JJ Appleton
JJ Appleton recently moved from New York to London to spread his musical career. Having grown up in Norwich VT, JJ was surrounded by music from a young age as his father was an accomplished composer. This meant JJ traveled a lot as a child and was privileged to spend
a lot of time with musicians of all calibers.
JJ has a string of fantastic tracks to his name; his most recent album is full of beautifully written songs that are both heartfelt and enjoyable. His song ‘Walk Into The Room’ has been receiving huge radio airplay in the UK. ‘Someone Else’s Problem’ is my favourite track, it was produced by Stephen Lironi (who has worked with a lot of big names!) in New York.
JJ Appleton brings a fresh burst of music to our ears, he plays both acoustically and with a band, which means that his performances are both exclusive and entertaining.
Do check out JJ’s webpages www.myspace.com/jjappleton and www.jjappleton.com and keep a look out for him!
JJ Appleton
1. What inspires you to write songs?
Things I overhear people saying. When I'm fed up with something or someone. When I can’t get enough of something or someone. I like rhyming.
2. You recently moved from New York to London, do you find the music scene very different in London?
I've found that the audiences in London are mostly very respectful of the performers. It’s about 50/50 in NYC. Therefore, I find playing in front of new audiences who hasn’t heard me before easier in London.
There are fantastic musicians in both places. The scenes are similar in that everyone who tours will usually come through London or New York regularly or semi-regularly…great for music fans!
3. Is there anything you miss in New York?
I miss walking into a deli in New York and just as I'm pushing the door open, they’re asking me if I want mayo on that. No one waits for anything and if you’re too slow they get mad at you. I find that funny. I lived just around the corner from the real soup Nazi from ‘Seinfeld’.
I miss how new Yorkers cannot understand how anyone can live anywhere else.
I miss how unimpressed new Yorkers are if you’re famous.
I miss the nutty characters you can’t find anywhere else. Everyone in woody Allen films are real people. I know them all.
4. When did you realize you wanted to be a musician?
I used to sit at the piano with my father and we would sing out of the American songbook (oh Susanna, Camptown ladies, etc). It was good fun. I was probably around three or four. I liked rubber soul then too.
5. So far in your musical career what has been your best gig?
If I had to pick one, it would be in 2005 at the Tampa theatre, (in Tampa Florida) on the bill with keb mo. It’s the most beautiful old Southern theatre that looks like something out of a Vincent price Movie. The audience was so positive and I played well. I sold fifty- seven cd’s that night which pays for a lot when you’re on the road. Directly after my performance, someone brought me a soy chai latte from starbucks. Big time baby!
6. Who would you most like your music to be compared to?
Any of the great songwriters of the 60’s and 70’s. I like old music. (Some new too)
7. What was the last movie you saw?
The counterfeiters. A German film about Jews who were forced into a counterfeiting operation by the Nazis in a concentration camp. They wanted to bankrupt England by flooding their economy with fake currency. They almost got away with it…but the war ended. Based on a true story I believe.
8. Out of all your songs which is your most favourite to perform?
Any song with a guitar solo. I'm a show-off.
9. When you are relaxing what kind of music do you listen to?
Frank.
10. What are your plans for next year?
I hope to be on tour with a major artist that I'm not at liberty to name yet. My single has just started getting played on BBC radio 2. My plan is that it will be a hit. Then I can sell out, become hated by musicians and play in my own theatre in Las Vegas. I will not die on a toilet. The gypsy woman told me…
