singer-songwriter currently living in London. After spending many years making music in various bands and projects, I’ve just started my first ever solo project.

It began very organically; after a major breakup, I holed up at home writing and recording for just the sake of catharsis, before seeing this whole album start to emerge. ‘Moth Eaten Romeo’ is coming 28th October, following on from its four preceding singles. I can honestly say I’ve never been prouder of anything I’ve ever made.

2. Who were your first and strongest musical influences?

LUKE FRASER: I’m an old soul, so for these songs I drew a lot from 40s crooners and 70s folk rockers. Mostly, however, I drew from pop groups of the 60s like The Shangri-Las, Lesley Gore and Smokey Robinson; I love retro melodramatic teen breakup music. And Tom Waits too – he’s the best.

However, I’ve always been very keen not to retread any ground that’s been done before. So there’s alot of modern aspects too, whether it be music, production, or lyrics. I’m really into artists like Father John Misty, Lord Huron and Lana Del Rey who seem to walk that same kind of line.

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

LUKE FRASER: I think the retro tinge of these songs is a key factor in their uniqueness, but also their rawness. The album’s very honest and intimate which people seem to have really connected with.

4. 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?
**LUKE FRASER**:
Over the years I’ve experimented tonnes (jazz punk is a personal highlight, though it was just as marketable as it sounds). However, over time I felt pretty restricted by various stylistic aims of originality. When I started working on this album it was way more intuitive – I was just trying to get something out of me. And in that process, I’ve created a personal style which feels much more true to me, and still original.
‘I Hope You’re Happy Now’ was the first song I wrote for this project, and definitely started in this intuitive way. I just did nothing for two weeks but work on that song (with breaks for drinking/wallowing), and then played it live at my next gig straight away. I totally fell in love with writing in that way from then on.

5. 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?

LUKE FRASER:

It really depends. I’ve got notebooks full of lyrics, notes and drawings which is definitely a key part across the board. Usually the songs start by just singing with a guitar, then letting them stew in my head as I work out ways in which I can ruin them with over the top arrangements…

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

LUKE FRASER:

There have definitely been ups and downs (more ups these days). To anyone who hears my music, it’s pretty clear that I’m prone to a fair bit of emotional intensity and neuroticism. But I’m still here, and it’s given me some perspective and some pretty songs.

7. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

LUKE FRASER:

To be honest, making this album and beginning to share it with others has been my proudest moment. Seeing it become a tangible thing has been a totally joyful experience. Making these songs really saved me in a very rough time.

8. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

LUKE FRASER:

I’m pretty mellow about it. My biggest social media anxiety is indifference rather than criticism.

9. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

LUKE FRASER:

Right now it’s the live aspect that’s exciting me. Performing solo has been totally new to me and I’m really loving the challenge of being so bare. That said, I’m totally in love with writing and am never not doing so. Loads more music incoming…

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?

LUKE FRASER: It’s a tricky one, as these songs are all very honest and personal, and all kind of contextualise eachother with this overall picture of that broken relationship. So the story is pretty clear. But writing songs about this subject matter is totally new to me, and I have found that people have connected with it more than my previous, more abstract stuff. Everyone knows this feeling.